CNN deletes tweet, attaches editors note to criticized story on NYC bombing plot

CNN took down a tweet and attached an editor’s note to a story about an attempted terrorist attack in New York City earlier this week after facing a wave of backlash over the way the piece was framed.

In the since-deleted social media post, the outlet had said, “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.”

“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 outside protest Mayor Mamdani’s home,” it continued.

The Justice Department indicted two people in connection with an attempted attack at the New York protest, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi. Prosecutors say the pair attempted to detonate two explosive devices at the protest and referred to the terrorist group ISIS during their detention.

CNN faced a wave of pushback online, particularly on the right, from critics who slammed the social media post over its framing of the incident.

“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,” the network said in a subsequent social media post on Tuesday morning. “It has therefore been deleted.”

The outlet also added an editor’s note to the top of its online story about the attack, saying it had been changed.

The Warner Brothers Discovery-owned cable channel has taken criticism from conservatives and supporters of President Trump for years.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clashed last week with Kaitlan Collins, one of CNN’s top journalists, over the network’s coverage of U.S. service members killed as part of the ongoing war in Iran.

Trump in recent weeks has blasted CNN directly and said as part of Warner Brother Discovery’s sale to Paramount, he wishes to see the outlet operate under new leadership.

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