CBS News chief Bari Weiss drops out of UCLA lecture over security concerns

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulled out of a speaking engagement at UCLA due to security concerns.

“We always follow our security team’s guidance. This situation is no different,” a CBS News spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Weiss was slated to speak at the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations.

The lecture honors the memory of slain Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and beheaded by Pakistani jihadist terrorists in 2002.

“We are working with the university to reschedule for a different date,” the network spokesperson added.

Steve Lurie, UCLA’s Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Safety Officer, told Fox News Digital the university had a “comprehensive security plan” in preparation for Weiss’ visit, which was initially scheduled for Feb. 27.

“The decision not to move forward with the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture was made by the speaker’s team, not UCLA,” Lurie said.

“The university was ready to implement a comprehensive security plan for this event, developed in coordination with campus safety and external law enforcement partners. UCLA remains committed to supporting public programming which represents a wide range of viewpoints, with safety planning tailored to each event.”

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss opted out of speaking at UCLA due to security concerns. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Weiss’ invitation did receive resistance on campus. UCLA’s Daily Bruin school newspaper reported a petition calling for the event’s cancellation collected “nearly 11,000 signatures.”

The newly-appointed CBS News chief has emerged as a top target of the far left, who, like The Daily Beast, accuse her of being “MAGA-curious” despite her outspoken left-of-center politics. 

The decisions made by Weiss, tasked by new Paramount owner David Ellison to revive the perpetually third place network, have been under tense microscope, from her appointing Tony Dokoupil to anchor “CBS Evening News” to her decision to hold a “60 Minutes” report she deemed was not ready for air. 

Weiss was suppose to speak at the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations. CBS via Getty Images

In December, Weiss pulled a segment from “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi on the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) shortly before it was set to air.

Alfonsi defiantly told colleagues she believed it was a political decision, while Weiss sought to include voices from the Trump administration. 

The segment ultimately aired in January, but Weiss and CBS News faced tense blowback from liberal critics.