President Donald Trump escalated his long-running feud with late-night television this week, lambasting Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon as lacking talent and suggesting that more cancellations are imminent following the abrupt end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
In a White House press conference, Trump declared that all three hosts “have no talent.” He went as far as to claim that he could “pick any random person off the street” who could perform just as well—or better—and still draw higher ratings than Colbert. With undisguised glee, he asserted that both Fallon and Kimmel were next in line to lose their shows.
These remarks come on the heels of CBS’s July announcement that The Late Show will end its run in 2026. Despite consistently ranking as the highest-rated late-night programme for nearly a decade, CBS attributed the cancellation to financial pressures and declining ad revenue. Critics, however, question whether political dynamics played a role—especially given Colbert’s recent public criticism of CBS parent company Paramount Global over its $16 million settlement with Trump.
In response to the backlash, Jimmy Kimmel expressed solidarity with Colbert by appearing on a West Hollywood billboard that promoted Colbert’s show for an Emmy rather than endorsing himself—a public show of support that underscored the widespread unease among entertainment figures.
Meanwhile, employees of NBC’s The Tonight Show—hosted by Jimmy Fallon—can rest easier, for now. Fallon’s contract was extended through 2028, and he is also diversifying into other projects, such as producing Password and fronting a new reality competition, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. Industry analysts note that despite the president’s remarks, Fallon and Seth Meyers appear to have more security than others in late night.
Late-night television as a whole remains under strain, grappling with declining ad revenues and shifting viewership toward streaming platforms. The Writers Guild of America and figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren have called for investigations into whether Colbert’s cancellation was influenced by political pressure, particularly in light of the merger between CBS’s parent company and Skydance Media.
Colbert himself hasn’t stayed silent. On the night the cancellation was announced, he delivered a biting monologue, accusing the network of succumbing to fear and hinting that institutions may be capitulating to what he called the “vengeful and vindictive” President.
The political and entertainment worlds are now watching closely. Whether Fallon and Kimmel will face similar fates remains uncertain—but given the heightened climate, the speculation certainly isn’t fading any time soon.
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