News/Commentary

CNBC’s Rick Santelli retiring — his greatest moments ever seen here

September 5, 2026 | | Print Article

Rick Santelli, a mainstay of financial cable television, has announced his retirement from CNBC.

He will be taking his leave on October 2, an announcement made with great sorrow by his colleague who had nothing but good things to say about his work.

Watch:

Considered the man who sparked the Tea Party movement during former President Barack Obama’s administration, some of Santelli’s best moments were candid callouts of the powers that be.

Watch:

ADVERTISEMENT

His reaction to Obama’s mortgage relief plan shot him straight into the headlines and prompted a national movement.

“This is America. How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor’s mortgage, that has an extra mortgage and can’t pay their bills? Raise their hand,” he shouted on the Chicago trading floor, to boos from the surrounding traders. “President Obama, are you listening?”

“How about we all stop paying our mortgage? It’s a moral hazard,” one of the other traders chimed in.

Santelli suggested a “Chicago Tea Party” in retaliation, but when the clip went viral, protests popped up around the country as Americans rejected how their tax dollars were being used.

More recently, he took on COVID shutdowns:

ADVERTISEMENT

“You can’t tell me that shutting down, which is the easiest answer, is the only answer,” he shouted in 2020, adding “IT’S NOT SCIENCE” when host Andrew Sorkin tried to push the masking narrative that had been like gospel to the left.

“500 people in a Lowe’s aren’t any safer than 150 people in a restaurant that holds 600. I don’t believe it!” he screamed, rejecting the “science” that we now know was bunk.

X users reacted to the announcement:

ADVERTISEMENT

Sierra Marlee
Latest posts by Sierra Marlee (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles