CNN host Abby Phillip grilled the network’s token Republican for squirming in his chair over the latest Trump-Musk spat.
“Scott, you look very uncomfortable,” Phillip told Scott Jennings on Tuesday evening’s edition of NewsNight as the panel pored over the tit-for-tat between the former MAGA allies.
The latest spat began when Elon Musk started firing off on X about President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which the billionaire says will adds trillions of dollars to the national debt, thus undoing his cost-cutting work with the Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump responded to the running critique from Musk by hinting that he might have to deport the South African-born billionaire and slash the government subsidies that prop up his U.S.-based companies.
“No criticism, Elon, or we’ll take your government subsidies away,” Phillip paraphrased on Tuesday’s show, turning to Jennings.
Jennings, a vocal supporter of both men, answered: “Well, he’s never been known, the president, to shy away from debating someone who’s publicly taking him on, so I’m not surprised to see him jousting with Elon.”
He continued: “I still consider them both to be important. I think the dividing line in politics right now for me is who’s trying to preserve Western civilization and who’s not, and I still think Trump and Elon are on the same side of that line. I hope someday they get it back together.”
Jennings then pointed out that Jennings looked “uncomfortable,” to which he responded: “I love them both, as you know. I love them both and I don’t like it when they fight. I’ve never liked it when they fight. I don’t like it when my friends are fighting. They’re fighting, I don’t like it.”
Another panelist joked: “Mom and dad are fighting!”
“I’m gonna hide in the garage,” Jennings quipped.
Bakari Sellers—a former Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives—was in a jovial mood because of the spat.
“I love it. I mean, he called Elon a welfare queen,” Sellers said. “I mean, he looked dead in the camera and said, ‘Elon Musk is a welfare queen and I will take your welfare queen money and send you back to where you came from.’”
Later in the show, Sellers got his own back on Jennings for a testy moment back in December. “Don’t touch me!” Jennings demanded as Sellers put his hand on his colleague’s shoulder as the pair discussed inflation.
On Tuesday evening, they were discussing New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani when Sellers got his own back.
“My barber, Tremaine, does not care about who the mayor of New York City is. He simply does not listen....” Sellers said, when Jennings reached over and planted a hand on him, saying, “Comrade, it’s an important city...”
“Can you not touch me?!” Sellers shouted, tongue in cheek, adding: “I was waiting on that!”
