CBS58 Meteorologist Sam Kuffel's Firing Sparks Divided Reactions on Social Media
Published Jan. 23 2025, 12:28 p.m. ET
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, Sam Kuffel, a weather forecaster at CBS58 in Milwaukee, was unexpectedly let go from her position. Staff at WDJT-TV (Channel 58) received an email that day informing them of her firing. By Wednesday afternoon, her biography and photo had been removed from the station's website.
So, what exactly happened? Why was Sam Kuffel fired from CBS58? Here's everything you need to know about her sudden dismissal from the station.
(L-R) CBS58 morning anchor Alex Corradetti and former CBS58 meteorologist Sam Kuffel.
What happened to Sam Kuffel from CBS58?
As of now, it has been widely reported that Sam Kuffel was let go from her position at CBS58 after posting a series of remarks on Instagram in which she accused billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk of giving a "Nazi salute" twice during the presidential inauguration.
In one of her Instagram Story posts, Sam shared a photo of Musk standing at the podium and wrote, "Dude Nazi saluted twice. TWICE. During the inauguration. You f--k with this and this man, I don't f--k with you. Full stop." She followed up with a GIF from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and added, "Screw that old b---h. He's a Nazi."
The posts quickly sparked backlash, especially from conservative figures. On Tuesday, January 21, conservative radio host Dan O'Donnell took to X (formerly Twitter) to slam Sam's comments. He described her posts as "vulgar" and accused her of "spreading the lie that Elon Musk was giving a Nazi salute" during the inauguration.
By Wednesday, January 22, news broke that Sam Kuffel had been let go from her position at CBS58. A staff memo, obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, confirmed her exit. News director Jessie Garcia stated, "Meteorologist Sam Kuffel is no longer employed at CBS58. A search for a replacement is underway."
Weigel Broadcasting Co. also issued a brief confirmation late Wednesday, acknowledging Kuffel's departure. However, a spokeswoman declined to provide further details, citing the matter as a personnel issue.
Sam Kuffel's firing has sparked a mixed response.
After news of Sam Kuffel's firing broke, a wave of support flooded in for her. Many people took to social media to express their outrage and disappointment over CBS58's decision to let her go.
"Shame on @CBS58 for firing Sam Kuffel for naming @elonmusk's Nazi salute. Shame on @DanODonnellShow for mobilizing trolls to harass her & call for her job," an X user wrote. "This dark chapter of our country's history will eventually be over and we'll all remember who showed integrity & who didn't."
A woman named Becky Jones didn't hold back, posting, "F--k you, @CBS58. F--king Nazis should be called f--king Nazis, and anyone who doesn't call them that is complicit. NEVER again is this household watching your station unless you apologize and reinstate Sam Kuffel."
"Elon Musk absolutely made a Nazi salute. It's identical to the salute being made by Blood Tribe Nazis at this rally in 2024," a third person said, adding that they hope Sam "sues the station and wins."
On the other hand, some are celebrating Sam Kuffel's firing.
"I wanna give @CBS58 a shout-out for firing meteorologist Sam Kuffel for remarks made on air calling Elon Musk a Nazi," an X user stated. "You did the right thing. Propaganda [is] no longer tolerated."
Someone else commented, "If your job is to report the weather, how dumb is it to go down this route? Trust me, all of the meteorologists I worked with had opinions on current events, they just didn't share them in public in order to avoid alienating a huge chunk of the audience."