Trump posts AI video of himself attacking Stephen Colbert
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ENRICHED
Details
- Date Published
- 23 May 2026
- Priority Score
- 1
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 23 May 2026, 04:00 am
Description
<p>Donald Trump has posted AI-generated video of himself throwing Stephen Colbert into a dumpster.</p>
Summary
This reporting details the use of AI-generated deepfake content as a tool for political messaging and harassment by a major world leader. While the specific content is satirical or personal in nature, it highlights the increasing normalization of synthetic media to influence public discourse and target critics. Such practices demonstrate the escalating capability of frontier AI tools to create realistic audiovisual misinformation, posing significant challenges to truth-telling in political governance and social stability. The event underscores broader global concerns regarding the lack of robust guardrails against the weaponization of generative AI for political intimidation.
Body
Donald Trump has posted AI-generated video of himself throwing chat show host Stephen Colbert into a dumpster after the late night host finished his final show.The video was posted a day after Colbert's final show after being controversial axed by CBS in the US.The video uploaded to Truth Social shows the president grabbing the host on the set of The Late Show, before bundling him into an open dumpster and slamming it shut.READ MORE: Trump's soft stance during China visit alarms Taiwan and its US supportersThe AI-generated Colbert video on Truth Social. (Truth Social)Trump then dances in his trademark style to the introduction of The Village People's YMCA.He uploaded the post several hours after announcing he was too busy to attend his son's wedding this weekend.It was part of one of the president's latest meme sprees on Truth Social.He also posted an image of his giant head looming over a Greenland town, one of a "golden dome" forcefield around the White House and a series of photos of himself."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," Trump said."Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace!"Colbert's Late Show was the highest rating show in its timeslot when CBS announced it was axing it.READ MORE: Tulsi Gabbard resigns as director of national intelligenceStephen Colbert was a long-time critic of Donald Trump. (CBS)The decision came after a long campaign from the president to have it taken off the air.But CBS said the show was axed because it cost too much money to make.Days before his axing was announced, Colbert criticised CBS for settling a dubious lawsuit with the president.Colbert called the $US16 million payout to Trump a "big fat bribe".The decision came soon after a proposed merger between parent company Paramount and Skydance.That merger required the approval of the federal government.Trump also successfully had Jimmy Kimmel Live taken off ABC last year.Kimmel was taken off air after suggesting the alleged murderer of Charlie Kirk was himself a MAGA supporter.But users of ABC's streaming service Disney Plus cancelled their subscriptions en masse, leading to "When I got knocked off the air for a few days, people cancelled Disney Plus," Kimmel said in an interview on Colbert's show last week."Why aren't you people cancelling Paramount Plus? Because you didn't have it in the first place?"Colbert finished his final show with a duet of Beatles classic Hello, Goodbye with Paul McCartney.READ MORE: Donald Trump too busy to attend son's weddingNEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google PlayMake 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box hereSign up to our breaking newsletter here