President Donald Trump and comedian Jimmy Kimmel are once again trading jabs — this time over the abrupt cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and growing speculation that Kimmel’s late-night program may be next.
Following Colbert’s shocking July 17 announcement that CBS was pulling the plug on The Late Show after over 30 years on air, President Trump took a victory lap online — and threw new shade at Kimmel in the process. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”
The president also fired a subtle shot at Jimmy Fallon, calling him “the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show,” without mentioning him by name.
Kimmel, currently on a summer break with his family, fired back in his own style — posting a photo from an anti-Trump protest they attended the very same day Colbert’s cancellation made headlines. In the image, Kimmel, wife Molly McNearney, and their children are seen wearing anti-Trump shirts and holding signs with messages like “Don’t bend the knee,” “Make America Good Again,” and “I wish we had a better president!”
He captioned the post: “May every day be another wonderful secret,” referencing a cryptic 2003 letter Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Kimmel didn’t stop there. He shared a heartfelt tribute to Colbert via Instagram Stories, writing, “Love you Stephen” and adding a sharp jab at CBS: “F— you and all your Sheldons, CBS,” in a dig aimed at the network’s Big Bang Theory franchise.
Colbert revealed during the July 17 taping that he had just been informed about the cancellation, which came three days after he publicly criticized CBS’ parent company, Paramount. Colbert had blasted Paramount for its reported $16 million settlement with Trump, following accusations that CBS News’ 60 Minutes edited an interview to hurt Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign.
The timing raised eyebrows, especially as Paramount is seeking a merger with Skydance — a deal that will require regulatory approval from the Trump administration.
CBS maintains that its decision to end The Late Show, despite its No. 1 ratings and Emmy nominations, was based solely on financial concerns. “It was purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” the network said in a statement to PEOPLE, adding that it was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Kimmel and Trump’s feud is nothing new. At the 2024 Academy Awards, Kimmel even read a Truth Social post from the president criticizing his hosting abilities. Trump had written: “Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars…” Kimmel responded live on-air: “Well, thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching. I’m surprised — isn’t it past your jail time?”
As Trump takes aim at the remaining late-night hosts, and speculation grows about political pressure behind the scenes, the late-night TV landscape appears to be undergoing a major shift — with Kimmel, Fallon, and others now squarely in the president’s crosshairs.
