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later jon

Barack Obama dealt a deft side-swipe to Trump during his final 'Daily Show'

Obama also threatened to issue an “executive order” to stop the host from leaving.

US PRESIDENT BARACK Obama made a final appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart earlier, joking with the outgoing host about his looming retirement and the messiness of the Middle East.

The satirist will host his final show on 6 August, after a decade-and-a-half in the job.

In 2010, Obama became the first sitting president to appear, and Tuesday marked his third appearance since entering the White House.

Obama has been on the show seven times in total.

“I cannot believe you are leaving before me,” Obama said, joking that he would issue an executive order to stop Stewart from leaving.

“It’s being challenged in the courts,” he added, a wry reference to his repeated legal battles with Republican rivals.

Stewart joked: “It’s a states’ rights issue.”

show File photo - The Daily Show (the latest episode hasn't been broadcast yet) File photo - The Daily Show (the latest episode hasn't been broadcast yet)

Iran and Trump

When Obama made a first pitch for his diplomacy with Iran, Stewart saw an opening, asking “whose team are we on in the Middle East?” before laying out the amalgam of alliances and enmities that crisscross the region.

“That’s not quite right,” Obama joked, “but that’s okay,” before Stewart interrupted: “Who are we bombing?”

Obama went back repeatedly to the issue of Iran, using Stewart’s vast audience to make his pitch.

GOP 2016 Trump Associated Press Associated Press

“I really want people to pay attention to this issue,” Obama said, urging citizens to engage by contacting their members of Congress.

“If people are engaged eventually the political system responds,” he said.

Stewart shot back: “Is that the advice that you then bequeath to future President Trump?”

Obama said he was sure the Republicans were enjoying the real estate mogul’s often controversial candidature.

“Anything that makes them look less crazy” said Stewart.

Stewart will be replaced by South African comic Trevor Noah.

© AFP, 2015

Read: Everything you need to know about the man taking over from Jon Stewart

Read: Watch Jon Stewart’s emotional speech about quitting The Daily Show 

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