An ex-official from the Department of Homeland Security who worked during President Donald Trump’s tenure has leveled shocking claims against a well-known CNN analyst, alleging the commentator secretly ridicules the president while publicly supporting him on television.
Miles Taylor, who held the position of chief of staff at DHS throughout Trump’s initial term in office, ignited the firestorm on social media Tuesday, March 24, 2026, following a contentious exchange with Scott Jennings on CNN’s “NewsNight” the night before. Taylor posted on X that Jennings is “a pundit who mocks Trump with us during commercial breaks — but fawns over Trump when the camera is rolling.”
The accusation triggered a social media firestorm. New York Post reporter Lydia Moynihan came to Jennings’ defense, characterizing him as principled and stating his political views are completely authentic. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) countered, posting: “YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING??!! I’ve been on CNN too and while I won’t reveal behind the scenes details, I’ll just say I disagree.” Jennings has not issued any public statement addressing Taylor’s claim.
The dispute emerges as Taylor confronts increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration. In April 2025, the president enacted a memorandum entitled “Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods” that directly named Taylor and directed several government bodies to examine his prior government work. Trump openly declared Taylor “guilty of treason.”
Taylor’s charges against Jennings introduce a fresh element to continuing discussions regarding media portrayal of the Trump administration. Jennings, who worked in the George W. Bush administration prior to joining CNN as a contributor, has emerged as among cable television’s most prominent advocates for Trump’s agenda. He had previously joined Trump at a rally in Warren, Michigan, in April 2025.
Interestingly, Jennings previously condemned Trump in strong terms. In a CNN op-ed on January 6, 2021, he wrote that “President Donald Trump caused this insurrection with his lies and conspiracy theories about the election process being rigged against him.”
Taylor departed the Trump administration in 2019. In September 2018, while continuing to serve as chief of staff to DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, he penned an unsigned op-ed in the New York Times identifying himself as part of a covert “resistance” to counteract Trump’s “misguided impulses.” After departing DHS, Taylor was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He later released an unsigned book called “A Warning” in 2019, then a second book published under his actual identity, “Blowback,” in 2023, which cautioned about Trump’s possible return to power.
The Trump administration’s probe into Taylor has produced what his counsel, experienced Washington attorney Abbe Lowell, characterizes as a “textbook definition of political retribution.” In correspondence to federal inspectors general dated June 3, 2025, Lowell contended that the memorandum singled out Taylor for voicing criticism of the president.
The probe has upended Taylor’s private circumstances. His attorneys have recorded threats and intimidation, and past coworkers have been terminated from government positions because of their associations with him. Taylor informed the Associated Press that there’s been an “implosion in our lives.” He established a fund to cover legal expenses, distanced himself from professional activities, and his wife returned to employment to assist with covering the household’s expenses.
Trump authorized a comparable investigation directive targeting Chris Krebs, the previous director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on the identical April date. Trump terminated Krebs in November 2020 following Krebs’ rejection of the president’s assertions of voting fraud in the 2020 election and characterized it as “the most secure in American history.”
Despite the personal and professional hazards, Taylor declared he will not remain quiet. He stated the alternative would be to cower and give in, signaling that there are no consequences for this president and his administration when they abuse their powers.
Following Taylor’s original claim, three more CNN personalities have stepped forward to support his statement. Former Illinois congressman and CNN contributor Joe Walsh stated he could verify Taylor’s characterization, labeling Jennings “a fraud” and “an actor playing a role” who “doesn’t believe what he says.”
Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky posted on X that she directly observed Jennings disparage Trump in the green room “repeatedly.”
Former CNN contributor Wajahat Ali similarly supported the allegations, stating that Jennings conducted himself the same way during his tenure at the network.