On Monday, January 13, 2025, incoming President Donald Trump initiated a blistering critique of NBC late-night host Seth Meyers and Comcast, NBC’s parent company, via a series of posts on Truth Social. This attack exacerbates a feud that has been ongoing since 2011 when Meyers initially satirized Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The onslaught occurred hours before the Department of Justice published a pivotal report indicating that Trump would have been convicted for efforts to overturn the 2020 election if he hadn’t won the 2024 presidency.
Trump’s late-night barrage of social media posts began around 1:00 AM Eastern Time. “These guys ought to be shelling out substantial amounts of money for the privilege to offer these ‘in kind’ donations to the Radical Left Democrat Party,” Trump penned. “These are not shows or entertainment. They are merely political attacks, always, against me and the Republican Party. Seth Meyers is only a placeholder for the scum that governs Comcast.”
Throughout his late-night career, Meyers has consistently taken aim at Trump, frequently using his “A Closer Look” segments to critique Trump’s policies and comments. The comedian has stated that Trump “made himself a figure of mockery” and that his show intentionally utilizes “Trump’s own momentum against him.”
Trump’s displeasure with late-night television isn’t confined to Meyers. He has frequently criticized other hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert, labeling them as “untalented” and “low-rated” due to their regular critique of his actions and policies.
The connection between Trump and NBC is notably fraught. The network was instrumental in propelling Trump to mainstream fame through “The Apprentice,” but the relationship has grown tense since his venture into politics. Many of MSNBC’s leading figures are openly critical of him.
In September 2024, Trump proposed that Comcast should be scrutinized for “treason,” writing: “They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-sided and harsh coverage by NBC NEWS, and especially MSNBC, often and accurately referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), ought to be examined for its ‘Country Threatening Treason.’”
Most recently, Meyers lampooned Trump’s court appearances and remarks about the California wildfires. “It’s always so strange to hear reporters read Trump’s comments,” Meyers remarked on his show. “It’s akin to hearing a tourist read a menu in a language they’re unfamiliar with.” The host specifically targeted Trump’s false assertions regarding California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wildfire response.
The White House had previously criticized Trump’s threats against the media as “an egregious assault on our democracy and the rule of law.”
Despite facing multiple criminal and civil charges before his election win, Trump maintained his lead in the Republican nomination race and successfully secured the presidency. His recent comments have been characterized by progressive groups as “full fascist,” while media analysts suggest such rhetoric could potentially suppress First Amendment rights.
