John Oliver has some ideas on what's in that 'comically oversized' letter to Trump from Kim Jong Un


"This week, the June 12 summit between the U.S. and North Korea was suddenly back on after President Trump met with a North Korean envoy who had brought him this gigantic, comically oversized letter from Kim Jong Un," John Oliver said on Sunday's Last Week Tonight. "And as if smiling while holding a letter from a dictator were not enough of a propaganda coup for North Korea, the president then raved about the letter to the press." And then, eight minutes later, he said he hadn't read the letter, admitting he might be surprised. Yeah, Oliver said. "You just agreed to a summit without reading the contents of the letter that supposedly convinced you to do it. So, worst-case scenario, it's a declaration of war. Best-case scenario, it says: 'Donald, it's me. I have run away to North Korea and I'm never coming back. Melania [your third wife].'"
Oliver moved on to Ukraine — "or as Vladimir Putin calls it, 'Bonus Russia'" — and Tuesday's shocking, tragic murder of Putin critic and journalist Arkady Babchenko. "And that's what made what happened on Wednesday even more remarkable," he said. "It's true — Babchenko faked his death to bring down a team of Russian assassins."
"Some of the details of this fake assassination are amazing," including the detail that he watched the news of his own "murder" from the morgue, Oliver said. Babchenko's colleagues were thrilled that he was alive, but some of his friends were rightfully ticked off, Oliver said, as was his wife, who was also left in the dark. Or was she? "And that is the problem here," he said. "And it's why some reporters criticized Babchenko, arguing that this plays into Russia's hands in dismissing actual crimes as 'fake news.'" He also explained why Babkenko probably shouldn't be so "borderline cocky" after his fake death. 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 10, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and more
-
5 streetwise cartoons about defunding PBS
Cartoons Artists take on immigrant puppets, defense spending, and more
-
Dark chocolate macadamia cookies recipe
The Week Recommends These one-bowl cookies will melt in your mouth
-
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