Late-night hosts found themselves praising Republicans and even complimenting Trump for being the most-level headed person on the escalating tension between Iran and the United States.

Stephen Colbert: ‘A spineless group of self-interested toadies’

“We have been waiting with bated breath and it’s finally happened. The thing we’ve all been waiting for, a Republican finally read the Mueller report,” opened Stephen Colbert. Referring to the Michigan congressman Justin Amash, who recently said Trump engaged in impeachable conduct, Colbert then offered an apology.

He said: “Now, I know I give the GOP a hard time and often imply that you’re a spineless group of self-interested toadies who’d rather see the country destroyed than stand up to an out-of-control toddler. I was wrong … about one of you.”

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Amash’s statement “courageous” – but didn’t back his call for impeachment. Colbert mocked Romney, saying: “Yes, his statement is courageous. I choose not to engage in courage.”

Trump targeted Amash, disparaging his words in tweets. Colbert implied this gave Amash’s words more attention, even performing a small dance and song as he impersonated Trump. “If Trump didn’t tweet about it, Amash would be a page-three news story, like war with Iran.”

Colbert then moved to the brewing tensions with Iran, at one point complimenting Trump for being the voice of reason – but then he made a joke about how he blacked out because the sentence was so strange. Trump has said he doesn’t want to go to war, but then seemed to reverse his position in a tweet. Colbert mocked him, leaning into his Trump impersonation once again. “All I’m saying is, give peace a chance. It’s been 24 hours? Fire at will.”

Seth Meyers: ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this: go play golf’

Seth Meyers took a closer look at the tensions bubbling between US and Iran. He opened by showing clips of Trump saying the war in Iraq had been a big mistake. In the clips, Trump, then a presidential candidate, repeatedly said the Iraq war was an error, and had the presidents just gone to the beach or played golf, there would be no Iraq war.

Meyers quipped that the suggestion of golf was an ulterior motive. “Well, that’s definitely one promise he kept.” Meyers then discussed the grand pivot Trump did, from being an anti-war candidate to threatening Iran on Sunday. “I can’t believe I’m saying this: but go play golf. It’s now a matter of national security that we make sure Trump spends as much time on the golf course as possible.”

Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, seems to be the one urging this message of war, but Trump has said he “tempers” Bolton, something he calls “pretty amazing”. Meyers used this as ammunition: “Even Trump knows how crazy it is that he is the voice of reason. I mean, think about what he’s saying there. That joke only works if everyone knows Trump is crazy.”

Meyers then slipped into a Trump impersonation. “Sure, I’m a nutjob but you should see this guy,” he joked, to cheers from his audience. Meyers continued: “It’s like getting into a fistfight at a bar and having it broken up by Conor McGregor.”

But even Trump himself seems uncertain about the way of things, answering, “I hope not” when a reporter asked if the United States was going to war with Iran. “‘I hope not’ isn’t an answer to war with Iran. It’s an answer to the question, ‘Do you think it’s going to rain?’”

Trevor Noah: ‘Three exceptions is still bullshit’

The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) Men passing laws on abortion makes as much sense as the Amish passing laws on cybersecurity. pic.twitter.com/kCGIJhWeWj

On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah focused on the ultra-restrictive abortion laws that are sweeping the US. Noting that there is supposed to be a separation of church and state yet Alabama’s governor, Kay Ivey, signed the bill in the name of God, Noah pointed out the sheer hypocrisy of this act. The host even pointed out a fallacy: “I’ve read the Bible, too. And as much as God loved children, he also wasn’t afraid to take out a bunch of them when he wanted to.”

Noah even looked at the uniformity of the lawmakers who passed the Alabama law. “It didn’t help that the lawmakers who put these abortion restrictions in place just happened to be the biggest sausage-fest ever.” After showing a graphic of the 25 male lawmakers in the Alabama senate who passed the bill, Noah noted their lack of qualifications. “These are the people deciding to what women in Alabama can do with their own bodies, which is crazy, because none of these men will ever be pregnant. It’s like if the Amish wrote America’s laws on cybersecurity.”

Even Trump and Romney have come out against these restrictive laws, saying rape, incest and cases where the mother’s life would be at risk need to be considered. Noah, however, found this disingenuous. “You know what’s crazy, is that three weeks ago, Trump and Romney’s position on abortion were the extreme positions. But now, thanks to Alabama and Missouri, these guys get to act like feminists.”

But Noah was not having any of it, telling his audience: “Make no mistake. Three exceptions is still bullshit, all right? You’re still taking away a woman’s right to choose. It’s as simple as that.”