Stephen Colbert Says The Late Show Will End After 33-Year Run: Is It Because Of Trump?

Last Updated:July 18, 2025, 16:15 IST

CBS will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, citing financial reasons. This follows a $16 million lawsuit settlement with Donald Trump.

Stephen Colbert broke the news to his studio audience. (Image Credit: X)

The CBS revealed it will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, marking the conclusion of a 33-year late-night legacy. While the network insists the move was “purely a financial decision", the timing- just two weeks after CBS parent company Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit with US President Donald Trump- has fueled political speculation.

Is The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Ending Because Of Trump?

Donald Trump, a long-standing target of Stephen Colbert’s satirical stance, sued the network over a 60 Minutes segment featuring his 2024 opponent Kamala Harris, alleging the interview was deceptively edited to favor Democrats. Though Paramount said the settlement funds would go toward Donald Trump’s future presidential library and not directly to him, critics aren’t buying the apolitical spin.

What Stephen Colbert Said On The Late Show Ending?

Stephen Colbert broke the news to his studio audience, prompting boos, as he said, “It’s not just the end of our show- it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away." Stephen Colbert, who took over from David Letterman in 2015, built his version of The Late Show into a bastion of liberal comedy and sharp political commentary. Before that, he hosted The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, where he famously parodied conservative punditry.

CBS said the decision “is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters" but some Democrats aren’t convinced. The move leaves CBS without a flagship late-night show for the first time since 1993 while rival networks NBC and ABC continue with their late-night slates, with hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel reportedly extending their contracts through 2028.

Why Democrats Are Not Happy With The Late Show Ending?

US Senator Adam Schiff, who had taped an interview with Stephen Colbert just hours earlier, questioned on X (formerly Twitter) whether the cancellation was tied to the Donald Trump settlement, saying, “If Paramount and CBS ended The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know."

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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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News world Stephen Colbert Says The Late Show Will End After 33-Year Run: Is It Because Of Trump?