A day after Jimmy Fallon mocked Donald Trump for hitting India and Brazil with massive 50% tariffs, Stephen Colbert followed suit in his latest monologue. On The Late Show, Colbert, who’s about to end his decade-long run on CBS, warned Americans about the downside of Trump’s impulsive moves. India, for example, was punished with an extra 25% tariff on top of existing ones, totalling 50%, because it refused to stop trading with Russia.
Earlier this week, the President of the United States pointed to New Delhi’s continued support for Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine as the reason for hiking tariffs. These tariffs, Colbert explained, mean Americans will now pay much more for everyday items like gauze, bandages, and medical wadding, things people don’t usually think about until they need them. Colbert joked, “Trump doubled tariffs on India to 50%, which will raise the price of items like gauze, bandages, and wading. Yeah, yeah. Perfect time to introduce my new product, Steve’s wad. What’s in them? What do you care? You’re bleeding. It’s a wad.”
India sold goods worth $87 billion to the U.S. in 2024. Some of the primary goods India sold were medicines, jewellery, chemicals, and fabrics. These tariffs represent the highest import taxes since the Great Depression, which Colbert added, “Never a great sign to be compared to the worst thing ever.” The tariffs vary by country. For places like the European Union, which negotiated with Trump, tariffs run around 10 to 15%.
Tariffs on Brazil mean meat-loving American market will have to suffer. The tariffs also affect Switzerland, with a 39% tariff on luxury goods, making products like Rolex watches jump in price from $10,000 to almost $14,000. Colbert quipped about buying a fake Rolex on Canal Street instead. The Late Night Show host read out a report where the CEO of McDonald’s told investors that customers are spending less because of these worries. “Some are even skipping the drive-thru altogether. Now, this means, either Americans have stopped eating fast food or have been forced to do the unthinkable, eat somewhere other than their car. Don’t do it. Don’t go out into the world, okay? There are no cup holders out there.”
Even tech companies are feeling the heat. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook even went to the White House to promise $100 billion in US investments to avoid Trump’s taxes on products, but admitted that manufacturing products solely in the US is not possible because of a smaller workforce. After the meeting, Trump insulted Cook by calling him a “complete wiener.”
Lately, Donald Trump’s feud with late-night hosts has been boiling over. He gloated about being the reason behind Colbert’s exit from CBS after rumours spread that it came following Colbert’s dig on 60 Minutes on Paramount. Following this, Trump went after Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, calling them talentless and the next ones to be booted off the air. Meanwhile, Colbert cleverly asked Netflix and Prime to extend him offers since he’s free after this June.
Click for more updates and latest Hollywood News along with Bollywood and Entertainment updates. Also get latest news and top headlines from India and around the World at The Indian Express.
