Stephen Colbert Addresses 'Theories' The Late Show's Sudden Axing Was Trump 'Motivated': 'Reasonable to Think'

Stephen Colbert addressed “theories” that The Late Show’s sudden cancelation was “politically motivated,” as the move came shortly after the talk show host criticized parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump.

“That’s not my reaction to it. My reaction as a professional in show business is to go: That is the network’s decision,” Colbert, 61, told a news outlet in an interview published on Monday, November 3.

Trump, 79, sued Paramount in October 2024 for what he viewed as deceptive editing of presidential candidate Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election. The lawsuit was settled in July for $16 million. Shortly after Colbert criticized Paramount for the settlement, the host announced his long-running show would be coming to an end in May 2026.

“I can understand why people would have that reaction because CBS or the parent corporation — I’m not going to say who made that decision, because I don’t know; no one’s ever going to tell us — decided to cut a check for $16 million to the president of the United States over a lawsuit that their own lawyers, Paramount’s own lawyers, said is completely without merit,” Colbert told the outlet. “And it is self-evident that that is damaging to the reputation of the network, the corporation, and the news division. So it is unclear to me why anyone would do that other than to curry favor with a single individual.”

The decision was blamed on “economics,” according to CBS chief George Cheeks. However, others believed that outside factors influenced the decision, with senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff suggesting the move was politically motivated.

“If people have theories that associate me with that, it’s a reasonable thing to think, because CBS or the corporation clearly did it once. But my side of the street is clean and I have no interest in picking up a broom or adding to refuse on the other side of the street,” Colbert concluded. “Not my problem. So people can have their theories. I have my feelings about not doing the show anymore, but you’d have to show me why that’s a fruitful relationship for me to have with my network for the next nine months, for me to engage in that speculation.”