Late-night television hosts Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers delivered scathing critiques of Donald Trump's recent comments about air traffic controllers and ongoing White House renovations during their latest broadcasts.
Colbert's Take on Airport Chaos and Patriotism
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert addressed the recent federal government shutdown vote that saw some Democrats conceding to Republican demands without restoring threatened healthcare subsidies. He highlighted Chuck Schumer's neutral stance, joking about what he called "bold leadership" and commenting on Schumer's "failure" in the situation.
The shutdown created significant disruption at airports as air traffic controllers, unpaid for extended periods, stopped reporting for work. Colbert targeted Trump's social media response, where the former president threatened controllers would be "substantially docked" and receive "a negative mark" in his mind.
"A negative mark in that mind?" Colbert quipped. "You know what, I'll take my chances."
Trump's suggestion that controllers should be "quickly replaced by true patriots" drew one of Colbert's most memorable lines: "Maybe I'm alone but I don't care if the guy landing my plane is a true patriot."
Economic Concerns and Policy Criticism
Colbert described Trump as "an old nepo-billionaire who simply does not understand how hard it is for regular people to survive these days," pointing to a consumer satisfaction survey that fell to 52.3% - the worst score since records began in 1951.
"Consumers have not felt this bad since we fed our babies cigarettes," he remarked.
The host also criticised Trump's proposal for 50-year mortgages, noting that studies show interest would almost double compared to standard 30-year mortgages. Colbert dismissed it as "a big dumb policy that fixes nothing."
He warned about potential 107% tariffs that could make Italian pasta disappear from shelves, declaring: "We are officially in a pasta-mergency."
White House Renovations and Political Commentary
Colbert joked that Trump's destruction of the White House's East Wing was "to build a massive compensation for his weird tiny penis" before discussing the former president's latest addition: labelling the Oval Office.
The host claimed the font being used resembled "luxury assisted living" typography, demonstrating through Google searches that similar fonts appear for upscale retirement communities.
Meanwhile, on Late Night, Seth Meyers opened by discussing House speaker Mike Johnson ordering Congress to return to Capitol Hill for the vote. "I'm sure they would if only the flights weren't all grounded," he quipped, referencing the ongoing airport disruptions.
Meyers also targeted Trump's social media post reading "Less crime more Trump," asking: "Less crime sounds great but how could there be more Trump? We're maxed out on Trump."
The host expressed surprise at Joe Biden speaking for only 30 minutes at a fundraising dinner, joking that "he usually speaks that long to the valet."
Transportation secretary and former Real World contestant Sean Duffy's warning that flight issues might prevent families celebrating holidays together prompted Meyers to respond: "Oh no, I was so excited to discuss that Zohran win with my uncle."
Both hosts continue to use their platforms to critique current political developments, blending sharp humour with pointed political commentary that resonates with audiences across the political spectrum.
