“I apologized because I was not making fun of anybody or making light of the great problems that face our country,” she added. “I certainly hope our new administration takes big steps to repair a lot of the damage that’s being done, and the poor and the hungry and everyone else is taken care of better.”

Before suggesting Melvin was behind her costume, Stewart expressed remorse and asserted that the homelessness issue in the U.S. is close to her heart.

“Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises,” she said in a separate statement to People on Nov. 1, “something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic.”

Before the debacle, however, she and Melvin had a spooktacular time on Today‘s Halloween episode. Keep reading to see the costumes worn by the other cohosts.