Trump mocks Jimmy Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert in beggar cartoon
President Trump shared a Truth Social cartoon depicting Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert as sidewalk beggars holding signs that call them talentless. The post followed fresh insults at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner, underscoring his escalating feud with late-night TV as Colbert's CBS exit and network fights intensify.
Key Takeaways
- Trump posted a seemingly AI-generated Truth Social cartoon showing Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert as beggars on a New York City street.
- The hosts appear in tattered clothes with signs reading "talentless, not funny, ex comedians, need money," while a wall behind them reads "Late night is over."
- The image followed Trump's Friday remarks at the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner calling the trio "terrible" and "without talent."
- CBS canceled Colbert's "The Late Show" in July 2025; his last episode aired in May, while Trump's decade-long feud with Fallon and Kimmel continues.
What did Trump post about Jimmy Fallon and the other hosts?
On Sunday, President Donald Trump shared a cartoon on Truth Social that portrayed late-night television stars Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert as beggars sitting cross-legged on a New York City sidewalk.
According to the New York Post, the seemingly AI-generated image showed the three frowning hosts in tattered clothes, holding signs that say "talentless, not funny, ex comedians, need money," beside buckets and overturned hats for cash. "Late night is over" appears painted on a wall behind them.
Why did Trump ramp up the late-night criticism now?
Trump posted the cartoon after attacking ABC's Kimmel, NBC's Fallon and CBS's Colbert during the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner on Friday in Washington, D.C.
"The association decided not to have a comedian, so they considered using Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon – these guys, they're terrible, they're terrible – Stephen Colbert," Trump said. "These people are without talent."
The Times of India reported that the president again took aim at the same late-night hosts at the dinner, reigniting his long-running conflict with the shows.
How long has Trump clashed with Jimmy Fallon and late-night TV?
Trump has traded barbs with the three major networks' late-night hosts for about a decade, repeatedly calling them "talentless" and urging that they be fired.
Fallon faced Democratic backlash after a 2016 interview in which he ruffled then-candidate Trump's hair; critics said he "humanized" Trump. Fallon has repeatedly apologized. In 2018, Trump told Fallon to stop "whimpering" and "be a man."
In July 2025, CBS announced it was canceling "The Late Show" after 33 years and firing Colbert, calling it "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night." Colbert's last show with the network aired in May.
Trump has also pressed ABC over Kimmel, including after September comments about the Charlie Kirk assassination, when ABC temporarily pulled Kimmel off the air. In a primetime speech last Thursday, Trump criticized "NBC and ABC fake news" for not broadcasting his remarks and said that should lead to "a revocation of their licenses."