Ahead of the Christmas holiday, President Donald Trump seems to be catching up on old Colbert re-rurns

Trump Goes on Tirade Against Stephen Colbert Again: 'Pathetic Trainwreck'

Donald Trump; Stephen Colbert.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for RFK Ripple Of Hope

President Donald Trump is asking CBS for an early Christmas present for himself — the immediate cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

“Stephen Colbert is a pathetic trainwreck, with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success,” he posted in a rant to Truth Social on Christmas eve. “Now, after being terminated by CBS, but left out to dry, he has actually gotten worse, along with his nonexistent ratings. Stephen is running on hatred and fumes ~ A dead man walking! CBS should, ‘put him to sleep,’ NOW, it is the humanitarian thing to do!”

Trump has a long and contentious history with late-night hosts who are critical of his presidency and politics, and some television executives seem determined to bow to his demand. In September, Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from his show indefinitely after the Trump administration expressed outrage over Kimmel’s remarks surrounding the death of conservative figurehead Charlie Kirk.

In a subsequent Truth Social post that followed his latest Colbert rant, Trump railed against anti-MAGA takes on late-night television. “If Network NEWSCASTS, and their Late Night Shows, are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party, shouldn’t their very valuable Broadcast Licenses be terminated?” he wrote Wednesday. “I say, YES!” He ended his latest tirade with, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!” Last night’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was a re-run.

In July, CBS announced it would be canceling The Late Show amid financial challenges in the industry, but many critics of the decision believe Colbert’s cancellation was for political reasons — especially since the cancellation was announced after CBS agreed to settle a multi-million dollar lawsuit with Trump. “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” the company said in a statement at the time. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Colbert’s time behind the famed Late Show desk is set to end in May 2026. But while he continues his victory lap, the show has maintained its critical air toward the Trump administration and Colbert’s positive attitude at the same time.

“I was surprised. Listen, every show’s got to end at some time. And I’ve been on a bunch of shows that have ended,” Colbert told GQ in November. “And that’s just the nature of show business. You can’t worry about that. You got to be a big boy about that. But I think we’re the first number one show to ever get canceled.”