NEW YORK (Diya TV) — CBS News President Wendy McMahon resigned on Monday, marking the second high-profile exit from the network in recent weeks as tensions mount between journalistic independence and political pressures driven by former President Donald Trump.
In a memo to staff, McMahon cited “challenging” recent months and a fundamental disagreement with the company’s direction. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” she wrote. “It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”
McMahon’s exit follows closely on the heels of “60 Minutes” Executive Producer Bill Owens’ resignation last month. Owens, who oversaw the segment that provoked Trump’s ire—a 2023 interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris—stepped down after reportedly telling staff he felt a loss of editorial independence.
CNN reports that McMahon and Owens previously stood united against political and legal pressure, resisting calls to apologize for the interview editing that led Trump to file a lawsuit under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Legal experts widely dismissed the suit as meritless, but it gained traction within corporate circles due to its timing: CBS parent company Paramount Global is currently seeking regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media.
According to CNN, Paramount has quietly engaged in settlement talks with Trump’s legal team, hoping to eliminate the lawsuit as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reviews the proposed merger. The FCC’s decision could influence the future of CBS, giving added urgency to corporate attempts to neutralize political backlash.
While McMahon did not mention Trump or the lawsuit directly in her memo, her departure is being seen as a reflection of growing internal conflict over how to handle political and editorial pressure. A CBS correspondent, speaking anonymously to CNN, said the newsroom feels like “a purge is underway.”
McMahon had previously drawn a hard line against any corporate settlement that would include an apology. According to CNN, she told colleagues that apologizing to Trump was a “red line” she wouldn’t cross, echoing Owens’ own refusal to say sorry for the Harris segment.
Despite Trump’s repeated attacks, “60 Minutes” continued to air investigative segments critical of his campaign and policies throughout the winter and spring. The show’s final episode of the season aired just one day before McMahon’s resignation was announced.
In a memo obtained by CNN, Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks thanked McMahon for her four years of leadership. He also confirmed that Tom Cibrowski, recently appointed as president of CBS News, will now report directly to him. A source told CNN that McMahon’s exit eliminates a layer of management as Paramount seeks to streamline operations amid financial pressures.
Adding fuel to the controversy, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, one of the agency’s two Democrats, posted on X that McMahon’s resignation was “beyond alarming.” She warned that journalists are being “silenced” for reporting that may threaten the ambitions of their corporate owners and political interests. “It will only embolden an Administration hell-bent on censoring speech and controlling content,” she wrote.
As the media landscape navigates deepening political divisions and consolidation, McMahon’s departure may be emblematic of a larger trend — one where corporate strategy increasingly clashes with journalistic principles.
“Thank you for your trust,” McMahon wrote in her farewell. “You hold us accountable, and you remind us why this work matters.”
