CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings delivered a scathing assessment of the Democratic Party’s current state during Sunday’s “State of the Union,” declaring that President Donald Trump has become the party’s de facto leader.
The Republican strategist made his remarks while discussing the Democrats’ ongoing struggle to identify a clear leader or unified message following their electoral setbacks.
Democrats have projected confidence about winning back voters in upcoming elections despite their internal challenges since 2024.
During the panel discussion, former DNC spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa attempted to identify potential Democratic leaders, dismissing socialist NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani as a future standard-bearer.
Instead, she pointed to established Democratic figures like Sen. Ruben Gallego (AZ) and Sen. Cory Booker (NJ)
When host Jake Tapper noted Booker’s recent engagement, Jennings interrupted with his provocative analysis.
The commentator argued that Democrats would be controlled by Trump for the “foreseeable future.”
He continued, “Well, I mean, for the foreseeable future, the person who’s running the Democratic Party now is going to be running it, and that’s Donald Trump. I mean, the only thing they know how to do is be against whatever he is for, and so there is no leader of the party except