Anderson Cooper to Leave CBS' '60 Minutes' Program

Longtime correspondent departs storied news magazine amid broader newsroom changes.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Anderson Cooper, a correspondent for CBS News' '60 Minutes' program for nearly two decades, will be leaving the show, according to a source familiar with the matter. Cooper has reported on a variety of high-profile stories for '60 Minutes' in recent years, including segments on COVID-19 long-haulers and a wreck believed to be the last slave ship to have landed in the U.S. near Mobile, Alabama.

Why it matters

Cooper's departure from '60 Minutes' comes amid broader changes in the CBS News organization, as the network navigates a shifting media landscape and evolving viewer habits. His exit marks the latest high-profile staffing shake-up for the storied news magazine program.

The details

Cooper has been a '60 Minutes' correspondent through a deal between CBS News and CNN since the 2006-2007 season. He joined Warner Bros Discovery's television network CNN in 2001 and has reported on major news events such as the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

  • Anderson Cooper has been a '60 Minutes' correspondent since the 2006-2007 season.

The players

Anderson Cooper

A longtime correspondent for CBS News' '60 Minutes' program who is departing the show after nearly two decades.

CBS News

The news division of the CBS television network, which produces the '60 Minutes' program.

CNN

The cable news network where Anderson Cooper has been reporting since 2001.

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The takeaway

Cooper's exit from '60 Minutes' signals broader changes underway at CBS News as the network navigates a shifting media landscape and evolving viewer habits. His departure marks the latest high-profile staffing shake-up for the storied news magazine program.