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Scott Pelley Accuses CBS News Management of Aligning with Trump’s Agenda
Scott Pelley claimed that CBS News’ chief editor Bari Weiss tried to shape the news flow to better fit the Trump administration’s perspective. CBS News argued that Weiss’s requests were not political but aimed at making the news stronger, fairer, and more accurate.
Scott Pelley, the dismissed 60 Minutes correspondent, said that CBS News’ top management tried to bring the news line closer to the views of the Trump administration. Pelley described this pressure as the most evident political influence he had seen in his 37-year career at CBS News.
Pelley made these remarks on The New York Times podcast The Interview. Earlier, on June 2, he had also stated that CBS News’ new management asked him to add "lies and bias" to a politically sensitive news story.
Dispute over ICE operation report
Pelley said the 60 Minutes team prepared a report in February about ICE operations in Minnesota. The report included the incident where agents shot and killed Renée Good and the subsequent protests against ICE.
According to Pelley, Bari Weiss sent an email to her former boss Tanya Simon at that time, requesting changes to the segment. Pelley said the message asked whether the protesters could be portrayed as more violent.
Another request concerned the description of Renée Good’s vehicle. They wanted it described as if the woman was driving toward the officer. Pelley argued this request contradicted the video evidence.
Pelley said he watched the footage repeatedly and believed the narrated version was neither as President Donald Trump described nor as Bari Weiss recalled. He felt the editing request aimed to produce a version inconsistent with the video’s narrative.
Different statement from CBS News
A CBS News spokesperson said Weiss provided editorial feedback in four points via email, which were not politically motivated. The spokesperson added that these suggestions were intended to make the story stronger, fairer, and more accurate, and not all suggestions were included in the final script.
CBS News also emphasized that Pelley’s statements came after another conflict with management. Pelley was dismissed last week following disagreements with the new 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton and criticisms about Weiss.
Weiss had previously told staff that management tried to resolve issues with Pelley but it was not possible, and they had to part ways. Pelley disputed Weiss’s claims at the time.
Changes at 60 Minutes and Paramount
The tension became more visible after Paramount Skydance acquired The Free Press, founded by Weiss, in October 2025. As part of the acquisition, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison appointed Weiss as head of the CBS news division.
Weiss’s lack of television experience and perceived political bias caused concern among some staff. Significant changes also occurred within CBS News in the following months; in December, a segment about the Trump administration’s use of the CECOT prison in El Salvador was pulled from the air.
In January, Weiss told employees that layoffs were not off the table. Subsequently, Anderson Cooper left 60 Minutes in May; CBS News parted ways with Pelley, Cecilia Vega, Tanya Simon, and Draggan Mihailovich. Sharyn Alfonsi’s contract was also not renewed.
Trump lawsuit and renewed settlement talks
Behind the turmoil around the program is a lawsuit Donald Trump filed against Paramount in 2024. Trump alleged that the 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris used "deceptive editing."
Paramount initially opposed the lawsuit but reached a $16 million settlement with Trump in July 2025. Skydance Media merged with Paramount the following month.
In Sunday’s interview, Pelley described this settlement as a "bribe." He said the lawsuit caused significant unrest within 60 Minutes and the payment decision deeply unsettled many employees.
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