Megyn Kelly says despite his boycott demands, Donald Trump watched her show religiously all year
Megyn Kelly is promoting her new book, and on Wednesday, the BBC's Katty Kay — like most interviewers — asked Kelly about her year of harassment from President-elect Donald Trump, starting when she asked him a question about his insults to women at the first Republican presidential debate. The "online nastiness" from Trump and his supporters was immediate and overwhelming, Kelly said, and "he really relentlessly kept it up for nine months, which led to a serious security situation in my life and that of my family, that was ongoing."
Kelly had her theories about why Trump behaved that way. "I think in a way, Donald Trump felt hurt," she said. "I think he thought we had a good relationship, he thought he had a good relationship with me, with Fox News, with the anchors and the management there — all of which was true — and he felt betrayed that I would ask him a question like that and that I would then go on to cover him skeptically when he deserved it."
Kay asked Kelly if she feels she was "treated differently" because she's "a powerful woman," and Kelly said she's "given a lot of thought to that." "I think it was a combination of the fact that I'm a woman with power," she said. "You know, it wasn't just the fact that I'm a woman, but it was that I'm a woman with power who happens to be on Donald Trump's favorite channel — you know, the Fox News Channel, which he watches every night, and did throughout this entire year. One of the most interesting things he said to me in the sit-down I had with him in May was despite his demands, repeated demands that people boycott The Kelly File, he never did. He was watching it night after night — which I knew, because he was tweeting about it as soon as the show would end."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Back in the Cold War, the U.S. had "Kremlinologists" trying to figure out what was going on inside the highest tiers of the Soviet government. If you want to know where Trump is getting his information, you can apparently just fire up Twitter and flip back and forth between CNN and Fox News.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Nuclear near-misses
The Explainer From technical glitches to fateful split-second decisions, the world has come to the brink of nuclear war more times than you might think
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published