CNN’s Scott Jennings Says Trump ‘Betting His Presidency’ On Tariffs — Refuses To Say They’re ‘A Good Bet’
CNN’s Scott Jennings — a staunch defender of President Donald Trump — said Trump is “betting his presidency” on a tariff policy that has fueled a global stock market selloff — then refused to call it a “good bet.”
The stock market dropped like a boulder as soon as the opening bell rang Thursday morning after Trump announced his tariff program, and closed almost 1700 points in the hole — and that was before China announced reciprocal tariffs that sent futures crashing again. But Trump, in comments to reporters on the North Lawn and aboard Air Force One Thursday afternoon, projected success.
On Friday’s edition of CNN News Central, anchor John Berman asked Jennings if Trump’s assurances had “an Animal House quality.”
Jennings was diplomatic in his responses, but conspicuously avoided answering affirmatively when Berman asked if the president is making “a good bet” with his presidency on the line:
JOHN BERMAN: In the middle of all of that, President Trump said this.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: How’s it going? I think it’s going very well. It was an operation, like when a patient gets operated on. The markets are going to boom. The stock is going to go boom. The country is going boom. And the rest of the world wants to see, is there any way they can make a deal?
JOHN BERMAN: I think it’s all going very well. Scott Jennings, does that have an Animal House quality? Kevin Bacon saying, “all is well, remain calm.”
SCOTT JENNINGS: Well, he firmly believes in this and he believes that and I heard him say on the plane last night, you know, countries are already calling to talk about what they can do with the United States.
He firmly believes it and he firmly believes in making this bet. I mean, he’s betting his presidency on this issue, which is probably the most closely and longest held political and economic belief that he’s ever had. He’s been talking about doing it for 40 years.
JOHN BERMAN: Do you think it’s a good bet?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We’ll find out. If it’s right, it’ll be the ballsiest thing that ever happened. And if it wrong, the consequences will fall on one shoulder.
JOHN BERMAN: To that end, Megan, Axios made this same point that Scott is making here.
For better or worse, as we’re looking at the stock market drops from yesterday, the futures being pointed down today, Donald Trump did this. I don’t think he would deny that. I think he’d own it.
But Donald Trump did this by choice.
MEGHAN HAYS: Yeah, absolutely. It’s kind of shocking.
Watch above via CNN News Central.
