Seth Meyers Roasts Trump Over Free Speech Claims, Recounts WHCD Jab

Seth Meyers ridiculed former President Donald Trump's assertion that free speech is "really illegal" when coverage is negative, arguing that free speech protects expressions even when a president dislikes them. Meyers cited Trump's claim that 97% of newscasts are "against" him and said that such coverage does not negate free speech.

During a Monday monologue on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host noted that free speech applies even to criticism and pointed out that a president cannot nullify First Amendment protections by complaining about the media. Meyers also recalled hosting the 2011 White House Correspondents' Association dinner, where he roasted Trump, and he suggested that the joke served as an example of satire protected by the free-speech framework. He referenced a long-ago remark about his performance at that dinner, noting that the critic who described it harshly happened to be Trump.

The monologue went on to contrast how late-night hosts routinely lampoon political figures across the spectrum, including Biden. Meyers discussed how his show has aired clips of Biden during public moments, such as moments at official appearances and moments during high-profile events, to illustrate that satire can illuminate public life without altering fundamental rights. He used those examples to argue that jokes about politicians do not undermine the principle of free expression.

Meyers also addressed the broader media ecosystem by thanking and defending fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, whose own return to television was anticipated at the time. He celebrated Kimmel's expected return on Tuesday, framing late-night satire as a long-running, light-touch check on political leaders that operates within the protections of free speech. The remark underscored Meyers' view that humor can coexist with robust, factual journalism and that such dialogue is a normal, constitutional feature of American democracy.

The remarks come as a continuing conversation about press freedom and the role of satire in covering a president who frequently critiques media coverage. Meyers' comments reiterate the core principle that free speech protects both the right to criticize and the right to respond with humor, even when individuals find the jokes uncomfortable. By recounting historical moments from the WHCD and acknowledging the bidirectional nature of political satire, Meyers framed satire as a necessary instrument in a healthy democracy, rather than as an affront to free speech.