Scott Jennings, former Bush operative and CNN commentator, explores growing divides in the GOP in his book A Revolution of Common Sense. He highlights disagreements over spending, entitlement reform and tariffs, and notes Elon Musk singled out Sen. Rand Paul as the only Washington figure who "gets it." Jennings argues that serious fiscal reform will require difficult structural changes while urging caution about narrowing the party's tent and defending a broadly protective view of free speech.
Elon Musk Praises Rand Paul — Scott Jennings on GOP Fractures, Spending and Free Speech
Elon Musk Said Rand Paul Is the One Person in Washington Who 'Gets It'
Fractures within the conservative movement have deepened amid a series of controversies, forcing renewed debate over who belongs in the GOP and what conservatism now means.
To explore those tensions, I spoke with CNN commentator Scott Jennings, whose national profile grew during the 2024 presidential campaign for his viral exchanges on political panels. Jennings began his career as a political operative in George W. Bush's White House and often cites Sen. Mitch McConnell (R–Ky.) as an influential mentor. He represents a meeting of the GOP's institutional old guard and its newer populist wing.
Jennings' New Book
Jennings's recent book, A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization, is a robust defense of the Trump presidency but also highlights meaningful rifts inside the party. The book asks whether the GOP can reconcile competing priorities — a question that feels particularly urgent as the party balances populist appeals with traditional conservative principles.
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Trump, Musk And Spending
One flashpoint was the public falling-out between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Initially aligned around reducing government waste, their relationship frayed after Trump proposed a large legislative package dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Musk quipped, "I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful, but I don't know if it could be both."
That spat underscored a longstanding tension in Republican circles: do leaders truly mean the party's rhetoric on fiscal responsibility and shrinking the national debt? Jennings says Musk named only one Washington lawmaker who "gets it": Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.).
Entitlements, Tariffs, And Political Trade-offs
Jennings praises parts of the One Big Beautiful Bill in his book but also admits the deeper fiscal challenges will require difficult structural reforms. "Ultimately, if you really wanted to tackle this, it's going to require some pretty massive structural changes in entitlements and other things that are effectively just on autopilot right now," he told me, while acknowledging Trump's campaign promise not to cut Social Security or Medicare.
Instead of entitlement cuts, the administration has proposed raising revenue through tariffs — a notable departure from traditional conservative economics. While tariffs were billed as a way to revive U.S. manufacturing, the sector has experienced job losses for seven consecutive months. Jennings described the policy as politically motivated by concerns about the hollowing out of middle America, even as it departs from orthodox conservative theory.
On messaging, Jennings criticized some of the administration's populist framing. Referring to comments about consumer choices, he said, "If I were advising him, I would tell him I don't think that's the correct communications vector on this."
Free Speech And The First Amendment
A central theme of Jennings's book is free speech. He argues that, despite controversies, Trump is generally friendlier to the First Amendment than recent presidents. At the same time, Jennings acknowledges actions that raise questions: lawsuits against media companies, deportation efforts tied to controversial speech, and government pressure on platforms or networks. His view is pragmatic: there are individual moments that deserve scrutiny, but overall he finds Trump's posture toward speech more protective than alternative administrations.
"I think you could pick out any individual moment and say, 'Oh, what about this? What about that?'" Jennings said. "Generally, my argument is: Trump is friendlier to speech and friendlier to the First Amendment and friendlier to the press than virtually any other president in my lifetime."
Where The GOP Draws Lines
Jennings favors a broad tent for the GOP but draws clear boundaries. He rejects extreme ideological positions and toxic rhetoric as unacceptable entry points for the party. "If somebody walked in the door and said, 'Let's raise all the tax rates to 100 percent,' we'd beat them up and throw them out," he said. "But if somebody oozes into the door and says, 'Hey, I have a great idea, let's deny the Holocaust and praise Stalin and worship Hitler or whatever'—we don't have to absorb that either."
Ultimately, Jennings wants a winning Republican Party that can reconcile populist energy with governance and principle — a challenging balancing act that will require tough choices on spending, trade and speech.
Originally published at Reason.com.
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