Stephen Colbert may be one of Donald Trump’s most vocal critics, but The Late Show host has no intentions of transitioning into politics once his late-night program comes to an end in May 2026. As reported by PEOPLE, Colbert said, “Absolutely, I should not run for president,” when asked about the possibility during a December 18th appearance at Slate’s Political Gabfest event.
“I understand why you’d want me to,” he continued. “I’d have to discuss with my faith leader and my family to see if, once my service on the Late Show ends in May, if I could be of some greater service to this nation that I love so much.”
CBS cited financial reasons while announcing the cancellation of The Late Show in July, though some viewed it as a potential casualty of Trump’s war on comedy. In a recent GQ interview, Colbert clarified that he has no plans to retire once the show concludes, expressing interest in “creating things” with both his current collaborators and new partners. “I just love making things,” he explained.
