Donald Trump is coming for the Late Night Shows. That’s right, the President of the United States is spending his time reportedly pressuring major networks to fire their comics, and unbelievably, it’s working. CBS just canceled The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert, and according to Trump’s writings on social media, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel are up next. Keep reading for more information.
Struggling With Sleep? This Rechargeable Sound Machine Is A Total Game-Changer
Trump Suggests 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Is Nearing The End
After celebrating the end of CBS's The Late Night Show, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he wasn't done yet. "The word is, and it's a strong word at that," the wrote, "Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, [Jimmy] Fallon will be gone."
"These are people with absolutely NO TALENT, who were paid Millions of Dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be GREAT Television," he continued. "It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it!"
Jimmy Kimmel has hosted ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003, but the end of his contract is in fact approaching. In February 2024, he told the Los Angeles Times that he may be retiring soon: "I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good," he said at the time. "That seems like enough."
The Stephen Colbert Drama
So how exactly does Trump have pull with major television networks? Well, it's not official that he does, unless you count him insinuating in his social media posts that he does. CBS cited financial reasons as to why Stephen Colbert's show was being canceled, but it's certainly hard to ignore the other timely circumstances.
Earlier this month, Paramount, CBS's parent company, settled a lawsuit with Trump for $16M. Trump had sued CBS and Paramount for $10 billion, claiming that 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a way that amounted to election interference. Many online figures believe that part of the settlement was an insistence from Trump that The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert comes to an end, as Colbert has been known over the years to critique Trump's personality and policies.
Trump's post about Jimmy Kimmel facing the same fate in the near future coupled with the fact that ABC, which hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live!, settled a defamation suit with Trump for $16M back in December, doesn't point to a happy future for the comic.
Social Media Reactions
Public figures and social media users alike are appalled by the situation and shared their opinions on social media. "Since when does the President control who we see on our TV??" one person asked on Instagram. "Oh wait, that's called a dictator."
"This is getting ridiculous," another agreed. "What happened to free speech?"
"What kind of world do we live in when the president has the power to get a late night TV show canceled?" another asked. "Oh wait, it's just the shows that make fun of him and his ridiculous administration. Funny how that works."
"Doesn't Trump have a country to run?" another asked. "He's such an orange baby."
