President Donald Trump is taking a victory lap after the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, insisting he wasn’t behind the move—but also making it very clear he’s enjoying every second of it.

In a scathing post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Colbert’s firing had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with ratings and revenue. “Everybody is saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS,” Trump wrote. “That is not true! The reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the fact that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million Dollars a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE!”

But he didn’t stop there.

Late-Night Bloodbath Coming?

Trump predicted a full domino effect, calling out Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon as the next dominoes to fall. “Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel, and then, a weak, and very insecure, Jimmy Fallon,” Trump wrote. He framed their survival as a simple matter of ratings—succeed and say what you want, fail and you’re finished.

“Show Biz and Television is a very simple business. If you get Ratings, you can say or do anything. If you don’t, you always become a victim. Colbert became a victim to himself, the other two will follow,” he said.

This comes just weeks after CBS announced they were shuttering “The Late Show” in 2026, ending Colbert’s reign with a statement that tried to downplay the political drama. CBS called it a “purely financial decision” and said Colbert’s exit had “nothing to do with performance, content, or any other matters happening at Paramount.”

The Political Subtext

That statement hasn’t satisfied critics, many of whom believe Colbert’s public condemnation of CBS’s $16 million Trump settlement over the Skydance merger played a role in the show’s demise. Colbert had labeled the deal a “big, fat bribe” on air, possibly irritating network brass during a delicate corporate realignment.

Still, insiders say Colbert’s show was hemorrhaging money—reportedly losing $40 million annually—and employing a massive staff of 200 people. That kind of financial bleeding likely made the show an easy target as executives sought to clean house during Paramount’s restructuring.

Trump’s Personal Grudge?

Trump has long bristled at being lampooned nightly by Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon. His comments this week suggest a mix of vindication and vengeance. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” he previously posted. “His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”

He added that Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld is “better than all of them combined,” throwing praise toward the only right-leaning host currently dominating the late-night landscape.

Colbert Fires Back

Colbert didn’t take the attacks lying down. In a now-viral clip, the former host said bluntly, “Go f*** yourself” to the president—no punchlines, no satire, just a raw response to the man he mocked for years.

With Trump aiming fire at the rest of late-night’s liberal guard, the battle between politics and pop culture is far from over. And as media giants continue slashing costs in a shaky economy, the political leanings—and profitability—of on-air personalities may decide who stays and who gets the ax.