CNN Crew Busts Out Laughing Over Scott Jennings’ Defense of Mysterious Trump ‘Gift’ Claim

The CNN Newsnight crew busted out laughing at GOP analyst Scott Jennings as he tried to explain President Donald Trump’s mysterious claim of a “gift” from an unidentified Iranian leader.

Amid a fluctuating ultimatum and accusations he fabricated “talks” with unidentified Iranians to save face, Trump went on a halting riff to the press Tuesday to boost his claim that he’s in meaningful talks with a credible leader:

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They’re going to make a deal. They did something yesterday that was amazing, actually. They gave us a present and the present arrived today. And it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money. And I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize. And they gave it to us, and they said they were going to give it. So that meant one thing to me: we’re dealing with the right people.

REPORTER: Was it nuclear-related?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, it wasn’t nuclear-related. It was oil and gas related, and it was a very nice thing they did.

On Tuesday’s edition of CNN NewsNight, guest host Kasie Hunt introduced the clip with clear amusement and bemusement, then asked her table “does anyone sitting here have any idea what he’s talking about?”:

HUNT: Now, we have the president today saying that we are having — that he is having conversations with the Iranians, and that they gave him a present, and that this is part of why he’s encouraged by the state of the negotiations.

I would like to play that moment for you and then we’ll see if we can get our conversation a little bit more on the rails around that. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They did something yesterday that was amazing actually.

They gave us a present and the present arrived today. And it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money. And I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize.

It was oil and gas related, and it was a very nice thing they did. But what it showed me is that we’re dealing with the right people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: So, does anyone sitting here have any idea what he’s talking about?

DEMINGS: I’m sure Scott does. Please tell us what he’s talking about.

(LAUGHTER)

JENNINGS: No, none of us do because none of us are in the room for these negotiations that are going on.

(LAUGHTER)

MOCKLER: (INAUDIBLE) like Trump isn’t either.

JENNINGS: You’re not. You’re not.

MOCKLER: Trump isn’t either.

JENNINGS: You’re not. You’re not. And, obviously, they’re talking —

HUNT: I didn’t say  I knew!

(CROSSTALKS)

JENNINGS: None of us are going to be.

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.

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