Trump dances on Colbert’s Late Show grave with AI dumpster video

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

President Donald Trump has shared a heavily edited, AI-generated video on Truth Social Friday evening, targeting Stephen Colbert following the final broadcast of The Late Show the night before.

The doctored clip depicts the president walking up behind the late-night host, physically lifting him and depositing him into a dumpster. The video then cuts to Trump dancing to the song “YMCA” by the Village People before a cheering crowd.

The post marks the latest escalation in a long-standing dispute between Trump and the former television host.

Following the show’s final broadcast Thursday, Trump praised the conclusion of the program on social media, writing that Colbert was a “total jerk” with “no talent, no ratings, no life.”

“Thank goodness he’s finally gone!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The post is the latest escalation in a years-long feud between Donald Trump and Stephen Colbert, who frequently traded public insults over the comedian’s 11 seasons on air (Getty)

CBS announced the cancellation of the 33-year late-night franchise last July. At the time, the network described the move as “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” rather than a reflection of the program’s content or performance.

But the cancellation occurred just days after Colbert publicly criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount, for agreeing to a $16 million settlement with Trump.

The legal dispute involved allegations that 60 Minutes had deceptively edited a 2024 interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the presidential campaign. Colbert had joked about the payment on air, referring to it as a “big fat bribe.”

Stephen Colbert and Paul McCartney during the finale of 'The Late Show' — Stephen Colbert and Paul McCartney during the finale of ‘The Late Show’ (Scott Kowalchyk /CBS)

Despite the controversy, Colbert’s final episode drew 6.74 million viewers, making it the most-watched weeknight episode of his 11-year tenure as host. Throughout its final season, the series maintained an average audience of 2.7 million viewers.

The final broadcast featured appearances by several prominent figures, including a joint segment with rival late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver.

Paul McCartney served as the final guest, performing The Beatles’ song “Hello, Goodbye” alongside Colbert, his family and production staff.

The program concluded with McCartney and Colbert symbolically pulling a power lever backstage at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater, turning out the building’s lights.