CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has reportedly placed a second major 60 Minutes investigation critical of Donald Trump's policies on indefinite hold, according to a new report. This marks the second such segment to be spiked in recent months, fuelling significant internal controversy at the broadcaster.
Cooper's South Africa Refugee Report Faces 'Abnormal' Review
The delayed segment is a report from veteran anchor Anderson Cooper, who spent months working on a piece examining the Trump administration's decision to accept refugees from South Africa. According to the newsletter Status, which first broke the story, producers viewed the unaired segment in December 2024.
Following this screening, Weiss provided "extensive editorial feedback" on the report. Sources described the level of review as "abnormal" and suggested the story was "all but guaranteed to provoke Trump." The former president has frequently promoted a debunked conspiracy theory about a genocide of white people in South Africa and, in October 2023, outlined plans to prioritise white South Africans' visa applications.
An internal meeting was subsequently convened in an attempt to persuade Weiss to approve the story for broadcast, but the effort was unsuccessful. Cooper has so far not publicly commented on the report being pulled.
A Pattern of Pulled Segments and Internal Revolt
This incident follows a similar and highly contentious decision in December 2024, when another 60 Minutes report critical of Trump was axed. That segment focused on the mistreatment of migrants sent by the United States to CECOT, a prison in El Salvador.
The 13-minute report, produced by journalist Sharyn Alfonsi, was pulled just before its scheduled broadcast. In a leaked email, Alfonsi stated she believed the real reason for spiking the story was "corporate censorship." Weiss defended the move in a Christmas message to staff, arguing it was sometimes necessary to hold a piece to ensure it was "comprehensive and fair" to win back trust in network news.
However, the decision caused uproar within CBS. Sources told The Independent that staff were ready to "revolt" over the scandal, with one person describing the atmosphere as a "holy f***ing dumpster fire." The CECOT segment later leaked online, featuring harrowing accounts from detainees, including a Venezuelan college student who was told by the prison director: "Welcome to hell. I'll make sure you'll never leave."
Mounting Controversy for CBS Leadership
Bari Weiss's tenure as editor-in-chief of CBS News, which began last year, has been marked by controversy. Her editorial decisions, particularly those perceived as softening criticism of Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election, have led to accusations of political bias and eroded morale among veteran journalists.
The repeated blocking of high-profile investigations from flagship programme 60 Minutes raises serious questions about editorial independence at the network. With two major reports now shelved, the pressure on Weiss and CBS management is intensifying, both from within the newsroom and from external observers concerned about media freedom.
The Independent has contacted CBS News for comment on the latest report regarding Anderson Cooper's segment.
