Trevor Noah Praises Justin Bieber, Drags Nicki Minaj in Final Monologue as Grammys Host

Host Trevor Noah thanked Justin Bieber and assured viewers that Nicki Minaj is not in attendance in his 2026 Grammys monologue.

Noah began by shouting out the night’s opening performers, Bruno Mars and Rosé, for their performance of “APT.” The Grammys host explained that the song was inspired by a Korean drinking game involving stacked hands and random numbers. “That’s way more complicated than the drinking game we have in America,” Noah joked. “In America, every time you turn on the news, you drink.”

Later on, as the former “Daily Show” host walked past the ceremony’s many, star-studded tables, he stopped to pay tribute to guest and nominee Justin Bieber. “My personal favorite thing that Justin Bieber has done over the past year is he told Apple to move the dictation button on the keyboard,” Noah said, calling Bieber a “hero.” The host went on to list some of the night’s biggest guests — with one noteworthy exception.

“We have John Legend, Billie Eilish, Finneas. Nicki Minaj … is not here,” the host clarified, to cheers and laughter from the Grammys crowd. “She is not here. She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues.” The issues in question? Apparently, a debate between President Trump and Minaj over which of them has the “biggest a–s.”

Noah’s remarks come just days after Minaj appeared onstage with Trump and said, “I am probably the president’s No. 1 fan — and that’s not going to change.”

His dig at Minaj was not Noah’s only political joke of the night. Elsewhere in his monologue, the host also touched on the relevance of Lauryn Hill’s scheduled Grammys performance this year. “The last time Lauryn Hill performed at the Grammys was in 1999,” Noah noted.

“Do you understand how long ago that was? Back in 1999, the President had had a sex scandal. People thought computers were about to destroy the world, and Diddy was arrested,” the Grammys host recapped, before wryly joking, “Boy, how times have changed.”

Later in the ceremony, Noah made a comment about stepping down as host after six years. He said he respected “term limits” and added that he was pointing the subject out in case anyone in particular was watching—a subtle nod to President Donald Trump, who has routinely expressed interest in a third term.

Noah was announced as the host of this year’s Grammys ceremony back in early January. His latest hosting stint marks the sixth time the former “Daily Show” host has led the prestigious broadcast and, if the original announcement in January is to be believed, it will also be his last.

Noah’s stated the decision to step away from the Grammys’ hosting chair after this year coincides with the show’s final broadcast on CBS and Paramount+. Starting next year, the annual awards ceremony will air on ABC, Hulu and Disney+.

Noah hosted the Grammys for the first time in 2021 and has returned every year since. In addition to being the awards show’s go-to host of the 2020s, he has also been nominated for three Grammys for Best Comedy Album throughout his career. This year, the comedian was nominated for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for “Into the Uncut Grass” as well, but the award ultimately went to the Dalai Lama for “Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.”

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