President Donald Trump celebrated the end of Stephen Colbert’s run at CBS on Friday, blasting the longtime late-night host as a “total jerk” after Colbert wrapped up his final episode of “The Late Show.”
“Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday morning. “You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!”
Colbert exited the network after 11 seasons hosting the flagship late-night program, having taken over for David Letterman in 2015. CBS announced last July that the show would be ending, describing the move as a “financial decision” tied to the struggling performance of the series.
“This show has been a joy for us to do for you,” Colbert said in his final monologue. “I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other, and how much we mean to each other.
“We love doing the show for you, but what we really love, is doing the show with you.”
The 62-year-old comedian has publicly argued that political pressure connected to Trump played a role in the cancellation, particularly after Paramount — CBS’s parent company — reached a legal settlement with the president.
Throughout his time on air, Colbert became one of Trump’s most vocal television critics, intensifying his anti-Trump material after news broke that the program was being canceled.
Still, the farewell broadcast itself largely avoided direct political commentary.
One exception came during Wednesday’s next-to-last episode, when rocker Bruce Springsteen appeared and criticized the administration from the stage.
“I’m here in support tonight for Stephen, because you’re the first guy in America who’s lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke,” Springsteen told the crowd.
Over the years, Colbert’s show frequently featured Democratic politicians, liberal commentators, and anti-Trump media figures.
A report by media watchdog NewsBusters found that between 2022 and July 2025, Colbert hosted 176 guests identified as left-leaning compared to only one conservative guest.
Trump repeatedly mocked Colbert in the weeks leading up to the finale, escalating his attacks as the show neared its conclusion.
“Stephen Colbert is a pathetic trainwreck, with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success,” Trump said back in December.
“Now, after being terminated by CBS, but left out to dry, he has 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!” he added.
The longtime host frequently accused Trump of influencing CBS and Paramount behind the scenes, particularly after the president filed suit against the network over its handling of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, alleging election interference tied to the 2024 race.
{Matzav.com}
