President Donald Trump told the press during the first cabinet meeting of 2018 that he fully intends to examine what it would take to alter the libel laws and ensure people, like him, aren’t abused in the press.

However, according to Fox News host Shep Smith, the commentary is evidence of a leader who clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

ADVERTISEMENT

“All of that, about libel laws, all of that was just a word salad of nothingness,” Smith said during Wednesday’s show. “None of that means anything. Except, look over here. He couldn’t’ change the libel laws if he wanted to to change the libel laws. He couldn’t change them if he got the Congress in there.”

Smith couldn’t help but laugh and noted “these are state laws.”

Each state has their own laws that deal with defamation and libel. It’s extremely rare that a public official can make a case that they were defamed. Interestingly, a report commissioned by the American Bar Association (ABA) concluded that Trump’s litigation history reveals he is the “libel bully,” in that he frequently brings lawsuits to intimidate his critics.

Such lawsuits can be effective in getting political opponents to back down even if Trump would ultimately lose his case in court.

Watch Smith’s full commentary below: