#309 Megyn Kelly - "I Now Have to Worry About Getting Shot Because of My Opinion"
Megyn Kelly joins Sean Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation covering Trump administration controversies, the Israel-Iran war, Thomas Massey's defeat, AI threats, political corruption, and media landscape shifts. Kelly expresses deep disappointment with Trump's second term, particularly over the Iran war, Epstein non-disclosure, and growing corruption, while remaining cautiously optimistic about America's long-term future.
Summary
The conversation opens with casual discussion before diving into political disappointment, with Kelly noting that Republicans who were once optimistic now feel like they're experiencing 'the new boss, same as the old boss.' Kelly discusses the assassination attempts on Trump, concluding they were genuine but expressing frustration that investigations have been curtailed.
A significant portion covers Thomas Massey's primary defeat, which Kelly attributes to $30 million in AIPAC spending — the lobby 'buying' the election. She argues Massey was actually holding Trump to his own stated agenda on Epstein disclosure and fiscal responsibility. Kelly connects this to a broader critique of Israel's influence over American politics, arguing that the 'Mark Levin Party' of neocon Republicans now effectively defines MAGA, which she believes is shrinking in relevance and has no future appeal to young people.
On the Iran war, Kelly is sharply critical, arguing Trump was manipulated by Israeli lobby money (particularly Miriam Adelson's $200M donation) into breaking his core campaign promise of no new Middle East wars. She believes Trump is now privately regretting the war based on historically bad poll numbers, and that he will look for an exit. She criticizes the deployment of Secretary of Defense Hegseth to campaign against Massey as an unprecedented and dangerous politicization of the military.
Kelly discusses the departures of Tulsi Gabbard, Pam Bondi, and Joe Kent, defending Gabbard's departure as likely genuine due to her husband's cancer diagnosis, and expressing sadness about MTG's resignation. She argues that internal dissenters like Gabbard provided valuable intelligence and oversight that will now be lost.
On Epstein, Kelly believes Trump's inner circle and donors are the reason for non-disclosure, referencing Trump's reported comment to MTG that 'they're all my friends.' She thinks Massey and other lame-duck Congress members may still reveal names in their remaining seven months.
The conversation covers Michael Jackson at length, with Kelly detailing the evidence from the 1993 search warrant — NAMBLA books with Jackson's handwriting and boys' fingerprints on pornographic material — while acknowledging all accusers have financial motivations that complicate the case. She notes a new biopic has earned nearly a billion dollars in a month.
On AI, both express serious concern about mass job displacement, the elimination of white-collar work, potential superintelligence threats, and a coming wealth gap. Kelly argues humanity needs 'covenants' to prioritize human-made products and label AI-generated content. She also discusses MDMA therapy positively from personal experience, and Ibogaine's promise for veterans with TBI.
Kelly addresses her personal conflicts with Ben Shapiro and Mark Levin, explaining that Shapiro's public attack on her as a 'coward' at a Turning Point event was really about her refusal to end her friendship with Tucker Carlson and condemn Candace Owens as an anti-Semite. She frames these attacks as proxy battles in the Israel debate.
The discussion covers Canada's oil pivot to China via the Trans Mountain Pipeline, the potential U.S. strike on Cuba, the decline of cable news, the failed Golden Globe nominations for podcasters, and Trump's corruption including the IRS audit immunity executive order, the drone company Pentagon contract for his sons, and the $1.8 billion DOJ settlement slush fund.
Key Insights
- Kelly argues that MAGA has effectively been redefined by Trump to mean alignment with Mark Levin's neocon pro-Israel position, which she believes shrinks the movement to a small, aging, irrelevant faction with no appeal to young people.
- Kelly claims Trump personally told her that 'MAGA will feel the way I want them to feel' and that he defines what MAGA is — and has been proven right, with his base following him even into positions they previously opposed.
- Kelly believes Trump is privately regretting the Iran war based on historically unprecedented poll numbers — his disapproval rating is now higher than after January 6th — and that his lack of response to bad polls signals he knows the data is accurate.
- Kelly argues that Miriam Adelson's $200 million donation to Trump's campaign should have telegraphed to voters that he would pursue pro-Israel foreign policy, framing donor scrutiny as a responsibility voters failed to exercise.
- Kelly claims that during the 1993 search of Michael Jackson's home, police found NAMBLA books in a locked box with Jackson's own handwriting praising 'beautiful boys,' and a barely legal magazine with boys' fingerprints — evidence she argues is incompatible with innocence.
- Kelly contends that Pete Hegseth's deployment to campaign against Thomas Massey in Kentucky was an unprecedented politicization of the Secretary of Defense role that damages the non-partisan credibility of the military institution.
- Kelly argues Trump's non-disclosure of Epstein files is driven by donor and friend protection, citing Trump's reported statement to MTG that he can't release the files because 'they're all my friends.'
- Kelly describes her falling out with Ben Shapiro as rooted not in the Candace Owens-Erica Kirk feud but in her refusal to end her friendship with Tucker Carlson, with the Owens situation used as a proxy demand that she condemn Israel critics.
- Kelly argues that Canada's pivot to selling 890,000 barrels of oil per day to China via the Trans Mountain Pipeline is a direct consequence of Biden canceling Keystone XL and Trump's subsequent tariff threats — punishing Canada for a problem U.S. policy created.
- Kelly contends that the U.S. is now effectively a 'cow pasture' for Israel — fighting its wars, funding its Iron Dome, providing $300 billion in total aid since 1948 — while Israel provides citizens with universal healthcare and free education that American taxpayers don't receive.
- Kelly predicts that Israel will be a major and unavoidable issue in 2028 presidential debates, arguing that declaring unconditional loyalty to Israel — previously a zero-downside position in Republican politics — is now politically toxic across all party affiliations.
- Kelly argues that AI represents a threat far more profound than the Industrial Revolution, predicting mass white-collar job elimination, a catastrophic wealth gap, and the need for human 'covenants' to label AI-generated content and prioritize human-made products.
- Kelly says she now receives death threats serious enough to require multiple FBI involvements and new security protocols, which she attributes directly to her criticism of Israeli civilian casualties in Gaza — summarizing her position as simply not wanting to be involved in Israel's wars.
- Kelly argues Trump's increased use of executive orders and foreign policy adventurism reflects his recognition that he cannot effectively change domestic issues like crime, healthcare, or local governance, and foreign policy is the one arena where a president has clear unilateral power.
- Kelly contends that the neocon era in Republican politics is genuinely ending — not just paused — and that the American public's awakening to AIPAC's electoral influence (openly bragging about spending $30M to defeat Massey) represents the beginning of the end of unconditional pro-Israel politics in the GOP.
Topics
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