In a stunning start to 2026, late-night television hosts across the United States have delivered scathing monologues targeting former President Donald Trump's surprise military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of the country's leader, Nicolás Maduro.
Stewart's Scorching Return to The Daily Show
Making his first Daily Show appearance of the year, Jon Stewart immediately addressed the events of 2 January, when US forces entered Venezuelan airspace and territory to detain President Maduro. More than a dozen nations have since condemned the act at the United Nations as a "crime of aggression."
"It is highly unusual for any government… to violate the airspace and territory of another sovereign nation and hit the grab and go on their president," Stewart stated. He cynically predicted the long-term outcome based on US history: the nation would be pleased for a few weeks, only to face a leftist revolution decades later that would blame America and "absolutely ruin a Democrat’s presidency."
Stewart reserved particular scorn for Trump's blunt admission that the incursion was motivated by securing access to Venezuela's crude oil reserves, a confession that undermined aides' attempts to frame it as an anti-drug trafficking mission. "'I think they did it for the oil' – Yeah, no, I did it for the oil," Stewart joked, lamenting the loss of even a pretence of noble intent.
Kimmel, Colbert, and Meyers Join the Fray
Jimmy Kimmel returned from hiatus with a summary of Trump's "action-packed holiday break," linking the Venezuela invasion to the impending release of court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. "If you were wondering how bad these Epstein files are for Trump, turns out they’re invade Venezuela bad," he quipped.
Kimmel also mocked Trump's declaration that he would now "run" Venezuela. "He’s going to run Venezuela? He can’t even run the country he runs!"
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert suggested the real trigger for the invasion was a viral clip of Maduro dancing. "Let this be a warning to every uncle at a wedding," he joked. On the question of who would govern Venezuela next, Colbert speculated it might come down to a bidding war between streaming giants: "Lotta money on the line."
A Legacy of 'Thuggish Gangsterism'
Seth Meyers highlighted the stark hypocrisy of Trump, who had long railed against "never-ending wars," suddenly launching an offensive operation. "Giving Donald Trump control of the US military is like giving the cast of Real Housewives an open bar and a ‘one free slap’ coupon," Meyers said.
Stewart concluded his segment by expressing exhaustion at the gap between America's founding ideals and the current administration's actions. He described a "Gulf of America" – not the body of water, but "the gap between the high aspirations that embody the founding of this country and the thuggish gangsterism that this crew thinks makes us great again."
The unified critique from America's prominent late-night voices underscores the profound controversy and global alarm triggered by the unprecedented military action in Venezuela, setting a dramatic and contentious tone for the new year.
