Scott Pelley Says CBS Firing Felt Like Murder

Scott Pelley broke down in an emotional interview after CBS News terminated his contract last week, comparing the experience to the death of a spouse. He also described the internal shake-up at “60 Minutes” as devastating for longtime colleagues, while denying

Scott Pelley didn’t just talk about being fired—he compared it to something far darker.

In a new interview with The New York Times, the longtime news veteran became visibly emotional while discussing how he is feeling after CBS terminated his contract last week, saying at an emotional level, “it’s like your spouse was murdered.”

The termination came after a sweep of layoffs, which Pelley described as a “Black Thursday” moment. He said the sudden departures of longtime colleagues—many of whom he had worked with for decades—left him devastated.

Pelley emphasized how close the newsroom team had become over the years. describing colleagues who traveled. worked. and reported together in high-pressure environments for decades. At one point. he said the experience felt like losing “family. ” underscoring the emotional toll the layoffs took on the tight-knit production team.

His grief wasn’t only about his own job. Despite being cut from CBS, Pelley said he’s not focused on losing his position. He said his attention is on the longtime colleagues he believes were abruptly let go.

Tension inside “60 Minutes” also surfaced in his account. Pelley said his earlier frustration during an internal meeting was fueled by the scale and speed of the changes. and he acknowledged his reaction was highly emotional in the moment. He then denied Tom Cibrowski’s claims that he physically abused Nick Bilton.

In the meeting, sources with direct knowledge say Mr. Cibrowski acknowledged he misspoke when he said “physically” and immediately withdrew that comment.

Pelley also alleged that editor Bari Weiss pushed for changes that aligned more closely with what he described as a pro-Trump narrative. He said he believed the newsroom was being steered in a specific political direction.

In another portion of the conversation. Pelley alleged he witnessed what he called unprecedented influence on major stories. describing editorial discussions as a “thumb on the scale” situation. He further claimed Weiss appeared to be “looking out for the views of the president. ” saying newsroom balance had been disrupted during key editorial decisions.

CBS News responded through its spokesperson. who said: “In an email. Bari made four points in the course of editorial back-and-forth. They had no political motivation and were proposed solely to make the piece as strong, fair, and accurate as possible. As is frequently the case in any newsroom that operates with collaboration. not everything she raised made it into the final piece.”.

The network’s decision also followed reported internal tensions over restructuring choices at “60 Minutes.” Pelley had strongly criticized the new leadership during a staff meeting, and the next day he was terminated immediately.

Scott Pelley CBS News 60 Minutes Bari Weiss Tom Cibrowski Nick Bilton layoffs Black Thursday interview New York Times editorial influence