CNN pundit snaps during furious Iran war debate

WorldPolitics
1 May 2026 • 6:07 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

CNN pundit snaps during furious Iran war debate

  • CNN pundit Scott Jennings had a heated on-air confrontation with fellow commentator Adam Mockler during a debate about the war with Iran on Newsnight with Abby Phillip.
  • The argument escalated when Mockler criticised Jennings, a former George W Bush staffer, for defending "endless wars," referencing the 2003 Iraq War and the current conflict with Iran.
  • Jennings reacted strongly after Mockler gesticulated during his remarks, telling him to "get your f***ing hand out of my face" before host Abby Phillip intervened.
  • The debate was sparked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's claim that Americans are "grateful" for a president willing to confront the Islamic Republic, despite a CNN poll showing nearly six in ten Americans did not back the war.
  • Following the viral exchange, Mockler further criticised Jennings on X (formerly Twitter), and California Governor Gavin Newsom also mocked Jennings' outburst on the platform.

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