Jon Stewart has commented on President Donald Trump's consistent attacks on late-night television hosts, suggesting these actions reveal a "shocking fragility" and a lack of confidence in his own worldview. Stewart made these remarks during a discussion with former first lady Michelle Obama on her podcast, "IMO."
Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," noted that while he never found himself targeted by Trump in the same way as late-night comedians, he observed that individuals who project significant power can be surprisingly affected by satire and commentary. "There is nothing more fragile than someone who wields real power, who feels that that power will be diminished by satire or commentary," Stewart stated. He added that Trump's reactions to comedians, especially someone who aims to project "alpha male dominance," are "incredibly wrecked by something that happens at 12:30 at night."
Trump has frequently criticized late-night hosts, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel. In one instance, Trump celebrated the cancellation of Colbert's show, describing it as a "pathetic trainwreck." He has also referred to Fallon as "very insecure," Meyers as a "truly deranged lunatic," and called for Kimmel's termination.
The tension between the administration and late-night television has manifested in regulatory actions. In April, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under the Trump administration, initiated an early review of ABC broadcast licenses. ABC's parent company, Disney, has characterized this review as retaliation for programming the administration dislikes. Disney has since filed a lawsuit against the FCC to halt the review, citing comments from FCC chair Brendan Carr regarding broadcasters' response to Kimmel's remarks about Charlie Kirk.
Carr, who has been associated with Project 2025 and expressed intentions to use the FCC to penalize broadcasters perceived as unfair to the president, has stated that the commission does not act as the "speech police." He also argued that broadcasters have a responsibility to serve the "public interest."