Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are, according to Donald Trump, the next casualties in what he’s gleefully dubbed the “Untalented Late Night Sweepstakes.”
In a typically fiery Truth Social post, the US President declared:
“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. 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!”
This comes just days after CBS confirmed it will retire The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, ending a successful 10-year run that often made Donald Trump its favourite punchline.
CBS insists the decision to axe Colbert’s show is a financial one, unrelated to content or popularity. Still, Colbert’s sharp political satire—frequently aimed at Trump—was a hallmark of the programme’s success, making it one of the most-watched shows in US late-night TV. The network has confirmed there will be no replacement, with new episodes airing until the end of the current broadcast season.
Colbert’s farewell episode, which aired Monday night, was a glitzy send-off featuring fellow comedians John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, and celebrities including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Weird Al Yankovic, Anderson Cooper, and Adam Sandler.
Ever the provocateur, Stephen Colbert also took aim at the $16 million legal settlement paid to Trump over a 60 Minutes segment, calling it a, “big fat bribe.”
‘Not done yet’
Donald Trump boasted about the CBS payout, calling it a “BIG AND IMPORTANT WIN” in his battle against CBS, 60 Minutes, and parent company Paramount. He added: “We also anticipate receiving $20 Million Dollars more… for a total of over $36 Million Dollars.”
As Paramount seeks approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, late-night TV seems to be entering its most political—and satirical—season finale yet.