Overview
- Trump called Colbert “a dead man walking” and said CBS should “put him to sleep” in a series of Truth Social posts around midnight on Dec. 24.
- He followed by asking which network has the “worst” late‑night host and wrote that networks’ “very valuable Broadcast Licenses” should be terminated over coverage he deems nearly 100% negative.
- The posts came shortly after CBS aired a rerun of Colbert’s Dec. 8 monologue that mocked Trump following the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast.
- CBS announced in July that The Late Show will end in May 2026, describing the move as a financial decision; the timing drew scrutiny after Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump.
- Colbert responded on-air in a recent monologue, saying the network “left me alive” and telling Trump to “go f— yourself,” as outlets also noted prior FCC chair comments about enforcing the “public interest” standard.