CNN Anchor Announces She’s Quitting The Network Live On-Air

CNN anchor Rahel Solomon is heading for the exit.

The “Early Start” host dropped the surprise announcement at the end of her 5 a.m. broadcast Monday, telling viewers she’s calling it quits by week’s end.

“I have decided that this will be my last week at CNN. More to come on what’s next for me, but I’m really excited about this next chapter,” Solomon said during the sign-off.

Moments later, the show’s official X account posted the clip as the network scrambled to process the sudden departure.

“Thank you to the team at Early Start,” Solomon added. “To the larger team here at CNN – I’m going to be cheering you on. I look forward to watching.”

Her final appearance is set for Friday. No next move has been announced.

“So this is truly not goodbye, but see you soon,” she said.

Solomon, 37, had only recently returned from a six-month maternity leave in December. She took over “Early Start” last March after joining CNN in 2022 from CNBC, following earlier stops at CBS affiliates in Colorado and Philadelphia.

She married Philadelphia attorney Marcel S. Pratt in July 2024, and the couple welcomed a daughter in 2025. Solomon stepped away from the desk last June before returning late last year.

Colleagues are said to be “supportive” of her decision to move on, according to a report.

The timing raises eyebrows inside a network already facing uncertainty.

CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is in the middle of a massive sale to Paramount valued at more than $100 billion. The looming deal has rattled staffers, with some reportedly wary of falling under Paramount CEO David Ellison.

Ellison has tried to calm nerves, saying CNN’s “editorial independence” will be “maintained” if the merger clears federal approval.

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