Posted on 01/28/25
| News Source: FOX News
CNN anchor Jim Acosta announced on Tuesday that he would exit the network, urging viewers not to "give into the lies" on his way out.
"You may have seen some reports about me and this show and after giving all of this some careful consideration, and weighing an alternative timeslot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on," Acosta told viewers.
"I am grateful to CNN for the nearly 18 years I spent here doing the news. People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White White House covering Donald Trump. Actually, no. That moment came here," Acosta added, showing a photo of him covering President Obama’s trip to Cuba in 2016 and questioning dictator Raul Castro.
"As a song of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson. It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant," Acosta said.
Acosta added a pointed message at the end of his monologue.
"I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I have always tried to do that here at CNN," he continued. "I plan on doing all of that in the future. One final message – don’t give into the lies. Don’t give into the fear. Hold onto the truth. And to hope, even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. I will not give into the lies. I will not give into the fear. Post it on your social media, so people can hear from you, too."
Acosta’s announcement came after days of speculation about his future after he was left off CNN’s updated programming schedule. Acosta’s 10 a.m. ET program was replaced with "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown" in the network’s latest reshuffling.
Acosta said he would announce more about his future plans in the coming days.
"Until then, I want to thank all of you for tuning in. It has been an honor to be welcomed into your home for all of these years," Acosta said.