Fox News anchor Shepard Smith abruptly announced that he would be leaving Fox on October 11th after months of arguing with President Trump over the media, and some speculate that Trump was involved in the departure of Smith.

“If a news reporter has to leave because the president is criticizing them, then there is something wrong with both the news and the way the president speaks about the news,” says Kyla Prussman, junior at Triton High School.

Shepard Smith is not leaving Fox News for another journalism job, but has worked at Fox News since it’s launch in 1996. According to sources from Fox, only a few senior anchors knew of Smith leaving, so it came as a shock to many of his coworkers when he made his last statement live on Friday. 

‘Even in our currently polarized nation, it’s my hope that facts will win the day, that the truth will always matter,’ Smith said in his final statement.

“I think if a news Reporter has to leave because the president was criticizing them, then there is something wrong with both the news, and the way the president speaks about the news,” said Triton senior Marcella Hubbard-Bruchar. 

 Smith has been criticized by President Trump many times, as recently as October, and Trump has a series of tweets criticizing Smith. Smith has repeatedly called out Trump on Fox News. Smith repeatedly said on the air that Trump derives fake news and promises makes many promises that are unreasonable. It is no secret that Trump is not a fan of Smith, and he even tweeted “…In any event, thats (that’s) where they should be working, along with their lowest rated anchor, Shepard Smith!” Some people even think Trump had a private meeting where he “orchestrated the departure of his least favorite Fox News anchor” with Robert Murdoch and William Barr. Despite these rumors, there is no definitive evidence that this meeting took place.