Trump Targets Media, Threatens NBC Over Seth Meyers’ Jokes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President-elect Donald Trump escalated his ongoing feud with the media this week, targeting comedian Seth Meyers and NBCUniversal after the late-night host mocked him during a recent broadcast. Trump’s response, which included threats against the network’s parent company, has raised concerns about his approach to free speech as he prepares to take office next week.

On Tuesday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to criticize Meyers, calling him a “bad” comedian and labeling him a “moron” and “untalented.” The outburst came after Meyers’ segment, in which he questioned Trump’s preparedness for a second term, stating, “Little is known about what Trump has planned… given that he has no fixed principles or core beliefs or coherent ideas or constructive solutions or plans or proposals or policies or values or thoughts of any kind.” Meyers also likened Trump to an “intellectual Roomba” that “goes in one direction until he bumps into something and then just goes off into another direction.”

Trump accused Meyers’ show of being a “political hit” against him and the Republican Party, claiming it amounted to an in-kind donation to Democrats. He also suggested that Comcast, NBCUniversal’s parent company, should “pay a BIG price for this!”

This latest attack is part of a broader pattern of hostility toward the media from Trump, who has repeatedly criticized outlets for fact-checking his statements. During his 2024 campaign, he called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revoke licenses from media organizations that challenge his claims. At campaign rallies, Trump has also downplayed violence against journalists, including an incident where he remarked, “I don’t mind that so much,” after a supporter attacked reporters.

Media analysts warn that Trump’s actions signal a troubling approach to press freedom. “This will be a prime MO of the second Trump administration,” said one expert in a recent interview with Democracy Now. “And it’s very worrisome that even before Trump takes office, [news networks are], without cause, giving in. It sends a very distressing signal.”

As Inauguration Day approaches, concerns are mounting about the potential impact of Trump’s policies on free speech, climate action, and social justice. Advocacy groups like Truthout have vowed to resist what they describe as a “right-wing agenda” and continue producing independent journalism. “We promise to publish analyses that will serve the needs of the movements we all rely on to survive the next four years,” the organization stated.