One of the traditional media #Resistance breakout stars of President Donald Trump's first term may be gone in the dead of night now that his second term has officially begun.
As CNN's chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta became a household name for his hostile relationship with Trump and his press secretary. After the 2020 election, Acosta was promoted to anchor at CNN, first on weekends but eventually moving to weekday programming.
While CNN's past leadership reveled in Acosta's ongoing feud with the first Trump administration, the network's current leadership appears to be trying to tone down the drama.
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CNN star Jim Acosta was asked by his bosses to move to midnight, which critics said would lower his on-air profile during Trump's second term as president. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)
The Status newsletter first reported last week that CNN CEO Mark Thompson proposed moving Acosta from a one-hour slot at 10 a.m. ET to a two-hour slot starting at midnight, a move that would " Effectively ousting Acosta.” The Siberia of TV news,” as it’s described.
The report quickly sparked outrage among liberal CNN fans, with many saying the move meant the network was caving to Trump.
Sources told Fox News Digital that the claim was legitimate, with one insisting Acosta was "devastated" as a result.
"Acosta is a talented broadcaster who can handle any time slot on the network," a CNN staffer told Fox News Digital. "The midnight incident was shocking, but that's what it is."
Although the chatter was described as "gossip" in the CNN hallways, the staffer "believed" the prospect of moving Acosta to the midnight slot was real and suggested it was the only way Acosta could move forward at the network. the way.
"He could have had a real spot but the choice was not to give it to him," the staffer added.
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The Los Angeles Times similarly reported that if Acosta refuses to take the night shift, "Acosta may quit the network, according to people familiar with his thinking."
The Times also reported that working the night shift would likely move Acosta from CNN's Washington headquarters to the network's Los Angeles bureau, though the move was not necessary because his family has roots in Washington. The 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. Eastern time slot will overlap with primetime programming on the West Coast, airing from 9 to 11 p.m. Pacific time.
During a 2018 press conference, Acosta famously refused to give up the microphone while asking President Trump a question. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)
Another CNN insider told Fox News Digital that executives were "furious" after news of Acosta's one-on-one conversation with Thompson was leaked, and that the network was caught off guard by the outrage online.
A CNN spokesman declined to comment.
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Acosta first joined CNN in 2007, but he didn't come to prominence until a decade later, when then-boss Jeff Zucker assigned him as the network's resident correspondent in the White House briefing room. He quickly gained notoriety for barking questions to Trump's White House press secretary and often confronting the president himself, earning a reputation for grandstanding and an image boost from Trump after being called "fake news."
He famously engaged in a contentious spat with Trump during a 2018 press conference, refusing to give up the microphone. After the altercation, the White House attempted to revoke Acosta's press pass, but it was reinstated when CNN argued it violated Acosta's and the network's First and Fifth Amendment rights.
During Trump's first administration, Acosta became a regular on the late-night circuit, a rarity for a White House reporter among previous presidents. (Randy Holmes via Getty Images)
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Acosta's adversarial relationship with the first Trump administration appeared to be profitable, as he earned himself a book deal and became a regular guest on liberal late-night shows, further bolstering his star power. giving him an anchor spot during the Biden presidency.
But with a different boss at the helm, it remains to be seen whether Acosta's status as CNN's #Resistance figure will survive a second Trump administration, or whether he will have to go elsewhere to resume his war of words with the president observe.