The Late Show host Stephen Colbert responded to North Korea’s escalating nuclear threats on Tuesday with an ominous message after President Donald Trump warned of unleashing “fire and fury.”
“I know a lot of people tune into this show on a nightly basis to get their news and information. You know, they count on me to be a straight shooter with a calm voice,” Colbert said. “I don’t want to be alarmist. We’re all gonna die.”
The U.N. Security Council adopted new sanctions against North Korea on Saturday, a measure aimed at pressuring the country to stop its nuclear program and recent missile tests. But North Korea responded with another threat of “ultimate measures.”
“Thankfully, faced with the greatest challenge of his presidency, Donald Trump stepped up and in a moment of pure statesmanship, deescalated the rhetoric and brought calm to our worried nation,” Colbert said Tuesday. “I’m just kidding.”
Following Trump’s threat to unleash “fire and fury like the world has never seen” on North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said there is currently no imminent threat and encourages Americans to “sleep well at night” despite escalating tensions between the two countries.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Fight to Free Evan Gershkovich
- Meet the 2024 Women of the Year
- John Kerry's Next Move
- The Quiet Work Trees Do for the Planet
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Column: The Internet Made Romantic Betrayal Even More Devastating
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com