Jon Stewart Criticizes Corporate Media’s Role in Fueling Wars, Including Trump’s Iran Conflict

Jon Stewart has accused corporate media of serving as a “lubricant” for wars, including the U.S. conflict with Iran under Donald Trump. During Thursday’s episode of The Weekly Show, Stewart analyzed how media coverage of war may inadvertently fuel conflict rather than promote peace.

In a conversation with Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, Stewart reflected on the Iraq War and suggested that media environments often prioritize wartime narratives over peacetime stability. He argued that while media does not create wars, it can “take some of the friction out of the tube,” making conflict more palatable to the public.

“I always felt that that was part of what happened in Iraq is there is a certain [feeling] within the corporate media environment that war’s more interesting than not war and it’s a good story and it’s a buildup and they almost create the kind of — I’m not saying they create the war, but they do create a kind of a lubricant for the war that allows it to … they take some of the friction out of the tube.”

A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has been in place for several weeks. However, on Wednesday, Trump took to Truth Social to tease a potential new deal, warning that if Iran does not comply, the U.S. would resume bombing at a “much higher level and intensity.”

Trump wrote: “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Goodman echoed Stewart’s concerns about media’s wartime bias, noting how coverage often aligns with government narratives during conflicts. She cited Trump’s recent remarks, in which he equated questioning the war effort with treason.

“In a time of war, the media tends to circle the wagons around the White House. Look at what President Trump said this past weekend,” Goodman said. “He said, if you question the war — I think he said, if you say that the U.S. is losing the war or not winning the war — that is treason.”

The full episode of The Weekly Show is available in the video above.