Late-night hosts are taking President Trump to task for comments he made Thursday.
During a meeting with lawmakers about a proposed bipartisan deal on immigration, the president reportedly questioned why the U.S. would want to admit more people from “shithole countries.”
The deal would have changed rules affecting immigrants from Africa and Haiti.
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The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, who hails from South Africa, said he was offended by the remarks.
“I don’t know how to break this to you, but I think the president might be racist,” he said. “And, you know, as someone who is from South Shithole, I’m offended Mr. President.”
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Noah added: “Because not only does he think brown countries are shitholes, he thinks what, we’re never going to know what he said? I mean, don’t get me wrong it may take a few weeks, but as soon as the news donkey reaches our village, we’ll be so mad!”
Tonight at 11/10c, as someone from South Shithole, Trevor is deeply offended by the president’s remarks. pic.twitter.com/4dTaMapmSG
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) January 12, 2018
Over on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel attempted to make some sense of the comments. “Well listen, I’m sure the fact that the countries he described as ‘shitholes’ are mostly populated by people of color — and the immigrants he wants from Norway are not — is a coincidence,” he joked. “Because if it wasn’t, it would mean we voted for a racist. Like a real one. And we’d have to get pitchforks and chase him out of the White House.”
Kimmel also expressed surprise that the White House did not deny the president’s remarks. “They just tried to spin it. It really is unfathomable,” he said, adding, “You just can’t believe that this is the guy running our country.”
The host also explained the “only silver lining” of the situation: getting to hear CNN’s Wolf Blitzer say “S hole” all day to avoid the censors.
“What an S hole,” Kimmel cracked. “So – anyway – thanks Vlad Putin. You really got us good.”
The Late Show’s Stephen Colbert pulled no punches in his opening monologue. “Sir, they’re not shithole countries. For one, Donald Trump is not their president,” he said.
With regards to reports that Trump suggested the government should try and get more immigrants from countries such as Norway instead, Colbert joked, in character as Trump, “People with blonde hair who need a lot of sunscreen. You get what I’m saying? I’m saying I’m a racist.”
TONIGHT: You better believe if the President is speaking his mind about certain [redacted] countries, Stephen’s speaking his mind about this [redacted] President. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/xN8ER8ZNND
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) January 12, 2018
On Late Night, the president’s comments prompted host Seth Meyers to create a new segment titled, “Seth Has to Walk Away for a Minute.” The segment featured Meyers walking mostly off camera and away from his desk, muttering to himself incredulously, “I don’t… I just… I mean, at what point, at what point… do you just have some common decency? Some human emotion?”
From tonight’s #LNSM: @SethMeyers responds to Trump’s remarks on “s**thole countries.” pic.twitter.com/gUjCosn7Fn
— Late Night with Seth Meyers (@LateNightSeth) January 12, 2018
During his “A Closer Look” segment, Meyers again referenced the president’s remarks. “To be fair, maybe he meant it as a compliment. After all, Trump does all of his best tweets while sitting on the shithole,” he joked. He ended the bit by saying the national mood can be summed up with three words: “Please kill me.”
This article originally appeared in THR.com.