Anderson Cooper says he's exiting from '60 Minutes,' but staying with
CNN
[February 17, 2026]
By DAVID BAUDER
Anderson Cooper, who has reported for CBS' “60 Minutes” for the past two
decades in addition to hosting a weeknight news program on CNN, said
Monday that he's leaving the CBS broadcast to spend more time with his
family.
His decision comes at a time of turmoil at “60 Minutes.” Cooper appeared
on the show Sunday night, introducing a brief piece on filmmaker Ken
Burns. It's not likely to be his last time on the show; he's expected to
finish the current broadcast season, which ends in May.
“Being a correspondent at ‘60 Minutes’ has been one of the great honors
of my career,” Cooper said in a statement. “I got to tell amazing
stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors and camera
crew in the business. For nearly 20 years, I've been able to balance my
jobs and CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now and I want to spend as
much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time
with me.”
Cooper's exit from what remains the most prestigious show in television
news is sure to raise questions about whether it had anything to do with
the leadership of Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News since last
fall. Cooper's spokesperson said Monday he had no additional comment.
He has contributed stories to “60 Minutes” since the 2006-2007
television season in a unique job-sharing arrangement with CNN. His
prime-time cable news show, “Anderson Cooper 360,” has aired since 2003.
In a statement, CBS News praised Cooper for his two decades of work.
“We're grateful to him for dedicating so much of his life to this
broadcast, and understand the importance of spending more time with
family,” CBS said. "'60 Minutes’ will be here if he ever wants to
return."
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Anderson Cooper attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes All-Star
Tribute in New York on Dec. 11, 2022. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP,
File)
 His exit comes at a time of unease
at the Sunday night newsmagazine known for its ticking stopwatch. At
Weiss' direction, the show in December held off at the last minute
showing a report from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about the Trump
administration's immigration policy. She said a greater effort was
needed to get an interview with administration officials, while
Alfonsi complained privately that the decision was political in
nature. The story aired a month later with additional administration
comments, but no on-camera interviews.
President Donald Trump sued “60 Minutes” for how it handled an
interview with his 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris. Much to
the consternation of many at the broadcast, CBS's parent company
Paramount Global settled with Trump out-of-court.
Cooper's exit from CBS was first reported by the online news site
Breaker.
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