Pandering to Donald Trump, a fearful CNN decided to move one of Trump's biggest critics, Jim Acosta, from his 10 a.m. time slot to the much less trafficked midnight slot. But rather than kiss the ring, the defiant CNN reporter of nearly 18 years boldly called out Trump for what he is — "a tyrant" — while bidding his audience farewell.
"As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson: It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant," he said on air this morning on CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta. "I have always believed it's the job of the press to hold power to account. I've always tried to do that here at CNN, and I plan on doing all of that in the future."
"…One final message. Don't give in to the lies. Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope," he added, in part. "Even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. 'I will not give in to the lies. I will not give in to the fear!'" (See his full message in the video below, posted by Intelligence on Display.)
From Mediaite:
CNN CEO Mark Thompson and his network announced sweeping changes this week — including the likely exile of anchor Jim Acosta in a move seen by some as a capitulation to President Donald Trump — in what Thompson described as a "shift" toward "platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting."
According to the source, Acosta "didn't like the message that would send to the journalists" at CNN — and did not want to be "part of anything that kowtows to Trump."
Here is Acosta's entire message, transcribed by Mediaite:
I just wanted to end today's show by thanking all of the wonderful people who work behind the scenes at this network.
You may have seen some reports about me and the show, and after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing in alternative timeslots CNN offered me, I've decided to move on. I am grateful to CNN for the nearly 18 years I've spent here doing the news.
People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White House covering Donald Trump.
Actually, no. That moment came here when I covered former President Barack Obama's trip to Cuba in 2016 and had the chance to question the dictator there, Raul Castro, about the island's political prisoners.
As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson: It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant.
I have always believed it's the job of the press to hold power to account. I've always tried to do that here at CNN, and I plan on doing all of that in the future.
One final message. Don't give in to the lies. Don't give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope.
Even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. I will not give in to the lies. "I will not give in to the fear!"
Post it on your social media so people can hear from you, too.
I'll have more to say about my plans in the coming days. But until then, I want to thank all of you for tuning in. It has been an honor to be welcomed into your home for all these years.
That's the news. Reporting from Washington. I'm Jim Acosta.
Previously:
• In stunning turnaround, MSNBC's Mika and Joe meet with Donald Trump to kiss the ring (video)
• MSNBC's Joe and Mika double down on their newfound lovefest with Trump (video)