Charlamagne calls Colbert cancellation ‘authoritarian rule’ by Trump

Radio host Charlamagne tha God ranted on Friday about CBS canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” arguing it was part of President Donald Trump’s authoritarian playbook.

Colbert announced to his audience Thursday that CBS is axing his show in spring 2026. The host’s announcement was met with boos in the studio, as well as displeasure from his liberal fans online.

The show’s cancellation follows the network and its parent company’s settlement with Trump earlier this month after he sued both for “election interference” over a “60 Minutes” interview edit of his 2024 opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

On Friday’s episode of the Breakfast Club radio show, Charlamagne dubbed CBS and its parent company Paramount the ignominious title of the program’s “Donkey of the Day” in response, while acknowledging that Paramount has provided him with “a lot of opportunities over the years.”

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Radio host Charlamagne Tha God ranted on Friday that America is already under “authoritarian rule.”

Charlamagne noted that “The Late Show’s” cancellation announcement happened three days after Colbert criticized the settlement between Trump and Paramount as a “big, fat bribe” on air.  

“It’s so obvious that Paramount is doing this to appease Donald Trump,” the radio host said. “Paramount cut a $16 million check to Donald Trump so they can get their merger approved and keep the FCC off their backs. That’s not business. That’s extortion dressed up in a suit and tie. That’s hush money for the truth. Steven Colbert gets his show canceled after calling out the deal. That’s not coincidence. That’s consequence. That’s what happens when you speak truth to power in a country where the power don’t want to hear the truth.”

He also raged at the Trump administration as an authoritarian regime trying to shut down dissenting views.

“This is textbook authoritarian rule,” he said. “‘Target your critics,’ ‘centralize power in a few hands,’ ‘intimidate through punishment or removal.’ And you know what that usually does? Shuts people the F up. Okay? Tightens control over public discourse. Sends a message to all media outlets that criticism of Trump could cost you access, approval, editorial control, or your job. This is what authoritarian regimes do. They weaponize legal systems to punish dissent and control messaging.” 

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Colbert has been a consistent critic of Trump and his allies in recent years, and recently blasted his own network after the Paramount settlement. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images; Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

Charlamagne went on to claim that “The Late Show” has continually had strong ratings and suddenly deciding to end it after political criticism sends a clear message.

“It becomes a warning. ‘Speak out and we will silence you.’ That is textbook authoritarian strategy. Okay? Because it deters further criticism through the fear of retaliation. Okay? ‘Make America North Korea.’ ‘Make America China.’ ‘Make America Russia,’” he said. “That’s where we are if we live in a country where there is strategic silence within corporate or media power structures to limit dissent. Okay, when that happens – well, it’s already happened! We are fully under authoritarian rule.”

“This is not just a media story. It’s a free speech funeral in slow motion,” he added.

CBS said in its statement announcing the cancellation that it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” adding, “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Reports indicate “The Late Show” was losing CBS $40 million a year.

However, liberal critics, including several top Democrats, have expressed outrage towards CBS, insisting Colbert’s show was canceled for political reasons. 

White House Spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital, “The simple reality is that Stephen Colbert’s overdone and unoriginal ‘comedy’ schtick blasting President Trump and Republicans every night is just not that funny or entertaining.”

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President Donald Trump on Friday celebrated that Stephen Colbert’s late-night show was canceled. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

Trump celebrated “The Late Show” cancellation on Truth Social.

“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” he said. “His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.”

Fox News Channel’s “Gutfeld!” has surged to become late-night’s highest-rated program. In the second quarter of 2025, the show, hosted by Fox star Greg Gutfeld, notched 3 million viewers and 365,000 in the 25-54 age demographic at the 10 p.m. ET hour. 

In addition to routing cable news competition, “Gutfeld!” outpaced all broadcast and late-night television, including “The Late Show” and other such established programs as Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to Paramount and did not receive an immediate response.

Fox News’ Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.