Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

Joe Rogan Dunks On ‘Kooky’ CNN Over Framing Alleged Terrorists In New York As Teens Enjoying Nice Weather

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Podcast host Joe Rogan criticized CNN Wednesday for its post portraying two individuals with suspected ties to ISIS as teenagers enjoying nice weather in New York City.

“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,” CNN wrote in the now-deleted X post on Tuesday, adding that “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.” Rogan said on “The Joe Rogan Experience” that it appeared CNN was attempting to “soften” the alleged terrorists’ attack.

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“The CNN one is so kooky,” Rogan said before reading the now-deleted post.

“[T]hey did take it down because it’s so fucking ridiculous,” he added. “But the internet never forgets … Thank god I saved it. I took a screenshot because I’m like, ‘This is such a crazy way to frame two guys who wanted to do a terror attack.'”

Rogan also mocked the framing.

“‘Two Pennsylvania teenagers, just regular fellas from from PA, from Philly! Two Philly boys had a couple of cheesesteaks and then got on the train!'” he joked.

“Why the fuck would you even say that? Could have been a normal day if they weren’t going there to commit terrorism,” Rogan said.

Moreover, he expressed curiosity about who wrote the post and whether they were instructed to write it.

“Are you trying to downplay the possibility of — first of all, now in New York, because you have a guy who’s an avowed whatever he is, democratic socialist, some say communist, but also Muslim,” the podcast host said. “And then you have these Islamists who are doing a terrorist attack. So are you trying to soften that? It seems like you’re trying to soften it.”

CNN also issued an explanation for why it removed the post on Tuesday.

“A post regarding the two individuals arrested for throwing homemade bombs outside of New York City Mayor Zohran Mandarin’s home failed to reflect the gravity of the incident thereby breaching the editorial standards we require for all our reporting,” the outlet wrote in a Tuesday X post. “It has therefore been deleted.”

Two suspects, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, were arrested after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during a protest outside Mamdani’s mansion on Saturday. Legacy media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times and NPR, linked the attack to an “anti-Islam” protest, even though it was allegedly conducted by Islamic counter-protesters.

Furthermore, “CNN NewsNight” host Abby Phillip apologized in a Wednesday X post for asserting on her show the previous night that the attack targeted Mamdani rather than the protesters.