Stephen Colbert Mocks Trump’s Tax Spin: ‘Only a Genius Can Lose $1 Billion Running a Casino’
The ‘Late Show’ host went after Donald Trump on Monday night for trying to put a positive spin on his failures.
CBS
When Stephen Colbert told his audience Monday night that Donald Trump declared a $916 million loss from three Atlantic City casinos in 1995, he was met with groans. “I’m worried about him too,” the Late Show host joked.
“Donald Trump lost money on casinos,” Colbert continued, neglecting to mention these losses also covered New York’s Plaza Hotel and his airline blunder. “You know what they say? The house always loses.” After adding the more damning fact that Trump used that loss to avoid paying federal income taxes for the next 18 years, Colbert said, “Well, when life gives you lemons, don’t pay taxes.”
“Now the idea that Trump hasn’t paid taxes in nearly 20 years is bound to be unpopular with, what’s the word? Uh, people,” the host said. But according to “the former Rudy Giuliani,” as Colbert called Trump’s most fervent surrogate, not paying taxes makes the candidate a “genius.”
“Yes, only a genius can lose a billion dollars running a casino!” Colbert added. “How loose were his slots?”
Colbert proceeded to call out Giuliani for likening Trump to “those crafty poor people” who have also found a way to avoid paying taxes. “And don't forget the cunning homeless who have found a way around property tax,” he joked.
Pivoting to accusations that Trump sexually harassed contestants on The Apprentice, wondering aloud which woman might be a "tiger in bed," Colbert said, "Of course, the truth is Trump is the one who's the real tiger in bed. He's orange, has a lot of hair, and every day he refuses to come on this show, he proves he's a huge pussy."