Jon Stewart opened a recent episode of The Daily Show by doing something he openly admitted he rarely does: giving President Donald Trump credit.
“I want to give credit where credit is due,” Stewart sarcastically told his audience at the top of the segment. “The president did a solid over the weekend.”
The praise came after Trump signed an executive order fast-tracking the FDA process for novel psychedelic d**g treatments aimed at helping veterans experiencing PTSD, psychiatric conditions, and a**iction.
Referencing the scene at the signing ceremony, Stewart noted the people gathered around the president and delivered a jab.
“President Trump signed an executive order in front of his fraternity brothers,” Stewart said, before explaining the policy itself. “Fast-tracking the FDA process for novel psychedelic d**g treatments for veterans suffering from all forms of PTSD and other psychiatric conditions, including a**iction.”
The “fraternity brothers” remark was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the group of supporters present at the signing, which included podcast host Joe Rogan.
Stewart acknowledged the move was a genuinely positive step, even as he quickly slipped into his familiar rhythm of comedic scrutiny.
The first detail to go under the microscope was Trump’s pronunciation of ibogaine during the announcement. Stewart played the clip of Trump struggling through the word before eventually landing somewhere close to the correct pronunciation.
“They gave you the easiest hallucinogenic to pronounce,” Stewart joked after airing the clip. “They could have thrown ayahuasca in there. Psilocybin. But they gave you ibogaine. But even when they dumbed it down for him, it’s a problem.”
Almost immediately, Stewart caught himself and acknowledged he was drifting back into old habits.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m falling into old habits,” he said, briefly breaking character. “It’s good. You did a good thing. I’m nitpicking. A lot of people are going to get the help they need.”
Later in the announcement, Trump highlighted the potential impact of the treatment, saying it had helped veterans experience “an 80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month,” before jokingly adding, “Can I have some please?”
That line gave Stewart another opening.
“Oh my god, he’s depressed too,” Stewart quipped. “Hey, don’t be depressed, sir. Trump won’t be president forever.”
Trump then made an offhand remark about his own approach to mental health that Stewart found particularly telling.
“I don’t have time to be depressed,” Trump said during the announcement. “You know, if you stay busy enough, maybe that works too. That’s what I do.”
Stewart framed the idea as a kind of emotional avoidance.
“You can’t get depressed if you stay busy,” he said. “It’s a little thing called outrunning the darkness. You can’t be depressed if the sadness can’t catch you.”
He followed that up with another joke, suggesting that psychedelic treatment might not be the best option for Trump personally, adding that it would be hard to tell the difference if he did take hallucinogens.
Despite the string of jokes throughout the segment, Stewart ultimately circled back to his original point and reiterated his approval of the policy decision.
“I think it’s a good thing what he did,” Stewart said. “I swear to God, it’s a good thing what he did.”
