Tony Dokoupil is best known as the anchor of CBS Evening News and the husband of MS NOW anchor Katy Tur. Born on December 24, 1980, he grew up not knowing that his father was a partner in a major marijuana-smuggling ring. He later told that story in his 2014 memoir, The Last Pirate. He took over CBS’s flagship evening newscast in January 2026.
Most network anchors have polished, predictable backstories. Tony Dokoupil does not. His father’s secret life, his early career as a magazine writer, and his rise from morning TV to the evening anchor chair make his path unusual.
His marriage to fellow anchor Katy Tur also puts him in the middle of one of TV news’s best-known couples. This article covers his family roots, his career, his home life, and what’s changed since he moved to Evening News.
Quick Facts: Tony Dokoupil
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony Dokoupil |
| Born | December 24, 1980 |
| Birthplace | Farmington, Connecticut |
| Heritage | Czech descent |
| Raised in | Miami, Florida, then Maryland |
| Education | George Washington University (BBA, 2002); Columbia University (MA) |
| Current role | Anchor, CBS Evening News (since January 2026) |
| Wife | Katy Tur (married October 2017) |
| Children | Four (two from his first marriage, two with Katy Tur) |
| Book | The Last Pirate (2014) |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Tony Dokoupil?
Tony Dokoupil is an American journalist and TV anchor. He spent years as a magazine writer before moving into television at NBC News, MSNBC, and then CBS News.
On December 10, 2025, CBS News named him anchor of CBS Evening News, as reported in an AP story carried by local stations. He replaced John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, who had both announced their departures.
He’s also known as a writer who turned his family’s hidden past into a widely discussed memoir.
Tony Dokoupil’s Early Life
Tony was born on December 24, 1980, in Farmington, Connecticut, according to Wikipedia. His family is of Czech descent.
In 1981, when Tony was a baby, the family moved to Miami. His mother, Ann, was a teacher. His father, Anthony, told the family he worked in real estate and antiques.
That wasn’t the whole story. Tony wouldn’t learn the truth for many years.
The Secret Behind His Father’s Money
In a 2014 interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, Tony explained what his father really did. His father began selling marijuana during the Nixon years. By the Reagan era, he was a partner in what Tony called the biggest East Coast dope ring of the time.
Tony found a 1986 indictment charging his father with importing and distributing 35,000 pounds of marijuana in a single operation. Even as a partner, his father reportedly took jobs driving loads out of the Florida Keys, which Tony said he did for the thrill.
The family’s comfortable life, including private school and swim lessons, was paid for by that trade, Tony said.
Finding Out the Truth
Tony told NPR that his parents said his father sold real estate in Vermont and ran an antiques business. He said he was “pushing 30” before he learned what his father really did.
His father left the family when Tony was about 10. Tony remembered seeing him walk away from a retirement party on a boat in St. Thomas, saying it was the last time he saw him “whole.”
In 1992, Tony, his mother, and his stepfather, Ray, moved to Maryland, according to Wikipedia. That move came as law enforcement was closing in on his father’s operation.
Growing Up in Maryland
In Maryland, Tony went to Severna Park High School, where he played baseball. His mother and stepfather gave him a more stable home.
Baseball stayed with him. At George Washington University, he played NCAA Division I baseball and graduated in 2002 with a business administration degree.
He then earned a master’s degree in American studies at Columbia University. He spent two years on a PhD track in media studies before leaving in 2007 to work in journalism.
Writing The Last Pirate
Tony turned his family secret into a book. The Last Pirate: A Father, His Son, and the Golden Age of Marijuana came out from Doubleday on April 1, 2014.
The memoir mixes his father’s story with the larger history of the American marijuana trade. Tony told NPR he had to accept that his father’s path was one his father chose.
He also recognized something of his father in himself, including a pull toward risk and excitement. Writing the book was a way to understand both men.
Tony Dokoupil’s Magazine Years
From 2007 to 2013, Tony worked as a senior writer at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He wrote long-form stories on science, society, and culture.
In September 2013, he joined NBC News as a senior writer. He later became a reporter on MSNBC.
His print background shaped his TV style. He’s known for explaining complex topics in a clear, conversational way.
Joining CBS News
In August 2016, Tony joined CBS News as a correspondent based in New York.
On May 6, 2019, CBS named him co-anchor of CBS This Morning. He debuted on May 20, 2019, and stayed on the program as it became CBS Mornings.
In September 2024, he began co-hosting CBS Mornings Plus, a new third hour, with Adriana Diaz. He also hosted The Uplift, a weekly streaming show focused on positive news.
Taking Over CBS Evening News
When CBS News named Tony anchor of CBS Evening News in December 2025, editor-in-chief Bari Weiss praised the choice. Tony promised viewers a commitment to trust and the plain truth, according to the AP report.
His first night on the air was moved up to January 3, 2026, because of breaking news about U.S. strikes in Venezuela. His official debut came on January 5, 2026.
He signs off his broadcasts with the phrase “that’s another day in America,” according to Wikipedia.
Moments That Drew Attention
Tony’s time on air has had some public moments. In 2024, CBS News reprimanded him after a tense interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates, the AP report noted.
On Evening News, he spoke emotionally while anchoring from Miami. He said he had been robbed of the full Miami experience because of his father’s legal troubles. Some critics, including commentator Megyn Kelly, criticized the moment.
Moments like these show how personal his story still is, even on a national stage.
Tony Dokoupil’s First Marriage
Before Katy Tur, Tony was married to Danielle Haas. Wikipedia says she filed for divorce in 2015 and later moved to Israel with their two children.
Tony has spoken about his older children over the years, but he has kept their lives mostly private.
Wikipedia also notes that he converted to Judaism in 2008, while engaged to his first wife, and wrote about the experience.
Tony Dokoupil and Katy Tur
Tony met Katy Tur, a fellow broadcast journalist, while both worked in TV news. After about two years of dating, they eloped in Utah on October 27, 2017, according to Katy’s Wikipedia page.
Katy is best known for covering Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for NBC News and MSNBC. Her book about it, Unbelievable, became a New York Times bestseller. Her show became The Moment with Katy Tur in June 2026.
Katy was born on October 26, 1983, in Los Angeles, to journalists Zoey Tur and Marika Gerrard. She wrote about her complicated family in her 2022 memoir, Rough Draft.
Tony Dokoupil’s Children
Tony and Katy have two children together: a son, Theodore, born in April 2019, and a daughter, born in May 2021. Katy’s Wikipedia page notes that she also has two stepchildren from Tony’s first marriage.
That gives Tony four children in total. Theodore was born just weeks before Tony debuted on CBS This Morning.
It’s a blended family with two parents who both anchor national news, which makes for an unusual household schedule.
A TV News Power Couple
Tony and Katy work at rival networks, CBS and MS NOW. Both anchor daily programs, and both have written memoirs about their unusual parents.
That shared experience may be part of their bond. Each grew up with a parent whose life was more dramatic than most, and each turned that story into a book.
They’ve kept their children mostly out of the spotlight, even while sharing a few family moments over the years.
Clearing Up the Confusion About Tony Dokoupil
Many websites write about Tony, and some get details wrong. Here is what to know.
When he learned about his father. Some sources suggest he knew as a child. Tony told NPR he was “pushing 30” when he found out.
His education. Some sites list the wrong graduate school. Wikipedia says he earned his master’s degree at Columbia University.
His Emmys. Outlets describe him as Emmy-winning, but the specific awards are not listed in the reports used here.
His children’s names. Only his son Theodore is named by trusted sources.
Net worth and salary. No reliable figures have been published.
Tony Dokoupil Today
As of 2026, Tony anchors CBS Evening News from New York. It’s one of the most watched and historic anchor chairs in American television, once held by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.
He’s married to Katy Tur and raising a blended family of four children. His memoir remains a key part of his public story.
The boy who once didn’t know where his family’s money came from now delivers the news to millions of people each night.
Final Thoughts
Many people spend their lives believing a story about where they came from, only to learn it wasn’t quite true. Some react with anger, some with silence. Tony Dokoupil reacted the way journalists do: he started asking questions.
He didn’t hide his father’s past or excuse it. He wrote about it, tried to understand it, and found pieces of himself in it. Now he sits in a chair that’s all about telling the plain truth to the country.
His story raises a quiet but powerful question. We can’t choose the secrets we inherit. But can we choose what we do with them? Tony seems to have answered by turning a family secret into a lifelong habit of looking for what’s real.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Tony Dokoupil?
Tony Dokoupil is the anchor of CBS Evening News, starting in January 2026. He was previously a co-host of CBS Mornings.
Who is Tony Dokoupil married to?
He is married to journalist Katy Tur. They eloped in Utah on October 27, 2017.
What did Tony Dokoupil’s father do?
His father was a partner in a large marijuana-smuggling ring in the 1970s and 1980s. Tony wrote about it in his 2014 memoir, The Last Pirate.
How many kids does Tony Dokoupil have?
He has four children: two from his first marriage and two with Katy Tur, a son born in 2019 and a daughter born in 2021.
When did Tony Dokoupil start on CBS Evening News?
His first night was January 3, 2026, due to breaking news. His official debut was January 5, 2026.
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