Anderson Cooper Leaves CBS’s ‘60 Minutes’ After Nearly 2 Decades

Anderson Cooper attends the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront in New York City on May 15, 2024. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery

Television anchor Anderson Cooper is leaving his post as a correspondent on “60 Minutes” after nearly 20 years.

Cooper announced his decision Monday.

“For nearly twenty years, I’ve been able to balance my jobs at 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 said in a statement sent to media outlets on Monday.

Cooper has had two roles through a longstanding arrangement between Paramount Skydance-owned CBS News and Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN. He will remain on his flagship show, Anderson Cooper 360.

Cooper is leaving his post at “60 Minutes” after Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief of CBS News in October 2025, following Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of her publication The Free Press.

“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,” a spokesperson for CBS News said in a statement sent to media outlets.

The network has struggled in the age of social media and online news sources, and regularly comes in third, trailing ABC and NBC in the ratings, with Weiss hired to turn things around. She outlined her plan in January, which included hiring 19 new contributors and increasing the network’s focus on streamed programming.

Cooper started contributing to “60 Minutes” during the 2006–2007 season as a result of the cross-network deal, which allowed the journalist to appear on the Sunday evening program while remaining in his primary duties at CNN.

Cooper joined the network in 2001. He has reported from the Iraq War, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Cooper penned a new contract with CNN just last year.

In May 2023, Cooper criticized CNN for hosting a town hall event with then-former President Donald Trump.

“Many of you have expressed deep anger and disappointment,” Cooper said. “Many of you are upset that someone who attempted to destroy our democracy was invited to sit on the stage in front of a crowd of Republican voters to answer questions.”

CNN defended hosting the town hall.

In 2015, the popular news host was swatted, with police officers descending on his home in the Hamptons.

After Jeopardy host Alex Trebek passed away in November 2020, Cooper was in the running to take his place.

Lachlan Cartwright’s Breaker newsletter first reported Cooper’s decision to leave “60 Minutes.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the year in which Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief of CBS News. The Epoch Times regrets the error.