CNN reporter Jim Acosta has long been known for his antagonistic approach to President Donald Trump, a fact which sometimes led to heated exchanges.

Yet it seems Trump has gotten the last laugh in the rivalry, as Acosta announced this week that he is leaving CNN. 

Acosta steps down after nearly two decades with CNN

According to Fox News, the longtime anchor revealed the decision to depart in a message delivered to his viewers on Tuesday.

"You may have seen some reports about me and this show and after giving all of this some careful consideration, and weighing an alternative timeslot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on," Acosta said.

"I am grateful to CNN for the nearly 18 years I spent here doing the news. People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White White House covering Donald Trump," the anchor remarked.

"Actually, no. That moment came here," he declared while holding up a photo which showed him covering then President Barack Obama's historic visit to Cuba in 2016.

CNN CEO Mark Thompson removed Acosta from morning show

"As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson. It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant," Acosta stressed.

"I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I have always tried to do that here at CNN. I plan on doing all of that in the future," the reporter said as he drew to a close.

Oliver Darcy is a former CNN journalist who now works for Status News, and he recently noted that CNN's relationship with Acosta has apparently been cooling for some time.

An example of that fact came when CNN CEO Mark Thompson decided earlier this month to remove Acosta from the 10 a.m. show which he has hosted for nearly a year.

Acosta was offered late-night slot

This was despite his apparent success, managing to at times achieve a "higher viewership than programs in the channel’s prime time bloc."

Darcy further pointed out that "Acosta was instead offered the less-than-desirable option of anchoring a show from midnight until 2 a.m. Eastern Time."

"CNN pitched the gig to Acosta as anchoring during prime time on the West Coast and said he could move to Los Angeles to host the program," Darcy continued.

"But the reality is the program would have aired at a time in which cable news viewership is at its lowest levels," he pointed out.