Conservative political strategist and CNN personality Scott Jennings hesitates when asked if President Donald Trump has ‘a corruption problem’
CNN commentator and conservative political strategist Scott Jennings didn’t immediately answer when he was asked whether President Donald Trump and his administration have a “corruption problem.”
The question came up during Tuesday, September 22’s episode of The Fifth Column, where cohost Michael Moynihan put Jennings on the spot.
‘Corruption problem’
“Does Donald Trump and the Trump administration have a corruption problem?” Moynihan asked.
Jennings didn’t confidently respond right away. After a pause and a sigh, he questioned the wording rather than giving a direct answer.
“That’s a very generic question,” he replied. “I mean, is there something pretty simple?”
Examples of ‘corruption’
Moynihan then gave Jennings several examples, including presidential pardons, Trump’s involvement in cryptocurrency and a Russian businessman paying for his son’s wedding.
“I’ve given you the easiest possible way. If I get specific: pardons, pardon the Binance guy, for instance, World Liberty Financial coins, Russian guys paying for weddings, etc.,” the host noted.
Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, who is close to President Vladimir Putin, reportedly put hundreds of thousands of dollars toward Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding to Bettina Anderson.
Trump later claimed his son had repaid Kremlev, even though Anderson had previously said the money was a gift.
Jennings argued that it wasn’t a big deal because Trump Jr. is not “in the government.”
‘Not my social world’
“It’s kind of gross, right? Like, there’s some taint to it,” cohost Kmele Foster said.
“I’ll be candid with you. This is not my social world. I don’t necessarily exist in that world. I’m generally — I’m just a son of a garbage man from Kentucky,” Jennings replied.
“But my general expectation of them is that they should follow all the applicable laws and ethics regulations, and I believe that they are,” he continued.
“Do I think that the Democrats are going to, if they were to win any majority of either chamber, do I think they’re going to dig into all this? Absolutely.”
Trump’s media ban
Earlier this week, Jennings was also careful when asked whether he supported Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporting from the White House.
“I think he’s unlikely to prevail in court, A. B, it seems to me the net result of this has been he has less reach. His message is not going to get out as much,” he responded.
“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.”