Seth Meyers, host of NBC's "Late Night," employed a clever editing trick during his Tuesday night broadcast to offer a pointed commentary on former President Donald Trump's frequent doctor's appointments. Meyers used a manipulated clip of Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to deliver a five-word critique, suggesting that Trump's medical visits are due to the difficulty of "treating stupid."
The segment was part of Meyers' recurring "A Closer Look" segment, featuring a spoof White House press briefing. This particular installment was framed as a response to questions that arose during press secretary Karoline Leavitt's recent parental leave. Meyers brought back a rotating cast of cabinet members who had filled in during Leavitt's absence – including Oz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – to answer lingering queries.
Through deft editing, Meyers created a moment where Oz appeared to respond to an unstated question with the now-viral line: "Treating stupid is really hard." The implication within Meyers's satirical press conference was that this difficulty might explain Trump's persistent need for medical consultations.