Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Peter Arnett, 91, has died of prostate cancer on December 17, his family confirmed. The veteran war correspondent — famed for reporting from Vietnam through the Gulf Wars — passed away surrounded by family and friends, his son Andrew Arnett told CNN.
- Full name: Peter Arnett (born November 13, 1934, Riverton, New Zealand)
- Age & date: 91, died December 17
- Cause: Prostate cancer (announced by family)
- Major award: 1966 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting (Associated Press)
- Notable roles: AP correspondent (Vietnam), CNN reporter (joined 1981), lead coverage from Baghdad in 1991
The Legacy
Peter Arnett’s reporting shaped how the world saw modern conflict. His top career achievements include:
- 1966 Pulitzer Prize — Awarded for international reporting with The Associated Press for his Vietnam War coverage.
- CNN’s 1991 Gulf War coverage — One of the few networks to report from inside Baghdad as allied bombs fell; his live reporting helped define 24-hour war coverage.
- High-profile interviews — Conducted exclusive interviews that included figures such as Saddam Hussein and, earlier in his career, Osama bin Laden.
Career Highs and Controversies
Arnett began as a wire-service correspondent, reporting from Vietnam from 1962 to 1975 and earning the Pulitzer in 1966. He remained with the AP until 1981, then joined CNN at its launch. His on-the-ground reporting during the first Gulf War in 1991 made him a household name in broadcast journalism.
His career also faced setbacks: a retracted 1999 report about nerve gas usage in Laos led to his resignation from CNN, and in 2003 he was dismissed after comments made on Iraqi state television about U.S. war strategy. After those episodes he continued reporting for international outlets, taught journalism at Shantou University beginning in 2007, and retired to Southern California in 2014. His memoir, Live From the Battlefield: From Vietnam to Baghdad, 35 Years in the World’s War Zones (1995), chronicles those years in the field.
Social Proof: Reactions and Tributes
Family members confirmed his passing and said he died surrounded by loved ones. News organizations and colleagues noted his influence on war reporting and the risks he took to report from front lines. CNN — where Arnett spent decades — issued remembrance coverage of his work in Vietnam and Iraq, and journalists around the world shared tributes to a correspondent who redefined live conflict reporting. Social platforms and newsrooms remembered both his pioneering reporting and the controversies that marked his long career.
He is survived by his wife, Nina Nguyen, and their children, Elsa and Andrew.
Image Referance: https://www.suggest.com/pulitzer-prize-winner-peter-arnett-dies-cause-of-death-revealed/2909158/