US President Donald Trump targeted Stephen Colbert in his latest AI video, literally dumping The Late Show host in the garbage just hours after CBS cancelled The Late Show.
The show, which Colbert has hosted since 2015, was axed after he mocked the broadcaster for a $16 million settlement with Trump for allegedly “maliciously” editing an interview with his Democratic election rival Kamala Harris.
A 22-second AI video clip, resembling the CBS late-night set, showed Trump pushing Colbert into a large green dumpster and closing the lid. He then celebrated it with a happy dance and fist pumps as the audience applauded.
Trump posted the video without additional text amid his ongoing criticisms of late-night hosts.
Netizens were disgusted by the AI-video post from Trump’s official social and slammed him for being “immature” and throwing tantrums.
“You’ve turned me and so many other young Republicans against you. You’re a liar. We will burn it all down by voting for the Dems. Y’all have no idea how many of us there are. We will burn it all down for everyone, EVERYONE will suffer! And we’ll smile. That’s on you,” a social media user wrote.
Another user commented, “Posting more boomer AI slop instead of fixing our broken f**ked up country. You really are useless.”
“How f**king immature of you! A President to post this! Like a f**king grounded teenager that has a tantrum because his video games are confiscated! You really are a shallow, immature, immoral!” a user slammed. “You’re a vile, toxic and a terrible example to the children of the world. The brain and manners of a monkey!”
“Official president account posting AI images when the economy of the country is in danger. What a joke, man, what a joke,” another disappointed user wrote.
A netizen said, “Trust me. Stephen Colbert is going to have the last laugh.”
‘He was like a dead person’: Trump on Colbert
The US president has long been a fierce critic of late-night talk show hosts and their jabs at him. Trump has called Colbert a “pathetic trainwreck” who should be “put to sleep.”
An hour after the CBS late-night series concluded, Trump wrote on his Truth Social, “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life.”
“He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!” Trump added.
The show ended with Colbert jamming along with Paul McCartney and former band leader Jon Batiste onstage.
A day before the last episode of The Late Night aired, Trump was asked if he had any farewell message for Colbert, but all he said was: “I’ll have a message at a later date.” And he sure did!
‘Big fat bribe’
CBS has insisted the decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the ratings leader in the time slot, was purely financial, and that it was a coincidence the move came as CBS parent company Paramount lobbied for government approval of its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
In the weeks leading to Thursday’s curtain call, 62-year-old Colbert has at times cut a subdued figure, lacking some of his usual cheerful flair.
On Thursday, he told the audience that “we were here to field the news with you, and I don’t know about you, but I sure have felt it.”
Colbert did not mention Trump directly on Thursday, instead using a recurring CGI wormhole gag as a metaphor for the president’s impact on US public life.
McCartney sang Beatles mega-hit “Hello, Goodbye” to the capacity crowd at New York’s Ed Sullivan theater where the Beatles performed in 1964 when they made their US debut.
“We thought America was just the land of the free, the greatest democracy. Was. Still is hopefully,” he said, wagging his finger at Colbert.
There were cameos from actors Tim Meadows, Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds and Bryan Cranston.
About the Author
Arshdeep Kaur
Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers.
Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging.
At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism.
Arshdeep’s academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist.
Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.
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