President Donald J. Trump didn’t wait long to spike the football after CBS announced the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Within hours, he took to Truth Social, mocking the liberal comedian and issuing an ominous warning to longtime nemesis Jimmy Kimmel: “You’re next.”
“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” Trump posted Friday morning. “His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”
The president’s post came just one day after Colbert, 61, stunned his audience by revealing CBS was pulling the plug on his show after next season, ending an 11-year run.
Colbert Axed as Paramount Plays Nice with Trump
Behind the scenes, the cancellation appears anything but random. Sources say CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is desperate to smooth things over with the Trump administration as it seeks federal approval for a multi-billion-dollar merger with Skydance Media.
CBS has already paid $16 million to settle a Trump lawsuit alleging 60 Minutes manipulated footage of a contentious 2024 interview between Trump and then-candidate Kamala Harris. That payout, Colbert joked, “has a technical name in legal circles — it’s a Big Fat Bribe.”
“I’m offended,” Colbert said on air Thursday. “And I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company. But just taking a stab at it — I’d say $16 million would help.”
CBS insists the decision was strictly financial.
“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” executives said. “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
But insiders say Trump’s influence is growing across the media landscape — and networks are adjusting fast.
Kimmel Goes Off the Rails
Jimmy Kimmel didn’t take the news lightly. The ABC host — who has repeatedly ridiculed Trump since 2016 — reposted Colbert’s farewell clip to Instagram with a bitter caption:
“Love you Stephen. F— you and all your Sheldons, CBS.”
The “Sheldon” jab was a reference to CBS’ safer, less-political hits like Young Sheldon — a sign Kimmel sees the network retreating from political satire.
Kimmel, 56, has become one of Trump’s fiercest critics in recent years, often using his platform to attack the president’s policies and personal life. Now, with Colbert gone and Trump emboldened, insiders are whispering that Kimmel’s days could be numbered.
Trump Picks His Favorite — and Keeps Swinging
While gleefully taking shots at Kimmel and NBC’s Jimmy Fallon — whom he derided as “the Moron who ruined the once-great Tonight Show” — Trump threw his support behind Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld, calling him “better than all of them combined.”
Gutfeld, whose ratings have outpaced most network competitors, has become Trump’s go-to guy in late-night — and a symbol of the new media alignment in Washington.
A Chilling Effect on Comedy?
With Colbert out, Kimmel under fire, and network execs playing nice with the White House, critics are worried this could mark a turning point in American entertainment.
“This is what authoritarian pressure looks like in 2025,” said one former CBS producer who asked not to be named. “You don’t need to arrest comedians. You just make them irrelevant — or unemployed.”
Whether Kimmel fights back or folds remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: under President Trump, the late-night spotlight just got a lot hotter.
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Whoopy must follow
Nothing “shocking” about evil Colbert being cancelled… being hateful of USA doesn’t pay like it used to…
I love it. Get rid of all these liberal losers.
dschlipp@yahoo.com President Trump, the funny thing about you is that you are not man enough to take criticizm about yourself from good people. You are nothing but a big dissappointment to society as it is. Are you going to try and remove every single demacrat or liberal in this country that can’t stand to walk and talk just like you. You can’t stand for the people to have free speech and the liberty we had before you became president. I can’t stand you, but I feel sorry for you because you are going to have to answer to the man above for what you have done and the plans you have to hurt thus country. You have forsaken thy GOD!!!
Oh, brother. A little dramatic don’t you think?😂😂
Trump you are a complete moron taco man
So will you Diane don’t forget that ! Colbert should have been gone several years ago and Jimmy also. Both of them are pitiful little men and I am hoping there friend Whoopie is next with all her little witches.
Funny that trump can name call people, and mock people, and make fun of developmentally disabled people, and name call and disrespect our war POW’s and war dead, but he can’t take being ridiculed for all the stupid crap he says and stupid things he does. He is a vindictive man, and he thinks he has the power to control everything in this country, including our free speech. It’s sad that he is directing attention to tv programming instead of ending wars, lowering grocery prices, lowering gasoline prices, lowering utility prices, and lowering medical and drug costs, not to mention his big beautiful wall that MEXICO did not pay for. So many promises, very little action. Stephen Colbert is 100 times smarter than trump and so is Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.
excellent
Hey Sutton you really need to check your facts. Really? For over 16 years we have no accountability at all. We have voted for accountability once and for all.
These so called night shows like so many others like NPR are nothing more then brainwashing Americans. We are sick of one set of rules for democrats and another for republicans. Time to stop the stupidity in this country. I just want to know Sutton how much you are getting paid to sit on couch in mommies basement in pj’s, eating ice cream. Anyone who is still spewing lies are just democrats slaves. It’s ok for republicans to get kicked around but when democrats get kicked around that is wrong. Remember democrats are the ones who have said no one is above the law and now accountable is being had you democrats cry like babies without a bottle. Give me a break. Americans didn’t deserve what you democrats put us through. We finally have someone who loves Americans and America and works for us. Colbert and jimmy don’t work for us. Now they are learning that we the people can and will stand up for what’s right for us. Stop blaming President Trump for everything under the Sun. Democrats brought this on themselves when they sold out the very people they claimed they were helping. But please keep the stupidity and lying up cause it just proves to those still not sure of next election who actually keeps their promises and protects Americans and America. When you go woke you will go broke. Point proven, right CBS?
Trump is a total ASSHOLE!!!!!!!
No you are, Dick Head.😂😂
You are a ass.
Stop
Absolutely Kimmel is next! He’s a lying, pathetic unfunny POS with bad ratings, no talent and a despicable human being!