The episode opens with House Republicans’ failed attempt to weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, exploring why lawmakers targeted it, how public backlash and Trump’s criticism helped force a quick retreat, and what the fight suggests about accountability for conflicts of interest and the Emoluments Clause in the Trump era. The conversation then widens into a critique of escalating partisanship, including whether Democrats should keep pursuing cooperation despite years of Republican obstruction and shifting party attitudes on issues like Russia and Julian Assange. In the final segment, the hosts assess Barack Obama’s economic legacy—crediting the administration with stabilizing a collapsing economy and sustaining job growth while debating persistent inequality, weak labor ...

The episode centers on Stephen Colbert’s comedic reaction to Donald Trump’s inauguration, using Trump’s past tweets, the ceremony’s fashion moments, and the optics of attendance to underscore how surreal and divisive the moment feels. Colbert riffs on the religious invocations, Trump’s dark “American carnage” framing, and the contrast between promises of unity, jobs, and infrastructure and the speech’s bleak portrayal of the country and jabs at the outgoing administration. Throughout, the theme is uneasy disbelief mixed with gallows humor about the realities of Trump assuming presidential power and what that implies going forward.

Stephen Colbert reacts to the opening days of the Trump administration, focusing on the rapid wave of executive actions and the sense of political whiplash they’ve created. He digs into the immediate fallout from the refugee and immigration ban, including detentions at airports, mass protests, international backlash, and the White House’s messaging about the rollout. The segment also critiques Steve Bannon’s new role on the National Security Council and tees up Trump’s forthcoming Supreme Court nomination announcement, all filtered through Colbert’s satirical commentary.

The episode riffs on the early turmoil of the Trump administration, centering on Trump’s announcement of Judge Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee and what it signals about “originalist” judging. Colbert also digs into the fallout from Trump’s immigration/refugee ban, including the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates for refusing to defend it and the administration’s attempts to justify controversial detentions. Throughout, he satirizes Democratic opposition—highlighting a chaotic rally led by Nancy Pelosi and mocking what he portrays as a weak strategy for resisting the nomination and broader agenda.

Stephen Colbert uses CPAC as a backdrop to lampoon the Trump administration, focusing on the uneasy public show of unity between Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus and Bannon’s prediction that Trump’s conflict with the press will intensify. He then pivots to the administration’s rollback of Obama-era policies, centering on the decision to rescind federal protections for transgender students’ bathroom access and mocking the “states’ rights” justification as evasive and cowardly. The segment highlights internal tension between Betsy DeVos and Jeff Sessions over the move, portraying DeVos as ultimately choosing political survival over the well-being of students.

Stephen Colbert riffs on the growing scrutiny of Trump campaign and White House ties to Russia, focusing on Jeff Sessions’ undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador and Jared Kushner’s involvement in related contacts. He then pivots to pop culture, joking about Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and the backlash to its touted first openly gay character while pointing out the moral contradictions in critics’ outrage. The segment closes by turning back to Sessions, highlighting his hardline stance against marijuana and the uncertainty it creates for the expanding legal cannabis industry.

The episode centers on Stephen Colbert’s satirical take on the turmoil in Washington, focusing on the White House announcement that Jared Kushner will lead a new “Office of American Innovation” to overhaul the federal government and the absurdity of treating citizens like “customers” while Kushner juggles multiple major assignments. Colbert also digs into the FBI investigation, described by James Comey, into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia, contrasting it with Trump’s attempt to shift attention to leaks of classified information. The segment closes by highlighting scrutiny around Paul Manafort’s ties to pro-Russian interests and mocking administration claims that his role in the campaign was minimal.

Stephen Colbert riffs on Tax Day and the protests demanding Donald Trump release his tax returns, mocking Trump’s defensive tweets and the administration’s evasiveness when pressed on transparency. He then pivots to rising tensions with North Korea, lampooning Trump’s vague Fox News answers, his rhetoric about Kim Jong Un, and broader concerns about impulsive leadership and legal accountability tied to rally violence. The episode also skewers Trump’s planned U.K. visit and penchant for flashy demands before closing with a lighter bit contrasting the Obamas’ celebrity-filled vacation with the current White House.

The episode riffs on the White House’s newly released Trump tax plan, mocking its simplicity, who it appears to benefit, and the Goldman Sachs alumni tasked with selling it. Colbert then pivots to the Russia investigation, focusing on Michael Flynn’s undisclosed foreign payments from Russia-linked entities and Turkey, and criticizes lawmakers like Jason Chaffetz for hedging their condemnation. The rest mixes political and cultural punchlines, including Trump’s Oval Office “Coke button,” a darkly comic note about ISIS fighters killed by wild boars, and a closing bit on the Miami Marlins potentially being sold to a group led by Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush.

Stephen Colbert marks the end of Donald Trump’s first 100 days by arguing that while the president has achieved little, Americans have stayed engaged through protests and cultural moments, framing it as a period of public resilience. He focuses on the White House’s reliance on anonymous leaks, highlighting one official’s admission that governing is “hard,” and uses it to mock the administration’s lack of experience. Colbert also critiques the launch of the VOICE office as a rebranded ICE hotline that he says fuels anti-immigrant sentiment, then notes how prank callers and trolls immediately flooded it, turning the effort into a public embarrassment.

Stephen Colbert reacts to President Trump’s abrupt firing of FBI Director James Comey, mocking the stated rationale and emphasizing the timing amid the FBI’s investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia. The episode then pivots to Michael Flynn’s undisclosed Russia-linked payments and contacts, highlighting warnings from Obama and Sally Yates that Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail and criticizing the administration’s delayed response. Colbert also skewers Trump’s public messaging, including his insistence that there’s “no evidence” of collusion and his use of social media to amplify that claim.

The episode centers on Stephen Colbert riffing on reports that Trump’s aides tried to curb his tweeting while he was overseas, framing it as an “intervention” driven by fears over his inflammatory posts and staff job security. Colbert uses the setup to critique how Trump’s tweets dominate news and late-night monologues, joking that they crowd out other quirky stories and spotlighting repeated misspellings as evidence of the problem. The segment blends political commentary with satire, ending with a mock letter urging Trump to seek help and a comedic pivot to the next guest.

Stephen Colbert opens with jokes about the start of summer and a nod to Ramadan before turning to Donald Trump’s overseas trip for NATO and the G7, using the gatherings as a backdrop for commentary on climate-change discussions and U.S. relations with allies. He focuses on Trump’s contentious interactions with other leaders, including a highly publicized handshake with France’s Emmanuel Macron and a moment where Trump appears to shove Montenegro’s prime minister during a photo lineup. Colbert also riffs on Trump scolding NATO members over defense spending and portrays the broader theme of diplomatic awkwardness and isolation as other leaders distance themselves.

The episode centers on Stephen Colbert’s satirical take on the Trump administration’s efforts to revive the revised Muslim travel ban at the Supreme Court, highlighting the political and legal maneuvering around what to call it and Trump’s own tweets undermining that strategy. It also digs into Trump’s “covfefe” tweet as an example of his chaotic communications style and the administration’s attempts to spin obvious mistakes as intentional. The discussion then shifts to Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, mocking the “Pittsburgh, not Paris” rationale and criticizing the administration’s framing of climate change as merely a political debate.

Stephen Colbert riffs on James Comey’s Senate testimony about his firing, focusing on Comey’s claim that the Trump administration lied about the FBI being in disarray and his view that Trump might misrepresent their private interactions, which is why he kept detailed memos. The episode highlights Comey’s unequivocal assertion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election and his insistence on law enforcement independence rather than a “patronage” relationship with the president. It also covers revelations about Comey having a friend share memo contents with the press and the awkward details of Comey’s one-on-one dinner with Trump, all framed through Colbert’s political satire.

The episode centers on Stephen Colbert mocking Donald Trump’s first full cabinet meeting, framing it as a sign of dysfunction in the White House and joking about the administration’s Russia-related controversies. Colbert highlights how cabinet members use their on-camera remarks to lavish Trump with praise, treating the scene as an unsettling display of loyalty rather than a substantive policy discussion. He contrasts Trump’s self-congratulatory claims with sarcastic commentary about the public’s reaction and the broader emotional and political atmosphere around the presidency.

The episode mixes Fourth of July chatter with political satire focused on Donald Trump’s low global approval ratings, contrasting widespread disapproval from allies like Germany with a sharp rise in approval in Russia. It also covers Trump-branded business and family controversies, including the Toronto Trump hotel dropping the Trump name and allegations of abusive, exploitative labor conditions in factories producing Ivanka Trump’s shoes. The final segment targets EPA head Scott Pruitt for reversing a ban on a pesticide linked by EPA scientists to brain-development harm, highlighting his private meeting with Dow Chemical’s CEO and suggesting industry influence over scientific findings.

The episode uses Apollo 13’s gyroscopes and the danger of “gimbal lock” as a metaphor for how America’s checks and balances can fail when the executive, legislative, and judicial branches move in partisan lockstep under Donald Trump, with examples including attacks on the courts, the travel ban, and congressional responses to the Russia investigation and Comey’s firing. Through conversations with Yasha Monk and David Eaves, it explores whether U.S. democracy is truly self-correcting like a constitutional “gyroscope,” how the media as a potential “fourth gimbal” has weakened amid polarization and misinformation, and how many institutional vulnerabilities predate Trump. The takeaway is that constitutions and institutions can’t stabilize themselves without broad public commitment to democrati...

The episode centers on the escalating revelations about Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with Russian-connected figures after receiving an email offering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton, and what that exchange suggests about willingness to accept foreign help, possible legal exposure under campaign finance rules, and the distinction between troubling intent and proven collusion. The hosts debate why Republicans in Congress have responded so cautiously, arguing over whether sanctions and ongoing committee investigations are adequate or whether lawmakers are slow-walking oversight and failing to defend democratic norms. They also touch on the broader political stakes, including the risk of overreading the scandal as an immediate end to the presidency, concerns about thin institutional “guardrails” like ...

The episode centers on the fallout from Donald Trump Jr.’s released emails about a Russia-related meeting, using the moment to argue that claims of “fake news” are harder to sustain as details become public. Colbert riffs on the White House’s reported paralysis and internal anxiety, contrasting public defenses of Trump Jr. with the optics of a scandal disrupting the administration’s agenda. It also highlights Trump Jr.’s Fox News explanations and the president’s insistence via tweets that everything is “functioning perfectly,” framing both as evasive or unconvincing responses to mounting scrutiny.