It’s been nearly a quarter-century since Anderson Cooper became a household name at CNN — but his time at the floundering network may soon be over.

According to new insider reports, Cooper’s $18 million-per-year contract could be the next casualty in CNN’s desperate campaign to plug financial leaks and stop its ratings freefall. Once considered the network’s flagship personality, Cooper now faces growing scrutiny from CNN leadership, as parent company Warner Bros. Discovery slashes costs in the face of collapsing public trust and dismal viewership numbers.

Dylan Byers of Puck News broke the story, noting that CEO Mark Thompson is reviewing every major expense — with the help of Warner Bros. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, a man known in media circles for ruthless cost-cutting. Their focus: massive salaries, expensive foreign bureaus, and bloated special-event productions that once defined CNN’s big-budget operations.

“Anchors raking in millions of dollars per year have targets on their backs,” one insider told Status.

Cooper, who came to prominence under disgraced former CNN chief Jeff Zucker, has reportedly grown tired of the network’s dwindling influence, internal power struggles, and the exodus of longtime colleagues. The liberal news outlet he helped build is now crumbling — and he's watching it happen from inside the walls.

Insiders also note Cooper recently signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) — a move some see as his signal that he may exit before being ousted. As Daily Mail noted, the deal could give Cooper flexibility to walk away on his own terms rather than suffer the humiliation of being pink-slipped.

Meanwhile, those lower on CNN’s totem pole are stuck enduring round after round of layoffs and budget squeezes. The network’s staff — especially at its New York and Atlanta offices — describe the atmosphere as “grim” and riddled with distrust. Many feel betrayed by top brass who, after years of ideological activism and sky-high executive pay, are now pulling the rug out from under longtime employees.

One staffer didn’t mince words, telling Status that CEO David Zaslav “killed” the network. “The last few years under Zas have been a disaster.”

In a particularly tone-deaf moment, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins reportedly splurged on a luxury vacation home in Nantucket, even as the newsroom she works in faces mass layoffs. “She just bought some bougie place and CNN people are grossed out that she paid so much,” one employee said, adding: “She’s way overpaid.”

As part of CNN’s transformation into a leaner operation more in line with reality-TV-focused channels like TBS, TNT, and the Food Network, Thompson has already eliminated 200 jobs in a January purge and merged CNN’s three newsrooms into one to slash overhead. Internally, staff have mockingly begun referring to the new conglomerate as “Sh*t Co.”

Despite the turmoil, CNN execs are reportedly planning to hang on to a few recognizable faces, such as Erin Burnett, who earns a far more modest $3 million annually compared to Cooper. “There will be a transitional period where CNN will hold on to a few bold-faced names through their contracts,” Byers explained. “My guess is Erin falls into that camp.”

But for now, CNN’s collapse continues — both financially and in reputation — as the network that once called itself “the most trusted name in news” finds itself circling the drain.