“60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley is taking heat online for his Wake Forest University commencement speech that condemned President Donald Trump's attacks on freedom of speech and the rule of law.
In the May 19 remarks, the veteran journalist tore into Trump for his attacks against universities, journalism, and the rule of law — all without ever saying the president's name.
“Insidious fear is reaching through our schools, our businesses, our homes, and into our private thoughts. The fear to speak in America,” Pelley told he graduating class of North Carolina's Wake Forest University.
The fiery condemnation comes amid Trump's ongoing legal battles with Harvard University and CBS News. The president is suing Pelley's employer for $20 billion, claiming “60 Minutes” edited an interview with then-VP Kamala Harris to portray her more favorably during the 2024 presidential race. CBS denies the claim.
Since the viral address, many Trump supporters have ripped into Pelley for his “unhinged” message. In a press release, Wake Forest University praised the speech as one filled with “urgency and hope.”
