Noem: CBS ‘Shamefully’ Edited Interview to Hide MS-13 Ties

Noem: CBS ‘Shamefully’ Edited Interview to Hide MS-13 Ties

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is accusing CBS of flat-out media bias after Face the Nation cut more than 25 seconds out of her answer about an illegal immigrant facing human smuggling charges, erasing every reference she made to gang activity, abuse, and exploitation of minors.

On Sunday, CBS aired just eight seconds of Noem’s remarks about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national accused of human smuggling who has been linked to MS-13. The network’s broadcast stopped right after she said he “shouldn’t walk free in the United States of America,” conveniently leaving out the allegations that show just how dangerous he is.

Here’s what CBS didn’t want viewers to hear: a full 33-second answer, buried in the transcript but chopped off on TV:

This morning, I joined CBS to report the facts about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Instead, CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.

Watch for the part of my interview that @CBS tried to… pic.twitter.com/28fsGZug48

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) August 31, 2025

SHAMEFUL: CBS attempts to whitewash the TRUTH about MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

WATCH for the truth. pic.twitter.com/UNaHj6V52z

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 31, 2025

“Although this individual does have criminal charges pending. He has charges pending against him civilly as well, and the one thing that we will continue to do is to make sure that he doesn’t walk free in the United States of America. This individual was a known human smuggler, MS-13 gang member, an individual who was a wife beater and someone who was so perverted that he solicited nude photos from minors and even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off. He was so sick in what he was doing and how he was treating small children, so he needs to never be in the United States of America, and our administration is making sure we’re doing all that we can to bring him to justice.”

Instead of letting viewers see that context, CBS pivoted to a new question and added a defensive editor’s note in the written transcript:

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been charged with two counts of human smuggling and has pleaded not guilty. He is currently in ICE detention pending trial. He has not been charged with any counts related to child abuse.”

Noem blasted the network for “shamefully” editing her remarks, and she’s right. The contrast is glaring: the full 33-second answer in black and white, versus the 8-second soundbite CBS chose to air.

The Washington Examiner pointed out that CBS’s cut effectively airbrushed out Noem’s references to MS-13, spousal abuse, and child exploitation, which are all central to her point that Abrego Garcia “must never walk free in the United States.”

This isn’t just sloppy editing. It’s an editorial choice that sanitizes the reality of who this man is alleged to be, while making Noem look like she offered only a vague talking point.

It’s yet another example of legacy media tilting coverage to fit its narrative: soften the story, protect the left’s agenda, and downplay the violent crimes tied to illegal immigration.

UPDATE: Two days after publication, CBS reached out with a comment pointing out that after the airingf of the clip, the transcript and video they posted on YouTube had the full remarks.

Here is their statement in full.

Secretary Noem’s “Face The Nation” interview was edited for time and met all CBS News standards. The entire interview is publicly available on YouTube, and the full transcript was posted early Sunday morning at CBSNews.com.

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