Scott Pelley accuses CBS of bending to trump after ’60 Minute’ firing
- By Umaima Amir -
- Jun 03, 2026
Veteran journalist and longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley has been fired by CBS News after a heated confrontation with the show’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton, over last week’s severe round of cuts at 60 Minutes.
According to CBS, the journalist has been “terminated for cause effective immediately.”
The termination came just one day after newly appointed 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton introduced himself to staff during a meeting on June 1. During the gathering, Pelley reportedly launched a sharp critique of network executives, accusing CBS News chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” 60 Minutes.
According to The New York Times, Pelley also questioned the qualifications of the show’s new leadership, telling Bilton, “Bari has no qualifications for her job; you have slender qualifications for this job.”
On June 2, Bilton reportedly terminated Pelley’s employment, accusing the longtime correspondent of displaying “performative display[s] of hostility” and showing “no interest in contributing to the future success of the show,” according to a termination letter obtained by PEOPLE.
Following his exit, the journalist issued a scathing statement, reflecting on his nearly four decades at CBS while expressing deep disappointment with the direction of the network under its new leadership.
“The leadership of 60 Minutes is no longer recognizable,” Pelley said. “The principles I hold dear are gone, and so I must leave as well.”
Pelley, who spent 37 years at CBS News and became one of the most recognizable faces of 60 Minutes, praised the program’s legacy and its audience, noting that the newsmagazine recently experienced significant growth despite challenges facing traditional television.
He accused the CBS News program’s new executives of currying favor with President Donald Trump.
“Now, the new owner of our network is casting this legend aside, apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration. The waste is heartbreaking,” he said.