Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s iconic chief international anchor, has announced that she will leave the network after 43 years.
The 68-year-old journalist appeared to take a swipe at CNN in her announcement, as the network faces criticism from some employees ahead of an expected takeover by Trump-friendly billionaire David Ellison.
“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” Amanpour said.
She added that she “looks forward to interesting new projects down the line” and would continue supporting CNN while defending its tradition of independent journalism. “Remember: always be truthful, not neutral,” she said.
Amanpour’s resignation comes one month after CNN contributor Kara Swisher also announced her departure, following approval of the $100 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, led by David and Larry Ellison.
Although Swisher’s contract continues through the end of the year, she criticized the Ellisons, saying: “I have been very explicit … I think they are terrible media owners.”
Amanpour is expected to deliver her final broadcast next June, bringing an era-defining CNN career to a close.
Born in London in 1968, Amanpour began her career at CNN in 1983.
Her reporting from Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and from the Gulf War in 1991 helped establish her reputation as one of the leading foreign correspondents of her generation.
Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (L) with Iranian-born CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour (R) before their interview in Tehran in 1988.
The father-and-son pair are major financial supporters and close allies of President Donald Trump. They donated approximately $45 million to a pro-Trump political nonprofit during his 2024 election campaign.
CNN chairman Mark Thompson also informed staff of Amanpour’s decision in a memo to colleagues.
“Christiane has thought carefully about this decision, and she and I have been discussing it for some months,” Thompson wrote.
“Like so many CNNers who will hear the news today, I’m very sorry to see her go, but I’ve come to accept that this is the right time for her, both personally and professionally.”
Amanpour did not refer to her health in the announcement. The veteran journalist is currently believed to be undergoing cancer treatment.
She was first diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer in 2021 and underwent surgery and chemotherapy.
The father-and-son duo are major financial backers and close allies of President Donald Trump.
Amanpour plans to continue her “X-Files” podcast with her former husband, Jamie Rubin.
Amanpour and Rubin married in 1998 at the medieval church of Santo Stefano in Bracciano, Italy.
In October 2025, Amanpour revealed that her cancer had returned. She is believed to be receiving treatment at a hospital in London.
Amanpour was born in London in 1958 and began her career at CNN in 1983 when she was hired as a desk assistant at the then-fledgling network’s Atlanta headquarters.
She began working as a correspondent out of CNN’s New York City office in 1986, with her meteoric rise to the top of the network ensuing.
Amanpour reported from Germany for the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the Gulf War in 1991, which bolstered her reputation as a foreign correspondent.
She became one of the network’s most trusted reporters and was promoted to the role of chief international correspondent in 1992, covering the biggest breaking news stories across the globe.
Amanpour plans to continue her podcast, ‘X-Files’ with ex-husband Jamie Rubin. The former couple share one son together, Darius John Rubin.
