After Breitbart News leaked an audio tape from October 2016 of Paul Ryan saying he would not defend then-candidate Donald Trump, Stephen Colbert slammed the House Speaker for not sticking to his guns.
During the opening monologue of Tuesday’s episode of The Late Show, the host played a recording of Ryan’s statement in which he said he was “not going to defend Donald Trump — not now, not in the future,” before bashing him for his flip-flopping stance regarding the president.
“By in the future, of course, I mean between now and the election. After that, I’m going to fold like a Trump casino,” Colbert mockingly added.
Colbert also hammered Ryan for his recent remarks on the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate that up to 24 million people could lose their health care coverage under the GOP’s proposed replacement for Obamacare.
“You sound like the most optimistic guy in the Donner Party,” said Colbert, referencing Ryan’s comment that the number exceeded his expectations. “‘Oh, everything is great, I expected to eat my grandma miles ago, now excuse me I’ve got to go salt my cousin.'”
Watch the full clip below.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com