USA: Donald Trump celebrates the removal of show legend Stephen Colbert

New York. US President Donald Trump celebrated the announced cancellation of satirist Stephen Colbert's late-night show. "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired," Trump wrote on his online mouthpiece Truth Social. "His talent was even smaller than his ratings," he said of the host, who is known for his biting humor and a frequent critic of the US president.

Trump also took aim at ABC host Jimmy Kimmel, who also frequently jokes about him: "I hear Kimmel is next. He's even less talented than Colbert!"

What's moving the United States: RND's US experts provide context and background information. Every other Tuesday.

By subscribing to the newsletter I agree to the advertising agreement .

Previously, the US broadcaster CBS announced that "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" would end in May 2026. Satirist Stephen Colbert, known for his biting humor, was irreplaceable, the network stated, and the show would therefore be discontinued entirely. This was a "purely financial decision" given the fierce competition in late-night TV. "It is not related to viewership, content, or corporate operations," CBS emphasized.

The cancellation of Colbert's show comes at a time when CBS parent company Paramount is under pressure. Last year, Trump accused the CBS magazine "60 Minutes" of editing an interview with his rival Kamala Harris to conceal a weak answer. "60 Minutes" denied this and released a transcript.

Although media law experts considered Paramount to be in a strong position, the company agreed to a $16 million settlement. Paramount is currently pending U.S. government approval for a long-negotiated ownership change. Colbert described the settlement on his show as "a big fat bribe."

Colbert took over the "Late Show," which began in 1993, from David Letterman about ten years ago. The host received support from fellow host Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted ABC's "Late Night Show" since 2003. "I love you, Stephen," Kimmel declared, criticizing CBS for its decision.

"I'm completely shocked, like everyone else," Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's "The Tonight Show," wrote on Instagram. Colbert is one of the smartest and funniest hosts ever.

Late-night star Jimmy Fallon

Source: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/dpa

Actor Ben Stiller lamented the cancellation of "one of the best shows" on CBS on X, while "Severance" star Adam Scott called it "absolute nonsense." Actress Rachel Zegler commented that she adored Colbert and was now "extremely sad." "Colbert canceled? Please tell me this is a joke," best-selling author Stephen King fumed on the X platform.

Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis expressed her displeasure on the sidelines of an event in Los Angeles. This is really bad, the actress said. They're trying to silence people. "But that's not working. We're just going to be louder," Curtis explained.

Since Trump's election as president, late-night shows, popular in America, have been considered a powerful format to counter the president's right-wing populism.

While traditional media formats can reach their limits when reporting on Trump due to the many untruths and distortions of reality, the comedy talkers counter him with biting mockery that exposes Trump to ridicule in front of the audience.

RND/dpa