CBS News Sparks Censorship Outcry After Pulling Report on Trump-Linked El Salvador Prison

is facing a firestorm of criticism after abruptly pulling a "60 Minutes" investigation into alleged abuses at a controversial prison used by the for deportations. The eleventh-hour decision has fueled accusations from within the network that its parent company, , is censoring content to curry favor with the White House, igniting a fierce debate over journalistic independence.

A 'Political' Decision, Not an Editorial One

The segment, titled "Inside CECOT," was scheduled to air on and focused on allegations of torture and abuse at ’s maximum-security Terrorism Confinement Centre. The facility has been used by the to deport hundreds of and other migrants.

In a statement, a spokesperson said the segment “needed additional reporting.” However, correspondent , in a leaked internal email, sharply disagreed. “Our story was screened and cleared by both attorneys and Standards and Practices,” she wrote. “In my view, pulling it now... is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.” She warned that allowing the administration's refusal to participate to kill a story effectively hands them a "'kill switch' for any reporting they find inconvenient."

Corporate and Political Crosscurrents

The controversy comes at a sensitive time for the network's parent company. In , , run by —the son of major donor —acquired . Subsequently, in , conservative media figure was appointed editor-in-chief of .

Adding to the pressure, is currently in a multibillion-dollar bidding war to acquire . The merger will require regulatory approval, a process that President has signaled he is watching closely. According to The Washington Post, "60 Minutes" executive producer Tanya Simon told staff she resisted Weiss's order to pull the story but "ultimately had to comply."

"A Free Press Doesn't Kowtow"

The decision has drawn widespread condemnation. Senate Minority Leader posted on X that the administration “doesn’t have a veto on what stories get told,” adding, “A free press doesn’t kowtow to the president – it holds him accountable.” The liberal magazine The New Republic stated that the episode showed political censorship was "already happening." Despite 's move, the full segment reportedly streamed on ’s Global TV app, with clips now circulating online.