Alex Marquardt, known for his central role in a significant defamation case involving CNN, has secured a position with Al Jazeera English. He shared this update on social media, expressing enthusiasm about joining the network’s Washington team.

The defamation case involved a lawsuit by U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young against Marquardt and CNN. In 2025, a Florida jury determined that CNN defamed Young due to a report by Marquardt. The report had accused Young of exploiting Afghans during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, labeling him as a profiteer on the “black market.”

Initially, the jury awarded Young $5 million in damages. However, a settlement with CNN suggested a higher payout, as the jury considered awarding up to $100 million in punitive damages. Marquardt left CNN five months later, which insiders attributed to the costly trial, despite official silence on personnel matters.

Al Jazeera, backed by Qatar’s government, launched its English channel in 2006. Marquardt will host a show titled “This is America.” In a post-trial interview, Young commented on Marquardt’s new role, expressing no lingering animosity and acknowledging the potential alignment of Marquardt’s perspectives with Al Jazeera.

Throughout the trial, Marquardt defended his report, stating it was not intended as a “hit piece” on Young. CNN issued an on-air apology in March 2022, a move criticized by some network staff as a mere legal measure, not a necessary action.