Donald Trump’s first solo press conference as president had all the trappings of a perfect late night comedy sketch: bizarre rants about Michael Flynn and Russia, the usual lies about his “huge” electoral victory, and plenty of unhinged moments involving what Trump called “real leaks, fake news, and the dishonest media.”
For all the talk of Trump dividing the nation, his press conference proved that he can actually unite people around a common cause — great comedy. One can only imagine the sheer joy late night hosts felt while watching this train wreck unfold. On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert could hardly contain his excitement as he tossed out his original monologue for one “so fresh, you can smell it.”
Colbert did his best to explain the bizarre presser, starting with Trump’s prepared remarks claiming that he “inherited a mess” coming into office. Colbert felt obligated to set the record straight and reminded him, “No, you inherited a fortune — we elected a mess.”
One of the strangest moments occurred when Trump attempted to address the thorny issue of race by asking a black reporter to set up a meeting for him with the Congressional Black Caucus. Channeling his inner Trump, Colbert exclaims, “Oh, you’re a black woman. Could you talk to the Congressional Black Caucus? … You know what? Forget it. I’ll have Ben Carson do it.”
Trump’s press conference was a comedic gift that keeps on giving, and you can only imagine how hilarious the cold open will be on Saturday Night Live this weekend.
Watch Colbert’s full monologue:
