Seth Meyers has dealt with Donald Trump’s antics for nearly a decade, but his latest response may be his most pitch-perfect yet. Over the weekend, Trump demanded that NBC fire the Late Night host over his jokes and criticism. But instead of feeding into the Trump-created controversy, Meyers gave him something else entirely.
Trump set off alarm bells over the weekend when he posted to Truth Social, calling for NBC to fire Meyers. It's not unusual for the current president to rant about late-night TV, but what made this one different was when FCC Chair Brendan Carr reposted Trump's grievance. NBC's parent company may need the FCC on its side if it wants to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, so Carr's repost gave some critics flashback to the Stephen Colbert/Paramount/Skydance controversy from earlier this year.
On the Monday, Nov. 17 episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host addressed Trump’s call for his firing, and he did so with the exact right tone to get under Trump's skin even more. Meyers came off as essentially indifferent, refusing to fan the flames and give the president any more attention than he already gets from Late Night.
Meyers explained how he tries to handle situations like this, using the same attitude you’d use toward an angry highway driver: “I prefer to handle these situations the way you handle an angry driver who honks and flips you off on the highway — you just ignore them — unless you’re in New Jersey, then, technically, that’s a marriage proposal."
It was the first of many lines reminding the audience that Trump’s rage is neither unique nor intimidating, especially for a late-night TV host. Instead, Meyers painted himself as just the latest name in a long list of people Trump lashed out at over the weekend. The list included James Comey, Indiana Republicans, Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene and former President Joe Biden along with Meyers.
By the time Meyers reached the end of his segment, he made it clear that Trump’s anger didn’t bother him in the slightest. If anything, he welcomed Trump’s right to criticize him because that's what Meyers does every night on Late Night:
"I take no issue with the president voicing his displeasure with my show: That is his right, and on a lot of nights, he’s got a point!"
Instead of escalating, he de-escalated and chose self-deprecation. And instead of condemning Trump for demanding he be fired, he applauded (perhaps sarcastically) the president for expressing an opinion.
This approach was perfect because it cuts directly against what Trump typically seeks in these moments. Trump feeds off back-and-forth attention and the fights that keep his grievances in the headlines. Meyers’ shrugging amusement refuses to give him that satisfaction. The Late Night host manages to defend himself, mock Trump’s overreaction, and maintain the moral high ground all without appearing rattled or combative.