Emotional Scott Pelley: ‘On fire’ CBS News wanted pro-Trump slant, compares firing to murdered spouse

Veteran journalist Scott Pelley is speaking out following his abrupt exit from CBS News. In a candid and emotional appearance on The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast this past Sunday, the 78-year-old opened up about the professional fallout that led to his recent firing from the network's flagship program, 60 Minutes.

A Shocking Departure

Pelley did not mince words when describing the personal impact of his termination, telling listeners, “The best thing that I can imagine in terms of describing it is that it’s like your spouse was murdered. There’s some moments of the day I feel fine. There’s some moments of the day that I just, frankly, fall apart, when I least expect it.”

The tension, according to Pelley, stems from a power struggle within the network involving CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and executive producer Nick Bilton. Pelley has publicly accused Weiss of “murdering” the historic news show and fostering a biased environment that he claims is unprecedented at CBS.

Allegations of Political Bias

At the center of the controversy is a 60 Minutes segment covering immigration enforcement protests in Minnesota, which resulted in the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Pelley contends that after the report was approved, Weiss intervened with editorial requests that he viewed as an attempt to put a “thumb on the scale” in favor of President Donald Trump.

“Two of the things in the email include, can we make the protesters look more violent? Now, I’m paraphrasing. I don’t have the quote, but that’s what was communicated to me,” Pelley said during his New York Times discussion. He added that he was also instructed to characterize the circumstances of Good’s death differently, specifically by framing her as driving toward an officer.

The Network Responds

Pelley remains critical of the current leadership, suggesting a lack of experienced direction at the top. “We need adult supervision and at the moment we don’t have it,” he told the Times. “But right now, CBS News is on fire.”

In response to the accusations, CBS News denied any political motivation. In a statement issued to both the New York Times and NBC News, the network maintained that Weiss provided only standard editorial feedback. “They had no political motivation and were proposed solely to make the piece as strong, fair, and accurate as possible,” the statement read. “As is frequently the case in any newsroom that operates with collaboration, not everything she raised made it into the final piece.”