HOLD THE LINE

‘60 Minutes’ Legend Reveals Why She Stayed at Trumpy Network

The veteran correspondent is being honored by The Daily Beast Power 100 for her journalism.

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The legendary journalist Lesley Stahl has revealed why she chose to remain a 60 Minutes correspondent after the storied news program gained new, right-leaning, owners.

In an emotional address at The Daily Beast’s Power 100 luncheon on Thursday, Stahl said she considered quitting as new management purged its award-winning staff. But, she said, she feared the show would have “vanished” without her and its other veteran correspondents.

“It was not an easy decision,” Stahl, 84, admitted, as she accepted the inaugural Daily Beast Power 100 Award at the luncheon, which is sponsored by Uber.

Daily Beast Chief Creative and Content Officer Joanna Coles presented Stahl with the award at the even. Kara Swisher, the podcaster and trailblazing tech journalist, introduced Stahl, calling her an “inspiration.”

“And I don’t have that many inspirations, to be honest with you,” Swisher quipped. “Right now, pretty much just the pope—I’m like the worst Catholic, too.”

Stahl has remained at 60 Minutes, the most treasured—and highest-rated—news show on television, in a time of turmoil. In 2025, CBS was purchased by David Ellison, the son of the Trumpy Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison. Ellison then handed control of CBS News to the MAGA-curious former opinion writer Bari Weiss, setting off chaos at the network.

The turmoil came to engulf 60 Minutes, as first Anderson Cooper quit, then Weiss, who had no prior broadcast experience, fired half a dozen journalists and producers from the legendary news program—including Tanya Simon, its executive producer, who had just overseen record ratings for its latest season, and three correspondents: Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, and Sharyn Alfonsi.

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As the program entered its 59th season last month, 14-time Emmy winner Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim, were the only correspondents to keep their jobs.

On Thursday, Stahl spoke candidly about what happened.

“There was an urge to walk out in protest and in solidarity with our colleagues who had been abruptly and cruelly fired,” Stahl said.

“But we decided to stay out of a fear, a fear that if we didn’t, 60 Minutes would vanish, and all our colleagues who were still there, producers, editors, so forth—that they would be let go.”

During her acceptance speech, Stahl made a point of recognizing the guests she brought to share the honor, including Simon, who had spent a quarter of a century as a 60 Minutes producer. Weiss replaced her with 50-year-old TV news virgin Nick Bilton, whose season so far has included some of the lowest-rated shows of the century.

“She is very much missed as my boss,” Stahl said, gesturing toward Simon as the room erupted in applause.

Gayle King, the co-host of CBS Mornings, was also at the luncheon, along with stars including Cynthia Nixon, Melora Hardin, and Candace Bushnell.

Stahl, who has been a 60 Minutes correspondent since 1991, having joined CBS News in 1971, acknowledged that ratings have been hit by the show’s turmoil—but said that preserving the DNA of an institution founded by Don Hewitt, and whose correspondents have included Mike Wallace, Morley Safer, and Charles Osgood.

“Many of our loyal viewers over the last 58 years have tuned us out, presumably in protest, and I am devastated by this, because Bill, John, and I stay to preserve our DNA and to stand up for tough, honest journalism, the kind Mike Wallace would salute—and we are doing our best to fend off interference,” Stahl said.

While last Sunday’s broadcast drew 10.4 million viewers, a relatively large number, 28.1 million people had been watching football on CBS immediately before it began. And the previous Sunday’s broadcast drew just 5.64 million viewers, according to Nielsen data, one of the smallest audiences the legacy program has attracted in years—continuing its downward ratings trend.

So far this season, Stahl’s reporting has included two hard-hitting segments on Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and the Trump administration’s alleged voter suppression efforts. Stahl reportedly clashed with Weiss, who is staunchly pro-Israel, over her report from the West Bank, with tensions escalating to the point that she privately discussed quitting, Status reported last month.

But Stahl implored former viewers to return to the program, because of its higher purpose. “We are the watchdogs,” she said. “We are the cleansers of corruption, and we are the ones who ring the bell when the system goes out of whack.

“All we can do is hold our position and keep on making.”

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Laura EspositoBreaking News Reporter

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