WASHINGTON —President Donald Trumpthreatened to sue Trevor Noah after the comedian joked during the Grammys about Trump and former PresidentBill Clintonvisiting the private island ofaccused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump denied ever visiting Epstein's Little St. James island in the U.S. Virgin Islandsin an early morning Feb. 2 post on Truth Social.
"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 said. "Noah, a total loser, better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast. 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$."
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Noah, who hosted the68th Grammy Awardson Feb. 1, made the remarks in a monologue after congratulating singerBillie Eilishonwinning the Grammy for song of the year.
"That is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense, I mean, because Epstein's island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton,"Noah said. "Oh, I told you it's my last year. What are you going to do about it?" the comedian added as the crowd roared.
Earlier in the show, Noah, a native of South Africa who has hosted the past six Grammy Awards, said it would be his last time hosting the Grammys as he tookanother jab at Trump. "I believe in term limits. I want to set an example for anyone watching the show. Leave when your time is up," he said.
The Grammys aired on CBS. Trump's latest legal threat comesafter Paramount in July agreed to pay Trump $16 millionto settle a lawsuit against CBS over the editing of an interview with former Vice PresidentKamala Harris. In December 2024, ABC News agreed to give $15 million to Trump's future presidential library to settle a lawsuit over comments from anchor George Stephanopoulos on the civil case brought against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll.
"Ask Little George Slopadopolus, and others, how that all worked out," Trump wrote in his post. "Also ask CBS! Get ready Noah, I'm going to have some fun with you!"
Noah's Epstein joke followed thethe Justice Department's Jan. 30 releaseof 3 million additional pages of documents from the Epstein investigation that mention many powerful men including Trump, billionaire tech executiveElon Muskand Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. The documents don't support Trump or Clinton visiting Epstein's island.
Trump, however,has previously accused Clintonand others of visiting Epstein's island despite a lack of evidence. Epstein, in a 2015 email released in November by the House Oversight Committee, said Clinton never visited the island. "Clinton was NEVER EVER there, never," Epstein wrote.
More:3 million more Epstein pages with 2,000 images publish, ending review
Epstein owned two islands, Little St. James and Great St. James, both in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Much of Epstein's alleged trafficking of underage girls reportedly occurred at his compound on Little St. James.
Drawing criticism from Epstein survivors, the Justice Department withheld about 2.5 million documents in its possession, citing privacy concerns of victims, depictions of child sexual abuse, active federal investigations and various privileges such as legally-protected communications between a lawyer and a client.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back at any assertions that the department tried to protect powerful men. "We did not protectPresident Trump," Blanche said. "We didn't protect or not protect anybody."
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over Epstein island joke at Grammys
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