Ex-60 Minutes anchor says CBS ordered him to ‘put the thumb on the scale’ for Trump

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Ex-60 Minutes Anchor Says CBS Ordered Pro-Trump Coverage

   Former 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley accused CBS News leadership of ordering journalists to frame stories to favor President Donald Trump. Speaking on a panel about corporate power in journalism, Pelley stated that he was told to put a thumb on the scale for Trump, describing unprecedented corporate pressure that he had never witnessed in his career. The allegations point to a broader conservative shift originating from the top of the network under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss following Paramount's 2025 acquisition by Skydance, which has sparked turmoil and high-profile departures.

   Why it matters

   The public accusations highlight deep internal unrest at CBS News following corporate ownership changes. This turmoil includes a June staff confrontation over editorial direction and departures such as Anderson Cooper in May. Pelley argued that this pressure led to 60 Minutes getting gutted and raised serious questions about editorial independence at the network.

   What is confirmed

   • Former 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley stated that CBS News bosses ordered him to put a thumb on the scale for President Donald Trump.
   • Pelley described the corporate pressure at CBS News as unlike anything he had seen during his career.
   • The CBS News changes followed Paramount's 2025 acquisition by Skydance and occurred under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The conservative tilt at CBS News came straight from the top of leadership.

   What to watch next

   • Further responses from CBS News or Bari Weiss regarding the allegations.
   • Additional departures or staff statements from current and former CBS journalists.
   Sources used for this update (12)

   1. The Independent — Ex-60 Minutes anchor says CBS ordered him to ‘put the thumb on the scale’ for Trump
   2. Raw Story — CBS veteran sounds alarm over pressure to favor Trump: ‘Never seen anything like this'
   3. Mediaite — Scott Pelley Says CBS Ordered Him to Frame Stories for Trump
   4. Yahoo — Ousted '60 Minutes' Anchor Says CBS' Conservative Shift Is Real — And Came Straight From The Top
   5. TV Insider — Scott Pelley Details How War Over Trump Led to ’60 Minutes’ Getting ‘Gutted’
   6. www.tvinsider.com — Scott Pelley Details How War Over Trump Led to ’60 Minutes ...
   7. www.rawstory.com — CBS veteran sounds alarm over pressure to favor Trump: ‘Never ...
   8. www.huffpost.com — Scott Pelley: CBS Bosses Wanted 'Thumb On The Scale' For ...
   9. www.mediaite.com — Scott Pelley Says CBS Ordered Him to Frame Stories for Trump
   10. www.independent.co.uk — Former 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley says Bari Weiss-run CBS ...
   11. newswav.com — Former 60 Minutes anchor Scott Pelley says Bari Weiss-run CBS ...
   12. www.wavebrowsernews.com — Ousted '60 Minutes' Anchor Says Bosses Ordered Show To Put ...
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