CNN Star Teases Jennings About Getting ‘Another Shot’ at Job
The conservative commentator was snubbed for the White House press secretary job despite being an early frontrunner.
NewsNight, CNN
CNN commentator Ana Navarro joked that her colleague, Scott Jennings, may get another chance to become White House press secretary after Katie Zacharia’s rocky debut.
While discussing Zacharia’s first performance as press secretary, Jennings said he would give her “a little grace,” considering it’s “tough to be thrown out there in a job like this.”
“It’s one of the few jobs in the world where if you go out and make a public utterance, every single television station will carry it, which is what happened to her today,” Jennings said.
Jennings, 48, also said that Karoline Leavitt, 29, was a tough act to follow.
“She was so good at it. She was breezy and in full command, really, for the whole time she had it.”
Reporters raise their hands to ask questions as the new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds her first press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US, October 13, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque, Reuters
Navarro then prodded Jennings, seeing if he thought that Zacharia would beat Anthony Scaramucci’s notoriously short stint as White House communications director.
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She joked that Jennings “might get another shot at the apple.”
“I think you’re obviously more interested in that than I was,” Jennings rebutted.
Conservative commentator Scott Jennings is interviewed onstage at an Americans for Prosperity event at the Adventureland amusement park on August 22, 2026 in Altoona, Iowa.
Leon Neal/Leon Neal, Getty Images
“On what? On you leaving the panel? Maybe,” Navarro said.
Jennings, CNN’s token conservative pundit, was rumored to be in the running to replace Leavitt after she left the role in August to spend more time with her family.
Reports indicate Jennings was vying for the job after videos of him defending Natalie Harp reached the White House, prompting a meeting with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and other staffers in Washington, D.C.
White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia looks on as President Donald Trump stops to speak to reporters in Washington, DC, before departing for Alaska on October 13, 2026.
Win McNamee/Win McNamee, Getty Images
“Scott Jennings is good,” President Donald Trump said at the time, when asked if the political contributor was being considered for the position.
CNN anchor Abby Phillip teased that her co-worker would have been better for the job after Zacharia’s awkward first press briefing on Tuesday.
“Why can’t the president hire somebody who is qualified? Who actually knows how to speak publicly, who can handle the job?” Phillip asked, shifting her attention to Jennings.
“It’s not like there are not people who can do that. Maybe one of them is sitting at the table today,” she said, as the camera cut to the conservative commentator.
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