Scott Pelley responded emotionally after Donald Trump criticized him following his CBS departure. The veteran journalist pushed back strongly, saying his career reflects a deep commitment to the country. The exchange came days after Pelley was removed from his longtime role at 60 Minutes. His comments were made during his first major interview since the exit.
Scott Pelley slams Donald Trump’s remark about him following CBS exit
Pelley’s response centered on one accusation in particular. During an appearance on Miranda Devine’s Pod Force One podcast, Trump called the journalist “terrible” and described him as part of a group that supposedly did not care about the United States. While Pelley shrugged off some of the personal insults, he drew a line at that claim.
After hearing the comments during an interview with The New York Times’ Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Pelley initially laughed at being called a “stiff.” But his tone changed when the discussion turned to patriotism. “Stupid? I can take that. Stiff? Yeah, probably. ‘Don’t care about the country?'” he said before becoming visibly emotional.
Pelley then pointed to his years reporting from conflict zones. “I’ve never worn the uniform. But I’ve been in combat for this country,” he said. He recalled reporting from Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait, describing nights spent in dangerous conditions and under fire while covering major events.
The longtime correspondent argued that journalism itself is an act of public service. “You become a journalist because you love the First Amendment,” Pelley said. “You become a journalist because you love the country.” He added that democracy cannot function without a free press.
The interview also touched on the broader upheaval at CBS News. Pelley was dismissed after a period of internal conflict involving new leadership at the network. Several prominent figures connected to 60 Minutes have also exited amid management changes following Paramount Global’s acquisition by Skydance Media.
Looking ahead, Pelley said he hopes CBS leadership reconsiders the direction of the newsroom. He expressed concern about what he described as increasing political influence over editorial decisions. “CBS News is on fire,” he said, while maintaining that the situation can still be fixed.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
