Bono was speaking in front of a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday 12 April, during a wide-ranging discussion on the Middle East and the refugee crisis. He said: “Don’t laugh. I think comedy should be deployed. It’s like, you speak violence, you speak their language. But you laugh at them, when they’re goose-stepping down the street, and it takes away their power. So, I’m suggesting that the Senate send in Amy Schumer, and Chris Rock, and Sacha Baron Cohen, thank you.”

The 55-year-old had to reassure the crowd at the Dirksen Senate Office Building that he was “actually being serious” and in response he received a serious reply.

“Actually, that’s not the first time I’ve heard experts on how do we counter violent extremism talk about that,” said senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat for New Hampshire. “It’s one of the things that we’re looking at.”