U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards, branding the broadcast “virtually unwatchable” and threatening legal action against comedian and host Trevor Noah over a joke the President called false and defamatory. The unusual clash between a cultural event and national politics has quickly become one of the most talked‑about stories in entertainment and political news today.
During the live telecast on February 2, 2026, Trevor Noah; hosting the GRAMMYs for the sixth and final time delivered a mix of music commentary and political humor. After Billie Eilish and Finneas won the Song of the Year award, Noah said:
“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 Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.”
As the audience reacted with gasps and laughter, Noah added:
“I told you, it’s my last year! What are you going to do about it?”
Shortly after the broadcast ended, Trump took to his social platform Truth Social with a forceful reaction. He began by dismissing the awards show itself as:
“the WORST, virtually unwatchable! CBS is lucky not to have this garbage litter their airwaves any longer.”
Turning his attention to Noah’s joke, Trump wrote that the comedian “INCORRECTLY” claimed Trump and Clinton had spent time on Epstein’s island:
“I can’t speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight’s false and defamatory statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media.”
“It looks like I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C., and suing him for plenty$. Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!”
Award shows like the GRAMMYs have long mixed humor with social commentary, but Noah’s line touched on a subject; Jeffrey Epstein and his connections to powerful figures that has been under renewed public scrutiny since large sets of Epstein files were released.
Trump’s response continues a pattern of reacting strongly to commentary he deems inaccurate or unfair. In his post, he even referenced past legal settlements with major networks, suggesting precedent for how such disputes have played out previously.
The 2026 GRAMMY Awards were already notable for politically charged moments, including artists wearing pins and referencing social and immigration policies during acceptance speeches. Amid that backdrop, Noah’s joke stood out as a comedic moment that crossed into political territory, prompting an unprecedented presidential reaction tied directly to an awards show broadcast.
A line meant as playful satire at one of music’s biggest nights spiraled into a political story dominating headlines across news and social media. At the intersection of comedy, culture, and politics, the Grammy moment underscores how quickly entertainment can become part of national discourse especially when public figures respond in forceful fashion.
