Comedian and “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert took aim at President Donald Trump during his Tuesday night monologue, criticizing him over the reported demolition of the White House East Wing to build a massive new ballroom.
Colbert began with what sounded like praise but quickly turned sarcastic. He said, “You’d think at this point nothing Donald Trump does could surprise us anymore. But give the man credit every once in a while, he manages to shock us all over again.” He compared Trump’s actions to someone “attaching electrodes” and giving the nation a sudden jolt, saying it “feels like the first time every time.”
The comedian was referring to Trump’s latest plan to tear down part of the White House the East Wing to make space for a grand ballroom said to be even larger than the main residence. Colbert joked that only nine months into Trump’s term, he was already “going full Hulk smash on the White House.” He added that the last time Trump caused this level of destruction, it took him four years to “bring a demo crew to the Capitol,” a reference to the January 6th attack carried out by Trump supporters.
Colbert then played a video clip of Trump describing his “wrecking ballroom” and mocked the president’s obsession with grand events and over-the-top luxury. He said Trump’s mind was “filled with cotton-candy fantasies” about royal-style parties, calling his dream project “Trump’s Barbie dream ballroom.”
In the footage shown, Trump was seen enthusiastically describing how elegant the ballroom would be, saying it would have cocktails, fine dining, and senators being welcomed into a hall “the likes of which have never been seen before.” Colbert laughed at the absurdity of Trump giving this lavish description during a time when the government was shut down and many Americans were struggling.
He wrapped up the segment by pointing out how tone-deaf it was for the president to talk about grand parties and decorations while the country faced serious political and financial issues.
Colbert’s jokes, though humorous, carried a deeper criticism highlighting what he sees as Trump’s self-indulgent priorities and his tendency to focus on spectacle instead of substance.
