In a commencement address at Wake Forest University, 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley accused President Donald Trump’s administration of undermining free speech, journalism, and higher education. In his May 19 speech, Pelley likened the current political climate to pivotal moments in American history, including the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.
“In this moment, this morning, our sacred rule of law is under attack,” Pelley declared. “Journalism is under attack. Universities are under attack. Freedom of speech is under attack.”
Pelley’s remarks come amid tensions between CBS News and its parent company, Paramount. Shortly after his speech, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon announced her resignation, citing disagreements with Paramount over the network’s direction. Paramount is currently involved in a lawsuit filed by President Trump concerning a 2024 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
In his address, Pelley criticized attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, stating, “They can make criminals heroes and heroes criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality. ‘Diversity’ is now described as ‘illegal.’ ‘Equity’ is to be shunned. ‘Inclusion’ is a dirty word.”
The CBS anchor likewise combed through history, equating the Trump administration and our current moment with some of recent history’s darkest hours and most oppressive figures.
He urged graduates to confront contemporary challenges, he likened to the the American Civil War and the threat of a Nazi dominated Europe. “The Wake Forest class of 1861, they did not choose their time of calling. The class of 1941 did not choose. The class of 1968 did not choose. History chose them, and now history is calling you, the class of 2025,” Pelley said.
Pelley concluded by referencing Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” emphasizing the importance of truth in the pursuit of justice. “In that letter, Dr. King says that the first thing that has to be done in the pursuit of justice is collecting the facts,” he said. “Power was telling him—in a jail cell—do not speak the truth because power will crush you.”
Pelley’s address comes as many in the media face mounting scrutiny for what some care viewing as a deliberate effort by the legacy media to ignore or even cover-up signs of former President Joe Biden’s seemingly rapid cognitive decline while in office.
