CBS To Air Anderson Cooper’s Shelved '60 Minutes' Report Days After His Exit

CBS has confirmed it will air a previously withheld 60 Minutes investigation — led by departing correspondent Anderson Cooper — that examines claims of a so-called "white genocide" in South Africa. The report is scheduled to broadcast on Sunday after being held back amid what producers described as an 'abnormal' editing process.

'60 Minutes' will finally air the segment on Sunday. / X

According to promotional copy from 60 Minutes, the segment will look at competing accounts of violence against white farmers in South Africa: "President Trump says that white farmers in South Africa are victims of a genocide," the promo says. "The South African government disputes that claim. 60 Minutes traveled to South Africa to see for ourselves."

Weiss talks to Senator Ted Cruz at a Free Press event in January. / Leigh Vogel / Getty Images for Uber, X and The

Editorial Dispute and Staff Reaction

Insiders say executive editor Bari Weiss, who joined the network in a high-profile editorial role after Paramount reportedly acquired her media venture, provided extensive feedback that delayed the piece. Veteran 60 Minutes producer Michael Gavshon is reported to have grown "exasperated" by the process. Several staffers told outlets that those interventions contributed, in part, to Cooper's decision to leave after nearly 20 years with the program.

Trump waves alleged news reports as he meets Ramaphosa. / Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Sources quoted in press accounts have framed Cooper's departure as tied to concerns about a perceived ideological shift at the network under Weiss and other new leadership. Those accounts say Weiss's arrival followed a reported Paramount purchase of The Free Press for about $150 million.

Ramaphosa looks on as Trump makes claims of

Claims Under Review

The contested allegation of an organized campaign against white South African farmers has been raised in recent years by prominent voices and discussed publicly by former President Trump. During a May meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump directed the president's attention to footage he said showed mass graves and said people were "being executed" — remarks that were widely reported and debated.

A still from the trailer for a '60 Minutes' segment about CECOT, which was pulled at the last minute by Bari Weiss. / CBS News

'You're taking people's land away from them, and those people in many cases are being executed,' Trump said. 'They're being executed and they happen to be white and most of them happen to be farmers... I don't know, how do you explain that?'

Independent experts and researchers, however, say there is no robust evidence of an organized genocide against white farmers in South Africa. The country does experience high levels of violent crime, and some farmers have been killed, but multiple analysts have rejected the broader genocide claim.

Other Editorial Controversies

Cooper's report is one of several stories that have drawn internal scrutiny since Weiss's arrival. In January, a 60 Minutes report on El Salvador's CECOT prison was delayed after Weiss requested additional 'critical context' and asked for input from U.S. officials. Reporter Sharyn Alfonsi publicly complained at the time that a story had been spiked shortly before airing.

Before his departure, Cooper was reportedly being positioned as a prominent face of the program. In a statement announcing his exit, Cooper said he looked forward to spending more time with his family and reflected on his time at 60 Minutes as one of the great honors of his career. His work will still appear during the show's 58th season, but he will not return for season 59, which is due to premiere this fall.