The Steady Drip: October 2026

Christiane Amanpour to Leave CNN After 43 Years (Connecting the Dots: Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Media, The Committee to Protect Journalists & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Newsmax.com

By Nicole Weatherholtz | Monday, 19 October 2026 04:30 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/christiane-amanpour-cnn-david-ellison/2026/10/19/id/1273313/

Longtime CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour announced Monday that she will leave the network in June 2027, ending her more than 40-year association with the cable news outlet.

Her announcement came just weeks after billionaire David Ellison's Paramount took over CNN's parent company.

Amanpour, 68, revealed her plans less than two weeks after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to The Associated Press.

"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, adding that she looks forward to new projects and "will always be rooting for CNN and maintaining its history of independent journalism."

"Remember: Always be truthful, not neutral," she said.

The takeover puts CNN under the control of David Ellison, whose father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, is a major supporter of President Donald Trump.

Larry Ellison contributed about $45 million to a pro-Trump political nonprofit during the 2024 presidential campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the fundraising.

The transaction has been valued at more than $100 billion including debt.

Amanpour previously expressed concerns about the proposed takeover, criticizing an "ideological realignment" at CBS News in a May speech, according to The Washington Post.

She did not, however, directly attribute her departure to CNN's new ownership.

Her announcement follows CNN contributor Kara Swisher's decision last month to leave the network after the merger's approval, according to TheWrap.

Swisher publicly criticized the Ellisons as media owners.

CNN Chair Mark Thompson reportedly confirmed Amanpour's plans in a memo to employees, saying the decision followed months of discussions.

"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 joined CNN in 1983, left for ABC News in 2010, and returned in 2012.

According to AP, she will end her PBS program in December, reduce her CNN International show to once a week early next year, and leave CNN in June.

Connecting the Dots:

Christiane Amanpour was a correspondent for CNN, the Chief International Correspondent for CNN, is a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and married to James P. Rubin

James P. Rubin is married to Christiane Amanpour and was Madeleine K. Albright’s senior adviser.

Madeleine K. Albright’s senior adviser was James P. Rubin and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Harold E. Ford Jr. was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a political commentator at MSNBC (MS Now).

Kati Marton is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and was a reporter for ABC News.

Tom Brokaw is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, an advisory board member for the Committee to Protect Journalists and the only person to have hosted all three major NBC News programs: The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and, briefly, Meet the Press. He formerly held a special correspondent post for NBC News.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Henry A. Kissinger was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a member of the Bohemian Club and a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Walter L. Cronkite was a member of the Bohemian Club and the anchorman for the CBS News.

Dan Rather was an anchor for the CBS News and an advisory board member for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

George H.W. Bush was a member of the Bohemian Club and Jeb Bush’s father.

Belizean_Grove is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.

Henrietta Holsman Fore is a member of the Belizean Grove and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ann B. Friedman is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Conservation International.

Stewart A. Resnick is a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Conservation International.

Queen Noor is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a director emeritus at Conservation International.

Lynda R. Resnick is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a director emeritus at Conservation International.

David Ellison was a director at Conservation International and the son of Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Walter Isaacson was the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the chairman & CEO for CNN and a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Jeb Bush is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and George H.W. Bush’s son.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Sam Nunn is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the co-chairman & CEO for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

Robert Kagan was a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a columnist for the Washington Post.

Kati Marton is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and was a reporter for ABC News.

Harold E. Ford Jr. was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a political commentator at MSNBC (MS NOW).

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Howard G. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s son.

Susan A. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s daughter.

Warren E. Buffett is Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father, an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a director for the Washington Post Co.

Washington Post Co. was the owner of the Washington Post.

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), was the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and an editorial board member for the Washington Post.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a friend of Michael Douglas, Jonathan Soros’s father and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the New America Foundation (think tank).

Jonathan Soros is George Soros’s son and a director at the New America Foundation (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the New America Foundation (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Joe Mathews was a director at the New America Foundation (think tank) and a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Noosheen Hashemi was a director at the New America Foundation and the VP for the Oracle Corporation.

Larry Ellison is the Executive Chairman for the Oracle Corporation, David Ellison’s father and was a friend of Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs was a friend of Lawrence J. Ellison and married to Laurene Powell Jobs.

Laurene Powell Jobs was married to Steve Jobs and a director at the New America Foundation.

Eric E. Schmidt is the chairman of the New America Foundation, was the chairman for Google Inc. and a funder for the New America Foundation.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the New America Foundation, the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Norman Pearlstine is a trustee for the Carnegie Corporation of New York and a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Christiane Amanpour is a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists, married to James P. Rubin, was a correspondent for CNN and the Chief International Correspondent for CNN.

Walter Isaacson was the chairman & CEO for CNN, a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Newton N. Minow was an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and a director for CBS.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP and an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Mary M. Boies is a director at the International Rescue Committee and was the VP for CBS.

Kati Marton is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and was a reporter for ABC News.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Howard G. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s son.

Susan A. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s daughter.

Warren E. Buffett is Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father, an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and was a director for the Washington Post Co.

Washington Post Co. was the owner of the Washington Post.

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Robin Hood Foundation.

Douglas P. Morris is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation and a director at CBS.

Emma Bloomberg was the chief of staff for the Robin Hood Foundation and is Michael R. Bloomberg’ daughter.

Michael R. Bloomberg is Emma Bloomberg’s father and was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation.

Tom Brokaw was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, the only person to have hosted all three major NBC News programs: The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and, briefly, Meet the Press. He formerly held a special correspondent post for NBC News and is an advisory board member for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Diane Sawyer was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, hosted CBS Morning, is a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and works for ABC News producing documentaries and interview specials.

Brian Williams is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, an advisory board member for the Committee to Protect Journalists and was a correspondent for NBC Nightly News.

Jeff Zucker is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, the president of CNN Worldwide and was an executive producer for the NBC Nightly News.

CNN Worldwide is a division of CNN.

Christiane Amanpour was a correspondent for CNN, the Chief International Correspondent for CNN and is a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Walter Isaacson was the chairman & CEO for CNN and is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and a friend of Michael Douglas.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Jessica Tuchman Mathews was the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), an editorial board member for the Washington Post and is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Washington Post Co. was the owner of the Washington Post.

Warren E. Buffett was a director for the Washington Post Co., is Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father and an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Elinor Bunin Munroe was a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a senior designer for CBS.

Ann B. Friedman is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Conservation International.

Stewart A. Resnick is a benefactor for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Conservation International.

Queen Noor is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a director emeritus at Conservation International.

Lynda R. Resnick is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a director emeritus at Conservation International.

David Ellison was a director at Conservation International and the son of Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison.

Walter Isaacson is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and was director at CBS.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement and a funder for the New America Foundation.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jonathan Soros is a director at the New America Foundation (think tank) and George Soros’s son.

George Soros is Jonathan Soros’s father, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation, the International Rescue Committee and the Human Rights Watch.

Kati Marton is a director at the New America Foundation, an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Committee to Protect Journalists and was a director at the Human Rights Watch.

Syrian Electronic Army reportedly hacked the Human Rights Watch and Al Jazeera.

Bashar al-Assad is hacker supporting the Syrian Electronic Army, the president of Syria and permitted the rise in Syria of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

Vartan Gregorian was a director at the Human Rights Watch and is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Gara LaMarche was an associate director at the Human Rights Watch, a VP & director of U.S. programs for the Soros Open Society Foundations and a director at the White House Project.

Daisy Khan was a director at the White House Project, is a developer for Park51, married to Feisal Abdul Rauf and an executive director for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement and a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Beth A. Brooke was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a director at the White House Project.

John C. Whitehead was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Judith Rodin is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center and was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the International Rescue Committee and the Harlem Children's Zone.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone.

Maurice R. Greenberg is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center and was a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone.

Michael R. Bloomberg was a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone and is the chairman for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Richard E. Witten is a trustee at the Harlem Children's Zone and was a trustee at Columbia University.

Mark E. Kingdon is a trustee at the Harlem Children's Zone and a trustee at Columbia University.

Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan academic, author, and political commentator and The Herbert Lehman Professor of Government and a professor of anthropology, political science and African studies at Columbia University and Zohran Mamdani’s father.

Letitia James received her MPA at Columbia University, is the Attorney General of New York and the chair for the Committee on Economic Development.

Lee C. Bollinger was the president of Columbia University and is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee on Economic Development.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carol A. Melton was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.

Robert G. Liberatore was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. was the president of the Economic Club of Washington and is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

David M. Rubenstein is a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the Economic Club of Washington, spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden and was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Warren B. Rudman was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and of counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and is Louis Farrakhan’s nephew.

Louis Farrakhan is Hakeem Jeffries’s uncle, the acting head for the Nation of Islam, was the organizer for the Million Man March, awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from the Trumpeter Newsmagazine.

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. is a senior pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) and was a member of the African American Religious Leadership Committee.

African American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Barack Obama was the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, an intern at Sidley Austin LLP, a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) and the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Oprah Winfrey was a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Common is a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Henry A. Kissinger was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a trustee at the Paley Center for Media and a member of the Bohemian Club.

Patricia E. Mitchell is the president & CEO for the Paley Center for Media and the vice chair for the Sundance Institute.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Sundance Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Robert Redford was the founder & president for the Sundance Institute and a partner at the Sundance Channel.

Sundance Channel is a partner at CBS.

Leslie Moonves was the president & CEO & director for CBS and is a trustee at the Paley Center for Media.

William S. Paley was the founder of the Paley Center for Media and the chairman for CBS.

Walter L. Cronkite was an anchorman for the CBS Evening News and a member of the Bohemian Club.