Here's a List of All the Hoaxes CNN's Broadcast Over the Years

Townhall ^ | 03/18/2026 | Amy Curtis

[SeekAndFind]

CNN hasn't exactly had a banner month. It started with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spanking CNN's Kaitlin Collins about the dignified transfer of our brave service members who died in Operation Epic Fury, and only went downhill from there.

Just a few days later, the network repeatedly shared the false news that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was the target of homemade IEDs that were thrown into a crowd of anti-Islam protesters near Gracie Mansion. They started by portraying the alleged bombers, Ibrahim Kayumi and Emir Balat, as "two Pennsylvania teenagers" who "crossed into New York City ... for what could've been a normal day enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather." The post went on to say the pair's lives "would drastically change" after they were "arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim protest." CNN later deleted that post, claiming it "failed to reflect the gravity of the incident, thereby breaching the editorial standards" of the network. That post implied Mamdani was the target of the attacks, too.

Host Abby Phillip didn't get that memo, however, when she repeated the lie that Mamdani was the target of the failed bombing. "Two Republicans say Muslims don't belong here, after an attempted terror attack against New York's Mayor, Zohran Mamdani," Phillip said. She later apologized both in a post on X and on the air. Phillip said she didn't fact-check the statement, which is a funny way of saying she's CNN's Ron Burgundy because she reads whatever appears on the teleprompter.

Last week, they also ran interference for the Iranian state media by giving the regime uninterrupted airtime to spew its propaganda.

This isn't a one-off month for CNN, either. Here's a list of all the hoaxes the network has pushed.

After last weeks @CNN disasterous daily misinformation week, felt it was a good time to remind you of the hoaxes CNN has pushed.

Thanks to @NolteNC for compiling this list. pic.twitter.com/oyeT12fZAV— RoadMN (@RoadMN) March 17, 2026

That list is long, but includes:

• Rural America can't live without NPR/PBS
• ICE detains a five-year-old
• Black newborns are much more likely to die if doc is white
• Kamala was never America's Border Czar
• Border agents whipping illegals
• Georgia Jim Crow 2.0
• MAGA assaulted Paul Pelosi
• Hunter Biden's laptop is Russian disinformation
• 900,000 kids hospitalized with COVID
• Iowa 2024 poll
• Biden's sharp-as-a-tack'

The list was compiled by journalist John Nolte.

Hi @brianstelter

‘Melania’ Doc Is a Box Office Flop Hoax
The Rural America Can’t Live Without NPR/PBS Hoax
The ICE Detains Five-Year-Old Hoax
The Hegseth ‘Kill Everybody’ Hoax
Trump “Destroying” White House Hoax
Photo of Starving Gaza Baby Hoax
Israeli Troops Murdered Food-Seeking Palestinians Hoax

Trump Tariffs Will Explode Prices Hoax

Maryland Man Hoax

Black Newborns Much More Likely to Die If Doc Is White Hoax

Elon Musk Nazi Salute Hoax

Mass Hysterectomies Performed on Immigrants Hoax

The All-White Trump Party Hoax

Springfield Bomb Threat Hoax

Trump Called for Liz Cheney to Be Executed Hoax

Violent Crime Down Under Biden/Harris Hoax

Arlington Cemetery Hoax

Kamala Was Never America’s Border Czar Hoax

Russia Collusion Hoax

Hands Up, Don’t Shoot Hoax

Jussie Smollett Hoax

Covington KKKids Hoax

Very Fine People Hoax

Seven-Hour Gap Hoax

Russian Bounties Hoax

Trump Trashes Troops Hoax

Policemen Killed at Mostly Peaceful January 6 Protest Hoax

Rittenhouse Hoax

Eating While Black Hoax

Border Agents Whipping Illegals Hoax

NASCAR Noose Hoax

Georgia Jim Crow 2.0 Hoax

Trump Assaulted Secret Service Agents and Grabbed

Steering Wheel of Beast Hoax

MAGA Assaulted Paul Pelosi Hoax

COVID Lab Leak Theory Is Racist Hoax

Hunter Biden’s Laptop Is Russian Disinformation Hoax

Joe Biden Will Never Ban Gas Stoves Hoax

COVID Deaths are Overcounted Is a Conspiracy Theory Hoax

Mass Graves of Native Children in Canada Hoax

Trump Killed Japanese Koi Fish Hoax

Trump Told People to Drink Bleach Hoax

Hamas Hospital Hoax

If Reelected, Trump Will Execute People Hoax

The 900,000 Kids Hospitalized with Coronavirus Hoax

Dozens of Environmental Hoaxes

The Alfa Bank Hoax

Libs of TikTok Murdered Non-Binary Teen Hoax

Aaron Rodgers Sandy Hook-Truther Hoax

‘Bloodbath’ Hoax

Biden ‘Sharp-as-a-Tack’ Hoax

Iowa Poll Hoax

https://t.co/c4hCnz7q2P— John Ocasio-Rodham Nolte (@NolteNC) February 28, 2026

Someone remembered that CNN defamed Navy veteran Zachary Young, too.

Let’s not forget their malicious defamation of Navy veteran Zachary Young!— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 18, 2026

In January of last year, a jury found CNN defamed Young after claiming Young "exploit[ed] desperate Afghans" who were trying to leave the country after Joe Biden botched our withdrawal. The jury awarded Young $5 million in damages, and he later filed a lawsuit against the Associated Press in April 2025, alleging the network portrayed him as a "smuggler." That suit is ongoing.

This is CNN.

https://t.co/Hx2yh43YaB— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 17, 2026

Yes, it is.

This is why nobody trusts CNN or the left-media outlets anymore. https://t.co/dzHsD2zdD1— Steve Erdman (@TheSteveErdman) March 17, 2026

Exactly.

CNN has proven itself to be not trustworthy.

---

TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bias; cnn; enemedia; fakenews; hoax; liberaltruth; media; mediabias; mh370; misinformation; mostrustednameinnews; msm; partisans; peterarnett; politicalactivists; propagandists; r

[alstewartfan]

Probably not exhaustive, but a good list. Thanks! Are the WALLS STIIL CLOSING IN on Trump? lol

[cpdiii]

I am 78 years old and will not read this list as I do not have the time to read such as my time is limited to a few years. It is a long list and I wish not to waste my limited time.

LOL and FU CNN

[ConservaTexan]

Has anyone told them Paul’s not dead?

[Milagros]

Thanks

[Bob Wills is still the king]

Too many unfounded claims to address in one post, but Melania’s movie is a flop by any standard.

From GROK -

“The 2026 documentary
Melania was a commercial failure, grossing approximately $16.6 million worldwide against a total investment of roughly $75 million (including marketing) by Amazon MGM Studios. Despite an encouraging $7 million opening weekend, the film quickly lost momentum and was widely labeled a box-office bomb.”

[Dan Zachary]

Too many unfounded claims to address in one post

I can remember them claiming all these false stories.

[\/\/ayne]

Operation Tailwind Hoax was a big one.

[Mark17]

I don’t think there is enough paper in the whole world, to record all the evils of CNN.

[SunkenCiv]

• CNN: The Place to Go for a Few Laughs [04/04/2014]

[Shady]

Presstitution at its most blatant.

[ronnie raygun]

Hope the FCC head does what he says and threatens thier license

[Fester Chugabrew]

Orson Welles notwithstanding, the word “hoax” has either morphed in meaning or suffers abuse.

[sauropod]

.

[captnemo1]

OMG It just has to be said, but where would I start? Orwell or Marx WTF!

[txlurker]

Too many unfounded claims to address in one post, but Melania’s movie is a flop by any standard.

It was a documentary not a movie. People like you are the reason it "flopped". It is now showing on Prime. Why do you hate Melania? TDS?

[Pol-92064]

I don’t care! Do you?

[albie]

I’ve never watched CNN. I believe this list to be true however.

[Who is John Galt?]

Anyone else remember the old CNN advertising campaign?

It still applies, if you delete a single letter:

"CNN - The Most Rusted Name In News"

;^)

[Az Joe]

Is that you Wolf?