CBS News fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 [3].
The removal of a long-standing pillar of the network's flagship newsmagazine signals a volatile transition in leadership and editorial direction at the network.
Pelley had been with CBS for nearly 40 years [1]. His firing occurred one day after he criticized the newsmagazine's new leadership [2]. The conflict centered on a heated confrontation involving Pelley and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
Reports on the scope of the clash vary. Some accounts state Pelley clashed with the general leadership of the program [2], while other reports indicate Pelley had a blow-up with both Weiss and the new "60 Minutes" executive producer Nick Bilton [3]. During the dispute, Pelley allegedly accused Weiss of "murdering" the news program [3].
Weiss defended the decision to fire the correspondent. She said, “Trust was broken” [4].
Management cited the breakdown of professional trust following Pelley's criticism and the nature of the confrontation as the primary reasons for the firing [2], [4]. The network has not provided further details regarding the specific nature of the editorial disagreements that led to the blow-up.
““Trust was broken,””
The departure of Scott Pelley marks a definitive break between the traditional era of '60 Minutes' and the new editorial regime led by Bari Weiss. By firing a high-profile veteran after a public clash over the program's direction, CBS leadership is prioritizing a clean slate and a shift in internal culture over the preservation of legacy talent.
