Stephen Colbert didn’t hold back on his Wednesday night episode of The Late Show, unleashing a scathing monologue that targeted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s handling of President Donald Trump’s recent verbal slip-up at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The comedian labeled her response as “grade-A big brother propaganda,” a pointed reference to the dystopian manipulation of truth in George Orwell’s 1984. This came after Trump repeatedly confused Greenland with Iceland during his speech, a blunder that quickly went viral and drew widespread mockery online.

The incident unfolded during Trump’s address at the annual gathering of global leaders and business elites. While discussing his administration’s foreign policy priorities, including national security and resource acquisition, Trump veered into familiar territory: his long-standing interest in Greenland. However, he stumbled multiple times, referring to the Danish autonomous territory as “Iceland.” At one point, he said, “I’m helping Europe, I’m helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me.” He also blamed a dip in the stock market on “Iceland,” despite the context clearly pointing to his ongoing push to acquire Greenland for its strategic importance and rare earth minerals.

Social media erupted almost immediately. NewsNation reporter Libbey Dean captured the essence in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland around three times during his Davos speech.” The post included clips from the event, highlighting the president’s repeated errors. This wasn’t Trump’s first geographic mix-up—his history includes confusing countries and even misnaming world leaders—but the timing, on an international stage, amplified the embarrassment.

Enter Karoline Leavitt, the 29-year-old press secretary known for her fierce loyalty to Trump. In a swift rebuttal on X, she dismissed Dean’s observation outright. “No, he didn’t, Libby,” she wrote, misspelling the reporter’s name as an added jab. “His written remarks referred to Greenland as a ‘piece of ice’ because that’s what it is. You’re the only one mixing anything up here.” Leavitt’s defense hinged on a single phrase from Trump’s prepared text, where he did indeed call Greenland a “piece of ice” in a dismissive tone, emphasizing its glacial coverage. But this ignored the audible confusion in his delivery, where “Iceland” was substituted multiple times.

Colbert seized on this discrepancy in his opening segment, playing the clips side by side with Leavitt’s tweet. “Oh, come on,” he exclaimed, his signature sarcasm in full force. “This is grade-A big brother propaganda. They’re telling us not to believe our own ears!” He went on to mock Leavitt directly, calling her a “dumbass” for attempting to gaslight the public over something so blatantly recorded. “Trump wasted no time confirming that his brain real broke,” Colbert quipped, referencing the president’s post-election promises of cognitive sharpness that have been repeatedly questioned.

The monologue resonated because it tapped into broader concerns about truth and accountability in the Trump administration. Leavitt, a former congressional candidate from New Hampshire who rose through the ranks as a Trump spokesperson, has built her reputation on aggressive media confrontations. Her style—combative, unyielding, and often dismissive of facts—mirrors Trump’s own approach. Critics argue this fosters an environment where alternative narratives supersede evidence, eroding public trust. Colbert’s bit highlighted this, drawing laughs from the audience while underscoring the seriousness: “If they can lie about something this small and obvious, what else are they spinning?”

Trump’s fascination with Greenland dates back to his first term in 2019, when he floated the idea of purchasing the island from Denmark, calling it a “large real estate deal.” The proposal was met with ridicule from Danish officials, who labeled it “absurd.” Now, in his second non-consecutive term, Trump has revived the rhetoric, citing Greenland’s mineral wealth and its proximity to the Arctic as vital for U.S. dominance in emerging geopolitical rivalries with China and Russia. At Davos, he positioned the acquisition as a boon for NATO allies, though his mix-up with Iceland—a NATO member itself—undermined the pitch.

Iceland, for the record, is a volcanic island nation with a population of about 370,000, known for its renewable energy and stunning landscapes. Greenland, the world’s largest island, is mostly ice-covered, with a sparse population under Danish sovereignty. The confusion might stem from phonetic similarity or a simple lapse, but in the high-stakes world of international diplomacy, such errors can signal deeper issues. Political analysts speculate that Trump’s gaffes, increasingly frequent, raise questions about his fitness at age 79.

Leavitt’s defense didn’t stop at the tweet. In follow-up statements, she accused the media of “fake news” and “gotcha journalism,” claiming the focus on the slip distracted from Trump’s “historic” achievements at Davos, including trade deals and energy pacts. But this only fueled the fire. Other late-night hosts, like Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, piled on, with Kimmel joking that Trump might next try to buy “Iceland” from IKEA.

Colbert’s takedown extended beyond humor, touching on the implications for democracy. He urged viewers to “trust your eyes and ears,” echoing warnings from journalists and fact-checkers. In an era of deepfakes and misinformation, such calls carry weight. The segment garnered millions of views online, with hashtags like #TrumpGaffe and #LeavittLies trending.

Reactions poured in from across the political spectrum. Supporters of Trump dismissed Colbert as a “liberal hack,” while critics praised the host for holding power accountable. Even some conservatives expressed unease over Leavitt’s denialism, with one commentator noting it “crosses into absurdity.”

As the dust settles, the episode serves as a reminder of the fragile line between spin and deceit. Trump’s administration has promised transparency, but incidents like this suggest otherwise. Colbert, ever the satirist, ended on a lighter note: “If Trump’s brain is breaking, at least it’s providing endless material.” Yet beneath the laughs lies a sobering truth—when leaders and their spokespeople rewrite reality, the public pays the price.

This isn’t just late-night fodder; it’s a snapshot of American politics in 2026, where gaffes become battlegrounds and truth is negotiable. As Trump pushes forward with ambitious policies, including Greenland ambitions, the scrutiny will only intensify. For now, Colbert’s roast stands as a viral rebuke, ensuring the mix-up won’t be forgotten anytime soon.