Late night hosts round up new 'cuckoo banana cakes' revelations about Trump's Jan. 6 'attempted coup'
"Yesterday, President Biden signed his bipartisan infrastructure bill into law, and to tell everyone about it, today he kicked off a road show to showcase" its benefits, Stephen Colbert said on Tuesday's Late Show. At the same time, with coronavirus cases on the rise again in parts of the U.S., mostly among the unvaccinated, "it looks like we're never really getting rid of COVID," he said. "It's like Mel Gibson, he ebbs and flows, but because of a few idiots out there, we're stuck with some form of him forever."
"Speaking of plagues that won't go away," some of former President Donald Trump's allies "pressed the Defense Department" to help in their "attempted coup" on Jan. 6, Colbert said, citing ABC News' Jonathan Karl's new book, Betrayal. "And some of these efforts were what military historians call cuckoo banana cakes, like the one put forward by conspiracy lawyer Sidney Powell," or fellow "high-ranking MAGA nutball" Michael Flynn urging the Pentagon to stop Biden from taking office. "Remember, this was a former general making a call to the military demanding they support a fascist coup," he said. "What is wrong with him? It's 2021 — just text."
Karl says "things got so bad at the White House after the riot on Jan. 6, two top members of Trump's Cabinet — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — explored invoking the 25th amendment to remove Trump from office," Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. "You know things are going south when even Mike Pompeo considers doing the right thing."
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.

"According to a new book, former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller purposely offered then-President Trump extreme military scenarios in the final weeks of his presidency to prevent him from choosing to attack Iran," Seth Meyers said on Late Night. "Unfortunately, he opted for the craziest one: Attacking the U.S."
Meanwhile, "many Republicans have turned against the COVID vaccine so hard, that now they're turning against the flu shot," Trevor Noah said on The Daily Show. But "let's move on from the war on science to the war in outer space, because yesterday," he said, "Russia blew up a satellite with a rocket."

Yes, "apparently Russia just fired a missile that blew up one of their old satellites and created thousands of pieces of debris in space," Jimmy Fallon said on The Tonight Show. "Vladimir Putin was like, 'I'm sorry, it was gender reveal gone way too far.'"
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.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why are sinkholes becoming more common?
Podcast Plus, will Saudi investment help create the "Netflix of sport"? And why has New Zealand's new tourism campaign met with a savage reception?
By The Week UK Published
-
How Poland became Europe's military power
The Explainer Warsaw has made its armed forces a priority as it looks to protect its borders and stay close to the US
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 - 21 February
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Ukraine's mineral riches and Trump's shakedown diplomacy
The Explainer President's demand for half of Kyiv's resources in return for past military aid amounts to 'mafia blackmail tactics' and 'colonialism'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Munich Security Conference: will spectre of appeasement haunt old world order?
Today's Big Question Trump's talks with Putin threaten the international rules-based order, say critics
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia frees US teacher Marc Fogel in murky 'exchange'
Speed Read He was detained in Moscow for carrying medically prescribed marijuana
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Hamas pauses Gaza hostage release, upending ceasefire
Speed Read Hamas postponed the next scheduled hostage release 'until further notice,' accusing Israel of breaking the terms of their ceasefire deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Baltic States unplug from Russian grid, join EU's
Speed Read Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are disconnecting from the Soviet-era electricity grid to join the EU's network
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why South Africa's land reform is so controversial
The Explainer Donald Trump has turned his ire on the South African government's land reform policies
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
At least 11 killed in Sweden adult ed school shooting
Speed Read The worst mass shooting in Swedish history took place in Orebro
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Riviera of the Middle East': what does Trump's Gaza plan mean for the region?
Today's Big Question Suggestion that the US take over and redevelop the war-torn region, and displace its Palestinian residents, has been condemned by Arab allies but welcomed by Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published