In a blistering Monday night monologue, Jon Stewart unleashed a torrent of criticism aimed at former President Donald Trump and his administration's recent military actions in Venezuela. The operation, which occurred over the weekend, resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and led to the deaths of at least 80 people.
A Stark Departure from Historical Pretext
Stewart opened his segment on The Daily Show by contrasting the Trump administration's approach with past U.S. foreign interventions. He pointed out that historically, American leaders would craft a high-minded moral or political justification for involving the military in another sovereign nation. Stewart then posed a pointed question to his audience: what foundational principle was the Trump administration using to frame this aggressive incursion?
The answer, according to Stewart, was provided by Trump himself. The show cut to clips where Trump explicitly stated that the United States would maintain a presence in Venezuela to secure access to the country's vast oil reserves. "Is this your first war? I mean, what the fuck?!?" an exasperated Stewart exclaimed in response to the blunt admission.
Political Allies and the 'Narco-Terrorist' Justification
Stewart then turned his attention to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a prominent Trump ally, who offered a different rationale while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. Graham defended the operation, claiming, "There are going to be Americans alive today because he shut down a narco-terrorist state called Venezuela. This is a good thing, not a bad thing."
This justification was immediately undercut, Stewart highlighted, when Trump interjected to note that U.S. oil companies would be tasked with rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure. The host reacted with visceral frustration, ripping up a stack of papers and shouting, "Goddamn it! What?!? We can’t even be conspiracy theorists now!" The moment laid bare, for Stewart, the transparent economic motives behind the political rhetoric.
'Going Full Conquistador' for Resources
The comedy host doubled down on this critique by playing a clip of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasizing to reporters that Venezuela possessed not only oil, but also steel, aluminum, and 'critical minerals'. To Stewart, this was a blatant inventory of plunder.
"These motherfuckers are going full conquistador in front of our eyes!" Stewart quipped. He then launched into a satirical impression of Lutnick, mocking the colonial-style resource grab: "'I mean, they got oil, steel, minerals. And oh, don’t forget about the spices, spices! We’ll load our ships with cinnamon and cardamom, oil and everything bagels, you’ll see!'"
Stewart's monologue served as a scathing indictment of an intervention that appeared to prioritize resource acquisition over any coherent foreign policy doctrine. By juxtaposing the administration's statements, he argued that the traditional veil of idealism had been completely discarded, revealing a raw and unabashed pursuit of economic gain through military force.
