Is Anderson Cooper Leaving CNN After His Emotional '60 Minutes' Farewell?

Amid news that Anderson Cooper is saying goodbye to 60 Minutes, viewers want to know if he’s also leaving CNN. The longtime anchor is stepping away from CBS News’ legendary newsmagazine after nearly 20 years, leaving fans shocked. CBS confirmed in February that Anderson would leave 60 Minutes at the end of the season, and he aired his emotional farewell on May 17.

"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," Anderson said. Now, fans are curious about his other news ventures. They want to know if he is stepping away from CNN, too, or just closing his chapter at 60 Minutes.

Anderson has no plans to leave CNN, at least not right now. His 60 Minutes exit caused confusion because he balanced both jobs for so long, but Anderson renewed his CNN contract in December 2025. According to People, he will continue anchoring Anderson Cooper 360° and co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve special with Andy Cohen.

The New York native started working as a correspondent for 60 Minutes during the 2006-2007 television season through an arrangement between CBS News and CNN. After nearly two decades with the program, he said his decision came down to family.

Anderson shares two young sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani. “For nearly 20 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,” Anderson said.

CBS gave him a warm sendoff, too. The network praised Anderson for taking viewers to faraway places, telling unforgettable stories, reporting investigations, and interviewing major figures. “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,” the network said in a statement. “60 Minutes will be here if he ever wants to return.”

The journalist joined ABC News in the 1990s, co-anchored World News Now, and even hosted ABC’s reality competition series The Mole before returning to hard news. In 2001, Anderson joined CNN, and by 2003, he had his own show, Anderson Cooper 360°.

Anderson’s exit comes during a messy time for CBS News and 60 Minutes. According to AP, his departure raised questions because the program has faced internal tension under CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Per the publication, Anderson’s spokesperson did not offer additional comment on whether those issues played a role in his decision. For now, Anderson’s only stated reason remains family.

During his farewell interview, Anderson also paid tribute to the show’s identity. “I hope 60 Minutes remains ‘60 Minutes,’” Anderson said, per Variety. “There’s very few things that have been around for as long as ‘60 Minutes’ has and maintain the quality that it has, and things can always evolve and change, and I think that’s awesome, and things should evolve and change, but I hope the core of what ‘60 Minutes’ is always remains.”