Former President Donald Trump has reignited his long-running feud with late-night television by launching an explosive public attack on The Late Show host Stephen Colbert, calling him a “pathetic trainwreck” and urging CBS to cancel the program immediately. The outburst, delivered in a blistering statement shared with supporters, marks one of Trump’s harshest critiques yet of a comedian who has spent years skewering him on national television.
In the statement, Trump accused Colbert of lacking “any talent or anything else necessary for show business success,” and claimed—without evidence—that the host’s ratings are “nonexistent.” Trump went further, asserting that Colbert had been “terminated by CBS” and left “out to dry,” language that does not align with CBS’s public position. Colbert remains under contract with the network, and The Late Show continues to air nightly from New York.
Trump’s comments escalated from criticism into provocation, asserting that Colbert is “running on hatred and fumes” and labeling him “a dead man walking,” before concluding with a call for CBS to “put him to sleep” by canceling the show. The phrase drew immediate backlash online for its violent imagery, even as Trump supporters amplified the message across social platforms.
CBS declined to comment directly on Trump’s remarks, instead pointing to the network’s longstanding support for The Late Show. Industry analysts note that while late-night television has faced audience fragmentation amid streaming competition and shifting viewing habits, Colbert’s program remains among the most-watched in its time slot. According to Nielsen data, The Late Show has consistently ranked at or near the top of late-night ratings in recent years, particularly during politically charged news cycles.
Colbert, who took over The Late Show in 2015 following David Letterman’s retirement, has made political satire a central feature of the program. During Trump’s presidency, Colbert’s monologues frequently targeted the White House, a focus that coincided with a ratings surge and a reshaping of the show’s tone. While Colbert has broadened his subject matter since then, Trump remains a recurring target—one that appears to continue provoking the former president.
This is far from the first time Trump has publicly criticized Colbert. Over the years, Trump has accused late-night hosts of bias, claiming they act as partisan operatives rather than entertainers. He has repeatedly singled out Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and others, arguing that networks give them platforms to attack conservatives while shielding them from accountability. In Trump’s telling, calls to cancel shows are framed as business decisions rather than political retaliation, though critics argue the line is difficult to separate.
Media experts say Trump’s rhetoric fits a familiar pattern. “When Trump feels mocked or challenged in the cultural arena, he responds by trying to delegitimize the source,” said one television historian. “Late-night comedy has real reach, and Trump has always been keenly aware of how it shapes public perception.”
The timing of Trump’s remarks is notable. As the 2024 election aftermath continues to reverberate and Trump remains a dominant figure in Republican politics, cultural battles have again moved to the forefront. Late-night television, once seen as apolitical entertainment, has become a symbolic battleground in the broader fight over media influence, free expression, and partisan identity.
Supporters of Colbert quickly pushed back against Trump’s claims, highlighting the show’s steady performance and Colbert’s awards record, which includes multiple Emmys. Many argued that Trump’s demand for cancellation underscores the very point Colbert often makes about intolerance for criticism. “Calling for a show to be canceled because you don’t like the jokes is not a defense of free speech,” one commentator wrote.
Others, however, echoed Trump’s frustration, arguing that late-night television has grown stale and overly political. Some conservative viewers have long claimed that the genre alienates half the country by leaning too heavily into liberal commentary. For these critics, Trump’s attack resonated as a blunt expression of dissatisfaction with mainstream entertainment.
Colbert has not directly responded to Trump’s latest comments, a silence that itself has become part of the dynamic. In the past, Colbert has often addressed Trump’s attacks with humor on air, using them as fodder for monologues that further amplify the feud. Whether he will do so again remains to be seen.
Behind the scenes, network executives face a complex media landscape. Late-night shows are expensive to produce, advertising markets are volatile, and younger audiences increasingly consume clips rather than full episodes. Yet Colbert’s program remains a reliable brand for CBS, delivering consistent engagement and viral moments that travel far beyond traditional television.
Ultimately, Trump’s demand that CBS cancel The Late Show appears unlikely to move the network, but it succeeds in reigniting attention around a rivalry that has become a fixture of American pop culture. The clash between a former president who thrives on confrontation and a comedian whose career has benefited from political satire continues to reflect a deeper divide—one where entertainment, politics, and identity collide nightly on television screens.
As the dust settles from Trump’s latest tirade, one reality remains clear: the battle between Donald Trump and Stephen Colbert is less about ratings alone and more about who gets to shape the national conversation—and who gets the last laugh.
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