Anderson Cooper Exits '60 Minutes' to Spend More Time with Family

The longtime CNN host will continue his work at the cable news network.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Anderson Cooper, who has reported for CBS' '60 Minutes' for the past two decades in addition to hosting a weeknight news program on CNN, said Monday that he's leaving the CBS broadcast to spend more time with his family. His decision comes at a time of turmoil at '60 Minutes', with recent leadership changes and controversies.

Why it matters

Cooper's exit from the prestigious '60 Minutes' program raises questions about the show's direction under new leadership and the challenges of balancing high-profile media jobs with family life.

The details

Cooper has contributed stories to '60 Minutes' since the 2006-2007 television season in a unique job-sharing arrangement with CNN. His prime-time cable news show, 'Anderson Cooper 360,' has aired since 2003. In a statement, Cooper said 'Being a correspondent at '60 Minutes' has been one of the great honors of my career,' but he wants to spend more time with his 'little kids now.' Cooper's exit comes amid turmoil at '60 Minutes', including a controversial decision to hold off on airing a report and a lawsuit from former President Trump.

  • Cooper has reported for '60 Minutes' for the past two decades.
  • Cooper is expected to finish the current '60 Minutes' broadcast season, which ends in May 2026.

The players

Anderson Cooper

A longtime correspondent for '60 Minutes' and host of the CNN program 'Anderson Cooper 360'.

Bari Weiss

The editor-in-chief of CBS News since last fall.

Sharyn Alfonsi

A '60 Minutes' correspondent who complained about a decision to hold off on airing a report.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who sued '60 Minutes' over how it handled an interview with his 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris.

Kamala Harris

The 2024 election opponent of former President Donald Trump.

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What they’re saying

“Being a correspondent at '60 Minutes' has been one of the great honors of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors and camera crew in the business. For nearly 20 years, I've been able to balance my jobs and 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.”

— Anderson Cooper (boston.com)

“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.”

— CBS News (boston.com)

What’s next

Cooper is expected to finish the current '60 Minutes' broadcast season, which ends in May 2026.

The takeaway

Anderson Cooper's exit from the prestigious '60 Minutes' program highlights the challenges of balancing high-profile media jobs with family life, as well as the ongoing turmoil at the CBS News program under new leadership.