Trump gloats over Colbert's cancellation as late-night rivals react

New York, New York - President Donald Trump gloated over the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a staple of late-night television, as the timing of the decision sparked alarm.

President Donald Trump (l.) gloated over the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as the timing of the decision sparked alarm. © Collage: Brendan Smialowski / AFP & Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

CBS said in a statement that the cancellation was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," and was "not related in any way to the show's performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount."

But it came just days after the comedian blasted parent company Paramount's $16 million settlement with Trump as "a big fat bribe."

Trump celebrated the cancellation Friday, writing on his Truth Social platform, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings."

The Writers Guild of America, meanwhile, called on the New York attorney general to investigate whether the move by CBS was intended to improperly curry favor with Trump.

"Given Paramount's recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show's cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval," it said in a statement.

The cancellation also garnered reactions from Colbert's late-night rivals, who expressed shock and disappointment in the move.

I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.

— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 18, 2025

The Late Show franchise will end in May 2026 Jimmy Fallon (l.) and Jimmy Kimmel both expressed shock at CBS' decision to cancel The Late Show. © Collage: Dimitrios Kambouris & Amy Sussman / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's The Tonight Show and one of Colbert's rivals, posted on Instagram that "I'm just as shocked as everyone."

"I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come," wrote Fallon, whom Trump had earlier referred to as "the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show."

"For as great a comedian and host he is, Stephen Colbert is an even better person," Seth Meyers, whose late-night show airs before Fallon's on NBC, said via Instagram.

"I'm going to miss having him on TV every night but I'm excited he can no longer use the excuse that he's 'too busy to hang out' with me."

Jimmy Kimmel, who Trump claimed was "next" following Colbert's cancellation, chimed in with a direct jab at the network: "Love you Stephen. F**k you and all your Sheldons CBS."

Colbert said on Thursday that May 2026 would mark not just the end of his show but the end of the decades-old Late Show franchise, which has been broadcast continuously on CBS since 1993 and was previously hosted by David Letterman.

Stephen Colbert announcing to his audience that his show has been cancelled.

pic.twitter.com/dWpu6BORLc

— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 18, 2025

"I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away," Colbert said.