In this monologue from "The Late Show," host Stephen Colbert satirizes Donald Trump's recent trip to Scotland. The segment covers Trump's dual purpose of attending EU trade talks and opening a new golf course, the hostile and profane reception he received from Scottish protesters, and allegations of him cheating at golf. A significant portion of the monologue is dedicated to Trump's attempts to distance himself from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, highlighting his controversial remarks about it being a "privilege" to visit Epstein's island and his claim that their falling out was over poaching employees, not sex trafficking. Colbert also scrutinizes a suspicious prison meeting between Trump's lawyer and Ghislaine Maxwell. The host then humorously addresses his own show's "cancellation" as reported by Fox News, mocking a verbal slip by the FCC Chairman. The monologue concludes by noting Trump's recent threats to revoke the broadcast licenses of networks NBC and ABC.
A Satirical Look at Trump's Scotland Trip and Media Controversies
0:00:17 - Trump's Trip to Scotland: Stephen Colbert opens his monologue by discussing Donald Trump's trip to Scotland, which was officially for EU trade talks but also coincided with the opening of a new Trump-branded golf course.
0:01:10 - Hostile Scottish Welcome: The monologue highlights the intensely negative reception Trump received from local protesters, showcasing several profane and insulting signs directed at him.
0:01:51 - New EU Trade Deal: Colbert covers the announcement of a new trade deal with the European Union, which will raise tariffs on European imports by 15%. He satirizes a press conference moment, suggesting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen manipulated Trump's ego to secure the deal.
0:03:19 - Golf Cheating Allegations: A video clip is presented that appears to show one of Trump's caddies secretly dropping a golf ball onto the course for him, which Colbert points out is a violation of the game's rules.
0:04:26 - Dodging Questions about Epstein: The show highlights an incident where Trump's team attempted to drown out a reporter's questions about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal by loudly playing the song "Memories" from the musical Cats.
0:05:51 - Trump's Controversial Epstein Remarks: Colbert criticizes Trump for his recent comments, including stating he "never had the privilege of going to his island" and claiming his falling out with Epstein was because Epstein poached his staff, not due to the sex trafficking crimes.
0:06:56 - Suspicious Meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell: Colbert points out the highly unusual meeting between Trump's deputy attorney general, Todd Blanch, and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, after which Maxwell was seen leaving with a box.
0:08:07 - Colbert Mocks His "Cancellation": Colbert humorously addresses a Fox News headline that tied his show's "cancellation" to the Paramount/Skydance merger. He shows a clip where FCC Chairman Brendan Carr misspeaks, saying "Colbert's getting cancer" instead of "canceled."
0:10:27 - Trump Threatens Broadcast Networks: The monologue concludes by highlighting Trump's social media posts attacking NBC and ABC, in which he suggests their broadcast licenses "could and should be revoked."