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Seth Meyers takes a comedic yet sobering look at Trump’s potential future
Concerned laughter from late night
In a recent episode of his popular segment “Closer Look,” Seth Meyers delved into the hypothetical and terrifying idea of Donald Trump’s extended presidency. With his signature wit, Meyers opened with a worried yet playful tone: “Donald Trump has won the 2024 election and he’ll be president again for four more years, or eight, or 12, or whatever. We live in an infinite time where Donald Trump has always been and will always be the center of the universe. There can be no escape. All hail our powerful and benevolent supreme leader.”
Meyers was, of course, poking fun at the notion, reminding viewers that the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits anyone from serving more than two terms as president. He noted that Trump once posted an edited Time magazine cover depicting himself running for office indefinitely, humorously underpinning the absurdity of the situation.
Jokester vs. reality: highlighting absurdities
Continuing with his comedic flair, Meyers exaggerated Trump’s often controversial and bizarre statements: “Windmills do cause cancer. Hannibal Lecter was a lovely man. And if I’m lying, then Arnold Palmer doesn’t have the biggest dick in the clubhouse. Fuck me!”
Meyers’s relentless satire didn’t stop at Trump himself. He reflected on the unprecedented reality of Trump being both the oldest person ever elected president and the first convicted felon to hold office. He also shifted his biting humor towards Trump’s supporters, illuminating the implausible scenarios that might unfold with a touch of dark comedy.
echos from supporters
One of Meyers’s most vivid targets was RFK Jr., a figure surrounded by bizarre claims during his presidential campaign. Meyers jokingly speculated on RFK Jr.’s health secretary appointment: “If RFK Jr. becomes the health secretary, does that mean his brain worm will become assistant secretary?” He painted a vivid comedic picture: “Oh, will the worm give press conferences? Tiny little podium on the top of RFK’s head?”
Musk and the oligarchs
Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, also came under Meyers’s comedic lens. Meyers minced no words in describing Musk and Trump as oligarchs rather than just “edgelord podcasters”: “They want you to think they’re just edgelord podcasters, but they’re not. They’re oligarchs,” he emphasized. Meyers made a compelling argument about the influence these powerful men wield: “The richest man alive — whose company contracts with the Pentagon, and who owns one of the largest social media platforms — has teamed up with a billionaire who will soon be the most powerful man in the world for a second time to consolidate their power over society and the economy. They’re not your bros. They’re not gonna come over to your house and smoke weed and play Diablo with you.”
A clear-eyed look at the future
Meyers didn’t shy away from addressing the potential dangers of Trump’s future presidency. He outlined Trump’s explicitly stated intentions: “Donald Trump has been very clear about what he will do when he returns to power: military-style roundups of migrants, using the power of the state to crush his opponents and pursue his grievances, eliminating the Department of Education, letting climate change run rampant, spreading conspiracy theories about health care and vaccines. He said he would be dictator on day one.”
Finding hope amidst the satire
Closing on a note of resilience, Meyers delivered a powerful call to action: “The question now is, what will the rest of us be doing on day one? If you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who said no to Trump’s dark, dangerous vision for America last night, now is the time to stand in solidarity with our friends, with our neighbors, with the vulnerable communities, and begin the hard work of making real the world we want to live in. That’s what we will be doing on day one. We do hope you’ll join us. The clock is ticking.”
Meyers’s commentary, wrapped in humor, achieved a deeper resonance, urging the audience to stay vigilant and active in shaping a better future. For more on Meyers’s thoughts, watch the full “A Closer Look” segment and stay connected for further updates.
