President Donald Trump launched a new criticism at late-night host Seth Meyers, suggesting the NBC comedian might be violating the law by mocking him on television.
On November 1, 2025, Trump used Truth Social to criticize Meyers’ segments about his administration. The 79-year-old president stated, “Seth Meyers of NBC may be the least talented person to ‘perform’ live in the history of television,” and suggested the mockery was “probably illegal.”
In his post, Trump wrote, “NO TALENT, NO RATINGS, 100% ANTI TRUMP, WHICH IS PROBABLY ILLEGAL!!!”
On a recent “Late Night with Seth Meyers” episode, Meyers ridiculed a Trump speech about preferring steam-powered catapults over electric ones for aircraft carriers. Meyers joked, “Guy spends more time thinking about catapults than Wile E. Coyote.”
The comments came as Trump faced criticism for hosting a Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago on October 31, 2025. Guests wore 1920s attire, as the theme “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” was publicized.
The timing drew criticism from Democrats, as the party occurred before Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding expired on November 1, affecting 42 million people during the ongoing government shutdown.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the event, saying Trump hosted a Great Gatsby party while SNAP benefits were ending. “He does not give a damn about you,” Newsom said.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy and California Representative Ro Khanna echoed the sentiment, with Khanna urging lawmakers to tax the wealthy and support hungry Americans.
The Mar-a-Lago event included notable attendees like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, and their spouses. Dancers in period costumes entertained guests, though Trump did not give remarks when reporters were present.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended Trump, stating, “These Democrats are full of it,” and said Trump urged them to act responsibly to reopen the government.
On October 31, legal developments regarding SNAP funding unfolded rapidly. A Rhode Island judge temporarily ordered the Trump administration to continue SNAP funding after several states sued. A Boston judge ruled that suspending SNAP funding was unlawful but did not order immediate funding.
Trump commented on the court decisions, stating his administration’s attorneys were uncertain about their legal authority to fund SNAP during the shutdown. He expressed a desire for court clarification, emphasizing he did not want Americans to suffer due to the shutdown.
As of November 3, 2025, the Trump administration agreed to provide 50-65% of SNAP benefits using contingency funds following court orders. On Friday, November 7, Rhode Island federal judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled that 100% of benefits must be distributed.
Between September and November 2025, Trump increased public criticism of late-night hosts who he felt mocked him or his administration. A significant incident occurred in mid-September when ABC temporarily suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after a monologue on September 15, criticizing conservative responses to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” Trump praised the suspension, calling Kimmel “not a talented person; he had very bad ratings” and suggesting that networks with negative coverage of him “should maybe” have their broadcast licenses revoked—claiming “97 percent” of stories about him were negative.
During the same period, Trump criticized Stephen Colbert and other late-night hosts. He celebrated Colbert’s show’s cancellation announcement, saying, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.” Colbert and Jon Stewart accused the Trump administration of authoritarianism after the Kimmel incident, with Colbert calling it “blatant censorship.”
Trump continues to portray mockery by these hosts as part of a systemic bias against him in mainstream media.
