Kristi Noem's encounter in Portland just sparked a hilarious yet thought-provoking moment on ‘The Daily Show’ — but here’s where it gets controversial... Correspondent Josh Johnson took aim at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following her recent visit to Portland, Oregon, where she had a memorable face-off with a protester dressed in a bright yellow chicken costume. This wasn’t just any protester—it was a symbolic and somewhat humorous gesture capturing the tensions surrounding immigration policies.
Johnson showed a clip of Noem pacing atop the roof of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, a location known for heated demonstrations against former President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement strategies. As Noem noticed the person in the chicken suit standing on the sidewalk below, Johnson joked: "At first glance, the costume might not seem intimidating, but you have to understand how unnerving it is for her to confront a farm animal when unarmed."
This quip drew a sharp connection to Noem’s own words from a 2024 memoir, where she recounted the rather intense experience of killing a dog and a goat on her family farm—an anecdote she used to illustrate her toughness.
Before diving into this, Johnson didn’t hold back on criticizing Trump for leveraging the so-called left-wing “antifa” movement—a group he controversially labeled a "domestic terrorist organization"—as a justification for deploying National Guard troops to Portland. Johnson highlighted a key point many people overlook: “While some people identify as antifa, it’s not an official organization. In fact, they don’t even have a website—my cousin’s baby has one!”
Then, Johnson questioned the credibility and level of threat antifa could realistically pose, setting the stage for an even more jaw-dropping moment. He clipped Noem’s comments where she equated antifa to notorious violent groups like MS-13, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas.
"Wait—what? And they’re here?" Johnson asked incredulously. "It’s like Noem turned antifa into the Power Rangers of terrorism!"
This segment perfectly blends humor with political critique, but it also opens the floor to debate: Are antifa really the ominous threat some portray, or is this a case of political exaggeration? What do you think about how public figures use symbolism and fear to frame complex issues? Feel free to share your thoughts or disagreements below.
For more sharp-witted takes, you can catch the full monologue from Johnson on 'The Daily Show.'
