Late-night fires up as Trump’s AI video and Santos release collide in a whirlwind of satire, skepticism, and stink

Late-night host Stephen Colbert didn’t waste a second on Monday night before diving into what he called “the next pile of crap Donald Trump is dropping on New York City.” That metaphor, drawn straight from the absurd AI-generated video Trump shared over the weekend — which showed him piloting a fighter jet and dropping feces on “No Kings” protestors — became the through-line of Colbert’s sharp, no-holds-barred monologue.

And while Trump’s post alone might’ve been enough fuel for the evening, Colbert had even more to work with: the surprise commutation of disgraced former congressman George Santos.

“King Not a King” Strikes Again

Colbert opened the monologue by drawing a clear line between Trump’s fantasy airstrikes and his real-world decision-making.

“Over the weekend, our former reality TV president posted a video of himself in an animated fighter jet dropping poop bombs on protestors,” Colbert said with his signature smirk. “I’d call it surreal — but honestly, I’ve seen more grounded plots in actual episodes of Family Guy.”

But Colbert saved his sharpest jabs for Trump’s very real executive action: commuting George Santos’ sentence just 84 days into a seven-year prison term.

“Last year, Santos pleaded guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud and identity theft,” Colbert reminded the audience. “And what does Trump do? He lets him out early. Just another pile of crap being dropped on New York City.”

That line brought roaring applause — and set the tone for the rest of the monologue.

Colbert to Santos: “No Small-Time Crook”

The Late Show host then zeroed in on Santos, whose scandal-plagued tenure in Congress had already made him a recurring late-night target.

“Let’s be clear,” Colbert said. “Santos is no small-time crook. He admitted to deceiving donors, stealing identities, and creating a web of lies so big, I’m pretty sure it qualifies as its own ZIP code.”

“And yes, he stole from his own family,” Colbert added. “Though whether they’re his real family is still up for debate — assuming they even know their own identities anymore.”

The audience erupted with laughter, and Colbert leaned into the chaos that Santos represents, comparing the former congressman’s criminal resume to a “scam artist starter pack.”

Trump’s “Royal Decree” and the No Kings Movement

Colbert didn’t stop with Santos. He shifted back to Trump’s handling of the commutation, noting the announcement came via Trump’s social media platform.

“The news, of course, came on Truth Social — otherwise known as the world’s worst royal scroll,” Colbert joked. “It’s like a king issuing a decree… if the king also ran a digital pyramid scheme.”

He then connected the dots between Trump’s behavior, the over-the-top AI video, and the “No Kings” protest movement that has been gaining national attention.

“This is why people are marching in the streets,” Colbert said. “We didn’t dump tea in the harbor for this. We did it so we wouldn’t have to listen to digital poop-dropping jet kings from Florida.”

Santos Returns to the Spotlight — Like It or Not

George Santos, once removed from Congress after a deluge of ethics violations and federal charges, had faded from the headlines after pleading guilty and entering prison. But now that Trump has commuted his sentence, it seems the former congressman is poised for yet another round of media scrutiny — and late-night ridicule.

Colbert seemed almost exasperated at the idea.

“Just when you thought it was safe to go outside without bumping into someone pretending to be both a volleyball coach and a Wall Street exec,” he said, “Santos is back.”

The host predicted Santos would inevitably land back in the spotlight — possibly by his own hand.

“This is a man who once claimed to be Jewish and Catholic in the same week,” Colbert said. “What do you think he’s going to do now with a redemption arc handed to him by a man dropping cartoon missiles?”

Late Night’s Favorite Punchline Returns

Santos, once the reigning king of late-night fodder, had been the subject of endless bits, sketches, and monologues before his sentencing. From Colbert’s monologues to Jimmy Kimmel’s prank Cameo requests to Bowen Yang’s merciless SNL impersonation, Santos had been a comedic goldmine.

Colbert made it clear: that era is not over.

“I wish I could say we’d seen the last of him,” Colbert said. “But with Trump pulling the strings, Santos is like a walking sequel no one asked for — Fraud: Part II.”

Final Thoughts: Satire Meets Reality — Again

Monday’s Late Show episode reminded audiences that satire and real-world politics are once again overlapping in uncomfortable, absurd, and unbelievable ways. A fictional video of Trump raining down digital feces on protestors was strange enough — but coupling that with the real-life early release of one of the country’s most famously fraudulent former lawmakers? That’s late-night heaven and democratic whiplash all in one.

Colbert wrapped up with this thought:

“Trump’s not a king — he’s the chaos whisperer. And when he drops something, it’s never gold. It’s another flaming sack of drama, tossed straight onto the national stage.”

With Santos now back in the mix and Trump’s theatricality ramping up as election season heats up, it’s safe to say Colbert and his fellow late-night hosts won’t be short on material anytime soon.

Even if they’d rather not be dealing with… well, piles of crap.