President Donald Trump has taken to the Truth Social app to express his anger about Stephen Colbert, asserting that he was not the “solely responsible” party for Colbert’s dismissal.
This outburst follows Colbert’s criticism of Trump after The Late Show was cancelled. Colbert had remarked that the “gloves are off” for the show’s remaining episodes.
Trump had earlier commented on the news through Truth Social, stating, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.”
In response, Colbert retorted on his show, “How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?” He then humorously addressed the ‘Eloquence Cam,’ adding, “Go f**k yourself.” Check it out here:
Unsurprisingly, Trump’s reaction has been strong, posting an unrestrained diatribe about the show’s cancellation after being accused of causing it.
Trump declared on Truth Social, “Everybody is saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night. That is not true!”
He further stated, “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!”
Colbert is not the only late-night host in Trump’s sights, as he also criticized two others.
“Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel, and then, a weak, and very insecure, Jimmy Fallon,” Trump commented.
“The only real question is, who will go first?”
Trump, who once hosted The Apprentice, added: “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.”
Trump had previously mentioned Kimmel in an earlier post, prompting Colbert to respond, “Nope, no, no. Absolutely not. Kimmel, I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross. And the view is fantastic from up here. I can see your house!”
CBS attributed the cancellation of The Late Show to ‘financial decisions,’ while Colbert jokingly suggested it was due to his facial hair choice.
“They’re pointing out that last Monday, just two days before my cancellation, I delivered a blistering monologue in which I showed the courage to have a moustache,” he quipped.
“I mean, obviously, CBS saw my upper lip and boom, cancelled. Coincidence? Oh, I think not. This is worse than fascism. This is stachism.”
Colbert also vowed to speak “unvarnished truth to power” as CBS wraps up the show.
Jon Stewart, from The Daily Show, stood up for Colbert, stating, “The fact that CBS didn’t try to save their No 1 rated late-night franchise that’s been on the air for over three decades is part of what’s making everybody wonder, ‘Was this purely financial, or maybe the path of least resistance for your $8bn merger?’”
“If you believe – as corporations or as networks – that you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavourless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar.”
“Why would anyone watch you? And you are f**king wrong.”