60 Minutes Correspondent: Pulling Trump Segment Was "Political" Move
· BCPosted in: CBS, TV | Tagged: 60 minutes, cbs news, trump
60 Minutes Correspondent: Pulling Trump Segment Was "Political" Move
Reportedly, CBS News' Bari Weiss had the 60 Minutes segment criticizing Trump pulled, with the correspondent calling the move "political."
Published Sun, 21 Dec 2025 21:43:04 -0600
by Ray Flook
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Last updated Sun, 21 Dec 2025 21:53:10 -0600
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UPDATE: Only hours before a segment criticizing the Trump Administration's handling of Venezuelan individuals who were detained in El Salvador's CECOT was set to air on CBS News' 60 Minutes, the segment was pulled and listed as airing during a "future broadcast." Shortly after, it was reported from a CBS News representative that the segment "needed additional reporting." Now, The New York Times is reporting that CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss "requested numerous changes to the segment." But in a private note sent to colleagues, segment correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reportedly pushed back on the reasoning, noting that the segment was pulled for "political" reasons. "Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices," Alfonsi wrote in the note (which The New York Times obtained a copy of). "It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision; it is a political one." CNN's Brian Stelter posted the full text of the reported note from Alfonsi:
News Team,
Thank you for the notes and texts. I apologize for not reaching out earlier.
I learned on Saturday that Bari Weiss spiked our story, INSIDE CECOT, which was supposed to air tonight. We (Ori and I) asked for a call to discuss her decision. She did not afford us that courtesy/opportunity.
Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now—after every rigorous internal check has been met is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.
We requested responses to questions and/or interviews with DHS, the White House, and the State Department. Government silence is a statement, not a VETO. Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story.
If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a "kill switch" for any reporting they find inconvenient.
If the standard for airing a story becomes "the government must agree to be interviewed," then the government effectively gains control over the 60 Minutes broadcast. We go from an investigative powerhouse to a stenographer for the state.
These men risked their lives to speak with us. We have a moral and professional obligation to the sources who entrusted us with their stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless.
CBS spiked the Jeffrey Wigand interview due to legal concerns, nearly destroying the credibility of this broadcast. It took years to recover from that "low point." By pulling this story to shield an administration, we are repeating that history, but for political optics rather than legal ones.
We have been promoting this story on social media for days. Our viewers are expecting it. When it fails to air without a credible explanation, the public will correctly identify this as corporate censorship. We are trading 50 years of "Gold Standard" reputation for a single week of political quiet.
I care too much about this broadcast to watch it be dismantled without a fight.
Sharyn
ORIGINAL REPORT: If you've been following our media coverage this year, you're likely aware of two major headlines that raised concerns about CBS News' potential cozy relationship with Donald Trump's administration. In July 2025, Paramount Global and Trump settled Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against the award-winning news magazine 60 Minutes over what he claimed was a deceptively edited interview with then-presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election. Though Trump sought billions, the settlement was for $16 million and was paid directly to Trump's future presidential library. The move raised eyebrows, to say the least, with many legal experts arguing that Paramount/CBS News was on firm legal footing should the case go to court. To many, the move was seen by Skydance's David Ellison as a way of making nice with Trump, having finalized taking over Paramount and setting his sights on Warner Bros. Discovery (though that's not going as smoothly as some thought).
Adding to the concerns that Paramount Skydance was willing to make CBS News more Trump-friendly was the hiring of The Free Press founder Bari Weiss as Editor-in-Chief of the news division. Weiss's detractors have criticized her for pushing the "anti-woke" narrative, highlighting right-wing narratives, downplaying sexual assault allegations, and having a pro-Israel slant to coverage. Her supporters view her as a champion for free speech who is willing to give a diverse selection of voices and opinion an opportunity to be heard. Weiss created some controversy by hosting an hour-long "town hall" with Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, last weekend – the first in a series of "Things That Matter" programs that will include town halls with VP JD Vance, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore, as well as debates on topics ranging from Gen Z and God to Feminism.
Tonight's edition of 60 Minutes and a last-minute editorial change aren't exactly easing concerns, with the long-running news magazine announcing on social media: "The broadcast lineup for tonight's edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report "Inside CECOT" will air in a future broadcast." In the segment, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi was set to speak with several Venezuelan individuals who were detained in El Salvador's CECOT (Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo/Terrorism Confinement Center) by the Trump Administration to discuss the brutal and torturous conditions they endured. Here's a look at the official overview for the segment that was released:
INSIDE CECOT – Earlier this year, the Trump administration deported hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, a country most had no ties to, claiming they were terrorists. This move sparked an ongoing legal battle, and nine months later the U.S. government still has not released the names of all those deported and placed in CECOT, one of El Salvador's harshest prisons. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi speaks with some of the now released deportees, who describe the brutal and torturous conditions they endured inside CECOT. Oriana Zill de Granados is the producer.
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