Neil Cavuto, a business journalist at Fox News Channel whose weekday afternoon news show frequently irritated President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters, left the network after 28 years with a final show on Thursday.
Cavuto, a workhorse who had been with Fox since its inception in 1996, also hosted shows on Fox’s sister network, the Fox Business Network, and was not considered one of the stable of opinion hosts.
His final show briskly moved through a series of news stories, including the possibility of a government funding agreement, stock market fluctuations, and an Amazon employee strike.
He addressed his departure at the end, thanking Fox for his years with the network but stating, “I’m not leaving journalism.” “I’m just leaving here.”
“I got to do what I love here — report the news, not shout the news, or blast the news,” he said, adding that his goal was to “tell truth to power and fairness to all.” “That’s me.”
He thanked viewers, mentioning those who wrote to suggest he do things “that I think were anatomically impossible to do.”
Fox said in a statement: “Neil Cavuto’s illustrious career has been a master class in journalism, and we’re extremely proud of his incredible 28-year run with Fox News Media. His programs defined business news and established industry standards. We bid him farewell and best wishes for his next chapter.”
Unlike many at Fox, he has not interviewed President-elect Donald Trump since 2017 and has occasionally irritated him. Cavuto stated on his show in September that Trump had “decisively lost” his debate with Democrat Kamala Harris.
Cavuto remarked this summer that when the stock market rises, Trump blames it on investors who are looking forward to his return to power, but when it falls, he blames Democrats.
On social media Thursday, Trump wrote in all caps that Cavuto’s departure is “GOOD NEWS FOR AMERICA.” He claimed it “should have happened a long time ago.”
While Cavuto’s departure from Fox removes a Trump irritant just before the president-elect takes office, this had nothing to do with it, according to a person at the network who was aware of the discussions but spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss contracts.
Cavuto’s contract was up, and despite being offered an extension, he chose to leave, according to the person. Cavuto confirmed the offer but did not explain why he was leaving.
With the television news industry struggling financially, some prominent figures have reportedly been asked to accept pay cuts. Some, such as Hoda Kotb from the “Today” show, chose to leave instead.
Even before Cavuto announced his departure, all of the guests on his final show saluted him. Reporter Aishah Hasnie referred to him as a hero, and billionaire investor Ken Fisher stated, “If you need any help, you will always have a friend in me.”
“You call balls and strikes,” said Bob Cusack, The Hill’s editor in chief. “You’re not a yes man.”
Cavuto, 66, has remained on the job despite several health issues over the years. He has multiple sclerosis, underwent heart surgery, and has had long bouts of COVID.
Janice Dean, a fellow Fox personality, wrote on social media that when she was diagnosed with MS, Cavuto “gave me hope that I could still pursue my dreams.”
There is no word yet on who will take Cavuto’s place on Fox’s schedule at 4 p.m. Eastern, a coveted slot before the network’s most popular show, “The Five.”