Jimmy Kimmel wonders if Trump's hinting at a real October surprise. Trevor Noah explains U.S. militias.
President Trump is publicly unhappy with Attorney General William Barr after a federal prosecutor wrapped up an Obama-era "unmasking" investigation with no charges and no report. The Daily Show recalled how important the investigation was to Trump and his Fox News friends in an "in memoriam" segment Wednesday night.
Trump "is burning massive amounts of jet fuel to spread his message and germs all over big crowds of supporters in swing states," even as COVID-19 cases are going up in almost every state — and going down in none, Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. He pointed to a billboard outside Wednesday's Iowa rally pointing to the "Trump COVID Superspreader Event" — "that is literally a sick burn" — and showed some scenes from Tuesday's rally in Pennsylvania: "He's dancing to "YMCA," he's kissing guys — is it possible that we might be gearing up for the greatest October surprise?"
"The president is trailing Joe Biden bigly in every poll, and I think it's starting to get under his thick orange rind," Kimmel said. "All kidding aside, this is a man who is spinning out. Yesterday he retweeted a conspiracy theory that Obama and Biden staged the killing of Osama bin Laden, and that bin Laden is still alive.."
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.
"It is safe to say that the ongoing pandemic is driving a lot of people crazy," Trevor Noah said on The Daily Show. "But some people in Michigan have taken their frustrations a little too far."
Members of a militia group in Michigan "were apparently so mad about gyms being closed that they tried to kidnap the governor," Noah marveled. "Can I just say, angry white dudes are truly on some other level. I mean, think about it: Flint, Michigan had dirty water that poisoned its own citizens for years, and those people stayed peaceful. But these guys formed Pale ISIS because they couldn't go to Planet Fitness? Now, unfortunately, this is hardly the first time we've head about militias recently. They've been looming over protests and storming statehouses since the early days of the pandemic. And I'm not going to lie: This whole militia thing in America still blows my mind."
You usually read about armed militias in places like Afghanistan and Sudan, Noah noted, "so why is this also something that is going on in America?" Watch him explain the history of U.S. militias, and the Dick Law, below. Peter Weber
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.
-
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
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published