Jim Acosta Show Moves
It seems that CNN’s golden boy, Jim Acosta, is about to find himself relegated to the journalistic equivalent of no man’s land. Reports are swirling that the network is considering bumping Acosta’s show, “CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta,” to the dreaded midnight slot—a move that insiders are calling nothing short of professional exile. If true, this is a stark fall from grace for the man who was once the self-anointed “defender of the people” in his relentless battles with President-elect Donald Trump.
Let’s not mince words here: Acosta is the face of anti-Trump hostility at CNN. During Trump’s first term, Acosta turned White House press briefings into theatrical sparring matches, grandstanding with questions designed more for soundbites than substance.
Who can forget Trump’s infamous 2018 takedown of Acosta, calling him “a rude, terrible person”? It was no surprise when Acosta’s press pass was briefly yanked after one particularly petty exchange. And yet, Acosta wore these moments like badges of honor, as if his constant provocations were somehow a noble crusade rather than a transparent ratings ploy.
CNN’s Jim Acosta delivers a nauseatingly stupid commentary thanking President Biden for dedicating part of his farewell address to the news media, says the news media are “democracy” itself:
“I want to take a moment to talk about something President Biden said during his… pic.twitter.com/MACF2dD3kP
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 16, 2025
But now, with Trump preparing to take office again, CNN appears to be in damage-control mode. According to former CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy, the network’s leadership is keen to avoid further antagonizing the new administration—and Acosta is the sacrificial lamb.
Mark Thompson, CNN’s new boss, reportedly pitched the midnight slot as part of a broader reshuffling that would bring veteran anchor Wolf Blitzer into the morning show rotation. Officially, it’s all about scheduling changes, but no one’s buying it. Sources say this is a blatant attempt to “throw a bone” to Trump by sidelining one of his most vocal critics.
Let’s be clear: the midnight slot is where television careers go to die. For a network already hemorrhaging viewers, shifting one of its highest-rated anchors to the late-night graveyard is a curious choice—unless, of course, the real goal is to make Acosta disappear. The man who built his brand on anti-Trump confrontation is suddenly inconvenient, and CNN, ever the weathervane for political winds, is ready to cut him loose.
Unsurprisingly, Acosta isn’t taking this quietly. On his Thursday broadcast, he delivered a self-righteous monologue about the media’s role in defending democracy, invoking Walter Cronkite in a thinly veiled attempt to remind viewers—and CNN leadership—of his supposed importance. It was the kind of self-aggrandizing performance we’ve come to expect from Acosta, who rarely misses an opportunity to play the victim-hero.
But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just about Acosta. His demotion, if it happens, is emblematic of a broader shift at CNN. The network is scrambling to rehabilitate its image after years of open partisanship. By sidelining Acosta, they’re sending a signal to Trump and his supporters that the days of overt hostility might be over—or at least toned down for the sake of survival. Whether that gamble will pay off remains to be seen.