Late-night host Jon Stewart unleashed a blistering critique of President Trump on Monday, targeting his unusual eulogy for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Stewart, on The Daily Show, lampooned Trump's decision to assign Graham a numerical rating for his life, calling it the kind of move you'd expect from a pizza reviewer, not a president.
Earlier Monday, Trump appeared on Fox News's Fox & Friends to discuss Graham, who died Saturday at 71 from an aortic dissection. Trump recounted a moment after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots when Graham briefly criticized him, only to backtrack shortly after. Trump said, He had one bad moment... I give him a 99 instead of a 100.
Stewart pounced on the bizarre framing, joking, My favorite part of any eulogy is when they announce the person's life score.
He compared Trump's remarks to Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy's pizza reviews, mimicking the president: Yeah, Graham had a good undercarriage, good mouthfeel... I'm giving him an eight-two, solid score.
The senator's death has already exposed deep fractures in Trump's foreign policy circle, as Graham was a key defense hawk and a reliable ally on military intervention. His absence leaves a void as the administration escalates tensions in the Middle East, with Graham's death exposing Trump's foreign policy vulnerability at a critical juncture.
Graham, who was seeking his fifth Senate term, chaired the Budget Committee and served on Judiciary, Appropriations, and Environment panels. His career traced a political journey from maverick to Trump loyalist, a shift that often drew scrutiny from both sides of the aisle.
The White House has not commented on Trump's remarks or the ongoing fallout. Meanwhile, Stewart's segment highlighted the president's tendency to personalize even the most solemn occasions, reducing a senator's life to a scorecard—and one that still deducted points for a moment of conscience.
