President Donald Trump became the target of sharp political satire during the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony honoring Bill Maher on Sunday night, as comedian Whitney Cummings delivered a joke referencing Jeffrey Epstein just weeks after a federal judge ordered Trump's name removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The ceremony marked the first major gala at the Kennedy Center since U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that Trump's attempt to rename the institution was unlawful. As guests arrived, a white tarp still covered the building's façade where recently installed Trump lettering had been removed, providing a highly visible backdrop to an evening dominated by political comedy and renewed debate over the president's influence on American cultural institutions.
Cummings wasted little time addressing the controversy. According to Deadline, she opened her remarks by joking that Trump had intended to attend the event but could not make it.
"I actually heard Trump may come tonight but he couldn't make it," Cummings said. "He got caught in sex traffic."
The joke referenced Trump's past social relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges. Trump has consistently denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal conduct and has repeatedly stated that he was unaware of Epstein's activities. Although the two men were publicly acquainted for years before their relationship ended in the mid-2000s, Trump has never been charged with any crime related to Epstein, and no court has found him responsible for Epstein's offenses.
Cummings continued her political material by referencing comedian Bill Maher's controversial White House dinner with Trump last year alongside Kid Rock and UFC President Dana White. She quipped that "seeing Dana White, Donald Trump and Kid Rock all together at the White House really proves there is no God," drawing laughter from the audience gathered to celebrate Maher's career.
The Daily Beast reported that it sought comment from the White House regarding Cummings' remarks, though no immediate response had been published at the time of the original report.
The venue itself became part of the night's political narrative. In May, Judge Cooper issued a 93-page ruling invalidating Trump's effort to rename the landmark performing arts center. In his opinion, Cooper wrote, "Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it," concluding that the executive branch lacked the authority to alter the institution's official title without legislative approval.
That legal ruling remained highly visible throughout Sunday's event. The tarp concealing the removed signage became an unexpected talking point for attendees. According to reporters covering the ceremony, former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno described the scene as "hilarious," while Maher called the sight "hysterical," turning the building's exterior into an extension of the evening's comedy.
Maher also reflected on his often-contentious relationship with Trump during an interview with CNN before the ceremony. Speaking with correspondent Camila DeChalus, Maher noted that the president had recently resumed publicly attacking him after a brief period of warmer relations following their White House meeting.
"You know, the last 4 or 5 times he's been public about me, it's all back to yelling and screaming," Maher said. Referring to insults Trump has directed at him over the years-including "lunatic liberal," "lightweight," and "jerk"-Maher added, "It's okay," while saying he would still prefer "the channels be open" because that is simply Trump's "way of talking to people."
Maher also joked that he would not have been surprised if another controversy had emerged before the ceremony began. "Anything could happen," he told CNN, reflecting on years of public clashes with Trump that have frequently played out across television and social media.
Not everyone attending the ceremony shared the evening's critical tone. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended Trump's vision for the Kennedy Center, telling reporters that the president was "gonna try his darndest to make this building shine, and I think he's gonna be successful." Addressing the court ruling, Lutnick added, "He's used to these courts always fighting with him, but in the end he wins, and we all know that."
