Former President Donald Trump announced the death of Lou Dobbs on Truth Social this afternoon, calling the former CNN and Fox broadcaster “a friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent.”
The announcement was also made on the X account of Dobbs in a statement that said, “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of ‘the Great Lou Dobbs’ — Lou was a fighter till the very end, fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” The post asked for prayers for Dobbs’ wife, children and grandchildren.
The cause of death has not been made public, nor is it clear when Dobbs, who was 78, died. John Fawcett has recently been filling in for Dobbs on his iHeartRadio podcast, “The Great America Show.”
In his post on Truth Social, Trump went on to say that Dobbs “understood the World, and what was ‘happening,’ better than others. Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed!”
In its announcement of Dobbs’ death, The Wall Street Journal called Dobbs, “a pioneering financial news journalist who later in his career became more known for his conservative politics and fervent support of former President Donald Trump.” Dobbs was also known for advocating for stricter immigration policies and for questioning where Barack Obama was born.
Several news outlets — including CNN, NBC and The New York Times — called Dobbs a Trump booster in headlines announcing the broadcasters’ passing.
Dobbs was among the first anchors on CNN after the network launched in 1980 and became famous for his popular “Moneyline” business show. Per The Associated Press, “He left CNN in 2009 to help media mogul Rupert Murdoch launch Fox Business. When he joined Fox, he said he considered himself the underdog. A few years later his show was highly rated and he was a key figure on the right-leaning network.”
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” was canceled in 2021, after Fox became embroiled in defamation lawsuits and Dobbs was named a defendant.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Fox News Media on Thursday issued a statement through a spokesperson that said, “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.”