Job-Hungry Scott Jennings Cornered on Trump’s Media Ban

Reuters, CNN MAGA pundit Scott Jennings flipped quickly into deflection mode when grilled on CNN about his possible future boss banning the network that employs him.

The 48-year-old is considered among the frontrunners to replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary, but finds himself torn between two masters after Donald Trump announced he was banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the building.

In solidarity, rival TV networks NBC, ABC, CBS and even Fox News suspended White House pool duties and refused to cover Trump’s media appearances in New York on Monday.

The three banned outlets are suing the president, claiming that his move violates the First and Fifth Amendments.

The suit was filed in federal court in D.C. on Monday and is due to be heard on Wednesday.

Jennings made his regular appearance on CNN’s NewsNight on Monday, where guest host Sara Sidner said, “Scott, I don’t know if you know this, but your name is up for running for the next press secretary.” “Hmm,” he replied, before the host asked if he agreed with the president’s press ban.

Jennings ignored the question.

“I think he’s unlikely to prevail in court,” he said.

He continued, “It seems to me the net result of this has been, he has less reach.

And 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 also said Trump “sparring” with reporters in the Oval Office “works to his advantage.

And so if you take them out, you lose that a little bit.” He went on, “I’m not a lawyer... but based on what I’ve heard, it’s unlikely to stick.

And it might be a little self-defeating if you consider that you want the president to be heard and seen more, like I do...

This seems to be working against that.” Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin, who was also on the NewsNight panel, followed up with another question to Jennings: “If you’re press secretary you’re not going to do that.