Stephen Colbert Ends Run as Late Show Host After Partisan Trump-Era Run

Stephen Colbert's run as host of The Late Show ends this week after a tenure that turned the CBS program into a frequent platform for Democratic politicians and criticism of Donald Trump.

Colbert hosted left-wing journalists and hosts more than 200 times during his time on the show. In a May 2017 monologue, he responded to Trump's comments about CBS colleague John Dickerson by calling Trump a "Presidunce" and a "Prick-tator" and referring to his presidency as "Disgrace the Nation." He also said Trump's mouth was good for "being Vladimir Putin's c--k holster." Colbert later said he had no regrets but would change some of the cruder wording.

After Joe Biden's 2020 victory, Colbert danced and drank champagne on air while declaring Biden the next president. He said he cried when the result was called and expressed relief that he would no longer have to discuss Trump.

During the COVID pandemic, Colbert ran a recurring segment called "The Vax-Scene" that used cartoon syringes and later live dancers in syringe costumes to promote vaccines. The performance drew criticism as propaganda for the Biden administration.

In August 2021, Colbert was filmed backstage at a Central Park concert dancing with then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Critics said the moment showed the two men were out of touch as the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan continued.

In March 2024, Colbert moderated a conversation between Biden and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at a New York fundraiser that raised $26 million for Biden's campaign. Tickets started at $250, with some packages reaching $500,000.

In February, Colbert interviewed Texas state Rep. James Talarico during the Democratic Senate primary. CBS said it gave the show legal guidance and decided to air the interview only on YouTube to avoid equal-time requirements. The interview drew more than 9 million views, and Talarico said it helped raise $2.5 million. He won the primary days later.

Colbert also interviewed Obama at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Obama praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an "extraordinary talent" who talks like a normal person and names what is wrong without "gobbledygook."