Donald Trump Outrates: President’s Claim That Seth Meyers’ Mockery Is “Illegal” Ignites Free Speech Firestorm
By Marcus Hale, Entertainment Correspondent New York, NY – November 3, 2025
President Donald Trump’s latest broadside against late-night television has escalated into a national debate over the boundaries of comedy and free speech. In a blistering Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump labeled NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers host a “deranged lunatic” and suggested his satirical jabs at the commander-in-chief are “probably illegal.” The outburst, triggered by Meyers’ mockery of Trump’s recent comments on aircraft carrier catapults during an Asia trip, has polarized the internet, with supporters hailing it as a stand against “fake news” and critics decrying it as an authoritarian threat to the First Amendment.
Trump’s post, timestamped 8:38 p.m. ET on November 1, clocked in at over 500 words of unfiltered fury. “Seth Meyers of NBC may be the least talented person to ‘perform’ live in the history of television,” he began, before escalating: “NO TALENT, NO RATINGS, 100% ANTI TRUMP, WHICH IS PROBABLY ILLEGAL!!!” The president singled out a Thursday “A Closer Look” segment where Meyers lampooned Trump’s endorsement of outdated steam-powered catapults over modern electromagnetic systems. “Forget the government shutdown, it’s catapult time!” Meyers quipped in the clip, imitating Trump’s gravelly drawl: “We used to strap our soldiers to the rockets, and they loved it. But then everything got woke, and they said you can’t tie a person to a rocket.” Trump, who has long championed steam tech as “cheaper and better,” fumed that Meyers went “on and on… a truly deranged lunatic,” demanding NBC explain why it airs such “political hits.”
This isn’t Trump’s first salvo at Meyers. In August, upon learning of the host’s contract renewal through 2028, Trump branded him a “dope” with “the personality of an insecure child,” vowing to “find out” why NBC would extend it. Earlier, in January, he urged Comcast—NBC’s parent—to “pay a BIG price” for the show. Meyers, 51, whose program averages 751,000 viewers—trailing Fox’s Gutfeld! but steady among liberals—has made Trump a staple target since his 2014 debut. The comedian’s response? A wry Instagram post: “If being anti-Trump is illegal, sign me up for the docket. At least the food’s better than Mar-a-Lago.”
The “illegal” claim has supercharged the backlash. Free speech advocates, from the ACLU to comedy peers, erupted online. “This is chilling,” tweeted Jon Stewart, the Daily Show alum. “When the president calls satire a crime, we’re not in democracy—we’re in The Handmaid’s Tale.” Late-night solidarity surged: Jimmy Kimmel, fresh from his own Trump-fueled suspension drama, guested on The Late Show to quip, “If mocking Don’s a felony, I’m doing life.” On X, #FreeSpeechNotIllegal trended with 2.8 million posts by Sunday, blending memes of Trump in orange jumpsuits (ironically nodding to his past) and earnest threads on the Sullivan v. NYT precedent protecting media from public figure libel suits.
MAGA circles, however, framed it as righteous pushback. “Finally, someone calls out these smug elites!” posted Turning Point USA’s Erika Kirk, whose group has rallied against “woke Hollywood.” Trump allies like Sean Hannity amplified on Fox: “Seth’s not comedy—he’s propaganda. Time for accountability.” Polls reflect the divide: A snap Morning Consult survey found 72% of Republicans agree late-night is “unfairly biased,” versus 18% of Democrats who see Trump’s rhetoric as “dangerous.” X users split sharply: Conservative accounts ratioed Meyers clips with “Lock him up!” chants, while progressives shared Brian Cox’s recent Succession-era zinger calling Trump a “c**t.”
Legal experts dismiss the “illegal” tag as bluster. “Satire enjoys ironclad First Amendment protection,” says NYU’s Jeremy Waldron. “Trump’s threats echo his past suits against media—none have stuck.” Yet, the chilling effect looms: NBC insiders whisper of heightened legal reviews for sketches, amid FCC scrutiny from Trump’s appointees. Meyers’ ratings ticked up 15% post-rant, per Nielsen, echoing Kimmel’s post-suspension boost. Comcast stock dipped 0.8% Monday, but analysts chalk it to market jitters, not presidential pique.
The feud underscores late-night’s precarious pivot. With Colbert’s CBS exit in 2026 and cord-cutting eroding audiences, hosts like Meyers lean into Trump-baiting for relevance—his “Closer Look” segments draw 40% of viewers. Trump, ever the ratings whisperer, knows the game: His salvos often juice the very shows he savages, turning feuds into free publicity. “He’s the best unpaid guest we never booked,” Meyers joked in a staff memo leak.
As Washington braces for midterms, this “outrage” cycle tests democracy’s guardrails. When a president equates dissent with crime, even in jest, the punchline lands uneasily. Everyone’s picking sides: Comedians for the quill, conservatives for the crown. In America’s divided coliseum, Trump’s “illegal” barb isn’t just a zinger—it’s a warning shot. Will it silence the laughs, or amplify them? The internet, ever the arena, votes nightly.
