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Tony Dokoupil

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Tony Dokoupil
Dokoupil in 2025
Born (1980-12-24) December 24, 1980 (age 45)
Farmington, Connecticut, U.S.[1]
Alma materGeorge Washington University
Columbia University
OccupationsJournalist and television presenter
EmployerCBS
Known forCBS Evening News
CBS Mornings
Spouse
​
(m. 2017)​
Children4

Tony Dokoupil (/dəˈkoʊpəl/ də-KOH-pəl; born December 24, 1980) is an American broadcast journalist and author who has been the anchor of the CBS Evening News since January 2026. He was previously the co-host of CBS's morning program, CBS Mornings. Before joining the network in 2016, he was a news correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC and a writer at Newsweek and The Daily Beast.

Early life and career

Dokoupil was born in Connecticut on December 24, 1980. He is of Czech descent.[2][3] His mother, Ann, worked as a teacher, while his father, Anthony, was a marijuana dealer. Growing up, Dokoupil was told of his father's involvement in real estate, which was a front.[4][5]

His family relocated to Miami in 1981.[6] Dokoupil, his mother, and his step-father Ray relocated to Maryland in 1992, shortly after his father's drug operation received greater attention from law enforcement.[4][7] In Maryland, he attended Severna Park High School, where he played on the baseball team.[8] Dokoupil anchored his third Evening News broadcast from Miami, tearing up as he spoke of being "robbed of the full Miami experience" because of his father's legal troubles.[9]

He attended George Washington University, where he received a bachelor's degree in business administration and played NCAA Division 1 baseball, graduating in 2002.[10] Dokoupil earned a master's degree in American studies from Columbia University and spent two years on a PhD track fellowship in media studies at Columbia before leaving to pursue journalism in 2007.[10][11]

From 2007 to 2013, Dokoupil was a senior writer at Newsweek and the website The Daily Beast.[12] In September 2013, he joined NBC News as a senior writer.[13] He released a memoir titled The Last Pirate: A Father, His Son, and the Golden Age of Marijuana on April 1, 2014.[14] He later became a reporter on MSNBC.[3]

Though he originally focused on news-gathering and writing in his career, he shifted to on-screen reporting with MSNBC.[3] On January 5, 2016, Dokoupil made one of his earlier appearances as a when he interviewed militia-member LaVoy Finicum live on-air during the occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.[3][15]

CBS Mornings

Following his departure from NBC News and MSNBC, Dokoupil joined CBS News as a New York-based correspondent in August 2016.[12]

On May 6, 2019, Dokoupil was named the new co-anchor of the morning program CBS This Morning.[16] he made his debut on May 20.[17]

In September 2024, Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz began hosting CBS Mornings Plus, a new third hour of CBS Mornings. The move followed other broadcast networks expanding their morning shows in previous years.[18] In October 2024, The New York Times described Dokoupil as a rising star at the network.[19]

Controversies

On September 30, 2024, Dokoupil discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with author Ta-Nehisi Coates during the latter's appearance on CBS Mornings to promote the book The Message. Dokoupil implied that the book reads like the work of an extremist and questioned Coates about his opinion regarding Israel's right to exist. Some CBS staffers were angered by the interview, and CBS executive Adrienne Roark said that an internal review found that it did not meet network standards.[20][21][22] Dokoupil had previously spoken about how he struggled to separate his views as a journalist from his fear for the safety of his children, two of whom lived in Israel during the October 7 attacks.[23]

Dokoupil was defended by Paramount chair Shari Redstone and other CBS staffers, including Jan Crawford, who argued that Dokoupil was journalistically correct to challenge Coates's argument.[24][25][26]

The following April, Dokoupil interviewed North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, for CBS’ Sunday Morning. The six-time Super Bowl–winning coach insisted that the segment was intended to promote his football memoir, The Art of Winning. However, CBS stated that it had informed Belichick that Dokoupil would discuss a wider variety of topics, including the 73-year-old’s relationship with Hudson, 24, who immediately told Belichick not to answer the question about how they met when Dokoupil asked him about it. "There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation," the network said. Belichick felt that the final piece that aired painted Hudson as "attempting to control the conversation — which is simply not true".[27]

CBS Evening News

In October 2025 it was reported that Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News, was considering Dokoupil to replace John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois as anchor of CBS Evening News in order to remake the program and increase the program's viewership.[28] Other reported candidates included former Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell, 60 Minutes correspondent and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, and both Dana Perino and Bret Baier of Fox News.[28] Dokoupil became the new anchor of the program. His first day was set for January 5, 2026.[29] Because of the United States strikes in Venezuela, his first day was Saturday, January 3, .[30]

The official CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil debuted as scheduled on January 5. The broadcast included stories about Venezuela, including one on Nicolas Maduro's New York City trial, and spotlights on Delcy Rodriguez and Maria Corina Machado.[31] Dokoupil's sign-off phrase from his debut was "that's another day in America."[31]

Dokoupil's version of the Evening News also restored other features from its past including a retro anchor desk in front of an active newsroom (rather than the large LED screens previously used) and an opening theme from Dan Rather's tenure as anchor.[32]

The January 5th premiere broadcast drew 4.37 million viewers, according to Nielsen, around 9 percent above the program's Q4 average of 4.02 million.[33][34] The viewership for the show on the same day a year earlier was 5.69 million and Dickerson and DuBois's debut—on January 27, 2025—reached about 5.35 million. The debut episode still reached a smaller audience than the January 5, 2026 broadcasts of both NBC Nightly News (7.21 million viewers) and ABC World News Tonight (8.24 million viewers).[33]

Criticism

Variety's Chief TV Critic Daniel D'Addario called Dokoupil's debut an "inauspicious" sign for the network's future news programs, arguing that he was chosen to follow Weiss's agenda, "but Dokoupil lacks the charisma and aptitude to turn the Evening News into whatever it is she may want,"[35] later comparing Dokoupil's performance as an anchor to that of Jerry Springer.[36] Jeff Jarvis—writing for former Evening News anchor Katie Couric's website Couric Media—wrote that it was "a nail in the coffin" for the reputation of CBS News.[37]

Reviewers have also criticized Dokoupil's Evening News for undue deference to Trump administration officials, including multiple interviews with Pete Hegseth, an embedded interview with Kristi Noem and ICE, and a "salute" to Marco Rubio as "the ultimate Florida Man."[38][39][9] Margaret Sullivan argued that Dokoupil and CBS were was representative of a Trump sycophancy in the mainstream media with its "Fox Lite" approach.[40]

Some conservative commentators, including Tim Graham of the Media Research Center, expressed optimism about CBS and Dokoupil's rightward shift.[41] Others, like Sean Spicer, have rejected Dokoupil, with Spicer claiming that he was trying to gaslight conservatives into forgetting his tenure on the ostensibly liberal CBS Mornings.[41] Megyn Kelly also criticized Dokoupil for tearing up about his early life in Miami, citing him on her podcast as a key example of the "feminization of the newsroom."[42]

Personal life

Dokoupil's first wife, Danielle Haas, filed for divorce in 2015.[43] She later relocated with the couple's two children to Israel.[44][45] After around two years of dating, Dokoupil eloped with fellow broadcast journalist Katy Tur in October 2017.[46] They have two children together.[47] After the birth of his fourth child, Dokoupil announced on CBS Mornings that he had undergone a vasectomy, urging other men to consider it to take on the burden of birth control from their female partners.[48][44]

Dokoupil converted to Judaism in 2008 while engaged to Haas.[49][50] He took classes at a progressive synagogue in Manhattan and received a second circumcision as an adult to complete his conversion, which he wrote about for The New Republic.[49]

References

  1. ^ "2002 BASEBALL ROSTER". CBS GW Sports. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "The surprising result of a son's search for his father". CBS News. March 13, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Storey, Kate (May 29, 2019). "How Tony Dokoupil Reached the CBS This Morning Anchor Desk". Esquire. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Minzesheimer, Bob (April 9, 2014). "A son tries to understand his drug dealer dad". USA Today. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Son Of A Secret Smuggler Digs Up The Truth About His Dad". Fresh Air. March 31, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Dokoupil, Tony (July 31, 2009). "My Father the Drug Dealer". Newsweek. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  7. ^ Marr, Madeleine (January 8, 2026). "CBS anchor Tony Dokoupil looks back on his wild childhood in '80s Miami". The Miami Herald. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  8. ^ Scherr, Rich (June 7, 1999). "Dokoupil's big swing makes dream come true; Severna Park senior's HR helps South in Crown game". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Sharf, Zack (January 7, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil Cries Over Love for Miami as New 'CBS Evening News' Host Visits Florida and Salutes Marco Rubio: 'You're the Ultimate Florida Man'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Paramount Press Express | CBS News and Stations | Journalists". www.paramountpressexpress.com. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  11. ^ "Tony Dokoupil". Big Think. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  12. ^ a b de Moraes, Lisa (July 6, 2016). "Tony Dokoupil Hired As Correspondent by CBS News". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  13. ^ Calderone, Michael (June 17, 2013). "Tony Dokoupil Joins NBC News Digital As Senior Writer". HuffPost. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  14. ^ Dokoupil, Tony (2014). The Last Pirate: A Father, His Son, and the Golden Age of Marijuana. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-3855-3346-1.
  15. ^ "Armed Oregon protester talks to MSNBC". MS NOW. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  16. ^ Iannucci, Rebecca (May 6, 2019). "CBS This Morning Confirms New Anchor Lineup, Norah O'Donnell to Take Over Evening News This Summer — Watch". TVLine. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  17. ^ Barr, Jeremy (October 23, 2019). "Tony Dokoupil Is Getting the Hang of Morning Television". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  18. ^ Johnson, Ted (September 4, 2024). "Tony Dokoupil and Adriana Diaz To Co-Host Third Hour Of 'CBS Mornings'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "CBS Rebukes Anchor Over Tense Interview With Ta-Nehisi Coates". The New York Times. October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  20. ^ Sommer, Will (October 1, 2024). "Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tony Dokoupil sharpen morning TV with Israel debate". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 3, 2024. The cozy world of morning television was stirred up Monday by an unusually tense and substantive discussion of a volatile issue, between author Ta-Nehisi Coates and "CBS Mornings" host Tony Dokoupil. The subjects: Israel and the Palestinian people. Coates appeared on the CBS morning show to promote his new book, "The Message," which includes a section about Coates's trip to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and how this experience informs his claim of "apartheid" in Israel. Dokoupil suggested that Coates's book reads like the work of an extremist.
  21. ^ Steinberg, Brian (October 7, 2024). "'CBS News' Says Interview With Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tony Dokoupil 'Did Not Meet Editorial Standards'". Variety. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  22. ^ Barr, Jeremy (October 7, 2024). "CBS News exec says Ta-Nehisi Coates interview didn't meet standards". The Washington Post.
  23. ^ ""CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil describes "roller coaster weekend" with 2 kids, ex-wife in war-torn Israel - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. October 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  24. ^ Battaglio, Stephen (October 8, 2024). "CBS News won't discipline host after controversial Ta-Nehisi Coates interview about Israel". Los Angeles Times.
  25. ^ "When is an interview too tough? CBS News grappling with question after Dokoupil interview". Associated Press. October 10, 2024.
  26. ^ Werpin, Alex (October 9, 2024). "Shari Redstone Backs Tony Dokoupil Amid Fallout Over CBS' Ta-Nehisi Coates Interview". The Hollywood Reporter.
  27. ^ Levine, Daniel S. (April 30, 2025). "CBS News Refutes Bill Belichick's Claims About Awkward Interview Alongside Girlfriend Jordon Hudson". People.
  28. ^ a b Barr, Jeremy (October 31, 2025). "Who will Bari Weiss pick as the next anchor of CBS Evening News?". The Guardian. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  29. ^ Johnson, Ted (December 10, 2025). "CBS News Confirms That Tony Dokoupil Will Be Next Anchor Of 'CBS Evening News'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  30. ^ Weprin, Alex (January 3, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil to Start at 'CBS Evening News' Early to Cover Shocking Venezuela Raid". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  31. ^ a b Johnson, Ted (January 6, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil's Official 'CBS Evening News' Debut Features Brisk Headlines, A Momentary Glitch And A New Sign-Off – With Plenty Of Scrutiny To Come: Analysis". Deadline. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  32. ^ Hill, Michael (January 7, 2026). "Latest version of the 'CBS Evening News' gets off to bumpy start with nods to its past". NewscastStudio. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  33. ^ a b Porter, Rick (January 7, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil's 'CBS Evening News' Debut Doesn't Move the Ratings Needle Much". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  34. ^ Johnson, Ted (January 7, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil's 'CBS Evening News' Official Debut Draws Almost 4.4 Million Viewers, Trailing Rivals; Ratings Down Vs. 2025 But Improve On Q4". Deadline. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  35. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (January 6, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil's 'CBS Evening News' Debut Is an Inauspicious Sign of Where CBS News Is Headed". Variety. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  36. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (January 9, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil Is Making 'CBS Evening News' All About Tony Dokoupil". Variety. His speech, though, played more like one of Jerry Springer's 'Final Thoughts,' in which the talk-show host vapidly, but with feeling, exhorted his audience to 'Take care of yourselves — and each other.'
  37. ^ Jarvis, Jeff (January 7, 2026). "An Expert's Analysis of Tony Dokoupil's First Week Anchoring "CBS Evening News"". Katie Couric Media. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  38. ^ Steinberg, Brian (January 4, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil Starts 'CBS Evening News' Run With Long Pete Hegseth Interview". Variety. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  39. ^ Darcy, Oliver (January 6, 2026). "The Dokoupil Debacle". Status. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  40. ^ Sullivan, Margaret (January 8, 2026). "Some US media are cheerleading Trump's Venezuela raid. That's not their job". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  41. ^ a b Bauder, David (January 7, 2026). "An eventful first week in his job for CBS News' Tony Dokoupil, maybe not as intended". AP News. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  42. ^ Dolak, Kevin (January 9, 2026). "Megyn Kelly Lambasts New CBS Anchor For Crying on TV as Top Producer's Firing Shocks Newsroom". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  43. ^ Stutsman, Samantha (January 5, 2026). "Tony Dokoupil and Katy Tur's Relationship: All About the News Anchors' Romance". People.com. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  44. ^ a b "He's Got Balls: CBS' Tony Dokoupil Reveals He Got Vasectomy". The Daily Beast. December 4, 2022.
  45. ^ Katz, A. J. (October 9, 2023). "CBS Mornings Co-Host Tony Dokoupil Has 2 Children and Ex-Wife Living in Israel: 'They Are Safe'". AdWeek.
  46. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (April 16, 2019). "MSNBC Live's Katy Tur Welcomes Son Theodore with Husband Tony Dokoupil — See His First Photo". People. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  47. ^ Mastrangelo, Dominick (May 17, 2021). "Katy Tur announces birth of second child". The Hill. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  48. ^ Jackson, Dory (May 12, 2021). "Drew Barrymore Joins Lineup of CBS This Morning Celebrity Guest Co-Hosts for Tony Dokoupil's Paternity Leave". People.
  49. ^ a b Dokoupil, Tony (April 10, 2014). "My Adult Circumcision". The New Republic. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  50. ^ Tisdale, Jennifer (December 11, 2025). "'CBS Evening News' Anchor Tony Dokoupil Went Public With His Adult Circumcision Story". Distractify. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
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