CBS News is facing heavy criticism after Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss decided to pull a highly anticipated 60 Minutes segment detailing the horrifying conditions and claims of injustice from men deported to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison, as per The Hill. This move has sparked an intense internal revolt and led to massive political fallout, with some critics labeling the network “State owned media.”
The segment, produced by Sharyn Alfonsi, focused on Venezuelan men who were deported and sent to the prison. Some of these men claim they were falsely accused of being associated with the violent Tren de Aragua gang, which is now officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization. These men say they were never actually convicted of committing any crimes, and they detailed stories of being physically and sexually abused from their very first day behind bars.
Weiss defended her decision to yank the piece, insisting that it simply wasn’t “ready” to air. She said holding stories that lack sufficient context or are missing critical voices happens every day in every newsroom. Weiss said remarks from the Trump administration would have provided much-needed context to Alfonsi’s report. “I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready,” she stated.
Pulling the segment has created more of a Streisand Effect
In a memo that circulated widely, Alfonsi stated that the story had been screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. She wrote that the piece was factually correct. Alfonsi believes that pulling the segment now, after meeting every rigorous internal check, is not an editorial decision at all, but rather a political one.
Meanwhile, the White House has weighed in with an extremely strong reaction. Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff who previously berated ICE officials for not arresting enough innocent people, urged CBS News to fire the 60 Minutes producers for launching a “revolt” against Weiss. He told guest host Charles Hunt on Fox News’s Jesse Waters Primetime that CBS should “Clean house, fire them.”
Miller argued that the deported men were dangerous “monsters” who got exactly what they deserved. He cited the horrific murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Texas, allegedly at the hands of two men who were in the country illegally. Miller insisted that under President Trump, the administration won’t allow little girls to be raped and murdered anymore.
The controversy has drawn the ire of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii wrote on X that what is happening to CBS is a “terrible embarrassment.” He said that if executives think they can build shareholder value by avoiding journalism that might offend the president, they are about to learn a tough lesson. He added that the American people don’t enjoy “bulls*** like this.” Notably, White House previously called out some news outlets for not giving positive coverage of the president.
Former Representative Adam Kinzinger, a Republican and prominent Trump critic, also blasted the network. He posted screenshots of himself canceling his membership to Paramount+, the company’s streaming service, and labeled the network “State owned media.”
Despite being pulled from U.S. airwaves, a 13-minute version of Alfonsi’s interview with the CECOT prisoners still aired in Canada and is circulating online. The report highlighted cases like that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident whose lawyers say was wrongfully deported and inadvertently tied to gang activity. It’s clear this story isn’t going away anytime soon, even if CBS tried its best to keep it off television.
Published: Dec 24, 2025 03:00 pm