Stephen Colbert revealed a scrapped joke about President Donald Trump from The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The late-night host shared many never-before-heard material ahead of his CBS exit. However, his joke about Trump has caught the attention of many netizens online.
Colbert was recently honored with the Walter Bernstein award at the Writers Guild of America East’s 78th annual awards ceremony. According to an official announcement by CBS, Colbert’s show is set to conclude on May 21, 2026.
Stephen Colbert reveals several cut jokes for “The Late Show” while accepting the Walter Bernstein Award at the #WritersGuildAwards. https://t.co/8kndJmhpYv pic.twitter.com/5TVsR7HeTR
— Variety (@Variety) March 9, 2026
Ahead of his exit from the show, Colbert recalled a scrapped joke. He recalled a time Trump joked about dating his daughter, Ivanka Trump, if she wasn’t directly related to him. The remark went viral across social media platforms. Colbert brought up the scrapped joke and revealed a punchline he’d planned to use, saying, “I guess it was take your daughter to Climax Day.”
Colbert’s response quickly gained shocked gasps and slow clapping. Gesturing to the audience’s reaction, he said, “That is why I didn’t tell it. That is why I didn’t tell that joke.” The audience continued to cheer for the host.
Colbert also recalled a joke featuring First Lady Melania Trump when she attended the funeral of the late Pope Francis. He centered his joke around her all-black, long-sleeved, maxi-dress and a black veil.
.@MELANIATRUMP turns 55 today. She’s spending it in Rome with President Trump. This photo is of her at the Vatican as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis.
Melania is stunning as usual, and in black to mourn the pope’s passing. She’s always graceful.
Send her your love. pic.twitter.com/zfZ0Dd6RlP
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 26, 2025
That is exactly what Colbert suggested with his next joke. Colbert cleared his throat and said, “Well, you know what they say, dress for the job you want.” Unlike the previous joke, this one appeared to have immediately generated laughter with the audience present. Colbert himself seemed to be smiling after he finished his joke.
He also revealed the reason behind scrapping the joke about Melania. Colbert revealed that he simply “didn’t want to get a call” from the Trump administration about his joke featuring the First Lady. Colbert continued to share a series of jokes that never made it to the final cut on his CBS Show.
In response to the jokes, White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung issued a statement on his X account. Cheung slammed Colbert for his remarks and called him a “sad and pathetic” person. He also accused Colbert of being out of touch with reality. And said, “The fact is, he will soon be forgotten…”
Colbert’s Late Show crushed ALL competitors in 2024 with 2.5M nightly viewers, beating Kimmel & Fallon COMBINED on his best weeks. His cancellation triggered a ratings SURGE to 3M. History will remember him as late night’s undisputed king. #LateShow #StephenColbert“
— Marco (@draghi62) March 12, 2026
Cheung’s remarks on X sparked mixed reactions from netizens. While some agreed with Cheung’s statement, fans of Colbert defended him fiercely. One user pointed out, “He’s (Colbert) literally the highest-rated night TV show host. Must be doing something right.”
Another said, “Colbert has more style and honor in his little finger than YOU.” A third one mentioned, “If you don’t like his program, don’t watch it!” A fourth one mentioned Trump and said, “Sounds a lot like you’re describing your current boss in the White House.”
Similarly, many have shared their thoughts on Colbert’s recent speech at the recent award ceremony. Colbert and Trump have feuded with each other for years. However, with Colbert’s exit from the show, whether or not their feud with each other will continue remains to be seen.
