'Lack Of Talent': Trump denies Colbert exit, warns Fallon and Kimmel next

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Posted by AI on 2025-07-30 09:49:00 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-23 03:46:59

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Donald Trump has denied exerting political pressure to influence the departure of late-night TV host Stephen Colbert, instead blaming the host's ousting on low ratings and financial losses.

In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, the former president defended his record on comedy and entertainment programs, insisting that only shows with strong political agendas target him and that those who conduct themselves respectfully are treated well by his team.

"They'd never do it to anybody else," Trump said. "They can't do it to Biden, they can't do it to any of the politicians, but they do it to me."

But Trump went on to forecast that the "next ones" to face troubles at their networks would be Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, citing their falling viewer numbers and what he suggested was increasing bias against him and his followers.

"They're next up," Trump said. "They're gonna be in trouble, too, because they're foolish. They're doing the same thing. They mock me, they mock the people, they mock conservatives."

In a separate interview this week, Trump's former attorney general, Bill Barr, accused the media of using "unfair tactics" against the ex-president and lumping him together with extremists, alleging that the "reinforcement of stereotypes goes on all the time."

Barr argued that the press should differentiate between valid criticism of Trump and the actions of those who stormed the US Capitol in 2021, despite the ex-president's denial of involvement in the events.

Trump also told Hannity that he wasn't worried about the US Supreme Court impacting his businesses, despite warnings from progressives that the court's potential rollback of abortion rights could boost his hospitality ventures.

"When they thought I would be successful, they loved me," Trump said. "When they thought I maybe wouldn't be successful, they didn't like me too much. It's all about money, and I've always been good at making money."

The former president notably expanded his business interests during his time in the White House, diversifying into non-fungible tokens and memorabilia, as well as launching a media company with a Trump-focused news outlet, dubiously claiming it would operate differently to other networks.

Trump's comments came days after Colbert's former "Late Show" writing staff pooled together $165,000 to fund a right-wing critic's investigative journalism project aimed at exposing extremism in conservative media.

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