Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
CNN's Jim Acosta, an Irritant to Trump, Says He's Quitting
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 2 months ago on
January 28, 2025

CNN's Jim Acosta, known for clashes with Trump, opts to leave network rather than accept late-night slot. (AP File)

Share

NEW YORK – CNN anchor Jim Acosta, an irritant to President Donald Trump as a former White House correspondent, says he’s quitting the network rather than accept an offer for a new late-night time slot.

Acosta announced his departure Tuesday at the end of his one-hour morning show on the network, telling viewers: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear.”

He didn’t specifically tie those sentiments to Trump, but the implication was clear. CNN says its decision to move Acosta out of the daylight and into a time slot to begin at midnight Eastern time had nothing to do with politics.

Less than a half hour before Acosta’s announcement, Trump posted on social media that rumors that the anchor was leaving were good news. “Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up,” Trump said on Truth Social.

CNN announced last week — Trump’s first week back in office — that it was shuffling its daytime lineup to move Wolf Blitzer into Acosta’s 10 a.m. Eastern time slot, paired with Pamela Brown. The network said it had offered Acosta a job at midnight and would move him to Los Angeles, where his show would air at 9 p.m., and also simulcast the program on CNN International.

But Acosta, who has been at CNN for 18 years, said Tuesday he had turned that down.

Reflecting on His Career

He said people often ask him if covering Trump’s first term as president was the highlight of his CNN career. Instead, he said it was the chance to cover former President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba in 2016 and ask Cuban leader Raul Castro a question about political prisoners.

“As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home the lesson (that) it is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant,” Acosta said. “I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I’ve always tried to do that at CNN and plan to go on doing it in the future.”

He said his final message was “don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth. And to hope.”

CNN’s Response and Trump’s Relationship

CNN, in a statement, said “Jim has had a long, distinguished, nearly 20-year career at CNN, with a track record of standing up to authority, for the First Amendment and our journalistic freedoms. We want to thank him for the dedication and commitment he’s brought to his reporting and wish him the very best in in the future.”

Trump’s sour relationship with Acosta during his first term culminated with the White House briefly suspending Acosta’s press pass in 2018. Acosta had tried to continue questioning Trump after the president said “that’s enough!” at a news conference and an aide tried to take away Acosta’s microphone.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

DON'T MISS

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

DON'T MISS

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

DON'T MISS

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

DON'T MISS

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

DON'T MISS

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

DON'T MISS

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

DON'T MISS

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

DON'T MISS

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

DON'T MISS

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

UP NEXT

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

UP NEXT

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

UP NEXT

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

UP NEXT

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

UP NEXT

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

UP NEXT

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

UP NEXT

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

UP NEXT

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

UP NEXT

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

UP NEXT

Trump Administration’s Attacks on Higher Education Threaten US Global Dominance in Science

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

11 hours ago

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

11 hours ago

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

11 hours ago

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

12 hours ago

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

13 hours ago

Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job

15 hours ago

CA Borrows $3.4B to Cover Medi-Cal Budget Gap. Is Immigrant Coverage at Risk?

15 hours ago

Trump Administration’s Attacks on Higher Education Threaten US Global Dominance in Science

16 hours ago

Tulare Police Arrest Eight in Gang Suppression Operation

16 hours ago

Feds Drop Gun Charge Against Capitol Rioter Benjamin Martin

17 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

A 28-year-old Fresno man was sentenced Friday to 200 years to life in state prison for a 2021 double murder, the Fresno County District Atto...

10 hours ago

10 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 200 Years to Life for Double Homicide

The River Park Farmers Market in Fresno is set to welcome its seven-millionth customer while expanding its community impact through food assistance programs, small business support, and a new educational cooking series. (River Park Farmers Market)
10 hours ago

River Park Farmers Market Nears Milestone: 7 Million Customers

10 hours ago

Senate Passes Six-Month Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline

Cassidy Gonzalez (pictured), 24, faces Fresno County’s first fentanyl-related homicide trial, with prosecutors linking her to Jade Dreith’s, 41, fatal overdose and the defense questioning the evidence. (Fresno County Sheriff's Office)
11 hours ago

Fresno County’s First Fentanyl Murder Trial Begins as Defense Challenges Overdose Evidence

11 hours ago

Trump Pledges to ‘Expel Rogue Actors’ in Political Speech at Justice Department

11 hours ago

Meet Tulare County’s New Health Officer: Dr. Asma Tariq

12 hours ago

CA Regulator Mulls State Farm’s Request for 22% Home Insurance Hike

13 hours ago

Fresno Council President Says It’s Not Worth Investigating ‘Rumors’ of Chavez Wrongdoing

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend