“It’s a Yes or No!” Tense Debate Erupts Over Trump’s Racist Conspiracy
Joe Maiorana/AP
A heated discussion unfolded on CNN Wednesday night between Republican strategist Scott Jennings and conservative political commentator Ana Navarro, centered on a racist conspiracy theory promoted by former President Donald Trump during a recent debate.
The discussion took place on CNN’s Newsnight, where the panel addressed Trump’s claim that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Jennings, who previously served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, attempted to navigate the conversation by framing it within the broader issue of immigration.
“I do think it’s a legitimate conversation to have about the societal public safety health impacts anytime cities or communities get drastically changed because of our immigration system,” Jennings stated. He mentioned various locations, including Springfield, the U.S.-Mexico border, and New York City, as examples of areas facing immigration challenges. “I don’t think that’s an illegitimate conversation to have,” he added.
Jennings then posed what he called the “real question”—whether America can have this conversation “flippantly” or “seriously.” Navarro quickly responded, pointing out that Trump’s remarks weren’t sarcastic or exaggerated. “He was amplifying a conspiracy theory that I think you would agree puts a target on the back of Haitian immigrants and that it is based on racism. Would you agree on that?”
Following a brief, uncomfortable silence—broken only by another panelist who mentioned the theory’s foundation in “anti-Black racism”—Navarro pressed Jennings further. “Do you think that if there were 20,000 Scandinavians that had been sent to Springfield, the people would be saying that they’re eating cats and dogs and geese?”
Jennings tried to sidestep the direct question, stating, “I’m not going to answer for him, for his memes, or anything else.” However, Navarro wasn’t satisfied and insisted he answer whether the conspiracy was rooted in racism. “It’s a yes or no!” she demanded.
Flustered, Jennings replied, “Because I’m not going to answer — I don’t know!” prompting host Abby Phillip to remark, “That was a long pause, Scott.” Jennings defended himself, saying, “I don’t know the answer. And I’m not going to sit here and answer for somebody. I don’t talk to Donald Trump about what the motivations are, and I don’t answer to you either.”
Phillip pushed Jennings further, asking, “What is the answer for you?” Jennings tried to redirect the conversation to broader immigration concerns. “The bottom line is immigration is a top-two issue in this election. It must be discussed. And we’re either going to go down a rabbit hole here which is not the real issue, or we’re going to talk about the real issues.”
Navarro shot back, accusing Trump of driving the conversation into conspiracy territory. “The reason we’re not talking about the legitimate issues you have brought up is because he is claiming with no facts that Haitian migrants are eating pets! And that is a dangerous conspiracy theory to be spreading to America.”
