After weeks of rumors, anchor Jim Acosta confirmed his departure from CNN reside on-air on Tuesday, January 28 with a robust message. “Don’t give into the lies,” he warned as he departed the community throughout the second week of President Donald Trump‘s second time period. His assertion was given after CNN introduced a schedule overhaul for its programming. Final week, a Los Angeles Occasions report acknowledged that Acosta was contemplating quitting the community after CNN boss Mark Thompson requested him to maneuver his present to the graveyard shift.
Acosta is one in all CNN’s loudest critics of Trump, having turn out to be identified for his fiery protection as CNN’s Chief White Home Correspondent throughout Trump’s first time period. Acosta confirmed on Tuesday that he fastidiously thought of transferring to another timeslot supplied by CNN, however he “determined to maneuver on.” The January 28 broadcast was his final at CNN after reporting for the community for practically 20 years (see his assertion within the embedded video, beneath).
“I’m grateful to CNN for the practically 18 years I’ve spent right here doing the information,” Acosta stated in his last remarks on Tuesday. “Individuals typically ask me if the spotlight of my profession at CNN was on the White Home, protecting Donald Trump. Really, no, that second got here right here after I lined President Barack Obama’s journey to Cuba in 2016 and had the possibility to query the dictator there, Raul Castro, in regards to the island’s political prisoners. Because the son of a Cuban refugee, I took house this lesson: it’s by no means a superb time to bow right down to a tyrant.”
“I’ve at all times believed it’s the job of the press to carry energy to account,” he continued. “I’ve at all times tried to try this right here at CNN, and I plan on doing all of that sooner or later. One last message: Don’t give into the lies. Don’t give into the concern. Maintain on to the reality and to hope. Even when you must get out your cellphone, report that message: I can’t give into the lies. I can’t give into the concern. Put up it in your social media so individuals can hear from you, too. I’ll have extra to say about my plans within the coming days, however till then I wish to thank all of you for tuning in. It has been an honor to be welcomed into your private home for all these years. That’s the information. Reporting from Washington, I’m Jim Acosta.”
“Don’t give into the Lies”
As at the moment marks Jim Acosta’s @acosta last day with @cnn after 18 years I communicate on behalf of thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of individuals right here within the U.S. and worldwide who thanks for being amongst the very, easiest within the enterprise and setting the gold customary… pic.twitter.com/jEZiRBPY9C
— Jeff Storobinsky (@jeffstorobinsky) January 28, 2025
CNN launched an announcement following Acosta’s last moments on-air. The assertion was shared by Brian Stelter, who additionally was ousted from CNN in 2022 however returned as a Chief Analyst in 2024.
“Jim has had a protracted, distinguished practically 20-year profession at CNN, with a monitor report of standing as much as authority, for the primary modification and for our journalistic freedoms,” the community stated. “We wish to thank him for the dedication and dedication he’s delivered to his reporting and want him the easiest sooner or later.”
CNN Chairman and Chief Govt Mark Thompson requested Acosta to contemplate transferring his information program from a morning time slot to the “graveyard shift,” aka midnight to 2 a.m. ET, in a January 15 cellphone name.
Asking Acosta to maneuver to a time slot with much less viewership simply days earlier than Trump was to take workplace has been construed as CNN attempting to capitulate to the whims of the president who threatens press for damaging protection of him.