Anderson Cooper Leaves '60 Minutes' in Shambles After Shocking Exit

Journalist Anderson Cooper has left 60 Minutes in shambles after his shocking exit from CBS.

Cooper announced his departure from the 57-year-old news program on Monday, February 16, marking the end of a nearly 20-year tenure as a correspondent.

Reports say he was slated to become the main face of the news program.

His exit is part of a broader bloodbath at CBS News, which has seen significant leadership turnover and staff resignations.

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and president Tom Cibrowski were said to be finalizing a deal with Cooper when he suddenly decided not to renew his contract, a source told the New York Post.

“They must be pissed,” the source said of Weiss and Cibrowski. “They wanted to build the show around him.”

Although the son of late fashion icon and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt stated he wants to focus on his work at CNN, where he's been since 2001, and spend more time with his two young sons, reports suggest his exit was influenced by Weiss’ increasing editorial control and the “rightward” direction her leadership has been moving the network toward.

“He wasn’t comfortable with the direction the show was taking under Bari and is in a position where he doesn’t have to put up with it,” a source told the Post.

His last contribution to the program — a profile on documentarian Ken Burns — aired on Sunday, February 15.

Cooper's departure is not an isolated incident; it follows a string of high-profile exits and internal disputes at the network.

Executive Producer Bill Owens resigned abruptly on February 17, citing a lack of editorial independence under the new leadership of Paramount Skydance.

Other major figures, including anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, have also left the network amid sweeping cost-cutting measures and a shift toward what leadership describes as "heterodox" journalism.

Tension escalated after Weiss reportedly pulled a 60 Minutes segment regarding Trump administration deportations, leading to accusations of "corporate censorship" from remaining staff.

“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.”