JOHANNESBURG - US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against South African comedian Trevor Noah.
Noah’s Grammy quip highlights that even celebrated comedians don’t always hit the mark and sometimes, the fallout can come with legal threats.
After congratulating Billie Eilish for winning the Grammy for Song of the Year for her track "Wildflower," Noah brought up Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Noah quipped: “Wow. That’s a Grammy that every artist wants -- almost as much as Trump wants Greenland.”
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The joke referenced the former president’s reported interest in acquiring the autonomous Arctic territory.
Noah then added: “Which makes sense because, since Epstein’s gone, he needs a new island to hang out with Bill Clinton.”
Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the Grammys “the WORST and virtually unwatchable” and dismissing Noah’s joke as “false and defamatory.”
He added: “Noah, a total loser, better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast,” and threatened legal action.
READ: Trump threatens legal action against Trevor Noah over Epstein comment
While Noah’s sharp humour often lands, this is not the first time some of his jokes have drawn controversy.
At last year’s Grammys, Noah joked about singer Shakira, saying she was “the greatest thing out of Colombia that isn’t a felony,” prompting backlash over the country’s stereotype association with drugs.
On the 2018 FIFA World Cup, on The Daily Show, Noah said: “Africa won the World Cup. Africa won the World Cup,” after France’s national team lifted the trophy, drawing criticism from the French ambassador for seemingly questioning the players’ “Frenchness.”
And on the Russia-Ukraine war coverage, Noah criticised media bias for focusing heavily on the conflict in Ukraine while conflicts in Africa and the Middle East receive less attention.
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Noah isn’t the only comedian to draw Trump’s ire.
In December, Trump targeted late-night hosts, calling Stephen Colbert a “pathetic trainwreck” who should be “put to sleep.” Colbert’s The Late Show is set to end in May 2026, a decision some fans have criticised as censorship.
Earlier, in August, Disney-owned ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel before renewing him on a one-year contract.
Kimmel had sparked conservative backlash with comments following the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump’s repeated attacks highlight how late-night comedy often finds itself in the crosshairs of political controversy.