President Donald Trump sharply criticised the 2026 Grammy Awards on Monday and threatened legal action against host Trevor Noah, calling a joke linking him to Jeffrey Epstein's island "false and defamatory."
In a lengthy Truth Social post early February 2, Trump described the ceremony as "the WORST, virtually unwatchable" and said CBS was "lucky not to have this garbage litter their airwaves any longer." The network broadcast the Grammys for the final time this year before a shift to new partners.
Trump focused his ire on Noah, the South African-born comedian who hosted the 68th annual event for the sixth and final time on February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. After Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for "Wildflower", Noah quipped, "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 added, "I told you, it’s my last year. What are you going to do about it?" drawing laughs and cheers from the audience.
Trump denied any visit to Epstein's private island, writing: "Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island. WRONG!!! 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."
He called Noah a "total loser" who needed to "get his facts straight", compared him unfavourably to Jimmy Kimmel — "almost as bad as Jimmy Kimmel at the Low Ratings Academy Awards" — and warned of consequences. "It looks like I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C., and suing him for plenty$", Trump posted. "Ask Little George Slopadopolus, and others, how that all worked out. Also ask CBS! Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!"
The remark referenced Trump's past social ties to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019, though Trump has denied wrongdoing or island visits. Recent document releases related to Epstein have renewed scrutiny of associations with prominent figures, including mentions of both Trump and former President Bill Clinton, but no evidence has emerged of Trump visiting the island.
