In a cringe-worthy moment on the January 19th broadcast of CNN’s *Newsnight*, prominent liberal commentator Van Jones had an emotional breakdown over the incoming Trump administration. As President Trump’s inauguration loomed just hours away, Jones, known for his frequent appearances on CNN, couldn’t contain his angst, offering a glimpse into the panic that had gripped much of the left at the time.
On air, Jones expressed his deep frustration with the reality of Trump’s presidency, openly lamenting the impending changes that were sure to “unleash a blitzkrieg” on everything the left held dear. His remarks were a masterclass in fear-mongering, as he predicted doom for immigrant communities and the “clean energy” movement that liberals had championed for years. To Jones, Trump was a force of destruction, ready to rip apart all that progressives held sacred.
“I’m miserable. I’m sad, I’m frustrated. I’m mad at everybody,” Jones confessed, as if the country’s future had already been sealed by one election result. His sense of impending doom reached its peak as he predicted that Trump’s actions would devastate the economy and roll back the environmental policies that many Democrats saw as non-negotiable. To Jones, this was the end of the world—at least politically speaking.
“There’s nothing we can do about it but watch this stuff,” he added, hinting at an overwhelming sense of helplessness that the left often experienced in the face of conservative victories. Jones didn’t even attempt to mask his despair as he claimed that watching the political scene unfold was akin to witnessing a disaster in real-time.
But it was his exchange with fellow panelist Scott Jennings, a conservative commentator, that really highlighted the difference in perspective. While Jones was spiraling into a state of self-proclaimed misery, Jennings remained optimistic, calmly explaining how Trump’s presidency would be a boon for the country—particularly in terms of tax cuts and restoring confidence in American leadership.
Jennings reassured viewers that Trump’s first speech as president would be a “workmanlike” address, focused on action and restoring confidence in both the American government and its position on the world stage. He pointed out that Trump’s win was a clear sign that the American people wanted real change, not more rhetoric and empty promises from Washington elites.
But for Jones, that vision of action and restoration was incomprehensible. Still seething, he mocked Jennings’ optimism, accusing him of either being privy to inside information or simply “praying” for the success of Trump’s speech. It was clear that Jones was having a difficult time reconciling the reality of Trump’s victory with his deep-seated belief in left-wing ideology.
In the end, Trump’s inauguration speech turned out to be exactly what Jennings predicted—focused on uniting the country and setting the stage for a government that worked for the people, not against them. Meanwhile, Jones’s meltdown serves as a reminder of the deep division and anxiety that characterized the left in the wake of Trump’s 2016 victory and his subsequent presidency.
For conservatives, the spectacle was yet another victory—proof that Trump’s ascendancy sent shockwaves through the political establishment and the liberal media alike.
