President Donald Trump took aim at late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel on Friday, just a day after CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, prompting a political firestorm across the entertainment industry. The decision, officially attributed to "financial reasons," has ignited backlash from critics, writers' unions, and fellow hosts who see the move as politically motivated amid Paramount Global's pending merger and its recent legal settlement with Trump.
"I absolutely love that Colbert got fired," Trump posted on Truth Social. "I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!" He added, "Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show," an apparent reference to Jimmy Fallon.
CBS stated Thursday that the decision to end The Late Show was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night" and "not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." The network's announcement came just three days after Colbert used his platform to criticize CBS's parent company for a $16 million legal settlement with Trump over his lawsuit against 60 Minutes.
Colbert, who has helmed the show since 2015, revealed the cancellation during a taping last week, telling the studio audience he had "found out just last night." The comedian, long a sharp critic of Trump, received an outpouring of support from peers. "Love you Stephen. F--- you and all your Sheldons, CBS," Kimmel wrote on Instagram Stories, referencing The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, both CBS hits. Fallon said he "thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come."
Kimmel, who has also drawn Trump's ire in the past, was on summer vacation with his family when the news broke. On July 17, he posted an anti-Trump photo from an outing that coincided with Colbert's announcement. In the image, Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney appeared in protest T-shirts with their children, holding signs reading "Make America Good Again" and "I wish we had a better president!"
In March, Kimmel ended his Oscars hosting duties by reading a sharply critical Trump post about his performance. "Well, thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching. I'm surprised, isn't it past your jail time?" he said onstage, responding to Trump's assertion that Kimmel was the "WORST HOST" in Oscars history.
The Writers Guild of America East and West, which represents staff from The Late Show, called on New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the cancellation and the Trump settlement, accusing Paramount of offering a "bribe" to Trump's administration. The guild pointed to the timing of CBS's $16 million payout and Paramount's merger with Skydance, a deal that will require regulatory approval from Trump's Federal Communications Commission should he return to office.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper also raised concerns Friday, saying, "Obviously, President Trump has made no secret of his hatred of being mocked, specifically the jokes that people like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel make at his expense." He added, Paramount is now in a "bend-the-knee phase."
Colbert's Late Show is currently the top-rated program in its time slot and was recently nominated for a ninth Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series. The network says the show's nearly 32-year run will conclude in May 2026.
Former CBS executives, including network president Wendy McMahon and 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens, both resigned earlier this year amid controversy tied to the Trump settlement and broader internal pressure related to the network's political posture.
