Trump critic Jim Acosta throws shade at president-elect as CNN wants to ‘exile’ him: ‘Freedom of press is…’

Trump critic Jim Acosta throws shade at president-elect as CNN wants to ‘exile’ him: ‘Freedom of press is…’

Trump critic Jim Acosta throws shade at president-elect as CNN wants to ‘exile’ him: ‘Freedom of press is…’ ByArya Vaishnavi Jan 17, 2025 09:06 PM IST Share Via Copy Link In an apparent dig at Trump, Acosta said, “We are not the enemy of the people. We are the defenders of the people.”

Jim Acosta, an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, targeted the president-elect during Thursday's CNN Newsroom segment. The 53-year-old quoted the outgoing President, Joe Biden, to stress the importance of “freedom of the press.” The broadcaster even held up a fan-made placard to preach a free and fair media amid the network's alleged plans to bury him in a bid to “throw a bone” to the future commander-in-chief.

Jim Acosta throws shade at Donald Trump amid CNN's alleged plans to bury him and his show (Newsroom) CNN's Jim Acosta throws shade at Donald Trump, quotes Joe Biden

In his nearly one-minute-long speech, Acosta highlighted Biden's warning about the free press “crumbling” to declare that journalists are “not the enemy of the people.” “I want to take a moment to talk about something President Biden said during his farewell address,” the embattled CNN broadcaster said.

“He warned the free press is crumbling in this country,” Acosta said of Biden, adding, “I would add.. that’s only if we, the people, let that happen.” “Journalists exist to seek the truth, to tell people’s stories, to lift up voices that may not be heard otherwise, to shine a light on injustice and to hold the powerful accountable,” he went on.

In an apparent dig at Trump, Acosta said, “We are not the enemy of the people. We are the defenders of the people. Walter Cronkite once said, ‘Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy. It is democracy’.” His statement seemingly referred to the future president's repeated comments about the media being the “enemy of the people.”

Acosta then held up a bright pink placard given to him by a fan at the start of Trump's first term at the White House. “I March For Jim Acosta and a FREE PRESS,” the sign read alongside a hand-drawn image of a fist holding a pencil. “I want to take a moment to show you something. A woman sent me this sign eight years ago,” he said.

“She carried it here at a march in Washington. She wrote on the back of the sign to me and the press here in DC, ‘you have our support.’ To Nora, wherever you are, right back at you,” the liberal broadcaster added.

Earlier this week, CNN's CEO Mark Thompson allegedly proposed shifting Acosta's show from 10 am to the graveyard midnight slot, as reported by the network's former senior media reporter Oliver Darcy in his Status News newsletter. “The move would effectively exile Acosta to the Siberia of television news,” he wrote.

“Thompson, I’m told, delivered the veteran journalist a sudden and strange proposal: Move your show to midnight and anchor it until 2am ET,” Darcy continued, adding that Acosta was caught “off-guard” by the move. He added that an unnamed source told him that “they [CNN] want to get rid of Acosta to throw a bone to Trump.” “Midnight is not a serious offer when his ratings are among the best on the network.”