Lou Dobbs dead: Donald Trump announces passing of conservative former CNN star aged 78

Republican nominee Donald Trump announced the death of former CNN star, Lou Dobbs, who passed away at the age of 78. 

Trump, also 78, announced his passing on his social media app, Truth Social, writing: 'The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away.' 

He called the former CNN anchor a 'friend' and a 'truly incredible journalist, reporter, and talent.' 

'He understood the world and what was "happening" better than others,' the politician wrote. '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!' 

Dobbs was the anchor and managing editor of Lou Dobbs Tonight on CNN and Fox Business. He also anchored a nationally syndicated radio program, The Lou Dobbs Show, as well as a financial news report, The Lou Dobbs Financial Report, according to CNN.  

He won nearly every major TV journalism award. 

Dobbs won the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2005, awarded by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Academy also awarded his show, Lou Dobbs Tonight, an Emmy for Exporting America. 

In 1990, the journalist won a Luminary Award by the Business Journalism Review for his 'visionary work' that helped change the 'landscape of business journalism in the 1980s,' according to CNN. 

Dobbs was also an author of a New York Times Bestselling book War on the Middle Class and Exporting America. He also co-authored a booked called Space.   

The conservative journalist, who also worked for Fox, was a fan of Trump and one of his most ardent supporters on the network. Dobbs was dropped by the network in 2021. 

The journalist was named in a $2.7 billion defamation suit brought on Fox by Smartmatic, a voting technology company. He was named along other Fox hosts Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. 

Smartmatic claimed Fox 'decimated' its business by knowingly making 'over 100 false statements and implications,' a 300-page complaint filed in New York, said. 

Dobbs was let go 24 hours after he was named in the lawsuit, according to CNN. 

'Nobody loves America more than Lou,' Trump said after Dobbs was dropped by the network. 'He had a large and loyal following that will be watching closely for his next move, and that following includes me.' 

Dobbs spent most of his career at CNN, having started at its inception in 1980, before leaving in 2009. 

The journalist was also famously known for questioning if Former President Barack Obama was born in the US. 

Tributes flowed in for the late journalist after Trump announced his passing, with CEO and cofounder of the The Federalist writing on X: 'Very sad news. Lou Dobbs was an exceptionally kind, generous, gracious, wonderful man in an industry that rewards none of those qualities. Yet he remained as kind as ever to the end. What a patriot.' 

Former colleague, Roger Stone, wrote on X: 'Saddened to learn about the passing of my @77WABCRadio colleague LOU DOBBS - a great journalist, a great friend, and a great American.' 

The Chair for Trump 4 Students, Ryan Fournier, wrote: 'He gave me some very good life advice. I'll never forget it. He was a good man.'