Former CNN and Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs has died at age 78. News of the conservative commentator’s passing was confirmed via a statement posted on his official social media account. “Lou was a fighter until the very end,” the statement read in part. A cause of death was not disclosed at press time.
Former President Donald Trump issued a statement about Dobbs’ passing on social media, describing him as “friend and truly incredible journalist, reporter and talent.”
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) July 18, 2024
Dobbs was an early presence on CNN, joining the Ted Turner-created network in 1980 as host of Moneyline. He left in 1999 to launch the astronomy-focused website Space.com, but returned to the Moneyline chair two years later.
In 2003, the show was renamed Lou Dobbs Tonight and ran until 2009 when the host departed CNN again amid controversy over his right-leaning views on immigration and coverage of the false “birther” theory regarding former President Barack Obama‘s birthplace.
“It has become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us,” Dobbs said on his last show, suggesting that he was going to assume a “problem-solving” role going forward.
“Lou was one of the CNN originals, who helped launch and shape the network. We are saddened to hear about his passing and extend our sincerest condolences to his wife Debi, children and his family,” a CNN spokesperson remarked in a statement provided to TVNewser.
In March 2011, Dobbs joined the Fox Business as host of a new version of Lou Dobbs Tonight. He became an enthusiastic supporter of Trump’s 2016 candidacy and his ensuing administration.
In 2021, Dobbs was among the Fox journalists cited in Smartmatic’s ongoing defamation suit against the network for spreading falsehoods about the results of the 2020 election that saw President Joe Biden elected to the White House. Lou Dobbs Tonight was cancelled in February of that year.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lou Dobbs,” a Fox News Media spokesperson said in a statement provided to TVNewser. “An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry. We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family.”
