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We all know that when it comes to politics, American comedian Stephen Colbert is never one to hold back. So when former President Donald Trump gave an interview to Tucker Carlson to discuss General Mark Milley and the situation in Afghanistan, it was only a matter of time before Colbert offered his two cents on the whole situation.
During the interview, Carlson pointed out that Trump had been critical of Milley just a year earlier, but now seemed to be defending him. Trump responded by saying that he would have fired Milley if it weren’t for the intervention of his advisors, including then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.
It was then that Colbert stepped in and delivered the line that had everyone talking: “So Trump would have fired Milley, but he didn’t because he was stopped… by Mark Esper? Nobody stops Donald Trump! I don’t think even gravity stops Donald Trump. If he was falling off a building, he’d just fly away like Superman. ‘Oh, you think you can pull me down to Earth? I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done…'”
The quip was classic Colbert – a mix of sarcasm, humor, and unabashed criticism of the former president. But more than that, it was a perfect encapsulation of just how bizarre Trump’s interview with Carlson was. After all, here was a man who had openly criticized Milley in the past, now suddenly claiming that he didn’t want to fire him.
Colbert’s zinger also exposed just how little regard Trump had for Esper, who he seemed to view as nothing more than an obstacle to getting what he wanted. And it highlighted the absurdity of Trump’s claim that he would have fired Milley, as if the former president had any real power over the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Colbert has taken aim at Trump. Throughout his presidency, Colbert used his show – “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – to offer sharp criticisms of the administration, often using biting satire, scathing monologues, and hilarious sketches to get his points across.
In many ways, Colbert’s brand of comedy was a perfect foil to Trump’s own unique style – bombastic, in-your-face, and often more focused on personal attacks than policy or substance. But even as Trump left office, Colbert did not shy away from taking shots at him or his supporters, recognizing that the issues that brought Trump to power in the first place were still very much present in American society.
Perhaps what makes Colbert’s brand of comedy so effective is his willingness to call things out for what they are – to highlight the absurdity, hypocrisy, and downright cruelty that can sometimes seem to permeate politics and public life. And in doing so, he reminds us that it’s okay to be perplexed, bursty, and even angry at the state of things – to reject the idea that we have to pretend that everything is just fine and dandy.
Indeed, in many ways, Colbert’s quip about Trump and Esper speaks to a larger truth – that we are all just human, subject to the whims of gravity and circumstance, no matter how powerful or important we may seem. And in that recognition, there is a sense of humility, even as we fight against the injustices and inequalities that exist in our world.
So yes, Colbert’s zinger was funny, unexpected, and oh-so-timely. But it was also a reminder that even in the darkest of times, we can always rely on humor, satire, and a refusal to be silenced to help us through. And for that, we can all be grateful.
