Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and Seth Meyers don't believe Trump on his tax promises
![Late Night tackles Trump and taxes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rg75eUQH4JpSkJKSZ5CYdE-1280-80.jpg)
Have you ever wondered, "What can I do, even in my own small way, to make rich people richer?" Stephen Colbert asked on Thursday's Late Show. No? "Then you did not write Donald Trump's tax plan." He pointed to an analysis that shows President Trump saving at least $31 million a year in taxes under his own plan. "Those are lotto numbers," he said. "I mean, that's not just Powerball, that's I'm In Powerball."
"Even though the GOP's tax plan is only going to benefit the wealthy few, they're pitching it to the everybody else," Colbert noted, highlighting a pitch from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is black. "It's not like Sen. Scott is the only Republican who could have delivered that message," #KeepYoMoney, he said. "They could have gone with the GOP's second-most-diverse senator, Caucasian Q. Whitington III, but they already have him promoting the bill's original hashtag, #RetainThyEstate."
Still, pivoting to taxes must be a relief for Republicans, Trevor Noah said on The Daily Show. "Republicans are like that jock at school who's bad at every subject but kills it at P.E." Trump sold his plan as a "middle-class miracle," and Noah feigned surprise that it isn't: "What? This whole plan is a cash-cow for Trump? I'm starting to wonder if the only reason he ran for president was to lower his own taxes?" If so, he added, "first it'll have to get though Congress — which, at this stage, would be a miracle, believe me."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At Late Night, Seth Meyers laughed at one Trump promise in particular: "The only way he was raising taxes on the rich was if he could pick which rich people. 'Rosie, she's going to get her taxes raised; Meryl Streep's gotta start paying her fair share, everyone in the NBA except for the tall white guys ...'" Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What could bring the US Steel-Nippon Steel merger back to life?
Today's Big Question President Trump opposed the deal. But he could be flexible.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Orange juice also is facing a grander existential problem'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 of the scariest spiders in existence
The Explainer These creepy crawlers can be deadly
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published