Jon Stewart Blasts MAGA Over Second Amendment Flip After Alex Pretti’s Killing

Jon Stewart returned to the anchor desk on Monday, January 26, to tackle a news cycle that felt more like a fever dream than a reality. As has become tradition for his Monday evening stints, the political comic worked to detangle the webs of hypocrisy surrounding the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.

The segment began with Stewart looking toward Iran, an authoritarian state currently rocking with protests. I mean, can you imagine? he asked sarcastically, before his countenance took on a graver aspect to address the domestic chaos in Minneapolis.

Stewart slammed narratives from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who claimed that Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was a domestic terrorist conspiring to harm federal agents. I’m hearing there may be some grainy Zapruderlike footage from—I don’t know—every angle imaginable that contradicts the government’s version of events, Stewart quipped.

Civic footage later revealed that Pretti was actually attempting to help a woman who had been pepper-sprayed by agents moments before he was killed. Despite claims of self-defense, video analysis suggested that agents had already disarmed the licensed gun owner before the fatal shots were fired.

In a satirical aside, Jordan Klepper popped in from Minneapolis to mock the administration’s shifting justifications. He presented a graphic where ICE agents were depicted as adorable kittens, while the late nurse was shown armed as the Spider-Man villain Doc Ock.

Stewart also got in a zinger about Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol “commander at large” who was reportedly ousted just hours before the show aired. Where the f*** did this guy even come from? It’s his first season on the show, Stewart joked, comparing the official to a new character in a cinematic universe.

Addressing reports that federal agents are feeling demoralized by public disapproval, Stewart was unsympathetic. People screaming ‘F*** you’ eight hours a day is basically every customer service job in this country, he noted dryly.

The comedian became particularly frustrated when calling out the administration’s sudden pivot to blaming Pretti’s legally owned firearm for the tragedy. Are you saying … that the guns are the problem? Stewart asked with mock trepidation, as a flying pig floated across the screen to illustrate the impossibility of the statement.

He pointed out the irony of the MAGA movement, which lauded the January 6 rioters and Kyle Rittenhouse as heroes, now suggesting that carrying a legal weapon was a mistake. Isn’t that kind of the load-bearing law of the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag? Stewart asked. Your snake’s down to a newt.

Stewart concluded the show on a sober note, emphasizing that the denial of witnessed reality is the most dangerous tool of any regime. He argued that Pretti was ultimately a threat because he brandished a handheld, aluminum 1080p 60fps weapon of mass illumination.

Beyond his Monday nights on Comedy Central, Jon Stewart has recently expanded his influence by renewing his contract with Paramount through December 2026. This extension guarantees his presence behind the desk as the nation navigates a particularly turbulent political landscape.

In addition to his late-night duties, Stewart was recently honored as a 2025 Walter Cronkite Award recipient for Excellence in Political Journalism. He continues to produce various projects under his Busboy Productions banner, focusing on advocacy for veterans and 9/11 first responders.

Fans are also looking forward to Stewart’s upcoming stand-up special, which is expected to film later this year. Between his activism and his weekly monologues, Stewart remains a central figure in the American conversation.

Share your thoughts on Jon Stewart’s take on the Minneapolis shooting and the administration’s response in the comments.