Overview
- On Oct. 28, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell called CNN “absurdly degraded” and said the network pays conservative contributor Scott Jennings to “lie about Donald Trump” during a monologue on The Last Word.
- O’Donnell pointed to Thompson’s recent interview likening Jennings to D’Artagnan and said his show typically triples the audience of CNN’s NewsNight, which frequently features Jennings.
- Jennings replied on X with a mocking post, while CNN offered no on‑record comment as an unnamed source criticized O’Donnell’s remarks about Thompson and noted Thompson is an American citizen.
- O’Donnell alleged CNN has “compromised” its coverage under ownership he characterized as pro‑Trump, citing personnel changes such as Jim Acosta’s departure and portraying Jennings as having shifted toward MAGA defenses.
- The dispute unfolds as CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery conducts a board strategic review following unsolicited interest, with CEO David Zaslav citing multiple potential bidders and reports naming Paramount/David Ellison among suitors.