Jim Acosta announced earlier this week he is leaving CNN, and he had a message for viewers.

Acosta announced his departure Tuesday at the end of his one-hour morning show on the network, telling viewers: “Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear.”

The CNN anchor, described by The Associated Press as “an irritant to Trump,” said he was grateful to the network.

CNN announced last week — Trump’s first week back in office — that it was shuffling its daytime lineup to move Wolf Blitzer into Acosta’s 10 a.m. Eastern time slot, paired with Pamela Brown. The network said it had offered Acosta a job at midnight and would move him to Los Angeles, where his show would air at 9 p.m., and also simulcast the program on CNN International.

But Acosta, who has been at CNN for 18 years, said Tuesday he had turned that down.

Trump followed with a post on his Truth Social celebrating Acosta’s departure.

“Wow, really good news!” he wrote. “Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, “Death Valley,” because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!). Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better. Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim!”

CNN, in a statement, said “Jim has had a long, distinguished, nearly 20-year career at CNN, with a track record of standing up to authority, for the First Amendment and our journalistic freedoms. We want to thank him for the dedication and commitment he’s brought to his reporting and wish him the very best in in the future.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.