The Megyn Kelly Show: “Immigration Crackdown Coming to Chicago, Trump Backs RFK, CBS Changes Editing Policy: AM Update 9/8”

Date: September 8, 2025
Guest Host: Emily Jaszynski (filling in for Megyn Kelly)
Produced by: SiriusXM

Overview

The September 8, 2025 AM Update episode delivers a brisk roundup of this week's most dramatic national news stories, focusing heavily on immigration policy controversy in Chicago, President Trump's provocative online rhetoric and executive actions, the firestorm surrounding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and CBS News’ changes to its interview editing policy. Emily Jaszynski offers energetic, direct coverage in Megyn Kelly’s stead, breaking down the week’s biggest headlines, the heated political exchanges that followed, and the fallout for policymakers and media.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Immigration Crackdown & Federal Push in Chicago

• Trump’s “Apocalypse Now” Meme:

  • Over the weekend, President Trump posted an AI-generated image referencing the film “Apocalypse Now” with himself as Robert Duvall, standing before a burning Chicago skyline (#02:25).
  • Caption: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of War.”
  • This coincides with Trump signing an executive order renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, signaling a rhetorical escalation.

• Federal Enforcement Surge:

  • Internal DHS memo (NYT) reveals a planned 30-day federal immigration enforcement surge in Chicago (#03:12).
  • Trump’s public feud with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker intensifies, apparently pressuring him to request National Guard assistance.

• Political & Legal Response:

  • Governor JB Pritzker: On X (formerly Twitter), slams Trump:

    “The president of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strong man. He’s a scared man.” (#03:54)

  • Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL):

    “Let's make it clear, the president...just declared war on a major city in his own nation. This is not normal, Margaret. This is not acceptable behavior.” (#04:12)

  • National Guard deployment would require state request; a federal judge ruled the Guard cannot engage in domestic law enforcement absent state invitation.
  • Vice President J.D. Vance: No plans to deploy the Guard without state cooperation, but emphasizes Trump’s broad legal authority (#05:24).

• Trump’s Clarification to White House Press:

  • Pressed by NBC's Yamiche Alcindor:

    “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities so they don’t kill five people every weekend. That’s not war. That’s common sense.” — Donald Trump (#04:36)

Key Statistic:

Chicago maintains the unfortunate distinction of highest annual homicides for over a decade; 573 in 2024, with 278 so far in 2025 (#04:52).

2. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Under Fire

• Senate Finance Committee Hearing:

  • RFK Jr. faces bipartisan criticism over vaccine and public health policies (#06:12).

  • Heated exchange:

    “You have had this job for eight months and you don’t know the data about whether the vaccine… That’s the problem…they didn’t have the data. I never promised…to recommend products for which there is no indication.” — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (#06:20)

  • Background:

    • RFK Jr. dismissed the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June.
    • Ended $500 million in mRNA vaccine research in August.
    • Revoked emergency use authorization for Covid boosters.
    • Fired CDC head after one month over vaccine dispute.
    • Every Democrat on the committee demands his resignation; some Republicans are critical but haven’t called on him to resign.

• Sen. Cory Booker on NBC:

  “I believe frankly that all of [Trump’s] cabinet should be taking a moral position…all of them should be stepping down.” (#07:44)

  • Explicitly says “yes” when pressed if Kennedy should resign (#08:13).

• RFK Jr. Defends Himself on Fox News:

  “They don’t want to hear the answers to the questions that they asked me. They want to make a little speech and then shut me down. The CDC is a broken agency. We did worse in Covid than any country in the world...It was because we forgot about science. What we’re going to do…is return gold standard science and make this agency a lead agency for public health in the world once again.” (#08:18)

• Trump’s Comments:

  • Reiterates his support for RFK Jr.:

    “He’s a different kind of guy. He’s got a lot of good ideas… We’re coming up with the answers for autism. You watch… He’s got a lot of ideas and so do I.” — Donald Trump (#09:20)

3. CBS News Editing Controversy & Policy Change

• Incident:

  • DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claims CBS deceptively edited her 16-minute interview, omitting her complete statement on detaining and prosecuting Kilmar Abrego Garcia (MS-13 suspect and accused human trafficker) (#11:22).
  • Noem posts her full answer to X, harshly detailing the suspect’s alleged crimes (#12:35).

    “He was so sick in what he was doing...He needs to never be in the United States of America and our administration is making sure we're doing all that we can to bring him to justice.” — Kristi Noem (#12:35)

• CBS Response:

  • Initial defense: Edited for time; full interview and transcript online.
  • New policy days later after audience feedback:

    “Face the Nation will now only broadcast live or live-to-tape interviews, subject to national security or legal restrictions… audience will see the full unedited interview on CBS… transcripts and full video online.” (paraphrased from #13:03)

  • Policy shift comes months after CBS parent company Paramount paid Trump $16 million over a separate interview-editing lawsuit and weeks after new ownership took over the network.

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case:

  • Accused MS-13 member facing trial on human trafficking in Tennessee.
  • ICE struggles to deport him: El Salvador rejected due to fear of harm; attempted deportation to Uganda was contested; latest removal notice designates Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) (#14:00).
  • Federal judge blocks removal pending October 6 hearing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tammy Duckworth (Sen. D-IL), On CBS:

  “The president…just declared war on a major city in his own nation. This is not normal…this is not acceptable behavior.” (#04:12)

• Donald Trump, Responding to Press:

  “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities… That’s not war. That’s common sense.” (#04:36)

• Cory Booker (Sen. D-NJ) on HHS Secretary’s Fate:

  “I believe…all of his cabinet should…be stepping down.” (#07:44)

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On CDC Overhaul:

  “The CDC is a broken agency…we literally are, we’re the worst team in the league…my job is to shake up the organization…” (#08:18)

• CBS Policy Statement:

  “Face the Nation will now only broadcast live or live-to-tape interviews…audience will see the full unedited interview.” (#13:03)

• Kristi Noem, On Abrego Garcia:

  “…he was so perverted that he solicited nude photos from minors and even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off. He was so sick...He needs to never be in the United States of America…” (#12:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s “Apocalypse Now” Meme & Immigration Crackdown: 02:25
• Feud with IL Gov. Pritzker & National Guard Debate: 03:54 - 05:44
• Senate Hearings & HHS Secretary Kennedy Under Fire: 06:12 - 09:47
• CBS News Interview Editing Scandal & Policy Change: 11:22 - 13:03
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia Deportation Saga: 13:03 - 14:50

Tone & Style

• Direct, urgent, and often combative political language, reflecting the tensions of the 2025 news cycle.
• Pervasive skepticism towards mainstream media and establishment practices.
• Frequent use of potent, vivid imagery (e.g., “Apocalypse Now” meme, “war with an American city”).

For New Listeners

This episode offers an unvarnished, sometimes provocative narrative of evolving federal-state clashes over immigration, deepening political divides over pandemic policy, a spotlight on media credibility, and the stakes for high-profile criminal justice cases. The detailed breakdown of both substance and spin provides a clear roadmap for understanding this week’s most contentious developments.