Republican CNN pundit Scott Jennings recently shut down his fellow co-host Abby Phillips during a recent “CNN NewsNight” segment when the panel discussed Elon Musk’s international business dealings. While Democrats have shown little concern about the Biden family’s participation in foreign business ventures, Phillips voiced apprehension toward Musk.
Asking Jennings if he shared the same sentiment, Jennings said, “Do you have concerns about Elon Musk’s business dealings in other countries, including American adversaries, and the level of influence that has over his own behavior and his interests?” The conservative pundit confidently responded, “I have no concerns about Elon Musk.”
However, Jennings noted that he is concerned about the Biden family, particularly with their involvement in China. “I have been looking at pictures of Joe Biden and Hunter Biden meeting with Chinese political leaders lately that we were told didn’t exist. So for all the people who are really upset about Elon Musk having a very successful international business that actually produces things, actually produces vehicles or rockets or whatever they’re doing, the Bidens produce nothing, and yet we’re also doing business in China … so I don’t accept this…”
Phillips interjected, asserting, “I don’t want you to change the subject, because it’s not really about whether he’s a successful business person or not. It’s about whether his material interests as a business owner are in conflict with the United States as national security.” However, Jennings maintained that Musk’s business interests align with the goals of the United States.
“My view is his prospects and interests as a business owner, and most of the things he’s into, electric cars, rockets, the internet that we’re using all over the world. It’s good for the United States to be the warehouse for that. It’s good for our national security to have this kind of technology. I just the idea that there is somehow a conflict in the United States having this kind of a businessman, and that’s somehow bad for us,” he continued.
The American Tribune previously reported on comments from Jennings on CNN, just after President-elect Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. Jennings emphasized that the results of the election should be a wake-up call for the mainstream media. “This is a mandate. He’s won the national popular vote for the first time for a Republican since 2004, this is a big deal. This isn’t backing into the office,” he said.
“I also feel like this election, as we sit here and pour over this tonight, is something of an indictment of the political information complex. We’ve been sitting around it for the last couple of weeks, and the story that was portrayed was not true,” he said. “And so I think that both parties should always look at the results of an election and figure out what went right, what went wrong. But I think for all of us who cover elections and talk about elections and do this on a day-to-day basis, We have to figure out how to understand, talk to and listen to the half of the country that rose up the night and said, we’ve had enough.”
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Watch Jennings discuss Musk below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.