Ronny Chieng Skewers Trump’s “Emotional Support Plane” on Late Night

Late night comedy found an easy target this week, as Ronny Chieng Trump Air Force One jokes lit up “The Daily Show.” Riffing on reports that the president traveled with two presidential jets, Chieng leaned into the absurdity of the situation, asking whether the world’s fuel shortage might have something to do with the president flying alongside “an extra emotional support plane.” It was a night of sharp punchlines aimed at everything from presidential travel to political scandals.

The Story Behind the Jokes

The comedy was rooted in a real news event. On Wednesday, President Trump departed the NATO summit in Turkey aboard his older Air Force One rather than the newer, Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8. According to people briefed on the plans, the Secret Service had urged the switch as a security precaution amid rising tensions with Iran.

That decision to travel with what appeared to be a backup jet gave Chieng plenty of material to work with.

Chieng’s Best Air Force One Zingers

Chieng wasted no time turning the plane swap into a running bit. Wondering aloud whether both presidential jets had been brought along, he floated the idea that the president’s travel habits were somehow draining the world’s gas supply.

He kept the momentum going with a string of jabs:

• On the plane switch, he joked that Trump had surely lost his luggage in the shuffle, imagining the president frantically calling to ask whether anyone had found a mysterious box labeled “Epstein files,” with strict instructions not to open it.
• On abandoning the Qatari aircraft, Chieng quipped that when it comes to the most important plane in the world, you simply don’t go “certified pre-owned.”
• On what to do next, he suggested America should invest in a brand-new jet and hand the Qatari plane off to an airline like Southwest. He added that he personally wouldn’t mind flying in it, joking that he didn’t care if he was being spied on, since the worst anyone would learn is that he enjoys watching his own movies, and he’s not ashamed because he’s great in them.

The Punchiest Punchlines: Graham Platner Edition

The late night hosts also turned their attention to Graham Platner, who officially dropped out of the Senate race in Maine.

Kat Timpf, guest hosting “Gutfeld,” joked that Platner had announced a new campaign, this time running for mayor of Epstein Island.

Chieng weighed in too, comparing the sudden exit to abruptly leaving a party right as the toilet starts overflowing while insisting no one should read anything into it. He also noted that once credible sexual assault allegations surfaced, Platner had little choice but to withdraw, adding that the only person in Maine who might still vote for him was Susan Collins.

The Bits Worth Watching

Beyond the monologues, there were a few standout moments across late night. On “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Guillermo teamed up with Tiffany Haddish for some lighthearted etiquette lessons during her final night as guest host.

Also Worth Checking Out

For those looking beyond the late night desk, the directors of a new four-part docuseries about Burning Man, titled “The Man Will Burn,” discussed why the long-running desert festival holds such significance, describing the experience as feeling like being on “another planet.”

The Bottom Line

The Ronny Chieng Trump Air Force One segment captured late night at its most playful, transforming a genuine security decision into a night of memorable one-liners. Between the “emotional support plane” jokes and the sharp jabs at Graham Platner’s exit, comedians made the most of a busy news cycle. Whether skewering presidential travel or political scandals, this week’s late night lineup proved there’s no shortage of material when the headlines keep coming.