‘There is no right reaction right now’: John Oliver rages about the consequences of the 2024 presidential election

John Oliver expressed his rage against the 2024 presidential election result. Throughout the jokes he threw, John seemed visibly frustrated at how Americans voted against their best interests.

During his Last Week Tonight show on Nov. 10, 2024, John fluctuated between humor and anger—like many others who voted against Donald Trump. He listed a number of concerns about the upcoming Trump presidency. He worried for Ukraine, trans rights, and the impending restrictions on abortion access. All of these issues are, no doubt, going to be affected by the upcoming Trump presidency.

Additionally, John was enraged at Elon Musk’s sentiments. Elon, a staunch ally of Trump, said, “We have to reduce spending to live within our means. And you know, that necessarily involves some temporary hardship, but it will ensure long-term prosperity.” John criticized this statement, given the source of it is a billionaire. In response to Musk, John said, “Seeing a man worth $300 billion, telling the country to “endure hardship” and “live within their means,” fills me with a feeling that apparently I cannot say out loud for legal reasons.”

Back to square one?

While John notes that the economy is in good shape, the inflation regular people experience hurts the perception of prosperity. Ironically, the failure of the Biden administration to lift several of Trump’s tariffs may have been what brought Trump back to the Oval Office. American importers had to bear the costs of the tariffs, which were caused by Trump’s trade war against China. Retaliatory tariffs levied by other countries against the US also cost the US agriculture sector an estimate of $30.4 billion in 2017 alone. John didn’t close the show with a message of hope. He claimed, “There is no right reaction right now.” He also admitted to being in a state of rage. Nevertheless, John reminds his audience to celebrate small victories. He notes that liberal policies are still highly favorable, with several states voting to protect abortion rights. Trump won the battle, but mobilizing people across the country to protect civil rights will win the war.