President Donald Trump has sparked a new controversy by posting an AI-generated video that shows late-night show host Stephen Colbert being thrown into a trash can before dancing to the song “YMCA.”
The video, shared late Friday through President Trump’s official X account, quickly gained attention and sparked debate about the president using digitally manipulated content to mock his opponents.
CBS previously announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end on May 21, 2026, citing the financial strain of traditional late-night television, despite Colbert having the highest ratings throughout the time slot.
Read more: ‘Hello, Goodbye’: ‘Late Show’ host Stephen Colbert quits
What does the video posted by President Trump show?
Amid the ongoing controversy over the cancellation of one of America’s most popular late-night shows, an AI video that appeared to poke fun at Colbert’s exit from TV quickly went viral online, sparking comments.
The clip shows Colbert hosting his regular late-night show when President Trump suddenly walks in from behind, picks Colbert up and throws him into a trash can. The video then cuts to Trump dancing to “YMCA,” a song he recently dubbed a “gay anthem.”
The song “YMCA” has become the unofficial soundtrack of Trump’s rallies, and Trump has credited the use of the “gay anthem” with winning the votes of the LGBTQ community.
The footage is clearly AI-generated and stylized, as the video’s virality sparked intense reactions from both supporters and critics.
Trump previously came under fire for posting AI-generated images of himself as “Jesus” and “doctor.”
Read more: Late Show host bids farewell to Stephen Colbert’s best moments
Trump and Colbert feud
The AI video reflects the longstanding rivalry between Trump and Colbert, with Colbert’s late-night monologues frequently criticizing the president and the Republican Party.
During Trump’s first term as president, Colbert emerged as one of the administration’s most vocal late-night critics on CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Mr. Trump has repeatedly responded publicly to Mr. Colbert’s jokes and commentary, at times calling him “talentless” and accusing the network TV host of political bias.
The late-night show’s cancellation came under the label of political influence, given that Colbert, in his usual fashion, criticized CBS’ parent company Paramount over its legal settlement with Trump.
But CBS said the decision was solely economic and rejected any political involvement.
