Jim Acosta Challenges Trump to Sit-Down Interview: ‘Does He Have Any Regret?’
To beat the attention economy, you’ve got to be part of the attention economy!

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Since departing CNN last month after more than two decades at the network as an anchor and White House Correspondent, among othe roles, Jim Acosta is ready to let loose. Or, looser still.
Speaking on The Daily Beast Podcast with Samantha Bee and Joanna Coles, Acosta called his frequent sparring partner President Donald Trump’s second term “perhaps even more disturbing than the first, flagging the administration’s moves to have “vacuumed up private data, laid off thousands, and gutted key institutions like the FAA and nuclear security.”
But Acosta isn’t just analyzing from the sidelines—he’s issuing a direct challenge.
“I challenge him to a sit-down interview,” Acosta declared of Trump. “The thing he needs to be asked more than anything is whether he has any remorse, any regret for what took place on January 6.” He slammed Trump’s blanket pardons for Jan. 6 rioters as “an act of aggression against democracy” and dismissed his continued election fraud claims as “highly destructive.”
What worries Acosta most? “Younger generations are being immersed in this pool of lies. It’s all over TikTok, all over social media. The propaganda machine is relentless.”
To fight back, he urged reporters to hit Trump by denying what he craves above all else: airtime. “One of the most important things in the world to Donald Trump is having those cameras around him. If those cameras are taken away, he will learn a lesson that he can’t mess with us.”
Now operating as an independent journalist, Acosta is reveling in his newfound freedom. “The beautiful part about going independent is that you can just tell the truth in an unvarnished way and let it rip,” he said. “No tiptoeing through the tulips. We don’t have time for that.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released every Thursday. Like and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. And click here for email updates as each new episode drops.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog


