John Oliver skewers Trump, claims 'he barely gets what mining is'

Erin Jensen | USA TODAY

Talking about coal — or what John Oliver likens to "cocaine for Thomas the Tank Engine" — was on the late night host's agenda during Sunday's Last Week Tonight.

"We've heard a lot about coal this past year, particularly from President Trump," stated Oliver in the NSFW clip.

"In fact, arguably a key reason that we have this cautionary Bible story in the White House was his ability to connect with mining communities during the campaign, even doing this in West Virginia," Oliver said, introducing a clip of Trump from 2016 in Charleston, donning a miner's helmet and miming how he believes coal mining is performed.

"Let me stop you right there. It is not easy watching someone I doubt has done a day of hard labor in his life show how he thinks coal mining works," an unconvinced Oliver said. "It's like watching a four-year-old play store. 'Oh, that's right, Aiden. You just hand them your ducky and then you get cookies, ya idiot.'"

While Trump's promise to miners that they would be "working your (expletive) off" may have helped him win the Oval Office, Oliver argues that he's made marginal progress.

He also refutes Murray Energy Corporation CEO Robert E. Murray's claim that when it comes to the coal industry "(Trump) gets it."

"Uh, hang on there, Bob, no he doesn't. A: He barely gets what mining is. He may well think it's just running up to things that he wants and yelling, 'Mine!'" Oliver said. "And B: He's repeatedly told miners that they're going to be working their (expletive) off. If Trump really cares about miners, he would be putting a plan in place for their futures as mining continues its long-term decline, but he isn't doing that."

For more of Oliver's thorough analysis watch the clip above.