Trevor Noah doesn't understand why the White House ever protected Rob Porter, Trump's paper-pusher


Sometimes you just have to shake your head. Trevor Noah began Thursday's Daily Show with Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity chief Jeanette Manfra's recent acknowledgment that "an exceptionally small number" of states had their voting systems "successfully penetrated" by the Russian government in 2016. "She delivered that line like it was supposed to sound comforting" he said. "It's like a doctor saying, 'Good news, Brian, you have an exceptionally small number of tumors in your brain.'" The only thing more worrisome, he said, is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's "wimpy" and "mind-boggling" shrug that the Russians are going to hack, so get used to it.
Noah turned to Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary who resigned Wednesday amid accusations he abused his two ex-wives. "You know, every time I think I've reached the highest level of disgust for this administration, I'm right, but then they invent another level," he said. "I miss the days when White House staffers got fired for fun stuff — you know, Spicey couldn't talk, the Mooch couldn't shut up, Steve Bannon couldn't shower."
But in this case, Noah said, "not only did the White House have a domestic abuser in its midst, a lot of the people there, especially Chief of Staff and alleged 'adult in the room' John Kelly, just ignored it for months. And with the job Porter had, there's no reason that they couldn't get somebody else. ... You oversee every piece of paper that lands on Trump's desk? You mean, this desk? Oh, tough job: Trump's desk is balder than his head." Seriously, he added, "if your job is to bring reading materials to a guy who doesn't read, then that's not much of a job. It's like being Kevin Spacey's agent." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - shark-infested waters, Mother's Day, and more
-
5 fundamentally funny cartoons about the US Constitution
Cartoons Artists take on Sharpie edits, wear and tear, and more
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia