Jim Acosta, known for his contentious exchanges with former President Donald Trump, has been left out of CNN’s new weekday programming schedule. The network announced Thursday that Acosta’s 10 a.m. ET program will be replaced by The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown. This marks another significant reshuffle for CNN, leaving Acosta’s future uncertain.
A CNN spokesperson told Fox News Digital that discussions are ongoing about a new time slot for Acosta. Reports suggest he has been offered a midnight-to-2 a.m. slot—a marked downgrade in prominence compared to his previous position. If Acosta accepts, the move could also relocate him from CNN’s Washington, D.C., headquarters to its Los Angeles bureau. However, this transition would not be mandatory, as Acosta’s family remains rooted in the nation’s capital.
Acosta has been with CNN since 2007, covering political campaigns and later the Obama and Trump administrations. His rise to prominence came as CNN’s chief White House correspondent during Trump’s first term, where his adversarial approach and fiery exchanges with the administration drew national attention. A defining moment came in 2018 when Acosta refused to relinquish a microphone during a heated exchange with Trump, leading to a temporary suspension of his press pass. CNN successfully challenged the move, citing violations of First and Fifth Amendment rights.
Under CNN’s previous leadership, Acosta’s confrontational style aligned with the network’s approach during the Trump presidency, bolstering his profile and earning him a weekend anchor role. However, the network’s current leadership under CEO Mark Thompson appears to favor a less partisan image, with Acosta’s once-prominent role seemingly diminished.
CNN’s lineup reshuffle coincides with significant workforce reductions, as the network announced layoffs impacting approximately 6% of its employees.
