The Daily Show has taken aim at Ivanka Trump over her family's plans to develop a private eco-resort on a Mediterranean island, with host Michael Kosta describing the venture as an 'out-of-touch' impulse buy amid a cost-of-living crisis. The segment aired after Ivanka, 44, boasted on a podcast about purchasing Sazan Island off the coast of Albania for a reported $1.4 billion project with her husband, Jared Kushner.
Kosta played a clip from Ivanka's interview and slow-clapped sarcastically, saying, 'Let's give it up for this couple.' He mocked her description of the purchase as a 'challenge' and 'culmination of all of my experience in real estate,' yelling, 'Come on, lady. You're rich and you bought an island! Just say that.' The host also ridiculed the idea that the island, which has no existing infrastructure, would require clearing trees before construction could begin.
Ivanka told the podcast she and Kushner became 'captivated' by the island while swimming off a friend's boat, leading to what Kosta called an 'impulse buy.' The project, which was approved in December 2024, has faced backlash from environmental groups, as Sazan Island was one of the last undeveloped islands in the Mediterranean. Albanian prosecutors have announced an investigation into the resort amid protests from locals and green campaigners.
The criticism comes as President Donald Trump's approval ratings falter, with a recent Politico survey showing a majority of Americans describe the current cost-of-living crisis as the worst they can remember, and 46% hold the president fully or mostly responsible. Kosta's segment highlighted the contrast between the Trumps' luxury investment and the economic struggles facing many in the US.
