Anderson Cooper Refuses to Work Under CBS News Boss Bari Weiss if She Takes Over CNN

Anderson Cooper reportedly wants no part of working under his old 60 Minutes boss, Bari Weiss.

The veteran news anchor, 59, made the declaration to colleagues amid news that the controversial CBS News editor-in-chief might soon be in charge of CNN, according to a New York Times report published on Saturday, June 27.

Weiss was appointed CBS News’ editor-in-chief in October 2025 and has since driven the dramatic shake-up at 60 Minutes. 

Cooper’s reported comments come amid growing uncertainty around the major corporate deal, which could reshape two of television’s biggest newsrooms. The proposed merger would give Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison control of CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, in a deal valued at $111 billion, The Guardian reported on June 12.

Two people familiar with the merger discussions told The New York Times that Ellison and his team are weighing whether to give Weiss control of CNN.

Cooper left 60 Minutes in May, amid behind-the-scenes drama and a difficult stretch at the network marked by major departures and internal strain. However, as he left, Cooper, in a statement to People, said the choice came down to family and his desire to spend more time with his young children.

Off camera, though, 60 Minutes has been hit by a string of shocking exits and headlines. In May, Fox reported that CBS News cut ties with Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich. The network went on to replace executive producer Tanya Simon with tech journalist Nick Bilton, as per NBC News.

CNN again made headlines when its longtime reporter, Scott Pelley, was fired on June 3 after a public falling-out with Weiss.

Pelley’s shocking exit came two days after The New York Times reported that he had a heated verbal altercation with Weiss during a staff meeting, where he accused her of “murdering” 60 Minutes.

After his exit, Pelley again spoke to The New York Times and accused the show’s leadership of bending to political pressure and trying to win favor with President Donald Trump.

Weiss later addressed the upheaval during an internal staff meeting, telling employees she was “only interested in working in a newsroom that is built on trust and mutual respect”, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

After Pelly’s shocking exit, only three familiar faces were on the correspondent roster: Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, as per NBC News.