Kamala Harris will participate in her first post-election interview July 31 on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS, a seemingly strategic choice.
Harris’ reemergence into public life comes after CBS canceled Colbert’s show earlier this month following its parent company, Paramount Global’s, controversial $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump after a defamation lawsuit.
The suit stemmed from a “60 Minutes” interview with Harris, then the Democratic nominee for president. The settlement was widely criticized as a financial concession to facilitate the studio’s pending sale to Skydance Media, which requires regulatory approval from the Trump administration.
Colbert slammed the deal on-air July 14 and called the multi-million-dollar payment a “big fat bribe” in his scathing opening monologue. He shared with viewers July 17 that “next year will be our last season.”
“The network will be ending ‘The Late Show’ in May,'” Colbert told the studio audience earlier this month. Trump this week denied responsibility for the show’s cancellation in a social media post criticizing the longtime comedian and host.
For her part, the former vice president is set to appear on “Colbert” one day after announcing she won’t seek the California governorship in 2026. But Harris, who lives in Los Angeles with her lawyer husband Douglas Emhoff, did not rule out running for president in 2028, telling her followers that “for now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office.”
Kamala Harris explores ‘drama of running for president’ in new book on 2024 bid
On Thursday, July 31, Harris also announced her new book, “107 Days,” is set for release Sept. 23.
It will follow her journey from the time that former President Joe Biden exited the 2024 race until Trump won every swing state to claim a second term. “Since leaving office, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on those days, talking with my team, my family, my friends and pulling my thoughts together – in essence, writing a journal that is this book ‘107 Days’ with candor and reflection,” she said in a video posted on Instagram. “I’ve written a behind-the-scenes account of that journey.”
Since Biden left the White House and the aftermath of her loss, Harris has seldom made public appearances.
Harris and Emhoff supported their fellow Angelenos during the Los Angeles wildfires in January and accepted the chairman’s award at the NAACP Image Awards, warning viewers not to “surrender to cynicism and destruction,” the following month. She also made a surprise appearance in June at Compton High School’s graduation ceremony near her home in California.
Harris has also spoken at events about artificial intelligence and civic engagement.
‘This is all just going away’: ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ to end next May
But for the most part, she has kept a low profile and provided few details about her next steps – whether that leads to another White House campaign or not. Perhaps the “Colbert” pit stop will offer viewers a glimpse at what path she plans to take.
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, Kayla Jiminez, Brendan Morrow
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Kamala Harris shading Trump with Stephen Colbert appearance?
