Neil Cavuto, a business journalist who hosts a weekday afternoon show on Fox News Channel and has been with the network since its founding in 1996, is leaving the company after Thursday’s show, Fox said.

As the network’s workhorse, Cavuto also hosts shows on Fox’s sister, the Fox Business Network, and is not considered one of the top opinion anchors.

“Neil Cavuto’s illustrious career has been a masterclass in journalism and we are extremely proud of his incredible 28 years at Fox News Media,” the network said. “His programs have defined business news and set the standard for the entire industry. We wish him a warm farewell and all the best for his next chapter.”

Unlike many others at Fox, he has not interviewed President-elect Donald Trump since 2017, sometimes excoriating him. At one point, Cavuto said on his show that Trump “decisively lost” his debate with Democrat Kamala Harris.

Cavuto noted this summer that when the stock market goes up, Trump says it’s because investors are excited for him to be back in power, but when the stock market goes down, he blames Democrats.

On social media Thursday, Trump said in all caps that Cavuto’s departure was “good news for America.” He said it “should have happened a long time ago.”

While Cavuto’s departure removes some Trump anger from Fox, that fact had nothing to do with it, said a person at the network who was aware of the discussions but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss contracts . Cavuto’s contract was expiring and although he was offered an extension, he decided to leave, the person said.

With the television news business struggling financially, some major figures have reportedly been asked to take pay cuts. Some, like the “Today” show’s Hoda Kotb, decided to leave instead.

Cavuto, 66, has stayed on the job despite a series of health problems over the years. He suffers from multiple sclerosis, had heart surgery and had bouts of long-COVID.

There is no immediate information yet on who will replace Cavuto on Fox’s schedule at 4 p.m. Eastern, a coveted time slot ahead of the network’s most popular show, “The Five.”

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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.