Following Stephen Colbert's emotional final episode of The Late Show on Thursday night, U.S. President Donald Trump wasted no time in delivering a scathing farewell to one of his most persistent late-night critics.
In a message posted on Truth Social early Friday morning, Trump wrote, "Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he's finally gone!"
Trump's Targeting Preceded Show Cancellation
Colbert had been a vocal detractor of Trump throughout his presidency. Last summer, during a segment on his show, Colbert criticized a deal between Trump and CBS parent company Paramount Global regarding a deceptively edited 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Colbert called the $16 million settlement a "big fat bribe."
Shortly after that remark, CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show, citing budgetary constraints and reports that the program was losing $40 million annually. Trump mocked Colbert's firing at the time, writing on Truth Social, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired."
Ongoing War of Words
The feud continued throughout Colbert's final 10 months. In a Christmas Eve post, Trump called Colbert a "pathetic trainwreck" and urged CBS to "put him to sleep." Colbert, however, remained unfazed, telling PEOPLE that he found it strange Trump would engage with late-night hosts. "We're clowns," Colbert said. "How much does it diminish the office of the presidency to even notice what we say?"
Final Episode Highlights
In his last show, Colbert kept the tone light, featuring comedic bits with actors Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, and Ryan Reynolds, all vying to be his final guest. Tig Notaro also appeared. During his "Meanwhile..." segment, Colbert joked about the world's largest Dr Pepper bottle and a lawsuit over Charlie Brown Christmas music.
Before a musical performance with Paul McCartney of The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye," Colbert took a subtle jab at Trump. McCartney recalled The Beatles' 1964 debut at the Ed Sullivan Theater, noting the bright orange makeup applied by the girls. Colbert quipped, "That's very popular in certain circles these days," drawing cheers from the audience.
Trump had promised reporters earlier in the week that he would have a message for Colbert's finale, and he delivered as expected.
