CNN anchor Abby Phillip said Wednesday that she had misstated the target of the weekend bomb plot outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence. She retracted an on-air statement that called the incident an attempted terror attack against the mayor.
In a post on X, Phillip clarified that the bombs were thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protesters and were not specifically aimed at Mayor Mamdani. She added that her wording was inaccurate and that she failed to catch it beforehand. She apologized for the mistake.
Phillip’s correction followed comments she made on Tuesday on CNN’s NewsNight. While introducing a segment about anti-Muslim remarks from Republican lawmakers, she told viewers, “Up next, two Republicans say Muslims don’t belong here after an attempted terror attack against New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani.”
She issued the correction the next morning after receiving criticism online and renewed scrutiny on how the incident was portrayed in some media.
I want to correct something I said last night. The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by ISIS inspired attackers was thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protestors and not specifically targeted at Mayor Mamdani. That wording was inaccurate and I didn’t catch it ahead…
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) March 11, 2026
Authorities have stated that the attack targeted anti-Islam demonstrators gathered near Gracie Mansion, not Mamdani himself. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said an improvised explosive device thrown during the clash could have caused serious injury or death.
The Guardian reported, citing police sources, that one device was thrown into a crowd of about 20 protesters after tensions escalated between anti-Muslim demonstrators and counterprotesters. Police believe Mamdani was not inside the residence at that time.
Federal and local authorities identified the suspects as Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both from Pennsylvania. The Associated Press reported that court documents indicate the men told investigators they were inspired by the Islamic State group.
‘WORDING WAS INACCURATE’: CNN’s Abby Phillip apologizing after falsely claiming an ISIS-inspired attack in New York City was aimed at Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The network host originally told viewers the weekend bombing attempt was “against” the mayor, but the plot was actually… pic.twitter.com/1EdyOIehsf
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 11, 2026
NPR stated that authorities confirmed the anti-Muslim protesters were the intended targets and that the case is being investigated as terrorism related to ISIS. According to the complaint summarized by AP, one suspect allegedly claimed they wanted to carry out something “even bigger” than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
The attempted attack occurred during a protest organized by right-wing activist Jake Lang outside the mayor’s residence. The event attracted anti-Muslim demonstrators and a larger group of counterprotesters.
Police reported that several arrests were made as the situation turned violent. Mamdani condemned both the protest and the use of explosives, stating, “Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the opposite of who we are.” He also thanked police officers for their swift response.
Phillip’s correction followed another controversy regarding CNN’s social media coverage of the incident. The network deleted an X post about the suspects after acknowledging it failed to convey the seriousness of the situation and violated its editorial standards.
That deleted post had referred to the two men in casual terms, attracting criticism as the investigation continued. Phillip’s Wednesday retraction focused on one specific issue: whether the attempted bombing was aimed at Mamdani, aligning her wording with the accounts provided by law enforcement and court filings.
