President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that ABC and NBC might soon cancel their late-night comedy shows, following CBS’s decision to terminate “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” In a post on social media, he pointed to NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as potentially next on the chopping block after CBS announced that Colbert would wrap up in May.
He remarked, “The words— and that’s a strong word— Jimmy Kimmel goes into deep, late-night waters, and before long, Fallon will be out too.” Trump criticized the hosts, claiming they are “absolutely untalented” and suggested they were paid millions to undermine previously successful television.
CBS announced recently that it would cancel “The Late Show” by the end of this season. The network clarified that this move was purely economic, driven by a tough late-night environment, assuring that it had nothing to do with the show’s quality or other issues at Paramount.
Interestingly, the cancellation follows a $16 million settlement between CBS’s parent company, Paramount, and Trump stemming from a lawsuit related to an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris in light of the upcoming 2024 elections. Colbert had previously opposed Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media, labeling it as “a big fat bribe.”
Trump expressed satisfaction over Colbert’s exit, stating in a separate post, “I love Colbert being fired. His talent was less than he rated. I’ve heard Jimmy Kimmel is next— he’s even less talented than Colbert!” He added that Greg Gutfeld is superior to all of them, including Fallon, who he accused of ruining the “great Tonight Show.”
Colbert responded to Trump’s comments during his show’s opening monologue, playfully asking, “How dare you?” He also made a joke about Trump’s prediction concerning Kimmel, humorously stating, “Absolutely not, Kimmel. I’m a Martian, OK?”
Gutfeld’s show on Fox News has been leading in viewer numbers, exceeding “The Late Show” for 21 consecutive months, particularly among the coveted adult demographic. In 2025, “Gutfeld!” averaged 3.1 million viewers by July 20, compared to 1.9 million for Colbert’s show, with “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show” trailing behind.
