Seth Meyers suggests more words for Trump administration to ban

Late-night comedian Seth Meyers jokingly revealed words the Trump administration would like to ban in the wake of reports that the administration blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from using certain words in official documents.

“From now on coal will be referred to as patriot rocks, McDonald’s Happy Meals will be called ‘big boy food,’ neo-Nazis will be called ‘fun-time torch boys,’ the Civil War will be referred to as the ‘war of good people on both sides,’ Hillary Clinton will be referred to as ‘prisoner number 92753,’ ” Meyers said on his show “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”{mosads}

Meyers’s comments come days after The Washington Post first reported that top CDC officials had sent around a list of “forbidden” words and phrases, which included “evidence-based,” “science-based,” “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender” and “fetus.”

CDC officials have pushed back on the report, saying there are no bans and that the report was a result of a misunderstanding during a budgeting meeting. 

“I understand that confusion arose from a staff-level discussion at a routine meeting about how to present CDC’s budget,” CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald said in a statement Monday. “It was never intended as overall guidance for how we describe and conduct CDC’s work.”

However, the report has continued to fuel outrage among Democrats.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) on Monday sent a letter to acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan saying the reported policy “sends a clear message that the Trump Administration is yet again prioritizing ideology over science.”