Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday to criticize late-night talk show host Seth Meyers. His post, which was also shared by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, stirred some online reactions.
In his message, Trump wrote, “NBC’s Seth Meyers is suffering from an incurable Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). Last night he went into an uncontrolled rage, probably because his ‘show’ is floundering in the ratings. Besides that, Meyers lacks any real talent. NBC should fire him right away!”
Carr simply shared a screenshot of Trump’s post on X, not adding any commentary. This week, Meyers had critiqued Trump concerning newly unveiled emails from Jeffrey Epstein that mentioned Trump multiple times.
The resharing of Trump’s post drew backlash from some progressives. For instance, Democratic representative Joe Jones from North Carolina remarked, “So Trump attacks Seth Meyers, demands NBC fire him, and President Trump’s FCC chairman, who regulates NBC, reposted it… sounds like something from North Korea.”
Former congressman Justin Amash, who left the Republican Party and is a critic of Trump, stated on X, “We should abolish the FCC. The government shouldn’t depend on late-night hosts and comedians for commentary, whether insightful or biased.”
Liberal writer Matthew Yglesias also expressed concern, saying, “Here we are, with the FCC taking action against comedians again.”
On a podcast earlier in the year, Carr had mentioned that the FCC could take action against ABC and Disney, in light of Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial remarks. Carr described Kimmel’s comments as “some of the most egregious acts,” indicating that companies should take steps to address such behavior.
Kimmel faced temporary suspension by Disney in September but was reinstated later, apologizing if his comments about a murder suspect were seen as trivializing the situation. He had faced criticism for implying the suspect might be a supporter of Trump’s MAGA movement.
Earlier in November, Trump referred to Meyers as “the least talented person.”
In addition, Trump questioned why NBC would even employ someone like Meyers, stating, “No talent, no ratings, 100% anti-Trump, probably illegal!”
The FCC and Meyers’ show did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
Meyers has been hosting “Late Night” since 2014 and regularly mocks Trump during his program, particularly in a segment known as “Close Look.”
Carr’s comments have faced criticism not only from progressives but also some conservative voices like Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz.
Paul deemed Carr’s remarks “totally inappropriate,” asserting the FCC should not interfere in such matters. He emphasized that while people can express controversial views, that doesn’t guarantee employment.
Cruz, while disagreeing with Kimmel’s opinions, warned against government interference in media, stating, “If the government says, ‘We don’t like what the media is saying, so we’ll shut you down,’ that’s a dangerous precedent for conservatives.”
