NewsNation host Chris Cuomo unleashed a furious rant this week against CNN commentator Scott Jennings, exploding over Jennings’ use of the term “illegal immigrant” and going so far as to suggest that physical violence would be an appropriate way to make him stop saying it.
In a video posted Wednesday to X and Instagram, Cuomo targeted Jennings, his former colleague at CNN, accusing him of being deliberately “inhumane” for using the term and warning that someone would eventually “beat your ass” for it. Cuomo suggested such an attack would be justified, arguing that Jennings’ language was divisive and harmful.
The outburst stemmed from a recent on-air exchange between Jennings and gun control activist Cameron Kasky, in which Kasky told Jennings that he “can’t say ‘illegals anymore.’” Jennings responded dismissively, asking how Kasky planned to enforce that demand. Cuomo reacted angrily to that exchange, saying there was a simple way to enforce it: force.
Cuomo warned Jennings to “be careful” and claimed that there are “plenty of tough guys out there” who would make him stop using the term. He mocked the idea that Jennings could respond legally if assaulted, sarcastically asking whether he would sue after getting beaten.
Cuomo escalated further by claiming that violence would be the natural consequence of what he described as rude and disrespectful speech. He argued that using the term “illegal immigrant” fuels division and unrest, claiming it causes pain across the country and makes people want to hurt one another.
According to Cuomo, if Jennings insists on continuing, he should expect consequences. He invoked the acronym “FAFO,” shorthand for “f— around, find out,” telling Jennings not to act like a tough guy.
Earlier in the clip, Cuomo claimed that Democrats and Republicans agreed years ago to replace “illegal immigrant” with “undocumented immigrant,” asserting that Jennings was fully aware of that shift and was intentionally provoking people by refusing to comply. Cuomo said it was acceptable to make strong political arguments but not to posture as a “tough guy” while doing so.
Jennings, who joined CNN in 2017, has emerged in recent years as one of the network’s most prominent conservative voices, frequently clashing with liberal commentators. He and Cuomo worked together at CNN for four years before Cuomo was fired in 2021.
Cuomo now hosts a show on NewsNation, while Jennings continues to appear regularly on CNN panels. The episode highlighted the widening divide in cable news culture, where language policing and ideological enforcement increasingly collide with free speech debates.
Critics quickly pointed out the irony of a media figure condemning words as violent while openly advocating physical harm against someone who refuses to adopt preferred terminology. The rant also drew attention to how heated the immigration debate has become, with even terminology triggering explosive reactions on the left.
The incident underscored how far some media personalities are willing to go to enforce language conformity, even to the point of justifying violence, as debates over immigration, speech, and political identity continue to intensify on national television.
