Bill Carter Alleges Personal Involvement of Trump in Colbert’s Show Cancellation

Bill Carter, a seasoned reporter, alleges that President Donald Trump played a personal role in the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, referencing Trump’s reaction to the show’s series finale.

On MS Now’s “The Weekend,” Carter remarked, “It’s not a good development for the country, obviously. Certainly the idea that he throws a man in the dumpster at the end indicates that he was personally involved.”

Carter was commenting on an AI-generated video posted on Trump’s official X account, featuring Trump grabbing Colbert during the show and throwing him into a large dumpster, and subsequently dancing to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert concluded its series finale on May 21. Carter, who authored The Late Shift, a book detailing the clash between former “Late Show” host David Letterman and “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno, was among several who believed Trump’s ongoing feud with Colbert influenced the show’s termination.

“The government was pushing to get rid of this man because he was a critic,” Carter noted. “That is so alien to our values that I think most Americans—even those who are kind of neutral—realize this is not something we do. We don’t shut people up because they criticize us.”

President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video showing himself throwing Stephen Colbert into a dumpster after Colbert’s final show. Carter accused CBS of yielding to Trump, claiming the network’s cancellation claim related to financial reasons was unconvincing.

“I think CBS, when they gave in on the lawsuit that Trump filed against ’60 Minutes’, was sending a signal that they’re not going to be the independent journalism outfit they should be,” Carter stated. “By ending Colbert and the time slot, they said, we’re not in the same business anymore. We’re giving up because perhaps it would be difficult to hire someone who wouldn’t make jokes about the president.”

Carter pointed out Colbert’s criticism of Trump, as a study by the Media Research Center found that Colbert made 3,639 jokes about Trump from January 3, 2023, until the show’s end.

The show’s financial issues were cited for its cancellation last summer, a claim Colbert disputed. Reports indicated that “The Late Show” was losing CBS $40 million annually.