Anderson Cooper said he is exiting CBS News’ long-running Sunday broadcast “60 Minutes,” while remaining with CNN, in remarks made Monday. Cooper, who has worked as a correspondent for the program for nearly two decades, said the change will allow him to spend more time with his family. His statement came after he appeared on “60 Minutes” Sunday night, introducing a brief segment involving filmmaker Ken Burns.
Cooper said being a correspondent on “60 Minutes” has been one of the “great honors” of his career and that he has spent nearly 20 years balancing the CBS news assignment with his CNN work. He said the timing of his decision reflects that he has “little kids” now and wants to be with them while they still want to spend time with him. Cooper’s spokesperson said Monday he had no additional comment.
CBS News said in a statement that it is grateful for Cooper’s dedication to the broadcast and said “’60 Minutes’ will be here if he ever wants to return.” The CBS statement also tied the decision to the “importance of spending more time with family,” and it indicated that the broadcast will continue without him.
The AP reported that it is not likely to be Cooper’s final time on “60 Minutes.” Cooper is expected to finish the current broadcast season, which ends in May, according to the reporting. AP also described Cooper’s “60 Minutes” role as part of a job-sharing arrangement with CNN that began in the 2006-2007 television season.
AP said Cooper’s exit is arriving amid turmoil at “60 Minutes” under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who took the job last fall. AP reported that, in December at Weiss’ direction, the show held off at the last minute on airing a report from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about the Trump administration’s immigration policy, with Alfonsi later describing privately that the choice was political in nature.
In that account, Alfonsi said a greater effort was needed to get an interview with administration officials. AP said the story later aired a month afterward, including additional administration comments, but without on-camera interviews. AP also reported that President Donald Trump sued “60 Minutes” over how the program handled an interview with Trump’s 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris, and that CBS’s parent company Paramount Global settled with Trump out of court.
The AP report said Cooper’s CBS departure was first reported by the online news site Breaker. The CBS News statement on Monday did not indicate a reason beyond Cooper’s family priorities, while Cooper’s own remarks framed his decision as an effort to be present for his young children.
Cooper has contributed to “60 Minutes” since the 2006-2007 television season and also hosts CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” which AP reported has aired since 2003. AP said he has served as a correspondent for CBS’ Sunday broadcast in addition to his regular cable-news duties, a pattern Cooper cited when he discussed balancing his jobs before his family considerations took priority.