Stephen Colbert is still struggling to accept that Donald Trump was elected President of the United States.
He opened Thursday’s episode of Late Show by praising President Obama for managing the transition well, and joked that Obama’s staff screened an episode of School House Rock so that Trump, who will hold elected office for the first time, could bone up on checks and balances.
But the host dedicated the bulk of his monologue to criticizing a list of rumored new advisers who could potentially fill Trump’s White House, referencing the President-elect’s promise to eliminate corruption, “drain the swamp.”
“Trump’s plan to drain the swamp of corruption means bringing back [Rudy] Giuliani, [Chris] Christie, [Newt] Gingrich, and [Sarah] Palin. It makes sense. They’re exactly what I’d expect to find at the bottom of a drained swamp,” Colbert said.
To close, Colbert played a clip of Omarosa Manigault, Trump’s campaign director of African-American outreach, suggesting that Trump’s election was the “ultimate revenge.”
After the snippet, Colbert broke into a faux panic. “It was Sam Bee and Seth Meyers! They’re the ones who said all those horrible things about you! I was just joking the whole time! All hail our glorious leader! Giant hands! You’ve got giant hands! You’re gonna be great,” he yelled.
Colbert then explicitly communicated to his audience — using a word that became prevalent during the campaign — that he would not be backing down. Watch the full clip above.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
- What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
Contact us at letters@time.com