Schiff, Warren question CBS over Colbert cancellation after Trump settlement controversy
Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are demanding answers after CBS announced it will cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, raising concerns about potential political motives behind the decision.
The move comes just days after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount for a $16 million settlement with former President Donald Trump over a lawsuit alleging “election interference” tied to a 2024 60 Minutes segment on Kamala Harris, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe” during Monday’s show, joking about possible pressure from incoming Skydance Media, which is set to merge with Paramount later this year.
Schiff wrote on X:
"If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better."
Warren echoed the sentiment:
"CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after he called out Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump. America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons."
CBS denied any political link, citing “purely financial” reasons amid a challenging late-night landscape. The network said the show will end in May 2026, emphasizing it is unrelated to Colbert’s content or Paramount’s legal matters.
The Late Show, hosted by Colbert since 2015 after David Letterman’s retirement, became a key platform for liberal voices during the Trump era. Its cancellation adds to speculation about the future of Paramount-owned late-night programming amid industry-wide cost-cutting.
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