Scott Pelley Accuses CBS, Bari Weiss of Political Bias After Being Fired

Scott Pelley, former correspondent on "60 Minutes" by CBS News (Lean Left bias), made allegations of bias and interference against Bari Weiss and the corporate ownership of CBS in an interview about his firing.

The Details: Pelley was fired on June 2 after a conflict with the show's new executive producer at a staff meeting. The producer, Nick Milton, wrote in a letter, "Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you. I therefore write on behalf of CBS News, Inc. to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately."

For Context: CBS News was sold to David Ellison in August 2025, who then appointed Bari Weiss as the editor-in-chief in October 2025. Before leading CBS, Weiss founded The Free Press (Lean Right) in 2022. Several other "60 Minutes" correspondents and the former executive producer were fired in the first half of 2026.

Pelley's Accusations: NBC News (Lean Left) highlighted Pelley's accusations of Weiss' interference at "60 Minutes" that he alleged was biased towards President Donald Trump. Pelley said, "There was a thumb on the scale for the president's version of events that I felt was a level of political influence that I had never seen in 37 years at CBS News." One dispute Pelley described with Weiss occurred over a segment on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts in Minneapolis, including the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Pelley alleged that Weiss asked him to "make the protestors look more violent" and describe Good as "driving toward the officer."

In response to criticism from Trump, who said Pelley is a part of the "stupid, crooked people that don't care about your country," Pelley said, "Don't care about the country? I've never worn the uniform. But I've been in combat for this country, in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kuwait. I've been shot at, spent nights in foxholes filling up with water in the desert. I'm not aware that the president of the United States has ever done any of those things for his country. Please correct me if I'm wrong."

Response From the Right: The Hill (Center) noted that Pelley's interview "is sparking scorn from conservatives." The Hill included criticism from former "60 Minutes" correspondent Lara Logan, whom the outlet said "has since emerged as a leading critic of mainstream media outlets and Democrats." Logan said, "Journalists who go to combat are not soldiers. We are not warriors. We are not heroes. And we are most certainly not above the President of the United States who has fought harder for this country than most people in history."

Fox News (Right) focused on a social media response from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who wrote, "One of the reasons why trust in media is so low is because many legacy journalists are completely out of touch."

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