Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel contextualize Trump's unholy prayer breakfast 'pity party'

Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel on prayer

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

published 7 February 2020

President Trump is not going to start coloring within the lines after being impeached, "and this morning, Trump began his toxic victory shamble at the most appropriate place for vengeance: the National Prayer Breakfast," Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show. "You know what they say: The prayer breakfast is the angriest meal of the day. Trump, clearly humbled by his impeachment, began with a very contrite fist pump."

"The keynote speaker of the breakfast was a man named Arthur Brooks, who had an important message of forgiveness," urging everyone to "love your enemies," Colbert said. "What a beautiful sentiment, and so appropriate following this divisive impeachment. The president immediately followed that" by slamming Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Romney was the only Republican who voted to convict Trump, and he justified his decision by citing his oath to God," while Pelosi earned Trump's wrath by saying "she prays for him," Colbert said, playing clips of Trump calling them both liars. "Wait, how can he know what someone's really praying? Oh no! Did he get the Russian to hack God?!?"

Eventually, "Trump forgot about the prayer thing altogether and just launched the ramble on the Mount," Colbert said. "Trump's performance was so inappropriate that even Fox News summed it up as: 'Trump Slams Opponents at National Prayer Breakfast.'" Then "Trump's pity party made another pit stop shortly after noon today in the East Room of the White House," and even Trump acknowledged "the whole thing was a weird event," he said. Colbert played one part where Trump let fly an expletive, noting he had to beep it out "because CBS has higher standards than the president of the United States."

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The National Prayer Breakfast "is supposed to be a nonpartisan event," Jimmy Kimmel said at Kimmel Live. "Every president since Dwight Eisenhower has been to the prayer breakfast, including President Obama, to whom Trump loves to compare himself. So for comparison's sake, we did that, too, and this is what it's like to be at a prayer breakfast with President Obama versus President Trump." 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.

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