A Closer Look: Seth Meyers on Trump lashing out at Black Lives Matter protests

Seth Meyers used A Closer Look to examine reaction from the president and police.

Protests for social justice and racial equality continued across the country over the weekend. Despite demonstrations in every state from big cities to small towns, Seth Meyers says President Donald Trump and the police continue to lash out at the movement. To understand why, Late Night took “A Closer Look.”

Multiple polls indicate that a majority of Americans support the protests and the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is part of the reason there has been such outrage over violence against demonstrators and over some tactics used by law enforcement agencies to disrupt peaceful gatherings.

President Donald Trump’s handling of the protests has not been as well-received. Late night television hosts like Seth Meyers and others have covered the president’s response, from staying in a bunker to forcefully removing protestors for a photo-op.

This comes as President Trump attempts to tout stock market gains as evidence of America’s comeback. Yet the ongoing pandemic, unemployment numbers, and civil unrest tell a much different story. For Meyers, this has led the president to lash out at the Black Lives Matter movement for taking away from his “comeback” and threatening to change the system that has allowed President Trump and the wealthy to thrive.

A Closer Look also argued police are resisting more accountability

“A Closer Look” also put instances of police violence against protestors under the spotlight. Meyers argued that police are seeing the effectiveness of the demonstrations and some are resisting the increased accountability that follows.

It is the only explanation Meyers can think of as to why police in New York City, Washington, D.C., and other cities are openly striking protestors. In offering a solution, Meyers echoes Last Week Tonight with John Oliver by explaining the concept behind defunding the police.

The popularity of the Black Lives Matter protests and of opinions like the one Meyers delivers in “A Closer Look” has been noticed by the White House. But the Late Night host warns that this won’t lead to a more open and understanding President Trump but instead one content on doubling-down and lashing out.

What did you think of this edition of “A Closer Look?” Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Keep checking Last Night On for more from Late Night with Seth Meyers and the rest of late night television.