Eliana Johnson, a White House reporter for Politico who will be leaving the publication to serve as editor-in-chief for the conservative Washington Free Beacon, will not have her contract renewed at CNN, where she was a political analyst, as first reported by BuzzFeed.



“CNN has a right to tap or drop contributors at any point,” Johnson responded on Thursday. “None of us is entitled to a contract renewal.”

CNN spokesman Matt Dornic later took exception to BuzzFeed's framing of Johnson's contract not being renewed in a Wednesday night tweet.

"This framing is misleading. Eliana is still a CNN contributor & will remain one through November," tweeted Dornic. "We signed her because, as you put it, 'she was a top White House reporter' who was 'breaking significant news.'



She’s now pursuing a different career path and off that beat," he added. "Simple as that."



This framing is misleading. Eliana is still a CNN contrib & will remain one through Nov. We signed her because, as you put it, “she was a top White House reporter” who was “breaking significant news.” She’s now pursuing a different career path and off that beat. Simple as that. — Matt Dornic (@mdornic) September 4, 2019 She’s now pursuing a different career path and off that beat," he added. "Simple as that."