Stephen Colbert said he would immediately “resign” if he could switch bodies with President Donald Trump for a day, commenting on a live appearance at Slate’s Political Gabfest 20th anniversary show on December 18.
Stephen Colbert talks about what he’d do if he was Donald Trump
During the event, CBS News’ John Dickerson asked Colbert who he would choose if he could inhabit another person’s body for 24 hours. Colbert replied that he would “slip inside the skin of our president,” calling it a predictable answer.
Explaining his reasoning, Colbert said that if he were Trump, “I would resign.” He went on to outline a scenario in which the resignation would come without controversy. “No scandal, no confession, no Sturm und Drang,” Colbert said. “Just go, ‘It’s been great. I’m the best, ever. I’m gonna go out on top. I’ve done everything. I’m just gonna go.’ That’s it. It can be a glorious ending, just end it.”
Colbert later joked about whether the body swap would be mutual, asking if Trump would take over his body for the same period. “I have a harrowing follow-up question: Is he taking over my body for 24 hours?” he said, adding that he would warn his wife accordingly. “Darling, go see your sister for a while.”
Furthermore, Colbert also addressed frequent questions about a potential presidential run. He dismissed the idea, saying, “Absolutely, I should not run for president,” before joking that he would frame any decision in the language of a politician once his show ends in May.
The comments are the latest addition to Stephen Colbert’s ongoing public clashes with Donald Trump. The president recently criticized the talk show host on Truth Social, calling him a “pathetic trainwreck with no talent” and attacking his ratings. It came amid increased attention on Colbert after he announced in July that The Late Show would end in May 2026 after 10 seasons.
