Jim Acosta Says the ‘Far-Right Has Infiltrated the Heartland,’ Led Farmers Astray [WATCH]

Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta claimed Tuesday that conservative voices have “infiltrated the heartland” of America and convinced farmers and rural voters to support what he described as “far-right” candidates.

His remarks were delivered during a panel discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress, a progressive policy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Acosta, who no longer works as an anchor for CNN, alleged that rural Americans are being manipulated by right-leaning media outlets and influencers.

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He specifically pointed to the late radio host Rush Limbaugh as one of the figures responsible for this shift in political alignment across Middle America.

“The far-right in this country has kind of figured out a way to infiltrate the heartland and to basically pull Ma and Pa from the farm to their point of view,” Acosta said during the event.

“And as it turns out, a lot of these folks vote in these elections, and a lot of those folks have been completely led astray. I hate to say it, but they’ve just been completely led astray.”

Acosta criticized what he referred to as a failing media structure in the U.S., stating, “We’ve all just let this happen on our watch with essentially a business model for delivering the news in this country that just does not work anymore.”

ACOSTA: “The far-right has figured out a way to infiltrate the heartland.”

“As it turns out, a lot of those folks vote in these elections.”

“The business model for delivering the news in this country just does not work anymore.”

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— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 17, 2025

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The former CNN figure did not provide specific examples of disinformation or identify particular media outlets by name during his remarks, but he continued to express concern about the influence conservative media holds over rural voting populations.

Acosta did not address recent election results or acknowledge that many of the so-called “heartland” states have consistently voted Republican in recent national elections.

Acosta’s comments come amid growing debate over the role of media in shaping voter opinion, particularly in areas outside major metropolitan centers.

Data from the 2024 election showed strong Republican support across rural counties, with conservative candidates winning in large majorities throughout the Midwest, South, and Great Plains.

His remarks also drew attention to the broader divide between traditional media outlets and conservative platforms, which have seen significant growth in recent years among voters who say they distrust legacy media sources.

The Center for American Progress, which hosted the event, is a liberal think tank known for promoting progressive policy proposals.

The organization has previously hosted discussions critical of conservative media and Republican leadership.

Acosta, who previously served as CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent, became a controversial figure during President Donald Trump’s first term for his frequent confrontations with the administration during press briefings.

He transitioned to a weekend anchor role at CNN but no longer holds an on-air position with the network.

As of Wednesday, Acosta had not responded to public reactions to his comments, which have been circulated widely on social media.

Critics of his remarks noted the long-standing political leanings of rural voters and questioned whether his characterization of heartland Americans as “led astray” reflected a broader disconnect between coastal media figures and middle America.

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