Stephen Colbert finally addressed the elephant in the room about his Late Show getting the boot, telling GQ it’s totally “reasonable” for folks to connect the dots between CBS ending his No. 1 program and the network’s parent company coughing up $16 million to settle a Trump lawsuit just days after he blasted the payout as a “big fat bribe.”

The 61-year-old late-night staple, who’s dominated ratings for nine years running, didn’t outright claim a conspiracy but gave serious weight to the buzz in a candid GQ cover story dropped Monday. Colbert nodded to the eyebrow-raising sequence: He torches Paramount for the settlement on July 14, and bam—three days later, his manager drops the news that the show’s done after May 2026.

“If people have theories that associate me with that, it’s a reasonable thing to think,” Colbert said, pointing straight at the timeline that’s got everyone talking. “Because CBS or the corporation clearly did it once.”

He’s zeroing in on that settlement over Trump’s beef with a 60 Minutes edit of a Kamala Harris interview. Colbert ripped it on air as a payoff to smooth Paramount’s Skydance merger through regulators. Network suits insist the cancellation’s “purely a financial decision” amid late-night’s rough ad market, with the show reportedly hemorrhaging cash on a $100 mil-plus budget.

But Colbert highlighted the oddity: “I think we’re the first number one show to ever get canceled.”

The hammer dropped while he was on summer break—no direct call from CBS bigwigs, just his manager breaking the news. “So surprising and so shocking that there was no preamble,” he told GQ, while praising his everyday CBS team as “great.”

Dems like Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff wasted no time demanding answers on whether politics played a role. Warren fired off: “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.” The Writers Guild straight-up labeled the settlement a “bribe.”

Colbert’s keeping it professional, not looking to stir the pot with months left on air. “My reaction as a professional in show business is to go: That is the network’s decision,” he said.

Sources say late-night’s a money pit these days, with viewers ditching linear TV for podcasts and clips. CBS already pulled the plug on After Midnight and didn’t replace Corden. They’re exiting the game entirely.

Timing’s what fuels the fire, though. Paramount needed Trump’s crew to sign off on the Skydance deal—check. Colbert’s been Trump’s prime-time punching bag since day one.

Trump gloated on Truth Social: Ratings tanked anyway! But numbers don’t lie—Colbert’s topped the pack forever.

X blew up with #SaveColbert, fans turning that bribe monologue into viral gold.

Jimmy Kimmel swapped shows in solidarity, both calling out the “lies” on finances.

Colbert’s 200-plus crew’s facing the chop. He’s pushing hard for solid severance, calling them family. They snagged an Emmy post-announcement, Colbert joking he loves America “more than ever.”

Next moves? Buzz about Jon Stewart scooping him for Daily Show or Netflix dangling deals. Colbert’s hinting at woodworking hobbies and ditching the daily grind.

One insider: “Stephen’s golden. This blows up in CBS’s face.”

Fox’s Gutfeld shrugged: End of “entertainment welfare.” Except millions tuned in.

Colbert to GQ: Own your shadows—or mock them onstage. Message received: He’s not done yet.

Ed Sullivan Theater’s got a countdown. Tickets? Pure gold. Fans yelling “four more years!” Security’s tight.

This finale won’t be quiet. It’s Colbert’s mic drop.

CBS aimed to close the chapter. Colbert’s rewriting the ending.

With tapings winding down, America’s watching close.

In a game of suits and spin, Colbert’s the real deal—and the last laugh’s his