CBS News anchor Scott Pelley opened Sunday’s broadcast of “60 Minutes” with a rundown of President-elect Donald Trump’s prospective Cabinet appointments — and it was clear by a few seconds in that he had given up approaching the matter with even the slightest bit of objectivity.
Pelley began his monologue with a straight rundown of Trump’s landslide victory, but got progressively more colorful after pivoting to Trump’s Cabinet appointments.
This past week, Republicans won the House majority and President-elect Trump named several of the people he’s picked for his Cabinet. https://t.co/mEN4CWeXMW pic.twitter.com/lZKBK25YPY
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 18, 2024
“This past week, Republicans won the House majority and President-elect Trump made nominations to his cabinet,” Pelley said, adding “Some nominees appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump.”
He went on to deliver his personal opinion on several of the nominees in question — including prospective Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and prospective Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“Pete Hegseth to lead the three million people at the Department of Defense,” he said, adding, “He’s a combat veteran, most recently a morning show host on Fox News, with no government experience.”
“Former Congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, in charge of law enforcement,” Pelley continued. “Gaetz has been investigated for alleged drug use and sex with a minor. Gaetz denies those allegations.”
“Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence,” Pelley added. “She sought a pardon for Edward Snowden, who leaked U.S. secrets and now lives in Russia.”
“And Robert Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health & Human Services, a skeptic of vaccinations,” he concluded. “It’s up to the new Republican majority in the Senate to decide whether these nominees are equipped to represent the American people.”
On X, newly-named White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Pelley’s monologue.
“@60Minutes slammed Pete Hegseth tonight for having ‘no government experience.’ NEWSFLASH: The Pentagon is full of people with decades of ‘government experience’ and they just failed their 7th audit in a row. The American people re-elected President Trump with a resounding mandate because they want drastic change. That’s why he’s choosing change-makers like Hegseth to join him in the Swamp. 60 Minutes doesn’t get it. They never will.”
