Was Alisyn Camerota Fired From CNN? Speculation Is Off The Charts After Her Final Send-Off

Alisyn Camerota fans are reeling after the longtime CNN anchor's shock final sign-off. One question on everyone's lips? Whether Camerota left of her own accord, or if she was fired as part of a major CNN shakeup.

Camerota first announced that she'd be leaving CNN in an Instagram post. "Big news, everyone! — today is my last day on CNN. Tune in at 4:50p (et) for my sign off," she wrote. Sure enough, at the end of "CNN Newsroom," she signed off for the very last time, giving her now-former colleagues major shout-outs as she did so. With that in mind, it certainly didn't seem as though there was any tension. However, fellow former CNN anchor Greta Van Susteren took to X (formerly Twitter) to hint that she may have been asked to leave. "I'm happy CNN let her say goodbye — CNN did not let me say goodbye nor did MSNBC nor Fox ... I've no idea why they were so angry w/me," she wrote. Sure enough, when Van Susteren exited past networks like MSNBC, a personal social media post was all she was allowed. 

Van Susteren isn't alone in wondering whether Camerota left because she was asked to. Au contraire, some have pointed out that she may have been laid off. After all, Camerota's fellow Fox-turned-CNN reporter Chris Wallace announced he was leaving CNN a month before her exit — and that came amid speculation that low ratings during the 2024 election had prompted major shake-ups at the network. It also bears mentioning that even though most Camerota fans said via Instagram that they were sad to see her go, some also pointed out that they'd stopped watching the network to protect their mental health. Perhaps her exit was ratings-related, then. However, there is also another possibility. 

While Alisyn Camerota's surprise departure from CNN is a tragedy for her fans, it likely pales in comparison to the heartbreak she'd already faced earlier on in the year. In September 2024, Camerota announced the tragic loss of her husband Tim Lewis. Her return to CNN a few months after his death had everyone wishing her the best, but it's certainly possible that the loss prompted the longtime anchor to re-evaluate her priorities. After all, she took a fairly long break from the network first to care for Lewis, and then to grieve. 

As for what might be next for Camerota, she did say in her final sign-off that fans would be seeing her in the near future. "I will see you all soon," she promised (via X). She also hinted in a follow-up Instagram video after her announcement that she may even make the odd appearance if she was called in to report on a major news event — though she didn't specify if that would be on CNN. Either way, she did suggest that a change was for the best. "New horizons are great when you're ready for them. There have been times in my life when I was not ready to leave a place that I loved, and that was really sad and really hard. But, I think I am ready to leave this place that I've loved now," she smiled.  

Though Camerota has promised to keep her fans in the loop going forward, some may remember that in July 2024 it was announced that her memoir, "Combat Love: A Story of Leaving, Longing and Searching for Home," was officially being turned into a screen project. Perhaps she'll be spending time on that project for the time being. We're wishing her the best, regardless.