THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump’s Ugly New Attack on Stephen Colbert Reveals Dark Side of Firing
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Jul 21, 2025 Michael Sozan, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, dives into the unsettling implications of CBS's cancellation of Stephen Colbert's show following a hefty $16 million settlement with Trump. He discusses Trump’s alarming tactics of media intimidation and how this reflects a broader trend of authoritarian influence. Sozan critiques the ethical dilemmas of the settlement and emphasizes the need for resilience in media against political pressures. He urges listeners to actively challenge this troubling dynamic in order to uphold press freedom.
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Paramount's Troubling Settlement
- Paramount settled a frivolous $20 billion lawsuit from Trump to unlock a crucial merger with FCC approval.
- The settlement raised serious concerns of bribery and set a dangerous precedence for media censorship.
Colbert's Firing Raises Questions
- CBS canceled Stephen Colbert's show shortly after he publicly criticized the settlement with Trump.
- Colbert remained the highest viewed late-night host, raising suspicions about the dismissal's true motive.
Trump's Open Media Bullying
- Trump openly praised firing Colbert and linked lawsuit settlements to merger approvals.
- He deliberately wants to signal his power to bully media and silence critics.