Anderson Cooper followers had been shocked in early July 2025 when a narrative emerged that he could also be contemplating leaving CNN after greater than twenty years. Nonetheless, taking a step again and taking a look at every thing that went down over the previous years, the opportunity of him exiting is not all that shocking. 

To refresh, in July, sources instructed the Nationwide Enquirer that they believed Cooper was planning his exit from CNN. Removed from being an amicable departure, although, the insiders mentioned that there have been messy elements contributing to his determination. For one, a supply claimed that Cooper was uninterested in execs attempting to carry him answerable for a drop in rankings. Along with that, one other insider claimed that he had been livid when he wasn’t chosen to reasonable the 2024 CNN presidential debate. All that mentioned, one issue that might most likely be a much bigger deciding consider Cooper selecting to depart can be that he now not feels his office aligns together with his personal values. That was one other concern certainly one of Nationwide Enquirer’s sources hinted at, with the insider saying that Cooper was pissed off by the channel seemingly prioritizing rankings over extra balanced debate — a transfer they mentioned might be summed up by CNN giving Scott Jennings such a giant platform. “Scott’s allowed to rant and rave, whereas the remainder of them are muzzled. … Individuals tune in to see what outrageous factor Scott will say subsequent, and the execs adore it. Anderson is appalled that they are pandering for viewers this fashion,” the unnamed insider claimed. 

After all, Cooper hasn’t mentioned that in his personal phrases — and contemplating Kaitlan Collins’ chumminess with Jennings, it is attainable he is pleasant together with his conservative colleague, too. Even so, these have not been the one indicators Cooper could also be seeking to bow out.

Whereas Anderson Cooper hasn’t formally commented on the grievances outlined by Nationwide Enquirer’s sources, he did converse out about all of the drama surrounding CNN between 2021 and 2023 — and he did not cover the truth that all of it made him somewhat uncomfortable. 

Chatting with Individuals in 2023 concerning the normal feeling behind the scenes within the wake of fixing management, the firing of Chris Cuomo, and Don Lemon’s termination — in addition to Lemon’s response, which additionally hinted at behind-the-scenes drama — Cooper admitted that issues had been tense. “Morale was damage by all of the drama, and that is unlucky,” Cooper instructed the outlet. He added, “It is by no means nice to be in a spot the place you learn the paper within the morning and there are tales about the place you are working.” All that mentioned, he believed that issues had been on the up and up — a serious plus, given how a lot he beloved CNN. That was additionally one thing he spoke about within the interview, gushing, “This is a company I care loads about. They’ve been terribly good to me, and I believe the standard of what CNN does, the correspondents they’ve, the producers they’ve are extraordinary.”

After all, it is attainable issues have modified, and between rankings drama, feeling sidelined for the presidential debate, and his disagreement with pushing Scott Jennings, he now not feels fairly as hooked up to CNN. In spite of everything, in June 2025, Selection revealed that Cooper had signed with CAA, a transfer neither the company nor CNN would touch upon. Then once more, it is also attainable Cooper is solely considering of how to diversify his revenue extra usually. We actually do not begrudge him that.