A report by CBS News detailing injuries sustained by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis has sparked significant internal dissent within the broadcaster's own newsroom, according to internal communications seen by the Guardian.
Questionable Sourcing and Internal Skepticism
On Wednesday, CBS News published an account on X, formerly Twitter, citing two anonymous US officials. It claimed officer Jonathan Ross "suffered internal bleeding to the torso" after the incident in which he shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. The network followed this with an article by two correspondents, again citing officials briefed on his medical condition.
This exclusive report, not widely covered by other outlets, was immediately met with scepticism on social media and, crucially, within CBS itself. One staffer described it as being met with "huge internal concern", while others characterised the ensuing discussions as standard editorial debate.
Emails reveal that before publication, a medical producer suggested asking what treatment Ross received. Furthermore, CBS News senior vice-president David Reiter expressed doubt in an email, noting that "internal bleeding is a very broad term" ranging from a bruise to something serious. He pointed out that video showed the officer walking away from the scene, a detail included in CBS's own story.
Allegations of Carrying Water for the Administration
The timing and sourcing led some employees to suspect political motives. An unauthorised staffer stated the report was viewed as "a thinly-veiled, anonymous leak by [the Trump administration] to someone who’d carry it online." A second staffer added it "felt to many here like we were carrying water for the admin’s justifying of the shooting to keep our access to our sources."
The network's top editor, Bari Weiss, had shown a high level of interest in the story during an editorial call that morning. Since Weiss became editor-in-chief in early October, CBS has faced accusations of favouritism towards the Trump administration. The network is now controlled by Paramount Skydance, a conglomerate heavily funded by Trump ally and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Mixed Media Coverage and Editorial Defence
CBS was not entirely alone in reporting the claim. ABC News briefly mentioned it, citing officials who provided no further details. NBC News and the New York Times made short references, while Fox News ran a full story citing a Department of Homeland Security confirmation, though it noted the extent of bleeding was unclear. The Guardian has not independently confirmed the report.
In a statement, a CBS News spokesperson defended the report, saying the network "went through its rigorous editorial process and decided it was reportable based on the reporting, the reporters, and the sourcing."
The controversy follows an exclusive CBS interview with Donald Trump on Tuesday, where he claimed he wouldn't have been made anchor of the CBS Evening News if Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election, later conceding he might have been but "at a lesser salary."
