Jim Acosta forced to leave CNN to please Trump?

One of the key presenters employed by CNN since 2007, Jim Acosta, is leaving the network after being relegated to a much less strategic time slot in the schedule, a decision that some interpret as an effort to ease tensions with the president or respond to alleged demands from the Trump administration towards CNN and the media.

Jim Acosta leaving CNN after being pulled from network’s programming schedule

— New York Post (@nypost.com) 2025-01-28T03:33:13.032Z

Jim Acosta is certainly one of the major victims of a significant reorganization at CNN and its programming under the leadership of its CEO, Mark Thompson, in order to, according to company executives, adapt to the changes in the media landscape and strengthen its digital presence.

This restructuring has brought significant changes for several iconic figures at CNN, including Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper, but for Jim Acosta, it has been perceived as a major setback, as the company has pushed him out of strategic time slots.

Among these major changes in programming, the show The Lead with Jake Tapper, previously aired on weekdays from 4 PM to 6 PM (ET), will be moved from 5 PM to 7 PM (ET) starting in March 2025, as part of this significant reorganization of the network.

The time change for Wolf Blitzer, who previously hosted The Situation Room aired on weekdays from 6 PM to 7 PM (ET), now places him in a new morning slot from 10 AM to 12 PM (ET), where he will co-host with Pamela Brown, thus replacing the time slot previously occupied by Jim Acosta’s show.

The show CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta was aired on weekdays from 10 AM to 11 AM (ET). With the announced restructuring, Jim Acosta has been offered a time slot from midnight to 2 AM, a decision that significantly reduces his visibility and represents a heavy blow for the presenter.

Some view this decision by CNN as being related to Donald Trump’s return to the White House, with Jim Acosta being one of the most critical hosts towards the former and current president.

This hypothesis seems even more plausible when recalling the November 2018 incident during a press conference following the midterm elections, where Acosta, then CNN’s White House correspondent, had a heated exchange with Trump, resulting in his temporary ban from the White House.

This raises the question: did Trump exert influence pushing CNN to get rid of Jim Acosta?

Smart take on my interview with Burchett on Jan. 6. We can’t let the truth about that day be destroyed. newrepublic.com/article/1905…

— Jim Acosta (@jimacosta.bsky.social) 2025-01-23T11:45:44.071Z

It is worth noting that Jim Acosta joined CNN in 2007 as a national political correspondent. He gained prominence covering Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.

In 2018, he was named chief White House correspondent, becoming a prominent figure at CNN, particularly due to his often heated exchanges with Trump during his first presidential term. Acosta also reported on major historical moments, such as the 2020 elections and the significant events of January 6, 2021.

His departure will undoubtedly leave a void within CNN, a company that in recent years seems to have lost its bearings and struggles to clearly define its position.