CNN analyst Scott Jennings went scorched earth defending President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to tap Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense — as he slammed the current Pentagon leadership over its disastrous record.
Jennings, a former campaign staffer for President George W. Bush, appeared on CNN Tuesday night to discuss Trump’s unorthodox choice to have a cable news personality lead the US military strategy.
The political strategist passionately went to bat for Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, against his fellow panelists on the left-leaning broadcaster, which included journalist Carl Bernstein.
“Does anyone have confidence in the current leadership of the Pentagon, and the way the defense situation has been operating for the last several years?” Jennings pointed out.
“I mean, from the Afghanistan pullout — which was an extreme debacle for which no one was held accountable. We’ve had spy balloons flying over the United States. We built a $300 million pier [for aid in Gaza] as a public relations stunt, which wound up killing an American service member,” he rattled off.
“I’d say I’ve had just about enough of the so-called insiders running the Defense Department,” he insisted.
When Bernstein tried to push back on Jennings’ dismissal of DC “insiders,” the Kentucky native was quick with his own retort.
“I hear all the criticism of him is that he’s not the expected Washington pick. And I’m just saying to you that the American people just voted against the expected Washington pick,” he said, referring to Trump’s historic election win last week.
Jennings also pointed out Hegseth’s credentials outside of his punditry career.
“He’s got 20 years in service. Afghanistan, Iraq. Two Bronze Stars. Princeton, Harvard,” he said.
“Yeah, he’s on TV, but so are the rest of us.”
Hegseth, 44, was one of several cabinet picks the Trump camp announced on Tuesday.
He was a wild-card selection from a roster of top contenders with more traditional backgrounds.
In addition to his work on Fox, the dad of four still serves in the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Individual Ready Reserve, according to multiple outlets.
