Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, said President Donald Trump was attempting to suppress his message after his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was not broadcast on network television.
“This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see,” Talarico wrote in a post on social media. “His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) February 17, 2026
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas. pic.twitter.com/BCev5jZbKc
Talarico’s interview with Stephen Colbert was released instead as an online-only segment on YouTube after CBS declined to air it during The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
In a monologue explaining the decision, Colbert said the network’s lawyers advised against broadcasting the interview due to concerns about compliance with the Federal Communications Commission’s “equal time” rule. The rule requires broadcasters to provide equal airtime to political candidates during elections, though it has traditionally exempted news and talk show interviews.
Colbert said a recent directive from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr raised uncertainty over whether late-night interviews with candidates would still qualify for that exemption. He said the network made what it described as a financial decision not to risk regulatory action.
The FCC is led by the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates broadcast television and radio but does not oversee cable or streaming platforms. Colbert said the uncertainty surrounding the rule prompted CBS to avoid airing the segment.
During the online interview, Talarico said he believed political pressure and media consolidation were restricting what viewers could see on broadcast television.
“I think that Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,” Talarico said. “This is the party that ran against cancel culture and now they’re trying to control what we watch, what we say, what we read.”
He accused corporate media executives of yielding to political pressure and said any threat to free speech endangered the First Amendment.
Talarico also discussed his Senate campaign, describing it as a grassroots effort opposed to what he called “billionaire mega-donors and puppet politicians.” He said his campaign had recruited thousands of volunteers and raised funds without taking corporate political action committee money.
An eighth-generation Texan and former middle school teacher, Talarico has drawn attention in Texas politics for his public criticism of Christian nationalism and his emphasis on separation of church and state. During the interview, he said the religious right had become a political movement that used faith for power rather than service.
“For 50 years, the religious right convinced a lot of Christians that the most important issues were abortion and gay marriage,” he said, adding that Jesus’ teachings focused instead on caring for the poor and vulnerable.
Talarico said his background as a Presbyterian seminarian shaped his political views and his opposition to religious symbolism being mandated in public schools.
“I’ve fought so hard for that sacred separation in our First Amendment,” he said, arguing that close ties between religion and political power weakened both democracy and faith institutions.
Talarico’s campaign platform emphasizes economic inequality, corporate influence in politics and expanded public services. On his campaign website, he describes the central divide in American politics as “top versus bottom” rather than left versus right, arguing that wealthy donors benefit from cultural division.
He has previously drawn national attention for comments on immigration, including calling for a more humanitarian approach at the southern border while prioritizing enforcement against cartels and human trafficking organizations.
“Our southern border should be like our front porch,” he said. “There should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door. We can welcome immigrants who want to live the American dream. We can build a pathway to citizenship for those neighbors who have been here making us richer and stronger. And we can keep out people who mean to do us harm.”
James Talarico is Illegals First, Texans Last
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 24, 2026
MODERATOR: How do you balance your feelings toward ICE vs Texans who support deporting illegals?
TALARICO: "Our southern border should be like our front porch… we can build a pathway to citizenship." pic.twitter.com/qkcI4MulyF
The decision to move the Colbert interview online-only has become a point of political messaging for Talarico’s campaign, which is using the controversy to argue that media and government institutions are aligned against candidates who challenge entrenched power.
“This is a people-powered movement,” Talarico said during the interview. “We’re building something really special in Texas. And clearly Donald Trump has taken note.”
