Democratic Pundit Stumbles as Scott Jennings Puts Her on the Spot About Gas Prices in Feisty CNN Debate

Democratic pundit Neera Tanden stumbled Wednesday night on CNN NewsNight when conservative co-panelist Scott Jennings put her on the spot about gas prices as she warned President Donald Trump’s renewed strikes against Iran were raising the cost at the pump for Americans.

Trump launched attacks on targets in Iran after the regime itself struck several ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

Speaking on CNN, after host Abby Phillip asked how prolonging the conflict worked in the average Americans’ “favor,” Tanden argued that the conflict had made the Strait of Hormuz a “contested area” and that was a “problem for the global economy.”

“I think the real problem here is that the president cannot get a face-saving deal out of the Iranians, and that is why he’s back to bombing,” she said.

“But I just, as a reminder to everyone, when there are bombings of Iran, essentially, we all pay more for gas because prices of gas and prices of oil go up, as they did today. And I think this is the conundrum that the president is in,” she added.

Jennings interjected: “What’s the price of gas today?”

“It’s seven – the barrel went up to $78,” she countered.

But the conservative pressed on: “What’s the price of a gallon of gas in the United States right now?”

“It’s $4.30?” Tanden replied, unsure.

“No, negative,” Jennings said. “And what was the highest price of gas under Joe Biden?”

“Scott, that’s not actually the question,” Phillip cut in.

“Gas is lower today than before [Trump],” Jennings insisted.

“No, it’s not!” the host said. “Gas is not cheaper today than when Trump took office, and it’s not lower today than before Trump started the war. So look, you can dismiss the gas thing, but it’s a real thing that people are going to the gas pump filling up their tank, and it’s costing them 70 bucks.”

“Brent crude was $80 on January 2025, just saying,” Republican co-panelist Peter Meijer added.

“It’s less,” Jennings said.

Following the latest round of strikes, Brent crude reportedly surged 6% to $74.50 a barrel.

U.S. gas prices also inched up, with AAA putting the national average for regular gasoline at $3.80 per gallon on Wednesday, but the number is below both last week’s $3.85 average and $4.16 a month ago. Any gas price spike is likely to follow an abrupt change in the price of a barrel of oil.

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!