John Oliver mocks Trump's authoritarian lovefest in Asia, pans Jared Kushner's Mideast peace 'plan'

This past week "was a big one for Trump and diplomacy — two words that go together like 'fire' and 'Chicago 1871,'" John Oliver said on Sunday's Last Week Tonight. President Trump met "with his favorite authoritarians" at a G-20 summit in Japan and the DMZ between North and South Korea, and he was evidently "thrilled" that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had invited him to set foot north of the border line.
Oliver played Trump's comments: "Oh, that's actually nice," he said. "So Trump wanted to step over the line, was ready to do it, but waited until he received affirmative consent. What a refreshing change of pace for him. Maybe Trump's mantra going forward should be 'treat women with the same respect you show murderous autocrats!' He's growing. Good for him!" He pivoted to the Mideast peace plan put forward by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, last week, and he was underwhelmed.
What Kushner president "is not a real plan," Oliver said. "Essentially he describes hypothetical investments in Palestine and its neighbors worth more than $50 billion once peace is achieved — but achieving peace is the really important part. Without that, you got nothing." And his path to peace is equally empty, he added. "Yes, after years of thinking about it, Jared's arrived at the conclusion that the Middle East would be better off if people 'stop doing terrorism.'" Watch snippets of Oliver's recap of last week, plus his mocker of Kushner's thought process, 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 - February 22, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - bricking it, I can buy myself flowers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 exclusive cartoons about Trump and Putin negotiating peace
Cartoons Artists take on alternative timelines, missing participants, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The AI arms race
Talking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
By The Week UK Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
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
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
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
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published