On Sept. 21, conservative commentator Scott Jennings was asked on CNN whether he supports President Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access. Jennings said he doubts the ban will withstand legal challenge and warned it could reduce the president’s reach and be self-defeating. He also argued that removing adversarial reporters can eliminate exchanges that sometimes benefit the president. The three outlets have filed suit, major networks have voiced support, and the White House launched its own platform, "Trump TV."
Scott Jennings Pressed on Trump’s Ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico — Says It Could Backfire
Scott Jennings - CNN YouTube
Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was put on the spot on Monday night, Sept. 21, when CNN asked whether he supports President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access.
Trump announced on Sept. 18 that those outlets would be banned, warning on Truth Social that "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow." The following day, Sept. 19, reporters from the three organizations had their press credentials revoked by the Secret Service.
On the Sept. 21 edition of CNN NewsNight, guest host Sara Sidner — filling in for Abby Phillip — directly asked Jennings whether he backed the administration’s move, which affects the network on which he appears.
Jennings, who has been mentioned among names floated as a possible White House press secretary, said he doubted the ban would hold up in court. "I think he's unlikely to prevail in court," he said, adding that the practical consequence so far appears to be reduced reach for the president: "It seems to me the net result of this has been [Trump] has less reach. I mean, his message is not going to get out as much."
"If this sort of becomes the way it is, he will be seen and heard by fewer people, which I think is actually a net negative since he's his own best spokesperson and his own best press secretary," Jennings added.
Jennings also argued that excluding certain outlets eliminates the adversarial exchanges that can sometimes serve the president by raising his profile. "I actually think sparring with some of these folks in the Oval works to his advantage," he said. "And so if you take them out, you lose that a little bit." He stopped short of explicitly endorsing the ban and said, based on what he has heard, he does not expect the policy to "stick."
The effects of the media restrictions were visible on Monday, when the ribbon-cutting for the new White House helipad aired without audio after the press pool was left without a microphone.
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin — also a guest on the program — pressed Jennings further, asking, "So, if you're press secretary, you're not gonna do that? Is that what you're pledging here right now?" Jennings laughed and declined to answer directly: "I'm not answering that."
Since the announcement, CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a lawsuit challenging the ban. Major news organizations, including Fox News, have publicly rallied in support of the affected outlets. The White House, meanwhile, launched its own platform, "Trump TV," on the Monday following the bans.
Before the segment ended, Jennings said he considers CNN and Politico to be "news outlets" but described MS NOW as "like total alternative reality," noting he sees a distinction among the organizations. Sidner observed that some viewers might say the same about Fox; Jennings responded with a light-hearted reference to a past comment by former President Obama.
The interview aired on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.
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