Online users discussed this matter in June and July 2025. Muir began anchoring the ABC News TV program “World News Tonight” in September 2014.

Image courtesy of Getty Images

David Muir, the weeknight anchor of the ABC News nightly program “World News Tonight,” announced in mid-2025 his plan to leave the network.

A rumor that circulated online in late June and early July 2025 claimed David Muir, the weeknight anchor of the ABC News nightly program “World News Tonight,” announced plans to leave the network. Muir began his role as the network’s lead anchor on Sept. 1, 2014, after serving other roles at the company since 2003. Snopes readers asked about this matter, mainly searching the website for the question, “Is David Muir leaving ABC?”

However, Muir announced no such plans. During a July 1 appearance on “LIVE with Kelly and Mark” — just one day prior to the publishing of this fact check — Muir said of ABC News and “World News Tonight” that he’s “not going anywhere.” The Facebook users who shared this rumor did so in order to earn website advertising revenue from the articles featured in the top comment below each post. A scan of those articles’ text with the artificial intelligence (AI)-detection tools Copyleaks and ZeroGPT found an extremely high likelihood that people asked AI to write those websites’ false stories.

Snopes contacted a representative for ABC News to ask about the Muir departure rumor — one that has existed in various forms for a number of years — and will update this story if we learn more information.

The ‘David Muir Announces Exit’ False Story

In one prime example of a user sharing the rumor claiming Muir planned to leave ABC News, on June 25, a manager of a celebrity news Facebook page named Bikesextreme posted (archived) photos showing the anchor, along with a message saying he announced his exit from “World News Tonight.” Many other Facebook posts also promoted the rumor.

(Image courtesy of Bikesextreme/Facebook)

The Bikesextreme post read:

SH0CKING: David Muir Announces Exit From World News Tonight After 11 Years — What’s Behind the Sudden Move?

Viewers are stunned as David Muir confirms he’s stepping down from the anchor chair after more than a decade. The network’s most trusted voice is walking away—and insiders say the reason may be more complicated than anyone expected. What led to his surprise decision… and where is he headed next? The newsroom may never be the same.

Under the Bikesextreme post, the top comment contained a link leading to an article. Again, other Facebook posts also featured links to similar stories. The link under the Bikesextreme post led to an article on the blog glb247.newsonline.biz. The headline read, “SHOCKING!!! David Muir Leaving ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’ After A Decade!??” The story, which AI-detection tools believed originated with a human entering a prompt into an AI tool, began:

In a jaw-dropping announcement that has sent shockwaves through the media world, David Muir has revealed that he will be stepping down from his long-running role as anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. After nearly 11 years in the position, Muir’s departure marks the end of an era for the beloved broadcast, which has seen enormous success under his leadership.

It was September 2014 when David Muir first took the helm at World News Tonight, succeeding Diane Sawyer and becoming the face of ABC News’ flagship evening program. Since then, Muir has captivated audiences with his unwavering commitment to bringing them the latest news with empathy, precision, and the unique charm that has made him one of the most recognized news anchors in the country.

But after a decade at the top, Muir has now opened up about his decision to leave the role, shocking fans and colleagues alike. What’s behind his sudden exit? Is it a case of burnout after years of relentless news coverage, or is there a new, exciting opportunity on the horizon for this award-winning journalist?

In May, the blog Mandatory reported the facts about another false rumor claiming Muir was leaving ABC News, publishing that iteration of the claim originated from AI-generated YouTube videos. “The speculation increased after a YouTube video claimed Muir would soon exit ABC,” the publisher reported. “The video appeared to contain AI-generated content and altered visuals, casting doubt on its credibility. No verified source has supported the claim.”

For further reading, past fact checks about Muir examined rumors claiming he revealed his “partner” and posed shirtless, as well as looking into his marriage status — both claims originating from misleading online advertisements.