Jim Acosta has revealed his next career move after his dramatic exit from CNN, following a demotion that would have pushed his show to a midnight time slot.
On Tuesday, Acosta announced via X (formerly Twitter) that he is going independent and launching a blog on Substack.
Hey guys! I’ve started something new. Go check it out! pic.twitter.com/28PIox1wtT
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 28, 2025
In the video, Acosta reflected on his departure from CNN and his decision to go independent.
“Hey guys, it’s Jim, and let me just say this: I’ve had quite the day,” he said. “But as you can see, earlier today, this was my last day at CNN, and I did want to jump on Substack Live for a moment and say welcome to my new venture. I’m going independent, at least for now.”
Acosta took another swipe at former President Donald Trump, calling him a “tyrant”—echoing his farewell remarks on CNN.
“Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and hope. And we’ll keep this conversation going,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Acosta addressed his departure live on air.
“You may have seen some reports about me and this show. And after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on,” he stated.
Jim Acosta "quits" CNN live on air pic.twitter.com/YkLGTH6ltP
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 28, 2025
CNN’s decision to move Acosta to a midnight slot was widely seen as a demotion, effectively sidelining him from primetime coverage.
“As a son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson: It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant,” Acosta added, seemingly referencing Trump.
Former President Donald Trump reacted to Acosta’s departure on Truth Social, celebrating the news.
“Wow, really good news! Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the midnight hour, ‘Death Valley,’ because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!),” Trump wrote.
“Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better,” he added. “Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck, Jim!”
With his shift to independent journalism, Acosta joins a growing list of media figures moving to Substack and other platforms to connect directly with their audience. Whether his new venture will succeed remains to be seen, but his departure from CNN marks the end of an era for the network’s political coverage.