A Closer Look: Why Seth Meyers believes Trump insulted fallen soldiers

A Closer Look examined how President Donald Trump reacted to an unsettling report

After months away from the Late Night studio, Seth Meyers finally returned on Tuesday night. He did so just in time as yet another major scandal rocked the White House, calling for another “A Closer Look.”

The subject was a damning report from The Atlantic that cites multiple sources detailing instances wherein President Trump insulted the military as well as those wounded, captured, or killed in combat.

The report was almost immediately turned into campaign ads by President Trump’s political opponents. Reporters from other outlets such as the AP and Fox News also came out verifying certain aspects of The Atlantic‘s report.

As always, President Trump went on the offensive to defend himself. His tweets, statements to the press, and commentary from surrogates were all used to portray the president as a champion of the military and anti-war. Seth Meyers decided to take a closer look at this argument on Late Night:

Late Night with Seth Meyers was off during the Republican National Convention, so fans can forgive Meyers for playing a little catch up to start “A Closer Look.” If nothing else, he uses it to set the table for his theme of Team Trump is disingenuous and flaunt the rule of law.

Meyers keeps going, touching on stories including protests in American cities, the Post Master General Louis DeJoy, and ongoing investigations into President Trump. It’s a reminder of how quickly late-night shows can fall out of the loop by just taking one or two weeks off during the Trump administration.

In A Closer Look, Seth Meyers makes it clear he believes the report on Trump insulting soldiers

Seth Meyers starts his rebuttal of President Trump’s defense by pointing out two lies: the president’s support among soldiers and the president’s stance on war. Meyers cites a poll indicating that a majority of active duty military members prefer former Vice President Joe Biden and then notes President Trump’s arms deals and policies keeping the U.S. in military conflicts.

Seeing how easily President Trump distorts the truth about these facts makes it easier for Meyers to believe the report from The Atlantic. The fact that Fox News then confirmed it makes for a nice little bonus, giving “A Closer Look” yet another chance to mock the network.

“A Closer Look” also demonstrated that Meyers didn’t miss a beat after taking some time off. The Sea Captain’s additions may be a thing of the past and the empty studio is still a bit jarring but the segment remains a must-see part of late-night television.

What did you think of this installment of “A Closer Look”? Let us know in the comment section. Keep checking Last Night On for more from Late Night with Seth Meyers and the rest of late-night television.