Sanders, Warren accuse CBS of canceling Colbert's show in appeal to Trump
Why it matters: Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) accused CBS of placating President Trump as its parent company Paramount is closing in on a merger deal.
Driving the news: CBS on Thursday said it was canceling "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" after the next season in May 2026.
CBS said in a statement the decision came "against a challenging backdrop in late night" and it's "not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
What they're saying: Sanders and Warren suggested that Colbert's recent criticism of Paramount's settlement with Trump motivated its cancellation of "The Late Show."
"CBS canceled Colbert's show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery," Warren asserted on X Thursday night, repeating Colbert's accusation.
"Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late night host, slams the deal," Sanders said on X Friday morning. "Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO."
"If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better," Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also wrote on X Thursday.
State of play: Trump has in taken aim at late-night comedians in the past, and celebrated the show's cancellation on his Truth Social platform on Friday.
"I absolutely love that Colbert got fired," Trump wrote. "His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next," he said, with Kimmel being another vocal critic of his.
In response to an Axios request for comment, the White House referred to Trump's Truth Social post.
Flashback: CBS parent company Paramount Global said earlier this month that it would pay $16 million to settle a voter interference lawsuit filed by Trump last October, even as press freedom advocates warned the company was buckling to political pressure.
The settlement likely clears the way for Paramount Global to merge with Skydance Media.
The move was widely criticized by free speech advocates, with The Freedom for the Press Foundation filing a shareholder information demand.
Catch up quick: Colbert previously slammed his parent company in a segment following the settlement.
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