Former White House Press Secretary and MSNBC host Jen Psaki has launched a blistering attack on CBS News following the network’s last-minute decision to pull a highly anticipated 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration’s deportation policies. On December 23, 2025, Psaki, appearing on her show The Briefing, lambasted the network’s “weak explanations” for spiking the story, calling it a troubling sign of media capitulation amid concerns over billionaire influence on journalism.
The segment, titled “Inside CECOT,” was set to air on December 21 but was abruptly shelved just hours before broadcast. Reported by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, it featured interviews with Venezuelan men deported to El Salvador’s notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), a maximum-security “mega-prison” known for brutal conditions. The deportees described enduring torture, sexual and physical abuse during months of detention. Earlier this year, the Trump administration sent hundreds of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members there under the Alien Enemies Act, though many had no criminal records or ties to El Salvador.
CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, appointed in October 2025, made the call to postpone the piece, insisting it needed “additional reporting” and perspective from Trump officials, including a potential interview with deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. The White House had declined to participate. Weiss defended the move as routine editorial judgment, but Alfonsi fired back in an internal email, labeling it a “political” decision that amounted to “corporate censorship” and handed the administration a “kill switch” over critical reporting.
The controversy has erupted into an internal crisis at CBS, with staffers reportedly threatening to quit and accusations of self-censorship swirling. Ironically, the full segment inadvertently streamed in Canada and quickly spread online, amplifying its reach. Psaki highlighted this in her critique, questioning whether powerful interests—including ties to Trump allies—are reshaping media independence.
This incident follows CBS’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a disputed 60 Minutes interview edit and comes amid broader debates about press freedom in his second term. Victims’ advocates and journalists praise the reporting’s importance, while critics argue the delay undermines the “gold standard” reputation of 60 Minutes. As calls grow for the segment’s immediate release, Psaki’s outspoken rebuke underscores fears that fear of reprisal is chilling investigative journalism on one of the administration’s signature issues: mass deportations.
Leave a Reply