Colbert accuses Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulls interview

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Richard LuscombeFebruary 17, 2026 at 04:08 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Stephen Colbert accused the Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulled his interview with Texas Democratic candidate James Talarico. Colbert claimed CBS lawyers cited FCC "guidance" regarding equal airtime rules, preventing the interview from airing on "The Late Show." The interview was instead posted to YouTube. Colbert alleged the administration seeks to silence critics on TV, pointing to other recent incidents involving media figures. The FCC, under Chair Brendan Carr, has reportedly opened an investigation into "The View" for interviewing Talarico and has changed its interpretation of the equal time rule, no longer exempting talk shows. Colbert criticized Carr's actions as partisan, while Talarico suggested the intervention was prompted by Trump's declining popularity.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

ABC 30% Don Lemon 35% David Ellison 40% Washington Post 40% John Cornyn 50% Brendan Carr ×360% United States 70% CBS ×470% James Talarico ×370% Donald Trump ×380% Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ×685% Stephen Colbert ×490%

Keywords

censorship 90% trump administration 80% federal communications commission (fcc) 80% equal air time 70% media freedoms 60% talk show 50% brendan carr 50% political race 50% cbs 40%