‘Take It Up with the Ayatollah’: CNN’s Scott Jennings and Abby Phillip Battle Over Success of Iran War

CNN’s Scott Jennings and Abby Phillip tussled on Tuesday over the success of President Donald Trump’s strikes against Iran.

Jennings found himself the sole defender of the current war with Iran and its handling during a panel discussion on Tuesday’s The Arena, where Phillip was hosting.

Jennings declared the U.S. is winning the effort, noting major hits against Iran’s Navy and many of their high-ranking government officials being taken out in strikes, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“I know we’ve had this conversation on the air many times so we will try one more time. No nukes, no missiles, no terrorism, no aggressive Navy. These have been the objectives from the beginning. And right now we have B-52 bombers circling Iran, refueling over Iran, and they can do what they want at will. We have total air supremacy, and by the way, Iran is —” Jennings said before Phillip jumped in to note the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply moves through, is closed and controlled by Iran.

“But the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, and Iran is still in control of basically the global oil market at this moment. They are determining how high the prices go. They’re tolling ships to go through, allowing people who they like to go through, and as long as they pay a toll, they are making twice as much money as they were making before this war started,” she said.

Phillip also noted at one point that polling also shows Americans largely do not support another Middle East war.

“Well, if you think this is going well for them, take it up with the Ayatollah. I don’t think he would agree,” Jennings fired back.

Fellow CNN political commentator Jamal Simmons later told Jennings he made a “clear case” for the Iran effort, but argued Trump does not when he discusses the goals in public.

“He and Secretary [Marco] Rubio and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and General [Dan] Caine have made a clear case every single day,” Jennings said.

Check out the exchange below:

SCOTT JENNINGS: Look, it’s a war and the other side gets a vote in this but right now we’re winning and the American people know we’re winning. The Harvard Harris poll yesterday, three-quarters of Americans say we’re winning this war and large majorities of Americans know that Iran is a threat and that this was a righteous decision, and I know we’ve had this conversation on the air many times so we will try one more time. No nukes, no missiles, no terrorism, no aggressive Navy. These have been the objectives from the beginning. And right now we have B-52 bombers circling Iran, refueling over Iran, and they can do what they want at will. We have total air supremacy, and by the way, Iran is —

ABBY PHILLIP: But the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, and Iran is still in control of basically the global oil market at this moment. They are determining how high the prices go. They’re tolling ships to go through, allowing people who they like to go through, and as long as they pay a toll, they are making twice as much money as they were making before this war started.

JENNINGS: Well, if you think this is going well for them, take it up with the Ayatollah. I don’t think he would agree.

PHILLIP: And what do you think it signals about the success or the failure of this operation if we walk away and Iran still is holding the proverbial gun to the head of the global oil market in perpetuity?

JENNINGS: The success of this operation will be based on whether they have no nukes, no missiles, no terrorism exporting, and no aggressive Navy and apparently the people that we’re talking to are wanting a security deal. Now the White House would tell you they can’t talk about the details publicly because it’s delicate but they feel very good about the diplomatic conversations that are going on right now. But there is no doubt we have defanged this regime and that is bringing them to the table for diplomatic conversation. I would hope it would include a straight of warm moves talk when we’re there.

JAMAL SIMMONS: Why don’t Americans support the president? You make a very clear case. But I’m not sure the president makes that clear case, why don’t the Americans support him in this effort?

JENNINGS: He and Secretary [Marco] Rubio and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and General [Dan] Caine have made a clear case every single day. And according to the Harvard-Harris polling I saw yesterday, vast majorities of Americans think Iran is bad and that we’re winning. And so I think they’re actually making the case.

PHILLIP: They also don’t support this war.

Watch above via CNN.

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