CBS News has kowtowed to the Trump administration yet again.
The network’s Sunday morning show, Face the Nation, will no longer edit interviews of government officials after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—nicknamed “ICE Barbie” for consplaying as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent for the cameras, among other bizarre publicity stunts—complained she was the victim of “shameful” editing in a segment that aired last weekend.
A CBS spokesperson tells the Daily Beast that the long-running show will now air interviews with Trump administration officials in full—either live or prerecorded, with no cuts or edits.
“This extra measure means the television audience will see the full, unedited interview on CBS, and we will continue our practice of posting full transcripts and the unedited video online,” the network said in an emailed statement.
The abrupt policy change marks yet another victory for the administration in its battle with the mainstream media. CBS’s parent company, Paramount, already paid President Donald Trump $16 million in July to settle a lawsuit he filed over its editing of a 60 Minutes segment with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Noem, 53, joined other administration officials in attacking CBS over the editing of an interview that aired Sunday morning. The network cut a portion of Noem’s remarks about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland dad who has been a central figure of the administration’s migrant crackdown. In the portion that was not aired on CBS, Noem repeated allegations that the Salvadoran national is a child abuser and a “human smuggler.” Abrego, 30, faces federal smuggling charges but has pleaded not guilty.
Noem said of the controversy Sunday, “CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.” She also shared her full, unedited interview, which CBS also posted to its YouTube page.
The full interview spanned 16 minutes and 40 seconds, meaning 4 minutes and 25 seconds were cut by Face the Nation during its broadcast.
CBS initially defended its editorial decision, writing in a statement that the segment “met all CBS News standards.” Now, the standards themselves have been shifted. Citing sources, The New York Times reported that the change was a result of the public pressure being put on CBS by administration officials.
The Trump administration’s attacks on Face the Nation go beyond Noem’s interview. Trump told the Daily Caller last week that the show’s host, Margaret Brennan, is “nasty.” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has described her as “stupid.”
In its statement, the network claimed the change was driven by “audience feedback.”
“In response to audience feedback over the past week, we have implemented a new policy for greater transparency in our interviews,” a spokesperson said. “Face the Nation will now only broadcast live or live-to-tape interviews (subject to national security or legal restrictions).”
