Stephen Colbert has always taken pride in being one of Trump’s loudest late-night critics—but now that CBS is pulling the plug on The Late Show, Colbert is lashing out in full fury. After the network announced his show will end in May 2026, the left-wing host used his Monday broadcast to fire back at President Trump with profanity and a jab-laced farewell.

The tension began when CBS cited financial issues behind the decision to retire The Late Show. Despite trying to frame it as unrelated to Colbert’s content or performance, insiders confirmed he was bleeding the network around $40 million annually. That cost-cutting move came just days after Colbert publicly blasted CBS for a $16 million legal settlement with Trump—fueling suspicions that his outspokenness may have hastened his departure.

President Trump certainly thought so. Never one to miss a chance to gloat, he celebrated the cancelation by calling Colbert “untalented” and “even worse than his ratings.” Trump didn’t stop there—he took shots at other liberal hosts too, predicting Jimmy Kimmel could be next. He praised Greg Gutfeld as being “better than all of them combined.”

That was too much for Colbert, who snapped on air. After mocking Trump with faux-eloquence and sarcastic fanfare, he delivered a crude message straight into the camera: “Go f**k yourself.” His studio audience cheered as he reveled in the backlash, fully embracing his role as the sacrificial martyr of late-night TV.

Colbert also took a swipe at Trump’s Kimmel jab, declaring, “I am the martyr. There’s only room for one on this cross.” He punctuated the line with another mocking nod to Trump, saying, “And the view is fantastic from up here. I can see your house!”

While Colbert attempted to spin his exit as an act of noble defiance, the reality behind the scenes tells a more complicated story. Reports indicate the show’s massive budget and declining returns were simply unsustainable in the current TV landscape. The fact that Colbert employed a crew of 200 added to the financial strain, even as ratings trended downward.

Whether or not politics played a role in the decision, it’s clear Colbert is using the moment to relaunch his public feud with Trump—something he’s relied on for ratings and relevance since 2016. But with his show now on the chopping block, he may have just played his last hand.

Meanwhile, Trump’s media victories continue to pile up. Gutfeld’s Fox News show consistently ranks as one of the most-watched in late-night, with a formula that leans into conservative comedy instead of ideological scolding. While liberal hosts mock and melt down, conservative audiences appear to be growing—tuning out the lectures and tuning into something that punches back.

As the battle over media influence enters a new chapter, Colbert’s parting words may serve as his lasting legacy—not satire or wit, but one last profanity shouted into the void.