CNN’s Scott Jennings Accused of ‘Kissing Up’ to Bari Weiss Amid Takeover Talks

CNN’s conservative pundit Scott Jennings has been accused of “kissing up” to CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who could potentially be his future boss if Paramount’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is approved.

On Monday (March 2), Jennings weighed in on a Semafor article about Weiss’ comments on the U.S. attacks on Iran. The article claims that several CBS newsroom staffers were “frustrated” with Weiss after she reposted a clip of Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad slamming comments made by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Jennings focused on a specific quote from the article, which read, “At times, the CBS editor-in-chief has seemed to be more in touch with the changing geopolitical dynamics in Trump’s Washington than other international journalists in the newsroom.”

The quote was first shared on X by Jewish Insider editor-in-chief and Fox News analyst Josh Kaurshaar, which Jennings later quote-tweeted and added his own thoughts.

“The person running a newsroom in touch with where the news is being made, and with half the country that is constantly neglected? sounds like … a good thing, @bariweiss!” Jennings wrote.

the person running a newsroom in touch with where the news is being made, and with half the country that is constantly neglected? sounds like … a good thing, @bariweiss! https://t.co/nuChD7zaSK

— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) March 2, 2026

Social media users reacted to the post, with many accusing the MAGA-friendly pundit of sucking up to Weiss amid a potential merger of CNN and CBS News.

On February 26, Netflix announced it wouldn’t be matching Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, saying the deal was “no longer financially attractive.” The Paramount deal covers all WBD properties, including the linear networks, meaning CNN and CBS News would be under the same ownership.

“Haha kissing up to the future boss,” wrote one X user.

“Great- Why don’t you go work for her?” said another.

“Scott Jennings and Bari Weiss will soon work for the same company,” another added.

Another wrote, “Preemptively….” alongside a GIF of someone buttering up a cake.

Preemptively…. https://t.co/iriKCjJSEl pic.twitter.com/yTxh0kMdYD

— Brian Lowry (@blowryontv) March 2, 2026

“The public ass kissing is a bit much,” said one commenter.

I mean it’s not spewing fake regime propaganda as a cover to start and illegal war but with looking at you I’m sure she’ll get there pic.twitter.com/EEWeesPcL0

— Etan Nechin (@Etanetan23) March 2, 2026

Others called out Jennings for sharing Iran war propaganda from the Trump administration. Over the weekend, Jennings tweeted, “Senior Trump administration officials telling me that credible intelligence indicated Iran planned preemptive missile strikes against US military targets in the region, and against civilian targets as well. Failure to act would’ve resulted in mass US casualties.”

This contradicted CNN’s own report, published that same day, which stated Trump’s claims of Iran building missiles that “could soon reach the American homeland” had never been supported by U.S. intelligence or Pentagon officials.

According to the Status newsletter, several CNN staffers were “frustrated, to put it mildly,” that Jennings shared anonymous claims that contradicted the network’s own reporting.

Last month, longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper announced he would be leaving the show at the end of its current broadcast season. Cooper, who anchors his own show on CNN, stated that he decided to leave the program in order to spend more time with his young children.

However, according to Status, one source said Cooper wasn’t aligned with the “rightward direction” of CBS News under Weiss and Paramount CEO David Ellison. Cooper remains at CNN, which could soon be under the same ownership as CBS News.