Scott Jennings Goes Silent When Confronted By Ana Navarro Over Whether Trump’s Haitian Conspiracy Theory Is ‘Anti-Black Racism’

Conservative CNN contributor Scott Jennings fell silent as he thought about how to respond to the argument that former President Donald Trump’s “amplifying” of the conspiracy theory that immigrants were eating pets in Ohio will put a “target on the back of Haitian immigrants.”

During the ABC News presidential debate on Tuesday night , Trump launched into an unusual tirade alleging that undocumented migrants are eating cats and dogs in Ohio. This claim prompted moderator David Muir to fact-check the statement.

In recent days, the Trump campaign has been spreading the unfounded rumor spreading in MAGA circles online. Trump even amplified the claim on social media by sharing AI-generated images of himself defending cats and ducks.

On Wednesday’s News Night With Abby Phillip , Jennings was in the middle of throwing down with his co-panelists, former Democratic Ohio state senator Nina Turner and political analyst Ana Navarro . He defended Trump’s mention of the conspiracy theory in the debate and argued that immigration was not an “illegitimate issue” before Navarro challenged him in a testy exchange.

Jennings began: “I do think it’s a legitimate conversation to have about the societal public safety health impacts anytime cities our communities get drastically changed because of our immigration system, whether that’s in Springfield, whether that’s on the border with Mexico, whether that’s New York City, which has had issues.”

He continued: “So, I don’t think that’s an illegitimate conversation to have even in your answer, obviously, you don’t agree with where Trump is on it. You admitted their health impacts and that there have been public safety impacts. Those are not illegitimate, those are not illegitimate conversations to have. And I think people in communities all across this country are having them. Now whether we have them responsibly or flippantly or whether we have them seriously is the real question today.”

Navarro responded: “When he said that he wasn’t being sarcastic, he wasn’t being hyperbolic. He was amplifying a conspiracy theory that I think you would agree puts a target on the back of Haitian immigrants and that it is based on racism. Would you agree?”

Jennings sat in prolonged silence, thinking out his answer.

Turner added: “Anti-black racism would be more poignant.”

Navarro continued: “Do you think there were 20,000 scandinavians that have been sent to Springfield people would be saying that they’re eating cats and dogs and geese?”

Jennings finally replied: “I’m not going to answer for his memes or anything else…”

Navarro shot back: “No. I’m asking you, do you think that he’s done is based on racism,

Jennings returned: “Because I’m not going to answer. I don’t know.”

“That was a long pause, Scott,” host Abby Phillip added.

Because I don’t know the answer and I’m not going to sit here and answer for somebody. I don’t talk to Donald Trump about what the motivations are and I don’t answer to you either.

Phillip tried to interrupt: “But Scott…”

Jenning continued: “But the bottom line is… bottom line is, immigration is a top issue in this election. It must be discussed and we’re either going to go down a rabbit hole here, which is not the real issue, or we’re going to talk about the real issues in which communities, cities whatever, are dealing with real societal…”

Navarro cut in: “The reason we are going down the road because the man you’ll support is making us go down that rabbit hole. The reason we’re not talking about the legitimate issues you had brought up is because he is claiming, with no facts, that Haitian migrants are eating pets! And that is a dangerous conspiracy theory to be spreading to America.”

Watch above on CNN.