Trump Turns Toward Kimmel and Fallon After Colbert Wraps Up His Show

Donald Trump escalated his feud with late-night television this week, taking shots at Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon. He dismissed them as talentless and predicted that once Colbert’s program ends, others could follow.

During a White House press conference, Trump said the hosts lacked skill. He even suggested that a random person from the street could perform just as well—if not better—and still draw more viewers than Colbert.

He went further, warning Fallon and Kimmel that their own shows might not be safe and could also face cancellation in the near future.

CBS had already announced in July that The Late Show will conclude in 2026. The network cited financial reasons, particularly declining advertising revenue, despite Colbert’s show holding the top spot in late night for nearly a decade.

Some speculate that the decision wasn’t only about money. Colbert had openly criticized Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, after it reached a settlement with Trump—fueling suspicion of political influence.

Kimmel publicly backed Colbert, even appearing on a billboard in West Hollywood promoting Colbert’s Emmy campaign instead of his own. Fallon, meanwhile, appears safer with his contract running until 2028 and additional projects like Password and a new reality show, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon.

Industry analysts note Fallon and Seth Meyers seem the most secure for now, but late-night TV overall faces challenges with shrinking ad revenue and competition from streaming. Colbert himself fired back, using a monologue to accuse networks of caving to what he called Trump’s “vindictive” pressure.