CBS News Reportedly Courting Pro-Trump Analyst Scott Jennings from CNN in Major Shake-Up to Boost Ratings and Political Balance
CBS News is reportedly eyeing CNN’s prominent conservative commentator Scott Jennings, a familiar face to cable-news audiences and one of the few right-leaning voices to rise within CNN’s ranks over the past decade. According to a New York Post report on October 27, 2025, CBS executives—led by new editorial director Bari Weiss—are in active talks to bring Jennings aboard as part of a broader push to diversify viewpoints and recapture audiences lost to partisan fatigue. The move, if finalized, could mark one of the biggest on-air talent shifts in mainstream news since the 2020s media realignment.
Jennings, 47, is best known for his sharp political analysis, deep Republican ties, and unflinching defense of Donald Trump’s policies during and after his presidency. A former aide to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and a veteran of the George W. Bush White House, Jennings has built a reputation as one of cable news’s few commentators willing to challenge progressive narratives on their home turf. His on-air debates—often fiery but fact-anchored—have made him both a target of criticism from the left and a fan favorite among conservative viewers who felt CNN had long abandoned balance.
Inside CBS, sources told the Post that Weiss, who took the network’s reins this summer with a mandate to “restore credibility across the political spectrum,” personally championed Jennings as a hire who could signal a true course correction. “Scott is a ratings magnet,” one insider reportedly said. “He connects with everyday Americans who feel ignored by the coastal echo chambers. That’s what CBS wants to tap into—a return to journalistic sanity.”
For CNN, losing Jennings would be a blow both symbolically and strategically. Amid declining ratings and continued internal upheaval following the network’s post-Zaslav restructuring, Jennings has been one of the few contributors to retain bipartisan respect. His willingness to appear on Fox News and independent podcasts made him a bridge between traditional cable and the new digital media landscape. As one former CNN producer put it, “Scott was the guy viewers trusted because he didn’t toe a party line—he just said what millions of people were thinking.”
If the CBS deal goes through, Jennings is expected to anchor a new Sunday political program designed to compete directly with Meet the Press and State of the Union. Rumors suggest the show could feature rotating guests from both parties, emphasizing open debate rather than pre-scripted talking points—a format that Jennings himself has long advocated for.
The recruitment of Jennings also reflects a deeper shift in American media’s post-2024 environment. With Donald Trump back in the White House and his policies once again dominating headlines, major outlets are racing to adapt. Networks that alienated conservative audiences during the previous decade are now seeking to rebuild trust—and talent like Jennings represents exactly the kind of bridge they need. CBS’s bid for him suggests a recognition that the old media order, dominated by predictable partisan coverage, no longer sustains audience loyalty.
Jennings, for his part, has not publicly commented on the reports. On X (formerly Twitter), he simply posted a cryptic message late Sunday night: “Real news is coming.” Within hours, his tweet had been liked more than 120,000 times, with supporters flooding his mentions urging him to “bring truth to CBS.”
Whether he stays or leaves, one thing is certain: Jennings’s next move will ripple far beyond television studios. His potential transition from CNN to CBS embodies the ongoing transformation of America’s media ecosystem—where facts, trust, and perspective are finally beginning to reclaim ground once lost to polarization.
