Prominent MAGA figures were taken down a peg or two by an unlikely figure as they arrived at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner: Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
The Daily Show enlisted the dog puppet, voiced by comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Robert Smigel, to confront the likes of Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt, Marco Rubio, and RFK Jr. ahead of the event, which was later derailed by a suspected gunman storming the venue.
As major Cabinet players and invited journalists spoke to the press, Triumph shared his thoughts with each of them.
He started by calling Fox News’ Peter Doocy a “catch,” even eliciting some laughs from the White House correspondent.
He then got a hold of Dr. Mehmet Oz, who told him, “I love dogs.” The puppet then asked, “Let me ask you about The Mentalist. Are you worried that if he pulls a rabbit out of his hat, will RFK Jr. try to eat it?” Oz responded, “I don’t know, but it’s an interesting thought.”
Triumph went through what he described as a “crazy” lineup of faces, calling this year’s press dinner “black-tie January 6th.”
Finding Markwayne Mullin, Kristi Noem’s replacement at the DHS, Triumph said, “I have to tell you, I’m a little resentful of you guys. I was snooping a Mexican hairless, and she was picked up by ICE.”
“I don’t know if that’s funny or not,” responded Mullin.
The dog puppet had a lengthy conversation with UFC head Dana White, who appeared entertained throughout. “I think people need to stop complaining about Kash Patel drinking so much. If you know a better way to come down from how much cocaine he’s doing, I’d like to hear it,” Triumph told White in jest.
“I don’t know if Kash Patel is a cocaine party guy,” responded White nervously.
To Cheryl Hines, the Curb Your Enthusiasm actress and wife of health secretary RFK Jr., Triumph received a less enthusiastic response. “Cheryl, what’s special about this night, other than it’s the only celebrity party you’re invited to anymore?” asked the puppet. Hines smiled and nodded along, “OK.”
The comic figure didn’t get face time with everyone, but managed to hurl insults from the sidelines at the likes of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Triumph, now a celebrity in his own right, was interviewed by USA Today, whose reporter asked, “What brings you to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?” The puppet responded, “Are you kidding? This is a wonderful night. We’re honoring the First Amendment with Donald Trump. It’s kind of like having Kanye come for Passover.”
The big finish came with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who jokingly tried to hit Triumph and told colleagues, “This dog is a pain in the a--.” Rubio did take an interview from Triumph, who said, “I’m down on my luck, Marco. Please, just one question. Just tell me which country you’re attacking next. I’m trying to win some money on Polymarket. I’m trying to win some money on Polymarket, man! Just give me a wink if it’s Kazakhstan.”
“It’s illegal for dogs to gamble,” the Trump senior official retorted.
Triumph shared his insights after the chaotic event with Daily Show host Jon Stewart on Monday night’s episode.
Donald Trump attended this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner for the first time during his presidency. The event was cut short after a gunman allegedly attempted to storm the Washington Hilton ballroom, where the president, his senior aides, and thousands of journalists, media executives, and guests were present.
