CBS News Ousts Scott Pelley After Fiery Clash with New ‘60 Minutes’ Leadership

A storied correspondent’s exit amid upheaval signals deepening editorial turbulence at CBS News

On June 2, 2026, CBS News terminated veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley following a blistering confrontation with newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton. The dramatic departure underscores mounting internal strife at the network, triggered by sweeping leadership changes under incoming Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and ownership shifts tied to Paramount’s David Ellison.

A Storied Career Meets a Tumultuous Turning Point

Scott Pelley, 68, has been a CBS News mainstay since 1989 and a “60 Minutes” correspondent since 2004, with previous roles including anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News (2011–2017) . His abrupt dismissal on June 2, 2026, marks the end of a nearly four-decade career at the network .

The Confrontation That Sparked the Fallout

The catalyst for Pelley’s firing was a heated Monday morning staff meeting on June 1, 2026, during which he denounced Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as “murdering” the program and questioned new executive producer Nick Bilton’s “slender qualifications” . Bilton, a technology journalist and filmmaker with no prior broadcast news experience, was appointed on May 28, 2026 .