CBS Is Ending ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ — And Trump Might Be Part of the Reason, Despite What the Network Says
CBS has officially announced that Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” will come to an end in May 2026. The network said the decision was financial, not personal.
In a statement from CBS executives, they explained, “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise in May of 2026. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television. 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.”
Colbert found out about the network’s choice on Wednesday night. At the taping of Thursday’s episode, he told his audience what was happening. “It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it,” he joked. As people in the audience booed, he added, “Yeah, I share your feelings. It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
However, many in the industry are questioning whether money was the only reason for the cancellation. CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, is in the process of being taken over by Skydance Media, led by David Ellison.
According to several reports, including from Variety and Deadline, Ellison has shown personal interest in politics and seems to lean toward supporting Donald Trump. That fact has raised concerns, since both Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, another late-night host from Comedy Central, which is also owned by Paramount, are known for being highly critical of Trump. Their monologues often focus on attacking his policies, his statements, and his influence on American politics.
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff commented about the situation on social media, after taping an appearance on “The Late Show.” He said, “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.” Many fans and industry insiders are asking whether Colbert’s political commentary played a role in the decision to shut down the show.
Just finished taping with Stephen Colbert who announced his show was cancelled.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) July 17, 2025
If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.
CBS’s move surprised many people in the industry. Usually, when a major show like this is ending, networks announce it during the spring “upfront” meetings with advertisers. That way, they can market the final season and attract higher advertising rates, much like NBC did when Johnny Carson announced his retirement. CBS did not do that this time, leaving many to speculate that other reasons might be involved.
Since taking over “The Late Show” in 2015, Colbert has had a complicated journey. He began his career as a character on Comedy Central, pretending to be a conservative pundit.
When he moved to CBS, he had to reinvent himself as a more authentic version of himself. His early shows were met with mixed reactions, and some people doubted whether he could fill the shoes of David Letterman.
But during the 2016 presidential election, Colbert’s tone changed. On election night, when Donald Trump won, Colbert connected with his audience through sharp political commentary. After that, he leaned into politics more directly, criticizing Trump frequently and building a solid audience base that appreciated his approach.
Even though “The Late Show” often had the highest ratings in late-night TV, CBS still decided to pull the plug. It’s unclear whether the network truly sees this as a simple financial move, or whether the arrival of new leadership at Skydance could be pushing for changes behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, other networks like NBC are still betting on late-night shows. NBC is keeping “Saturday Night Live” alive with major advertisers and even creating new projects with Jimmy Fallon, like a marketing-focused show called “On Brand.”
As for what CBS plans to do after Colbert signs off, that’s anyone’s guess. They’ve reportedly been airing reruns of Byron Allen’s comedy roundtable show in the late-night slot left open after cancelling “After Midnight.” Whether they’ll find a new host, create a new show, or exit late-night completely after Colbert’s departure remains unknown.
For now, CBS insists this isn’t about politics. But given the timing of the corporate takeover and Colbert’s outspoken criticism of Trump, not everyone is convinced.
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