A satirical segment from December 2025 of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart has exploded in popularity across the internet. The clip, which cleverly resurrects the show's early-2000s style of political commentary, draws stark and unsettling parallels between the justifications used for the 2003 Iraq War and the rhetoric surrounding a burgeoning US military intervention in Venezuela.
Spot the Difference: Stewart's Scathing Comparison
In the segment, which aired after Stewart's return to late-night television, the host mockingly dissects attempts by the US leadership under President Donald Trump to frame the Venezuela situation as fundamentally different from Iraq. Using his signature blend of humour and pointed critique, Stewart highlights the recycled tropes and exaggerated threats that he argues are being used once again to drum up public support for military action.
Stewart employs a powerful tool: archival footage. He juxtaposes old clips, including rhetoric from figures like former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about Iraq, with current statements. "Ah, terrorist networks, that’s the worst kind of networks," Stewart quipped, parodying past justifications before adding with mock panic, "You are going to get me fired."
He didn't stop there. Reflecting on critics labelling the Venezuela conflict a "war of choice," Stewart feigned sentimentality: "I think the saddest part of getting into a war of choice in 2025 is that Dick Cheney won’t be around to see it…" He also skewered a moment where Senator Tom Cotton mistakenly addressed President Trump as "President Bush," joking about the confusing overlap between the two administrations' wars.
The 'New Doctrine': Satire Meets Geopolitical Critique
Stewart addressed the underlying motives many suspect are driving the intervention. With blunt satire, he commented on the role of economic interests, joking, "I didn’t think this war was a wise decision but if it helps the oil companies smile again…" This drew on President Trump's own past comments linking oil to military strategy.
His most biting critique framed America's shifting foreign policy in starkly cynical terms. "Don’t you get it? America’s new foreign policy is basically this: Don’t kill people there [the Middle East]; kill them over here [South America], in your own time zone," Stewart said. He elaborated, calling it the new Trump doctrine: "It’s not in any way about stable democracies; it’s about spheres of influence... America is no longer the shining city on the hill. It is merely just one of the five crime families, splitting up the territories."
Why the Clip Resonated and Went Viral
The segment's viral spread on platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit underscores a public appetite for comedy that challenges mainstream narratives. Tagged with #IraqVsVenezuela and #DailyShowRewind, the clip sparked widespread discussion in politics forums and social media threads.
Viewers reacted strongly to Stewart's core argument: that the playbook for justifying foreign intervention, whether in 2003 or 2025, remains eerily similar. The comparison between the discredited weapons-of-mass-destruction claims in Iraq and the current narratives linking Venezuela to criminal or drug trafficking threats struck a chord. It tapped into a broader public fatigue with perceived repetition and ideological spin in foreign policy debates.
The bottom line: This viral Daily Show clip has become more than just a comedy bit; it's a cultural talking point. By leveraging nostalgia for his earlier satire to critique current events, Jon Stewart successfully reignited crucial conversations about public memory, geopolitical rhetoric, and the enduring role of late-night comedy in holding power to account.
