CNN announces former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger joining network as political commentator

Former House representative from Illinois Adam Kinzinger is joining CNN as one of the network’s newest political commentators, according to the CNN press room.

CNN released the press announcement on Wednesday, saying Kinzinger, who just left the US House of Representatives after announcing he would not run in the 2022 midterms, has joined the news outlet as an on-air senior political commentator.

Kinzinger most recently served on the House Select Committee to Investigate January 6 as one of only two Republicans on the panel along with former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.

The former congressman and active member of the Air National Guard has been a prominent Trump critic throughout the former president’s time in the White House and after, and has drawn sharp rebukes from Republican leadership, including Trump himself.

Kinzinger and Cheney have both been censured by their respective state governments for their roles on the January 6 committee and their vocal opposition to Trump.

Kinzinger responded to CNN’s announcement of his new role on the network on Twitter, writing, “Happy to join the team @CNN!”

The new role comes after the former congressional representative said his public criticism of Trump and his appointment to the House Select Committee had resulted in threats to himself and his family.

Kinzinger announced his decision not to seek reelection in Illinois’ 16th district in late October, citing a partisan stalemate in Washington, DC. 

“There’s little to no desire to bridge our differences, and unity is no longer a word we use,” Kinzinger said at the time. “It has also become increasingly obvious that in order to break the narrative, I cannot focus on both a reelection to Congress and a broader fight nationwide.”

Twitter users have responded to Kinzinger’s new role on CNN with ire, calling him a “sellout” and accusing him of helping to spread misinformation.