In brief
Donald Trump has responded to a joke made by Trevor Noah during the Grammy Awards that suggested an association between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. The former president declared he would take legal action, emphasizing that he never visited Epstein's island and dismissed Noah's claims as false and defamatory. Noah, the event's host, incorporated the joke into his opening remarks, leading to Trump's strong reaction through a social media post.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to sue comedian Trevor Noah after he joked about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein at the Grammy Awards.
Hosting the event, Noah said: Song of the Year - that is 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.
Trump is known to have been an associate of Epstein for years, but he asserts he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes and claimed their relationship soured around 2004. Importantly, there are no allegations that Trump ever visited Epstein's private island, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein's victims. The US justice department has dismissed allegations against him as unfounded and false.
In a past statement, a spokesperson for Bill Clinton said the former president had never been to Epstein's island, Little St James, and he has also not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Following Noah's joke, Trump vowed to take action against him, stating, sending my lawyers to sue. He took to Truth Social, claiming Noah's comments about him and Clinton spending time on Epstein Island were incorrect. He asserted, 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.
Trump labeled Noah a total loser and cautioned him to get his facts straight, saying, Get ready Noah, I'm going to have some fun with you!
Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, having previously been convicted for soliciting prostitution from a minor. He purchased Little St James in 1998, and numerous survivors have accused him of trafficking and abuse on the island.
In recent years, Trump has also engaged in legal disputes with multiple media organizations including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In December, he filed a multi-billion dollar lawsuit in Florida against the BBC for defamation.
Noah, who is a South African-born comedian, hosted The Daily Show on Comedy Central in the U.S. for seven years.
