Jim Acosta quits CNN amid reports he would be moved to graveyard shift

CNN host Jim Acosta is now a former CNN host after announcing on Tuesday that he is leaving the network amid reports that management was going to move his daytime show to the midnight hour in an effort to gain viewers' trust with Donald Trump as president again.

Acosta made a name for himself as the resistance inside the White House press corps during President Donald Trump's first term in office, resulting in Trump often calling him "fake news." Acosta moved to hosting a show during the Biden-Harris administration, but that was put in peril as executives sought to move the program to a less popular time as the network's ratings continue to decline.

'Don't give in to the lies. Don't give in to the fear.'

The host gave his final answer to the public as he signed off during Tuesday's episode.

"And I just wanted to end today's show by thanking all of the wonderful people who work behind the scenes at this network. You may have seen some reports about me and the show, and after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered me, I've decided to move on. I am grateful to CNN for the nearly 18 years I've spent here doing the news," Acosta said.

Acosta said his proudest moment at the network was not when he was covering Trump at the White House but instead when he was able to ask Cuban dictator Raul Castro about the regime's political prisoners.

"As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson: It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant. I've always believed it's the job of the press to hold power to account. I've always tried to do that here at CNN, and I plan on doing all of that in the future. One final message: Don't give in to the lies. Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope," he continued.

Acosta did not say what he will do now, only that he will reveal his plans in the coming days.

In classic Trump fashion, the president issued the following statement on Truth Social about Acosta's career at CNN ending in such unceremonious fashion:

Wow, really good news! Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, "Death Valley," because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!). Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better. Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim!

“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 for 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 the future," CNN said in a statement to Blaze Media.

Story has been updated to include CNN's statement on Acosta's departure.

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