USA Today Editor-in-Chief Terence Samuel resigns

Terence Samuel, the editor-in-chief of USA Today, announced his resignation on Monday after a year in the role.

Samuel, a seasoned journalist, had joined USA Today in July of the previous year from National Public Radio, where he had been a senior executive overseeing all news reporting. Neither Samuel nor USA Today have provided a reason for his departure.

In an email to the newsroom, Monica Richardson, a senior vice president at USA Today, stated that Samuel’s resignation was “effective today.” Caren Bohan, the executive editor of politics, will temporarily take over as editor-in-chief while the publication conducts a nationwide search for a new newsroom leader, Richardson wrote.

In an interview on Monday, Samuel described his departure as “sudden” but did not elaborate on the reasons behind it.

“I wish this could have lasted a lot longer because it’s been a fantastic year,” Samuel said. “We’ve done great things in that newsroom and I wish them the best.”

Monica Richardson, in a statement to The New York Times, did not provide specifics about the leadership change. “Terry Samuel was a valued colleague during his tenure at USA Today,” she said. “We sincerely wish him well and thank him for his contributions.”

Samuel has a long history in journalism, having worked at The Washington Post, The Root, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, among other outlets.

USA Today, which was founded in 1982, is owned by Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in the United States. Since merging with Gatehouse Media in 2019, Gannett has implemented significant staff cuts across its publications to manage debt, leading to protests from unionized employees.