On January 13, 2025, President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social to lambaste Seth Meyers, the late-night host for NBC, and Comcast, the network’s parent company. This social media censure is the latest in a long-standing disagreement that can be traced back to 2011 when Meyers first lampooned Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The online feud occurred shortly before the Department of Justice issued a significant report, indicating that Trump could have been prosecuted for trying to overturn the 2020 election if he had not been elected president in 2024.
The President-elect’s social media tirade started around 1:00 AM Eastern Time. “These guys should be paying a lot of money for the right to give these ‘in kind’ contributions to the Radical Left Democrat Party,” Trump wrote. “These are not shows or entertainment. They are simply political hits, 100% of the time, to me and the Republican Party. Marble Mouth Meyers is merely a slot filler for the Scum that runs Comcast.”
Seth Meyers has frequently focused on Trump in his late-night career, using his segment “A Closer Look” for routine critiques of the President-elect’s policies and pronouncements. Meyers has previously said that Trump “turned himself into an object of ridicule” and that his show consciously uses “Trump’s own momentum against him.”
Trump’s disdain for late-night television isn’t just limited to Meyers. He has regularly criticized other hosts such as Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert, labeling them as “talentless” and “low-rated” for their constant criticism of his actions and policies.
The relationship between Trump and NBC is notably tense. Although the network played a significant role in propelling Trump to mainstream popularity through “The Apprentice,” discord has grown since he entered the political arena. Many of MSNBC’s leading figures are markedly critical of him.
In September 2024, Trump proposed an investigation into Comcast for “treason,” alleging: “They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC NEWS, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its ‘Country Threatening Treason.’”
Most recently, Meyers mocked Trump’s court appearances and comments about the wildfires in California. “It’s always so weird to hear reporters read Trump’s remarks,” Meyers said on his show. “It’s like listening to a tourist read a menu in a language they don’t speak.” The host specifically targeted Trump’s incorrect statements about how California Governor Gavin Newsom has managed the wildfire situation.
The White House has in the past criticized Trump’s threats towards the media as “an outrageous attack on our democracy and the rule of law.”
Despite multiple criminal and civil charges before his election win, Trump maintained his lead in the Republican nomination race, ultimately securing the presidency. His recent comments have been described as “full fascist” by progressive organizations, while media pundits suggest that such language could potentially undermine First Amendment rights.
