CNN mistakenly confuses Barack Obama, Osama bin Laden in humiliating gaffe

CNN made an embarrassing mistake during a Friday night live broadcast in which the network referred to Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden as "Obama bin Laden" in a graphic.

The graphic was displayed on CNN News Central, and it read, “OBAMA BIN LADEN ASSOCIATE: ABU ZUBAYDAH." Either it was the result of autocorrect ruining an intern's night, or it was a poorly disguised jab at the controversial former president.

The mistake quickly went viral with many online commentators tearing into CNN for the massive flub.

One user wrote on X, "Yesterday CNN was talking about Big Balls. Today they’re talking about Obama Bin Laden. Great job guys!” Another user wrote, "CNN just had the Freudian slip of the century—“Obama Bin Laden” on live TV."

Interestingly, the subject of the segment was interrogation techniques used on Al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah in Guantanamo Bay. This is ironic considering that it was Obama who promised to close the notorious prison, a promise he didn't follow through on.

CNN's "Freudian slip" was likely a mistake, but it's hard to imagine that a conservative outlet would have been let off easy for making a mistake conflating President Obama with a notorious terrorist responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.