The report from CBS News regarding the injuries sustained by an ICE officer has ignited significant concern within the network. On Wednesday, the network referenced two unnamed ‘U.S. officials’ to inform viewers that this officer, identified as Jonathan Ross, who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, was reported to have experienced internal bleeding in his torso as a result of the incident.
Initially, CBS disseminated this information via a post on X, previously known as Twitter. Roughly half an hour later, they published a follow-up message linking to a detailed article by two of their correspondents, which echoed the initial claims about Ross's medical state as informed by the same anonymous officials.
Interestingly, the coverage of this report was minimal among other news outlets, leading to a rapid wave of criticism on social media. Observers questioned the credibility of CBS’s sources and whether the framing of the story aligned with the agenda of the Trump administration.
Internal reactions at CBS were similarly skeptical. Emails reviewed by The Guardian revealed that some staff members expressed "huge internal concern" regarding the report. While some viewed the discussions as typical editorial deliberations, others felt uneasy about the implications of the report.
Prior to the release of the original report, a medical producer suggested in an email that it would be prudent to inquire about the nature of treatment received by the officer, including whether he underwent surgery or any other procedures. This reflects a standard journalistic practice of seeking clarity on medical conditions presented in reports.
A senior executive at the network also voiced concerns about the vagueness surrounding the term "internal bleeding." David Reiter, CBS News's senior vice-president, noted in an email that internal bleeding could indicate anything from a minor bruise to a life-threatening injury, thereby underscoring the need for precise language in reporting. He also highlighted the fact that there is video evidence showing the ICE agent walking away from the scene of the incident, which complicates the narrative of severe injury.
The top editor at CBS, Bari Weiss, showed considerable interest in this developing story during an editorial meeting Wednesday morning, as noted by several staff members who attended the call. According to one anonymous CBS News employee, there was significant disagreement internally about the report concerning the officer’s internal bleeding, with many feeling it resembled a strategically placed leak from the Trump administration aimed at justifying the shooting.
"It felt like we were playing a role in supporting the administration’s narrative to maintain our access to sources," remarked another employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In response to the backlash, a spokesperson for CBS News defended the network’s decision-making process, asserting that they had adhered to their rigorous editorial guidelines and deemed the report valid based on the information and sources involved.
While CBS branded its report as an "exclusive," it wasn’t entirely isolated in its coverage. ABC News provided a brief update reiterating the claims about Ross's injuries while indicating that the sources did not elaborate further on his medical condition. Other major networks, such as NBC News and The New York Times, offered cursory mentions of the situation. In contrast, Fox News produced a more comprehensive story, confirming the report through a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security, although they acknowledged that the specific severity of the bleeding was not immediately clear.
It is important to note that The Guardian has not independently verified these claims, which adds another layer of uncertainty to the narrative.
Since Bari Weiss's appointment as editor-in-chief in early October, there have been ongoing accusations against CBS of favoritism towards the Trump administration. The network has been under the ownership of Paramount Skydance since last year, a media powerhouse significantly funded by Larry Ellison, a billionaire tech entrepreneur and a known associate of the former president.
Adding to the complexity, CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil conducted an exclusive interview with Trump, in which the former president asserted that had Kamala Harris won the 2024 election, he would not have recently been appointed as anchor of the CBS Evening News. When Dokoupil challenged this assertion, Trump conceded that it was possible he would have still held the position, albeit at a reduced salary.
