Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) is pressing CBS and its parent company, Paramount, to explain how the network handled edits to a President Trump interview that aired on “60 Minutes” on Nov. 2 — raising new questions about media transparency, newsroom accountability, and whether political pressure is being applied behind the scenes.
In a letter to newly appointed CBS News ombudsperson Ken Weinstein, first shared with The Hill, Raskin accused the network of yielding to what he called the “improper influence President Donald Trump wielded over CBS News’s editorial decisions” in recent weeks.
“President Trump increasingly appears to be exercising direct control over CBS’s editorial decisions, destroying CBS’s ‘journalistic integrity’ while violating its right to be free from governmental coercion and manipulation,” Raskin wrote.
At the center of the dispute is CBS’s decision not to include a portion of Trump’s on-camera remarks to journalist Norah O’Donnell in which he referenced a past settlement involving Paramount and his presidential foundation. That omission, Raskin argued, undercuts the network’s responsibility to air relevant context — especially at a moment when many conservatives have long criticized legacy media for selective editing and narrative framing.
In the transcript CBS posted online after the broadcast, Trump’s comments appeared, even though they weren’t included during the televised segment:
“And, actually, ’60 Minutes’ paid me a lot of money,” Trump said. “And you don’t have to put this on, because I don’t want to embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not … I think you have a great, new leader, frankly, who’s — the young woman that’s leading your whole enterprise is a great, from what I know.”
Raskin’s complaint comes against the backdrop of a separate editing fight involving CBS and a “similar interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election,” which drew heavy criticism from Trump allies and prompted CBS to change its approach. After that blowback, CBS pledged to publish full transcripts of “60 Minutes” interviews with presidents and presidential candidates — a move some conservatives applauded as a step toward transparency.
The letter also points to a major leadership shakeup inside Paramount and CBS. The transcript indicates Trump’s reference to a “new leader” was aimed at Bari Weiss, described as “the former New York Times columnist and a controversial figure in media,” who was installed as CBS’s editor in chief under new CEO David Ellison — son of tech billionaire Larry Ellison.
Raskin’s letter further notes broader corporate and regulatory developments surrounding Paramount, including federal approval for its merger with Skydance and reported plans for additional media deals. He also claimed CBS News “is just one victim in President Trump’s systematic campaign of intimidation against media organizations,” and referenced Trump’s reported threats involving the BBC over editing in a Jan. 6 documentary.
In practical terms, Raskin is asking for internal detail on how CBS handles complaints and how editorial choices get made. He is requesting a written explanation of CBS’s complaint-review standards, an assessment of whether “Trump’s requests to CBS to omit portions of his interview violates CBS News’s editorial independence standards,” and “all documents, communications, and editorial guidance provided to ‘60 Minutes’ producers regarding the Trump interview.”
In his message to Weinstein, Raskin framed the ombudsman’s role as a check on management and outside influence:
“Mr. Weinstein: news ombudsmen serve as independent advocates for the public, investigating complaints and publicly critiquing their organizations when those organizations fall short,” Raskin wrote. “You have a duty to defend CBS’s editorial independence, rather than ratify President Trump’s influence over the organization’s coverage.”
What?? A democrat (marxist) questioning his own propaganda arm. Raskin is showing he’s having problems with the team, isn’t he?
Mr. Raskin is missing the point, and the changes CBS (and apparently a few others) is trying to make to its news and future interviews of Presidents and Presidential candidates are to speak and show the truth. All American news outlets should be reporting interviews in full. They should be providing truth and transparency in all its news. It’s funny (not in a haha way) that previously respected American news organizations are not held to the standards Americans thought they could trust. I’m one who used to take MSM at their word. I used to enjoy 60 Minutes, for instance, and never missed it on Sundays. It’s been about 12 years since I first started questioning information that I was watching from major news outlets. The reason I started doubting some of the MSM information is bc I was finding conflicting information on other sites, which, back then, there weren’t a lot to choose from. Thank goodness there’s more options today. When I compared MSM with independent sources I found extended or complete videos and/or transcripts on these independent source sites. I was at first questioning the independent sites bc, you know, isn’t that what a lot of us have grown up being used to, that MSM (back then I just called them “major news sites) are the golden ticket you could trust for information? In the past decade or so the chasm between MSM and independent sites has grown to the point that I almost think of MSM sites as a black hole, with nothing to offer me in the way of actual, truthful news. Unfortunately MSM have basically been the opposite: pushing a one-sided left-leaning, sometimes completely biased narrative. On top of that I always thought of propaganda as something spies and corrupt countries did; not American media. But here we are, completely ignoring MSM articles because they can’t be trusted.
Mr. Raskin is accusing MSM of changing their practices bc the Trump Administration is pressuring them. If Paramount, CBS, is changing it’s bc they’re attempting to win back American viewers. They know the Left has pressured them to lie, twist, and basically push propaganda. They also know they’ve lost a lot of viewership due to their unethical practices, and they’ve gone as far as out and out lying to the people. These MSM giants are about making money. When they lose a significant portion of viewers, they have to look inward to see what’s gone wrong. It’s quite obvious to most Americans what has gone wrong, although some Americans are just followers and they let MSM rule their thoughts and opinions and don’t look anywhere else for content. Some Americans don’t think for themselves. They don’t question the legitimacy of the narrative. It’s a shame. But here we are.
Mr. Raskin, by way of putting “pressure” on CBS/Paramount, he’s using political power on the corporation to go back to their old, corrupt and fraudulent ways. It’s not going to happen, Mr. Raskin. The majority of Americans have had their eyes opened. Without complete and honest transparency the MSM giants will continue to lose credibility; ergo: viewership. MSM giants don’t want to continue to lose massive amounts of money. It’s kind of too bad that that’s the main reason they may make better decisions on producing news, because they really should just want to inform viewers with truth, good or bad. That’s how I think it used to be, but maybe I’ve just been duped for far longer than I realize.