The relaunch of the CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil has faced a turbulent first week, marked by last-minute schedule changes, social media backlash, and the abrupt firing of a top producer. The broadcast, which officially launched on Monday, has drawn intense scrutiny since its unofficial debut two nights earlier with a special edition following the US attack on Venezuela.
Despite securing high-profile interviews with senior Trump administration officials and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, Dokoupil faced criticism for not sufficiently challenging his guests. The network's original plan to tour 10 cities in 10 days was disrupted by breaking news, including an ICE agent killing a woman in Minnesota, forcing a last-minute reroute from Denver.
On Wednesday night, Dokoupil earned praise for pressing border czar Tom Homan on whether immigration agents used excessive force in the incident. Homan appeared to diverge from the official Department of Homeland Security line, saying it would be unprofessional to comment before the investigation concluded. However, the positive moment was overshadowed by the dismissal of top producer Javier Guzman, which sources attributed to interpersonal dynamics.
Former CBS Evening News executive producer Tom Bettag contrasted Dokoupil's Homan interview with his earlier, less challenging interview with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Bettag suggested that someone may have intervened to encourage a more combative approach. The show has been strongest when relying on field correspondents, including Charlie D'Agata and Matt Gutman.
Dokoupil, 45, previously co-hosted the network's morning show but has never anchored his own broadcast. His selection by editor-in-chief Adrienne Weiss has drawn extra attention, as she made revamping the Evening News a priority. Clips from the show have gone viral on social media, generating both praise and criticism.
