‘60 Minutes’ Pulls Trump Deportations Segment Amid Internal CBS News Dispute

CBS News’ decision to pull a planned “60 Minutes” segment examining deportations under President Donald Trump has sparked a rare and public internal dispute, raising questions about editorial independence at one of U.S. television journalism’s most influential programs. The clash pits a veteran correspondent against the network’s top editor, with both sides offering sharply different explanations for why the story was removed just hours before airtime.

A story pulled hours before broadcast

Two hours before “60 Minutes” was scheduled to air on Sunday, CBS informed viewers that a segment reported by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi would not be included in the broadcast. The piece focused on migrants deported from the United States to El Salvador, some of whom were held in the country’s high-security CECOT prison, which has drawn international scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses.

Bari Weiss, the founder of The Free Press who was appointed CBS News editor-in-chief in October, said the decision to pull the segment was hers. In a statement, Weiss said she looked forward to airing Alfonsi’s reporting “when it’s ready.”

The late change immediately drew attention inside and outside the newsroom, given the sensitivity of immigration enforcement and the history of tension between President Trump and the long-running CBS program.

Alfonsi alleges political motivation

In an email sent to fellow “60 Minutes” correspondents and first reported by The Associated Press, Alfonsi said the story had passed all internal checks, including review by CBS lawyers and the network’s standards division. She argued that removing it from the broadcast at such a late stage amounted to political interference rather than a legitimate editorial judgment.

“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 wrote.

According to the email, the Trump administration declined to comment for the story. Alfonsi said her team had sought interviews with, or directed questions to, the White House, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

“Government silence is a statement, not a veto,” she wrote, adding that allowing officials to block a story by refusing to participate would effectively hand the administration a “kill switch” over coverage it finds inconvenient.

Alfonsi did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Weiss defends editorial call

Weiss addressed the dispute during CBS News’ internal editorial call on Monday, according to a transcript provided by the network. She said she was angered by Alfonsi’s email, particularly the suggestion that the decision was politically motivated.

“The only newsroom I’m interested in running is one in which we are able to have contentious disagreements about the thorniest editorial matters with respect and, crucially, where we assume the best intent of our colleagues,” Weiss said. “Anything else is completely unacceptable.”

She acknowledged that Alfonsi’s reporting included powerful testimony from detainees about alleged mistreatment at CECOT, but said similar reporting had already been published by The New York Times and other outlets. Given that context, Weiss argued that “60 Minutes” needed to go further.

“To run a story on this subject two months later, we need to do more,” she said. “And this is ‘60 Minutes.’ We need to be able to get the principals on the record and on camera.”

It was not immediately clear whether Weiss’ direct involvement was sought earlier in efforts to secure comment from the administration.

Broader questions about CBS News leadership

The episode has reignited debate about the direction of CBS News under Weiss’ leadership, particularly whether her appointment signaled a shift toward a more accommodating posture toward Trump. “60 Minutes” has long been a frequent target of Trump’s criticism, both during his first term and since his return to office.

Weiss has previously played a role in arranging high-profile interviews for the program. In the fall, she was involved in securing appearances by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to discuss Trump’s Middle East peace initiatives. Trump himself sat for an interview with CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell that aired on “60 Minutes” on Nov. 2.

Those interviews came against the backdrop of a contentious relationship between Trump and the network. During the 2024 campaign, Trump refused to grant “60 Minutes” a pre-election interview. He later sued CBS over the handling of an interview with his opponent, Kamala Harris. Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company, agreed to settle that lawsuit this summer for $16 million.

More recently, Trump reacted angrily to a “60 Minutes” interview conducted by correspondent Lesley Stahl with Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former ally who has since become a critic.

‘60 Minutes’ and concerns over independence

Despite those tensions, “60 Minutes” reporters have continued to pursue aggressive coverage of the Trump administration. In the early months of Trump’s second term, the program aired several tough investigations, including reports by veteran correspondent Scott Pelley.

Earlier this month, while accepting a journalism award from USC Annenberg, Pelley said those stories were broadcast last spring “with an absolute minimum of interference.” He also acknowledged that staff at “60 Minutes” had been uneasy about what new ownership changes at Paramount, completed this summer, might mean for the program.

“It’s early yet,” Pelley said at the time, according to Deadline, “but what I can tell you is we are doing the same kinds of stories with the same kind of rigor, and we have experienced no corporate interference of any kind.”

The current dispute suggests that questions about editorial autonomy and newsroom authority remain unresolved, particularly as “60 Minutes” navigates coverage of a polarizing presidency while maintaining its reputation for independence.