Norah O’Donnell Biography
Norah O’Donnell is a well-known American journalist who currently holds the position of senior correspondent at CBS News and also contributes to 60 Minutes. She occasionally hosts the interview series Person to Person, where she engages in deep conversations with prominent figures from politics, business, and culture.
Before this, O’Donnell was the anchor of the CBS Evening News from 2019 until 2025. In July 2024, she announced that she would step down from her anchor role after the 2024 U.S. presidential election, transitioning to her current senior correspondent position at CBS News. She officially left the anchor chair in January 2025, wrapping up her time leading the evening newscast after several impactful years.
Prior to her anchoring role, O’Donnell co-anchored CBS This Morning from 2012 to 2019, where she played a key role in shaping the program’s focus on news-driven reporting and interviews. Earlier in her career at CBS News, she served as the Chief White House Correspondent, covering various presidential administrations and significant political events in Washington.
She also frequently stepped in as a substitute host on Face the Nation, enhancing the network’s political coverage during crucial news cycles. Additionally, O’Donnell has continued to contribute to 60 Minutes and remains active in long-form reporting and special interview segments.
In late 2025, there were reports that CBS News leadership briefly considered bringing her back to the anchor desk of CBS Evening News under new editorial guidance. However, the position ultimately went to another journalist, and O’Donnell continued her work as a senior correspondent, tackling major reporting assignments.
Career
O’Donnell kicked off her journalism journey as a staff writer for Roll Call, where she focused on covering the United States Congress and honed her skills in political reporting. She then spent over ten years at NBC News and its affiliated networks, taking on several prominent roles along the way. These included being a commentator on the Today show, serving as the White House correspondent for NBC News, and acting as Chief Washington Correspondent for MSNBC. O’Donnell also made contributions to various programs like NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, Dateline NBC, and MSNBC broadcasts. Additionally, she stepped in as the host of Hardball with Chris Matthews and frequently appeared as a political analyst on The Chris Matthews Show.
After making the move to CBS News, O’Donnell continued to embrace significant on-air responsibilities. She often filled in for Scott Pelley on the CBS Evening News starting in 2011 and took on the role of Chief White House Correspondent during 2011 and 2012. In 2012, she became co-anchor of CBS This Morning, a position she held until 2019.
On May 6, 2019, CBS News named her anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News, with her leadership officially starting in July 2019. She also took on the role of the network’s lead anchor for major political coverage while continuing her work as a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes. With this new role, she became the third woman to anchor the program’s weekday broadcast, following in the footsteps of Connie Chung and Katie Couric.
Throughout her time at CBS, O’Donnell conducted numerous high-profile interviews and covered breaking news stories, including a much-publicized 2024 interview with Pope Francis in Vatican City for 60 Minutes. This interview gained international attention as they discussed important issues like surrogacy, same-sex marriage, and the role of women in the priesthood.
In April 2022, she decided to extend her contract, ensuring she would continue as the anchor of CBS Evening News through the 2024 U.S. presidential election and beyond. However, in July 2024, she revealed that she would be stepping down from her anchor role after the election, moving into a senior correspondent position at CBS News instead. She officially left her anchor position in January 2025.
After her departure, CBS News briefly considered bringing her back to the Evening News anchor chair with the new leadership in 2025, but in the end, the role went to Tony Dokoupil.
Norah O’Donnell Age
How old is Norah? She is 52 years old as of 2026. Norah was born on January 23, 1974, in Washington D.C., in the United States of America. Besides, she celebrates her birthday on 23rd January each year.
Norah O’Donnell Education
She was enrolled and graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in the year 1991. Later on, he joined and graduated from the University of Georgetown with a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy in the year 1995 and a Master of arts degree in liberal studies in the year 2003.
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Norah O’Donnell Nationality
O’Donnell is of American nationality and citizenship. Besides, she was born and grew up in Washington, D.C., in the United States of America. In addition, Norah belongs to the white heritage.
Norah O’Donnell Height | Measurements
O’Donnell stands approximately at the height of 5 feet 7 inches ( Approx. 1.70 m) tall, as Norah is a woman of average stature. Nevertheless, she has not shared any information concerning her other body measurements in a public place.
Norah O’Donnell Family | Parents
O’Donnell was born and grew up in Washington, D.C, in the United States under the loving care of her mother Mary O’Donnell, and her father Francis O’Donnell. In addition, she grew up alongside her two siblings. Besides, her father serves as a doctor as well as United States Army officer. Her family relocated to San Antonio, Texas when she was three years.
Norah O’Donnell Husband | Children | Partner
Currently, Norah is a married woman. Besides, she is happily and joyfully married to her loving husband Geoff Tracy. The pair tied their wedding knot in the year 2001. In addition, her husband works as a chef and he is the owner of a D.C restaurant. The two share three children known as Henry Tracy, Grace Tracy, and Riley Norah. The duo met back at University. Furthermore, the pair resides on the Upper West Side of New York City with her husband and children.
Norah O’Donnell Salary
O’Donnell is an anchor and reporter reporting on all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. Therefore, Norah earns a decent salary. Thus, her annual estimated salary is $250,000.
Norah O’Donnell’s Net Worth
O’Donnell works as a reporter and anchor for CBS News station. Therefore, there is no hesitation that she has been able to accumulate decent wealth over the years she has worked. Her estimated net worth is $22 million.
Norah O’Donnell Weight Loss
There’s been public curiosity about O’Donnell’s appearance, which has sometimes led to speculation about her fitness and weight changes. However, she hasn’t made her career or messaging about weight loss, and there aren’t any major verified reports indicating a specific “weight loss story” in her professional background.
What is Norah O’Donnell Doing Now in 2026
Since leaving her full-time role as an evening anchor, O’Donnell has taken on the role of senior correspondent at CBS News. In this position, she’s diving into in-depth reporting, conducting long-form interviews, and covering significant political events, especially during national elections, foreign policy discussions, and major breaking news stories.
What happened to Norah O’Donnell / Why she left CBS Evening News
Norah O’Donnell decided to step down as the anchor of CBS Evening News after holding the position for several years. This change was part of a planned transition at CBS News, which is undergoing a broader editorial restructuring of its evening news programming. The network is rotating anchor responsibilities and shifting to a new presentation style. Her exit wasn’t due to any single event but was instead a reflection of long-term strategic changes within the news division.
Norah O’Donnell Trump Interview
During her time at CBS News, O’Donnell has conducted several high-profile political interviews, including notable conversations with former President Donald Trump. These interviews often tackled important topics like elections, governance, foreign policy, and domestic political issues, and they gained significant attention for her direct questioning style and the impact they had on the news cycle.
Norah O’Donnell CBS News
O’Donnell worked as a staff author for Roll Call, where she covered congress. In addition, she spent thirteen years of her career at the NBC News network. Previously she served as a correspondent for the Today Show, Chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC News, and White House correspondent for NBC News station. Besides, she was also a contributing reporter for MSNBC live and an anchor on Weekend Today. Furthermore, she reported for various NBC News programs such as NBC Evening News, Dateline NBC, MSNBC, and The Today Show. In addition, she worked for Chris Matthews as host of Hardball with Chris Matthews and was often a correspondent for The Chris Matthews program. Since joining the CBS News network, Norah has worked as a journalist for several high-rated shows. Furthermore, she also worked for Scott Pelley on the CBS Evening News.
