President Donald Trump announced plans on Monday to sue Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah after the comedian made a joke linking the president to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday.
Trump posted his threats on Truth Social early Monday morning, calling the Grammy Awards “virtually unwatchable” and describing Noah as a “poor, pathetic, talentless dope.” In his lengthy message, Trump denied Noah’s suggestion that he had spent time on Epstein’s Caribbean island, stating he has never visited the location or anywhere close to it.
The controversy started when Noah joked during the awards show: “Song of the year—that’s a Grammy that every artist desires, almost as much as Trump desires Greenland. Which makes sense, since Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.” The comedian’s remarks came after Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for her track, according to Axios.
Trump claimed Noah’s statement was “false and defamatory” and said the comedian should “get his facts straight and get them straight fast.” The president then threatened legal action, writing that he would be “sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C., and suing him for plenty.”
In his post, Trump referenced previous defamation settlements involving ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos and CBS News as examples. He also criticized the Grammy Awards and CBS, which broadcast the ceremony, suggesting the network should be relieved that the Grammys are moving to Disney platforms beginning in 2027.
Noah’s joke came days after the Justice Department released over 3 million pages of investigative documents related to Epstein’s case. Both Trump and former President Bill Clinton have denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes or visits to his island, Vanity Fair reported.
Beyond Trump’s response, the 2026 Grammy Awards became a platform for celebrity activism against Trump’s immigration policies. Multiple artists, including Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and Kehlani, wore pins reading “ICE Out” on the red carpet to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
The demonstrations followed the recent deaths of nurse Alex Pretti and other incidents involving federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
During her acceptance speech for best R&B performance, Kehlani directly condemned ICE and called for solidarity among artists to speak against ongoing injustices.
Noah hosted the Grammy Awards for the sixth consecutive year on Sunday. He indicated that this would be his final year in the hosting role, as per CNN.
Originally published on Enstarz
