Lou Dobbs, conservative news host, dies at 78

Lou Dobbs, the conservative political commentator who hosted "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on CNN and Fox Business Network, has died. He was 78.

"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. Lou's legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American," a statement on his official social media accounts said on Thursday.

Former President Donald Trump earlier announced Dobbs' passing on his Truth Social account.

Dobbs began working for CNN at its inception in 1980, hosting "Moneyline," which was later renamed "Lou Dobbs Tonight." He also served as an executive vice president at the network and as a member of its executive committee. From 2011, he hosted the program on Fox Business Network until it's cancellation in 2021.

Dobbs was born in Childress County, Texas, in 1945, with his family later moving to Rupert, Idaho. He attended Harvard University where he obtained a degree in economics. He worked for a Department of Labor poverty initiative and in banking before pursuing a career as a reporter, beginning at local outlets in Phoenix and Seattle before joining Ted Turner's groundbreaking venture -- the Cable News Network.

As the host of "Moneyline," he became one of the network's most recognizable personalities. The opinionated host frequently clashed with CNN brass, prompting him to leave the network briefly in the late '90s.

During a break from CNN, Dobbs founded Space.com, a website devoted to astronautical news. He returned to CNN in 2000 at the behest of Turner, launching "Lou Dobbs Reporting" -- which became "CNN News Sunday Morning" -- and the new incarnation of "Moneyline," dubbed "Lou Dobbs Moneyline" and then "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

Dobbs became known for his frequent on-air commentary on illegal immigration, drawing criticism from groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center and Media Matters. He sparked further controversy by repeatedly discussing the so-called "Birther" conspiracy against former President Barack Obama -- the false notion that Obama was not born in the United States. Dobbs denied allegations of racism and said he ultimately believed that Obama was born in the U.S.

He left CNN in 2009 and later joined the Fox Business Network.

Dobbs was a strong supporter of Trump's campaign and presidency, with the former president frequently holding interviews on his TV and radio programs. Dobbs was accused by his critics of once again amplifying unsubstantiated claims propagated by Trump.

Dobbs was among several Fox News hosts named in defamation lawsuits by the voting machine companies Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems that accused the network and its hosts of pushing false claims about the companies during the 2020 presidential election. Dobbs later aired an episode of his program debunking many of the false claims. Nonetheless, his program was cancelled by the network in the wake of the lawsuits.

Most recently, he had hosted "The Great America Show" on iHeartRadio and his personal website.

He is survived by his wife Debi and his four children.