On Thursday, CNN unveiled a dramatic shake-up of its weekday lineup, signaling an apparent attempt to reshape its programming and rebrand its image in the era of Trump’s second term. The moves reflect a broader effort by CNN’s leadership to reset the network’s struggling reputation, which has long been dogged by allegations of bias, plummeting ratings, and a failure to resonate with everyday viewers. But make no mistake, this isn’t just about shuffling time slots—it’s about survival in a media landscape that’s rapidly leaving CNN behind.
At the top of the list of changes is the relocation of longtime CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, whose iconic The Situation Room is being moved from its early evening slot to a 10 a.m. time block. Blitzer will now co-anchor alongside Pamela Brown, in what seems like a bid to inject new energy into CNN’s morning programming. Jake Tapper is also on the move, with The Lead sliding into a two-hour slot from 5 to 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Kasie Hunt, who previously hosted CNN’s morning show, will take over the 4 p.m. hour with a new program called The Arena, where she’ll go head-to-head with Fox News’s Will Cain Show.
Perhaps the boldest bet comes in the mornings, where CNN is trying to build momentum with a revamped lineup. NPR veteran Audie Cornish will now host CNN This Morning at 6 a.m., hoping to make a dent in the dominance of Fox News’s Fox & Friends and MSNBC’s Morning Joe. CNN’s morning shows have been a longstanding weak spot for the network, so this move feels like a last-ditch effort to find a winning formula. To round things out, CNN is introducing a new pre-morning show at 5 a.m., titled 5 Things, hosted by business correspondent Rahel Solomon.
But while these moves reflect CNN’s attempts to retool its programming, one name stands out for what’s not being said: Jim Acosta. The former White House correspondent, who built his career on combative exchanges with Donald Trump during his first term, has been conspicuously absent from CNN’s new promotional material. Reports suggest that Acosta, currently in the 10 a.m. slot, is being pushed out of primetime altogether. According to insiders, CNN plans to relegate him to the “graveyard shift” from midnight to 2 a.m.—a clear demotion for one of the network’s most polarizing figures. The Los Angeles Times even hinted that Acosta may leave CNN altogether rather than accept what amounts to professional exile.
This is more than just a scheduling adjustment—it’s a signal that CNN is ready to distance itself from the Acosta brand of grandstanding, hyper-partisan reporting. Acosta became synonymous with the network’s combative posture toward Trump, earning cheers from the left but alienating much of the American public.
In the eyes of many, his over-the-top antics and relentless antagonism embodied everything that went wrong with CNN during the Trump era. And now, as Trump’s second term begins, it seems CNN CEO Mark Thompson is intent on steering the ship in a different direction.
Thompson has reportedly urged CNN’s anchors and journalists to approach Trump’s presidency with “an open mind”—a stark contrast to the unrestrained hostility that defined CNN’s coverage during Trump’s first term. Whether Thompson can actually enforce this new editorial direction remains to be seen. His predecessor, Chris Licht, attempted a similar course correction, only to be ousted after just 13 months when he faced internal rebellion from CNN staffers unwilling to moderate their tone toward Trump.
The reality is that CNN has become deeply entrenched in its identity as an anti-Trump network. Many of its employees seem fundamentally opposed to giving Trump what they see as fair or balanced coverage, viewing him as uniquely unworthy of journalistic objectivity. But for Thompson to rebuild CNN’s brand and regain public trust, he must rid the network of its most ideologically rigid personalities—and that means sidelining figures like Acosta, whose approach to journalism often seemed more about personal vendettas than the pursuit of truth.
