Conan O’Brien Takes Aim at Comics Who Go After President Trump: You’ve ‘Put Down Your Best Weapon’

Conan O’Brien thinks his fellow comedians shouldn’t go so hard on President Donald Trump.

The longtime comic, 62 — who typically avoids political jokes — addressed those who are continuously criticizing the 79-year-old politician.

During an event with the Oxford Union (via a clip shared Thursday, January 8, on X), O’Brien explained, “Some comics go the route of: I’m gonna just say, ‘Eff Trump’ all the time — or that’s their comedy. And I think well, now a little bit, you’re being co-opted because you’re so angry.”

The former late-night host said that he feels people are being “lulled into just saying, ‘Eff Trump, eff Trump, eff Trump. Screw this guy.’”

Therefore, he explained, “I think you’ve now put down your best weapon, which is being funny, and you’ve exchanged it for anger, and that person — or any person like that — would say, ‘Well, things are too serious now. I don’t need to be funny.’ And I think, ‘Well if you’re a comedian, you always need to be funny.’ You just have to find a way.”

“You just have to find a way to channel that anger,” he continued. “Because good art will always be a great weapon, [it] will always be a perfect weapon against power. But if you’re just screaming, and you’re just angry, you’ve lost your best tool in the toolbox.”

While O’Brien didn’t call out anyone by name, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is often taking shots at the Apprentice alum.

On Christmas Day, Kimmel, 58, blasted Trump during the U.K.’s “Alternative Christmas Message,” and he pointed out how the government allegedly tried to have him permanently taken off air following his comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk during his September 17 monologue.

“The American government made a threat against me and the company I work for, and all of a sudden we were off the air,” said Kimmel. “Millions and millions of people stood up and said: ‘No, this is not acceptable.’”

“Our show came back stronger than ever,” he continued. “We won, the president lost and now I’m back on the air every night givin’ the most powerful politician on earth a right and richly deserved bollocking.”