'Does his military record not mean anything to you?’ Fiery exchange unfolds on CNN

The acumen of Donald Trump’s eyebrow-raising selection of Fox News host Pete Hegseth to head the Defense Department led to a tense moment between two CNN panelists Tuesday, which provoked one to compare the president-elect's pick to “The Twilight Zone.”

“I think he is making good on all of his promises,” CNN contributor Cari Champion said Tuesday on CNN’s “NewsNight” with host Abby Phillip. “One thing about Donald Trump that I find very interesting is, and you may disagree, which is fine, but I don't know if acumen is top of mind when picking these people.”

Champion, a journalist, continued to build her case by saying that she believes that what Trump truly cares about in the people he surrounds himself with is “what people look like and sound like.”

“And enter a man who is a Fox News host who is now the secretary of defense, and I don't understand that,” Champion said while fighting back interjections from longtime GOP insider Scott Jennings.

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“One second,” she told Jennings before adding that being a showman and exhibiting loyalty are traits Trump looks for as he continues to build out his cabinet with unorthodox choices.

“I don't feel like anybody is saying what this is – I feel like we are in 'The Twilight Zone,' and this is bizarre," Champion said.

That’s when Jennings challenged the assessment.

“Which person doesn't have acumen?” Jennings asked. When Champion made clear she was referring to Hegseth, the Republican strategist defiantly added: “Does his military record not mean anything to you? Does his Bronze Stars? Does his two Harvard degrees?”

Champion doubled down by saying she’s been “in a couple of school fights” and believes that not only does Hegseth lack acumen, but Trump does as well.

“America gets what America deserves,” she said.

“Yes, because we vote,” Jennings said, concluding the exchange.

Watch the clip below or at this link.