Photo Credit: Getty Images
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has launched a scathing attack on CBS News' long-running program 60 Minutes, calling its journalists "the biggest liars in the world" and suggesting they deserve a "long prison sentence."
Musk's comments came after 60 Minutes aired a segment on February 16 that featured former Republican USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios refuting claims by former President Donald Trump that USAID was "rife with fraud." Musk, who has been actively working to dismantle the agency, took issue with the report, posting on X, "60 Minutes are the biggest liars in the world!" He later shared a clip of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, alleging, "They engaged in deliberate deception to interfere with the last election. They deserve a long prison sentence."
His remarks come amid an ongoing lawsuit Trump has filed against CBS, alleging that the network deceptively edited Harris' 2024 interview in an attempt to sway the election. CBS has denied the allegations, stating that their editing process follows journalistic standards and that "each excerpt reflects the substance of the vice president's answer." The network added that they released the full transcript of the interview to prove their "broadcast was not doctored or deceitful." A federal judge recently rejected CBS' attempt to have the case dismissed, with Trump now seeking $20 billion in damages.
Musk's attack on 60 Minutes is the latest in a series of criticisms he has made against the media. He has previously called for the firing of a Wall Street Journal journalist over a report about a DOGE staffer's controversial remarks, suggested that taxpayer-funded media outlets should be shut down, and promoted conspiracy theories about media organizations committing "crimes" without providing evidence.
Musk's comments have drawn significant backlash, even from some of his own followers, who accused him of hypocrisy. Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, responded to Musk's post, stating, "Throwing journalists in jail over their reporting is what authoritarian governments do in countries like China, Russia, and Iran."
CBS has declined to comment on Musk's statements, while reports indicate that its parent company, Paramount Global, may be exploring a settlement in Trump's lawsuit. Paramount is currently involved in an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, set to be finalized in April 2025.
