What To Know
- Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta said Scott Jennings should be fired after using an expletive during an on-air debate.
- The heated exchange occurred on CNN NewsNight, where Jennings debated MeidasTouch commentator Adam Mockler.
- Acosta criticized Jennings’ repeated on-air behavior, insisting that his actions warrant immediate termination.
Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta has called for the network to fire conservative commentator Scott Jennings following his expletive-filled showdown with a fellow panelist.
“It’s appalling and it’s a fireable offense. I think he should be fired. I’ve been saying for some time he should be fired,” the long-time journalist said on Friday’s (May 1) edition of The Jim Acosta Show, per Fox News Digital.
Acosta was referring to Thursday’s (April 30) episode of CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, during which Jennings clashed with MeidasTouch commentator Adam Mockler over President Donald Trump‘s war with Iran. The debate became heated as Mockler pressed Jennings to name “one political concession” the U.S. had received from Iran.
“We all know that Scott Jennings is more than happy to defend a war with a country that starts with letters ‘I-r-a’ that we are currently failing, that is going to put us trillions and trillions of dollars more in debt,” Mockler said. “I was only a few years old while you were in the administration defending prior endless wars. Now this war is failing.”
“Eight weeks is endless to you?” Jennings fired back. “You have the attention span of a gnat?”
Mockler retorted, saying, “Now you’re making condescending remarks because you can’t defend the fact that this war is not going your way.”
As the 23-year-old progressive commentator continued to press for an answer, gesturing with his hands to emphasize his point, Jennings snapped, telling Mockler, “Get your f****** hand out of my face!”
Mockler later shared a video of the debate on X, writing, “Scott Jennings claimed I got in his face. Watch what actually happened in the full CNN segment. He throws a personal jab… then folds the second he gets pressed. Scott loves to dish it but can’t take it.”
Acosta, who worked at CNN alongside Jennings for eight years before exiting the network in 2025, praised Phillip for helping calm tensions in the studio. He also reiterated that Jennings’ behavior should result in immediate termination.
“He’s been getting away with this crap for so long,” Acosta stated. “I mean, they should just hand him his boxes today and tell him to get the hell out.”