CNBC’s Rick Santelli to Retire After More Than 27 Years
Rick Santelli, the longtime CNBC markets correspondent whose fiery reports from the trading floor made him one of the business network’s most recognizable personalities, is retiring from his full-time role after more than 27 years.
His last day on air will be Oct. 2, TheWrap has learned, though he plans to return as a contributor after his retirement. His departure was announced Friday morning on “Squawk Box.”
Santelli officially joined CNBC in 1999 after first appearing as a guest on the network in 1994. He became a fixture of CNBC’s coverage of financial markets, Federal Reserve decisions and major economic reports, reporting primarily from Chicago.
“Rick’s passion and personality have led to countless memorable exchanges,” CNBC editor in chief David Cho wrote in a memo to staff on Thursday. “Whatever the subject, Rick has always approached it with the same energy, authenticity and willingness to challenge conventional thinking that have made him such a distinctive presence on CNBC.”
Before joining CNBC, Santelli spent years in financial markets, “beginning at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 1979 and later holding roles in futures, options and institutional trading,” per Cho.
Santelli’s profile extended well beyond business news in 2009, when his impassioned on-air criticism of the Obama administration’s housing rescue plan became associated with the emerging Tea Party movement. Speaking from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Santelli criticized government assistance for struggling homeowners and called for a “Chicago Tea Party.”
He also became known for heated exchanges with his CNBC colleagues. In 2020, Santelli clashed on air with “Squawk Box” co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin during a discussion about COVID-19 restrictions.
Santelli’s retirement comes during a period of change at CNBC following parent company Versant’s official separation from Comcast/NBCUniversal earlier this year. The network continues to reshape its newsroom and expand its digital operations, tapping The Information veteran Ken Brown as managing editor of digital and editorial strategy.
CNBC plans to celebrate Santelli’s career on air in the weeks leading up to his departure. His final day will fall on the first Friday of October, a day Santelli traditionally spent covering the federal government’s monthly jobs report.
