CNN’s Abby Phillip Hits Out at Scott Jennings Over Trump Gas Prices
What To Know
- A heated debate erupted on CNN NewsNight between Scott Jennings and other panelists over gas prices.
- Panelists disagreed on whether gas prices are currently higher or lower under the Trump administration.
- Host Abby Phillip fact-checked Jennings live on-air.
Scott Jennings got into a chaotic war of words with his fellow CNN NewsNight panelists on Wednesday night (July 8) during a debate about the price of gas under the Trump administration.
The show grew heated after Democratic political consultant Neera Tanden said that the president declaring the peace deal with Iran “over” will mean “we all pay more for gas because prices of gas and prices of oil go up, as they did today.”
Jennings interrupted Tanden to ask her what the price of gas is right now. Tanden, who served as a White House advisor for former President Joe Biden, estimated the cost of a barrel of oil at $78 and gas at $4.30 per gallon.
“No, negative,” Jennings said as host Abby Phillip tried to get the segment back on track. The conservative commentator ignored her, though, and continued to go after Tanden, asking, “And what was the price of gas under Joe Biden?”
“Scott, that’s actually not the question,” Phillip interjected as the panel began shouting over each other.
“Gas is lower today than when [Trump] took office,” Jennings stated.
“No, it’s not,” Phillip fired back. “Gas is not lower today than when Trump took office, and it’s not lower today than when Trump started the war. So look, you can dismiss the gas thing, but it’s a real thing that people are going to the gas pump, filling up their tank, and it’s costing them 70 bucks.”
When another panelist tried to support Jennings’ claim that gas prices were lower now than in 2025, Phillip hit back, “Average gas price is higher today than when Trump came to office.”
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average retail price of regular gasoline in the U.S. in 2025 was $3.10 per gallon, down from $3.31 in 2024. In comparison, the average gas price so far in 2026 is $3.87 per gallon, though prices have fluctuated between $3.80 and $4.20.
You can watch the segment in the video above.
CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Weeknights, 11/10 c, CNN
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