USA Today's top editor leaves after less than a year

Terence Samuel is leaving the top editing job at USA Today roughly a year after he took the position.

The Hill confirmed Samuel's departure, which was unexpected and announced to the outlet's staff Monday.

“Terry Samuel has been a been a valued colleague during his tenure at USA TODAY. We sincerely wish him well and thank him for his contributions," Monica Richardson, senior vice president of USA Today, said in a statement.

Samuel was hired to run the Gannett-owned newspaper and online news company last summer after a stint leading NPR's newsroom. He was previously at The Washington Post and took over for former editor Nicole Carroll at USA Today.

Samuel told The New York Times on Monday that his departure was “sudden” but that he could not talk about why he was leaving. The Times noted Samuel's departure comes at a time of widespread financial strain on newspapers and threats of strikes by USA Today's journalists.