President Donald Trump questioned why Fox News anchor Shepard Smith on Friday announced his sudden departure from the network.

The president appeared not to have prior knowledge of the news.

“Is he leaving?” Trump asked. “Oh, that’s a shame.”

He did not respond to questions from reporters of whether he pressured Smith to leave the network.

“Is he leaving because of bad ratings? Tell me, I don’t know,” Trump said. “I’m assuming he’s leaving because of bad ratings.”

Smith ended his 3:00 p.m. show, bidding farewell to viewers, noting he asked to be let go from the network.

“Recently I asked the company to allow me to leave Fox News and begin a new chapter,” Smith said. “After requesting that I stay, they graciously obliged.”

The president has a history of expressing ire at Smith’s reporting of the news on the Fox News channel but did not celebrate his departure.

“I wish him well,” Trump said.