Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over Epstein remarks

United States President, Donald Trump, has threatened to sue South African comedian Trevor Noah over remarks he made about the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Noah pulled no punches during his stint as host of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where his commentary drew widespread attention and controversy.

The latest Epstein files have named several high-profile individuals, including former South African president Jacob Zuma, former US president, Bill Clinton and hip-hop mogul Jay Z.

Noah took a swipe at Trump while congratulating Billie Eilish for winning the Song of the Year Award, joking that every artist wants the award.

“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,” Noah remarked.

Trump did not take the remarks lightly, unleashing a blistering response in which he branded Noah a “poor, pathetic, talentless dope of an MC.”

This spat comes amid strained diplomatic relations between Pretoria and Washington.

Noah also found himself catching strays from rapper Nicki Minaj after poking fun at her noticeable absence from the prestigious awards ceremony.

“We got John Legend in the house! Oh man, every single person here, including John Legend, Billie Eilish, Phineas, and Nicki Minaj, is not here. She is not here.  She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues,” Noah said. 

Trevor Noah took throw shades at Nicki at the Grammy.
“ Nicki Minaj is not here, she’s still at the White House with Donald Trump” pic.twitter.com/yPSWzMC5lF

— Chuckyfamous! (@Nem_Famous) February 2, 2026

Trevor refuses to come out the closet when everyone in the industry knows his boyfriend.

Allegedly pic.twitter.com/Um9kIp2Nso

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) February 2, 2026

Beyond the controversy, South African music star Tyla claimed another major win, securing her second Grammy Award.

The global hitmaker took home Best African Music Performance for her chart-topping single “Push to Start,” beating out heavyweights including Burna Boy and Davido.

The 24-year-old, who celebrated her birthday at the weekend, also made history as the first artist to win the category twice since its introduction in 2024.

Meanwhile, several artists including Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny and British singer Olivia Dean, used their Grammy wins to criticise the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations.

The comments come amid growing backlash against federal immigration raids, which have sparked protests across several US cities, including Minneapolis, where two Americans were fatally shot by federal agents.

The deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti have fuelled public outrage and drawn criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum.

Artists including Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Kehlani joined other celebrities on the 2026 Grammy red carpet, wearing “ICE Out” pins in protest.