On The Late Show on January 13, 2026, Stephen Colbert joked that Donald Trump was “clearly invading Minnesota” while discussing federal immigration agents in the state. It was a satirical metaphor, not a literal legal or military finding.
What did Colbert say?
Colbert’s line was: “So he’s clearly invading Minnesota.” The Guardian quoted it in its January 14, 2026, late-night roundup: The Guardian’s account.
He followed the line with another joke: “Has anyone told him that they don’t have oil? Because the best he’s going to get is 50m barrels of cream of mushroom soup.” The contrast between oil and a familiar Minnesota-associated food product was part of the punchline.
What was the joke about?
The monologue addressed federal immigration agents in Minnesota and a reported plan to send more. TheWrap’s coverage of the January 13 episode and The Guardian’s roundup described the context as more than 2,000 agents in the state, with around 1,000 additional agents reportedly planned. Those are figures reported at the time, not current totals or independently established counts here. TheWrap’s episode coverage.
Was Colbert describing a literal invasion?
No. In the reports, “invading Minnesota” is a satirical way of characterizing the reported federal agent presence and planned increase. The coverage does not establish it as a legal or military description.
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