Former CNN Reporter Takes on New Role at Al Jazeera

A former CNN correspondent who became a central figure in a headline-grabbing $5 million defamation fight has secured an unexpected new position only months after leaving the network.

Alex Marquardt, 44, is returning to a major broadcasting role following his June 2025 exit from the cable news outlet, which came after one of the most closely followed media lawsuits in recent years.

The longtime national security journalist has joined Al Jazeera English, where he is set to begin by anchoring the network’s coverage of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations before moving into a permanent role as host of its Washington-based daily news program, This is America.

Marquardt revealed the news on social media, saying he was “very excited” to join Al Jazeera after long admiring the network’s global reporting.

The new appointment opens a notable next chapter for Marquardt, whose once-rising career at CNN ended abruptly after a multimillion-dollar defamation case filed by former U.S. Navy sailor Zachary Young.

Young alleged that CNN orchestrated a smear campaign against him in a November 2021 segment that aired on The Lead with Jake Tapper.

According to Young, the report wrongly implied that he had unlawfully profited from people desperate to escape Afghanistan after the Biden administration’s military withdrawal, including through references to alleged “black market” activity that he said damaged his professional reputation.

Young maintained that his work involved corporate sponsors and nonprofit groups, rather than charging vulnerable Afghan civilians seeking to leave the country.

The case eventually went before a Florida Jury in January 2025 where proceedings were livestreamed from the courtroom.

Over two weeks, jurors heard testimony from CNN executives, producers and Marquardt himself, whilst reviewing internal emails and editorial communications generated during the preparation of the report.

One of the trial’s most closely watched moments came when Marquardt spent hours on the witness stand defending his reporting as he was cross examined .

At the crux of the trial, CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt claimed to make an on-air call to Young. 

But the Navy veteran insists he never received the call and alleged Marquardt was in fact ‘faking it.’

Screenshots from his Signal account support the claim Marquardt didn’t actually place the call.

However, Marquardt testified that he called the number he believed to belong to Young.

Young’s lead counsel Vel Freedman then reminded the CNN correspondent he had taken an oath to tell the truth.

‘Was that Mr. Young’s actual phone number or just a friend’s phone number you saved under Zachary Young’s name?’ Freedman shot back. 

‘That was the number I believed to be Mr. Young’s that I had gotten from Katie Bo Lillis, because she had been texting with him on that number,’ Marquardt said.

Freedman then showed the jury side-by-side images of Marquardt and Young’s phone, highlighting the place where the communication app Signal would show missed calls between parties. Neither Signal account showed any phone call between Marquardt and Young.

Freedman subsequently showed the jury behind-the-scenes footage of Marquardt making ‘the call’ and a producer can be heard giving him instructions to step back for the camera.

Marquardt said he let it ring ‘quite a few times’ before hanging up because nobody answered. He admitted a cameraman told him to hold the phone and pretend to be listening.

‘I can tell you Mr. Freedman, I used the phone number that was given to me by my colleague that had been texting with Mr. Young. As far as I knew, that phone number was Mr. Young’s because she had been successful at texting with him,’ Marquardt stated.

‘The same phone number, mind you, that I then used a week later to text with him that he responded on,’ Marquardt added.

Sticking to his guns, he regurgitated his initial response, ‘as far as I knew, that was his phone number. I called him, he did not pick up the phone.’ 

Marquardt then said the video the jury was being shown was called a ‘pickup shot,’ one which was ‘standard TV production’ which would be edited into the final story.

Freedman then asked the court to resume the paused behind-the-scenes video of Marquardt allegedly making the call. When the video resumed, Marquardt was seen waving his hands and saying the word “theater” to his CNN colleagues in an exaggerated British accent. 

Freedman then reminded Marquardt he previously testified that what he considered ‘theater’ wasn’t used in the report.

‘You lied to the jury, did you not?’ Freedman asked.

‘I did not,’ Marquardt maintained despite the overwhelming evidence that had been presented in Young’s favour.

However, Marquardt later insisted his ‘theater’ jest in the behind-the-scenes video was a reference to an old Jon Lovitz sketch on ‘Saturday Night Live.’

Jurors were also shown internal messages sent before the story aired, including one in which Marquardt wrote to a colleague, ‘We’re gonna nail this Zachary Young…’ The message became a recurring focus throughout the proceedings as Young’s legal team argued it reflected preconceived intent. Marquardt disputed that characterization during the trial.

Questioned extensively by Young’s attorney, Marquardt acknowledged he had found no evidence that Young committed a crime and maintained that he remained proud of the reporting. 

He also testified that he did not believe CNN’s later on-air apology to Young had been necessary, although he accepted the network’s decision to issue it. 

CNN senior vice president Adam Levine revealed to the jurors that the apology was merely a legal decision.

After deliberating, the jury found CNN liable for defamation and awarded Young approximately $5 million in compensatory damages. Yet, before jurors could determine punitive damages, however, CNN and Young reached a confidential settlement, ending the case before a final damages verdict was delivered.

The jury foreman reportedly told FOX News they were prepared to make CNN pay ‘somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 million to $100 million’ in punitive damages.

Marquardt remained at CNN for five months after the trial before announcing his departure in June 2025 following eight years at the network.

While CNN declined to publicly explain his exit, citing personnel policy, many of his now-former colleagues told FOX News at the time, that it was “obviously” tied to the costly defamation case.

 In a post-trial interview with the outlet, Young said he hadn’t forgiven Marquardt, calling him out for remaining defiant on the witness stand at the trial. However, Young seemed to hold no grudge when asked about Marquardt’s new gig, more than a year later.

‘After a year on the sidelines, I’m glad he landed somewhere. Judging by his Twitter, Al Jazeera might be the only newsroom where his coverage and his opinions actually match,’ Young stated.

Despite the controversy, Marquardt remained a respected figure among many national security reporters after years covering conflicts, terrorism and American foreign policy from around the world.

His hiring signals Al Jazeera English’s continued investment in U.S.-based journalism ahead of an expanded slate of American political programming. 

The broadcaster has also recruited former CNN political correspondent Eva McKend as a Washington correspondent, further strengthening its U.S. bureau.

The Daily Mail tried to reach Marquardt for comment.