Jennings Calls Out Democrat to Her Face Live on CNN for Lying About Trump Economy [WATCH]

During a segment on CNN’s News Central Thursday, CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings directly confronted Democratic strategist Maria Cardona over a series of inaccurate statements she made about President Donald Trump’s policies.

The exchange followed the release of a CNN/SSRS poll showing the Democratic Party’s favorability rating at just 28 percent.

Cardona, addressing the poll results, criticized President Trump, claiming that he had failed to fulfill promises to the working and middle classes.

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“The one thing that [Americans] are seeing is that Donald Trump has completely betrayed the American people and the working class voters, middle class families,” Cardona said.

“They gave their support and trusted him to bring down the costs of groceries, gas and rent. He has done completely the opposite [by] taking away Medicare and Medicaid from them and that is going to be a winning message for Democrats going into the [midterm] election.”

Jennings responded immediately, dismissing Cardona’s claims as unfounded. “How could you unpack every lie that was just told in the last 20 seconds?” Jennings said.

“I will just point out, your Democratic strategist this morning, my friend Maria, said the key to winning in the midterms is for Democrats to pretend that they’re not in the Democratic Party. That ought to tell you everything you need to know about how the party’s faring today.”

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Current economic data undercuts Cardona’s assertions. Inflation has continued to decline during President Trump’s second term.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April fell to its lowest level since February 2021, and remained favorable for American consumers through May and June.

Additionally, the Producer Price Index (PPI) came in below expectations on a year-over-year basis when excluding food, energy, and trade.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are projected to rise by 2.9% in 2025, a considerably slower pace than recent years.

Egg prices, which had soared due to inflation and avian flu outbreaks, have decreased significantly—from a peak of $8.23 in March to $2.94 currently, according to data from Trading Economics.

Gas prices have also dropped under Trump’s administration. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has fallen from $3.51 in July 2024 to $3.16 as of this week, according to AAA.

Median rent nationwide increased by just 0.2% in June, down from a 0.7% rise during the same period last year.

Cardona also targeted the “Big, Beautiful Act,” a legislative package signed by President Trump on July 4, claiming that it removed Medicaid benefits from lower-income and elderly Americans.

However, the legislation’s provisions apply only to able-bodied adults between the ages of 19 and 64 who are not actively seeking employment.

The policy is intended to promote workforce participation while reducing government spending on the Medicaid program.

The Thursday exchange between Jennings and Cardona highlights growing tensions surrounding the 2026 midterm messaging strategies.

Jennings criticized Democrats for misrepresenting economic data and policy details, while Cardona argued that framing Trump’s economic policies as harmful would resonate with voters.

As economic indicators continue to trend favorably for the Trump administration, analysts note that the Democratic Party faces mounting pressure to recalibrate its message amid low poll numbers and rising skepticism among independent voters.

The CNN/SSRS survey reflecting just 28% favorability for the Democratic Party marks one of its lowest points in recent cycles heading into a critical midterm season.