CBS News Chief Bari Weiss Cancels UCLA Lecture Amid Security Concerns

Weiss was set to speak at the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture before withdrawing due to safety issues.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has canceled her scheduled speaking engagement at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations due to security concerns. Weiss was slated to deliver the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture, which honors the memory of the slain Jewish journalist. A UCLA spokesperson said the university had a comprehensive security plan in place but that the decision to cancel was made by Weiss' team, not the university.

Why it matters

Weiss, a prominent figure in media who has faced criticism from the political left, has emerged as a target for those opposing her conservative-leaning views. The cancellation of her UCLA lecture highlights the ongoing tensions around free speech and security concerns on college campuses.

The details

Weiss was scheduled to speak at the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture on February 27th. However, a CBS News spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the network's security team advised Weiss to back out of the event due to safety concerns. UCLA's associate vice chancellor said the university was prepared to implement a comprehensive security plan for the event, but the decision to cancel was made by Weiss' team, not the university.

  • Weiss was originally scheduled to speak at the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture on February 27, 2026.
  • The decision to cancel the event was made in the days leading up to the scheduled lecture.

The players

Bari Weiss

The editor-in-chief of CBS News who was slated to deliver the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture at UCLA before withdrawing due to security concerns.

UCLA

The university that was hosting the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture where Weiss was scheduled to speak.

Steve Lurie

The associate vice chancellor and chief safety officer at UCLA who stated the university had a comprehensive security plan in place for Weiss' event.

Daniel Pearl

The slain Jewish journalist whose memory is honored by the annual lecture that Weiss was set to deliver.

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What they’re saying

“We always follow our security team's guidance. This situation is no different.”

— CBS News Spokesperson (Fox News)

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

— Steve Lurie, UCLA Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Safety Officer (Fox News)

What’s next

UCLA and CBS News are working to reschedule the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture for a different date when security concerns can be adequately addressed.

The takeaway

The cancellation of Bari Weiss' lecture at UCLA highlights the ongoing challenges around free speech and security on college campuses, particularly for figures who hold controversial or politically divisive views. This incident underscores the need for universities to balance their commitment to open discourse with the responsibility to ensure the safety of all participants.