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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
World
Thea Felicity

Was Trump Behind Stephen Colbert's Exit? Veteran Reporter Suggests President May Be 'Personally Involved'

A screenshot of the AI-generated video posted to Donald Trump's official Instagram account on 22 May 2026, depicting an AI version of Stephen Colbert being thrown into a green dumpster on The Late Show set. (Credit: Screenshot from TruthSocial/@realDonaldTrump)

Donald Trump was reportedly 'personally involved' in the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's late-night show after veteran television journalist Bill Carter suggested the former president's public reaction to Colbert's final episode may point to deeper political pressure behind the scenes.

The analysis comes after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired its final episode on 21 May, bringing an end to a long-running programme that had become one of the most prominent late-night platforms for political satire in American television.

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