NewsNation host Chris Cuomo gave his unsolicited advice to CNN’s Scott Jennings to stop being a “tough guy” in continuing to use the term “illegal aliens.”
In a video rant posted on social media, the former CNN host reacted to Jennings’ recent battle of words with activist Cameron Kasky, who declared during a recent panel discussion that “you don’t get to say the word illegals anymore.”
“How are you going to enforce your edict on me?” Jennings demanded.
“Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t say? I’ve never met you, brother. I can say whatever I want,” he told the leftist. “They’re illegal aliens, and that’s what the law calls them.”
WATCH: Cameron Kasky tries to speech-police Scott Jennings, almost catches a belt to the behind
CAMERON KASKY: Listen, you can’t say illegals anymore because ice is directly targeting legal citizens of this country.
SCOTT JENNINGS: And how are you going to enforce your edict on… pic.twitter.com/JiCdJZ7Fzl
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) January 20, 2026
Cuomo had a meltdown over Jennings’ direct response to Kasky’s interjection.
“What are you, a bully now? What are you, a tough guy?” he said in the video.“Because you’re talking to this kid, who happens to be right, calling people ‘illegal.’”
“A long time ago, Democrats and Republicans agreed to call them ‘undocumented’ instead of ‘illegal’ because it seemed inhuman,” he asserted. “That’s why. They changed the vernacular, and you know it!”
Be better!! #ice #raids #news #breaking #better pic.twitter.com/4bQi3rS70W
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) January 21, 2026
“What are you, you’re a tough guy now?” Cuomo went on. “I thought you were supposed to be the simpering-but-open-to-conversation Trump defender.”
He continued his tirade on Jennings, even seeming to suggest that his remarks could get him attacked.
“Be careful. You wanna be a tough guy, there are plenty of tough guys out there,” Cuomo said. “You wanna see how somebody can make you say ‘illegal’? And then what are you gonna do, sue, tough guy?”
”So if somebody beats your ass because you’re being rude and disrespectful and causing division in this country that’s causing distress and pain all over the streets and making people wanna hurt one another — if you really wanna be a part of that, as the expression goes, FAFO,” he ranted. “Don’t be a tough guy.”
Cuomo’s own “tough guy” rant earned plenty of responses on X.
It’s been quite a run for ex-CNN anchors the last week or so https://t.co/HQtrspRxqW pic.twitter.com/WDM0thnLa7
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 22, 2026
Get well soon. @NewsNation – Chris needs leave. If not as a disciplinary action, then at least for his mental health recovery.
— Erik Telford (@ErikTelford) January 22, 2026
Hey tough guy, they are illegal!! ILLEGAL
— ULTRA MAGA shaggyJT (@JtShaggy) January 21, 2026
Hello I’m a cape wearing liberal white savior here to stand up for the brown people who need noble superior white people like myself to stand up for them ✊🏻 pic.twitter.com/gjoY7JDJBH
— Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) January 21, 2026
No one switched to “undocumented” on the right. That’s like saying you weren’t fired from CNN, they just undocumented your contract.
— Ross Patterson (@StJamesStJames) January 22, 2026
Ah, more threats of violence from the left
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) January 22, 2026
My goodness Cuomo, what a deranged post.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) January 21, 2026
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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