Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News anchor known for her no-nonsense approach, recently announced her support for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, despite a history of public conflict with the former president.
Her endorsement comes as a shock, given her high-profile feud with Trump during his 2015 campaign, which played out on the national stage and was seen as one of the most heated media-political confrontations of that election cycle.
A history of the feud between Megyn Kelly and Trump
The feud began in August 2015, during the first Republican primary debate, when Kelly, as one of the moderators, asked him about his history of controversial comments about women as “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.” She asked if his statements aligned with the values of a presidential candidate.
Trump later criticized Kelly, implying she was biased against him, and famously stated she had “blood coming out of her wherever,” a comment widely interpreted as a sexist slur.
Trump did clarify the comment on his social media by saying that he didn't mean to say that she was menstruating, but meant that there was blood coming out of her nose. He said:
"Re Megyn Kelly quote: 'you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever' (NOSE). Just got on w/thought"
However, Trump’s remark sparked widespread backlash and fueled intense media coverage. Even conservatives like Erick Erickson, Rupert Mmogul (Owner of Fox News), Bob and Susan Wasielewski, and Mary Howard criticized Trump for his comments and came in support of Megyn Kelly.
After his remarks, Megyn Kelly reported to ABC news saying:
“It was bizarre because I became the story. He was so very focused on me that I became the story, and, you know, you never want to be the story when you’re a news person,”
Nine months after their initial clash, the two finally met in a May 2016 interview, with Trump offering a form of apology, and Kelly expressing willingness to move past the conflict.
Following this, their relationship became less openly antagonistic, though Kelly remained critical of him on various issues in the years following. During this sit-down, Kelly posed a pivotal question:
"Looking back from the first debate until now, do you have any regrets?"
Trump's response was revealing, as he acknowledged:
"Absolutely, I have regrets. I don't think I want to discuss what the regrets are, but absolutely... I could've done certain things differently."
What does Megyn Kelly do now?
After her headline-grabbing exit from Fox News in 2017 and a brief stop at NBC, where the drama with Trump made quite the splash, Kelly took a leap to NBC, launching Megyn Kelly Today on the Today show. But, things took a turn in October 2018 when a segment about blackface stirred up controversy, leading to the show's cancellation and her departure from the network in January 2019.
Kelly made a name for herself at Fox, hosting hit shows like America Live and The Kelly File, where her sharp wit and bold interviews earned her a spot on TIME's list of the 100 most influential people in 2014.
Now, Megyn hosts her podcast called The Megyn Kelly Show, which airs daily on SiriusXM's Triumph channel. She’s not just behind the microphone; she’s also connecting with fans on social media, sharing her thoughts, and engaging on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.