CNN’s Acosta Ridiculed For On Air Stunt As He Fights To Keep His Job

CNN anchor Jim Acosta is reportedly fighting to keep his position as he faces a potential shift to a less favorable time slot.

The anchor, known as one of the network’s highest-rated personalities — though that doesn’t say much — is allegedly unhappy about a proposed move from his daytime show to a midnight slot. The change is speculated to be an effort by CNN to mend fences with President-elect Trump, with whom Acosta has a contentious history.

During a recent broadcast, Acosta highlighted his career accomplishments and took the opportunity to reference a warning from President Joe Biden.

“[President Biden] warned the free press is crumbling in this country. I would add that’s only if we, the people, let that happen,” he declared.

“Journalists exist to seek the truth, to tell people stories, to lift up voices that may not be heard otherwise,” he continued.

“To shine a light on injustice and hold the powerful accountable. We are not the enemy of the people. We are the defender of the people,” he added. He then held up a bright pink sign that read, “I march for Jim Acosta and a free press.”

The sign harks back to a time when Acosta was banned from the White House briefing room during Trump’s first term. A court order later allowed him to return.

“A woman sent me a sign eight years ago, she carried here at a march in Washington. She wrote on the back of the sign to me and the press here in DC, ‘you have our support.’ To Nora, wherever you are, right back at ya,” Acosta said.

He also aired a montage of clips showing him being criticized by both Republicans and Democrats as evidence of his fairness and impartiality. However, many users on X (formerly Twitter) were unimpressed.

“This nakedly partisan b**** really does think he’s the Conscience of America,” journalist Glenn Greenwald commented. “Never seen a more self-important, sanctimonious blow hard in my entire life. And no, I’ll never get over the fact that he wrote a book bought by dumb liberals where he depicted himself as endangered.”

Greenwald was referencing Acosta’s 2019 book, The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America.

Another user responded, “You are not ‘we the people.’ You represent an industry that is more interested in pushing a viewpoint. Until you start serving ‘we the people,’ you should continue to slide into irrelevance.”

“There is no one in this country who’s interested in what you have to say. Sorry dude. You speaking about the free press while embracing the Left’s censorship over the last few years is peak irony,” another comment read.

On Thursday, former CNN reporter Oliver Darcy revealed that CNN Worldwide Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson had a phone conversation with Acosta, during which he “delivered the veteran journalist a sudden and strange proposal: Move your show to midnight and anchor it until 2am ET.”

“They want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump. Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network,” an unnamed source claimed.

A current staffer at CNN told Mediaite that the potential move had caught many by surprise.

“For one, Jim has not been part of the problem. He’s consistently delivering and holding his own at 10 am (and) has a loyal following,” they stated.

“Jim made a career and name for himself by asking tough questions and holding power to account. That included Trump. So it will be interesting to see if this kind of move has some sort of chilling effect or sends a message to other shows and EPs about how the network wants to engage with this new administration,” the staffer added.

Another CNN employee expressed dismay to Mediaite, calling the rumored move “the worst possible move at the worst possible time.”

“Staffers are baffled by this rumor. It seems like an attempt to appease Trump, who is never appeased by anything. Trump and his aides will celebrate if Acosta is sidelined,” the employee concluded.