Trevor Noah says it might be the last time he gets ‘to host anything in this country’ at Grammys

“I don’t know if you know this — there’s been a few changes in Washington, so I’m going to enjoy tonight,” the host said in his opening monologue.

Trevor Noah didn’t hold back in his opening monologue during the Grammy Awards when it came to the current fraught political climate.

The comedian hosted music’s biggest night for the fifth time on Sunday, pulling double duty as both Grammys host and nominee (the former Daily Show host is nominated for Best Comedy Album for his 2023 stand-up album, Where Was I?). While he first paid tribute to Los Angeles in the wake of the devastating wildfires, Noah then directed his sharp commentary towards the new administration in the White House following President Trump’s inauguration.

Trevor Noah.Michael Schwartz/CBS

We’re going to make tonight special,” Noah said. “We’re going to try and have some fun, and we’re going to do something different. I don’t know if you know this, there’s been a few changes in Washington, so I’m going to enjoy tonight, because it may be my last time I get to host anything in this country.”

Earlier in his speech, Noah called out Trump’s recent crackdown on immigration with mass deportations targeting illegal immigrants, sweeping ICE raids in schools and churches, halting new (and canceling existing) migrant asylum hearings, and more. “We’re going to be honoring the best in music as voted on by the 13,000 members of the Recording Academy, and 20 million illegal immigrants,” Noah said.

And the host didn’t stop there. While talking about Beyoncé’s just-announced Cowboy Carter tour, Noah also delivered a shrewd one-liner about Trump’s executive order promising harsh tariffs on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. “Yesterday, Beyoncé announced her new tour — yes, everyone saw that,” Noah said. “I will say though, Beyoncé, there’s tariffs, we can’t afford a new tour. Maple syrup is about to be $50.”

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Before Noah introduced Billie Eilish’s performance of “Birds of a Feather,” he dropped one more quip about the general feeling of despair that permeated the first month of the year.

“Lady Gaga in the house — she’s going to be performing tonight, and she just announced her new album, Mayhem, dropping next month, which is really impressive,” Noah said. “Lady Gaga, I don’t know how you knew the theme of 2025 when you named your album, that was really prescient of you. Congratulations.”

The 67th Grammys aired live Feb. 2 from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS and Paramount+.

If you missed EW and PEOPLE’s red carpet pre-show from the Grammys, check out our interview with J Balvin:

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