US President Donald Trump has hit out at the host of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, Trevor Noah, following a joke aimed at him during the ceremony in Los Angeles on February 1.
The president took to his social media platform Truth Social within hours of the broadcast, describing the show as “virtually unwatchable” and criticising Noah as a “total loser”.
The controversy arose during Noah’s introduction of Billie Eilish as the winner of Song of the Year for ‘Wildflower’. Noah quipped, “There you have it, song of the year! Congratulations, Billie Eilish. Wow. That’s a Grammy that every artist wants, almost as much as Trump wants Greenland. Which makes sense because, since Epstein’s gone, he needs a new island to hang out with Bill Clinton.”
Trump quickly condemned the remark, insisting that he had never visited Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James, and calling Noah’s statement “false and defamatory”. He wrote that Noah “better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast,” signalling plans to involve his legal team.
The president added that he intended to “send [his] lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C.”, referencing the comedic host’s onstage performance. Trump also mentioned CBS, the network that aired the Grammys, suggesting the broadcaster could be implicated in any legal action.
Trevor Noah, a South African comedian and host of ‘The Daily Show’, has been known for sharp political humour, often directing jokes at global figures. The Grammy incident has sparked widespread discussion on social media about the boundaries of satire and celebrity commentary during major awards shows.
The joke referred to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, a site central to controversies surrounding the late financier, who died in 2019 following his conviction on sex-trafficking charges.
As the story develops, it remains unclear whether formal legal proceedings will be initiated.
Meanwhile, the incident has added a politically charged note to what was otherwise a night celebrating global music achievements, including historic wins by Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Olivia Dean and Lady Gaga.
