Megyn Kelly is under fire for heaping praise on white nationalist Nick Fuentes while urging people to “excuse” his long rap sheet of extremist takes.
The host of the “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM, who has been slammed for cozying up to controversial MAGA figures, applauded Fuentes during an interview with Tucker Carlson, describing the open white nationalist as “very smart.” She added the caveat that critics should “excuse his thoughts on race, and Jews, and the Holocaust, and all that.”
Fuentes is widely known for past statements denying the Holocaust, praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and promoting racist and antisemitic views.
Naturally, many commentators weren’t happy with Kelly’s comments. John Podhoretz, the editor of Commentary Magazine, posted on X: “Megyn Kelly has rotted to the core."
The Spectator‘s Ben Domenech went further. “If you think Nick Fuentes is brilliant I’m honestly impressed that you have enough brain function to remember to breathe,” he said.
Dave Rubin, the host of The Rubin Report, gave Kelly a debilitating nickname. “Great move for Grandma Groyper to attach herself to Fuentes and Candace. Is there anything she won’t do for a click? Find out tomorrow!” he said.
Billionaire investor Cliff Asness, who runs AQR Capital Management, said: “Did she praise him for making the trains run on time?”
When MAGA talking head Ian Miles Cheong shared a clip of the Carlson chat, Kelly hit back hard. “You’re a pathetic misinformation w---e. I was explaining why young white men are listening to Fuentes & made clear that while I believe he makes interesting points about the govt etc I was not speaking about his thoughts on Jews, women, blacks etc. F--k you & your lies,” she said.
Kelly’s remarks came as she reflected on the backlash she has faced for engaging with controversial figures in right-wing media.
She addressed criticism over Carlson’s interview with Fuentes last fall, dismissing calls for condemnation. “And then came the, ‘Tucker’s interviewed Nick and you must disavow him. Now you really need to break up with Tucker,’” she said. “As if my entire career rises or falls based on who my friends are, and whose interview I decide to weigh in on. Well, it’s ridiculous.”
She later expanded on her view of Fuentes, saying, “He’s obviously got some very extreme views, but he’s very interesting, and he’s very smart, and on a lot of things, there is value to be derived from that guy’s messaging.” Kelly added, “There are a lot of things he talks about that you’re like, ‘Huh, this is not a bad point about our country.’ Excuse his thoughts on race, and Jews, and the Holocaust, and all that.”
The comments follow months of criticism aimed at Kelly. In November, she faced backlash over remarks suggesting late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was not a pedophile. In December, she was criticized for comments praising boat strikes ordered by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that killed dozens of people in the Caribbean. “I’d really like to see them suffer,” she said of the “narco-terrorists” the Trump administration has claimed were manning the boats.
During the interview, Kelly also defended Candace Owens and rejected criticism of questions raised about the death of Charlie Kirk, saying she was “totally fine with those questions being raised.”
“And then came Candace Owens, and that...she really drives people crazy. She drives them crazy!” she said.
“They were very angry that I didn’t call her out for what she said about Israel possibly being involved with Charlie Kirk. Well, I didn’t call her out because I was totally fine with those questions being raised and still am!”
She continued: “I’m sorry, but I am! I’m sick of this bull---t. I am allowed to have questions about what, if anyone, aligned with Israel or from Israel might have had to do with Charlie’s death.”
SiriusXM has been asked to comment.
