’60 Minutes’ Journalist Revolts After New CBS Leadership Yanks Pro-Illegal Alien Segment
Summary:
A planned 60 Minutes segment about criminal migrants deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador was pulled by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss about three hours before it was set to air. Correspondent sharyn Alfonsi sent an internal message accusing weiss of spiking the story for political reasons, saying the piece had been screened multiple times, cleared by lawyers and standards and practices, and that reporters had sought comment from the Trump administration (wich she says declined to participate). Alfonsi warned that allowing refusal to comment to justify killing stories would give officials a “kill switch” over inconvenient reporting and compared the decision to CBS’s controversial decision in the 1990s to withhold the Jeffrey Wigand interview. Weiss and a CBS spokesperson defended the move, saying the story lacked sufficient context and needed additional reporting and voices, and that it will air when ready. Reporters on both sides have publicly debated the decision; some allies of Alfonsi pushed back against Weiss, while critics accused Alfonsi of trying to make herself the story. The episode comes after Paramount acquired bari Weiss’s news platform, The Free Press, and named her head of CBS News.
A rogue CBS News correspondent has accused network editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of purposefully spiking a story for “political” reasons.
The network was set to air a “60 Minutes” segment this Sunday about the illegal criminal alien men who were deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador last spring, according to The Wall Street Journal.
But at the last minute, only three hours before the segment’s scheduled air time, Weiss suddenly cancelled it, arguing that the story lacked “sufficient context” and needed numerous changes to be made.
This decision angered “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who fired back with an to her colleagues on Sunday. Alfonsi has previously been accused of harboring political bias.
BREAKING
Sharyn Alfonsi, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, sent an internal to colleagues stating that CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss “spiked our story” about the Trump administration and the transfer of deportees to a prison in El Salvador.
In the — which was… pic.twitter.com/y8pT8Vi9fX
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 22, 2025
Alfonsi alleged in her that Weiss had ignored a request “for a call to discuss her decision” and that other top officials at the network had approved the segment.
“Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices,” she wrote. “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.”
Alfonsi also suggested that Weiss had rejected the segment because it didn’t contain the Trump administration’s response. The rogue correspondent argued that this should nevertheless be irrelevant because the administration was indeed contacted but refused to respond.
“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,” Alfonsi wrote.
Other establishment “journalists” have begun circling the wagon around Alfonsi:
MORE on “60 Minutes” fracas:
Among Weiss’s suggestions was adding an interview with Stephen Miller or similar senior Trump administration official. She gave Miller’s contact info to ’60’ staff.
(Alfonsi says she had already requested comment from DHS, WH & State Dept.)
— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) December 22, 2025
Lastly, Alfonsi compared Weiss’ decision to delay the segment to CBS News’ disastrous decision in in the 1990s to spike a tobacco industry whistleblower report over legal concerns.
“CBS spiked the Jeffrey Wigand interview due to legal concerns, nearly destroying the credibility of this broadcast,” she warned.
According to Weiss, Alfonsi’s complaints are invalid.
“My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be,” she said in a statement reported by the Journal.
“Holding stories that aren’t ready for whatever reason—that they lack sufficient context, say, or that they are missing critical voices—happens every day in every newsroom. I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready,” she added.
A CBS News spokesperson also defended Weiss’ decision, saying, “The 60 Minutes report on Inside CECOT will air in a future broadcast. We determined it needed additional reporting.”
Critics on the right, including Katie Miller, the wife of Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller, have similarly alleged that Alfonsi’s complaints are all bull:
When you want to become the story, you’ve lost any shred of journalistic integrity.
The Legacy Media loves talking about themselves and is openly hostile to anyone who dare question their utter righteousness.
60 Minutes is a clear partisan program masquerading as impartial… https://t.co/TzeLlSHgrS
— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) December 22, 2025
All this comes months after CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, purchased Weiss’ news platform, The Free Press — considered by many a moderate alternative to establishment media sources — and appointed her the top chief at CBS News.
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