Scott Jennings clashes with CNN host over criticism of Musk’s foreign dealings

CNN commentator Scott Jennings called out anchor Abby Phillip on Monday for criticizing billionaire Elon Musk’s foreign business dealings while not seeming as concerned about the Biden family’s foreign ventures.

Jennings and Phillips sparred over the topic during Monday’s episode of “CNN NewsNight”, with Jennings rejecting the anchor’s idea that Musk’s foreign dealings should be concerning to Americans and saying he’s much more concerned about the Bidens and the Chinese.

“I have no concerns about Elon Musk. I have been looking at pictures of Joe Biden and Hunter Biden meeting with Chinese political leaders lately that we were told didn’t exist,” Jennings told Phillip.

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The CNN commentator was referencing newly uncovered photos of then-Vice President Biden introducing his son Hunter Biden to Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-Vice President Li Yuanchao. Other photos show Joe Biden posing with Hunter’s business associates from BHR Partners, including Jonathan Li and Ming Xue.

The photos have added more fuel to allegations that the younger Biden was selling access to his powerful father to his foreign business partners.

The president has maintained that he has “never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings.”

The anchor prompted Jennings’ response by sharing headlines from various outlets reporting on Musk doing business with the Chinese government to get his Tesla vehicles built and sold abroad. 

Other headlines she shared for the discussion mentioned Musk praising the Chinese Communist Party during its 2021 anniversary as well as his “secret conversations with Vladimir Putin,” as reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.

The commentator continued, noting that Musk’s business ventures produce products of real value. In contrast, he said the Biden family business dealings do not.

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“For all the people who are really upset about Elon Musk having a very successful international business that actually produces things – actually produces vehicles, or rockets, or whatever they’re doing – the Bidens produce nothing and yet, were also doing business in China,” he said.

Phillip fired back at Jennings, saying, “Look, I don’t want you to change the subject because it’s not really about whether he’s a successful business person or not, it’s about whether his material interests as a business owner are in conflict with the United States’ national security interests.”

Again, Jennings rejected the premise of Musk being a threat to the U.S., noting that his business interests benefit the country.

“My view is his prospects and interests as a business owner and most of the things he’s into – electric cars, rockets, the internet that we’re using all over the world – it’s good for the United States to be the warehouse for that,” he declared, adding, “It’s good for our national security to have this kind of technology.”

“The idea that there is somehow a conflict in the United States having this kind of a businessman, and that’s somehow bad for us, I just totally reject.”