PoliticsDonald Trump Critic Jon Stewart Addresses 2028 Presidential Run Rumors: 'This Is a Question That Comes Up a Lot'
Donald Trump's critic Jon Stewart addressed rumors about whether he'd consider a 2028 presidential run and why he'd be considered 'f--- it' candidate.
Jan. 19 2026, Updated 3:22 p.m. ET
Jon Stewart finally addressed swirling rumors about a potential 2028 presidential run.
The comedian, 63, tackled the hot topic on the Sunday, January 18, episode of The Daily Show.
Jon Stewart addressed rumors he'd consider a 2028 presidential run during 'The Daily Show.'
Jon Stewart Addressed Presidential Run Possibility
Jon Stewart addressed rumors about a potential 2028 presidential run.
"I cannot tell you how wild it is to have people even think that having the power over their lives is something they would appreciate you have," he jokingly began. "This is a question that comes up a lot. And I think it speaks to, if I may, it speaks to this desperation and dissatisfaction that we have with the status quo."
Stewart joked he was a "f--- it" candidate to viewers because they "resonated" with what he said on television.
"'I think you should be president,' is a line that comes right after 'F--- it,'" he explained. "Because most people go like, ‘I’m watching this. I’m doing this. These guys aren’t doing that. You know what? F--- it. That guy should, he’s on TV!’”
Jon Stewart Compared Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler
Jon Stewart compared Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.
Stewart said he understood why people wanted him to run for president, explaining it stemmed from a "shared feeling of helplessness."
"The institutions may be wanting and may be failing, but the people aren't," he said onstage, before comparing Trump, 79, to Adolf Hitler.
"You know, people keep saying, 'Oh this guy is Hitler,'" Stewart continued. "No, he's not. And I'll tell you why he's not, Hitler was popular. This guy's not."
- The Daily Show's Jon Stewart Jokes Pete Hegseth Was Distracted by 'The White Lotus' When He Accidentally Texted Journalist About Plans to 'Bomb Yemen'
- Jon Stewart Jokes Donald Trump Has the 'Broken Down, Inbred Body of a King' While Showing Photos of President's Bruised Hand: Watch
- Jon Stewart Mocks 'Doddering Old Man' Donald Trump for Pausing Important White House Meeting to Stare Out the Window
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Jon Stewart Talks MAGA Supporters
Jon Stewart joked that support for the current president has changed in the city he lives in.
The host joked about how he lived in a city once known for strong support of the current president, noting that sentiment has recently changed.
"Like it ain't flying in a lot of places where you think it might be flying," he told the audience. “The one institution that I think has been the bulwark in a way that nothing else has been the people. And that’s been really heartening to me.”
Jon Stewart Won Highly Coveted Journalism Award Last Month
Jon Steward returned to 'The Daily Show' in February 2024.
Stewart, a vocal critic of Trump, returned to The Daily Show as a part-time host in February 2024, nearly a decade after his departure.
The late-night host was honored last month as a "vital voice" by the Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Political Journalism in a newly created category: Comedic News and Commentary, which recognizes “journalists whose work exemplifies the role of a free press in protecting constitutional principles, defending the rule of law, and holding power to account.”
