Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem has accused CBS News of selectively editing her remarks during an interview that aired on Sunday. This was in reference to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who was incorrectly deported to the U.S.
In a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it was claimed that CBS “seemingly” edited out about four minutes of her approximately 17-minute interview on “Face the Nation.” Noem said, “This morning I joined CBS to discuss the facts about Kilmer Abrego Garcia. Instead, CBS embarrassingly edited the interview to obscure the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the danger he poses to American safety.”
However, CBS News defended its actions, stating that the interview was edited to fit the time constraints of the broadcast, and the complete interview was later made available online. A spokesperson said, “Noem’s ‘Face The Nation’ interview was edited for time and met all CBS News standards. The entire interview is on YouTube, and the full transcript was posted early Sunday morning on cbsnews.com.”
Noem’s allegations are just the latest evidence of ongoing tensions between CBS and the administration. Earlier this summer, Paramount, CBS’s parent company, settled a lawsuit with President Trump, who accused them of misrepresenting a “60 Minutes” interview.
In the live broadcast, some of Noem’s comments included unproven accusations against Abrego Garcia, which his lawyer has denied. These accusations involved claims from Maryland residents alleging ties to human smuggling, gang membership, domestic abuse, and inappropriate requests toward minors.
The DHS statement also pointed out additional parts of the CBS interview that were reportedly not shown during the live broadcast. Meanwhile, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have sought a gag order against Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondy, aiming to prohibit “public attacks” against their client concerning human smuggling charges linked to a traffic stop in 2022.
According to his lawyer, there have been “highly prejudiced, inflammatory, false statements” made since Garcia’s release from prison. The request to the court emphasized the need to protect Garcia’s right to a fair trial, calling for transparency from DOJ and DHS officials involved in the case.
DHS officials opposed the gag order request. A DHS official remarked, “If Kilmer Abrego Garcia didn’t want to be discussed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, he shouldn’t have illegally entered our country and committed a terrible crime.” They further criticized the media for defending an MS-13 gang member, labeling him a human trafficker and child predator. “We hear too many sob stories from these criminals and not enough from the victims,” the official added.
In a separate development, lawyers for Abrego Garcia have been informed that he could face deportation to Uganda. However, a federal judge has stated that the administration cannot proceed with his removal until a hearing takes place.
