Tony Dokoupil, the newly appointed anchor of the CBS Evening News, has ignited a firestorm of criticism after a segment that lavishly praised U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The broadcast, which aired on Tuesday, January 7, 2026, was swiftly condemned by viewers and media critics on social media as a "pathetic" piece of "propaganda."
A Controversial Tribute
Dokoupil, who was handpicked for the anchor role by the network's controversial editor-in-chief, former opinion columnist Bari Weiss, concluded Tuesday's program with a profile of Rubio. Broadcasting from the Secretary of State's hometown of Miami, Florida, Dokoupil praised Rubio's "many lives and many jobs," calling his career an impressive success story that could happen "only in America."
He listed Rubio's high-ranking positions, which include Secretary of State, interim National Security Advisor, acting National Archivist, and USAID chief. The segment then took an unusual turn, featuring a montage of artificial intelligence-generated memes that depicted Rubio as the governor of Minnesota, the shah of Iran, and even the Michelin Man.
"Marco Rubio, we salute you. You are the ultimate Florida man," Dokoupil declared in his closing line, a statement that would become a focal point of the ensuing backlash.
Immediate Social Media Fury
The segment was posted on the official @CBSEveningNews account on X, where it was met with brutal reactions. Critics were flabbergasted, noting that such fawning tributes are typically reserved for entertainers, not for the highest-ranking Cabinet member and third-highest official in the executive branch.
One user called it "full blown propaganda state tv," while another questioned, "You're a journalist 'saluting' a politician? This isn't 'fair and balanced' this is groveling propaganda." The criticism was compounded by the fact that the segment downplayed Rubio's serious political influence, including his role as President Trump's "point man" on Venezuela and his defense of U.S. strikes on Iran.
A Rocky Start for the New Anchor
The controversial Rubio feature followed Dokoupil's disastrous debut on Monday, which was marred by technical errors that led to visible confusion on air. While CBS appeared to edit the errors out of the YouTube upload, clips of the snafu circulated on social media.
This incident adds to the growing scrutiny of CBS News under Bari Weiss's leadership. The network previously faced internal strife after Weiss pulled a vetted "60 Minutes" episode about an El Salvadorian prison, a move correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "a political one" rather than an editorial decision.
The combination of a botched debut and a segment widely perceived as sycophantic has placed the new CBS Evening News team under intense scrutiny, raising questions about the network's editorial direction and commitment to journalistic balance.
