Trevor Noah’s Grammy joke about Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein prompted a sharp public rebuke from the president and a threatened lawsuit. The remark referenced names in the Epstein files and came amid wider anti-administration sentiment at the awards. The news roundup also highlights a controversial Gaza logistics proposal promising large profits, plans to expand body cameras for federal agents, renewed diplomatic signals between Iran and the U.S., and major business headlines including SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI.
Trevor Noah’s Grammy Quip Draws Trump’s Legal Threat — Epstein Files, Protests and Major News Roundup
Comedian Trevor Noah on the red carpet at the Grammys on Sunday night.Photograph: Jill Connelly/EPA(Photograph: Jill Connelly/EPA)
South African comedian Trevor Noah sparked a public rebuke from President Donald Trump after making a pointed joke while hosting the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
Noah, the former host of The Daily Show, quipped that the Song of the Year prize was “a Grammy that every artist wants — almost as much as Trump wants Greenland,” and added: “because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton.” The remark referenced names that appear in previously released documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump’s response on Truth Social: “a poor, pathetic, talentless dope of an MC” — and a warning that he would have lawyers “suing him for plenty$.”
The joke and Trump’s reaction tapped into broader controversies. Portions of the so-called Epstein files include allegations about parties on Epstein’s private Caribbean island where children were abused; both Trump and former president Bill Clinton have been named in some records as acquaintances of Epstein. Both men have repeatedly denied involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
The Grammys themselves reflected visible anti-administration sentiment: several performers and attendees wore anti-ICE pins, and multiple winners used their acceptance speeches to criticize the administration’s immigration policies and treatment of migrants in states such as Minnesota.
Other Headlines In The Roundup
Controversial Gaza Proposal: A U.S. disaster-response firm submitted a November proposal to White House officials offering a Gaza trucking and logistics plan that promised up to 300% profits and a seven-year monopoly for a new oversight board, according to documents obtained by The Guardian.
Body Cameras For Federal Agents: The Department of Homeland Security announced plans for federal agents in Minneapolis to begin using body cameras immediately, with expansion nationwide "as funding is available." The announcement follows a suggestion from Republican Senator Ron Johnson that ICE agents could wear body cameras on immigration patrols — an idea that may help bridge partisan differences over agency funding.
Diplomacy With Iran: Iran’s top diplomat signaled Tehran’s willingness to negotiate with the United States as both countries reportedly prepared to send senior envoys to Istanbul for high-stakes talks on the nuclear program.
Financial And Legal Scrutiny Around Trump: Critics called the Trump family’s business dealings into question after reports that an Emirati royal family member invested $500 million in a Trump-affiliated cryptocurrency venture, prompting renewed accusations of corruption. Separately, House Oversight Committee chair James Comer demanded sworn depositions from Bill and Hillary Clinton as part of ongoing inquiries.
Border Patrol Shooting Under Review: After a Border Patrol shooting in Oregon left two people dead, the Department of Homeland Security initially described the victims as “vicious” gang members. Subsequent reporting says key elements of the federal account are under scrutiny.
Weather And Business News: Freezing temperatures swept across large parts of the United States, putting roughly 150 million people under cold-weather advisories and extreme-cold warnings. In business headlines, Palantir topped Wall Street expectations and remained a prominent government contractor; a rightwing Brazilian influencer who lauded U.S. immigration enforcement was arrested in New Jersey by ICE; and a federal judge cleared Denmark’s Ørsted to resume the Sunrise Wind offshore project after earlier halts.
Tech: SpaceX And xAI: Elon Musk’s SpaceX reportedly acquired his artificial intelligence firm xAI in a move that consolidates parts of his corporate holdings as SpaceX prepares for a potential public offering later this year at an anticipated valuation that some observers place near $1 trillion.
This roundup captures cultural flashpoints from the Grammys as well as political, legal and business stories drawing national and international attention.
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