“The Daily Show” roasted the U.S. Army’s decision to extend the enlistment age and relax marijuana rules amid the Iran war, suggesting the moves signal the country is “desperate.”
Host Josh Johnson weighed in on the war update during Wednesday’s monologue, where he called out President Donald Trump for claiming the conflict had already been “won” as the U.S. sent troops to Iran and launched new recruitment efforts.
“We’re sending more troops? That doesn’t sound like the war is over. This is very confusing,” Johnson noted. “Should I or shouldn’t I go to Times Square in my sailor outfit to kiss random women?”
Later on in the monologue, Johnson touched on the Army increasing the enlistment age from 35 to 42, joking that Operation Epic Fury should be renamed to “Operation: Why Does My Back Hurt? I Must Have Slept On It Funny.”
“Because the likelihood of a 42-year-old being great at war is like any person being great with nunchucks,” he added. “Some people will be good, but most are going to hurt themselves immediately.”
Johnson was equally shocked to learn that Hegseth announced an extension to bring back service members who refused the COVID-19 vaccine.
“That doesn’t sound good,” Johnson quipped. “When the Secretary of Defense is telling you, ‘I know you didn’t want to take the COVID shot, but what about getting gun shot?’”
He also noted that the update made it seem like Hegseth and his department was “not the one with power,” given people weren’t taking them up on the re-enlistment offer.
Yet, it was the update that the Army would allow people with minor marijuana possession convictions to enlist without a waiver that really rattled Johnson.
“This is bad. We’ve been at war a month, and you’re already down to stoners?” Johnson said. “We must be desperate because I’ve never seen a pothead take a puff and then be like, ‘I want to f–k somebody up.’”
He added: “I wouldn’t even trust a stoner with any mission unless that mission is you need to locate the Ayatollah and tell him the greatest movie ever is ‘Interstellar.’”
Watch Johnson’s full monologue above.
“The Daily Show” airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central.
