It was 2015. Cleveland. The air was thick with the kind of tension you only get when a billionaire outsider walks onto a debate stage and decides the rules don't apply to him. Then came the question.
Megyn Kelly asked Donald Trump about calling women "fat pigs" and "dogs." The world stopped for a second. Trump’s "blood coming out of her wherever" comment followed, and just like that, one of the most bizarre, high-stakes, and frankly confusing relationships in American politics was born.
Fast forward to right now in 2026. If you haven't been keeping up, you might think they're still at each other's throats. Or maybe you think she’s a total convert. Honestly? It’s way more complicated than a simple "feud" or "friendship."
The 2015 Blowup That Changed Everything
Most people remember the debate, but they forget the sheer intensity of the aftermath. This wasn't just a spat; it was a total breakdown of the old media guard. Megyn Kelly was the star of Fox News—the "face" of a new, sharper conservatism. Trump was the wrecking ball.
When he attacked her, he wasn't just attacking a journalist. He was testing whether he could bypass the gatekeepers of his own party's favorite network.
"I didn't want to be the story," Kelly later told Frontline. "I was just doing my job. But with Trump, everything is personal. You’re either for him or against him. There is no middle ground."
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For months, the harassment was relentless. Steve Bannon, then at Breitbart, basically ordered a "hit" on her editorial reputation. She had to have security. Her kids were mentioned. It was dark. And yet, if you look at where we are today, that fire seems like a lifetime ago.
The 2024 Reconnection: From "Nasty" to the Rally Stage
If you had told someone in 2016 that Megyn Kelly would be the closing act for a Trump campaign rally in Pittsburgh, they would have called you crazy. But that's exactly what happened in late 2024.
Kelly didn't just support him; she went all in on the "Happy Warrior" narrative. She stood on that stage and talked about "forgotten boys" and "protecting girls' sports." It was a masterclass in political pragmatism. Why the shift?
- The Rise of Independent Media: Kelly left the "corporate" world of NBC and Fox. She realized her audience—the people who actually pay for her podcast—wanted a specific kind of truth that aligned with the MAGA movement’s core concerns.
- Shared Enemies: Both Kelly and Trump found a common foe in "wokeism." Kelly has been vocal about her "core mission" to defeat what she calls radical gender ideology, a topic Trump leaned into heavily during his return to power.
- The "Magnetism" Factor: Even when she disagrees with him, Kelly has admitted Trump has a certain "magnetism." She told Sky News in 2025 that when he turns on the charm, "you will be charmed."
The "Yellow Light" Territory: Why 2026 is Different
Here is where it gets interesting. Even though she campaigned for him, Kelly is proving she isn't a "surrogate" in the traditional sense.
Just this month, in January 2026, she threw a major wrench in the narrative. While Fox News anchors were essentially "cheerleading" (her words) the Trump administration's recent military operations in Venezuela, Kelly stayed in what she calls "yellow light territory."
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She didn't just stay quiet. She blasted her former employer, calling their coverage "Russian-style propaganda."
It was a total "Megyn Kelly" move. She’s pro-Trump, but she’s also skeptical of "forever wars." She pointed to the "quagmires" of Iraq and Libya as reasons to be cautious about boots on the ground in South America.
Why Brandon Tatum and Others Are Mad
This neutrality has cost her. Conservative podcaster Brandon Tatum recently went on a tear, claiming her "yellow light" stance showed weak leadership. He even went as far as to say he's "unfollowing" her.
This highlights the razor's edge Kelly walks. To the Left, she’s a MAGA enabler. To the hardcore "Right," she’s a "fake" who won't get on the "rah-rah train" when the President calls for action.
The Business of Being Megyn
Let's be real: Kelly is a brilliant businessperson. She knows that in 2026, being a "journalist" isn't about being unbiased—it's about being authentic to a specific brand.
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| The "Fox News" Megyn | The "Independent" Megyn |
|---|---|
| Bound by network rules and Roger Ailes' whims. | Owns her own platform; answers only to subscribers. |
| Targeted by Trump as a "bimbo" and "lightweight." | Praised by Trump as a powerful voice for the movement. |
| Tried to be an objective arbiter in debates. | Admits she wants to "defeat wokeism" as a core mission. |
She isn't looking for a job in the White House. She’s looking to be the "preferred media outlet" for a movement that is increasingly skeptical of both the mainstream media and the old-school GOP establishment.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that there was a "winner" in their feud. There wasn't. They both realized they were more powerful as allies—or at least as "friendly adversaries"—than as enemies.
Trump needed the suburban women and the "common sense" crowd that Kelly speaks to. Kelly needed the relevance that only the Trump orbit provides.
But don't mistake that for blind loyalty. Her recent refusal to back the Venezuela intervention shows she’s still willing to be the "adversarial" journalist when she thinks the stakes are high enough. She’s not a Trump staffer; she’s a Trump observer who happens to agree with him 80% of the time.
Actionable Insights for Following the Story
If you’re trying to make sense of the Kelly-Trump dynamic as we move through 2026, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the "Red Lines": Kelly is most likely to break with Trump on foreign intervention and "neocon" policies. If Trump leans into a full-scale war, expect the rift to widen.
- Follow the Podcast, Not the Clips: If you only see the headlines, you miss the nuance. Kelly often spends 20 minutes explaining why she supports or opposes a specific Trump move.
- Ignore the "Surrogate" Label: She isn't one. She’s a media mogul who uses the Trump movement to grow her own brand.
- Check the Media Criticism: Her most insightful moments usually come when she’s analyzing how other networks (like Fox or CNN) are covering Trump. That's where her real expertise lies.
The relationship between Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump isn't a movie with a happy ending or a tragic one. It’s a permanent negotiation. They are two of the most effective communicators of our time, and they both know exactly how to use the other to stay at the center of the conversation.
Keep an eye on her "yellow light" stance over the next few months. It might just be the most honest journalism we've seen in a decade.