Trump quips Kimmel ‘is next’ after CBS axes Colbert's 'Late Show'
President Trump took a swing at ABC's Jimmy Kimmel on Friday following CBS's decision to cancel "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," suggesting he is "next" on the chopping block.
"I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings," Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social, a day after the news broke. "I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!"
"Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show," he added, referring to host Jimmy Fallon.
CBS announced Thursday that due to "financial" reasons, it is nixing “The Late Show," rocking the late-night TV landscape.
“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," the company wrote in a statement. "It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
Critics have come out against CBS and its parent company Paramount Global, calling for further investigation into the decision.
Their concerns were sparked by the outlet's recent $16 million settlement with Trump over his lawsuit against "60 Minutes" — which the president filed over an interview with former Vice President Harris during the election that that he argued was edited in her favor.
Former CBS President Wendy McMahon and longtime "60 Minutes" producer Bill Owens both resigned earlier this year amid the turmoil.
Paramount is also seeking to merge with entertainment company Skydance, which will require approval from Trump's Federal Communications Commission.
Colbert, who has been a vocal Trump critic, also blasted his employer over the settlement.
The comedian has garnered support from fellow late-night hosts since news of the cancellation broke.
“Love you Stephen. F‑‑‑ you and all your Sheldons CBS,” Kimmel wrote in post on his Instagram story.
Fallon also weighed in, saying he "thought I’d ride this out with him for years to come."
"I’m sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30,” Fallon wrote on Instagram. “But honestly, he’s really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years — going back to ‘The Colbert Report,’ and I’m sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant."
CNN's Jake Tapper on Friday questioned the timing of the announcement.
“Obviously, President Trump has made no secret of his hatred of being mocked, specifically the jokes that people like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel make at his expense," Tapper said, adding later that Paramount is now in a "bend-the-knee phase."
The Writers Guild of America East and West has gone a step further, pressing New York Attorney General Letitia James to launch a probe, accusing Paramount of offering a “bribe” to the Trump administration. The guild includes writers for the "Late Show."
The show is set to end its nearly 32-year run in May 2026. Colbert took the reins from former host David Letterman in 2015.