Jon Stewart unleashed a sharp round of mockery aimed at NBC’s Kristen Welker during Monday’s episode of “The Daily Show,” zeroing in on her reaction after President Donald Trump abruptly left his interview on “Meet the Press.”
Trump ended the sit-down on Sunday after blasting NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN as “crooked,” bringing the conversation to a dramatic close.
While Stewart directed much of his criticism at the former president, he also singled out Welker’s handling of the moment.
“But this is where Kristen Welker nearly undoes all of the good work she did with one of the worst pleas in the history of journalism,” Stewart said during the segment.
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As Trump stood up to leave, Welker attempted to get him to continue, saying, “Mr. President, let’s ... please, I traveled all the way to Wisconsin.”
Stewart mimicked that line in exaggerated fashion, joking, “You can’t leave, sir! I was in business class! Mr. President, please, Wisconsin, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is on an hour earlier here.”
He continued mocking the remark by loading on absurd details about Wisconsin, saying, “These people are savages. Their Chinese restaurants only serve Szechuan, no Cantonese to be found. We’ll all die of consumption.”
The comedian then shifted tone slightly to make a broader point about political coverage.
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“But you know what? Maybe finally, this moment will give journalists permission to not back down. To not just leave it there and move on. And to finally be honest about Trump’s inability to be challenged in the moment,” he said.
Stewart went on to show another part of the interview in which Welker noted that the rainy weather created difficulties for both her and the president during the taping.
He shouted in frustration at that explanation, erupting, “You were inside! There was no challenge from the rain! F**k that! No! Donald Trump was not thrown off by the ambient noise during the interview.”
Stewart added that “ambient farm rain is the least disruptive noise environment he conducts interviews in,” which drew laughs from the studio audience.
The clip showed Welker at various points acknowledging the sound of the weather.
“This would be the first of multiple interruptions due to weather. Rain on the metal roof making it difficult for both of us to hear each other,” she said during the broadcast.
“As we’re having this conversation, we can hear a little bit of rain.”
Trump himself also mentioned “a lot of rain” while speaking with her.
Stewart responded to that portion by emphasizing, “Donald Trump didn’t storm out because of the rain. He stormed out because he was challenged, not because he was distracted.”
He concluded that “maybe it’s time we stop making excuses for that man in order to preserve access to his constant bullsh*t.”
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At the end of the “Meet the Press” segment, Welker said Trump had already agreed to another interview on the show.
Stewart was quick with another jab, remarking, “There you go. And what are the odds that the result of that interview will be any different?”
The original walk-off that sparked the exchange happened as Trump accused several networks of dishonest coverage during a final back-and-forth over his claims about U.S. elections.
“You’re a one-sided crooked network,” Trump told Welker, before saying, “Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time.”
Before leaving, Trump added, “I sat in the rain with you for an hour. On and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press.”
Stewart’s Monday segment turned that dramatic moment into comedic fuel, blending relentless ridicule with a pointed critique of how journalists handle high-profile figures who walk away from tough questions.
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