Donald Trump has suggested it is the "Beginning of the End" for late night talk show hosts following the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The 62-year-old star presented the last episode of his CBS show on Thursday (21.05.26) after 11 years and the US President has threatened that other broadcasters such as Jimmy Kimmel, whom he has frequently clashed with, could see their programmes go the same way.

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday (22.05.26) morning: "Stephen Colbert's firing from CBS was the 'Beginning of the End' for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts.

"Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Trump, 79, also branded Colbert as a "jerk" and likened the presenter to "a dead person" as he issued a scathing verdict on the concluding episode in the early hours of Friday.

The White House Chief wrote: "Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk.

"Thank goodness he's finally gone!"

Colbert brought The Late Show to end with a "normal" episode filled with celebrity cameos.

The comic had originally planned to sign off with a "huge special", but he and his team ultimately realised "every episode is special".

He said in his opening monologue: "The best way to celebrate is to do a normal show and talk about the national conversation."

Colbert then launched into a typical news-focused monologue but was frequently interrupted by famous faces in the audience, including Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd and Tim Meadows.

While a host of other celebrities, including Ryan Reynolds, appeared thinking they would be the show's final guest, Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney was in fact the real last interviewee.

However, a sketch teased the pope - who Colbert had long said he was desperate to have on the show - was supposed to be on but a crew member declared he had refused to leave his dressing room because he had the wrong snacks. The camera then cut to the outside of a dressing room door, where an arm in a papal robe threw hot dogs out into the hall way.

The host said: "Oh no, the pope, who was definitely my guest tonight, has cancelled."

McCartney then walked out and asked: "What about me?"