CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings pushed back against Substack author Touré, who falsely suggested that President Donald Trump is attempting to take control of the military in a way that “contravenes” the U.S. Constitution. During a CNN discussion, Touré argued that Trump’s leadership over the military was characteristic of a dictatorship, prompting Jennings to remind him that the U.S. Constitution explicitly names the president as commander-in-chief.
“How is Trump shredding the Constitution?” Jennings asked.
Touré claimed that Trump intends to appoint someone to oversee the military in a manner that undermines constitutional authority. When pressed for specifics, he failed to provide evidence, instead insisting that Jennings’ argument would look “silly” once his vague prediction materialized.
Jennings continued challenging Touré’s assertions, asking whether he believed the president was not, in fact, the rightful leader of the military. Touré failed to respond, avoiding the core constitutional fact that the president holds direct command over the armed forces.
Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president is designated as the commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, holding primary authority over military decisions. Jennings emphasized that any suggestion that the military should act independently from the elected president is not only misleading but also a dangerous precedent.
Democrats and media figures have repeatedly claimed that Trump poses an “existential threat to democracy.” Recently, Democratic senators such as Chris Murphy and Andy Kim have gone further, alleging that the country is on the verge of a “constitutional crisis” due to Trump’s presidency.
Jennings’ pushback highlights growing media narratives attempting to portray Trump’s constitutional authority as an abuse of power, despite the clear framework established by the U.S. Constitution.
