Seth Meyers: A Closer Look at Trump defending the Confederacy

Seth Meyers questions President Trump’s strategy of defending the Confederacy

The protests and demonstrations across the country have attempted to address far more than just police brutality. They have also reignited the debate over Confederate monuments, displays of the Confederate flag, and locations with Confederate namesakes. President Donald Trump’s questionable position on this issue was the subject of Thursday’s “A Closer Look” on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

So far, one of the biggest changes to come from this recent round of debate is from NASCAR. The auto racing association had banned all Confederate flags from future events. The decision was applauded by a majority of people but still faced criticism from those arguing that removing Confederate symbols is an affront to history and heritage.

President Trump has made his position clear. After calls for U.S. military bases named after Confederate generals to be changed, the president tweeted that no such changes would be made. Standing up for the Confederacy has never been a good decision, nevermind during a period of civil unrest over systemic racism.

The president’s decision offers insight into his reelection strategy, says Seth Meyers. Marking his 1,000th episode of Late Night, the comedian offered “A Closer Look” into the mind of President Trump:

Seth Meyers thinks it all comes back to President Trump’s poor poll numbers

You don’t need to have seen all 1,000 episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers to know its theory on President Trump. His obsession with attention and praise has been well-documented over countless editions of “A Closer Look.” And once again it is backfiring, says Meyers, as the president fixates on his poor poll numbers and the cable news coverage.

To reverse course, Meyers argues that President Trump and his allies are resorting to stoking racial tension. President Trump’s tweet and printout stated that military installations like Fort Bragg and Fort Hood are part of the American military’s winning history. Meyers counters that argument by reminding the president that Confederate generals lost a war to America.

But the president’s appeal to those who also support his position may not be as effective as he hopes. Meyers points out that traditionally conservative institutes are now rethinking their stances on Confederate symbols. The Late Night host is only half-joking when he says NASCAR is showing more leadership than the president.

After 1,000 episodes, Seth Meyers has still yet to see a decision from President Trump that he approves of. Supporting monuments to the Confederacy is just the latest example. But if things go the way Meyers hopes, he won’t have to spend the next 1,000 episodes talking about Donald Trump.

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.