Late-Night Hosts Target Trump's Air Traffic Controller Fallout
American late-night television hosts have delivered sharp critiques of the political fallout from the recent federal government shutdown, with particular focus on former President Donald Trump's controversial remarks about air traffic controllers. The shutdown, which caused significant disruption at airports across the United States, became a central topic for comedians Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers.
Colbert's Scathing Monologue
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert addressed the vote to end the shutdown, highlighting that some Democrats had capitulated to Republican demands without managing to restore threatened healthcare subsidies. He pointed to Chuck Schumer's instruction to his party, noting the Senate leader would give the deal "neither a blessing nor a curse" and offered no guidance on how to vote. Colbert sarcastically labelled this approach as "bold leadership" and commented on what he perceived as Schumer's failure in the situation.
The comedian then turned to the chaos at airports, where unpaid air traffic controllers had been forced to stop working. Trump took to social media to attack these workers, stating they would be "substantially docked" and that he would hold "a negative mark" against their records. "A negative mark in that mind?" Colbert quipped. "You know what, I'll take my chances."
Responding to Trump's call for controllers to be "quickly replaced by true patriots," Colbert delivered a memorable line: "Maybe I'm alone but I don't care if the guy landing my plane is a true patriot." He characterised Trump as "an old nepo-billionaire who simply does not understand how hard it is for regular people to survive these days."
Colbert also highlighted a consumer satisfaction survey that had plummeted to 52.3%, its lowest score since records began in 1951. "Consumers have not felt this bad since we fed our babies cigarettes," he joked. Further policy critiques included Trump's promotion of a 50-year mortgage, which a study showed would almost double the interest paid compared to a standard 30-year loan, which Colbert called "a big dumb policy that fixes nothing." He also warned of a potential 107% tariff that could make Italian pasta vanish from shelves, declaring a "pasta-mergency."
Finally, Colbert joked that Trump's reported destruction of the White House's East Wing was "to build a massive compensation for his weird tiny penis," before mocking the new labelling in the Oval Office, suggesting the font used was typically found for "luxury assisted living."
Meyers on Political Chaos
Over on Late Night, Seth Meyers opened by discussing House Speaker Mike Johnson ordering Congress back to Capitol Hill for the crucial vote. "I'm sure they would if only the flights weren't all grounded," he said, wryly referencing the travel chaos.
Meyers also took aim at a Trump social media post that read "Less crime more Trump." "Less crime sounds great but how could there be more Trump?" Meyers asked, adding, "We're maxed out on Trump."
He expressed surprise at a recent 30-minute speech by Joe Biden, joking that "he usually speaks that long to the valet." The host also touched on a warning from Transportation secretary Sean Duffy, a former Real World contestant, who said ongoing flight issues might prevent families from celebrating holidays together. "Oh no, I was so excited to discuss that Zohran win with my uncle," Meyers responded.
The combined monologues from these prominent hosts underscore the ongoing role of late-night television in dissecting and satirising the most pressing political issues facing the United States.
