A major investigative report by CBS News's 60 Minutes, which was controversially pulled from broadcast by the network's new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, has reportedly surfaced online, deepening a crisis within the newsroom.
The Spiked Segment and Its Harrowing Claims
The 13-minute segment, which was scheduled to air on Sunday 21 December 2025, focused on the alleged mistreatment of migrants at the CECOT prison in El Salvador. The report detailed how the United States deported hundreds of individuals there, accusing them without trial of being Venezuelan gang members.
In the clip, which appeared on the Canadian Global TV app before being widely shared, former detainees gave graphic accounts of their ordeal. Luis Munoz Pinto, a Venezuelan college student who sought asylum in the US, recalled the prison director telling new arrivals: "Welcome to hell. I'll make sure you'll never leave." Others described savage beatings and isolation in a dark, unventilated room known as "the island."
Newsroom Tensions Reach Boiling Point
Weiss's decision to spike the segment has caused significant internal strife. Sources told The Independent that CBS News staff are ready to "revolt." Weiss reportedly justified the move by citing a lack of an on-camera response from a senior Trump administration official and arguing that other outlets had already covered the story.
However, Sharyn Alfonsi, the producer of the investigation, strongly defended the report in a memo to colleagues. She stated it had been screened five times, cleared by CBS lawyers, and was factually sound. Alfonsi accused the Trump administration of using its refusal to participate as "a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story," warning that such a precedent would hand officials a "kill switch" for inconvenient reporting.
Political Pressure and Corporate Mergers
The controversy has sparked allegations of political interference. Observers note that CBS's parent company, Paramount Skydance, is seeking to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal requiring federal approval. President Trump has recently criticised 60 Minutes, stating at a rally, "I love the new owners of CBS... [but] 60 Minutes has treated me worse under the new ownership."
Skydance was founded by David Ellison, son of billionaire Trump supporter Larry Ellison. Notably, just before the Paramount-Skydance merger was finalised, Paramount settled a lawsuit from Trump against 60 Minutes for $16 million. In a statement, Weiss said, "My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be... I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready."
