CNN’s Scott Jennings Humiliated as Panelist Uses His Own Words Against Him
What To Know
- During a CNN panel discussion on the DHS shutdown, Scott Jennings predicted a deal would be reached.
- CNN commentator Ashley Allison pointed out that Jennings’ own argument supported the Democratic position.
- Allison argued that the shutdown might not backfire on Democrats as some suggest, highlighting public frustration over unpaid TSA agents.
CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings was embarrassed as he had his own words used against him on Monday’s (March 23) edition of CNN NewsNight as the panel discussed the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Kasie Hunt, who was filling in for regular host Abby Phillip, asked Jennings what it would take to get President Donald Trump “to a point where he’s willing to do what a lot of people in the Republican Senate seem to want him to do?”
“I think there is going to be a deal,” Jennings said, per Mediaite, regarding the standoff between Democrats and Republicans over DHS funding, which has seen TSA agents working at airports without pay. Recently, Trump ordered ICE agents to airports to help with the backlog.
Jennings said he’d spoken to Republican senators who attended the White House on Monday and believed a deal would be struck, adding, “Some Democrats may be willing to go along with this.”
The MAGA pundit claimed the deal would see the parties agreeing to “fund DHS, except for the enforcement removal operations, EROs,” and then “go to a reconciliation plan wherein that you then do the ERO funding and you try to do the Save America Act.”
“And the only reason this is possible is because the president got them plenty of money last summer in the Big Beautiful Bill for ICE operations,” he continued. He added that while Democrats would “never support reconciliation,” a few might come aboard with the phase one funding part.
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He concluded, “This might be how it ends, and maybe you get it done this week, and maybe we get these poor TSA agents their paychecks.”
CNN political commentator Ashley Allison then jumped in, claiming that Jennings supported her own thoughts. “Scott, you just made my point for me,” she said. “The president got ICE so much money in the summer, so why do they actually need more?”
“That is the point that Democrats are making,” she added. “You just gave them a runnable clip on every commercial. They don’t need this money to be a part of this bill in order to fund FEMA, TSA, and a couple other components of the Homeland Security.”
Allison also said she isn’t so sure this shutdown would “backfire” on Democrats like some have claimed. She said Trump “spending all this money on a Rose Garden ceremony” while TSA agents are still waiting to get paid doesn’t “play well.”
CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Weeknights, 10 pm et, CNN
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