Late-night show hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon will be the next to go after Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show was canceled, according to Donald Trump.
In a Truth Social post Tuesday, the U.S. president suggested it was only a matter of time before Kimmel and Fallon were fired, and appeared to take credit for it.
“The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, Fallon will be gone,” Trump wrote.
Highlights
- Donald Trump claims Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are next to be canceled after Stephen Colbert's show was axed.
- Trump accused Kimmel and Fallon of having no talent and took credit for their reported upcoming cancellations.
- CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert citing financial reasons, causing backlash and political concerns.
Donald Trump said Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon will be the next talk show hosts to be canceled
Image credits: Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty Images
“These are people with absolutely NO TALENT, who were paid Millions of Dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be GREAT Television.
“It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it!”
It comes after CBS axed The Late Show with Stephen Colbert earlier this week, confirming it would not continue when the current season ends in May 2026.
Image credits: Bruce Glikas/WireImage
The decision sparked backlash and concerns that it was politically motivated after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount for settling a $16 million lawsuit with Trump.
Paramount is also hoping to merge with Skydance Media, a move that would need approval from the Trump administration.
In a show of solidarity with Colbert, several of his late-night talk show peers and fellow comedians attended his show on Monday.
Image credits: Donald J Trump
Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Andy Cohen came together with Anderson Cooper, Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to appear in a spoof of the Coldplay kiss cam drama.
As Coldplay’s Viva La Vida played in the studio and the camera panned to the audience, the comedians acted up for the ‘kiss cam.’
The spoof then ended with a virtual Trump hugging the Paramount logo before ducking and mimicking the reaction of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron when he was caught embracing his HR chief, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert last week.
CBS said Colbert’s show was canceled due to financial pressures
“Uh oh, these two are either having an affair or they’re just very shy,” one of the musicians said.
Colbert then poked fun at his own situation by ordering the band to stop playing, saying a letter from corporate had come in citing “purely financial reasons” for cancelling the band’s performance.
Kimmel didn’t appear in the sketch but had supported Colbert on social media, sharing a clip of him announcing the cancellation on his Instagram story.
“Love you, Stephen,” he wrote. “F**k you and all your Sheldons, CBS.”
Colbert’s axe came after he likened Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris last year to a “big, fat bribe.”
Image credits: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images
There had been reports that the merger would put pressure on Colbert for being a vocal critic of Trump.
Referring to this, Colbert placed a fake mustache on his face.
“Okay, but how are they going to put pressure on Stephen Colbert if they can’t find him?” he told the audience, pointing to his mustache.
In a statement, CBS said, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.
“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Several politicians called for transparency after the announcement, amid concerns that the cancellation was a political move.