Seth Meyers: A Closer Look at Trump’s lasting influence on Republicans

Seth Meyers took A Closer Look at just how long President Donald Trump’s shadow will be over the Republican Party

President Donald Trump only has a month left in office but that doesn’t mean his power in the Republican Party will disappear overnight. Last night on Late Night with Seth Meyers, “A Closer Look” explored the future of the GOP in a post-Trump presidency world.

The extent to which Republicans have supported President Trump’s election fraud claims despite a lack of concrete evidence is indicative of where the party stands. Late night television hosts like Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers have made a point to call out the GOP for sticking with President Trump for so long, arguing that it is corrosive to democracy.

On Thursday, Meyers used “A Closer Look” to further examine why so many Republicans are still aligning themselves with President Trump. The Late Night host discussed the combination of fear and greed he says is motivating GOP members.

The segment also touched on reports that President Trump’s indicated he won’t leave the White House on Inauguration Day. For Meyers, it was another example of the president and his allies’ assault on democracy.

“A Closer Look” highlights how the potential for a mean tweet from President Trump or his support for a primary challenger is enough to keep Republicans in line. The president has made it clear that he wants to remain in politics in some form after leaving office. If so, he becomes an influential person to have as a supporter or to have on the campaign trail.

If Republicans need a pep talk, then Seth Meyers is willing to help. The comedian points out how many times he’s been insulted by President Trump yet Meyers continues to make jokes night after night.

A Closer Look maintains that Donald Trump is a symptom of the Republican Party

Frequent viewers of Late Night with Seth Meyers are familiar with the argument Meyers makes in the second half of “A Closer Look.” Again and again, Meyers has said that President Trump is not an anomaly or something that couldn’t be predicted. Instead, “A Closer Look” has continually stated that the president is indicative of the corruption and “rot” within the Republican Party and conservative movement.

So with that in mind, it’s hard for Meyers to agree with President-elect Joe Biden that President Trump’s influence on the GOP will fade soon. The Late Night host just doesn’t see any evidence of that being the case.

Meyers closes out “A Closer Look” by attacking the Republican Party for “actively trying to dismantle our democracy.” The motivation is partly to appease President Trump but also in line with GOP strategy for years, says Meyers.

Time will tell if it is Seth Meyers or Joe Biden who are right about Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Meyers is confident the facts are on his side, for better or worse.

What did you think of this installment of “A Closer Look”? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.