CNN anchor Jake Tapper has faced fierce criticism and online mockery after he incorrectly described a black man suspected of placing pipe bombs in Washington DC on the eve of the January 6 riots as a 'white man.'
A Blunder During Broadcast
The embarrassing error occurred during the opening segment of Tapper's show, The Lead, on Thursday evening. As surveillance footage of the suspect, later identified as Brian Cole Jr, flashed on screen, Tapper referred to him as a white man. Moments later, CNN itself published a second photo of the alleged suspect from his mother's Instagram account, which clearly showed the 30-year-old is a black man.
The suspect's father, Brian Cole Sr., has a history intertwined with racial justice issues, having once been represented by the renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Crump, who specialises in discrimination cases, argued in a 2021 lawsuit that a Tennessee prosecutor was obstructing the sale of Cole Sr.'s business because he is black.
Conservative Backlash and Accusations
The gaffe was swiftly seized upon by conservative commentators and influencers, many of whom accused Tapper and CNN of deliberate misinformation. Nick Sortor, a conservative influencer, posted the clip on X with the suspect's face superimposed, writing: "WTF?! Jake Tapper just went out of his way to LIE and call the J6 pipe bomb[er] a 'white man.'" He claimed the network was pushing "anti-white rhetoric."
Phil Holloway, co-host of the True Crime podcast, questioned Tapper's professionalism, stating: "Look, the race of the accused pipe bomber is irrelevant in my view. But somehow CNN thinks it is relevant and lies about it - saying it is a 'white man.' How does he have a job as a 'journalist?'"
Other critics, including commentator Benny Johnson, labelled Tapper a "fraud" and suggested such errors are why public trust in mainstream media is eroding. One observer noted that media often avoids stating race when a suspect is black, but in this instance, "they just lied."
The Five-Year Investigation Breakthrough
The arrest of Brian Cole Jr. on Thursday marked a major breakthrough in a five-year investigation that had long baffled federal authorities. The FBI stated that Cole, who is said to hold anarchist ideologies, placed homemade explosive devices outside the headquarters of both the Democratic and Republican National Committees on the night of January 5, 2021.
The breakthrough came after agents reviewed existing evidence from 2021 and 2022, including previously unreleased surveillance footage. The video showed a hooded suspect placing a backpack on South Capitol Street, putting on glasses, and scanning the area before walking to the DNC headquarters to place a bomb at 7:54pm. The suspect then proceeded to the RNC headquarters, placing a second device at 8:16pm.
The devices, constructed from threaded galvanized pipes, kitchen timers, and homemade black powder, were discovered the following afternoon, just hours before the Capitol riot. Fortunately, neither bomb detonated and no injuries were reported.
Authorities allege Cole began constructing the crude bombs as early as 2019, shopping at hardware stores and retailers like Walmart for supplies, and continued purchasing components even after the bombs were found. He now faces federal charges of use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.
The Daily Mail has contacted CNN for comment.
