Michael Kosta wasn’t spellbound by new acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao’s past comments about witchcraft — and the “Daily Show” host upped the volume to let the audience know.
Kosta’s Reaction
Kosta noted with relief on Thursday that Cao has decades of military experience as a Navy combat veteran — unlike his predecessor, John Phelan, who had none. But the comedian saw toil and trouble in complaints the new leader aired in a 2023 interview about Monterey, California, when he ran for senator in Virginia.
“Monterey is a very dark place now,” Cao said. “A lot of witchcraft. The Wiccan community has really taken over there. And, we can’t let that happen in Virginia.”
An incredulous Kosta cracked facetiously, “Oh yeah, we can’t let Virginia be taken over by witches.”
“Also,” the host continued, “I have a follow-up question: What the fuck are you talking about!!?? Why is everybody they appoint so fucking crazy? Can they just find a normal person with a normal head on his shoulders who believes normal things?”
Fact Check
A Monterey television channel also hit Cao with a fact check. For one, there doesn’t seem to be public data on how many witches are in Monterey, KSBW reported. Cao also seemed to confuse Wicca, a modern pagan religion that emphasizes reverence for nature, with sinister aspects associated with witchcraft and Satanism.
The segment highlighted the ongoing trend of controversial appointments under the Trump administration, with Kosta expressing frustration over the lack of normalcy in leadership positions.
