Gone at CNN

Was he fired? Pushed out? Or, left on his own?

It’s the communications business, but you’ll likely never get a straight answer.

Alex Marquardt, CNN's chief national security correspondent, announced his departure from the network on Monday. He shared his farewell on X, stating it was "tough to say goodbye but it’s been an honor to work among the very best in the business." Marquardt expressed profound gratitude to his colleagues on the National Security team and other teammates he worked with both domestically and internationally.

Earlier this year, Marquardt was at the center of a defamation lawsuit stemming from a November 2021 report. A Florida jury awarded $5 million to former CIA operative Zachary Young, who claimed he was defamed in Marquardt's story about Afghans being charged thousands of dollars for evacuation after the U.S. military withdrawal. While deliberations for punitive damages were underway, CNN attorneys reached an undisclosed settlement with Young.

A CNN representative declined to comment on Marquardt's departure, citing it as a personnel matter. However, an insider at the network, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that many at CNN believed Marquardt's departure was inevitable following the court loss. Marquardt had been serving as CNN's chief national security correspondent since 2017, following his previous role as a foreign correspondent for ABC News.