"Saturday Night Live" and late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel mocked Trump during his presidency.
Trump had said federal agencies should investigate the shows. A new report says he went further.
He asked advisors how the DOJ, the FCC, and courts could challenge the shows, The Daily Beast said.
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President Donald Trump asked advisors and lawyers to look into how "Saturday Night Live" and other late-night shows could be punished after they mocked him, The Daily Beast's Asawin Suebsaeng and Adam Rawnsley reported on Tuesday.
Two sources told the outlet that Trump had asked aides in 2019 to look at what the Federal Communications Commission, US courts, and the Department of Justice could do about "SNL" and other shows, like "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
Trump tweeted in March 2019 that he wanted federal agencies to investigate "SNL."
"It's truly incredible that shows like Saturday Night Live, not funny/no talent, can spend all of their time knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of 'the other side,'" he said.
"Should Federal Election Commission and/or FCC look into this? There must be Collusion with the Democrats and, of course, Russia!"
The Daily Beast report is the first indication that Trump took further action on the matter.
Sources told the outlet that Trump had to be repeatedly advised that the shows are satire, meaning they're protected. They added that Trump seemed disappointed that there was no way he could legally challenge them.
This wouldn't be the first time Trump tried to use federal agencies to pursue personal vendettas while he was in office. Last week, House lawmakers released emails from December showing how the Trump White House had tried to weaponize the DOJ to overturn the 2020 election.
kor_hookmaster on June 22nd, 2021 at 13:59 UTC »
What blows my mind is how he somehow must have assumed that he'd not be subject of mockery? What national political figure from the past 45 years hasn't been the target of lampooning by one side or the other? It's essentially part of the job. If you can't handle it, why even run for office? It would be like applying to be a helicopter pilot when you have a crippling fear of heights.
The fact that citizens of modern democracies can openly mock and denigrate their leaders is one of the cornerstones of freedom of speech, it's one of fundamental principles that separate them from authoritarian regimes around the world. A program like SNL wouldn't even exist in Russia, or China, or in countless other places.
So of course, Trump thinks it's something that needs to be investigated.
It's like he's allergic to the very concepts that make America American.
maize_wings on June 22nd, 2021 at 13:39 UTC »
Imagine being one of those idiots that thinks Trump is an "alpha." This loser is the biggest snowflake on the planet.
fakelaughfred on June 22nd, 2021 at 13:37 UTC »
I'm sure he was just as outraged when they started making fun of presidents back in the 70s when the show began. I bet he could barely contain his rage back when he hosted in 2004 and again in 2015.