On Tuesday, David Letterman decided it was time to drop some truth bombs on Donald Trump, all while steering clear of mentioning his name directly. As a guest on Jimmy Kimmel‘s show, Letterman had some serious words of wisdom for all leaders, regardless of their political beliefs.
He pointedly remarked, “If the leader of the free world acts like a fool, they should brace themselves for all the mockery coming their way.” The audience at Jimmy Kimmel Live! couldn’t help but cheer for their favorite late-night legend.
Letterman has been vocal about the shakeups in late-night television during Trump’s current term. Just last July, he deemed it ‘pure cowardice’ for CBS to announce the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show in 2026, linking it to a hefty $16 million settlement with Trump surrounding a dubious 60 Minutes lawsuit. This settlement was timed just before the merger of Paramount with Skydance Media, which needed approval from Trump’s administration.
Letterman didn’t hold back his feelings on this matter, saying, “I believe that one day those at CBS who orchestrated this fiasco will feel pretty embarrassed because it’s weak and gutless.” You can catch his full takedown in a video that went up on his [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYpwujMwCSg&ab_channel=Letterman).
He didn’t stop there; Letterman also spoke up for Seth Meyers and Kimmel, ridiculing the current administration and its Federal Communications Commission chair for pulling Kimmel off the air last year.
Letterman d Kimmel the “leader of the resistance” and humorously quipped that their interview might never air. He showed his appreciation for Kimmel’s contract renewal with ABC that extends his time there until May 2027, saying, “Another year of twisting Disney’s arm? Good on you!”
Kimmel then asked Letterman if he missed discussing current events on late-night TV. To which Letterman replied, “You would think so, but honestly, I’m so relieved to be out of this chaos because folks like you, Colbert, and Meyers are doing an amazing job defending democracy. Thank goodness for you and for shows like ‘SNL’. It’s crucial for a democracy, especially one that’s struggling like ours does now.”
