Olivia Munn Rips Trump on Tariffs During Surprise Daily Show Return

NEW YORK – Actress Olivia Munn made a surprise return to The Daily Show on April 9, 2025, criticizing former President Donald Trump‘s recent comments about tariffs and suggesting they stem from his need for attention.

Munn, who was a correspondent on the show from 2010 to 2011, delivered a satirical segment that analyzed Trump’s remarks about international trade policy. “This is all to make up for Donald Trump’s enormous deficit of attention and love,” she said, challenging the assertion that Trump’s broad tariffs were tied to genuine economic concerns.

The segment came in response to Trump’s speech at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on April 8, where he claimed that foreign nations were eager to make deals to avoid tariffs. “They are dying to make a deal, ‘Please, please, sir, make a deal,'” Trump stated, indicating he had leverage in negotiations. However, just hours later, he announced a 90-day pause on imposing tariffs on most nations, excluding China.

Munn seized upon this inconsistency, joking, “See, he’s just a boy, standing in front of the world, asking to have his ass kissed,” referring to a famous movie line to underline what she perceives as Trump’s need for validation. She added, “And once the world fills the aching hole in his heart, the tariffs will end.”

Desi Lydic, another correspondent on The Daily Show, joined Munn for the segment and expressed skepticism about Trump’s emotional motivations. “There’s not enough attention in the world to make him feel like a human again,” Lydic remarked, to which Munn enthusiastically replied, “Exactly, bitch.”

The playful exchange highlighted Munn’s belief that Trump’s unpredictable policy decisions stem from personal insecurities rather than grounded economic strategy.

Munn’s return was unexpected, originally planned to arrive later in the broadcast. She interrupted Lydic’s monologue to offer comedic insights on Trump’s recent decisions regarding tariffs. “Trump knows exactly what he’s doing. He put tariffs that destroyed the global economy, so then he took them off, and now it’s only mostly destroyed,” Munn quipped.

Continuing her comedic critique, Munn humorously suggested that Trump’s tariffs could be a strategy: “Now to avoid tariffs coming back, other countries will cut deals with us for better trade terms and our deficit drops to zero. Problem solved.” Lydic countered, asking, “OK, I see, and that’s when we drop all the tariffs?” Munn sarcastically replied, “No, b—h.”

In a humorously exaggerated portrayal of Trump’s tariff policy, Munn suggested, “Then we hit them even harder: 400 percent tariffs. We bomb their factories. We catch those penguins on that island, and we eat them. Then the other countries will really come begging.” This absurdity underscored the segment’s comedic tone while critiquing the administration’s approach to trade.

When asked how this would impact the trade deficit, Munn reiterated her point, saying, “Desi, baby girl, it’s not the trade deficit. This is all to make up for Donald Trump’s enormous deficit of attention and love.” She elaborated, “He’s just a boy standing in front of the world asking to have his ass kissed. And once the world fills the aching hole in his heart, the tariffs will end.” Lydic’s skepticism continued, stating, “But that will never happen. There’s not enough attention in the world to make him feel like a human again.” Munn concluded, “Exactly, b—h.”

This segment of The Daily Show not only showcased Munn’s comedic talents but also served as a sharp critique of Trump’s policies and the motivations behind them. Through humor and political commentary, Munn and Lydic highlighted the absurdities of the economic landscape influenced by Trump’s decisions. Munn’s unexpected return emphasizes the platform’s vital role in combining satire with critical discourse.