By Charlie McCarthy | Friday, 22 May 2026 08:13 AM EDT
President Donald Trump reacted to CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert’s final show by calling him a “total jerk” and saying, “Thank goodness he’s finally gone!”
In an early Friday post on Truth Social, the former president wrote: “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person.” He added: “You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk.”
Trump’s comments followed Colbert’s conclusion of his 11-season run on CBS’ “The Late Show,” after years of monologues that made him popular among liberals and a frequent target of the president.
CBS announced last summer that the program would end, citing financial considerations. Critics, however, highlighted the show’s declining cultural relevance and increasingly partisan tone.
Media watchdog NewsBusters reported Colbert hosted 176 left-leaning guests between 2022 and July 2025, with only one conservative guest in that period.
The New York Post stated Colbert attributed the cancellation to Trump and Paramount’s legal settlement with the president. Allies such as Bruce Springsteen criticized White House and Paramount leadership during recent episodes of the show.
Springsteen told Colbert’s audience Wednesday: “The host was ‘the first guy in America who’s lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke,'” before directing criticism toward Paramount executives.
CBS maintained the cancellation decision stemmed from financial considerations, while Paramount awaits federal approval for its merger with Skydance Media.
Colbert’s farewell episode included appearances by Paul McCartney, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel. McCartney joined Colbert and the house band for a closing rendition of “Hello, Goodbye” at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater.
The finale blended comedy sketches, musical performances and surreal segments while largely avoiding direct political commentary. Colbert thanked viewers and staff in an emotional opening monologue, calling the show “a joy” to produce.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Colbert for relying on anti-Trump rhetoric rather than humor. In December, he labeled Colbert a “pathetic trainwreck” with “nonexistent ratings” and suggested CBS should “put him to sleep.”
CBS plans to replace “The Late Show” with Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed,” a comedy format designed to avoid the overt political activism that defined Colbert’s tenure.
