The Daily Show took aim at President Trump on Monday night, accusing him of going after prominent Black celebrities to divert attention from renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
During the segment, correspondent Jessica Williams returned to Jon Stewart’s desk with a sharp satirical take on Trump’s recent public threats aimed at Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and former Vice President Kamala Harris, all of whom he accused of “illegally endorsing” Democrats in the 2024 election.
“Trump’s strategy now is just to target every successful Black person he can name,” Williams said. “We’re like a week away from him blaming Urkel for 9/11.”
Referencing the iconic ’90s sitcom character played by Jaleel White, she quipped, “‘Did he do that?’ No, Jon. No, he didn’t. He wasn’t even near the towers that day.”
The joke landed amid growing criticism over Trump’s inflammatory Truth Social post on Saturday, where he claimed that Beyoncé, Oprah, and Harris “should all be prosecuted” for election-related crimes — accusations legal experts have dismissed as baseless.
Earlier in the show, Stewart addressed the latest developments in the Epstein case, including reports that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently met with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for assisting Epstein’s abuse of underage girls.
Stewart suggested the president’s rhetoric is part of a coordinated effort to downplay his past relationship with Epstein — and distract from revelations that his name appears in sealed court files, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Trump, currently wrapping up a visit to Scotland to tour his golf resorts and meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. In a statement to reporters, he said: “Oh, you gotta be kidding with that. No, had nothing to do with it.”
Meanwhile, Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, News Corp, and Dow Jones, over a report claiming he once sent Epstein a birthday letter — an allegation the president denies.
Williams closed the segment with her signature bite: “He’s lashing out at Michael Jordan, Oprah, Beyoncé… Next it’ll be Michael B. Jordan. Or a made-up guy like Michael C. Jordan — ‘He’s the worst of them all!’ He better watch out.”
Clearly exasperated, she ended by calling the president’s actions “b******t,” adding: “I’ve had it with Trump. He needs to come clean about Epstein.”
The episode followed a wave of satirical criticism from late-night hosts, with Stephen Colbert and Joe Rogan also skewering Trump’s conspiracy-laden responses to the Epstein fallout.
