CNN anchor Anderson Cooper recently admitted that he would not invite Donald Trump onto his show.
Sep. 5 2023, Published 10:45 a.m. ET
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Cooper also voiced his confusion regarding former CEO Chris Licht’s vision for the network.
In a new interview with the New York Times, Cooper expressed his uncertainty about Licht’s analysis that CNN had alienated a significant portion of the country with its resistance-style coverage of the Trump Administration under the network’s previous boss, Jeff Zucker.
“I don’t know what Chris Licht’s analysis was,” Cooper told New York Times reporter David Marchese. “I don’t have much confidence that I actually know what he was thinking.”
“I mean, I read things in the paper, but I’m not sure what the point of it all was,” he continued. “I don’t want to be unfair. I understood what the idea and the vision was.”
“My sense from Chris was there was not a lot we needed to hash out because I’m not an opinion host,” the CNN star added. “With Chris, I had a meeting with him when he first started and touched base from time to time, but we didn’t have a ton of communications.”
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“I don’t know what Chris Licht’s analysis was,” Cooper told New York Times reporter David Marchese. “I don’t have much confidence that I actually know what he was thinking.”
Cooper, known for hosting a primetime show on the network, has had to adapt to multiple leadership changes in a short span of time.
Mark Thompson was appointed as CNN’s new CEO last month – which marked the third time Cooper has had a change in leadership within two years.
Although Zucker was well-regarded by many at CNN for his rapport with staff and his unapologetic antagonism towards former President Trump, Licht’s leadership style and criticism of the network’s recent editorializing approach failed to win him many supporters.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Licht’s tenure at CNN lasted only 13 months.
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Mark Thompson’s appointment as CNN’s new CEO last month marked the third time Cooper has had a change in leadership within two years.
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During his time at the network, Licht made the decision to discontinue the short-lived streaming service CNN+ – which resulted in the departure of prominent CNN figures such as Brian Stelter, John Harwood, and Jeffrey Toobin.
Additionally, he attempted to reach out to disaffected Republicans to appear on the network while also launching a morning show centered around Don Lemon.
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However, Licht later fired Lemon following a series of on-air embarrassments and behind-the-scenes
Meanwhile, many viewers were highly critical of Licht’s handling of a Trump town hall event – which many labeled as “disgusting.”
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“I don’t know at this point,” Cooper said when asked if he would invite Trump onto his show. “I’m not sure.”
Cooper responded to the controversy the following night by reprimanding both his audience and Trump’s supporters in a powerful on-air editorial.
“The man you were so disturbed to see and hear from last night, that man is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president,” Cooper said at the time. “That man you were so upset to hear from last night, he may be President of the United States in less than two years.”
“And that audience that upset you? That’s a sampling of about half the country,” he charged. “They are your family members, your neighbors, and they are voting. And many said they’re voting for him.”
In his recent interview with the Times, Cooper acknowledged that there were legitimate concerns about how to cover Trump – but expressed uncertainty about welcoming him onto his program in the future.
“I don’t know at this point. I’m not sure,” Cooper admitted. “I personally would not have chosen to do a town hall.”
The leadership turmoil at CNN ultimately culminated in the appointment of Thompson as the embattled network’s new CEO.