Donald Trump calls Stephen Colbert “Talentless Jerk” after CBS exit

Published May 22nd, 2026 - 05:38 GMT
Donald Trump / Stephen Colbert
Photo by ANNA MONEYMAKER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP / The Late Show Instagram profile

ALBAWABA - Donald Trump brutally mocked Stephen Colbert following emotional final CBS episode.

President Donald Trump is once again making headlines over late-night television. This time, the controversy followed the final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which officially ended its long run on CBS Thursday night.

Shortly after the finale aired, Trump celebrated Colbert’s departure in a series of posts shared on Truth Social. The president harshly criticized the longtime host and mocked both his talent and ratings.

Shortly before 2 a.m., Trump posted: “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. 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!”

Trump continued his attacks Friday morning with another statement targeting late-night television overall. He described Colbert’s exit as “the beginning of the end” for “untalented” and “overpaid” late-night hosts. He also suggested more television personalities could soon follow.

The comments came only hours after Stephen Colbert hosted the emotional final episode of “The Late Show.” The star-studded finale featured appearances from several celebrities and ended with a musical performance involving legendary Beatles star Paul McCartney.

Colbert officially signed off after 11 years as host and more than 1,800 episodes. The franchise itself had existed on CBS since 1993, first under David Letterman before Colbert took over in 2015.

CBS previously announced that “The Late Show” would end because of the difficult financial realities facing modern late-night television. The network stated the cancellation was “purely a financial decision” and insisted it was not connected to politics or the show’s content.

Stephen Colbert

However, the ending of the show sparked major debate across American media and social media platforms. Critics questioned whether politics may have played a role because Colbert had become one of Trump’s most vocal late-night critics over the years. The timing also drew attention because CBS parent company Paramount continues seeking approval for its major merger with Skydance Media.

Trump and Colbert maintained a public feud for years. Colbert regularly mocked Trump during monologues and political sketches, while Trump frequently attacked the comedian online. Their rivalry became one of the defining political-media conflicts in modern late-night television.

Although Trump did not directly name other hosts in his latest comments, many observers believe he was referring to stars like Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon. Trump has repeatedly criticized all three in the past.

Meanwhile, reactions to Colbert’s farewell flooded social media. Fans praised the host for his humor, political commentary, and emotional goodbye. Several entertainment figures and fellow late-night hosts also paid tribute to his long television career.