Anderson Cooper is leaving "60 Minutes" after nearly two decades on the long-running CBS News program. Cooper, who is a primetime anchor on CNN, will reportedly keep all of his focus on his full-time cable gig going forward. He joined "60 Minutes" as a rotating correspondent in 2007.
The exit was first reported by Breaker Media on Monday. Cooper told the network weeks ago that he was declining the renewal offer being made to him. He is 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 to The Wrap. "I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors, and camera crews in the business. 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."
A spokesperson for CBS News expressed gratitude for Cooper's two decades of work. "For more than two decades, Anderson Cooper has taken 60 Minutes viewers on journeys to faraway places, told us unforgettable stories, reported consequential investigations and interviewed many prominent figures," the spokesperson said. "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. 60 Minutes will be here if he ever wants to return."
Cooper's exit comes during a period of significant turmoil for the network under the leadership of new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Weiss, who took over in October 2025, has faced intense internal friction over her editorial decisions. In December, Weiss pulled a segment by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi regarding the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) in El Salvador.
Alfonsi defiantly told colleagues she believed the decision to spike the report was a political move. Weiss argued that the segment was not ready for air and required more input from the Trump administration. The report ultimately aired in January with additional comments from the White House and Department of Homeland Security.
Critics have described Weiss's appointment as a "hostile takeover" intended to shift the network's coverage. Since her arrival, several high-profile staffers have departed, including executive producer Bill Owens and anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois. Cooper's departure further highlights the ongoing transformation of the "60 Minutes" newsroom.