Josh Johnson on Trump’s reflecting pool drama: ‘the world’s largest kombucha’

By Guardian staff • June 24, 2026 • Culture

The Daily Show host weighed in on Scottish soccer fans invading Miami, DC’s ‘Kool-Aid’ green reflecting pool and Fox News defending Trump

On The Daily Show, Josh Johnson discussed Scottish soccer fans descending on Miami, Donald Trump’s “Kool-Aid” green reflecting pool and the startling appearance of one Fox News host. On Comedy Central last night, Johnson discussed Scottish soccer fans descending on south Florida as their country’s team prepares to face Brazil in the World Cup. “This is so fun,” the host remarked. “Also, I’m just happy to see an all-white parade where they’re not chanting about Jews. “I’m not sure about the bagpipes though. You know the Loch Ness Monster is back in Scotland right now like, ‘Finally I can get some sleep. The only reason I’m so elusive is ‘cause I don’t want to hear those damn bagpipes.’” Johnson then turned to the issue of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, which has turned green with algae since Trump attempted to refurbish the tourist attraction. Against all odds, the pool has now become more of a tourist destination, with Johnson calling it “the first breakout hit of the summer”. “Hey, kids, remember you wanted to go to Disneyland?” said Johnson, impersonating a peppy parent. “Instead, we’re going to go see the world’s largest kombucha!” “This is how far America has fallen,” deadpanned the host. “The last time we collected this many people around the reflecting pool was for civil rights. People were like, ‘We must come out to support Dr King.’ Sixty years later, we’re like, ‘A slimy pool? This I gotta see!’” While the growth of algae in a shallow pool is natural and inevitable, Trump has claimed that it’s due to someone sneaking into the pool and “hacking at” its floor. “Donnie, let me help you out: you have got to chill,” said Johnson. “People are not shanking the pool at night. Also, you’ve got one of the biggest algae eaters in your cabinet,” he added, before flashing up an image of Robert F Kennedy Jr. In recent weeks, 17 police reports have been filed for vandalism of the reflecting pool, leading to six arrests. “Dang, you treating the reflecting pool like Epstein drowned in it,” laughed Johnson. “You talked it up so much, you jinxed it,” he added. “Now I want to let him build the ballroom, just to see how bad it turns out. I bet it disintegrates at the first Cha-Cha Slide.” “The lesson here is Trump, you got to wait until after you do something to flex,” Johnson went on. “If you had never made a big deal out of the pool, no one would have noticed. “Trump basically shot a buzzer-beating game-winning shot, turned around and threw his hands up in the air to celebrate, and then instead of going in, it missed and killed a baby duckling. Now you got people across the country coming over to gawk at the fact that you turned the reflecting pool into a Kool-Aid bucket. “All of your supporters in the media, who should have been defending your Iran disaster or your economic disaster, now have to defend this disaster. On Fox News, host Sean Hannity commented that the left “are rooting for [Trump’s] failure, and in this case they’re even rooting for algae.” Looking bewildered, Johnson responded, “I’m sorry, this is not the point, but what is going on with Sean Hannity’s face? I have never seen white cheeks that big that haven’t been rapped about. Is he auditioning for a new chipmunks movie where Alvin eats Simon and Theodore? “Sean, you gotta address this. You can’t just walk into a room and sit down in front of a camera with a BBL on your face.”

Source: The Guardian