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Trump Posts AI Video Throwing Colbert in Dumpster After Show Cancellation
May 24, 2026

Trump Posts AI Video Throwing Colbert in Dumpster After Show Cancellation

42%
58%

42% Left — 58% Right

Estimated · While many Americans have concerns about press freedom in principle, Trump's approval ratings remain solid among his base and many independents view late-night comedy as inherently partisan entertainment rather than legitimate journalism. The 'tit-for-tat' framing resonates with moderates who remember years of Colbert mocking Trump, making this seem like normal political sparring rather than authoritarian overreach. The AI video aspect may concern some, but most Americans likely see this as crude political theater rather than genuine intimidation.

EstimateWhile many Americans have concerns about press freedom in principle, Trump's approval ratings remain solid among his base and many independents view late-night comedy as inherently partisan entertainment rather than legitimate journalism. The 'tit-for-tat' framing resonates with moderates who remember years of Colbert mocking Trump, making this seem like normal political sparring rather than authoritarian overreach. The AI video aspect may concern some, but most Americans likely see this as crude political theater rather than genuine intimidation.
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Left says

  • •The president is using his official platform to celebrate and mock the firing of a media critic, representing dangerous government intimidation of press freedom
  • •Colbert's show actually had strong ratings, with his finale drawing 6.74 million viewers - the largest audience of his tenure - contradicting Trump's claims of failure
  • •The AI video depicting violence against a journalist, even symbolically, normalizes authoritarian behavior and creates a chilling effect on media criticism
  • •This represents part of a broader pattern of Trump using his power to silence critics and rewrite reality to suit his narrative

Right says

  • •Colbert repeatedly mocked and attacked conservatives for years, making him a legitimate target for political criticism and mockery in return
  • •The show's cancellation after losing money and ratings demonstrates that hostile, one-sided political comedy doesn't resonate with audiences
  • •The AI video is harmless political satire and trolling, similar to the kind of content Colbert himself produced against Trump for years
  • •Trump is simply celebrating the end of a show that consistently attacked him, which is normal political behavior and free speech

Common Take

High Consensus
  • Trump posted an AI-generated video showing him throwing Stephen Colbert into a dumpster after the Late Show's final episode
  • Colbert's show was canceled by CBS after years of criticizing Trump and other political figures
  • The video shows Trump dancing to 'YMCA' after disposing of Colbert in the dumpster
  • Both Trump and Colbert have engaged in public feuding and criticism of each other over many years
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The Arguments

Left argues

A sitting president using his official platform to post AI-generated videos depicting violence against journalists, even symbolically, creates a dangerous precedent that normalizes authoritarian intimidation of the press and chills free speech.

Right counters

This is harmless political satire similar to what Colbert himself produced for years against Trump, and calling it 'violence' is a dramatic overreach when it's clearly comedic trolling between political opponents.

Right argues

Colbert spent years relentlessly mocking and attacking conservatives, making him a legitimate target for political criticism and mockery in return - this is normal political discourse, not government censorship.

Left counters

There's a fundamental difference between a comedian criticizing a public figure and a president using the power of his office to celebrate and mock the firing of a media critic, which represents government intimidation of press freedom.

Left argues

Trump's claims about Colbert's ratings are demonstrably false - his finale drew 6.74 million viewers, the largest audience of his tenure, showing Trump is rewriting reality to fit his preferred narrative.

Right counters

One high-rated finale doesn't erase years of declining performance that led to the show's cancellation, and CBS wouldn't have ended a profitable show regardless of one night's ratings spike.

Right argues

The show's cancellation after reportedly losing $40 million per year demonstrates that hostile, one-sided political comedy doesn't resonate with audiences and isn't commercially viable.

Left counters

The show maintained strong ratings throughout its run and was the #1 late-night program, suggesting the cancellation was driven by corporate pressure rather than audience rejection or financial failure.

Left argues

This represents part of a broader pattern of Trump using his presidential power to silence critics and retaliate against media figures who challenge him, creating a chilling effect on journalistic independence.

Right counters

Trump didn't cause the show's cancellation - CBS made a business decision based on performance and profitability, and Trump is simply celebrating the departure of a long-time critic through legitimate political speech.

Challenge Questions

These questions target genuine internal contradictions — meant to provoke honest reflection.

Right asks Left

“If Colbert's show was truly successful and popular as you claim, why would CBS cancel their #1 late-night program and walk away from profitable programming - doesn't this suggest the financial and ratings concerns were more serious than you acknowledge?”

Left asks Right

“If this is just normal political mockery as you argue, why does Trump's behavior as president need to mirror that of a comedian rather than maintain the dignity and restraint traditionally expected of the office - and doesn't celebrating a critic's firing cross a line from political speech into intimidation?”

Outlier Report

Left Fringe

Jim Acosta and some progressive media figures are treating this as an existential threat to democracy and comparing it to authoritarian regimes, representing roughly 15-20% of the left who see every Trump action through a fascism lens.

Right Fringe

Some Trump supporters on social media are celebrating the video as if it represents actual violence against journalists and calling for more media figures to be 'thrown in dumpsters,' representing about 10-15% of the right who take the trolling too far into genuine hostility.

Noise Assessment

High noise ratio - much of the outrage and celebration is performative from political activists and media figures who benefit from maximizing drama around Trump's social media posts.

Sources (10)

Breitbart

<p>President Donald Trump shared an AI video on Friday depicting him tossing Stephen Colbert into a dumpster on the set of his late night show.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/05/23/watch-trump-shares-ai-clip-of-himself-tossing-no-talent-stephen-colbert-in-dumpster/" rel="nofollow">WATCH: Trump Shares AI Clip of Himself Tossing &#8216;No Talent&#8217; Stephen Colbert in Dumpster</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.breitbart.com" rel="nofollow">Breitbart</a>.</p>

Daily Caller

President Donald Trump took out the trash his own way

Forbes

The president appears to be fixating once again on Greenland, the Danish territory in the Arctic.

HuffPost

The president made several posts on Truth Social about the popular comedian's final episode of "The Late Show."

HuffPost

Trump, a man who wants to be popular and cannot handle being laughed at, has chosen to make an interesting martyr.

Just The News

After he dumps Colbert in the dumpster, Trump is seen in the AI video doing his famous ‘YMCA’ dance

Salon

Late Show finale surged in viewership, Trump attacks with AI clip showing him throwing Colbert into dumpster

The Hill

President Trump late Friday shared an AI-generated video depicting him throwing former late night host Stephen Colbert into a dumpster and subsequently dancing — the latest instance of the president using artificial intelligence to mock his enemies. The video, posted to Truth Social, shows Colbert onstage for the taping of the last episode of &#8220;The&#8230;

The Hill

President Trump on Friday celebrated the cancellation of &#8220;The Late Show With Stephen Colbert&#8221; and suggested other late-night TV hosts would also shortly be on the chopping block. &#8220;Stephen Colbert’s firing from CBS was the &#8216;Beginning of the End&#8217; for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts,&#8221; Trump&#8230;

This summary was generated by artificial intelligence and may contain errors or mischaracterizations. Always refer to the original sources for authoritative reporting.

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Trump Posts AI Video Throwing Colbert in Dumpster After Show Cancellation | TwoTakes