Stephen Colbert finally gets some answers from The Late Show's Melania Trump about that Zara jacket
"Everyone's still trying to figure out the meaning behind Melania Trump's 'coat-gate,' as no one is calling it," Stephen Colbert said on Tuesday's Late Show. The Zara jacket she wore to visit detained migrant children in Texas, with the words "I Really Don't Care, Do U?' on the back, "hammered home the message that her husband's baby jails only hinted at," though the first lady's spokeswoman said there was no hidden message being conveyed, he said. "This incident raises a question: Is Melania Trump an innocent bystander trapped in a White House she does not agree with? Or is she actively supporting her husband's cruelest policies?"
Colbert went straight to the source — or the Late Show impersonator of the source, Laura Benanti — and she was vague. "So, whose idea was this jacket?" Colbert asked. "It was picked out by my personal stylist, Stephen Miller," the ersatz first lady replied, and she tried out a variety of other clothing-based messaging. "Madame first lady," Colbert said. "I'm starting think your clothes are a purposeful distraction from the heartbreaking images we've seen from the detention centers ..." "No, no, no, don't look at those pictures!" she yelled, taking out a scarf calling for murdering penguins. But the real message — or non-message — finally came into focus with her coat. Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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 for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 9, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - personal data, trans athletes, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 tit-for-tat cartoons about Trump's trade war
Cartoons Artists take on Canada, Mexico, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The catastrophic conflict looming in the heart of Africa
In the Spotlight Showdown between DR Congo and Rwanda have been a long time coming
By The Week UK Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published