Jon Stewart mocks sleepy Trump: “Imagine committing so many crimes, you get bored at your own trial"

“He’s snoring. He’s doing the honk shoo. He’s doing the ‘mi-mi-mi-mi-mi,'" the Daily Show host quipped

By Nardos Haile

Staff Writer

Published April 16, 2024 11:25AM (EDT)

Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)

Comedy Central host Jon Stewart on Monday mocked former President Donald Trump for reportedly falling asleep during his criminal trial in New York over hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

During Monday evening's episode of "The Daily Show," the host flamed Trump after The New York Times' Maggie Haberman reported that he appeared to doze off while sitting in the courtroom.

"Forty minutes ago, you wrote an observation that, I was very surprised. 'Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack.' Tell us about that," CNN host Jake Tapper told Haberman in a clip played by Stewart.

“Well, Jake, he appeared to be asleep,” she replied.

“Hey, Jake, what part of head down, eyes closed, drool coming out of his mouth, do you not f*****g get over here?” Stewart joked in an Italian accent. “He’s snoring. He’s doing the honk shoo. He’s doing the ‘mi-mi-mi-mi-mi.' He's asleep.”

Stewart did not let up on his criticisms of Trump, alluding to Trump's other impending criminal indictments in three other jurisdictions.

“Imagine committing so many crimes, you get bored at your own trial. In case you've lost track, this is the trial where Trump allegedly paid hush money to an adult film star that he slept with and then allegedly falsified business records to cover it up. Or as Trump would put it. . .” Stewart said as he aired a clip of Trump telling reporters after court adjourned on Monday that "this is political persecution."

"This is a persecution like never before. Nobody's ever seen anything like it . . ." Trump said in the clip. "It's an assault on America and that's why I'm very proud to be here."

“Well, it’s true,” Stewart said. “Trump is always very proud to be part of any assault on America.”

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But then Stewart explained that even if the prosecution is stretching the validity of these illicit alleged crimes, it isn't persecution because it's not like Trump is Nelson Mandela or Jesus.

Ironically, the show then juxtaposed Stewart's statement with Trump calling himself Mandela at a rally and referring to himself as Jesus in his Truth Social posts. However, Stewart called upon his "Daily Show" correspondents live at the courthouse to address the trial. Obviously, standing in front of a green screen, Desi Lydic, Ronnie Chieng and Josh Johnson all fought for what hypothetical team Trump was on. Johnson clinched a win in the argument when he said Trump was "Team O.J."

Comparing Trump to the late O.J. Simpson, football legend and the man acquitted for first-degree murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, "Most importantly, their obvious guilt didn't deter their loyal fans, who their think they're innocent or don't care they're guilty," Johnson said.

"Personally, I'm excited for the moment in the trial where Trump will drop his pants and say 'if the glove don't fit you must acquit," Johnson finished out the segment. 

"The Daily Show" airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central and streams on Paramount+


By Nardos Haile

Nardos Haile is a staff writer at Salon covering culture. She’s previously covered all things entertainment, music, fashion and celebrity culture at The Associated Press. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.

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