Trump’s AI Response to Colbert's Departure
Donald Trump has reacted to the conclusion of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert by sharing an AI-generated video on his X account. The clip, posted on Friday, May 22, features AI-rendered versions of the 79-year-old President and the 62-year-old host. In the footage, the Trump avatar approaches Colbert on the show's set, lifts him, and deposits him into an on-stage dumpster, before sealing the lid and performing a short dance.
The video was also shared via the official White House X account with a brief caption stating, “Bye-bye 👋.”
Comments on Late-Night Television
Accompanying the post, Trump expressed his views on the industry: “Stephen Colbert’s firing from CBS was the ‘Beginning of the End’ for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts. Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace!”
Background of the Show's Cancellation
Colbert’s final broadcast aired on Thursday, May 21, approximately one year after CBS announced the program's cancellation in July 2025. The decision drew immediate criticism from the audience, with many speculating that the move was motivated by the host's political commentary.
At the time of the announcement, network executives issued a statement asserting that the choice was based on financial considerations. The network explicitly stated that the cancellation was not “related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Controversy Surrounding the Timing
Critics questioned the timing of the decision, noting that it followed an episode in which Colbert addressed a lawsuit involving Trump and Paramount, the parent company of CBS. Trump had alleged that the program 60 Minutes had improperly edited an interview featuring Kamala Harris.
Regarding the controversy, Colbert had remarked on air: “I also completely understand why people would say (A) that doesn’t make sense to me and (B) that seems fishy to me. Because the network did it to themselves by bending the knee to the Trump administration over a $20 billion, settled for $16 million, completely frivolous lawsuit.”