Sunday night, Anderson Cooper delivered his final report on 60 Minutes after 20 years. His verbatim, in the farewell interview: “I think the independence of 60 Minutes has been critical. I think the trust it has with viewers is critical to the success of 60 Minutes.” “I hope 60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes.” In December, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on CECOT — the El Salvador prison where the Trump administration sent deportees. The segment had already been promoted as airing that week. The correspondent who reported the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, sent an email to staffers objecting. Her verbatim: “It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now, after every rigorous internal check has been met, is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.” Weiss told staffers the next day she pulled the piece because it was “not ready.” David Ellison and Paramount Skydance bought CBS in 2024. Weiss was their first major editorial hire. Cooper officially says he’s leaving for family reasons. What he chose to say in his last seconds on air was about independence and trust.