1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The sudden cancellation of a 60 Minutes segment on El Salvador’s CECOT prison, reportedly after political pressure and over the objections of CBS’s own journalists, raises serious questions about interference in independent media. When a story is fully vetted, legally cleared, and then pulled at the last minute for reasons that appear political, it suggests someone outside the newsroom wanted it silenced. This is not just about one broadcast. It’s about whether Americans are allowed to hear uncomfortable truths when those truths might reflect poorly on people in power. When a government or its allies shape what stories get told, we stop being a free press society. This kind of pressure is not new. Autocrats throughout history, from Hungary to Russia to Venezuela, began their rise by undermining the press, punishing critical coverage, and rewarding media that stayed in line. The United States is not immune. I’m asking you to take immediate steps to protect press freedom, including investigating any political interference in the CBS decision and holding public hearings on government influence over media. Congress must draw a clear line: no administration, regardless of party, gets to dictate the news.