Joe Biden said Trevor Noah can "roast the president".
Comedian Trevor Noah roasted US President Joe Biden on Sunday, topping it with a rhetorical question on whether he'll be "fine" after making fun of him.
"I made fun of the President of the United States and I am gonna be fine. I am gonna be fine right?" Noah asked with Biden sitting right beside and laughing.
Biden's response was a dig at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. He said Noah can "roast the president" and "unlike in Moscow, you won't go to jail".
At the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Noah hailed the US democracy while criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Every single one of you is in the bastion of democracy. If you ever begin to doubt your responsibilities, look no further what's happening in Ukraine. Journalists are risking and even losing their lives to show the world what's really happening," Noah said.
"In America you have the right to seek the truth and speak the truth even if it makes people in power uncomfortable, even if it makes your viewers or readers uncomfortable. Understand how amazing that it?"
Biden responded with an apparent reference to the jailing of Putin's rival Alexei Navalny.
"Trevor, the really good news is: Now you get to roast the President of the United States and, unlike in Moscow, you won't go to jail," the POTUS said.
Noah later tweeted tagging President Biden: "What a night! Thank you to the WHCA for having me, and allowing me the distinct honour of roasting the President of the United States."
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and the war still rages on. Putin has imposed media gag over reporting of its role in Ukraine that was criticised across the world.