Rather than taking a victory lap after hosting the Kennedy Center Honors for the first time, Donald Trump spent Tuesday night doing more of the same — blasting Stephen Colbert on Truth Social.
“Stephen Colbert is a pathetic trainwreck, with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success,” Trump posted to Truth Social late Tuesday night. “Now, after being terminated by CBS, but left out to dry, he has actually gotten worse, along with his nonexistent ratings. Stephen is running on hatred and fumes ~ A dead man walking! CBS should, ‘put him to sleep,’ NOW, it is the humanitarian thing to do!”
Funnily enough, the monologue Trump was ragging on wasn’t new: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” reran its Dec. 8 episode Tuesday ahead of Christmas. The rerun appeared strategic, as Colbert used that monologue — which aired the day after Trump filmed the Kennedy Center Honors — to jab at the president and the event.
“This year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony is the very first since Trump installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center’s board,” Colbert said to the audience’s boos. “It seems like the Commander in Chief shouldn’t have enough time to run a theater: ‘Mr. President! Mr. President! Russia has just launched another round of missiles, but first, dress rehearsal of ‘Oklahoma!’ is underway, and the blocking is uninspired!’”
Colbert made several more digs at Trump’s expense throughout the monologue, including saying that Will Smith “had the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever,” implying the actor should’ve slapped Trump on stage. The late night host also tossed out a half-hearted Trump impression before adding, “At this point, I don’t know how much effort I’m putting into the impression anymore, and I don’t care.”
But Trump certainly cared. Seven minutes after his initial post, the president followed up on Truth Social, asking, “Who has the worst Late Night host, CBS, ABC, or NBC??? They all have three things in common: High Salaries, No Talent, REALLY LOW RATINGS!” Thirteen minutes after that, he made a third post saying that shows like Colbert’s (which was already canceled earlier this year) should have their broadcast licenses revoked.
“If Network NEWSCASTS, and their Late Night Shows, are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party, shouldn’t their very valuable Broadcast Licenses be terminated?” Trump posted. “I say, YES!”
Six minutes after that, Trump followed up with one final thought: “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!”
