Keith Olbermann Makes Veiled Threat Against CNN's Scott Jennings

Liberal political commentator and former ESPN and MSNBC host Keith Olbermann sparked widespread outrage after posting what many interpreted as a direct threat against conservative CNN analyst Scott Jennings on X (formerly Twitter). 

The post, which Olbermann quickly deleted, read: “You’re next motherf–ker.” This came amid heightened national tensions following the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and it was part of a heated online exchange tied to the reinstatement of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a brief suspension over host Jimmy Kimmel's controversial remarks about Kirk's alleged assassin.

The Trigger: The incident began when Jennings, a Republican strategist and CNN senior political contributor, commented on Disney's decision to resume production of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after pulling it for a week due to Kimmel's "ill-timed and insensitive" comments. 

Jennings wrote: "So basically his employer suspended him for being an insensitive prick, and we don’t live in an authoritarian regime? Got it." This was seen by Olbermann as downplaying the severity of the situation, prompting his aggressive response.

Keith Olbermann

Olbermann's full thread of deleted posts escalated quickly:  He initially celebrated the show's return as a "win" against "fascism," writing: "We won, you stupid pieces of shit… Last fold to fascism was last week."

He then targeted Jennings directly: "Now we get the fascists off real TV. That’d mean your career is next, Jennings. Send a tape to Real America's Voice." The most inflammatory post followed: “You’re next motherf–ker.”

Screenshots of the posts were captured and shared by Townhall columnist Dustin Grage before Olbermann could remove them entirely. The timing—less than two weeks after Kirk's killing—amplified concerns, as Olbermann had already drawn criticism for inflammatory remarks about the assassination, including telling Sinclair Broadcast Group to "burn in hell... alongside Charlie Kirk."Jennings' 

Olbermann, 66, has not responded to the backlash or addressed the deleted posts as of the latest reports. This is not Olbermann's first brush with controversy; the former ESPN anchor, known for his fiery liberal commentary during MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann (2003–2011), has a history of heated social media outbursts.