Stephen Colbert Rips Apart Trump’s Response to NYC Terrorist Attack

Tuesday afternoon’s terror attack in New York City, which left 8 people dead and 11 injured, happened just before Stephen Colbert taped The Late Show. On last night’s show, he opened with a somber message about how “New Yorkers will never live in fear.”

By Wednesday night, he was ready to go after President Trump’s response.

“I am so proud to be coming to you from New York City, which yesterday saw a cowardly terrorist attack,” the host said during his monologue. “But guess what? New Yorkers do not terrify easy.”

He lauded the city’s residents for getting back to what they do best in no time: “Dressing up as Buzz Lightyear and getting blackout drunk on a Tuesday.”

“Our president tweeted about the attack,” Colbert said. And while Trump offered “thoughts and condolences” for the victims, it did not take long for him to start attacking New York Senator Chuck Schumer. “This morning, it was time for politics.”

“The terrorist came into our country through what is called the ‘Diversity Visa Lottery Program,’ a Chuck Schumer beauty,” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning, apparently while watching a Fox & Friends segment that made the same point. “I want merit based.” (Schumer, for the record, was a member of the Gang of 8 whose immigration reform bill would have done away with the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.)

“We all want merit based, sir, but you’re still the president,” Colbert shot back.