CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be canceled in May 2026 due to financial reasons. Despite its long-standing dominance in U.S. late-night television ratings, the show will end after more than a decade under Colbert’s leadership. The program has hosted numerous K-pop groups, including BTS, Seventeen, and Tomorrow X Together, who used the platform to promote new music and connect with American fans.
The cancellation follows renewed political tension surrounding Donald Trump’s re-election as president. Colbert, who succeeded David Letterman in 2015, has consistently criticized Trump throughout his tenure. Letterman had hosted the show from 1993 to 2015. CBS’s parent company, Paramount, is currently seeking a merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—now chaired by President Trump. Observers have raised concerns that Colbert’s critical stance on Trump may have become a liability, with the show’s cancellation potentially linked to broader political and corporate considerations.
On July 18, Trump posted on social media, “I’m so happy Colbert got fired. He’s a no-talent guy with terrible ratings.” In response, Colbert addressed the remarks during the July 21 episode of The Late Show, saying, “How dare he say that. Could a no-talent guy do satire like this? Eat dirt.” He added, “Over the weekend, it really sank in that The Late Show is ending. But they made one mistake—they left me alive. For the next ten months, I get to speak truth to power.” Colbert concluded with a pointed statement: “I don’t like him. He’s not fit to be president. That office is not for him,” drawing strong applause from the audience.
