CNN Anchors' Most Painful On-Air Blunders

CNN has faced a growing number of challenges over the years — declining ratings, financial setbacks, and major layoffs being the most prominent. Once a leader in 24-hour news, the Warner Brothers-Discovery network has struggled to maintain its relevance in a rapidly shifting media landscape that increasingly favors real-time social media coverage. CEO Mark Thompson was forced to make tough decisions in early 2025, cutting hundreds of jobs as the company pivoted toward a more digital-first strategy to keep up with the times. It doesn't help matters that the network's reporting sometimes goes viral for its hosts' mistakes. 

Despite boasting a roster of well-known anchors, CNN has found it increasingly difficult to retain its audience — especially with stiff competition from rival networks and independent digital platforms alike. But, beyond financial struggles, CNN has also found itself at the center of controversy due to numerous on-air gaffes. From embarrassing typos to unfiltered expletives, these blunders have not only damaged the network's credibility but have also fueled criticism from both viewers and media analysts.

It practically goes without saying: the network cannot afford to let such blunders continue to define its brand. Whether CNN can regain the trust of its audience remains to be seen, but one thing is certain ... in an era of heightened media scrutiny, every on-air misstep matters.

One of the perils of live television is the occasional slip of the tongue, and CNN has had its fair share of expletive-laden gaffes over the years. One of Erin Burnett's most awkward on-air moments occurred when she inadvertently read an expletive aloud while quoting a controversial statement attributed to former President Donald Trump about the funeral of a U.S. service member. During a 2024 "Out Front" segment, Burnett, who once worked with Trump on "The Apprentice," initially censored the quote by using "effing," but later slipped and read the full profanity verbatim. "'It doesn't cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f***ing Mexican, excuse my language there,'" she said. "I just read it. But that's what [Trump] said." Although she quickly realized her mistake and issued an immediate apology, the damage was already done. The moment spread across social media, as is always the case with these things.

It's not unlike the way actor Robert De Niro caused a stir during a 2019 CNN interview when he let loose a string of F-bombs while criticizing then-President Trump and his defenders at Fox News. During an appearance on "Reliable Sources," De Niro emphatically dismissed his critics with an unfiltered "F*** 'em," catching host Brian Stelter off guard. While Stelter attempted to downplay the incident by joking, "It's not an FCC violation, but it is still a Sunday morning" (via Newsweek), the profanity still raised eyebrows.

CNN veteran Don Lemon found himself embroiled in several controversies while working for the network. One of his scandals transpired during the 2024 election cycle when he made disparaging remarks about former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. During a discussion on "CNN This Morning," Lemon argued that Haley, who had recently announced her candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, "isn't in her prime." He went on to claim that women are "considered to be in their prime in their 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."

Liberals can't stand the idea of having competency tests for older politicians to make sure they can do the job.

BTW it's always the liberals who are the most sexist. pic.twitter.com/PzpniQFLff

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 16, 2023

The comment was met with immediate backlash, with critics calling it sexist and outdated. Haley herself responded on social media, accusing liberals of hypocrisy when it comes to gender equality.

Following the uproar, Lemon issued a public apology and later addressed his CNN colleagues in an editorial meeting, admitting his remarks were misguided. "A woman's age doesn't define her either personally or professionally," Lemon said in a since-deleted tweet (via NPR). "I have countless women in my life who prove that every day." Despite his attempts to walk back the comment, the controversy left a lasting stain on his reputation and may have even factored into Lemon's eventual departure from CNN not long after.

Few things undermine a news network's credibility more than glaring on-screen typos, and CNN has made some exceedingly embarrassing typos over the years — particularly when it comes to former president Barack Obama. One of the most infamous blunders occurred as recently as February 2025, when CNN aired a graphic mistakenly referring to Osama bin Laden as "Obama bin Laden." The mix-up, which appeared during a segment discussing detainees at Guantanamo Bay, led to immediate online mockery. Critics seized on the error, with some extreme opinions even speculating that it was done on purpose. (What purpose this would have served remains unclear.)

What an unfortunate "accident" for CNN "Obama Bin Laden" pic.twitter.com/V3iVQmoy9U

— Chamnap53 (@chamnap53) February 11, 2025

This wasn't the first time CNN had made such a glaring error. In a separate incident dating all the way back to 2007, "The Situation Room" ran a segment on the hunt for Osama bin Laden but mistakenly displayed a graphic asking, "Where's Obama?" The mistake was swiftly addressed by host Wolf Blitzer, who issued a formal apology and even promised to call Obama personally to express his regret. Obama's press secretary, Tommy Vietor, called the network out but also gave it the benefit of the doubt. "Though I'd note that the 's' and 'b' keys aren't all that close to each other, I assume it was just an unfortunate mistake," he said, per CBS News. One would think the network would have gotten this thing down by now, but alas. 

CNN has also faced years of criticism for its handling of protests, particularly when its anchors have made controversial or inaccurate statements while trying to cover the events as they occur. Anchor Brooke Baldwin found herself in hot water after suggesting that veterans-turned-police officers were more prone to violence. During a 2015 discussion on police brutality, Baldwin stated, "I love our nation's veterans, but some are coming back from war, they don't know the communities, and they're ready to do battle" (via Yahoo! News) — implying that their combat experience made them more aggressive once they returned to civilian life. The comment sparked widespread outrage, particularly from veterans, prompting Baldwin, whose 2021 exit from CNN was rather messy, to issue a tearful on-air apology the following day.

Fellow anchor Erin Burnett also caught flak with her coverage during the 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests. During a segment on "Out Front," she took a combative approach, mocking those in attendance by saying, "It's not just a bunch of a dancing hippies protesting. There are all kinds of people there: babies, teachers, cheerleaders ... and that" (via NPR). The "that" referred to someone wearing a zombie costume. She also questioned whether protesters even understood the issues they were demonstrating against, criticizing a protester for being unaware that taxpayers had technically profited from the Wall Street bailout. The segment was widely criticized, with media watchdogs accusing Burnett of unfair bias and a condescending tone.