Lesley Stahl BREAKS SILENCE on Scott Pelley’s shocking ‘60 Minutes’ moment—admits feeling ‘DEVASTATED’ before firing back with brutal response that stuns newsroom and splits CBS from within

In a moment no one at CBS saw coming, longtime correspondent Lesley Stahl has finally spoken out—and her words were anything but diplomatic. After Scott Pelley’s eyebrow-raising statement during a recent ‘60 Minutes’ broadcast, Stahl reportedly told insiders she felt “devastated,” calling the moment a betrayal of the show’s journalistic integrity. But what shocked even more was her on-air reaction, a pointed and unsparing retort aimed directly at her colleague. Was this the collapse of a newsroom alliance, or a sign of deeper fractures behind the scenes?

Read the full story and watch the viral segment before it’s wiped from the airwaves.

Mike Pont/FilmMagic

Lesley Stahl has long been considered one of the most respected voices in broadcast journalism. But in a shocking turn of events, her silence was broken this week following a controversial moment involving fellow “60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley. In a statement that has since rippled through the CBS newsroom and beyond, Stahl admitted she felt “devastated” by Pelley’s comments during a recent broadcast. Her emotional response didn’t end behind closed doors—on-air, she delivered a blistering retort that left the media world stunned and raised serious questions about internal fractures at CBS.

The chaos was set in motion during a recent episode of “60 Minutes,” when Scott Pelley made remarks that many interpreted as politically charged, deviating sharply from the program’s reputation for journalistic neutrality. For a show often lauded as the gold standard of news reporting, Pelley’s statements didn’t just stir public controversy—they struck a nerve with colleagues inside CBS itself.

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Lesley Stahl, who has served on “60 Minutes” for over 35 seasons and has been part of CBS News since 1971, didn’t hold back when responding to Pelley. In a candid interview, she revealed her emotional turmoil over not just Pelley’s remarks, but also the broader changes happening within the network. At the center of her concerns was the departure of the show’s executive producer, Bill Owens, a decision that many—including Stahl—viewed as emblematic of a deeper crisis.

“I feel devastated,” Stahl confessed. “Bill represented everything you could want in a leader.”

Owens, only the third executive producer in the history of “60 Minutes,” announced this week that he would be stepping down. In his parting words, Owens cited an inability to make independent decisions “based on what was right for ’60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.”

His departure came amid Paramount Global’s controversial sale talks with Skydance Media and under the shadow of a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. Trump’s suit alleged that the show misled voters by editing remarks from then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Though many legal experts have dismissed the lawsuit’s validity, its political implications have only deepened the crisis at CBS.

Wendy McMahon, the executive overseeing CBS News and its syndication arms, attempted to reassure staff. “We are committed to ’60 Minutes’ and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority,” she stated. McMahon also noted that internal discussions were ongoing, aiming to ensure stability in the wake of Owens’ departure.

However, for Stahl, those reassurances weren’t enough.

She pointed to the increasing involvement of outside monitors and corporate oversight, which she says have compromised the independence that has defined “60 Minutes” for decades. “I have been made aware of interference in our news processes and calling into question our judgment,” she said. “That is not how a parent company should treat a newsroom.”

Stahl added, “We hope this message reaches our bosses—that our reputation matters. It’s one of the reasons CBS News is valuable. It’s what ’60 Minutes’ stands for. We can’t afford to lose that.”

Her tone intensified as she lamented Owens’ resignation. “We lost our boss because of it. It’s just crushing.”

This isn’t the first time Stahl has taken a vocal stand. Just this past March, while accepting a prestigious industry award, she declared that “60 Minutes” was “fighting for its life.” Her comments were seen as a rare but needed wake-up call to the industry, and now they seem almost prophetic.

Stahl, affectionately dubbed “Grandma Badass” by colleagues, has built a reputation for standing her ground. She described Owens as a leader who encouraged resilience, urging staff to keep the flame of “60 Minutes” alive. His departure, she said, should not be the end, but a moment that galvanizes the team.

“Bill told us to stay,” she said. “To keep ’60 Minutes’ strong.”

Tanya Simon, the show’s executive editor, is expected to step into Owens’ role on an interim basis. She is also being considered for the permanent position, according to insiders familiar with the internal decision-making process. Stahl endorsed Simon as “a great newswoman” and someone who can help navigate the turbulent waters ahead.

Meanwhile, the show will continue with its current editorial plans for the remainder of the season. CBS management confirmed to staff that a new leader will be chosen from within, offering some hope for continuity.

In her final comments, Stahl expressed cautious optimism. “I’m hoping that Bill’s sacrifice, as Scott Pelley called it, is a message that resonates—that changes can be made.”

But for many viewers and industry watchers, the public showdown between two of the network’s most seasoned journalists marks more than just a moment of internal discord. It underscores a broader, more unsettling trend: the apparent erosion of editorial independence at one of America’s most iconic news institutions.

Was Stahl’s devastating critique a turning point for CBS News? Will the backlash against Pelley’s controversial moment signal a shift back to traditional journalistic values, or will it push the network further into ideological crossfire?

As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the internal drama at “60 Minutes” has become as compelling as the stories it covers. For now, all eyes remain fixed on CBS—waiting to see whether the network will heed the warnings of its most respected voices, or continue down a path that risks everything the brand was built to represent.