Fox News Anchor Shepard Smith Quits Amid Trump Criticism

Longtime Fox News anchor Shepard Smith abruptly left the cable news channel on Friday, removing one of the network’s primary hard-news voices and a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s ire.

Smith, 55, who had been with Fox since its inception in 1996, hosted his daily show at 3 p.m. Eastern for the last time. “Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter,” he said in a statement. “After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged.”

Under an agreement with Fox, Smith said, he “won’t be reporting elsewhere at least in the near future.”

While Fox’s prime-time shows have a decidedly conservative bent, delivered by hosts such as Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, the network plays it straighter during much of the rest of the day. Smith was known for pointing out the foibles of the Trump administration in a way that often angered the president.

Fox News “doesn’t deliver for US anymore,” Trump said Thursday in a tweet that mentioned Smith. The president said Friday that he assumed Smith was leaving the network due to weak ratings.

The network, part of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corp., said a rotating lineup of anchors would fill in for Smith for now.

Smith’s departure stunned some of his Fox colleagues. In a tweet, Fox News anchor Bret Baier described learning about his departure as “a total shock” and said Smith anchored breaking-news events “better than anyone.”

Neil Cavuto, another Fox anchor, said he was “a little stunned and a little heartbroken.”

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[ernestoybarra]

Apparently Shepard Smith was raised in Louisiana and REARED in New York
LAUD HAM MERCY 😲

[DarleneDeCicco]

Now if they can just get rid of Juan Williams it would be awesome!

[freddobbs]

Don't let the door hit ya in the butt on the way out. Worthless.

[titaniumtiara]

Never thought we’d see the day Shep Smith finally left fox

[dutchgala]

*EVERYONE LOG OFF.* This action packed wk of uncertainty can wait Monday. *Participate in your wkd, it's your wkd!!!!* (&Friday night.) Call Grandma, chk on *just one* in ur circle of isolators. &Hey what's up w you lately...huh?logofff ;) *TRY not to ruminate & talk bout this past wk.* They're aware. *StaySafe* & lets all go knock. *Remember it's your wkd so giddy up & take a photo* Good Luck =)

[vicentvanmole]

Smith is one fine men and stand up for the truth .Well done.

[RudyB-tiye]

He and his HUSBAND can go off somewhere and do whatever those guys do. I am sick of his snarky rebukes of our President under the guise of straight news. Oops did I say straight?

[benschrader]

The president makes me sick. Above all else his first instinct is to attack and belittle. If only someone close in his family had some kind of anti-bullying campaign to introduce him to... 🤷🏻‍♂️

[abetterlife]

Thank god for great things! So glad he is gone!

[nonpartisan]

Shepard Smith will be sorely missed. No, Mr. Trump, I don't think it was about bad ratings. He just wasn't one of your puppets. He had the courage to tell the truth, a true patriot.

[etmeyutub]

Thank God. He sucked. Fox viewers turned off Fox when his show was on. You might as well watch CNN. Good Riddance, Finally

[shaughz]

Best of Luck Shepard Smith, leaves those Cretins behind

[bobbyt]

Showing disrespect for the President should be a crime

[summerbreeze]

Glad Shepard Smith left that crooked ass network FOX! Hes much better than that, he will be on a BETTER network in the near future

[debrasmith]

This is getting too freaking "Twilight Zone" for me...😮. God Save America 🙏

[cyclops]

GOOD RIDDANCE. He was incompetent to mediocre.

[tommcclure]

Thank God he's out of Fox News. It was very obvious that he hated President Trump. I watch them to hear "unbiased" news, and lately, that is not the case. Now get rid of Martha & Cris Wallace. We the viewers don't need another MSNBC.

[androsc]

He should join Anderson & Lemon at CNN. Same feathers

[gilbertg]

I’m glad he is out of that snake pit!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
Better things are coming for you Mr Smith.
Blessings 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[patchworkgirl]

Shep Smith and Chris Wallace were the only decent anchors Fox had. The rest are a waste of air. I wish you well, Mr. Smith, and pay no attention to this spiteful, petty Orange-utan Trump. Remember you on the news from when you and I both looked a lot younger! :) Good luck.