Late-night television hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert delivered scathing comedic critiques of former President Donald Trump's recent social media threats against Iran, which included promises of destruction and apocalyptic warnings. The hosts reacted to Trump's posts on Truth Social, where he set deadlines for attacks and made alarming statements about civilization's demise, all while a ceasefire was reportedly being negotiated.
Jimmy Kimmel's 'Dementia D-Day' Commentary
On his show, Jimmy Kimmel described Tuesday as "another crazy day here in the United States of America," following Trump's threat to launch destructive attacks on Iran by 8 p.m., which was later called off. Kimmel quipped, "Probably the most dangerous episode of the Celebrity Apprentice yet. Today was D-Day – in this case, the D stands for dementia, but it was D-Day." He highlighted the absurdity of Trump's behavior, noting that the president had just complained about losing the Nobel Peace Prize before threatening a civilization with death.
Kimmel explained the timeline, stating, "We're coming to you from Los Angeles where the local time's just after 5 p.m., which was Trump's deadline for Iran to 'Open the F-ing strait or you'll be living in hell.' He gave a hard cut-off time of right now. And then this morning he wrote, 'A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.'" The host marveled at the contrast, saying, "He went from Mahatma Gandhi to General Zod like that."
The Pattern of Empty Threats
Kimmel pointed out a recurring pattern in Trump's rhetoric, adding, "This is how it goes every single time Trump says something insane. He says, 'I'm going to kill everybody tomorrow at 5 p.m.' Then we all freak out and then he backs off. He's like, 'You know what? Actually, I'll kill everyone in two weeks.' Then we relax, and then he forgets he ever said it in the first place. He has the memory and the skin color of a goldfish." The comedian criticized congressional Republicans for their relaxed response, noting they dismiss such threats as mere talk.
He also observed that Trump often uses a two-week timeframe, joking, "He's like a conscientious employee. He always gives two weeks' notice." However, Kimmel concluded with skepticism about any real plan, quoting the White House press secretary who said only the president knows where things stand. "And I don't even believe he knows that," Kimmel said, referencing Trump's threat to decimate Iranian power plants, which he compared to the toilets at Mar-a-Lago and noted would be a war crime under the Geneva accords.
Stephen Colbert's Space Diversion and Return to Earth
On the Late Show, Stephen Colbert initially avoided the Iran topic by discussing the Artemis II space mission, which is returning to Earth. He joked, "That's great, glad to hear that everything is working out, but how do I put this, fellas ... not a great time to return to Earth. You might want to take a couple laps around the parking lot, till the explosions stop." Colbert quipped about the mission's distance, saying humanity has enough miles for "diamond medallion status" and can access the moon's lounge with "three kinds of citrus water and those little wasabi peas."
Colbert's Take on Trump's Inflammatory Posts
After the space diversion, Colbert reluctantly addressed Trump's social media activity, noting that the former president "was so frustrated with the war in Iran that in a post on Sunday, he dropped an f-bomb and apparently converted to Islam." He referenced a particularly inflammatory Truth Social post where Trump wrote, "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Colbert also highlighted Trump's ominous Tuesday morning post about a civilization dying, saying, "OK, that is very upsetting by any measure. But I also want to point out that he doesn't say which civilization will die tonight. Because ours has been seen wandering on a highway overpass." This comment underscored the absurdity and vagueness of Trump's threats, adding a layer of dark humor to the serious geopolitical situation.
The late-night hosts' segments blended comedy with sharp political commentary, using humor to critique Trump's erratic behavior and the potential dangers of his inflammatory rhetoric. Their monologues emphasized the lack of coherence in Trump's threats and the concerning normalization of such statements by some political figures.
