Stephen Colbert responded to Donald Trump’s celebratory post about The Late Show cancellation during his Monday night monologue, bluntly telling him to “go f***” himself.
Last week, CBS revealed the popular late-night US chat show has been axed entirely and Colbert will not be replaced. The show will end in May 2026.
Speaking to his audience on Monday night, the late-night host addressed the network’s recent announcement and thanked those who reached out to him.
“I want to thank everybody who reached out to me over the weekend,” Colbert said.
“Including one text from an unknown number offering a high-paying IT work-from-home job for only two to three hours a day. Yes, I am very interested.”
Reflecting on the network’s decision, he continued: “It sunk in over the weekend that they’re killing off our show. But they made one mistake, they left me alive.”
With chants of his name from the crowd, Colbert made it clear he plans to make full use of his remaining 10 months on the air: “Now, for the next 10 months, the gloves are off.”
“I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump starting right now.
“I don’t really care for him. Doesn’t seem to have the skill set to be president. Just not a good fit.”
On Monday night’s episode, the host pointed out that while CBS insists the decision was “purely financial,” many, including politicians, are questioning why the announcement came just days after he called out the network and its parent company, Paramount, for agreeing to a $16 million settlement with President Trump.
Colbert reminded viewers that The Late Show remains the number one most watched talk show in the US, and responded to a New York Post report that claimed the show was losing between $40–50 million annually.
“$40 million is a big number,” Colbert said. “I could see us losing $24 million, but where would Paramount have possibly spent the other $16 million? Oh, yeah.”
He then took aim at Trump’s reaction to the show’s cancellation.
In a Truth Social post, the president wrote: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”
“How dare you, sir?” Colbert replied as the audience booed. “Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?
Staring directly into the camera with an affected a clipped New York accent, he said: “Go f**k yourself.”
The remark was met with thunderous applause inside the Ed Sullivan Theater, as the crowd erupted into chants of “Stephen! Stephen! Stephen!”
Colbert also responded to Trump’s prediction that fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel would be next: “Nope. No, no. Absolutely not, Kimmel. I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross. And I gotta tell you, the view is fantastic from up here.”
Later in the show, Colbert was joined in solidarity by a line-up of fellow late-night heavyweights including Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jon Stewart and Andy Cohen.
