In a recent court filing regarding Donald Trump’s involvement in the federal election interference case, Stephen Colbert raised eyebrows by pointing out what he described as a “weird word choice” by special counsel Jack Smith. The 165-page dossier, which was unsealed by a federal judge in Washington, DC, alleges that Trump intentionally misled voters, election officials, and even his vice president in a desperate bid to retain power.
The filing details how Trump purportedly pressured Mike Pence to halt the certification of President Joe Biden’s election win against the will of American voters. During a recent episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host lightheartedly mocked one particular line in the dossier where Smith stated that Trump had “resorted to crimes.” Colbert jokingly likened this to saying, “with nowhere else to turn, the bear resorted to pooping in the woods.”
Colbert wasn’t the only late-night host to discuss the court filing. Jimmy Kimmel also weighed in, humorously suggesting that Pence was Trump’s “Baby Reindeer,” drawing parallels to a stalker storyline in a Netflix show. Kimmel highlighted a section from the filing that detailed a tense exchange between Trump and Pence on Christmas Day 2020, where Pence expressed hesitation over altering the election outcome.
Despite Pence’s concerns and lack of evidence of election fraud, Trump continued to press the issue, culminating in the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. As Trump encouraged his supporters to “fight like hell” to “stop the steal,” chaos ensued at the US Capitol, with some rioters even chanting, “Hang Mike Pence.”
The filings also revealed a chilling response from Trump when he was informed that Pence needed to be evacuated from the Capitol, showing a callous disregard for his vice president’s safety. Kimmel quipped about Trump’s actions, highlighting the stark divide between the former president’s beliefs and reality.
The court documents have reignited discussions about Trump’s conduct and the events leading up to the Capitol siege. As Colbert and Kimmel brought levity to the heavy subject matter, their commentary served as a reminder of the importance of holding elected officials accountable for their actions, even in the most unconventional of circumstances.