The incident came in response to a social media post from Trump, who reacted with glee to the news that CBS would be ending Colbert’s long-running late-night
program. According to reports, The Late Show is set to go off the air in May 2026 due to financial difficulties. CBS stated it had lost $40 million over the past year.
Despite the show consistently drawing strong ratings—2.4 million viewers in its most recent quarter, more than both Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon—CBS cited budget concerns as the main reason for the cancellation.
Colbert, known for his comedic segments that often criticize Trump, read out the former president’s celebratory post to his studio audience. Trump had written: