Jim Acosta, a prominent anchor at CNN, is reportedly set to leave the network following a reshuffle that saw his morning time slot replaced with a late-night shift from midnight to 2 a.m. ET. This information comes from Oliver Darcy’s Status News newsletter.
Acosta, despite being one of the most well-known figures on the network, was recently removed from his 10 a.m. weekday show by CNN’s CEO, Mark Thompson, as part of a broader strategy to revamp the daytime schedule. The changes coincide with CNN’s decision to lay off six percent of its staff in a bid to focus more on digital content.
Before the shift was confirmed, Thompson reached out to Acosta, suggesting that he transition from his high-performing morning show, which had been drawing significant viewership, to a late-night slot — often referred to as a less desirable time for television news.
Jim Acosta, who joined CNN in 2007, became widely known during the Trump administration. However, reports indicate that he was recently removed from the network’s lineup.
Back in 2018, the White House revoked Acosta’s press credentials following a heated exchange between him and then-President Donald Trump at a press briefing. The tension arose when Acosta questioned Trump about the caravan of migrants traveling from Latin America to the U.S. southern border. As Acosta attempted to ask a follow-up question, Trump interjected with, “That’s enough!” A female White House staffer then unsuccessfully tried to take the microphone from Acosta.