Lesley Stahl, a veteran correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes, is reportedly reconsidering her future at the network after being passed over for a high-profile interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to a report by Status, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss personally booked Netanyahu and assigned the interview to Major Garrett, the network's chief Washington correspondent, rather than to Stahl, who had been pursuing the sit-down.
The decision has deepened tensions between the newsroom and Weiss, who has faced criticism for her overhaul of CBS News since taking the role in October. Staffers felt that Weiss had effectively bypassed Stahl and the 60 Minutes team, according to The Daily Beast, which cited Status's report. Stahl, 84, whose annual contract expires at the end of the current season, is reportedly weighing whether to return after Weiss "went behind her back."
The interview, which aired Sunday, saw Netanyahu make headlines by stating that the Middle East conflict is not over, declining to offer a timeline for its conclusion, and suggesting Israel should reduce its reliance on U.S. military aid. A CBS News spokesperson defended the decision, saying, "It's the editor in chief's job to make decisions about bookings and interviews. Major is a world-class journalist and did a tough, fair, and newsmaking interview."
This is not the first clash between Weiss and 60 Minutes staff. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reportedly conflicted with Weiss over a decision to spike a segment on an El Salvador prison where the Trump administration had deported migrants; the piece aired nearly a month later. Weiss, who previously founded The Free Press and has described herself as a "radical centrist" and a "Zionist fanatic," has been accused of steering coverage in a more favourable direction toward the Trump administration and the Israeli government.
Weiss has pushed back against criticism, insisting she operates independently and that CBS News must adapt to regain public trust. In a memo to staff, she wrote, "The majority of Americans say they do not trust the press; it isn't because they're crazy." She has also called for 60 Minutes to be more "comprehensive and fair" and to produce more "viral" moments.
