Longtime CNN reporter Jim Acosta delivered a dramatic farewell to his viewers as he left the struggling network, seemingly for good.

The embattled news station made news of its own with corporate policy changes demanding more balanced, instead of biased, reporting amid tanking ratings.

With his job already on the line, Acosta turned down an opportunity for a late-night show believing the move would send a bad message to fellow journalists and would “kowtow to Trump,” according to a Mediaite source.

Jim Acosta is done at CNN. Trump reacts as only Trump can. pic.twitter.com/9clzQWOp74

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 28, 2025

So in a defiant move, Acosta pulled the breaks early, on himself.

Jim Acosta is OUT at CNN.

They will record a loss of 2 viewers.

This leaves 15 viewers active for their other shows. pic.twitter.com/zBTwmpNID4

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 28, 2025

“People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White House covering Donald Trump,” Acosta said during his farewell on Tuesday.

“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.”

Acosta appeared to take a not-so-subtle dig at Trump:

“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 continued.

But, Acosta wasn’t done.

“One final message,” he continued. “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,” he implored.

Acosta’s farewell speech landed on X where critics weren’t exactly sad to see him go.

He gone! pic.twitter.com/CzFaqVMoOs

— Reply By Mail (@ReplybyMail) January 28, 2025

Bye bye Jim LOL

— Tulsi Gabbard (Parody) (@TulsiGabbardrep) January 28, 2025

Headed over to the View!

— The Austin Conservative (@atx_republican) January 28, 2025

Bank on it.

Poor man pic.twitter.com/icIEVdQKDo

— Cool Christian Engineer (@imcoolchristian) January 28, 2025

This is hilarious. This is the exact thing he had to leave for.

What a tool.

— The Nikki V. (@Mrs_Villanueva) January 28, 2025

And who could forget this gem that is once again going viral on X thanks to Acosta’s dramatic ouster:

Jim Acosta is out at CNN after 18 years. His biggest contribution to society was getting spanked by DJT on live TV: pic.twitter.com/auCEAUXgOw

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 28, 2025

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