Trump, China swipe at political Grammys show
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Trevor Noah and Bad Bunny during the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The glitzy red carpet and star-studded stage of the Grammys became a political pulpit Sunday, with celebrities swiping at President Trump and his allies.
- With a 1:01am ET Truth Social threat, the president fired back.
The big picture: The Super Bowl, awards shows and other spectacles of entertainment have been stages for political statements in the past — but as the nation's political discourse has intensified, so, too, has the pushback.
Driving the news: Musicians advocated for immigrants with speeches and "ICE OUT" pins, but one joke from host Trevor Noah drew particular ire from the president.
- "Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island. WRONG!!!" Trump wrote in a post slamming the awards as "virtually unwatchable" and calling Noah "a total loser."
- Trump and former President Clinton are both mentioned in the Epstein files released by the Justice Department and in flight logs. Both have denied wrongdoing.
Context: After Billie Eilish won Song of the Year, Noah quipped, "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."
- Trump threatened to sue Noah: "Get ready Noah, I'm going to have some fun with you!"
- Noah's management did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Friction point: Trump wrote that Noah "is almost as bad as Jimmy Kimmel," whose show was temporarily pulled after Trump's Federal Communications Commission chair warned ABC about potential action over the late-night host's comments after Charlie Kirk's killing.
- Trump frequently casts barbs at the entertainment world — and for many, the feeling is mutual.
- "Federal law enforcement officers work heroically to protect American communities, and anyone pointing the finger at law enforcement instead of the actual criminals is simply doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement provided to Axios.
Zoom out: Trump wasn't the only world leader to push back against the Grammys' political message.
- Beijing slammed the Dalai Lama's audiobook narration win as "a tool for anti-China political manipulation," per AP.
- The spiritual leader, who fled Tibet more than six decades ago, said in a statement that he received the award with "gratitude and humility" and saw it as a "recognition of our shared universal responsibility."
What we're watching: Next Sunday's Super Bowl could spark similar clashes, with Bad Bunny headlining the halftime show and Green Day kicking off the opening ceremony.
- Right-wing commentators targeted Bad Bunny after he was announced, and Turning Point USA launched a rival "All American Halftime Show." (Bad Bunny is also American.)
- Neither the Puerto Rican star nor the "American Idiot" rockers have shied away from political statements — nor has singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, who will perform "America the Beautiful."
Go deeper: Playlist of the resistance: Protesters mourn through music
Editor's note: This story has been updated with White House comment.
