Trump Media Stock Plunges Amid Truth Social Losses; Trump's Unhinged Easter Meltdown: A Closer Look

Late Night with Seth Meyers
1 Apr 202412:40

Summary

TLDRThe transcript discusses the plummeting stock prices of Donald Trump's media company, Trump Media, after reporting significant losses. It also touches on Trump's controversial Easter post, filled with attacks on political opponents and conspiracy theories. Furthermore, the script highlights the ethical concerns surrounding Trump's business practices and the potential for corruption, especially given his desperate need for funds. The narrative contrasts Trump's actions with the traditional Easter celebrations at the White House, emphasizing the absurdity of the situation.

Takeaways

  • 📉 The stock price of Donald Trump's social media business fell significantly after the company reported major losses.
  • 🎭 Experts have warned that Trump's business venture presents an ethical nightmare due to its potential for corruption and influence peddling.
  • 🐰 President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, embracing the tradition with a light-hearted approach.
  • 🌸 The theme for the White House Easter Egg Roll was 'egg-ucation', reflecting Jill Biden's long-standing career as a teacher.
  • 📱 Trump spent Easter Sunday posting numerous times on social media, including an extensive and controversial Easter greeting.
  • 😂 The Easter Egg Roll event included corny jokes and silly egg-themed attire, aligning with the lighthearted nature of the holiday.
  • 🚨 Republicans criticized the White House for acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility, which coincidentally fell on the same day as Easter.
  • 📜 Trump is selling 'God Bless USA Bibles' with added material, including the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
  • 🤔 Trump's media company, Truth Social, is struggling with a significant decrease in active users and revenue.
  • 💸 Trump's desperation for cash is seen as dangerous, as it could lead to increased susceptibility to corruption and unethical behavior.

Q & A

  • What happened to the stock price of Donald Trump's social media business?

    -The stock price of Donald Trump's social media business fell significantly after the company posted major losses.

  • What was the theme of the White House Easter Egg Roll hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden?

    -The theme of the White House Easter Egg Roll was 'egg-ucation,' reflecting First Lady Jill Biden's background as a teacher for over 30 years.

  • How did Donald Trump spend his Easter Sunday?

    -Donald Trump spent Easter Sunday posting on social media, attacking political opponents, and making controversial statements.

  • What was the reaction to the coincidence of Transgender Day of Visibility and Easter this year?

    -Some Republicans criticized the White House for acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility on the same day as Easter, suggesting it detracted from the religious significance of Easter.

  • What product is Donald Trump selling that has raised ethical concerns?

    -Donald Trump is selling Bibles glued to bonus material, which includes the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the lyrics of 'God Bless U.S.A.,' raising concerns about the commercialization of religious texts.

  • How much revenue did Trump Media generate last year?

    -Trump Media generated $4.1 million in revenue last year.

  • What was the financial outcome for Trump Media in the past year?

    -Trump Media lost $58 million last year.

  • How did active US users on iOS and Android for Truth Social change year over year?

    -Active US users on iOS and Android for Truth Social declined by 51% year over year.

  • What is the main concern regarding the ethics of investing in Trump's company?

    -The main concern is that rich individuals or foreign entities could invest in Trump's company to influence him, especially when he desperately needs funds.

  • What is the name of the podcast that the speaker mentioned they wrote with their brother?

    -The name of the podcast is not mentioned in the transcript.

  • What did the speaker suggest might happen if Trump's media company's stock continues to decline?

    -The speaker humorously suggested that if the stock hits zero, it would be more of an 'Egg-ucation' for Trump.

Outlines

00:00

📉 Trump's Media Business Struggles and Easter Rant

The paragraph discusses the plummeting stock price of Donald Trump's social media business following significant losses. It also touches on Trump's controversial Easter post, which was filled with attacks on political opponents and conspiracy theories. The script contrasts Trump's actions with those of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, who hosted the White House Easter Egg Roll and engaged in light-hearted Easter jokes. The paragraph highlights the ethical concerns surrounding Trump's business and the potential for foreign investment to influence his political actions.

05:02

🎭 Republican Outrage Over Easter and Transgender Day of Visibility

This paragraph addresses the Republican Party's criticism of the White House for acknowledging March 31st as both Easter and Transgender Day of Visibility. It points out that the two events coinciding by chance has led to unfounded accusations that the Biden administration is trying to remove God from society and replace Him with the trans community. The script humorously disputes the idea that acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility detracts from the significance of Easter, using the example of Easter and April Fools' Day falling on the same day in 2018 without similar controversy.

10:03

📉 Trump Media's Financial Struggles and Bible Sales

The final paragraph focuses on the financial difficulties of Trump Media, which owns Truth Social, and the company's reported losses of $58 million with only $4.1 million in revenue. It also satirizes Trump's attempts to sell Bibles with additional patriotic materials, questioning the need for such a product when the Constitution and other historical documents are widely accessible online. The paragraph ends with a humorous note, suggesting that Trump's lack of business acumen might lead to further misfortune, and mentions other media projects like the 'Corrections' segment and a podcast.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡stock price

The term 'stock price' refers to the cost at which a single share of a company's stock is buying or selling in the marketplace at a particular time. In the context of the video, it is used to describe the fluctuation in the value of Donald Trump's social media business, indicating a significant drop after the company reported major losses, which serves as a central theme of the video discussing the financial struggles and ethical concerns of the business.

💡major losses

The phrase 'major losses' typically describes a significant financial setback or reduction in profits for a company. In the video, it is used to highlight the poor financial performance of Donald Trump's social media business, emphasizing the ethical issues and the potential for corruption when a company in such a state is linked to a political figure.

💡ethical nightmare

An 'ethical nightmare' refers to a situation that presents significant moral dilemmas or is fraught with ethical concerns. In the context of the video, this term is applied to Trump's media business, suggesting that the company's practices and its association with a controversial figure raise serious ethical questions and potential conflicts of interest.

💡Easter

Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the video, it serves as a backdrop for contrasting the lighthearted and traditional activities associated with the holiday, such as the White House Easter Egg Roll, with the contentious and polarizing actions of Donald Trump, who used the occasion to post inflammatory content on social media.

💡political opponents

The term 'political opponents' refers to individuals or groups in the political sphere who hold differing views or are competing for the same political office or influence. In the video, Trump is shown attacking his political opponents on social media during Easter, illustrating his combative and divisive communication style.

💡social media bender

A 'social media bender' is an informal term that describes an excessive or uncontrolled use of social media platforms, often characterized by a flurry of posts or messages. In the context of the video, it is used to describe Trump's behavior on Easter, where he made numerous posts on social media, some of which were controversial or deranged, highlighting his intense engagement with the platform.

💡Transgender Day of Visibility

Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event aimed at celebrating transgender people and raising awareness about the discrimination they face. In the video, it is mentioned in relation to criticism from Republicans who believe that the day coinciding with Easter detracts from the religious significance of the holiday, illustrating the politicization of social issues.

💡Bibles glued to Constitution

The phrase 'Bibles glued to Constitution' refers to a product being sold by Donald Trump, which includes a Bible bound with the U.S. Constitution and other related documents. In the video, this is used as an example of Trump's desperate need for cash and his willingness to leverage his political influence for financial gain, raising concerns about the ethical implications of such a business venture.

💡Truth Social

Truth Social is a social media platform launched by Donald Trump's company. In the video, it is mentioned as an example of a struggling business venture, with shrinking user numbers and financial losses, which is used to critique the viability of Trump's media business and the potential for ethical issues arising from its operation.

💡influence peddling

Influence peddling is the act of selling or trading one's influence or ability to sway decisions for personal gain, often unethically. In the context of the video, it is suggested that Trump's media company could be a vehicle for such activities, as wealthy individuals or foreign entities might invest in the company to curry favor with him, raising concerns about the integrity of his business and political dealings.

💡Egg-ucation

The term 'Egg-ucation' is a play on words combining 'egg' and 'education', likely used in the video as a pun or humorous reference related to the White House Easter Egg Roll event. It serves as a metaphor for learning or being educated, but in a lighthearted or ironic manner, aligning with the comedic tone of the video.

Highlights

The stock price of Donald Trump's social media business fell significantly after the company posted major losses.

Experts have warned that Trump's social media business is not only struggling financially but also presents an ethical nightmare.

In contrast to President Biden's traditional Easter activities, Trump spent the holiday posting numerous inflammatory messages on social media.

Trump's Easter message contained attacks on political opponents and claims of interference with the 2024 presidential election.

The transcript describes a bizarre and humorous interaction involving Trump, his family, and a chocolate rabbit.

Republicans criticized the White House for acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility, which coincidentally fell on the same day as Easter.

The absurdity of the situation is highlighted by the comparison of Trump's social media rants to typical Easter activities.

Trump's desperation for cash is evident in his sale of Bibles with added 'bonus material'.

The so-called 'God Bless USA Bible' is criticized as a money-making scheme rather than a genuine religious offering.

Trump's media company, Truth Social, is reported to have generated only $4.1 million in revenue and lost $58 million last year.

The active user base of Truth Social is shrinking, with a 51% decrease in monthly active users on iOS and Android year over year.

The transcript satirizes Trump's business practices and questions the ethics behind his ventures.

The comedic element of the transcript is evident in the fictional scenario of Trump stealing from a child's lemonade stand.

The transcript ends with a joke about Trump potentially learning about successful business practices or facing a complete business failure.

A segment of the transcript promotes the show's 'Corrections' feature, which addresses any errors from previous episodes.

The host's podcast with his brother is humorously plugged at the end of the transcript.

Transcripts

00:02

-The stock price of Donald Trump's struggling

00:03

social media business fell from its ludicrous high

00:06

on Monday after the company posted major losses,

00:08

and experts warned that it was an ethical nightmare.

00:10

Meanwhile, Trump celebrated Easter by posting one

00:13

of his most deranged screeds yet.

00:14

For more on this, it's time for "A Closer Look."

00:16

[ Cheers and applause ]

00:20

This morning, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden

00:23

hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

00:25

And to preview the event,

00:26

they did an interview with Al Roker

00:28

where they indulged in a few corny Easter jokes.

00:31

-So the Easter egg roll is about to start that we had.

00:33

-Yes. -We had a little problem

00:34

with the weather, but now the volunteers

00:35

are getting set.

00:36

And Doctor Biden, what's the theme this year?

00:38

This is something close to your heart.

00:39

It is. You know, I've been a teacher

00:41

for over 30 years.

00:42

So this is egg-ucation.

00:44

So as you can see, there's something for everybody here,

00:47

1878 that started with Rutherford B. Hayes.

00:50

I think I met him.

00:51

-[Laughs] -But, you know, what is it --

00:53

-He was a classmate of mine. -One of your classmates.

00:55

-Look, politics aside,

00:58

that's what old people are supposed to do on Easter.

00:59

They're supposed to make corny jokes,

01:01

wear silly egg-themed ties,

01:03

and catch a quick nap during Easter Mass.

01:05

[ Laughter ]

01:06

Now let's compare that

01:08

to what Donald Trump was up to on Easter.

01:10

-Trump has spent Easter Sunday

01:12

on this angry social media bender.

01:15

-Donald Trump marking the holiday,

01:17

attacking political opponents in all caps,

01:20

unleashing on prosecutors and his various trials.

01:23

Posting more than 70 times.

01:26

-He posted 70 times on Easter.

01:29

What's in the baskets at the Trump family Easter egg hunt?

01:32

Cadbury meth eggs?

01:34

[ Laughter ]

01:35

Here is Donald Trump's Easter greeting in its entirety.

01:39

I hope you're ready for this because it's insane.

01:45

[ Laughter ]

01:49

Hey, you know what? that was -- Actually, that was really sweet.

01:51

[ Laughter ]

01:52

Shame on me for judging the man.

01:53

Maybe inside that gruff exterior --

01:55

Oh. What's that? Oh. Okay. I'm sorry.

01:57

I'm being told I was accidentally given a graphic

01:59

with only the first and last sentences of Trump's post,

02:03

and we left out the entire middle.

02:05

So let me try that one more time.

02:06

"Happy Easter to all,

02:08

including crooked and corrupt prosec--"

02:10

Oh, [bleep] me -- "and judges

02:11

that are doing everything possible

02:13

to interfere with the presidential election of 2024

02:15

and put me in prison, including those many people

02:17

that I completely and totally despise

02:19

because they want to destroy America

02:21

a now failing nation like deranged Jack Smith,

02:25

who is evil and sick.

02:26

Mrs. Fani "Fauni" Wade,

02:28

who said she hardly knew the special prosecutor,

02:31

only to find that he spent years loving her,

02:33

long before the Georgia persecution

02:35

of President Trump began

02:36

and thereby making the case against me null,

02:38

void, and illegal.

02:39

And lazy on violent crime, Alvin Bragg,

02:42

who, with Crooked Joe's DOJ thugs,

02:44

unfairly working in the DA's office,

02:46

illegally indicted me on a case he never wanted to bring

02:48

and virtually all legal scholars say is a case

02:51

that should not be brought, is breaking the law and doing so.

02:53

Pomeranz!

02:55

[ Laughter ]

02:56

Was turned down by all other

02:58

law enforcement authorities and is not a crime.

03:00

Happy Easter," okay, "everyone." There you go.

03:03

Got it back there right at the end.

03:05

The worst part stole that from a hallmark card.

03:07

[ Laughter ]

03:09

The next post was even worse.

03:11

Also, grandson, who is hardly very grand,

03:13

took bite of chocolate rabbit even after I had called it,

03:16

which is both wrong and sick.

03:18

And when I threatened to sue him

03:19

for his jellybeans, his restitution.

03:21

Eric "Erici" Trump told me to chill when I asked him

03:24

how he would feel if someone ate his chocolate rabbit on Easter,

03:26

he said he never got a chocolate rabbit on Easter.

03:28

Take it up with your dad, I said.

03:30

To which he said, you are my dad.

03:32

To which I said, I thought Don Jr was my son

03:34

and he said you could have more than one.

03:35

Pomerantz!

03:37

[ Laughter and scattered applause ]

03:41

That, by the way, like I think three sentences in before,

03:44

they were like, this one is not real.

03:46

[ Laughter ]

03:49

Every day is April Fool's.

03:51

[ Laughter ]

03:52

That Easter rant may be the most deranged thing

03:54

Trump has ever posted online,

03:55

which is saying something because he once

03:57

misspelled his own name.

03:59

Just put yourself in a place

04:00

where a friend or loved one sent you a text like this.

04:03

Would you immediately alert your entire family

04:06

and urge them to seek help?

04:07

Or would you write back and say,

04:08

"You've got my vote in November"?

04:10

[ Laughter ]

04:11

Also, Trump is so deeply immersed in his own

04:13

little lunatic universe of right wing memes and

04:16

conspiracy theories that he thinks

04:18

everyone will just know what he means

04:19

when he blurts out names like "Pomerantz!"

04:22

Sounds like George Costanza yelling about a neighbor

04:24

who stole his parking spot.

04:26

Pomerantz!

04:28

I followed [bleep] for nine years.

04:30

I have a staff that spends every day

04:31

pouring over every word that Trump utters,

04:33

and none of us have any idea

04:34

what the [bleep] he's talking about.

04:35

I typed "Trump Pomerantz" into Google,

04:38

and even Google was like...

04:41

But Trump's lunacy is not an aberration within the GOP.

04:45

It's the norm.

04:46

They spent all weekend furious about the fact

04:48

that Transgender Day of Visibility

04:50

just happened to fall on the same day as Easter this year,

04:52

and they blamed it on Joe Biden rather than

04:54

the real reason -- the calendar.

04:55

-Republicans are criticizing the White House over a statement

04:58

that acknowledges today, March 31st,

05:01

as the Transgender Day of Visibility.

05:04

Their issue, is that today is also Easter.

05:07

-This year, the two days only coincided by chance.

05:11

The Day of Visibility is held every year on March 31st,

05:14

while the date for Easter changes year to year.

05:17

House speaker Mike Johnson rebuked Biden, saying,

05:20

"The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet

05:23

of Easter, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

05:26

banning sacred truth and tradition

05:28

while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday

05:31

as Transgender Day."

05:32

-Well, this is a clear effort

05:34

and a coordinated effort

05:35

to remove God from our society

05:37

and to replace God with false gods.

05:39

And in this instance, it's the trans community.

05:41

Yeah, we should have a more respectful Easter proclamation

05:44

that puts the emphasis where it's deserved --

05:46

evil Fani Willis, sick Jack Smith,

05:49

and the corrupt judges and prosecutors who despise America.

05:51

Not only did Trump not mention religion in his screen,

05:53

everyone who read it took the Lord's name in vain.

05:55

Jesus [bleep] Christ with this guy.

05:57

[ Laughter and scattered applause]

06:00

I can't believe I have to explain this,

06:01

but sometimes two things happen on the same day.

06:03

For example, in 2018,

06:05

Easter and April Fools were the same day,

06:07

and I don't recall any Republicans going on Fox

06:08

and claiming the sacred resurrection of Christ

06:10

has been sullied by all these frivolous pranks and goofs.

06:14

Oh, though who can forget

06:15

when Mary Magdalene rushed to Jesus's tomb,

06:17

discovered it was empty, and told Peter and John,

06:19

my dudes, I think we've been pranked.

06:20

[ Laughter ]

06:25

Who pranked us?

06:26

Pomerantz!

06:27

[ Laughter ]

06:30

Trump's lunacy is dangerous on its own.

06:32

But on top of that, he's also desperate for cash,

06:34

which is a terrifying combination

06:36

in a presidential candidate.

06:37

In fact, he's so desperate for cash

06:39

he's selling Bibles glued to some bonus material

06:42

he stole from an eighth grade civics class over the weekend.

06:45

His partner in that business venture,

06:47

the singer Lee Greenwood, defended their Bible sales.

06:50

-People have gotten on us and Donald Trump about

06:53

the "God Bless USA Bible"

06:55

I have mine here right in front of me.

06:57

And this one is signed by the Former President Donald Trump.

07:01

See how beautiful this Bible is?

07:03

Check that out. It's -- It's leather.

07:05

It has the documents of the Constitution,

07:07

the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights,

07:10

and the handwritten lyrics of "God Bless U.S.A."

07:13

along with the "Pledge of Allegiance."

07:14

The reason we have this Bible

07:16

is to make sure more people have it accessible.

07:19

If you have this Bible today,

07:21

you'll be able to actually find out

07:22

how our country got started with those four documents

07:25

and be able to read them.

07:27

Because sometimes if you go to Washington DC,

07:29

those documents are under glass.

07:31

-Are you under the impression those are the only copies?

07:34

[ Laughter ]

07:36

Do you want us to believe

07:37

you, Trump, and Nicolas Cage teamed up to break

07:40

into the National Archives at night

07:42

and made photocopies of the Constitution,

07:44

so the rest of us could finally read it?

07:47

[ As Nicolas Cage ] We have to share this

07:48

with the world for the low, low price

07:50

of 59.99.

07:53

[ Normal voice ] Seriously, you know about the internet, right?

07:54

Because they have the Constitution,

07:56

the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence,

07:58

and a quiz that tells you

08:00

which "Sex And The City" character you are.

08:02

I've taken it a million times.

08:03

And I keep getting Steve.

08:05

[ Laughter ]

08:06

[As Steve ] Come on, Miranda,

08:07

just let me take the quiz again.

08:08

[ Laughter ]

08:11

[ Laughter ]

08:12

[ Normal voice ] It's a very good Steve.

08:14

I know it never plays, but it's a very good Steve.

08:16

And I don't need you to tell me

08:18

because I know inside me it's good.

08:21

[ Laughter ]

08:22

Trump's desperation for cash makes him even more

08:25

of a target for corruption

08:26

and influence peddling than he already is.

08:28

Just take his so-called Trump media and technology company,

08:31

which, as we explained last week,

08:32

is a massively over inflated bubble,

08:34

completely divorced from the reality

08:35

of the underlying business,

08:36

which has been an abject failure.

08:38

Experts are warning it's also an ethics nightmare.

08:41

But how blank do you think Trump's stare is

08:43

when someone tells him his business presents

08:45

an ethical conundrum?

08:46

Well, you certainly could make billions on the deal, sir,

08:48

but there is a moral quandary.

08:51

[ Laughter ]

08:53

[ As Trump ] Who the [bleep] is this dork?

08:55

[ Laughter ]

08:57

[ Normal voice ] Here's the obvious problem

08:59

any rich person or foreign entity

09:01

could decide to invest in Trump's company

09:03

just when he desperately needs the cash

09:05

to pay off his fines and legal bills.

09:06

And Trump himself said recently

09:08

he could take foreign money if he wanted to.

09:15

-No, I don't -- I don't do that.

09:17

I think you'd be allowed to possibly, I don't know.

09:19

-Even when Trump says he won't do something corrupt,

09:22

he immediately confesses he might do something corrupt.

09:25

By asking the question, you're giving him the idea.

09:29

You can see the wheels turning as he answers,

09:32

Mr. Trump, would you ever steal money

09:34

from a child's lemonade stand?

09:35

[ As Trump ] No, I would never do that.

09:37

They'd notice right away.

09:38

Unless, of course, you know...

09:40

you pretend to knock over the cup

09:42

and then refilled it with things that sounded like coins

09:44

when they weren't looking, you know,

09:46

washers...

09:47

old subway tokens.

09:48

By the time they figured it out, you'd be long gone.

09:50

So possibly I could do it.

09:51

I might do it, I did it, I did it yesterday.

09:54

So yeah.

09:55

[ Normal voice ] And then today,

09:56

in a turn of events that should shock absolutely no one,

09:58

the stock price of Trump's struggling media company

10:00

fell after the company posted major losses.

10:03

-Take a look at your screens right now.

10:05

Trump's media stock is down 18% right there.

10:09

You can see it.

10:11

It has been dropping throughout the morning.

10:13

This comes after the company that owns Truth Social

10:15

posted financial numbers this morning.

10:17

Truth Social owner Trump Media lost $58 million last year

10:21

and it generated very, very little revenue,

10:24

just $4.1 million in revenue.

10:28

True Social is struggling.

10:30

I mean, it is shrinking monthly.

10:32

Active US users on iOS and Android down 51% year over year.

10:38

I think all of this just underscores

10:40

why there's a lot of warnings out there about this stock.

10:44

-What a shock that the stock price of a company

10:46

with no profits or success of any kind is falling.

10:48

The way things are going,

10:50

Trump's going to have to start selling a deluxe Bible

10:52

with a dictionary attached. [ Laughter ]

10:54

[ As Trump ] We love the disciples

10:55

John, Matthew, Merriam and Webster.

10:57

[ Laughter ]

10:59

Maybe Trump will finally learn how a successful business works.

11:02

He's in for a real education.

11:03

Or if the stock hits zero, it'll be more of an...

11:06

-Egg-ucation.

11:07

[ Laughter ]

11:09

-This has been "A Closer Look."

11:11

[ Cheers and applause ]

11:15

Hey, I hope you enjoyed "A Closer Look."

11:17

And if you didn't, why are you still watching?

11:19

[ Scattered laughter ]

11:20

Why would you stay for this part?

11:23

Anyway, did you know that we also have something

11:25

on our show called "Corrections"?

11:27

We tape it right after the audience leaves on Thursday,

11:29

and right after our cameraman, Buck,

11:31

does a whole tank of nitrous.

11:33

[ Laughter ]

11:40

It's full of inside jokes like that

11:42

that you couldn't possibly get.

11:43

[ Laughter ]

11:45

Unless you go all the way back to the beginning.

11:48

That's right. I'm not telling you to watch

11:49

"Corrections" starting today.

11:51

I'm telling you to go back and watch from episode one.

11:55

If you miss even one, the whole thing is [bleep].

11:57

[ Laughter ]

12:03

It's easily over 20 hours at this point.

12:07

It was nominated for an Emmy in 2021,

12:10

in 2022,

12:12

and never again.

12:13

[ Laughter ]

12:16

So the arrow is pointing down.

12:20

"Corrections," it posts every Friday.

12:23

Give it a look. And oh, one more thing.

12:25

I wrote a podcast with my brother.

12:26

[bleep] you!