There has been a lot of drama over CBS editor Bari Weiss pulling the plug on a 60 Minutes story about CECOT, the El Salvadorian prison where Venezuelans and other illegal immigrants were sent after being deported from the U.S.
In her memo to CBS staff, Weiss made several reasonable requests and observations, including that the story did not "present the administration's argument for why it sent 252 Venezuelans to CECOT" and asked, "Isn't there much more to ask in light of the torture that we are revealing?" She also noted that the story used Orwellian sleight of hand on the criminal records of the 252 Venezuelans sent to CECOT. "The data we present paints an incongruent picture," Weiss wrote. Of the 252 Venezuelans sent to CECOT, we say nearly half have no criminal histories. In other words, more than half do have criminal histories. We should spend a beat explaining this."
Correspondent and producer Sharyn Alfonsi, the "journalist" behind the segment, refused to provide a fair and balanced look at the situation, and even went so far as to lie about statements from the White House and other members of the Trump administration. She then called Weiss' decision to temporarily spike the story as being driven by "political reasons."
Even Axios reported that the White House, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security provided on-the-record statements that were omitted from the segment, which was leaked to Canadian networks.
Democrats view Weiss' editorial decision as a cave-in to the Trump administration, a betrayal of free speech, and an attack on journalism. Columnist Margaret Sullivan even scolded Weiss for not "afflicting the comfortable."
Journalism is supposed to “afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted,” but Bari Weiss seems believe the opposite. My new column https://t.co/fraEqtVgpP
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) December 23, 2025
Of course, Weiss is doing exactly that. Our journalist class has for far too long been comfortable being the stenographers and propagandists for the DNC. Weiss is afflicting the comfortable.
Journalists just don't like it.
Neither does Adam Kinzinger, who thinks he found a way to stick it to CBS: cancelling his Paramount+ subscription.
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger cancels Paramount subscription over Bari Weiss, ’60 minutes’ drama https://t.co/NVMRKrDANf
— The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2025
According to The Hill, Kinzinger posted a statement on X that read, "Personally, I canceled my Paramount subscription today. These are also the same folks that paid millions of dollars to Donald Trump so they could get this merger to happen." Kinzinger is referring to the recent Paramount merger with Skydance, which needed the approval of the Trump administration.
The Left has used this merger as proof that President Trump is somehow taking over media outlets to do his bidding. They even said CBS had decided to cancel Stephen Colbert and The Late Show to appease President Trump as part of this merger. It's a lie, of course.
Kinzinger continued, "But Bari Weiss — now the head of CBS News — clearly a right winger, clearing in line with Donald Trump, has made it clear that 60 Minutes will do the administration's bidding now." Weiss, a former New York Times editor and lesbian Jew who is married to a woman is hardly a "right-winger."
That's a lie, too. Weiss asked for a fair and balanced story, and the Left decided that the inability to lie about Republicans is now an attack on their freedoms. It's not.
This is also a story that wasn't, in any way, newsworthy.
"A news day could be so slow that the Earth no longer rotated on its axis, and you still wouldn't be justified in running this as a story. The media is garbage," wrote one social media user.
A news day could be so slow that the Earth no longer rotated on its axis, and you still wouldn't be justified in running this as a story.
— Tweetoleon (@Tweetoleon) December 24, 2025
The media is garbage. https://t.co/1zRHZKHnt8
But here's the funniest part of it all: Kinzinger pulled this stunt before, calling for the cancellation of Paramount+ subscriptions, and implying he'd canceled his, back in July.
Hey clowns, he also canceled it back in July ! @thehill is just another propaganda machine for the left. When they don’t have real news, they run with garbage. pic.twitter.com/K5QdqoLSKL
— Zough Lina (@GodisKing2024) December 24, 2025
It probably took a five-second search on X to realize Kinzinger was full of garbage on this, and yet The Hill couldn't be bothered to do even that much legwork.
This proves Weiss is a much-needed breath of fresh air at CBS. There is no world in which asking for basic journalistic due diligence is "right wing" or doing the "bidding" of President Trump.
Editor’s Note: The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject its globalist agenda.
Help us continue exposing Democrats' plans to lead America down a dangerous path. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code MERRY74 to get 74% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member