Stephen Colbert thinks Fox News may be bullying Donald Trump

Stephen Colbert is worried that Fox News could make or break any deal to avoid another government shutdown.

Another government shutdown is the last thing many of us want to see. Beyond the big picture issues it would cause related to the economy and jobs, it would mean more hours and hours of media coverage. Yet according to Stephen Colbert, it is that very media coverage that could determine what happens.

It is no secret that President Donald Trump pays a lot of attention to cable news. Probably too much, to be honest. Typically this means criticizing outlets like CNN and MSNBC and praising the work of Fox News. But the government shutdown could be an issue that breaks up the Trump-Fox News relationship.

Some suggested that the last government shutdown became such a disaster because Trump reacted to how he was portrayed by Fox News. Pundits were critical of the president for backing off his pledge to build a wall.

Still, a resolution was reached that reopened the government. But with the deadline approaching to reach a new deal, there is the possibility of history repeating itself. Last night on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert broke down the deal that was on the table and it is at risk of being tossed out after Trump tunes in to Fox News.

People like Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity have become almost like unofficial advisers to President Trump. Numerous examples exist of Trump tweeting out stories only covered on Fox News. So Colbert isn’t reaching here when he concludes that the president may do whatever it takes to get Fox back on his side.

This clip also shows that Stephen Colbert hasn’t had enough yet when it comes to the satisfaction from Trump looking foolish. Just like the first shutdown, Colbert is enjoying seeing Trump fail to get his way when it comes to the wall.

Colbert has always hammered the president over negotiation tactics. The president has brought some of that on himself by claiming to be the best in the world at it. But whether it is deals related to Iran, trade with China, or now avoiding another shutdown, Colbert has struggled to see how the president has demonstrated his artful ability to negotiate.

We’ll have to stay tuned to Fox News to see how they react to President Trump’s reaction to their reaction over the new proposal. Got that? It’s a bizarre feedback loop that’s been created. If it’s too confusing to keep straight then don’t worry. We have Stephen Colbert and the rest of The Late Show to sort it all out for us.