The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: TDS Time Machine | Commander-In-Beef

Release Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah, Terry Moran, Lawrence O’Donnell
Main Theme:
A biting satirical dissection of the week’s political chaos—with a focus on Donald Trump’s recent headlines, the shifting global position of the U.S., wild WWE analogies for realpolitik, and escalating culture war skirmishes over education, the Federal Reserve, and the National Guard.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Trump’s Economic Promises & China Trade War

[00:53 - 01:32]

• Topic: Trump’s claim that Americans “signed up for” trade war hardships.
• Highlight: Trevor Noah questions the economic impact of tariffs; Trump insists these hardships were always foretold, contradicting past promises.

  “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down starting on day one.” — Donald Trump ([01:26])

• Satire: Panel mocks the logic, with Jon Stewart joking,

  “You’ll be suckin d for eggs.” ([01:34])

2. Deportation, Due Process & Tattoo Conspiracy

[01:37 - 04:21]

• Topic: Trump refuses due process for a deportee, claiming visible MS-13 tattoos (which turn out to be a label misread from a photo).
• Key Moment: Trump insists the tattoos are proof, dismissing corrections and reality.

  “It says MS.13.” — Donald Trump ([02:36]) “That was photoshopped.” — Trevor Noah ([02:38])

• Satirical Spin:

  “Now I understand why he's so proud of that Gulf of America poster. He thinks Golf of America is actually written on top of the water.” — Terry Moran ([03:00])

• Critical Analysis: Panel notes Trump’s persistence even in self-contradiction.

  “I am not done embarrassing myself.” — Terry Moran ([03:16])

3. WWE as a Geopolitical Parable: U.S., Russia, and Ukraine

[05:29 - 14:07]

• Topic: Use of WWE storylines to explain the U.S.’ shifting global stance, likening John Cena’s heel turn to U.S. policy reversals.
• Extended Metaphor:

  “John Cena, the good guy of professional wrestling… Last weekend, Cena flipped the script and went from being a face, a good guy to a heel, a bad guy... The Rock, the now evil owner of WWE, Putin in our story...” — Trevor Noah ([05:43 - 08:30]) “America smelled what the Rock was cooking… and delivered the nutshot to the hopes and dreams of Ukrainians everywhere.” — Trevor Noah

• Reactions:

  “I’ve never seen anything like that.” — Jon Stewart ([11:22]) “Christiane Amanpour… wanders unprotected through Taliban… doesn’t give a 10 minutes of Trump diplomacy, and she’s like, ‘Is anyone else dizzy?’” — Trevor Noah ([11:37]) “Nobody walked out of the match pretending that the guy who got nutshotted was the bad guy.” — Trevor Noah ([12:00])

• Analysis: Panel criticizes demands for more deference from Zelensky, the framing of forced negotiations, and selective choosing of “which side” the U.S. supports.

  “You're pretending that we have no other options.” — Trevor Noah ([14:17]) “Yes, I'm sure your heart in quotation marks is breaking...” — Trevor Noah ([14:40])

4. National Guard Deployment Controversy

[16:25 - 17:32]

• Topic: Trump deploys National Guard to California without local approval—most lack clear roles.
• Humor:

  “This wouldn’t be the first time someone went to LA looking for a role and couldn’t find one... Most importantly, do not go into porn.” — Terry Moran ([16:59]) “Newsom is lobbing the unfathomable accusation that Trump might make decisions without fully thinking them through…” — Terry Moran ([17:33])

• Escalation: Trump suggests arresting Governor Gavin Newsom for doing a “bad job”.

  “I think it’s primarily primary crime. Is running for governor because he's done such a bad job.” — Donald Trump ([17:56])

5. Federal Clash with Harvard University

[18:06 - 21:06]

• Topic: Trump freezes $2B in grants to Harvard for resisting demands to strip DEI programs, limit student activism.

  “We finally found a force more powerful than Trump’s hatred: Harvard’s love of sending rejection letters.” — Lawrence O’Donnell ([18:46])

• Elite Satire: Panelists clown on Harvard pride and faux-embarrassment.

  “The only thing worse than people bragging about going to Harvard is people pretending to be embarrassed about going to Harvard.” — Lawrence O’Donnell ([20:16]) “As Harvard Americans…” — Trevor Noah ([20:55])

6. Trump’s “Commander-In-Beef” with Jerome Powell, the Fed

[22:15 - 29:08]

• Topic: Trump’s ongoing feud with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell over interest rates and monetary independence.
• Trump’s Insults:

  “He’s an average, mentally person. I’d say low in terms of what he does. Low. Low IQ… he’s a numbskull… total stiff.” — Donald Trump ([22:32])

• Panel Satire:

  “It’s like when you were at your friend’s house for dinner and get dragged into their parents fights.” — Jon Stewart ([24:12]) “Joe Biden looks fat as shit.” — Jon Stewart ([25:28]) “Try to. ... Do you think I can pull off jean shorts? Not permitted underwear.” — Jon Stewart ([26:43])

• Powell’s Calm: Powell repeatedly asserts legal independence.

  “Not permitted under the law.” — Jerome Powell ([26:13])

• Extravagant Spending Claims: Trump attacks Powell over supposed “palace” renovations.

  “He’s building a close to $3 billion little nest egg for himself. He’s doing a little renovation for $2.5 billion of the Fed.” — Donald Trump ([27:35]) “No new marble, no special elevators, there are no new water features, there are no beehives.” — Powell via Stewart ([28:37]) “How can I trust a Fed Chairman who isn’t licking honey off his fist like Winnie the Pooh?” — Jon Stewart ([28:38])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Economic Contradictions:

  “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down starting on day one.”
  — Donald Trump ([01:26])

• Tattoo Proof Satire:

  “It says MS.13.”
  — Donald Trump ([02:36])
  “That was photoshopped.”
  — Trevor Noah ([02:38]) “Now I understand why he's so proud of that Gulf of America poster. He thinks Golf of America is actually written on top of the water.”
  — Terry Moran ([03:00])

• Wrestling Metaphor:

  “America delivered the nutshot to the hopes and dreams of Ukrainians everywhere.”
  — Trevor Noah ([08:30]) “I've never seen anything like that.”
  — Jon Stewart ([11:22])

• Elite Education Banter:

  “The only thing worse than people bragging about going to Harvard is people pretending to be embarrassed about going to Harvard.”
  — Lawrence O’Donnell ([20:16])

• Fed Chair Antagonism:

  “He’s a numbskull. I think he’s a total stiff.”
  — Donald Trump ([22:32]) “No water feature, no special elevators, and worst of all, they’re dismantling the skate park for Dirks McGinty.”
  — Jon Stewart ([28:38])

Episode Tone

Relentlessly satirical, quick-witted, and densely packed with pop culture references, the episode uses humor and parody to shed light—and cast shade—on the week’s most pressing and absurd political developments. Host Jon Stewart and the team (including Trevor Noah, Terry Moran, and Lawrence O’Donnell) bounce between razor-sharp lampooning, extended comedic metaphors (WWE!), and moments of pointed political commentary.

Segment Timestamps

• 00:53–01:32: China trade war, economic promises
• 01:37–04:21: Deportation, due process, and tattoo-gate
• 05:29–14:07: WWE as a metaphor for global alliances and betrayals
• 16:25–17:32: National Guard in California, Newsom vs. Trump
• 18:06–21:06: Harvard standoff and elite academia jokes
• 22:15–29:08: Trump vs. Jerome Powell and the spectacle of monetary policy

For listeners seeking news with a side of irreverence and incisive satire, this episode offers a whirlwind recap of the week with no sacred cows and a heap of wrestling metaphors.