Late-Night Hosts React to Trump’s Surprise Tariff Pause

NEW YORK, NY — Late-night television hosts took to their shows Wednesday night to dissect President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement of a 90-day pause on tariffs, a decision made after a week of turmoil that saw global markets suffer their worst losses since 2020.

“This is day 79 of Trump-o-mania,” quipped Jimmy Kimmel on his show. “It’s been fun, watching this lunatic gamble our life’s savings this week. It’s like handing a social security check to your dog and sending it to Caesar’s Palace.”

As Trump announced the tariff pause in the early afternoon, Kimmel emphasized the relief felt in financial markets, stating, “Think about that: the best thing Trump has done for America was undo the incredibly dumb thing he did.” He added, “Imagine if he quit? He could usher in a whole new era of prosperity.”

Kimmel criticized the president’s abrupt reversal, further mocking White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s characterization of Trump’s resolve. “He stopped the tariffs without a single deal with a single country in place,” Kimmel said. “So much for that spine of steel.” He continued, “Turns out the spine of steel was no match for the brain of mashed potatoes.”

Meanwhile, Seth Meyers pointed out the chaos leading up to the announcement, saying, “None of this makes any sense, especially because just yesterday, Trump’s White House said he was definitely not considering a pause.” He quoted Leavitt’s assertion that a pause was “not his mindset,” to which Meyers retorted, “Trump doesn’t have a mindset.”

Meyers further dissected the situation, stating, “Trump unleashed chaos on the economy for no reason.” He noted Wall Street’s mixed feelings about Trump’s policies, explaining that even supporters were starting to panic. “But even when they were jubilant, the one hesitation Wall Street had was Trump’s tariffs,” he said.

The late-night hosts also addressed Trump’s message on social media urging Americans to “BE COOL!” with Meyers humorously remarking, “Nobody knows more about cool than a 78-year-old golfer with words on his hat. All of this chaos is happening for no reason, and in the process, it’s hurting real people.”

On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert summarized the day with, “Another day of historic market losses thanks to Trump’s random-ass tariffs.” He also highlighted the sarcastic undertone of Trump’s announcement, stating, “Thank goodness that at 1:18 PM today, Donald Trump made a decision that at the last minute saved our nation from a previous decision by Donald Trump.”

As the discussions unfolded, many took the opportunity to reflect on the absurdity of the situation, with Colbert quipping, “Apparently, this is a negotiation and his policies have changed.” He added cynically, “His policies will never change, especially his policy that his policies always change. That one? Solid as a rock – for now.”