Ex-MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has weighed in on whether Stephen Colbert was canceled by CBS for political reasons, throwing cold water on the theory he was axed for his criticism of Trump. 

"Sorry. That's not what happened here. If it had, they wouldn't be keeping him on until next MAY," Olbermann said in a post on X.

CBS announced they’d canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Thursday, stating that the over 30-year-long franchise would come to an end in May 2026 with no subsequent host taking over following Colbert’s departure. The show was previously hosted by David Letterman from 1992-2015. 

DEMOCRATS FAWN OVER STEPHEN COLBERT FOR HOLDING 'TRUTH TO POWER' AFTER CBS CANCELS SHOW

Olbermann authored the post in response to an X user who posted that Colbert’s firing was a sign that the United States had descended into fascism.  

"We are officially at the ‘pulling comedians off the air who criticize our dear leader’ phase of fascism," the user posted over a picture of the late night host.

Following the network’s announcement of Colbert’s ouster, numerous left-wing politicians and journalists spoke out, alleging that the talk show host was fired for political reasons, speculating that axing Colbert – a fierce critic of President Trump – was an attempt to placate White House officials amid a pending merger between CBS’ parent company Paramount and Skydance.

"CBS’s billionaire owners pay Trump $16 million to settle a bogus lawsuit while trying to sell the network to Skydance. Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders posted on X.

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"If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better," Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wrote on X.

CBS settled with President Trump after he sued the network alleging election interference over a "60 Minutes" interview with his 2024 opponent former Vice President Kamala Harris which he alleged was deceptively edited. A clip from the interview, in which Harris was asked about the war in Gaza, was released on "Face the Nation" prior to the "60 Minutes" broadcast and featured the former VP delivering an answer that was widely derided as "word salad." When the interview was finally broadcast, a different, more concise response was swapped in its place. 

CBS, however, claimed that "The Late Show’s" cancellation was due to financial reasons, saying the show lost some $40 million a year. Colbert is No. 1 in the late night timeslot among network talk show hosts (though he regularly comes behind Fox’s Gutfeld), averaging around 2.4 million viewers per episode. Overall viewership for late night talk shows has steadily declined in recent years, leading to a decrease in total ad revenues.

Colbert was tapped to host the "Late Show" following Letterman’s retirement after he hosted the widely acclaimed "Colbert Report" on Comedy Central. Upon taking the reins of the franchise, Colbert eschewed the well-known formula of hosting a show that appeals to the broadest swath of Americans, opting instead for a highly partisan, Trump-critical program.

Fox News Digital has reached out to CBS for comment.

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When former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Colbert popped champagne on air and danced, proclaiming his joy in the election result. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Biden did it! He's our next president! I'm so happy!" he proclaimed, adding that he cried tears of joy upon learning Trump would no longer be president. 

FIRST ON FOX: The State Department says it is working swiftly to distribute tens of thousands of tons of food aid around the globe, pushing back on reports that the U.S. was preparing to incinerate hundreds of tons of stockpiled supplies before they could be delivered.

According to figures shared with Fox News Digital, the agency currently has 59,305 metric tons of in-kind food commodities stored in warehouses across the United States and abroad. 

"We have already programmed all the food expiring before October 2026," a senior State Department official said. "The idea that we have tons of expiring food we are letting go to waste is simply false."

The State Department says it has approved 44,422 metric tons of food to be transferred or reprogrammed through partnerships with the World Food Program (WFP), Catholic Relief Services, Mercy Corps, and Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA). That includes 30,000 tons of short-dated food supplies already programmed for delivery to crisis zones like Syria, Bangladesh, and Sudan.

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An additional 12,000 tons of aid is awaiting final reprogramming, a delay the department attributes to a temporary hold by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Title II apportionments — an issue officials say has now been resolved. 

"To the extent there is a delay that is causing operational problems, it is not from the State Department," the official said. "All of the food expiring in the next 16 months is accounted for."

The official also dismissed recent media coverage, arguing that the focus on a limited amount of food near expiration distorts the larger picture. "The very small portion — less than 1% of USAID’s food stockpiles — addressed by the mainstream media was the exception that distracts from a very extensive and orderly process we directed to ensure that all of the food was accounted for in an efficient and strategic manner."

The public defense comes after several outlets reported that the Trump administration ordered the incineration of roughly 500 metric tons of emergency food stored in Dubai as it neared expiration.

According to Reuters, while 622 tons were successfully redirected to countries including Syria, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, another 496 tons — valued at $793,000 — were destroyed, with an additional $100,000 in disposal costs.

The incident occurred as part of a broader restructuring of U.S. foreign aid policy. In early July, the Trump administration officially dissolved USAID, transferring authority over development and humanitarian programs to the State Department. That shift has been accompanied by efforts to rescind billions of dollars in foreign assistance.

A temporary aid pause in January prompted the former State Department inspector general to warn that as much as $500 million worth of food aid was at risk of expiring. However, the department says assistance is now back online under a restructured model.

STATE DEPARTMENT REVEALS PLAN TO DELIVER 'LIFE-SAVING' MEALS TO 1.4M STARVING CHILDREN

With USAID phased out, the State Department is now responsible for managing large-scale aid programs, and it is under pressure to deliver. Lawmakers and aid groups are closely watching to see whether the newly reprogrammed food aid reaches intended recipients.

Democrats seized on the incineration reports during congressional hearings this week, accusing the Trump administration of turning its back on urgent humanitarian needs. The reports were first published by The Atlantic.

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the administration’s vision for foreign assistance, saying he was abandoning what he called a "charity-based model" in favor of empowering growth and self-reliance in developing nations.

"We will favor those nations that have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to help themselves," Rubio wrote, "and will target our resources to areas where they can have a multiplier effect and catalyze durable private sector — including American companies — and global investment."

The new approach is designed to emphasize trade and investment over direct aid, and to position the U.S. to better counter China’s growing global influence.