CBS's 60 Minutes will feature a segment on Donald Trump's use of presidential pardons in the season 59 premiere, part of a broader relaunch under new executive producer Nick Bilton following a wave of staff departures. The segment, reported by veteran correspondent Lesley Stahl and titled "The Pardon Economy," examines lawyers and lobbyists who have built a business around securing presidential clemency, a topic likely to draw scrutiny given Trump's past legal action against CBS over a separate 60 Minutes interview.

The premiere also includes Jon Wertheim's profile of the Los Angeles Rams and coach Sean McVay, and Norah O'Donnell's exclusive interview with a US pilot rescued after being shot down in Iran. Former CBS News chief Wendy McMahon predicted the opening episode would be a "banger" to set the tone, while suggesting later episodes could prove more eventful as Bilton introduces new correspondents and formats such as hidden camera investigations and end-of-show debate segments.