Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused CBS News on Sunday of deliberately editing her “Face the Nation” interview to downplay her warnings about an alleged MS-13 gang member. CBS pushed back, saying the cuts were only for time.
Host Ed O’Keefe had pressed Noem on why the Trump administration was trying to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia rather than prosecute him in the U.S. After the show aired, Noem blasted CBS online, accusing the network of “whitewashing the truth.”
In the broadcast version, viewers heard Noem note that Garcia faced pending charges but stressed he would not “walk free in the United States of America.” The network then moved to the next question.
But in her uncut clip posted online, Noem went further. She labeled Garcia a human smuggler, MS-13 member, domestic abuser, and predator who sought explicit photos from minors. “He needs to never be in the United States of America,” she said.
CBS defended the decision, noting the full interview and transcript were posted online. “Secretary Noem’s interview was edited for time and met all CBS News standards,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Garcia’s attorneys, meanwhile, want a federal judge to stop officials from making public comments about him, arguing they could poison a jury. They say repeated claims that he is a gang member and predator are prejudicial.
The Salvadoran migrant was mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite a Supreme Court order blocking it. He has since been returned, indicted on smuggling charges, released, and then re-detained in Maryland while awaiting trial. He denies the allegations.
Noem’s accusations come as CBS faces lingering scrutiny over past editing controversies, including Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against the network. That case was settled in July, with Trump receiving $16 million upfront and the network pledging additional support for conservative causes.