Former President Donald Trump recently received a Nobel Peace Prize medal from María Corina Machado, the actual recipient of the award. This event has sparked significant discussion regarding Trump’s often perplexing statements and actions, which many observers find difficult to decode. The circumstances have led to some outstanding commentary from late-night hosts, such as Meyers who shined a light on how ridiculous the issue with Trump’s claims is.
Elsewhere in the world, Trump couldn’t help but feel snubbed by the Nobel committee, so today he accepted his special medal from Machado. In doing so, he has made no secret of his “desperate craving for awards,” especially the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. The former president’s proposed prize for being the first to tame Greenland has most certainly raised some hackles. He even cited this perceived snub to explain away his draconian threats against the territory.
In a statement that reflects his controversial logic, Trump claimed that “the world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland.” This statement serves to highlight his penchant for connecting his need for approbation to geopolitical issues. By this view, what is best for global stability is for Trump to conduct the purchase.
Further, Trump took credit for his alleged successes taking credit for having “stopped 8 wars PLUS.” This outlandish assertion only adds to the mystery of his anomalous presidency. It begs the question of what precisely these conflicts are that he seeks to avoid and what success would look like for foreign policy. Next to that, he courageously ordered the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This step greatly complicated his own self-characterization as the “acting president” of Venezuela.
The Nobel committee itself was unhappy with Machado’s choice to award the medal to Trump. Critics have drawn parallels between Trump’s behavior and the idea of living in a “cocaine snow globe that shakes with arbitrary whims.” This metaphor serves to really make you feel the sheer randomness of his announcements and personnel moves.
Late Night host Seth Meyers, known for his acerbic commentary, poked a hole in Trump’s logic. He likened it to the experience of getting way too high and trying to look at a magic eye poster, only to realize it’s not even a magic eye poster—it’s just a jumble of random letters. What Meyers describes about the lack of explanation behind Trump’s logic could be anyone’s biggest challenge in trying to make sense of what Trump is doing.
It wasn’t the only place Meyers took Trump to task for his awards obsession. He added, “America’s been through a lot over the centuries, but we’ve luckily never had to suffer through a president with a stiffie for accolades. His comments do represent a sea change in acknowledging the former president’s demand for praise and adoration.
Aside from these remarks, Meyers has ridiculed Trump’s comparison of his kids to his inheritance. You failed to buy me a World’s #1 Dad coffee mug. Moving to Thailand to spend all your inheritance like Sam Rockwell on White Lotus,” he joked. His language could expose the ridiculousness of Trump’s rhetoric.
The public conversation about what Trump is doing is still largely reactionary but is beginning to shift. Late-night hosts like Meyers provide a platform for commentary on these developments, often highlighting the surreal aspects of Trump’s presidency.