Trump’s AI ‘dumpster drop’ turns Colbert's 'Late Show' finale into internet spectacle

The clip appeared online just hours after CBS aired the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ending Colbert’s nearly 11-year run as host.

AI video sparks online frenzy

The video, posted without any caption, depicted Trump dragging Colbert towards a large rubbish container before tossing him inside.

Moments later, the AI-generated version of Trump began dancing to YMCA by Village People, recreating one of his signature campaign dance routines.

The surreal clip rapidly spread across social media, adding another chapter to the public rivalry between the Republican leader and one of television’s most outspoken Trump critics.

Colbert ends 'Late Show' with music, nostalgia

Colbert’s farewell episode focused more on celebration and nostalgia than political commentary.

The finale featured appearances by fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Jimmy Fallon, collectively known among viewers as “Strike Force Five”.

During the broadcast, Kimmel told Colbert the group came to say they would miss him, while Meyers joked about where Americans would now turn to watch “a middle-aged white man make jokes about the news”.

The programme also included performances from Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello.

Colbert and McCartney performed “Hello, Goodbye” before symbolically switching off the lights at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater, the historic venue where The Beatles made their American debut in 1964.

The finale also featured surreal visual effects, including the theatre being swallowed by a giant green wormhole resembling the CBS logo.

Years of public clashes

Trump and Colbert have spent years exchanging attacks through monologues, interviews and social media posts.

Colbert regularly mocked Trump, the MAGA movement and White House controversies during nightly opening monologues, while Trump frequently criticised the comedian’s ratings and television style online.

After CBS announced the cancellation of the programme last year, Trump described Colbert as a “pathetic trainwreck” and urged the network to remove him immediately.

CBS said the decision was linked to financial pressures affecting late-night television.

However, critics questioned whether political tensions surrounding Paramount Global and its merger plans with Skydance Media may also have contributed to the decision.

Bruce Springsteen’s remark adds to debate

On the eve of the finale, Bruce Springsteen made a pointed remark during an appearance with Colbert.

Springsteen told the host that he was “the first guy in America who lost his job because the president can't take a joke”.

Colbert himself avoided directly blaming Trump for the show’s cancellation.

Jimmy Kimmel also targeted

Trump’s clashes with late-night television have extended beyond Colbert.

He has repeatedly criticised Jimmy Kimmel and called on ABC to dismiss the comedian over jokes related to the president, the Epstein files controversy and First Lady Melania Trump.

Kimmel’s programme also faced a temporary suspension in 2025 after comments involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk triggered political backlash and regulatory scrutiny.

End of a late-night era

Colbert’s departure marks the conclusion of the Late Show franchise that began under David Letterman in 1993.

The episode also highlighted the increasing political tensions and commercial challenges surrounding late-night television, as audiences continue shifting from traditional broadcasts to short-form online clips and social media platforms.

Trump’s AI-generated dumpster video has further intensified debate over political satire, media influence and the increasingly combative relationship between American politicians and late-night comedy hosts.