Late night hosts ridicule Trump for botching coronavirus response

Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert both mocked the president for misunderstanding how vaccines work

Jimmy Kimmel mocked Trump's handling of the virus on Kimmel Live (ABC/ Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Talk show hosts are taking jabs left right and centre at Trump’s questionable handling of the coronavirus, with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel among those making brutal jokes at the president’s expense last night.

In the aftermath of Super Tuesday, Jimmy Kimmel deadpanned: “I'm not sure why we even need a new president when the one we have is doing a pretty darn great job".

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he lambasted Trump’s misunderstanding of vaccines, playing a clip of Trump pharmaceutical executives.

“But the same vaccine could not work you take a solid flu vaccine you don’t think that would have an impact or much of an impact on corona,” Trump said at the televised roundtable held in the White House.

“As if they wouldn’t have thought of that,” Kimmel laughed.

“Well that’s a great idea, we can just use what we already have you’re a genius you’ve cured the coronavirus.”

However, Trump was far from the only target of jokes about the administration’s handling of the virus, as Kimmel took gibes at Mike Pence and threw in a jab at the president’s wife.

“The other rumour involving Pence is that a few days ago, Pence shook hands with a student in Florida who has since been quarantined for potentially having the coronavirus,” Kimmel said. “If Trump thought Mike Pence was anywhere near the coronavirus, he'd never let him in the White House again. He'd keep him out in the yard on a leash or something.“

The host jokingly explained how Pence could single-handedly infect everyone in Washington “except Melania, who's been self-quarantining for about three years now”.

Stephen Colbert also ridiculed Trump’s misunderstanding of vaccines on his The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

“A regular flu vaccine won’t work? huh weird. What about a solid flu vaccine. I’m talking top shelf admiral class?” Colbert mimicked.

“What about this, a box of band aids. I’m talking really good ones. Frozen two, all Elsa throw away the Anna’s they don’t work.”

He also addressed the rising criticism about the level of testing taking place for the virus across the US.

Mike Pence, who is in charge of leading the governments response to the outbreak, promised all Americans could get tested after rumours that a number of people were being turned away for testing.

Colbert added: "As of last week, the CDC has tested just under 500 Americans with suspected infections. Other nations have tested patients by tens of thousands."

The Daily Show also poked fun at Trump and his constant self-congratulation of his handling of the virus, editing together a show real of clips of the president feeling very pleased with himself.