CBS News has overhauled its interview practices after a firestorm over claims from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that her remarks were deceptively edited out of a “Face the Nation” appearance.
The network announced this week that its flagship Sunday show will now air only live or live-to-tape interviews, promising audiences they will see “the full, unedited interview” on television and online.
“In response to audience feedback over the past week, we have implemented a new policy for greater transparency,” CBS said in a statement to The Post.
“FACE THE NATION will now only broadcast live or live-to-tape interviews (subject to national security or legal restrictions).”
CBS said its new transparency policy would prevent similar flare-ups. Still, the move may invite fresh scrutiny every time producers invoke the “national security or legal restrictions” carve-out to cut material.
News of the change was first reported by Semafor.
The network insisted it would continue to post full transcripts and unedited video.
The abrupt shift followed Noem’s explosive charge that CBS “shamefully” cut her comments about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national she branded a violent MS-13 member and human smuggler.
Noem, the former South Dakota governor tapped by President Donald Trump to lead DHS, blasted the network for trying to “cover up” Garcia’s record.
She released the raw interview herself online to show viewers what she said was missing.
CBS pushed back, saying the trims were for time and stressing that full material was already publicly available. But the complaints snowballed, triggering fresh accusations from Republicans that the network manipulates interviews to protect Democrats.
The controversy came as part of a broader pattern of GOP anger at mainstream media.
In 2024, Trump himself took CBS and parent company Paramount to court over an edited “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president accused the network of cutting a rambling answer about US influence over Israel to make Harris look sharper than she was.
Trump filed a staggering $20 billion suit, alleging “deceptive editing” in violation of campaign fairness rules.
After months of legal wrangling, the case settled for $16 million.
Paramount, which recently merged with Skydance Media, admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to publish unedited transcripts of future presidential candidate interviews.
Noem seized on that history, arguing her case proved CBS hadn’t learned its lesson.
“They have a pattern of hiding the truth when it doesn’t fit their narrative,” she told supporters after the flap erupted.
The new management team that now runs CBS News appears to be on the verge of instituting sweeping changes including massive layoffs as well as a new editorial direction.
Earlier this week, the Puck news site reported that Bari Weiss, the former New York Times opinion page editor who went on to found The Free Press newsletter, was on the verge of coming aboard to take a senior editorial role at the Tiffany Network.
According to Puck, David Ellison, the Skydance chief who took over Paramount after the two media giants completed their $8 billion merger, is prepared to pony up somewhere between $100 million and $200 million to acquire The Free Press.
Weiss and Paramount have declined to comment.
The Post has sought comment from Noem and the Department of Homeland Security.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
