In a surprising move, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss has decided to withdraw a planned investigative segment from the iconic program 60 Minutes, just a day and a half before its scheduled broadcast. The segment focused on allegations of abuses at the CECOT detention center in El Salvador, which housed hundreds of Venezuelan migrants sent there by the Trump administration in March 2023.
Weiss informed colleagues that the story could not air without an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official. This decision has sparked significant backlash within CBS News, particularly from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who expressed her discontent in an email, stating that the withdrawal was “not an editorial decision, it is a political one.” Alfonsi’s email, which was obtained by NPR and other outlets, highlighted the implications of government silence on journalism.
The controversial segment was initially promoted through a press release from CBS News, which had promised an inside look at “one of El Salvador’s harshest prisons.” The release described the “brutal and tortuous conditions” endured by deportees, but it has since been revised following Weiss’s decision. According to sources familiar with the situation, the piece had undergone multiple formal reviews by senior producers and news executives, as well as legal and standards teams.
Alfonsi remarked in her email that the reporting team had sought comments from the Department of Homeland Security, the White House, and the State Department. She emphasized that the administration’s refusal to participate should not serve as a valid justification for suppressing 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,” she wrote.
The withdrawal has drawn attention not only for its implications for journalism but also in light of Weiss’s recent appointment at CBS. Earlier this year, she took the helm under the ownership of David Ellison, whose family has significant ties to the Trump administration. Weiss previously founded the online publication The Free Press, which espouses the belief that mainstream media often displays a reflexive liberal bias.
The decision to pull the 60 Minutes segment also comes amid ongoing scrutiny of CBS’s leadership. In 2022, former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS regarding the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with his opponent, Kamala Harris. The network ultimately settled, paying Trump $16 million, although legal experts considered his chances of winning the case slim.
Weiss’s influence on CBS News is significant, given her commitment to fostering dialogue between the center-right and center-left, as she believes this approach can help restore public trust in news organizations. Nonetheless, her recent actions have raised questions about editorial independence at CBS, particularly given the network’s attempts to appeal to a broader conservative audience as part of their strategy under new ownership.
The decision to withdraw the segment was announced late Sunday afternoon, just two hours before it was set to air. Weiss had previously raised objections to terminology used in the report, preferring to refer to the individuals involved as “illegal immigrants,” a designation favored by the Trump administration. Many of those sent to the Salvadoran prison were not in the United States illegally and were awaiting asylum decisions.
As CBS News navigates this politically charged environment, Weiss’s commitment to maintaining journalistic integrity will be put to the test. The fate of the CECOT segment remains uncertain, with the network indicating it may air at a later date. As Weiss continues to lead the news division, the implications of her editorial choices will likely resonate throughout the industry.
