AP Photo/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that television networks airing “negative” coverage of him should have their broadcast licenses “terminated” in a series of late-night rants against CBS, ABC, and NBC.
“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? I say, YES!” wrote Trump in a 12:36 a.m. Truth Social post.
In a follow-up post just three minutes later, the president added, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!”
Earlier in the evening, Trump ranted against CBS, ABC, and NBC, and attacked Late Show host Stephen Colbert as a “dead man walking” who should be put “to sleep.”
“Stephen Colbert is a pathetic trainwreck, with no talent or anything else necessary for show business success,” wrote Trump. “Now, after being terminated by CBS, but left out to dry, he has actually gotten worse, along with his nonexistent ratings.”
He continued, “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!”
“Who has the worst Late Night host, CBS, ABC, or NBC???” Trump added in another post. “They all have three things in common: High Salaries, No Talent, REALLY LOW RATINGS!”
Trump has frequently posted rants against late-night television hosts and celebrated news of Colbert’s cancelation in July.
“I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” he wrote at the time. “Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.”
While Colbert’s show was canceled in July, he is not scheduled to go off the air until May 2026.
The president also celebrated Jimmy Kimmel’s brief suspension from ABC in September, before expressing anger at his return just a week later.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!” Trump protested. “He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
