US politics spilled onto the Grammys stage on Sunday night after host Trevor Noah cracked a joke linking former president Donald Trump to the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting an angry response and legal threats from Trump.
During the awards ceremony, Noah quipped that the song of the year prize was “a Grammy that every artist wants – almost as much as Trump wants Greenland,” adding that since “Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.”
The remark drew laughter inside the venue but quickly sparked fury from Trump, who took to his Truth Social platform to attack the South African comedian and threaten to sue him.
Calling Noah a “poor, pathetic, talentless dope of an MC,” Trump claimed the joke was false and defamatory, insisting he had never been to Epstein’s private Caribbean island.
“I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close,” Trump wrote. “Noah, a total loser, better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast.”
Trump added that he would instruct his lawyers to take legal action, saying he was “going to have some fun” suing Noah “for plenty$”.
Both Trump and former president Bill Clinton are mentioned multiple times in documents known as the Epstein files, which detail Epstein’s relationships with powerful figures and activities surrounding his private island, where children were sexually abused. Both men have long denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
The joke came amid a Grammys ceremony that appeared openly critical of Trump and his administration. Several artists wore anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) badges, while others used their acceptance speeches to speak against anti-immigrant rhetoric in the US.
Billie Eilish, whose song Wildflower triggered Noah’s joke, told the audience: “No one is illegal on stolen land. We need to keep fighting and speaking up.”
Best new artist winner Olivia Dean, whose grandmother migrated from Guyana to the UK, said: “I am the granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery, and those people deserve to be celebrated.”
Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny, who won three awards, was even more direct: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ICE out. We’re not animals or aliens – we’re humans.”
Trump’s clash with Noah is the latest in a long-running feud between the former president and television comedians. Late-night hosts such as Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel have repeatedly drawn Trump’s ire during his second term.
Colbert’s The Late Show is set to air its final episode in May after CBS cancelled it last year, a move that came days after the host criticised the network’s parent company, Paramount, for settling a $16 million lawsuit with Trump. CBS has denied any political motivation.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was briefly suspended last year following backlash over a controversial joke, a move Trump publicly celebrated before the show was reinstated amid widespread free speech protests.
Sunday’s Grammys also marked the final time the awards will be broadcast on CBS. Trump appeared to welcome the split, describing the ceremony as “virtually unwatchable” and claiming CBS was “lucky” to be rid of it.
For his part, Noah seemed unfazed. Hosting the Grammys for the sixth and final time, he responded cheekily to the uproar from the stage: “I told you it’s my last year. What are you gonna do about it?”
Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, during Trump’s first presidency. His death and the continued release of related files have kept his links to powerful figures a sensitive and explosive topic—one that, judging by Trump’s reaction, remains deeply controversial.
