Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Jimmy Kimmel mostly agree on Trump's only memorable State of the Union line

Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Trevor Noah recap Trump&#039;s State of the Union

(Image credit: Screenshots/YouTube/The Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Daily Show)

By Peter Weber, The Week US

last updated 7 February 2019

Wednesday's Late Show began with an alternate, much shorter version of President Trump's State of the Union speech.

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"The only moment from last night that anyone's gonna remember," Stephen Colbert said, is when Trump "threatened our democracy with a little poem." He recited his own limerick in Trump voice, then judged Trump's ample alliteration "painful pandering pablum from Putin's pet president." Trump "also took a swipe at folks who want to raise taxes on rich people, but Trump's got one problem: Turns out that's really, really popular, as they recently discovered on Fox News," Colbert said, showing Fox Business host Charles Payne's explanation. "Yes, our children are being brainwashed with the radical ideology of Fair," he deadpanned. "What's next? And Balanced?"

"This was probably the line of the night: The president inadvertently echoed Richard Nixon, he said if there's gonna be 'peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation,'" Jimmy Kimmel agreed on Kimmel Live. "I think Kanye wrote that one for him because it rhymed." House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff's (D-Calif.) responded Wednesday by announcing a "sweeping investigation into Trump's finances and Russia," he laughed. "The Schiff is about to hit the fan."

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"The only thing from this speech that will live on is this viral photo of Nancy Pelosi sarcastically clapping in Trump's face," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show, demonstrating the difference a clap makes. He laughed at Trump guest Josh Trump, 11, falling asleep during the speech, and Eric Trump praising it as "best speech my father has ever given." "That's a pretty low bar," Noah said, "like saying 'That was the best 7-Eleven sushi I've ever had.'" Watch below. Peter Weber

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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.