Jim Acosta Reignites Trump Feud

Jim Acosta, a veteran journalist and former CNN anchor, has reignited his long-standing feud with President Donald Trump following his departure from the network in January 2025. 

Acosta, who spent nearly 18 years at CNN, was known for his combative exchanges with Trump during the latter’s first term, particularly as CNN’s chief White House correspondent. His exit from CNN and subsequent actions have kept their rivalry in the spotlight, especially as Trump began his second term in January 2025. Here’s an overview of the situation based on available reports:

Acosta’s exit from CNN was announced on January 28, 2025, during the final broadcast of his CNN Newsroom show, which aired at 10 a.m. ET. The departure came after CNN offered him a new time slot—midnight to 2 a.m. ET—which many viewed as a demotion to a low-viewership “graveyard shift.” This move was part of a broader programming shake-up under CNN CEO Mark Thompson, who aimed to pivot the network toward digital offerings and adjust its lineup. Acosta declined the late-night slot, choosing instead to leave the network after careful consideration. In his on-air sign-off, he delivered a pointed message: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth, and to hope.” He also referenced his Cuban refugee heritage, stating, “It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant,” a remark widely interpreted as a jab at Trump.

Shortly after leaving CNN, Acosta launched an independent venture, The Jim Acosta Show, on Substack, signaling his intent to continue his journalistic pursuits unfiltered. On February 16, 2025, he published a post on the platform that directly challenged the Trump administration’s treatment of the press. Specifically, Acosta criticized the White House’s decision to ban the Associated Press (AP) from briefings after the outlet refused to adopt Trump’s preferred terminology—“Gulf of America”—over its stylebook-standard “Gulf of Mexico.” 

Acosta called this an attack on press freedom and urged news organizations to unite in solidarity, suggesting they boycott Trump coverage until the administration relented. “News outlets must rally to the cause… refusing to cover presidential movements until Trump backs down,” he wrote, adding, “To President Trump and his allies, you may think you have silenced me. But guess again.”

Trump, in turn, had already celebrated Acosta’s CNN exit on Truth Social on January 28, 2025, calling him “one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag” and claiming his move to the midnight slot was due to “extraordinarily LOW RATINGS.” After Acosta’s Substack post, the feud escalated further. Acosta responded to Trump’s earlier taunts on X, quipping, “Looks like somebody has ADS: Acosta Derangement Syndrome,” flipping Trump’s own “Trump Derangement Syndrome” label back at him. This exchange underscored the personal nature of their animosity, which dates back to Trump’s first term.

Background of Their Rivalry: The Acosta-Trump feud became a hallmark of Trump’s first presidency (2017–2021). As CNN’s White House correspondent, Acosta frequently clashed with Trump during press conferences. A notable incident occurred on November 7, 2018, when Trump called Acosta “a rude, terrible person” after he pressed the president on immigration rhetoric. A White House intern attempted to take Acosta’s microphone, leading to a brief physical struggle, and the administration revoked his press credentials. CNN sued, and a federal judge ordered their reinstatement, citing due process violations. Trump often branded Acosta and CNN as “fake news,” a label that stuck with his base and fueled their adversarial dynamic.