For nearly four years, the mainstream media has treated January 6 like their personal obsession—you know, since Russian collusion fell apart. Every development, every arrest, every piece of footage gets filtered through the same lens of assumptions about who was involved and why. Reality? That’s optional, apparently.

This week, CNN’s Jake Tapper showed everyone exactly why millions of Americans have abandoned legacy media for more reliable sources. (And honestly, can you blame them?) In his rush to report on the arrest of the long-sought pipe bomb suspect from January 6, 2021, Tapper confidently delivered information to his viewers that revealed more about media bias than it did about the actual case.

From ‘The Post Millennial’:

CNN anchor Jake Tapper falsely stated that the black suspect arrested in connection with the investigation into the pipe bombs placed near the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, DC, was “a white man.”

“Brian Cole Jr., a 30-year-old white man from the DC suburbs, is charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and with malicious destruction by means of explosion,” Tapper said. Cole is black.

CNN’s Jake Tapper falsely tells his audience that a “white” male suspect was arrested in connection to J6 pipe bombs.

Brian Cole, the apprehended suspect, is a black male. pic.twitter.com/YBzmEwQH98

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 5, 2025

The Uncomfortable Reality

Here’s where it gets absolutely delicious. The problem wasn’t just that Tapper got a basic fact wrong—it’s that he assumed a racial identity that fit the media’s preferred narrative about January 6. Brian Cole Jr., the suspect arrested after evidence allegedly sat “collecting dust” during the Biden administration (shocking, right?), is a black man whose family runs a bail bond company that has helped release immigrants from ICE facilities. His father even appeared alongside attorney Ben Crump and previously sued the Department of Homeland Security over immigrant detention conditions.

The internet had an absolute field day, and honestly, who could blame them? Conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted the obvious: “You can’t make this stuff up.” Meanwhile, Nick Sortor went straight for the jugular, accusing CNN of pushing “anti-white rhetoric” by refusing to show Cole’s photo while incorrectly labeling him white. The reactions ranged from hilarious memes to genuine outrage, but everyone noticed the same thing: CNN was so terrified of straying from their narrative—so paralyzed by their own woke programming—that they literally couldn’t report basic facts.

Why Truth Takes a Back Seat

This isn’t just about one anchor’s mistake—it’s about an entire media bubble that operates on assumptions rather than verification. Think about it: they were so sure, so absolutely certain that a January 6 suspect had to be white that they didn’t even bother checking. The rush to label Cole as white reveals the mental straightjacket these journalists wear. When reality contradicts their precious narrative, their brains just… malfunction.

The irony here is almost too perfect, given CNN’s constant sermons about misinformation and their self-appointed role as fact-checkers of the universe. Here was Tapper, on prime time television, spreading demonstrably false information that could have been corrected with a two-second photo check. But why let pesky facts interfere with a good narrative? Besides, admitting a January 6 suspect is black might break their entire worldview.

This pattern of assumption-based reporting explains why trust in mainstream media is in a death spiral. Americans aren’t stupid—they see the disconnect between what they’re told and what actually happens. They notice when errors magically always flow in one direction, always support one political perspective, and never generate the kind of accountability that media outlets demand from everyone else. Funny how that works.

The Cole case itself raises questions that CNN seems allergic to exploring. Why did evidence sit dormant during the Biden years? (We all know why.) Why did it take Trump’s team returning to actually make progress on such a high-profile case? These are the stories real journalists would pursue, but they don’t fit the approved narrative template. Can’t have people thinking the Biden administration was incompetent, after all.

As this embarrassing episode fades from CNN’s coverage—probably faster than their tanking ratings—it leaves behind another monument to the media’s self-destruction. Every time they choose narrative over truth, assumption over verification, political correctness over basic reporting, they push more Americans toward alternative sources that actually, you know, report news. Jake Tapper’s error wasn’t just a simple mistake; it was a perfect snapshot of how thoroughly identity politics and liberal bias have corrupted what used to be journalism. But hey, at least they’re consistent—consistently wrong.

Key Takeaways

• CNN’s Jake Tapper falsely identified a black suspect as white, exposing narrative-driven reporting
• Media assumptions about January 6 consistently override basic fact-checking procedures
• Trust in mainstream journalism continues eroding as errors always favor one political narrative
• The Biden administration allegedly let key evidence “collect dust” until Trump’s team took over

Sources: The Post Millennial, Townhall