Topline
President Donald Trump attacked Stephen Colbert on Truth Social Friday morning after CBS and Paramount announced the cancellation of the late-night host’s longstanding show, a move the networks say was a financial decision but that Democrats have blasted as political.
FILE – Stephen Colbert arrives at a screening of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” during … More
Key Facts
In his post, Trump said “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired” and claimed “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next, ” adding Colbert’s talent “was even less than his ratings” and that Kimmel “has even less talent than Colbert.”
He also said Greg Gutfeld, who hosts the talk show “Gutfeld!” on Fox News, is “better than all of them combined, including the moron on NBC who ruined the one great Tonight Show,” which is currently hosted by Jimmy Fallon.
Trump’s post comes after CBS and Paramount executives announced plans Thursday to end Colbert’s run and “The Late Show” franchise altogether in May 2026.
Key Background
CBS and Paramount’s decision to cancel “The Late Show” was met with backlash from several Congressional Democrats and Trump critics who noted the move came days after Colbert criticized a recent $16 million settlement between Trump and the network. The settlement resolved a lawsuit Trump filed against Paramount over a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris last year, which he had claimed was edited in favor of the Democratic presidential candidate. Earlier this week, Colbert called out Paramount for initially stating Trump’s case was “completely without merit” and called the settlement a “big fat bribe.”
What To Watch For
Paramount has been seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission to merge with Skydance, which has raised questions about the state of both “The Late Show” and programs like “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, also owned by Paramount.
Further Reading
Colbert Late Show Cancellation Blasted By Democrats And Trump Critics (Forbes)