Late-Night Television Turns Combative: Colbert and De Niro Deliver Scathing Critique of Trump

NEW YORK — In what has already become one of the most talked-about moments in recent late-night television, Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’s “The Late Show,” joined forces with actor Robert De Niro on Monday night for a blistering, nearly 15-minute segment that amounted to a sustained and unusually direct assault on former President Donald J. Trump.

The exchange, which aired during the show’s opening monologue and a subsequent interview, blended sharp satire, pointed political commentary, and unscripted indignation in a way that few late-night programs have attempted since Mr. Trump’s first presidential campaign. Viewers and commentators quickly described it as a turning point — a moment when the genre shed much of its usual restraint and stepped fully into the role of political combatant.

Mr. Colbert began with a monologue that dissected recent statements by Mr. Trump, including his renewed claims about the 2020 election and his attacks on the criminal justice system. The jokes were delivered in Mr. Colbert’s familiar deadpan style, but the tone carried an edge of exasperation rarely seen on the program. “He says the system is rigged against him,” Mr. Colbert said, “but he’s the one who keeps getting caught rigging things himself.” The line drew sustained applause from the studio audience.

The segment’s most striking portion came when Mr. De Niro, a longtime vocal critic of Mr. Trump, joined Mr. Colbert at the desk. The actor, who has appeared on the program multiple times in recent years, spoke with an intensity that seemed to surprise even the host. “This man is a threat to everything we’ve built,” Mr. De Niro said, referring to Mr. Trump. “He’s not just a politician with bad ideas. He’s someone who wants to burn the whole house down because he can’t stand not owning it.”

The two then traded observations about Mr. Trump’s recent public appearances, his legal troubles, and his rhetoric on the campaign trail. Mr. Colbert displayed video clips and court documents on the screen behind them, a visual aid that gave the segment the feel of an investigative report rather than standard comedy. At one point, Mr. De Niro turned directly to the camera and said, “I’ve played a lot of angry characters in my life, but none of them scare me the way this man does.”

The studio audience responded with prolonged applause and occasional standing ovations. Outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, a small crowd of onlookers gathered, some holding signs that read “De Niro for President” and “Late Night Fights Back.”

Social media platforms lit up almost immediately. Within 30 minutes, clips from the segment had garnered more than 15 million views across X, TikTok, and YouTube. Hashtags such as #DeNiroRoast and #ColbertVsTrump trended worldwide. Supporters of Mr. Trump, meanwhile, denounced the segment as “unhinged” and “obsessed,” with several conservative commentators calling it proof that late-night television had abandoned entertainment in favor of activism.

According to three people familiar with Mr. Trump’s inner circle, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, the former president watched the broadcast in real time at his Mar-a-Lago residence. They described him as visibly agitated, at times shouting at the television and directing aides to take notes on potential responses. One person said Mr. Trump referred to the segment as “the worst thing they’ve ever done to me” and instructed staff to prepare statements and legal options.

Mr. Trump has not yet issued a formal response on his Truth Social platform, though he posted several times overnight about other topics. A spokesman for the Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

The segment has reignited a long-running debate about the role of late-night comedy in an era of polarized politics. For years, shows like “The Late Show” and “The Daily Show” have criticized Mr. Trump, but Monday’s program was notable for its sustained length and lack of comedic relief. Some media analysts suggested it marked a new phase in which entertainers feel less obligated to maintain even the appearance of neutrality.

Whether the segment will prove to be a cultural flashpoint or merely another moment in the ongoing Trump-era media wars remains to be seen. For now, however, it has given late-night television a rare sense of gravity — and left one of its most prominent antagonists reportedly seething.