Noem to CBS News Guests: Eff It, You’d Better Do It Live

Did CBS News, Paramount, and Skydance learn a lesson from their eight-figure payout to Donald Trump over selective editing for political purposes? Skydance promised they did. If so, the producers at Face the Nation have yet to read that memo. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared on the show Sunday morning, answering questions from Margaret Brennan in a pre-recorded interview. If that was a mistake, at least Noem knew to keep receipts. Not long after the show aired, Noem corrected the record by providing her full answer to a question about the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the illegal alien at the center of a fight over deportation. CBS and Face the Nation had edited Noem’s answer to prevent viewers from hearing allegations in the case:

This morning, I joined CBS to report the facts about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Instead, CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.

Watch for the part of my interview that @CBS tried to… pic.twitter.com/28fsGZug48

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) August 31, 2025

Via Redstate (and Instapundit), here is the transcript of Noem’s full answer:

Here is her statement that was presented on CBS:

And the one thing that we will continue to do is to make sure he (Abrego Garcia) doesn’t walk free in the United States of America.

Here’s what they cut; as you listen, think about whether this might be important information for their viewers to have to form an accurate opinion on this case:

This individual was a known human smuggler, MS-13 gang member, an individual who was a wife beater, and someone who was so perverted that he solicited nude photos from minors. And even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off, he was so sick in what he was doing, how he was treating small children. So he needs to never be in the United States of America, and our administration is making sure we are doing all that we can to bring him to justice.

Note that the first statement, the part CBS aired, gave you a small piece of the “what.” They left all of the “why” on the cutting-room floor. And there is a lot of “why” there.

Indeed. There’s another ‘why’ involved here as well: why did Face the Nation ask the question if it didn’t want to air the full answer? They certainly understood the allegations from DHS and the Department of Justice regarding Abrego Garcia, even if their viewers might not. If they wanted Noem to come on the show and to press her on the case, did they not expect Noem to provide a full answer — even if they disagreed with it?

This looks suspiciously like a Reverse Kamala with a Twist to the Left, in diving terms. Rather than edit answers to make a Democrat look coherent, Face the Nation edited an answer to make a Republican less coherent, or at least to bury the details they found inconvenient to their “Maryland Dad” narrative. This time, though, Noem apparently either got access to CBS’ unedited video or made her own tape to ensure that she could expose any editing tricks on the part of Face the Nation — and it worked.

In other words, CBS News took another dive for Democrats, with a heightened degree of difficulty. This time again, however, the judges were watching a bit more closely than they anticipated. 

So what lessons can we take from this episode? First off, the thoroughly corrupt Protection Racket Media will never reform on their own, CBS News perhaps even more than the rest. Even after repeated exposures of corrupt practices and an embarrassing settlement with Donald Trump, CBS News refuses to play it straight. That should put everyone on notice that when CBS reporters — or really any reporters — ask for an interview, insist that it air live. If not, record it all yourself and make the unedited recording available as soon as the ‘journalistic’ outlet publishes the material. 

But really, Bill O’Reilly’s outburst on a set early in his career turned out to be good advice in this corrupt media age. When Margaret Brennan’s producers ask for a recorded interview for Face the Nation, the proper response is F*** it — we’ll do it live. Or not at all. 

Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.

Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join Hot Air VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership!