Stephen Colbert is baffled that Trump wants to make China great again

Stephen Colbert dances to West Side Story
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Show)

President Trump released a video to celebrate Mother's Day, and Stephen Colbert found something lacking. "Here's the thing: In this whole video, Donald Trump doesn't once mention any of the mothers of his own children — and there's a lot to choose from," he said on Monday's Late Show. Trump also tweeted about China on Sunday, and like many people, Colbert was baffled by Trump's tweet promising jobs to Chinese phone maker ZTE. "During the campaign, Trump wouldn't shut up about how America's jobs were being stolen by China," he said. "I can't wait for his next tweet: 'Have you heard about all the problems in Mexico? We've got to let these good people into our country. Build the ramp!'"

"ZTE is no friend of the U.S.," Colbert said. U.S. spy agencies accuse it of eavesdropping on America for China and it admitted to breaking U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea. He recapped Monday in Jerusalem, where the U.S. inaugurated a new embassy and Palestinians were killed en masse. "Now we've just got to destabilize Antarctica and we'll have global crisis bingo," he said.

The Late Show had a few more thoughts on moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.

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But while the world burns, Trump is finding comfort talking to Sean Hannity, according to a new profile in New York. "They're like the Gayle and Oprah of angry old white men," Colbert said. "So what do these lovable old codgers talk about?" Apparently, TV and media criticism, and anything else that helps Trump "decompress" after a day in the Oval Office, since he doesn't live with the first lady. Trump apparently calls during the day, too, then announces it to staff. "So after a cable news pundit talks to the president of the United States, it's the president name-dropping Sean Hannity?" Colbert asked. "That's like if Beyoncé bragged about meeting the Trivago guy." Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.