What To Know
- CBS News is reportedly considering former ESPN anchor Sage Steele as a potential new co-host for CBS Mornings, amid a search led by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
- Current co-host Gayle King’s future on the show is uncertain due to her high salary and interest in transitioning to a special correspondent role.
- Sage Steele, who left ESPN after a lawsuit settlement and is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.
CBS Mornings could be getting a makeover as reports suggest CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has been eyeing former ESPN anchor Sage Steele for an anchor position on the morning news program.
According to Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Weiss and network President Tom Cibrowski are on the search for a new co-host for CBS Mornings. This comes after former co-host Tony Dokoupil was promoted to CBS Evening News in January.
Status reports that Weiss has floated names such as Fox News personality Kat Timpf and The New York Times’ The Daily host Michael Barbaro, but has also “expressed significant interest” in Steele.
Steele, who began her career as a sports reporter in Indiana, worked for 15 years at ESPN, serving as host of SportsCenter, before departing the network in 2023 following a settlement in a lawsuit against its parent company, Disney.
In the lawsuit, per The Daily Beast, Steele claimed the network violated her First Amendment rights after she criticized the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on a 2021 podcast and questioned why Barack Obama identified as Black even though he had a white mother, as does she.
“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my First Amendment rights more freely,” Steele wrote in a statement at the time.
Since leaving ESPN, Steele has become a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, even serving as the president’s surrogate during the 2024 presidential election. She also hosts her own weekly podcast, The Sage Steele Show, where she talks to entertainers, athletes, and politicians.
CBS Mornings is currently co-hosted by Gayle King and Nate Burleson, but there has been uncertainty regarding King’s future on the show. In January, Variety reported that Weiss has been zeroing in on King’s salary — said to be around $15 million annually — which she argues is no longer sustainable in the current media market.
A source told the outlet that King has been considering various options for her future, including taking a possible special correspondent role on CBS News instead of anchor duties. This would be a role similar to Norah O’Donnell, who moved from CBS Evening News host to senior correspondent in early 2025.
In a separate report from The Independent, sources claimed King defended Weiss in front of CBS News staffers during an all-hands meeting in January.
“If you don’t want to be here, if this is not the place, it’s okay,” King reportedly said at the end of the meeting, echoing Weiss’ sentiment that anyone who doesn’t think she’s the “right leader” was free to leave. “But for the rest of us who would like to be here, who’d like to do a good job and figure things out along the way, this is a very bumpy time for all of us.”
Status notes that it’s unclear whether Steele ever had serious discussions with CBS News about coming on board.
Neither Steele nor CBS News has commented on the latest reports.
CBS Mornings, Weekdays, 7a/6c, CBS
