Robert Costa

Robert Costa is the chief election & campaign correspondent for CBS News, where he covers national politics and American democracy. Based in Washington D.C., he is a regular contributor to the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell," "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," "CBS Mornings," and "CBS News Sunday Morning," as well as to CBS News 24/7 programs such as "America Decides."

Costa is also a frequent guest anchor for news programs on the CBS Television Network. As part of his coverage, Costa has interviewed high-profile leaders ranging from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to former President Donald Trump and the speaker of the House of Representatives.

In August 2024, Costa sat down with Biden for an exclusive interview for "CBS News Sunday Morning." It was Biden's first interview since he made his historic announcement that he would not seek reelection, and it was the first time Biden ever invited a television journalist to interview him inside the White House residence.

In 2023, Costa and colleagues at "CBS News Sunday Morning" won an Emmy Award at the 44th News and Documentary Emmy Awards. Costa was cited for his work as a contributing correspondent to the show, which won for "Outstanding Recorded News Program."

Before joining CBS News in 2022, Costa and reporting legend Bob Woodward co-wrote "Peril," which was published by Simon & Schuster in September 2021. The book documented the tumultuous transition between the Trump presidency and the Biden presidency and was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It was also cited in congressional subpoenas issued by the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

From 2014 to 2021, Costa was a national political reporter at The Washington Post, where he worked with colleagues on numerous investigations and covered Congress, the White House, and campaigns. He served as a lead host of "Post Live," the Post's live interview series featuring his in-depth conversations with newsmakers and cultural figures.

Costa served as the moderator and managing editor of "Washington Week" on PBS from 2017 to 2020. The respected prime-time news program, which features discussions with top national reporters on Friday nights, is one of the longest-running shows on television. During Costa's tenure, The Associated Press called the broadcast "satisfyingly wonkish and amid a TV sea of partisan megaphones ... especially important."

From 2015 to 2020, Costa was a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, appearing on "Morning Joe," "Today," "Meet the Press" and "The 11th Hour," among other programs.

Costa holds a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame, where he is a former trustee, and a master's degree in politics from the University of Cambridge. Since 2022, Costa has served as a non-resident scholar at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics where his work focuses on American democracy and journalism.