Donald Trump posted on Truth Social calling Stephen Colbert a "total jerk" after the comedian finished his final episode of The Late Show [1].
The exchange marks the end of a long-standing public feud between the two men. For years, Colbert used his platform to mock the former president, while Trump frequently criticized the host's comedy and political leanings [1, 2].
Trump's reaction came immediately after Colbert signed off from the CBS broadcast in May 2024 [1, 3]. In his social media post, Trump expressed relief that the comedian's tenure had concluded. "Thank goodness he’s finally gone," Trump said [1].
The former president did not stop at general relief, instead attacking Colbert's professional capability and personality. "You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk," Trump said [1]. He repeated the phrase "total jerk" throughout his remarks [1].
Colbert's departure concludes a run on the program that spanned 11 years [3]. Some reports describe the tenure as 11 seasons [1], though the duration of the show's run remains consistent across sources.
Throughout his time at The Late Show, Colbert became known for his sharp satirical takes on the Trump administration. This adversarial relationship ensured that the former president remained a frequent target of the show's monologues. Trump's final comments on the matter serve as a coda to a decade of televised conflict between the political figure and the satirist [1, 2].
“"Thank goodness he’s finally gone!"”
The interaction illustrates the persistent tension between populist political figures and late-night satire. By reacting immediately to Colbert's exit, Trump reinforced his brand of combativeness toward media figures who use humor as a tool for political criticism.
