Jon Stewart thinks he knows the real reason behind President Donald Trump’s latest executive order.
Trump held an Oval Office meeting on Saturday in which he signed the order to fast-track the FDA review of psychedelic drugs like LSD, MDMA, and ibogaine to treat mental illness.
Trump told reporters at the meeting that ibogaine could lead to an “80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month.” He turned to the people behind him and joked, “Can I have some, please?”
Stewart showed the clip in his Monday monologue, replying, “Oh my God. He’s depressed too!”
Stewart assured Trump, “Don’t be depressed, sir. Trump won’t be president forever.”
The Daily Show host added, “I have to say, there are little moments in these Oval Office gatherings that are somewhat revelatory of the president’s psyche.”
Stewart played another clip from the same meeting in which Trump admitted, “I don’t have time to be depressed. You know, if you stay busy enough, maybe that works too. That’s what I do.”
Stewart jokingly agreed, replying, “You can’t get depressed if you stay busy. It’s a little thing called ‘outrunning the darkness.’ You can’t be depressed if the sadness can’t catch you.”
Trump has battled constant concerns over his mental state throughout his second term, although the media scrutiny has primarily focused on his cognitive health.
In a podcast episode of Inside Trump’s Head, Trump’s biographer Michael Wolff argued that Trump’s words are becoming “more and more distinct from, cut-off from, separate from reality.”
Stewart echoed this view, joking that if Trump ever did start taking psychedelic drugs it’d likely take a while for Americans to notice.
“If he took hallucinogenics, he’d be like, ‘They’re eating the cats and dogs! Right near my beautiful ballroom. By the way, did you know I’m Jesus?’” Stewart joked.
Stewart theorized that Trump’s troubled mental health might be the reason for his April 13 announcement that he wants to invade Cuba despite still being embroiled in his war in Iran.
Using a sarcastic “Art of the Deal” framing, Stewart argued that invading Cuba was Trump’s way of staying busy to prevent his sadness from catching up to him.
“That’s right, motherf---er,” Stewart said. “Step 10: Keep moving to outrun the darkness.”
