Stephen Colbert says Trump can take care of himself: 'I have jokes, he has the launch codes'

On Wednesday's Late Show, host Stephen Colbert didn't apologize for comments he made about President Trump on Monday and said he would do it again, albeit changing "a few words that were cruder than they needed to be."

Following Monday's show, some Trump supporters went on Twitter and, using the hashtag #FireColbert, voiced their displeasure with Colbert saying Trump's mouth would make a good "cock holster" for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Colbert explained that he was "a little upset" with Trump for "insulting a friend of mine," Face the Nation's John Dickerson (Trump walked away in the middle of an interview over the weekend with Dickerson). "So, at the end of that monologue, I had a few choice insults for the president in return. I don't regret that. He, I believe, can take care of himself. I have jokes; he has the launch codes. So, it's a fair fight."

Colbert said he was not going to repeat the phrase that some found offensive, and reiterated that while he would "do it again," he would say it in a not-so-vulgar way. "I just want to say for the record, life is short, and anyone who expresses their love for another person, in their own way, is to me, an American hero," Colbert concluded. "I think we can all agree on that. I hope even the president and I can agree on that. Nothing else. But, that."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up