Former Iowa news anchor clarifies sudden departure, insists he was not 'quitting on-air'

Nolan was referring to his announcement during a KWQC TV6 broadcast where he revealed he was stepping down from his job and the news industry.

Since his comments gained nationwide attention, Nolan pushed back against what he described as a twist of his story to fit a narrative agenda.

"First I was not quitting on-air. I decided with my wife months ago, and the station had the job posted months ago. Second, I was not blasting the news station or the news industry. I was simply explaining my approach to journalism and reminding everyone why we do what we do. Finally, I was not fired or forced out. Again, this was a hard decision for me, but one that will allow me to follow a dream I've always had," Nolan wrote.

Nolan added that he was not at liberty to discuss his future plans at the time.

He also attacked publications who published the story "without asking for context" and framed his decision as a stance against journalism.

"To the publications that posted this story without asking for context and those who grasped at straws to create a storyline that simply isn't there, you're part of the problem. Especially the ones who used our son's name in the story without our permission. Shame on you. To those who may be disappointed to hear that this wasn't an anchor taking a stand against the industry, I hope you know that local journalists are working hard every day to be the difference in the industry. Our world needs strong journalists now more than ever," Nolan said.

He closed by thanking the people in the Quad Cities who reached out to him since his departure.

In an additional comment to Fox News Digital, Nolan stood by his statement, claiming it "speaks for itself."

"I really just wanted to thank our viewers for welcoming us into their homes each morning and tell them how I've approached my job. I really did not expect people to take what I said and twist it into a narrative I never intended," Nolan said.