CBS shelves ‘60 minutes’ story on TRUMP deportees at the last minute

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 -CBS News abruptly pulled a highly anticipated 60 Minutes investigative segment just hours before it was set to air, igniting a fierce internal backlash and public scrutiny over editorial independence. 

The report, led by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, focused on Venezuelan men deported under the Trump administration to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison and included firsthand accounts of harsh conditions. 

Despite being fact‑checked and cleared by legal and standards divisions, the story was removed from the lineup at the direction of CBS News editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss, who said it needed additional reporting and stronger context, including responses from the administration.

Alfonsi and several CBS staffers have blasted the decision as politically motivated, warning that shelving the segment under pressure could undermine the newsroom’s credibility and set a dangerous precedent where government non‑cooperation acts as a veto over reporting. 

In internal communications, Alfonsi called the move “corporate censorship” and said key voices who trusted the program with their stories were left without a platform. Some employees have reportedly threatened to resign in protest, framing the episode as a direct challenge to journalistic standards at one of America’s most respected news programs.

Critics also highlight that the controversy comes amid broader leadership changes at CBS News, with Weiss appointed editor‑in‑chief earlier this year and facing questions about the network’s direction and independence. 

Network officials maintain the segment will air once it meets rigorous editorial requirements, but the swift decision to pull it at the last minute has intensified debates over media integrity, political pressure, and the role of investigative journalism in holding power to account.