On Wednesday, late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers took aim at Donald Trump's trip to China, the ongoing Iran war, and peculiar manosphere wellness trends.
Colbert on Trump's 'Billionaire Boys Trip'
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert focused on Donald Trump's visit to China, which included CEOs like Tim Cook and Elon Musk. "It is so satisfying to realize that no matter how rich or powerful you may be, there's a chance you might get stuck on a plane with Elon Musk," Colbert said.
On Truth Social, Trump stated he would ask Xi Jinping to open up China so these "brilliant people" can "work their magic." Colbert laughed, "Oh yes, these people can work magic. They've already made their taxes disappear."
One major issue overshadowing what Colbert called the "fabulous billionaire boys trip" is the Iran war, which appears at an impasse. An expert noted the conflict could cost US taxpayers $1 trillion. "So what is America getting?" Colbert asked. "Well, less than we were promised because we just learned that Trump has been drastically overstating US military success in Iran."
Recent intelligence reports indicate Iran retains about 70% of its pre-conflict missile stockpile and has restored access to 30 of 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reportedly considers renaming the war "Operation Sledgehammer." Colbert parodied MAGA supporters: "Operation Sledgehammer, bro? OK, I'm back onboard. Take another trillion."
The renaming appears to be a tactic to circumvent the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires congressional authorization within 60 days, effectively allowing Trump to "restart the clock." Colbert deadpanned, "And the next one will be called 'Operation And Just Like That.' It won't have Samantha, so the clock starts again."
The war has pushed the US economy into what Colbert jokingly called the "poop chute," with over two-thirds of Americans saying the country feels out of control and 70% disapproving of Trump's economic handling.
Colbert closed with remarks on manosphere wellness fads like "looksmaxxing" and "ballmaxxing," where men inject saline into their testicles to increase size. "Not only does it make walking a challenge, it also makes your penis seem very small," he said. "Kind of like dropping a baby carrot onto a bean bag chair."
Meyers on Trump's China Tour and FDA Resignation
On Late Night, Seth Meyers joked that Trump's tour of China's Temple of Heaven was a trip the president has "taken a couple of times before, but both times doctors were able to revive him."
Regarding reports that Iran is stronger than Trump claims, Meyers responded, "Oh, I can explain: he lies." He also mocked Trump's plans to repaint the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, saying it's uneven and behind schedule because "he hired the same people who do his face."
Meyers then turned to the resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who stepped down amid pressure over his opposition to MAGA's plan to authorize fruit-flavored vapes. "Honestly, I'm surprised that a guy named Dr. Marty was opposed to flavored vapes; that sounds like a brand of flavored vapes," Meyers said.
A new poll shows 80% of Americans believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates. "And keep in mind, that's coming from people who are so old that they answer polls," the host joked.
Finally, Meyers discussed social security data on the most popular baby names in 2025: Olivia for girls and Liam for boys. "And the most popular last name was Cannon," he said, showing a picture of Nick Cannon, who has 12 children.
