CBS News is facing internal turmoil and public criticism after abruptly shelving a 60 Minutes segment that documented the experiences of Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration to a high-security prison in El Salvador. The last-minute decision has sparked accusations of corporate censorship and raised fresh concerns about editorial independence at one of America’s most trusted news programs.
The report, produced by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, had already undergone extensive fact-checking and legal review, according to multiple CBS sources. Alfonsi said the story was screened five times and cleared by both attorneys and standards teams before being promoted publicly. Despite this, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss halted the segment shortly before it was scheduled to air.
In an internal memo, Alfonsi warned that the move would be seen as politically motivated, arguing that the Trump administration’s refusal to respond should not be allowed to derail a rigorously reported story. She described the administration’s silence as a strategic tactic and cautioned that allowing it to block coverage would effectively give officials a “kill switch” over critical journalism.
CBS News said the segment was held because it needed additional reporting, citing concerns over the absence of an on-the-record response from the Trump administration. Weiss later echoed that position publicly, stating that stories are sometimes delayed when they lack sufficient context or key voices, and expressing confidence that the piece would air once it was deemed ready.
The dispute has reportedly shaken morale inside 60 Minutes, with some staffers warning that the program’s credibility is being undermined and others threatening to resign. The controversy also unfolds against a broader backdrop of tension between CBS and President Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the network and previously sued the company over alleged editing bias — a lawsuit that was later settled.
The episode has intensified scrutiny of CBS’s corporate leadership and its recent changes, including Weiss’s appointment following Paramount’s acquisition of her media startup. For critics within the newsroom, the shelved segment has become a symbol of growing fears that corporate and political pressures are influencing editorial decisions at a program long regarded as a pillar of investigative journalism.
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