Scott Pelley and Bari Weiss Respond to Pelley's Termination From CBS

Former CBS correspondent Scott Pelley is a former employee of the network because he chose to engage in insubordination with his bosses, CBS Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and the new head of '60 Minutes,' Nick Bilton. Pelley's contract was terminated yesterday after he had a meltdown at a staff meeting. Before and after that meeting, Pelley refused to meet one-on-one with Weiss and Bilton, which didn't help.

Now both Pelley and Weiss have responded to his termination. We'll start with Pelley, who is looking to paint himself as some grizzled combat veteran and a victim of censorship.

Scott Pelley’s full statement: “The waste is heartbreaking.”https://t.co/EX2IinuLlv pic.twitter.com/uHoMNSceEn
— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) June 3, 2026

Here's some of what Pelley said, according to The New York Times:

“I have been in combat in Afghanistan,” Mr. Pelley said. “I have been in combat in Iraq. I have been in the war zone in Ukraine multiple times, risking my life and the happiness of my family because of my devotion to the broadcast.”
...
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Pelley sent a statement to The Times that assailed the new leadership of CBS News, writing that “incompetence and unprofessionalism in the new management have wreaked havoc” at the network.” He added, “The collapse of values at the top has become untenable.”
Mr. Pelley also wrote that senior managers at CBS News had pressured him to insert bias into stories for “60 Minutes” this past season, though he did not provide details about specific segments.

When Pelley says 'insert bias,' what he likely means is Weiss or management expected him to include information about or statements from the Trump administration that didn't paint the administration as evil.

NEW: Bari Weiss just addressed the termination of Scott Pelley on the network's morning call just now.

Weiss: "I know I speak for myself, and I hope I speak for everyone here when I say that I'm only interested in working in a newsroom that is built on trust and mutual respect.…
— Jeremy Barr (@jeremymbarr) June 3, 2026

"I know I speak for myself, and I hope I speak for everyone here when I say that I'm only interested in working in a newsroom that is built on trust and mutual respect," Weiss reportedly said. "We cannot do our work without it. That foundation was broken on Monday, and despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back, unfortunately we weren't able to do so, and so we had to part ways.We did not want that to happen, but that's the path that he chose. That unfortunate outcome does not discount from the amazing contributions and work that Scott Pelley has done for CBS and for 60 Minutes over the course of his career."

Weiss looks like the only reasonable person in this kerfuffle.
— Q (@Quirk22) June 3, 2026

Because she is.

All Weiss wanted to do was shift CBS away from being hardcore stenographers and propagandists for the DNC. She expected, for example, statements from the Trump administration to be included in a story critical of the Trump administration.

For that, the Left despises her.

And Pelley just can't help himself. He also responded to Weiss' remarks.

Scott Pelley just issued a statement on Bari's remarks this morning: https://t.co/RntFfL7DBp pic.twitter.com/FYQVk6mUyG
— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) June 3, 2026

"I'm saddened to see the transcript of the CBS News morning editorial meeting," Pelley wrote in a statement. "Bari Weiss knows what she said is not true. In the meeting on Tuesday, in which I was effectively fired, there was no effort of any kind to 'find a way back,' as Weiss said in the editorial meeting. At no point did anyone in the Tuesday meeting suggest that there could be steps taken by either side that would lead to a resolution. Weiss and Tom Cibrowski were openly hostile from the start. 'Firing' was raised by Cibrowski in the first 15 seconds. No CBS executive, at any time, suggested 'a way back.' To say so now is disingenuous. And they know it."

Pelley was reportedly offered one-on-one meetings with Weiss and Bilton, both before and after the staff meeting where all hell broke loose. He declined, or according to sources, ignored those requests.

Firing Pelley was the correct move. He was insubordinate and encouraged insubordination among other CBS staffers. The housecleaning should continue until everyone falls in line.

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