Fired 60 Minutes host Scott Pelley shows fresh flash of his enormous ego after he was booted for hurling personal insults at new boss in front of co-workers

By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-03 13:02:35 | Updated at 2026-06-08 12:57:57 5 days ago

By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Updated: 13:48 BST, 3 June 2026

Just hours after he was fired for hurling insults at his new boss during an all-team meeting, veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley has once again shown a flash of his gigantic ego.

The 68-year-old was ousted by CBS News on Tuesday after a shocking bout of insubordination that saw him verbally attack new executive producer Nick Bilton during Bilton's first day, in a room full of colleagues. 

He accused Bilton of having 'slender qualifications' to do his job, said he would 'never be welcome' at 60 Minutes, and implied the producer as not a member of the team.

Pelley then went on to claim that CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss had 'no qualifications for her job' and said she was 'murdering 60 Minutes.' 

But instead of apologizing for his rude display of defiance, Pelley doubled down on his remarks and issued a self-righteous response touting his personal successes during his 37-year tenure with the network.

'I have been in combat in Afghanistan,' Pelley told The New York Times. 'I have been in combat in Iraq. I have been in the war zone in Ukraine multiple times, risking my life and the happiness of my family because of my devotion to the broadcast.'

Pelley then went on to again accuse his new bosses of 'incompetence and unprofessionalism,' which he claimed has 'wreaked havoc' at CBS.

'The collapse of values at the top has become untenable. The leadership of "60 Minutes" is no longer recognizable. The principles I hold dear are gone,' he added in his statement. 

Just hours after he was fired for hurling insults at his new boss during an all-team meeting, veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley (pictured in 2025) has once again flashed his monstrous ego

The 68-year-old was ousted by CBS News on Tuesday after a shocking bout of insubordination that saw him verbally attack new executive producer Nick Bilton, pictured in 2018

Pelley tore into newly appointed Bilton, 49, during a 'tense' all-hands meeting Monday morning, Puck, The Guardian, The New York Times and Status all reported.

He criticized the former Vanity Fair journalist's qualifications and peppered him with questions about the day's firings, asking where his loyalties lie. 

The 49-year-old attempted to move the discussion along and suggested the conversation would be better held in private, Puck reported.

But Pelley said he wanted to settle the matter during the meeting, in front of his colleagues. Bilton told Pelley, 'They’re my colleagues too.'  

The journalist reportedly replied, 'That remains to be seen.'

The conversation reportedly grew so tense that Bilton eventually had to tell Pelley that he would not be 'intimidated.' 

Bilton wrote a strongly worded letter to Pelley on Tuesday informing him that he was terminated, 'effective immediately.'

'Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you,' he wrote. 'I therefor write on behalf of CBS News, Inc to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately.'

Pelley then went on to claim that CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, pictured in April, had 'no qualifications for her job' and said she was 'murdering 60 Minutes'

He accused Pelley of having 'hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me' after the new producer had reached out upon getting the job and invited him to dinner.

'Yesterday's display of hostility - enacted in front of the staff instead of in a civil, private conversation - demonstrated that you have no interest in contributing to the future success of the show.' 

In his interview with The New York Times, Pelley alleged that Bilton's letter 'betrays a complete misunderstanding of what we work for and what we live for at "60 Minutes."' 

He also accused his new bosses of pressuring him to put biased opinions into his stories. 

Pelley then went on to claim that the work of Weiss has been 'cold and callous' and was 'beneath the dignity of CBS News,' saying that she would not explain why recent firings of 60 Minutes correspondents took place. 

Pelley joined CBS News in 1989 and served as the network's chief White House correspondent from 1997 to 1999 before moving over to its flagship news show. 

Bilton, a former New York Times columnist, replaced longtime executive Tanya Simon on Thursday. 

Read Entire Article