The Megyn Kelly Show — Episode 1197

Date: November 19, 2025
Host: Megyn Kelly
Guests: Buck Sexton, Andrew Kolvet, Blake Neff

Episode Overview

This episode of The Megyn Kelly Show explores several pressing political and cultural issues: Democrats’ messaging to the military regarding “illegal orders,” the political controversy around the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s case files, the character and media handling of JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, and the fallout from political violence and media responsibility following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The episode features Buck Sexton and, later, Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff from Turning Point USA.

Kelly and her guests dissect current political narratives, media behavior, and the state of public discourse, often using pointed language and critique.

Major Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Democrats Urging Military to “Refuse Illegal Orders” (02:50–16:04)

• Background:
  Democratic Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly release a video message to military and intelligence personnel, reminding them to refuse “illegal orders.” Panelists see this as coded messaging aimed at undermining the Trump Administration and laying groundwork for future legal and political attacks.

• Buck Sexton's Analysis:

  • Frames the message as “stage 4 Trump Derangement Syndrome” and likens it to hashtag-resistance rhetoric from early in Trump’s first term.
  • Questions the lack of clarification on what constitutes an “illegal order,” suggesting the message is intentionally vague as a political swipe.
  • Predicts Democrats could use this groundwork to later mount hearings or “war crimes tribunals” regarding strikes on narco-terrorists, bringing up Obama’s precedent with drone strikes on American citizens.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “If there’s illegal orders, tell us what they are.” — Buck Sexton (05:53)
  • “It’s meant to be kind of an underhanded swipe at the administration.” — Buck Sexton (05:56)
  • “Barack Obama droned American citizens without trial abroad, including a 16 year old... So what are we really talking about here?” — Buck Sexton (08:17)

• Megan Kelly's Commentary:

  • Emphasizes the severity of the fentanyl crisis to argue for support of strong action against drug cartels.
  • Critiques the effectiveness and clarity of the Democrats’ message.

2. Slotkin’s Political Persona Scrutinized (12:22–15:45)

• Kelly and Buck discuss Rep. Elissa Slotkin, criticizing her moderation claims and style, highlighting a contentious confirmation hearing and her repeated focus on the hypothetical of Trump issuing illegal orders.

3. Release of Epstein Files & Political Spin (16:13–33:14)

• Topic:
  Senate passes a bill forcing DOJ release of Jeffrey Epstein files after Trump makes a 180-degree reversal in his opposition.

• Discussion:

  • Buck sees Trump’s reversal as a pragmatic response to political pressure from his base and a desire for transparency.
  • Kelly asserts the media’s obsession with tying Trump to Epstein is unfounded and distorts the true scandal, referencing the actual content in witness statements.
  • Brief consideration of exceptions that could allow classified info to be withheld, but general agreement there’s no “smoking gun” against Trump.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “This was one of the rare times where Trump threw the pressure. You cannot bend Trump if you are anti Trump... It is a rare occasion when Trump voters can say, you know, effectively, Mr. President, we need you to do this.” — Buck Sexton (22:52)
  • “The story’s not about Trump. It’s about Jeffrey Epstein and his disgusting pals...” — Megyn Kelly (20:21)

4. Democratic Ties to Epstein & the Media's Double Standard (24:18–33:14)

• Kelly discusses Rep. Stacey Plaskett’s friendly contact with Epstein post-scandal while cross-examining Michael Cohen, noting Democrats shield their own while using race as a defensive shield.

• Buck lists multiple highly-connected Democrats and celebrities long associated with Epstein, highlighting “media hypocrisy.”

• Extended discussion about the mystery of Epstein’s fortune and the questionable relationships top Democrats maintained with him post-conviction.

• Quote:

  • “If you’re sitting down at lunch with somebody and they say, ‘I did a couple of years for tax evasion,’ do you finish the lunch?... It’s like if you sat down with somebody and they said, ‘I committed a violent sex crime or underage sex crime.’ Do you finish lunch? No.” — Buck Sexton (30:13)

5. Joy Reid Defends Women’s Spaces (57:39–59:23)

• Megyn praises MSNBC’s Joy Reid for stating support for single-sex locker rooms after a female gym-goer objected to a trans woman’s presence.
• Panel agrees it's “a good sign” when even ideological opponents defend basic rights and common sense.
• Andrew Kolvet: “I’m a big fan, Megan, of not having a totally insane opposition party.”

6. Jack Schlossberg, JFK’s Grandson, Under Scrutiny (61:36–68:10)

• Schlossberg’s “bizarre” social media behavior, edgy trolling, and attacks on his own family (including RFK Jr.) are discussed as examples of generational decline.

• Kelly and guests note double standards in media treatment compared to conservative politicians.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “He is not one of them [exemplary families]. … for the left, legacy is about the Rose Garden and Air Force One color scheme.” — Andrew Kolvet (68:05, 71:33)

7. Katie Couric’s Interview on Charlie Kirk’s Death (72:06–78:55)

• Kelly expresses outrage at Couric’s repeated pressure on John Fetterman to condemn Charlie Kirk’s rhetoric after Kirk’s assassination.
• Panel says this reflects a media tendency to blame conservative speech for violence.
• Kolvet: “She’s suggesting that Charlie Kirk had this coming...”

8. Media Reaction to Political Violence and Public Discourse (81:47–89:23)

• Taylor Lorenz is cited for expressing “joy” about the UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder, which the panel sees as emblematic of a growing left-wing celebration of political violence.

• The segment argues leftist media and Twitter personalities normalize, justify, or even cheer acts of cruelty or violence against opponents.

• Quote:

  • “There is nothing more toxic and more damaging than telling people, you can be cruel, you can do evil things, and actually, it’s actively a good thing.” — Blake Neff (83:11)

9. Internal Conservative Split on Israel (94:36–101:20)

• Discussed with Kolvet and Neff: posthumous speculation about how Charlie Kirk would navigate growing fault-lines on Israel among young conservatives.
• Consensus: Kirk would advocate for open debate and prioritize American interests while rejecting antisemitism.
• Andrew: “We don’t want to say, ‘Hey, you can be a part of America First if you feel a certain way about another country.’”

10. Turning Point USA Growth & Hostility on Campuses (101:20–107:24)

• After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Turning Point saw a surge in new chapter inquiries, with 50 chapters starting daily and ~6000 chapters nationwide.
• Discussion of hostility faced by Turning Point students and personnel, with examples of college faculty calling them “Nazis.”
• Neff: “It is an ideology that embraces your worst personal temptations and says indulge them, hate other people… and tells you that is righteous.”

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• [05:53] Buck Sexton: “If there's illegal orders, tell us what they are.”
• [09:34] Megyn Kelly: "We have lost more people to fentanyl in this country, young people, than we lost in 911 and the post years... the human toll on this fentanyl crisis is beyond measure."
• [16:13] Megyn Kelly: "Mark Levin was calling me a Nazi two weeks ago. That term is grossly overused."
• [22:52] Buck Sexton: “This was one of the rare times where Trump threw the pressure ... It is a rare occasion when Trump voters can say, ‘Mr. President, we need you to do this.’”
• [30:13] Buck Sexton: "If you sat down with somebody and they said, 'I committed a violent sex crime or underage sex crime.' Do you finish the lunch? No."
• [57:39] Joy Reid (clip): “If I saw a penis in the ladies locker room, I would freak out too... I would probably go to management and say, ‘Wait a minute. Why is there somebody – a naked man in this room?’”
• [68:05] Andrew Kolvet: “The way he's treated Bobby Kennedy Jr. has been completely... disqualifying. I genuinely cannot stand a person that would throw his own family member under the bus like that.”
• [78:03] Andrew Kolvet: “She's doing the meme – she's suggesting that Charlie Kirk had this coming... and that something that he said justified the shooter's actions. I find it appalling.”
• [83:11] Blake Neff: “There is nothing more toxic and more damaging than telling people, you can be cruel, you can do evil things, and actually, it's not even not a bad thing, it's actively a good thing.”
• [99:00] Andrew Kolvet: “Charlie was very much, I'm an American. I should be allowed to criticize my own government. I should be allowed to criticize other governments, even if that government is Israel.”

Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Show News: 00:35–02:48
• Democratic Military Messaging: 02:50–16:04
• Slotkin, War Orders, and PR: 12:22–15:45
• Epstein Files/Trump Shift: 16:13–33:14
• Democratic Epstein Associates: 24:18–33:14
• Joy Reid on Locker Rooms: 57:39–59:23
• Jack Schlossberg Critique: 61:36–68:10
• Couric/Fetterman/Charlie Kirk & Media Bias: 72:06–78:55
• Political Violence & Public Rhetoric: 81:47–89:23
• Conservative Split on Israel: 94:36–101:20
• Turning Point USA Growth: 101:20–107:24

Tone and Language

• Highly opinionated, skeptical, and combative toward mainstream media and Democratic Party narratives.
• Speakers use direct, sometimes abrasive language—e.g., references to “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” “insane opposition party,” and explicit critiques of politicians and reporters.
• The conversation is fast-paced, critical, and often sarcastic.

Memorable & Controversial Moments

• The skepticism and mockery directed at Democrats’ warning against “illegal orders.”
• Praise for Joy Reid’s defense of single-sex spaces, despite her being “unlistenable” otherwise.
• Multiple references to media hypocrisy, particularly regarding Epstein and political violence.
• Strong rebuke of Katie Couric’s attempt to frame Charlie Kirk's death as the result of his own rhetoric.
• The assertion that modern progressivism excuses or celebrates violence and cruelty against political opponents.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a passionate, critical, and sometimes caustic roundtable on political messaging, the manipulation of scandals, and media double standards. If you’re interested in pointed conservative commentary on the latest controversies—from military loyalty and fentanyl to the politics of scandal and the fallout of political violence—this episode offers detailed takes and unfiltered language.