CBS News fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday night, June 2, 2026 [1].

The dismissal of a high-profile journalist after nearly four decades at the network [2] signals a volatile shift in leadership and editorial direction at one of the U.S. most prominent news organizations.

Pelley, 68, was terminated following public accusations that CBS executives were spreading falsehoods and bias in their coverage [1, 3]. He said the network's new leadership was pandering to President Donald Trump [3, 4].

Reports on the specific circumstances of the firing vary. Some sources said the dismissal followed a heated showdown with Bari Weiss regarding her overhaul of the network [5]. Other accounts focus on Pelley's public reprimands of the new CBS boss [4].

According to some reports, CBS terminated Pelley without severance and permanently halted his airtime [1]. The move ends a career that spanned nearly four decades with the network [2].

Pelley's departure comes amid a period of transition for the news division. The clash between the veteran reporter and the current administration highlights internal tensions over the network's relationship with the presidency, and its commitment to impartial reporting.

“CBS News fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday night, June 2, 2026.”

The firing of Scott Pelley represents a significant rupture between traditional legacy journalism and a new era of network management. By removing a longtime staple of '60 Minutes' following accusations of political pandering, CBS is navigating a precarious balance between editorial independence and the pressures of the current political climate in the U.S.