John Oliver and Last Week Tonight returned from its winter break Sunday to deliver a scathing look at Donald Trumps foreign policy (or lack thereof) and how the world views it, from vacant ambassadorships in crucial nations to an America First mandate that alienates allies.
Oliver quickly ran down Trumps list of international follies the shithole countries remark, retweeting British hate groups, angering South Korea and making false statements about Germany before examining what exactly is the Trump administrations foreign policy.
The rest of the world continues to exist whether Trump acknowledges it or not, Oliver said. I know that Donald Trump and others may not give a shit about what the world thinks of us, but they really should for a number of reasons.
As for Trumps campaign promise that, under his presidency, the U.S. would no longer be an international laughingstock, Oliver noted, For the record, since Trump became president, if anything, the world is laughing harder than ever before. Because, while U.S. presidents do get made fun of, impersonating Trump has become an international cottage industry.
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Oliver also explored the global leadership vacuum that has resulted from Trumps America First policy, the presidents plummeting global approval rating and how allied nations have announced that could no longer rely on the United States under Trumps leadership.
Look, I know that all of this is depressing, because it seems like Americas reputation overseas is under attack from its own president, Oliver said. Which is just ridiculous: Soft power is an act of salesmanship, its selling your brand, its the one thing that Trumps supposed to be good at and hes fucking blowing it.
Oliver then recruited the New York City Gay Mens Chorus to remind the world that, despite Trump, America isnt all bad: This is the land that created YouTube, Batmobile beds and those giant T-Rex costumes and the home of Popeyes Chicken and Smashmouths All Star.
Please, world. For the next three, seven or somehow 11 years, remember that this is the country of Donald Trump, yes, Oliver said. But its also the country profoundly embarrassed by him.