Comedian Cedric the Entertainer has criticised Donald Trump over his reaction to a joke made by Trevor Noah at the Grammy Awards, accusing the US president of being unable to tolerate the kind of criticism he frequently directs at others.
Cedric spoke after Trump publicly objected to an Epstein Island reference made during the Grammys, an incident that has since sparked debate online.
Speaking to reporters from TMZ at Los Angeles International Airport, Cedric said Trump’s response followed a familiar pattern, especially when viewed alongside his past clashes with late-night hosts.
He referenced Trump’s ongoing feud with Jimmy Kimmel, suggesting the US president routinely insults others but reacts aggressively when similar criticism is directed at him.
According to Cedric, Trump “has no problem calling people ugly or lobbing abuse left and right”, but responds very differently when he is the target. He added that when someone “throws that same energy back”, Trump resorts to “flexing his power and influence” against them.
Cedric also criticised Trump’s tendency to threaten legal action, saying that using wealth and lawsuits to silence critics amounted to intimidation. He described such behaviour as “flat-out bullying”, adding that it was not the tough stance Trump often presents it as.
Cedric said that if Trump were operating on equal footing with his critics, responding in kind would be fair. “If Trump were on a level playing field, sure, clap back all you want,” he said.
However, he argued that the power imbalance made Trump’s reaction hypocritical rather than justified. “As it stands,” Cedric added, “he’s just being a total hypocrite.”
