"60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley, in a baseless lawsuit against CBS News, conducted a not-so-subtle shooting of President Donald Trump in a hot start address at Wake Forest University.
"Why attack the university? Why attack journalism? Because ignorance is effective for power," Pelley told Wake Forest graduates on Monday. “First, let the truth seekers live in fear, prosecuting journalists and their companies for nothing. Then, the masked agent was sent to kidnap a college student who wrote an editorial in her college paper defending the right to defend Palestinian rights and sent her to a prison in Louisiana and to innocent.
“By doing this, power can rewrite history with weird false narratives. They can make the heroes of criminals and heroic criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality. Diversity is now described as illegal.
CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon suddenly resigns, disagrees with the company during a "challenge" period
"60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley targeted the president in Donald Trump's opening speech at Wake Forest University. (David M. Russell/CBS via Getty Images)
Early in his speech, he sent a terrible warning to graduates while urging their time to the world.
"At this moment, this morning, our divine rule of law is under attack. Journalism is under attack. Colleges are under attack. Free speech is under attack." "And sinister fear is passing through our schools, our businesses, our houses, and our private thoughts, the fear of speaking in the United States. If our government is in Lincoln's phrase, "people, people, people, people, for the people," why are we afraid of speaking?"
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung tore Pelley apart because Pelley never mentioned his name because Pelley didn't show up more publicly.
Zhang told Fox News Digital Digital: "If Scott Pelley had something to say, he should be clearer. Otherwise, he was just another coward hiding behind the riddle, like a clown."
CBS News did not respond to a request for comment.
CBS stars face increasing pressure, DEM lawmakers settle Trump lawsuit as companies consider
President Donald Trump sued CBS News and its parent company Paramount Global for election interference charges, suing for $20 billion. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Pelley's comments came as Trump and CBS News' attorneys settled Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against the network amid election interference allegations, in a bid to resolve Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against the network.
CBS News has faced turmoil over litigation in recent months.
CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, speaking with Pelley at Wake Forest University on Monday, citing tensions within the company.
"Leading this extraordinary organization has been a lifelong honor because I have to work with all of you," McMahon wrote. "At the same time, the past few months have been challenging. It's clear that the company and I don't agree to the path forward. Now is the time to move on, the organization is moving forward with new leadership."
Trump, CBS' parent company to mediate in $20 billion "60 Minutes" lawsuit
McMahon's resignation comes weeks after "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens suddenly quit, claiming he can no longer maintain editorial independence. Paramount's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone wants to "keep" the label in the upcoming "60 Minutes" segment involving Trump, and urges CBS executives to postpone any sensitive reports on Trump until the merger deal is closed with Skydance Media, seeking FCC approval.
Bill Owens, Wendy McMahon, Cecilia Vega and Scott Pelley are at the CBS Fall Schedule celebration at Paramount Studios on May 2, 2024 at Los Angeles, California. (Getty Image)
Last month, Pelley summoned Paramount in Owens' exit to link "60 minutes" of corporate pressure to Trump's lawsuit and merger plan.
"No one here is happy about it, but when he resigned, Bill proved one thing. He has always been the right person to lead "60 Minutes."
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The CBS lawsuit stems from editors of then-exchange President Kamala Harris and "60 Minutes" correspondent Bill Whitaker, who asked her why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not "listen" to the Biden administration.
Harris is widely ridiculed The answer to the "Word Salad" aired in the preview clip of "Facing the Country". But when the same question aired on Primetime special, Harris had a different and more concise response. Critics at the time accused CBS news editor Harris of his “word salad” answer to save her from further opposition until Election Day.
The RAW transcript and video released showed that both groups of Harris' comments came from the same response, but CBS News only aired her preview clip on the first half of “Face the Nation” and the second half in the Primetime special.