Comedian Jon Stewart accused Donald Trump of fueling protests in Los Angeles after ICE raids in the city.
“This weekend’s combustion was the very predictable result of a liberal city reliant on an immigrant population colliding with a heavy-handed MAGA migrant-trolling operation looking to hit its quota of Brown Pokémen. Gotta catch ’em all. Yes, America!” Stewart said on The Daily Show.
“So now, predictably, these non-targeted, much broader deportation efforts in cities that feel very connected to the immigrant population is a tinderbox and Trump happily lights the fuse,” he said.
Trump has deployed thousands of national guard troops in L.A. over the weekend in response to the protests. He claimed the move saved the city from ‘completely obliteration’ despite the protests being confined to downtown LA and the rest of the city functioning normally and local leaders including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) calling the move “reckless” and “pointless”.
On Monday, Trump also deployed hundreds of active-duty Marines to LA as protests continue along with an additional 2,000 national guard members. Local leaders say the city’s law enforcement was effectively handling the situation until Trump intervened.
“It’s an explosive situation on the cusp of federalism versus states’ rights, border control versus due process, terrifyingly militarized sweeps versus hard-working people in local communities,” Stewart said.
He continued: “The United States Marines versus the Postmates guy who brought you an egg sandwich. It’s going to require a deft and firm, experienced and wise – I think you know where I’m going with this… A deft touch from leadership in Washington.”
Stewart concluded by suggesting Trump is focused on the protest in LA to draw attention away from Elon Musk’s claim last week that Trump was “in the Epstein files” which is why his administration hasn’t followed through on his campaign promise to release the files because they would implicate him.
“Why escalate this sh*t now?” Stewart asked. “Oh, right — Elon Musk is now accusing Trump of being in the Epstein files.”
