Trump lashes out at Colbert after ‘Late Show’ finale: ‘Like a dead person’
by The Washington Times AI News Desk · The Washington TimesPresident Trump took to Truth Social in the early morning hours Friday to mock Stephen Colbert following the final broadcast of “The Late Show,” dismissing the departing host as a “total jerk” with “no talent, no ratings, no life.”
Mr. Trump posted the attack just before 2 a.m., hours after the finale concluded.
“Colbert is finally finished at CBS,” the president wrote. “Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!”
Mr. Colbert largely avoided direct discussion of Mr. Trump during the finale, with only subtle references to the president woven into the broadcast.
The finale capped an 11-year, roughly 1,800-episode run as Paul McCartney closed out the broadcast at the Ed Sullivan Theater by performing “Hello, Goodbye.” Other celebrities appearing included Bryan Cranston, Tim Meadows, Paul Rudd and Tig Notaro. Actor Ryan Reynolds also made an appearance, joking that he was there to audition for the role of final guest.
CBS announced in July 2025 that it would cancel “The Late Show” and retire the franchise entirely, calling it “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and saying the move was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
The cancellation came days after Mr. Colbert had publicly criticized Paramount — CBS’s parent company — over its decision to pay Mr. Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit tied to a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign. Mr. Colbert had called the settlement a “big fat bribe,” with critics noting the deal coincided with Paramount’s pursuit of federal approval for its merger with Skydance Media.
Mr. Trump had previously celebrated the cancellation, writing on Truth Social that he “absolutely loved” that Mr. Colbert had been “fired,” adding, “His talent was even less than his ratings.”
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CBS denied any political influence in the decision, and critics — including Jon Stewart — argued the move reflected institutional fear toward the Trump administration. Mr. Colbert said his objections to Mr. Trump were rooted in behavior and conduct, not party affiliation.
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