NBC’s Seth Meyers continued his lamentations on President Trump’s response to the Los Angeles riots on Wednesday’s edition of Late Night. As Meyers tells it, Congressional Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are “collaborating” with Trump to “turn America into a military-style autocracy” and would’ve ratted out the original Tea Party to the British in 1773.
Meyers was agreeing with California Gov. Gavin Newsom that the Founders would be ashamed of Trump’s actions when he went on one of his Meyers-esque digressions about what the proper term for “pants” was in the 18th century and then declared, “Now, if you’re the type of person who’s giddily cracking your knuckles about to leave a YouTube comment correcting my pant facts, now is not the time. Democracy is under assault. I don't need you going online writing, 'History buff here. I'm disappointed in Seth. Because when it comes to fact-checking—'”
The sentence was punctuated by a clip of Trump declaring, “He’s done such a bad job.”
Meyers claimed, “And as for Congress, Newsom is right. Republicans aren't just silent; they're actively collaborating with the president in his bid to turn America into a military-style autocracy.”
In another clip, a reporter asked Johnson, “Do you believe that Newsom could face consequences in a legal way?”
Johnson responded, “Look, that's not my lane. I'm not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested. But he ought to be tarred and feathered, I'll say that.”
Meyers reacted by wondering, “Why do these guys talk like the college dean threatening to kick out a rowdy fraternity? ‘Gentlemen, you've been suspended from this school for your immature behavior. And if I had my way, you would be tarred and feathered.’"
He also sought to address Johnson directly, “And I'm sorry, Mike Johnson, but if this were the 1700s, you would not have been a revolutionary. You would have been snitching out the Tea Party to the first redcoat you could find. ‘Excuse me, sirs, you might want to make your way to the harbor. They are not Native Americans, and they do not have a permit.’ This grotesque abuse of power is especially galling given Republicans have spent years claiming Democrats are the ones who are shredding the Constitution.
Pants terminology aside, Meyers actually has done a bad job of fact-checking. George Washington, as president, personally led the army in the Whiskey Rebellion that refused to recognize the federal government’s law enforcement powers, so invoking the Founders to claim Trump is way out of line is just wrong.
Here is a transcript for the June 11-taped show:
NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers
6/12/2025
12:49 AM ET
SETH MEYERS: Now, if you’re the type of person who’s giddily cracking your knuckles about to leave a YouTube comment correcting my pant facts, now is not the time. Democracy is under assault. I don't need you going online writing, "History buff here. I'm disappointed in Seth. Because when it comes to fact checking—”
DONALD TRUMP: He’s done such a bad job.
MEYERS: And as for Congress, Newsom is right. Republicans aren't just silent; they're actively collaborating with the president in his bid to turn America into a military-style autocracy.
REPORTER: Do you believe that Newsom could face consequences in a legal way?
MIKE JOHNSON: Look, that's not my lane. I'm not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested. But he ought to be tarred and feathered, I'll say that.
MEYERS: Why do these guys talk like the college dean threatening to kick out a rowdy fraternity? "Gentlemen, you've been suspended from this school for your immature behavior. And if I had my way, you would be tarred and feathered."
And I'm sorry, Mike Johnson, but if this were the 1700s, you would not have been a revolutionary. You would have been snitching out the Tea Party to the first redcoat you could find. "Excuse me, sirs, you might want to make your way to the harbor. They are not Native Americans, and they do not have a permit." This grotesque abuse of power is especially galling given Republicans have spent years claiming Democrats are the ones who are shredding the Constitution.