04/26/2026: Shots Fired, Ben Sasse, The Pigeon Mafia
60 Minutes
CBS News
3.8 • 2.6K Ratings
🗓️ 27 April 2026
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
After law enforcement officers halted a gunman from rushing the Washington Hilton ballroom where President Trump, members of the cabinet, congressional leaders and journalists convened to celebrate the First Amendment and White House correspondents, President Donald J. Trump speaks with Norah O'Donnell in a broadcast exclusive about the experience and what it signals about the state of the country. O’Donnell meets Mr. Trump at the White House for an in-depth conversation.
Former Senator Ben Sasse, a conservative Republican from Nebraska – and once among the most popular politicians in the state – speaks with correspondent Scott Pelley about his battle with pancreatic cancer and his hopes for what America can be. Reflecting on politics, community, technology, and faith, Sasse offers meaningful lessons from his own life in hopes of building a better tomorrow.
What Kentucky is to thoroughbred horses, Belgium is to elite racing pigeons. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports as prizes in international competitions have climbed into the millions, the best birds have become targets for organized crime. Insiders call the network of break-in artists and smugglers “the pigeon mafia.”
Transcript
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| 0:46.4 | Last night in Washington, a gunman stormed the security perimeter at the White House Correspondence dinner. |
| 0:55.8 | The president, the vice president, cabinet members, and more than 2,500 guests were gathered to celebrate freedom of the press. |
| 0:58.7 | We spoke with President Trump this afternoon. |
| 1:01.8 | How worried were you that there were going to be injuries? |
| 1:07.6 | You don't have much time. |
| 1:10.0 | So why are you spending time doing this? |
| 1:15.2 | You invited me, so I assume you needed to fill some time. Precious time with Ben Sasse is well spent. |
| 1:18.8 | The former U.S. Senator and College President has perhaps only months to live, but time |
| 1:25.4 | enough for one last lesson in what America can be. |
| 1:30.8 | Neither of these parties really have very big or good ideas about 2030 or 2050. |
| 1:35.9 | The Congress is not wrestling with big or important questions right now. |
| 1:41.3 | It's a who-done- done it in the heart of Europe, |
| 1:46.0 | with Mission Impossible break-ins, organized crime, and international intrigue. |
| 1:52.0 | We've heard people talking about a pigeon mafia? Is that a thing? |
| 1:56.0 | Forget the Maltese Falcon. This mystery is about a Belgian pigeon and a sport god cuckoo. |
| 2:07.3 | I'm Scott Pelly. |
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