'60 Minutes' Reporter Rips Into Trump In Viral Commencement Speech

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Huff Post

May 26, 2025, 07:39 PM EDT


Journalist Scott Pelley accused President Donald Trump of “attacking” free speech and spreading “insidious fear” among the public during a commencement address at Wake Forest University.

The speech came as concerns grow over the country’s free speech rights amid Trump’s targeted attacks aimed at universities over a range of topics, including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices and foreign students’ enrollment. Trump and Harvard University are currently embroiled in a heated legal battle over its enrollment of foreign students.

“Our sacred rule of law is under attack,” Pelley began his message. “Journalism is under attack. Universities are under attack. Freedom of speech is under attack, and insidious fear is reaching through our schools, our businesses and into our private thoughts.” The veteran CBS News reporter continued, “The fear to speak in America ... power can rewrite history with grotesque false narratives.”

Without name-dropping, Pelley went on to say that “they can make criminals heroes, and heroes criminals.” “Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality,” he added. Pelley then said that the “old playbook” the Trump administration is operating from is “nothing new.” “Diversity is now described as illegal. Equity is to be shunned. Inclusion is a dirty word,” he declared. “This is an old playbook, my friends. There is nothing new in this.”

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/journalist-scott-pelley-trump-attack-free-speech_n_6834bbbce4b0b885650cba0a?swk

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BREAKING: In a stunning moment, renowned journalist Scott Pelley just highlighted how Donald Trump is working to stifle free speech in America, and how he plans on fighting back. This is huge.

— Democratic Wins Media (@democraticwins.bsky.social) 2025-05-26T15:05:22.399Z

Democratic Wins Media
‪@democraticwins.bsky.social‬
BREAKING: In a stunning moment, renowned journalist Scott Pelley just highlighted how Donald Trump is working to stifle free speech in America, and how he plans on fighting back. This is huge.
0:03 / 1:28
May 26, 2025 at 11:05 AM

[Paladin]

1. What a glorious contrast.

An enraged, articulate, brave Scott Pelley, speaking truth to venomous power---versus the overwhelming majority of this country's mainstream media, standing in line to kiss trump's ass (with frequent breaks to trash Joe Biden).

[tanyev]

5. Also the contrast to a narcissistic moron babbling about trophy wives

at a 3rd grade reading level to graduating West Point cadets.

[Paladin]

7. Yeah, like I said on another DU thread this morning:

West Point needs to get Zelenskyy to do next year's commencement address. His Memorial Day comments were roughly 1000 times better than trump's insanely hateful words...

[Bettie]

2. Good to see

someone standing up for free speech.

[sop]

3. In 1968 Walter Cronkite publicly turned against the Vietnam War on his nightly CBS News broadcast.

As the "most trusted man in America," Cronkite's opinion significantly impacted the public's view of the war, and turned the tide in the anti-war movement. "This broadcast, often referred to as the 'Cronkite moment,' is considered a turning point in the war, as it resonated with many Americans who were growing weary of the conflict."

Maybe this will be known as the Pelley moment.

[Joinfortmill]

4. A must view.

[Miguelito Loveless]

6. Glad to see it

But Wake Forest will now lose all federal money, and probably state money as well, since the legislature is super majority MAGA.

[kimbutgar]

8. He'll be fired before the next month is over for speaking the truth!

[SunSeeker]

9. Or be the next to "retire" from 60 Minutes.

I have really bad feeling CBS will pay Trump $20 million to settle his lawsuit.

[SunSeeker]

10. Watch the whole speech, it is really inspiring:

The speech runs from 00:47:49 to about 1:10:00 (about 23 minutes):
https://www.youtube.com/live/FcWa-wXqFss?si=9HIxcFyV5HWELDhx

I don't know why the YouTube thumbnail is not populating, but the link works.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. The below was from the "Copy video URL" version of the link from the video at your link

Seems the extra stuff (parameters) in the link after the "?" ends up not allowing it to embed on DU.