Donald Trump was reportedly 'personally involved' in the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's late-night show after veteran television journalist Bill Carter suggested the former president's public reaction to Colbert's final episode may point to deeper political pressure behind the scenes.
The analysis comes after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired its final episode on 21 May, bringing an end to a long-running programme that had become one of the most prominent late-night platforms for political satire in American television.
CBS had already announced the cancellation months earlier, citing financial pressures, although that explanation has been repeatedly challenged in public discussion.
Trump's AI Video With Colbert
Not long after Colbert's final show, an AI-generated video posted on Donald Trump's official X account, appeared. The video depicted Trump grabbing Colbert and throwing him into a dumpster while dancing to Y.M.C.A. by the Village People.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2026
FOX News reported that Bill Carter, a longtime television reporter known for his book The Late Shift, which chronicled the feud between Jay Leno and David Letterman, pointed to the video during an appearance on MS Now's The Weekend. He argued that it suggested more than casual provocation.
'It's not a good development for the country, obviously,' Carter said. 'Certainly the idea that he throws a man in the dumpster at the end of it indicates that he was personally involved.'
Was CBS Pressured?
CBS said Colbert's show was losing about £31.7m ($40m) a year before it was cancelled, with the network maintaining that financial pressure was the main reason behind the decision.
Carter, however, has questioned that explanation, suggesting some observers believe broader pressures may have played a role, although these claims remain disputed and unproven.
He argued that the cancellation has raised concerns among critics about whether broadcasting decisions can ever be fully separated from outside influence. 'The government was pushing to get rid of this man because he was a critic. We don't do that. We don't shut people up because they criticise us.'
He went on to suggest that CBS's handling of the situation signalled a retreat from editorial independence, a claim the network has not publicly addressed in detail. CBS has consistently pointed to declining revenues as the driver of its decision, and no official findings have supported the idea of external interference.
Long-Running On-Air Rivalry
Colbert and Trump have had a long-running public disagreement, with Colbert often criticising Trump on his show. That history has led some people to speculate about whether it played any role in The Late Show ending, although there is no official evidence linking Trump to the cancellation.
CBS announced the programme would end last summer, and the timing has been closely discussed, especially given how often Colbert spoke about Trump during his run. One US study cited by FOX News also found that Colbert made 3,639 jokes about Trump between January 2023 and the end of the show, showing how central that relationship became to its content.
But at the same time, late-night television across the US has been struggling more with falling advertising revenue and audiences changing how they watch TV. That has led several shows to be reassessed or cut entirely.
Because of this, it is still not clear whether the cancellation was simply a business decision or whether Trump had any influence at all.
Next Move for CBS and Colbert
The show aired its final episode on 21 May 2026, closing a major chapter in CBS's late-night lineup after years anchored by Colbert's mix of political satire, celebrity interviews and live comedy.
CBS has previously indicated that the programme's future direction would be reassessed following its conclusion, though no official successor has been named.
The network is reportedly considering a range of options, including guest hosts and temporary rotating presenters, while executives evaluate whether to continue the format in its current late-night structure or rework it entirely. Some entertainment analysts have also speculated that CBS could opt for a reboot of the time slot rather than a direct one-to-one replacement.
For now, Colbert himself has not publicly detailed his next move, and CBS has not issued further clarity on who will permanently fill the 11:35 p.m. position once occupied by The Late Show.
