• Conservative pundit Scott Jennings distanced himself from President Trump’s characterization of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot
• Jennings’ remarks followed the White House launching a website that blamed Capitol Police for escalating tensions
• The CNN commentator’s previous 2021 op-ed harshly criticized Trump for inciting the attack

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings diverged from President Donald Trump on Tuesday regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, characterizing the event as a regrettable incident during a discussion about the administration’s controversial new website.

White House Website Sparks Controversy

The disagreement emerged during CNN’s The Source with host Kaitlan Collins, where Jennings responded to questions about the White House’s newly launched website commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Capitol breach. The site portrays the events of that day dramatically differently from historical accounts, describing participants as “peaceful patriotic protesters” who were “unfairly targeted.”

Collins pressed Jennings on a particularly contentious section of the website that accuses Capitol Police of “deliberately escalating tensions” during the riot. When asked whether this constituted blaming law enforcement for the violence, Jennings acknowledged the interpretation while maintaining a measured stance.

“Yeah, I mean, that’s how you could read it. Look, I have a point of view on this that’s somewhat different than the president’s and, look, I also don’t treat it like a national holiday like the Democrats do. It was a bad day, but I don’t look forward to memorializing it every year. It was a bad day, it should never happen again.”

“We appear, at least to my eye, after 25 years of some election denialism in both parties, to have gotten somewhat off of this slippery slope. And so that’s a good thing,” @ScottJenningsKY says.@davidaxelrod: “Who’s gotten off of election denialism? The president is… pic.twitter.com/7k19nuh264

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 7, 2026

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

The CNN commentator added that Trump maintains his own perspective on the events, noting voters addressed these questions during the 2024 election.

Stark Contrast From 2021 Position

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

Jennings’ current measured response stands in sharp contrast to his immediate reaction following the Capitol attack. In a January 6, 2021, CNN op-ed, the former George W. Bush administration official delivered scathing criticism of Trump’s role in the violence.

“This is literally an insurrection. The fact that the US military hasn’t secured the seat of our government already is a failure of leadership by the commander in chief.”

The 2021 piece continued with even stronger condemnation, stating Trump “caused this insurrection with his lies and conspiracy theories about the election process being rigged against him.”

“I’m ashamed and embarrassed for our country, and for any Republican who fails to condemn this shameful behavior.”

Axelrod Confrontation Highlights Evolution

CNN chief political analyst David Axelrod confronted Jennings during the same segment, reminding him of his previous forceful stance. Axelrod’s remarks highlighted the dramatic shift in Jennings’ public posture regarding Trump and January 6.

“You and I have been friends for a long time. I’ve never been prouder of you than in the aftermath of that, because you were unremittingly critical of what happened. You were critical of the assault on police officers. One hundred and seventy people were convicted of assaulting police officers — 65 of them with weapons — and you were eloquent in that moment.”

Axelrod continued, expressing hope that Jennings’ initial response would remain a source of pride despite his current alignment with the Trump administration.

“Whatever you feel you have to say or do now, that [moment] will remain something that you and your kids will look back at with pride.”

In a January 2021 PBS Frontline interview, Jennings had stated Trump was “fully responsible” for the violence, describing a “days-long conspiracy” to subvert constitutional processes. He told PBS that Trump “constructed the lie” about winning the election and bore responsibility “from soup to nuts” for the crowd’s actions.

From Critic to Defender

Despite his initial condemnation, Jennings has emerged as one of Trump’s most prominent defenders on CNN in recent years. The political commentator appeared on stage at a Trump rally in Michigan last year, demonstrating his public alignment with the administration.

Last month, Trump promoted Jennings’ new book, “A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization,” in a Truth Social post urging supporters to purchase copies.

The White House website that sparked Tuesday’s discussion presents a revisionist timeline of January 6 events, claiming Capitol Police “aggressively fire tear gas, flash bangs, and rubber munitions into crowds of peaceful protesters” and suggesting officers’ tactics “turned a peaceful demonstration into chaos.” The site makes no mention of the more than 140 officers injured that day or the extensive video footage showing rioters violently breaching the Capitol complex.

Republican Senators including Susan Collins of Maine rejected the website’s characterization, with Collins telling reporters she “disagree[s] with that completely” regarding claims that police escalated tensions.

Can conservative commentators maintain credibility while navigating between past condemnations and present political realities?

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10