Overview

• Alex Marquardt announced on X that he is leaving CNN after eight years, saying it was “tough to say goodbye” without revealing his next move.
• In January, a Florida jury found that a 2021 segment reported by Marquardt defamed Navy veteran Zachary Young by implying he illegally profited from Afghan evacuations.
• The jury awarded Young $5 million in compensatory damages and a foreman said jurors were prepared to seek $50 million to $100 million in punitive damages before CNN agreed to an undisclosed settlement.
• Trial exhibits included Marquardt’s internal message vowing to “nail” Young, intensifying scrutiny of the network’s editorial oversight.
• Young’s attorney called the timing of Marquardt’s exit “curious,” and CNN has declined to comment on any link between his departure and the lawsuit.