Mark Knoller, the longtime CBS News White House correspondent who became known as the unofficial presidential statistician, died on August 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. He was 73 years old.
The veteran journalist died after suffering from diabetes and being in ill health, according to CBS News. A specific cause of death was not disclosed. Knoller worked as a CBS News editor and radio reporter from 1988 until 2020, covering eight presidential administrations during his 32-year career with the network.
Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News, described Knoller as having been “the hardest-working and most prolific White House correspondent of a generation.” Cibrowski noted that everyone in America knew Knoller’s distinctive voice and his up-to-the-minute reporting across eight presidential administrations.
Born on February 20, 1952, in Brooklyn, New York, Knoller set his sights on journalism from a young age. After graduating from New York University, he began his career as an intern and copy boy at WNEW Radio in New York, eventually working his way up to weekend reporter. In 1975, he joined the Associated Press Radio Network as a reporter, where he remained for 13 years.
Knoller’s move to CBS News came in 1988 after a chance encounter with CBS News producer Susan Zirinsky during a trip covering Secretary of State George Shultz’s travels to Helsinki and Moscow. Zirinsky recruited him as the CBS News Washington Bureau’s assignment editor. However, after finding that role unsatisfying, CBS offered him his dream position as White House correspondent for CBS Radio.
During his tenure, Knoller covered the final year of President George H.W. Bush’s term, both terms of Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, as well as the first term of Donald Trump. He became frustrated by the lack of a central database containing information about presidential activities and took it upon himself to maintain comprehensive records.
Knoller explained his meticulous record-keeping approach, maintaining daily logs of everything the president did, including speeches, travel schedules, outings, golf rounds, pardons, vetoes, state visits, vacations, and trips to Camp David. His encyclopedic knowledge earned him recognition as a legend among the White House press corps.
Despite working in the competitive world of journalism, Knoller generously shared his statistical treasure trove with anyone who requested it, including reporters on deadline, historians, and even White House aides filling gaps in their own administration’s records.
In his final decade at CBS News, Knoller’s career took an unexpected turn when his voice began to fail, making it impossible for him to continue as a full-time radio correspondent. He reinvented himself by embracing social media, particularly Twitter, where he shared White House news, facts, figures, and witticisms with an audience that grew to nearly 300,000 followers.
Current and former CBS News colleagues paid tribute to Knoller’s dedication and character. Major Garrett, CBS News’ chief White House correspondent, indicated that Knoller defined what it means to chronicle and cover the White House, calling him the most devoted, tenacious, and clear-eyed journalist he had ever known. Norah O’Donnell, CBS News anchor, described Knoller as simply the best and a legendary White House journalist who was a delight to be around.
Jim Axelrod, chief investigative correspondent for CBS News, highlighted Knoller’s generosity toward colleagues, noting that his willingness to help surpassed even his impressive sweep of knowledge about the presidency. Axelrod emphasized that Knoller always responded with kindness, class, and a sincere desire to help.
Throughout his career, Knoller won numerous prestigious journalism awards for his White House coverage. He was known for working extremely long hours, often departing the White House long after most colleagues had gone home to maintain his detailed presidential records. His departure from CBS News in 2020 marked the end of more than three decades of distinguished service to the network and the journalism profession.
