CNN keeps bungling coverage of 2 teen terror suspects in NYC, then keeps apologizing

Abby Phillip.

CNN has been struggling to accurately cover the attempted terror attack that took place in New York City over the weekend in the days since the incident. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were arrested and slapped with multiple terrorism charges for tossing IEDs at police and demonstrators during a protest outside Gracie Mansion on Saturday. 

Authorities have said the two Pennsylvania teens confessed to having been inspired by ISIS, had hoped the attack would be deadlier than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and Balat was seen making an ISIS salute while being led out of an NYPD precinct in handcuffs on Monday.

Despite all of that, CNN "journalists" have committed two colossal blunders in the network's coverage on television and on social media. The struggling cable network has been forced to retract both instances, and issue apologies. On Tuesday night, at close to 10:30, CNN anchor Abby Phillip told viewers the incident for which the teenagers have been charged and are being held without bail was "an attempted terror attack against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani."

Following a major uproar on social media about the gross mischaracterization of what actually happened, Phillip posted an apology Wednesday morning on X.

"The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by ISIS inspired attackers was thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protestors and not specifically targeted at Mayor Mamdani. That wording was inaccurate and I didn’t catch it ahead of time," the CNN anchor said. "I apologize for the error." 

Phillip's blunder came on the heels of a post on X by CNN's primary account that caused an even bigger uproar from people who voiced concerns about wild inaccuracies and biased political framing of the story. The post on X used to promote the story about Balat and Kayumi being arrested significantly downplayed the gravity of the attempted crime, painting the suspects as two kids who visited New York City over the weekend to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. 

On Wednesday evening, after the backlash continued, Phillip issued an on-air correction apologizing for mischaracterizing the attempted terror attack.

"Two Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could've been a normal day enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather," the since-deleted tweet began. "But in less than an hour, their lives would drastically change as the pair would be arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim protest outside of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's home."

Many on social media criticized the wording of the tweet, while others pointed out that the use of such language should be an unsurprising outcome based on years of woke hiring practices and the fact that the writer of the article promoted by the post holds a degree in gender and women’s studies from UC Berkeley.

CNN eventually deleted the tweet and acknowledged the post didn't meet its editorial standards. “A post regarding the two individuals arrested for throwing homemade bombs outside of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s home failed to reflect the gravity of the incident thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting. It has therefore been deleted,” CNN said it in a statement posted on Tuesday, that was also hit with a community note for its continued "minimized framing."

Meanwhile, CBS News has obtained surveillance footage showing Balat purchasing 20 rolls of fuses at a fireworks store in Pennsylvania about a week before the attempted attack.

On Tuesday's show, Dave pointed out the absurdity of CNN attempting to pass off such a biased take as unbiased "news." Watch: