Donald Trump has launched yet another attack on Stephen Colbert, urging his late-night talk show to be shut down immediately.
The US President, who has started a pattern of targeting US late-night talk show hosts, labelled Colbert a ‘pathetic trainwreck’ in a social media rant that also came for all the broadcasters with a well-known chat show.
In July, CBS announced it was retiring The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026 after 10 years under his tenure; the show itself ran for 32 years in total, including with David Letterman.
After its cancellation was announced, Trump took to social media to celebrate the news and offer a fiery quip about Colbert, and now he is coming for him once again.
Specifically targeting the 61-year-old presenter, he wrote: ‘Stephen Colbert is a pathetic trainwreck with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success. Now, after being terminated, but left out dry, he’s actually gotten worse, along with his nonexistent ratings.
‘Stephen is running on hatred and fumes – a dead man walking! CBS should “put him to sleep” NOW, it is the humanitarian thing to do.’
Then followed it up with: ‘Who has the worst Late Night host? CBS, ABC or NBC??? They all have three things in common: High Salaries, Low Talent, REALLY LOW RATINGS!’
According to Variety, Trump once more reiterated his threat to ‘terminate’ the Broadcast licences of the networks of late night talk shows if they are ‘almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party’.
The rant came just shortly after CBS aired the Kennedy Honours Centre ceremony.
Colbert has consistently targeted Trump during his own Late Show monologues, making it clear there’s no love lost between the two.
Trump is now the chair of the Kennedy Centre’s board (which it is understood he wants to rename Trump’s Kennedy Centre), a move that Colbert ridiculed in a recent monologue.
He said: ‘It seems like the commander-in-chief shouldn’t have enough time to run a theatre. “Mr. President, Mr. President, Russia has just launched another round of missiles. But first, dress rehearsal for Oklahoma is underway, and the blocking is uninspired”,’ he joked.
Before adding: ‘I don’t know how much effort I’m putting into the impression [of Trump] anymore. And I don’t care… Fire me!’ as he continued his takedown.
In July, Trump made his upset towards Colbert crystal clear. ‘I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. ‘His talent was even less than his ratings.’
He also shot fire at Jimmy Kimmel at the time. In September, Kimmel’s own talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was paused after comments he made following Charlie Kirk’s death, with his return watched by millions.
In November, Trump reiterated his wishes for Kimmel to be fired, and just this week, Channel 4 confirmed the US host would deliver the annual alternative Christmas message, highlighting ‘fascism’.
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