Smith has been at Fox News since its founding in 1996 and is one of its signature figures. He was among the first people hired by Fox News’s co-founder, the late Roger Ailes, for the network’s launch. His recent tenure, however, has been marked by conflict and criticism, not just from President Trump but from within the network itself.

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The internal tensions at Fox News appear to have contributed to his resignation, according to multiple people at the network and those close to Smith who spoke to The Washington Post for this story. Smith was also in the middle of a long-term contract, making his resignation — and Fox’s agreement to release him — highly unusual.

Earlier this month, he engaged in an extraordinary war of words with Tucker Carlson,the increasingly Trump-friendly tone of the network, and his departure was attributed to an accumulation of that unease combined with increasingly public insults and digs from outspoken opinion hosts, who have not been shy about registering their disdain for their news colleagues.

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Smith was one of the most respected figures inside the Fox News newsroom, and some employees said his resignation is a blow to morale. He left the building through the freight elevator and an underground passageway to avoid possible paparazzi outside the building and the emotional interactions he may have had on his way out, according to one of the people with knowledge of his departure.

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He signed off the air on Friday saying: “Even in our currently polarized nation, it’s my hope that the facts will win