Anderson Cooper says he’s leaving 60 Minutes to spend time with his kids, but CBS insiders reveal the real reason behind his sudden exit

Anderson Cooper is leaving 60 Minutes after nearly two decades, and sources say his wish to spend more time with his children was “not the only factor” behind the move. While Cooper pointed to family in his public statement, insiders say the real reason is serious tension inside the network and his discomfort with the new editorial direction at CBS.

Cooper has anchored CNN’s AC360 for years while also working at 60 Minutes. His time at the show was highly successful, earning him four Emmys and several other awards for his reporting work. In his official statement, Cooper said, “Being a correspondent at ’60 Minutes’ has been one of the highlights of my career. I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors and camera crews in the business.” 

According to Status, he added, “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 want to spend time with me.”

Cooper’s exit points to a deeper power struggle over CBS News’ new editorial direction

Behind that statement, sources point to a power shift at the network following Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media, which brought David Ellison in as the new owner of CBS News. Ellison then chose Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief, and sources say her influence is what ultimately pushed Cooper out. Weiss has already been at the center of other internal battles, including her fight to protect a controversial contributor linked to the Epstein files.

One CBS News insider said Cooper “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.” Another person familiar with the matter said Cooper’s “discomfort with Weiss” was directly tied to his departure.

Weiss has reportedly applied an “intense level of editorial scrutiny” to reports, which has unsettled many people at the show. One example is a piece Cooper was working on about the Trump administration’s softer approach to refugees from South Africa – that story has been stalled since last year, leaving producer Michael Gavshon frustrated. It is unclear if the piece will ever air.

Cooper’s exit is the latest in a difficult period for the long-running program. Several other longtime staff members have also left recently. The network has also faced backlash over a controversial settlement with President Trump, who had made specific demands before agreeing to sit down with CBS News, which was reportedly pushed through to help smooth the way for the Paramount merger to receive the administration’s approval. 

The turmoil also includes Weiss’s decision to delay a segment about CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration reportedly sent some undocumented immigrants, in violation of court orders.

In an ironic twist, Weiss had reportedly wanted Cooper to stay and had even considered him for the anchor seat on CBS Evening News. As one industry observer put it, “This is another black eye for Bari. CBS is losing a talented storyteller who she wanted to keep. Remember, she tried to poach him full time last year.”