Elon Musk might soon step into Jon Stewart’s ring for what could be one of the most talked-about interviews in recent memory—that is, if he follows through on his statement. By now, it’s quite clear that Musk often makes spontaneous claims to appease his far-right followers without actually following through—we all remember when he challenged Zuckerberg to a fight. But for now, let’s be optimistic that this might actually happen.
After a fiery segment on The Daily Show where Stewart took aim at the billionaire’s government-slashing initiative, Musk responded with a challenge of his own—and the show is more than ready to take him up on it.
A War of Words Turns Into a Potential Face-Off
Stewart, known for his sharp critiques of political and corporate figures, delivered a blistering takedown of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative Musk unofficially spearheads under the Trump administration. The effort has been aggressively cutting federal jobs, something Stewart dissected with his usual mix of satire and searing commentary.
On Monday night, Stewart got worked up in his monologue critiquing DOGE’s cuts to government spending that he accidentally cut himself on a coffee mug. Ever the professional, he continued the monologue—albeit with a bleeding hand hidden under the desk—before joking, “I’ll be going to the hospital soon.”
“I’m starting to think that we as a country don’t understand where the real waste, fraud, and abuse in our system really is,” he said during the show, before listing off several seemingly obvious ways to curb waste without eliminating helpful government programs, such as cutting subsidies and tax breaks for oil and gas and pharmaceutical companies.
Following the episode, Musk’s supporters flooded X (formerly Twitter), urging him to go toe-to-toe with Stewart in a live interview. Musk responded Tuesday, writing, “I will do it if the show airs unedited.”
The Daily Show Responds: “We’d Be Delighted”
By Wednesday, The Daily Show made it clear they were more than happy to accommodate Musk’s terms. The show’s official account reposted his challenge, adding, “We’d be delighted!”—a response that quickly ignited speculation about what such an interview might entail.
.@elonmusk we’d be delighted! https://t.co/thMOOeLpeZ
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 26, 2025
It remains to be seen whether Musk will follow through, but his history of high-profile clashes with journalists and interviewers suggests that if this meeting happens, it won’t be short on fireworks.