Donald Trump Calls Seth Meyers’ Comedy “Probably Illegal” After Late-Night Joke
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again reignited his clash with late-night comedy, this time targeting NBC’s Late Night host Seth Meyers. On November 1, 2025, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to vent about a segment in which Meyers mocked his comments about aircraft carrier catapults during his trip to Japan.
In his post, Trump wrote, “Seth Meyers of NBC may be the least talented person to ‘perform’ live in the history of television. In fact, he may be the WORST to perform, live or otherwise. I watched his show the other night for the first time in years. In it he talked endlessly about electric catapults on aircraft carriers which I complain about as not being as good as much less expensive steam catapults. On and on he went, a truly deranged lunatic. Why does NBC waste its time and money on a guy like this??? — NO TALENT, NO RATINGS, 100% ANTI TRUMP, WHICH IS PROBABLY ILLEGAL!!!” (People)
The rant followed Meyers’ lighthearted jab earlier that week, when he joked about Trump’s fixation on steam versus electric catapults. Meyers quipped, “This guy spends more time thinking about catapults than Wile E. Coyote. Next, he’s gonna start complaining about how our troops don’t tie themselves to rockets anymore.”
Trump’s online response — especially the claim that being “100% anti-Trump” is “probably illegal” — quickly drew criticism from journalists and free speech advocates who saw it as another example of Trump’s hostility toward the First Amendment.
Meyers didn’t hold back in addressing the controversy on his show. According to People, he used the opportunity to pivot to real issues, remarking that “The President jeopardizing food assistance for tens of millions of Americans matters.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has attacked late-night hosts for mocking him. In September 2025, Jimmy Kimmel’s show was temporarily suspended by ABC following backlash over remarks about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The incident sparked major debate about censorship and political pressure on networks. Politico reported that the decision came amid discussions involving a Trump-appointed FCC chair, raising concerns about whether government influence played a role.
The Guardian described Kimmel’s suspension as a moment that left the entertainment world “shocked and fearful for free speech,” with critics warning that regulators were “censoring in real time.”
Meanwhile, Vanity Fair argued that late-night TV isn’t “dying” but rather “being murdered” by political and regulatory forces trying to stifle satire.
Trump’s repeated labeling of criticism as “illegal” has become part of a larger pattern. During his presidency, he frequently lashed out at comedians like Stephen Colbert, Saturday Night Live, and South Park, suggesting their jokes crossed some undefined legal line.
Observers say these attacks betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how free expression works in the United States. As one MSNBC analysis put it, “The more Trump and his team are rattled by satire, the more they appear weak and pathetic.”
Historically, presidents have embraced humor as part of public life. Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and George H.W. Bush all endured mockery from comedians — and even befriended their impersonators. Trump, however, seems unwilling to accept that being a public figure means being fair game for jokes.
As of now, no formal legal or regulatory action has followed Trump’s “probably illegal” claim, but the tension between his political influence and the creative freedom of comedians remains very real — and very visible — in America’s cultural debate over satire and speech.
