Overview
- In a series of Truth Social posts, President Donald Trump called Stephen Colbert “a dead man walking” and urged CBS to “put him to sleep” immediately.
- Trump also suggested that networks whose newscasts and late-night shows are “almost 100% Negative” toward him and his party should have their broadcast licenses terminated.
- The posts followed CBS airing a rerun of Colbert’s Dec. 8 monologue shortly after the network broadcast the Kennedy Center Honors hosted by Trump.
- CBS announced in July that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026 and said the move was a financial decision, though critics questioned the timing after a reported $16 million settlement between Paramount and Trump.
- Colbert has publicly vowed to intensify his criticism during the show’s remaining run, as concerns persist about political pressure on broadcasters following remarks by FCC Chair Brendan Carr about enforcing the public-interest standard.