Norah O'Donnell returns to 'CBS Mornings,' but not for long

Nicole Fallert, USA TODAYWed, February 25, 2026 at 3:51 PM UTC

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Americans saw a familiar face back on their television screens this morning.

Longtime anchor Norah O'Donnell concluded a short return to "CBS Mornings" on Feb. 25 after co-hosting the morning broadcast with Gayle King and Nate Burleson to promote her new book, "We the Women," which tells the untold stories of American women in light of the nation's 250 birthday.

Here's what to know about O'Donnell and her temporary return to the "CBS Mornings" desk.

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A seasoned journalist's return

O'Donnell returned to the anchor chair she held from 2012 to 2019 one last time on Wednesday, posting on her Instagram story that it was her "last day" back with the show. She also joined King and Burleson on Monday, Feb. 23 and Tuesday, Feb. 24.

"I just want to say full respect because forgot how hard it is to get up in the morning," she said in an on-air clip of the hosts bantering posted to her Instagram story early Wednesday morning. The seasoned anchor thanked her co-hosts for sharing the desk to shed light on her book's release.

"Thank you guys for helping me promote my new book," O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell's book, "We the Women" hit shelves Tuesday. A longtime champion of women's empowerment, the book "focuses that passion on the American heroines who helped change the course of history," according to its description. Through extensive research and interviews, as well as archival sources such as historical documents and old photos, O'Donnell "writes the American story anew," focusing on unknown women who created the nation.

Activist Leymah Gbowee speaks with CBS News host Norah O’Donnell speaks during the Women In The World Summit in New York City, U.S., April 12, 2018.

The project comes against the backdrop of America's 250th anniversary, highlighting the many causes and innovations women fought for — but that were overlooked.

"It's not that women weren't doing stuff," O'Donnell told PBS News' Amna Nawaz on Tuesday. "They were doing plenty. It's just we haven't highlighted their stories."

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The book ranked sixth on Amazon's Top 100 list early Wednesday. O'Donnell is on a nationwide tour through March to promote the book, with an appearance set for Wednesday in Boston.

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Who is Norah O'Donnell?

O'Donnell, 52, is senior correspondent for CBS News and a contributing correspondent on "60 Minutes."

She has been with the network since 2011, serving as CBS News' chief White House correspondent covering the administration of former President Barack Obama, according to CBS. Then, in 2012, O'Donnell became co-host of "CBS This Morning" and stayed in the role until she was named anchor and managing editor of the "CBS Evening News" in 2019. In 2025, she moved into her current position. Prior to joining CBS News, O'Donnell worked at NBC News, where she covered the Pentagon, Congress and the White House, according to her CBS bio.

A graduate of Georgetown University, O'Donnell grew up in a military family and grew up in San Antonio, Texas; Landstuhl, Germany; Seoul, South Korea and Washington, DC.

She has won numerous awards, including multiple Emmys, a Edward R. Murrow Award, the duPont-Columbia Award, the Scripps Howard Award for Excellence in Broadcast National/International Coverage and the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award, her bio on CBS News says. O'Donnell received an Emmy and was also recognized by the prestigious White House Correspondents' Association for her reporting on sexual assaults at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2018.

In a prolific career spanning more than three decades, O'Donnell has "interviewed every living president of the United States," her bio on CBS News says, as well as a plethora of prominent personalities including Pope Francis, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry, Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Oprah Winfrey and Dolly Parton, among others.

Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan moderate the debate between Republican vice presidential nominee U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz hosted by CBS in New York, U.S., October 1, 2024.

She has covered eight presidential elections as a journalist and moderated the 2024 vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Kamala Harris.

O'Donnell is married to Geoff Tracy, the president of Chef Geoff’s Deluxe Hospitality in Washington, DC. The two met during their time at Georgetown and have three children together.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Norah O'Donnell back on 'CBS Mornings'? Not for long

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