Late-Night Legends Unpack Trump's Wild 'Birthday Card' Claim About Jeffrey Epstein

The late-night comedy circuit recently found a fresh, albeit unsettling, wellspring of material in Donald Trump’s latest attempt to distance himself from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The former president’s bewildering claim during an interview with Piers Morgan – that he “didn’t know what a birthday card” was when discussing Epstein – has ignited a firestorm of incredulous laughter and sharp commentary across the airwaves.

Leading the charge, Seth Meyers on "Late Night" honed in on the sheer absurdity of Trump’s statement.

With his signature blend of wit and pointed observation, Meyers sarcastically replayed the clip of Trump’s denial, juxtaposing it with a damning montage of the former president effusively praising Epstein in past interviews. "You didn't know what a birthday card was?" Meyers quipped, a clear challenge to Trump's professed ignorance, especially given their well-documented past social interactions.

Meyers' segment vividly illustrated the glaring contradiction, showcasing Trump's previous assertions that Epstein was "a terrific guy" and "likes beautiful women." The comedian's exasperated delivery perfectly mirrored the audience's own disbelief at such a transparent deflection.

Over on "The Late Show," Stephen Colbert took his turn at dissecting Trump’s linguistic gymnastics.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Colbert delved into the intricacies of Trump’s "birthday card" excuse, humorously questioning the timeline and the implications of such a defense. "So he's either lying about knowing Epstein, or he's lying about knowing what a birthday card is," Colbert mused, highlighting the no-win scenario for Trump.

He skillfully linked this specific denial to a broader pattern of Trump’s public pronouncements, where convenient amnesia often surfaces when inconvenient associations arise, eliciting roars of laughter from his audience as he presented the dilemma with mock seriousness.

Not to be outdone, Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" also joined the comedic chorus.

Kimmel's take underscored Trump's long-standing habit of claiming he barely knew individuals with whom he was clearly photographed and associated. The "birthday card" comment became yet another data point in what Kimmel framed as Trump’s consistent efforts to erase inconvenient truths from his past.

With a shake of his head, Kimmel pointed out the recurring theme: "He didn't know Epstein, he didn't know Stormy Daniels, he didn't know the documents in his bathroom," drawing a comedic parallel that resonated with the audience’s collective memory of Trump's various denials.

Collectively, late-night television seized upon Trump's latest declaration as not just a gaffe, but a window into a consistent pattern of historical revisionism.

The collective comedic takedown served as both entertainment and a potent form of commentary, reminding viewers that while the political landscape may shift, the comedic opportunities presented by certain figures' public statements remain steadfastly fertile. The "birthday card" defense, in the hands of these late-night maestros, became a symbol of the absurd lengths to which some are willing to go to rewrite their own histories, much to the comedic delight of millions.