Racy fashion, shocking award moments, protests against ICE — and one savage Epstein joke that sent Donald Trump into a rage.
The 2026 Grammy Awards delivered no shortage of headline-making drama.
From Chappell Roan turning heads in a daring outfit that set social media ablaze, to Cher stunning the audience by announcing a winner who passed away more than 20 years ago, the night was anything but predictable.
But the most explosive moment came courtesy of host Trevor Noah, who seized on a major news story dominating headlines the same day: the release of a new batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents.
As he introduced one of the night’s biggest honors, Noah quipped:
“Song of the Year — 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.”
The joke drew laughter from the audience — but not from Donald Trump.
Although being named in the newly released Epstein files does not imply wrongdoing, Trump’s name reportedly appears more than 1,000 times in the documents. He was a longtime associate of the disgraced financier, though Trump has repeatedly denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island, where young girls were abused.
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| Trevor Noah speaks onstage at the 68th GRAMMY Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images) |
Trump has consistently denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes and has not been accused by Epstein’s victims.
In response to the latest document release, both the White House and the U.S. Justice Department highlighted a key disclaimer included with the files.
“Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election,” the Justice Department said.
Trump also addressed the controversy while speaking aboard Air Force One, placing blame on author Michael Wolff.
“It looked like this guy, Wolff, was a writer, was conspiring with Epstein to do harm to me,” Trump said. “I didn’t see it myself, but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping.”
He went on to describe Wolff as a “third-rate writer” and claimed the documents made clear that Wolff and Epstein were working together to damage him politically.
Trump also hinted at legal action, suggesting he may sue both Wolff and the Epstein estate.
“That’s not a friend,” he said. “Because he was conspiring with Wolff to do harm to me politically.”
And it appears the Grammys joke may have added fuel to the fire.
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| President Donald Trump takes questions from the members of the press aboard Air Force One on January 11, 2026 en route back to the White House from Palm Beach, Florida. The President spent the weekend at his private club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) |
Whether Trump watched the ceremony himself or was quickly briefed on it, he took to Truth Social shortly after to unleash a blistering response.
“The Grammy Awards are the WORST, virtually unwatchable!” he wrote, referencing last year’s broadcast on CBS. “CBS is lucky not to have this garbage litter their airwaves any longer.”
He then turned his attention squarely to Noah, calling the joke “false and defamatory” and threatening legal action.
“Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island. WRONG!!!” Trump wrote. “I can’t speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close.”
He continued by attacking Noah personally and promising a lawsuit.
“Noah, a total loser, better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast,” Trump wrote. “It looks like I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless dope of an M.C. … Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!”
What started as a joke on music’s biggest night has now escalated into yet another political firestorm — and possibly a legal battle to come.
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