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‘You Sound Unhinged’: Scott Jennings Tears Into ‘Crazy’ CNN Panelist Who Claims Republicans Like White Supremacists

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Republican strategist Scott Jennings on Monday called out a CNN panelist who accused the Republican Party and Trump administration of accepting white supremacists.

Harvard University announced it would reject the Trump administration’s demands to make reforms intended to address antisemitic harassment on campus. Harvard professor Jay Michaelson referenced allegations that White House senior advisor Elon Musk gave a “Sieg Heil” salute after Jennings noted the Trump administration was “willing to stand up” for Jewish students.

“I mean, I believe that what’s happened on these campuses in the Ivy League and in other places, mostly private institutions, has been an abomination. And someone has to stand up for these Jewish kids,” Jennings said, with Michaelson responding, “It’s not gonna be the rabbi at the table.”

“Someone stands up — someone has to stand — someone has to stand up for —” Jennings said before Michaelson interrupted, “It’s not gonna be my friends in Jewish studies who are the greatest, cancelled.”

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Pro-Hamas demonstrations at multiple universities and colleges since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that killed over 1,200 people in Israel have included anti-Israel protesters occupying buildings, chants of a slogan that has connotations of wiping out Israel and Jewish students being blocked from parts of campus.

“Until Donald Trump came along and his administration and decided to connect federal funds to stamping out the scourge of anti-Semitism on these campuses —” Jennings said while Michaelson interrupted with, “Like Nick Fuentes?”

Rapper Kanye West brought Nick Fuentes, an antisemite, to a dinner with President Donald Trump in November 2022.

“Nobody — nobody, nobody was willing to stand up for them,” Jennings continued while Michaelson peppered him with, “Like the Sieg Heil salute. Like standing up for Alliance for Deutschland.”

Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of pro-Hamas protests at Columbia University, was arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 8 after the Trump administration revoked his green card.

“I think the American people don‘t want a private university with a $53 billion endowment to get $1 while a Jewish kid is being discriminated against on campuses,” Jennings said, with Michaelson responding, “What a joke. What a complete joke.”

“Why is it a joke?” Jennings asked, with Michaelson responding. “You guys are nowhere — you have white supremacists in your party and in your administration.”

Michaelson attempted to back up his claims by citing Fuentes, as well as restating the allegation that Musk made a Nazi salute. The Anti-Defamation League explained that Musk’s gesture was not a Nazi salute in a Jan. 20 post on X, noting that it was an “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”

Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, converted to Judaism before marrying Jared Kushner. The Kushners’ children are also Jewish.

“You sound unhinged. You sound crazy,” Jennings concluded.