CNN suffers on-air screen gaffe confusing Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden

Liberal cable news outlets have been experiencing a veritable meltdown since Donald Trump's election in November, and amid a host of other difficulties and internal turmoil, one such network just suffered another embarrassing own goal.

During a segment on CNN News Central, anchor Boris Sanchez was discussing the history of terrorist detention practices at Guantanamo Bay when he pointed to screen graphic that seemed to confuse former President Barack Obama with 9/11 architect Osama bin Laden, as the Daily Caller reports.

Segment goes sideways

The topic of the problematic segment was interrogation methods used on Al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah at the U.S.-run facility, one which Trump recently announced will also be used for illegal immigrants apprehended in the U.S. who have committed especially egregious criminal offenses.

Though Sanchez, in his presentation of the story, did not conflate Obama with Osama, the screen backdrop seen over the airwaves read in relevant part, “OBAMA BIN LADEN ASSOCIATE: ABU ZUBAYDAH.”

It did not take long for the mistake to go viral, with one user on X writing, “Yesterday CNN was talking about Big Balls. Today they're talking about Obama Bin Laden. Great job guys!” including a reference to the bawdy nickname of a controversial DOGE staffer who also recently made the news.

Another netizen opined, “CNN just had the Freudian slip of the century -- 'Obama Bin Laden' on live TV.”

Charles Jorhan took to X with a reaction of his own, stating, as Fox News noted, "So it's confirmed now. The Babylon Bee bought CNN and just didn't tell us.”

Tough times at CNN

The on-screen mishap comes amid an especially tough stretch for the left-leaning network, which has seen continued decline in viewers over the course of recent months.

Approximately 6% of the network's workforce was let go at the end of last month, with executives stating that the cuts were necessary to maintain stability in light of “irreversible shifts in the way audiences in America and around the world consume news.”

Making matters worse for the powers-that-be at CNN, the network recently went down to a significant litigation defeat, as it was found liable for defaming Zachary Young, a Navy veteran who was awarded millions in damages.

CNN recently lost longtime White House Correspondent Jim Acosta, who declined to accept a time slot change designed to bolster lagging viewership, another in a series of attempted fixes to the seemingly sinking ship.

Given the blatant bias and deceptive reporting in which many at the network have engaged for so many years, it is no surprise that in the eyes of many Americans, these mounting afflictions could not have happened to a more deserving group of people.