President Donald Trump has publicly demanded that NBC fire late-night host Seth Meyers, escalating tensions between the White House and the entertainment industry after the comedian made multiple jokes about the president during recent broadcasts.
On Nov. 16, Trump posted on Truth Social that Meyers was “suffering from an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The president wrote that the host appeared in an uncontrollable rage on his show and added: “Meyers has no talent, and NBC should fire him, IMMEDIATELY!”
The sharp criticism followed a week of monologues in which Meyers repeatedly roasted Trump on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” which airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET on NBC. The comedian made jokes about the president’s healthcare plans, the government shutdown, Trump’s proposal for a 50-year mortgage, and a dinner with finance executives. Meyers also poked fun at the ongoing controversy surrounding files related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In one segment, Meyers joked about Trump’s White House gathering with Wall Street executives. Late-night hosts routinely comment on political figures across the spectrum, though Trump has repeatedly criticized those he views as particularly harsh toward his administration.
On Monday, Meyers admitted he wasn’t sure what had triggered Trump’s latest critique. The president had recently taken offense to a joke Meyers made about his complaints concerning the catapult systems on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
Trump’s post referenced “last night,” which led Meyers to assume it was connected to Friday’s episode. But that episode had been a rerun—the one centered on those same catapults. So, once again, the conversation came back to catapults.
Meyers joked that the president shouldn’t be upset twice over the same gag simply because it aired more than once. He likened it to Rachel getting angry at Ross for cheating every time the infamous “Friends” episode was rewatched. And, after all, Ross insisted they were on a break, Meyers quipped.
The president’s call for Meyers’ termination gained additional attention when Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, reposted Trump’s message on X. Though Carr did not add commentary, his public amplification of the president’s demand raised concerns about potential government pressure on broadcasters. The FCC regulates radio, television, wire, satellite and cable communications throughout the United States.
This incident follows a pattern of confrontation between Trump and late-night television hosts. Jimmy Kimmel faced suspension and Stephen Colbert faced cancellation. In September, Carr investigated ABC over controversial remarks made by Kimmel following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s show was briefly pulled off the air but returned days later.
The renewed focus on Meyers coincides with heightened attention to the Epstein files. House Oversight Committee Democrats recently released several emails referencing Trump that were sent by Epstein.
Trump has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and said he ended their relationship years ago. In response to the email release, the president posted on Truth Social that “the Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects.” He characterized attempts to connect him to the scandal as a trap for Republicans.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s position in a statement, calling the emails “nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments.” She described the stories as a hoax and clear distraction from the government opening back up again.
The relationship between political figures and entertainment media has grown increasingly fraught, with questions about freedom of speech and the appropriate boundaries between government criticism and potential retaliation. Late-night comedy shows have long served as platforms for political satire, with hosts from both network and cable television regularly mocking presidents and other officials regardless of party affiliation.
The president’s demand puts NBC in a difficult position as the network balances its relationship with the White House against principles of editorial independence and the creative freedom of its talent. Major broadcast networks maintain strict divisions between their news operations and entertainment programming, though political pressure can create challenges for corporate leadership.
