Seth Meyers Criticizes Networks for Allowing Trump to “Repeat His Lies” During Primetime
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President Trump announced Monday via Twitter that he will deliver a primetime Oval Office address regarding support for the border wall. The address is set to air Tuesday night at 9 p.m. EST.
The announcement quickly sparked debate as public figures weighed in on whether major news outlets can, in good conscience, air the address. Late Night host Seth Meyers joined the conversation, arguing that “just because Trump wants to address the nation, doesn’t mean that networks should air it. Otherwise, they’re just passing on his lies unfiltered.” The criticism arrives as the present government shutdown trudges into its third week, one of the longest shutdowns in American history.
Meyers goes on to dissect Trump’s frequent use of the word “crisis” to describe ongoing immigration tensions: “There’s no national security crisis at the border,” he says. “Trump and his aides keep repeating the debunked lie that terrorists are sneaking in from Mexico.” He then references recently debunked claims by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee that the majority of terrorists immigrate illegally into the U.S. through the “vulnerable” southern border. This statement was fact-checked and refuted by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, citing evidence from the State Department that these attempts happen overwhelmingly by air and not via the border.