The Megyn Kelly Show — Episode 1195:

“New Bombshell Would-Be Trump Assassin Reporting, Attacks on Vance, and MTG's CNN Apology”
Host: Megyn Kelly | Guest: Glenn Greenwald
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

Megyn Kelly and Glenn Greenwald dive into bombshell new revelations around the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, dissecting reporting by Tucker Carlson and Miranda Devine on the shooter’s background and the FBI’s controversial silence. The conversation pivots to the ongoing pressure campaign against Tucker Carlson due to his association with J.D. Vance, splits in the conservative movement over Israel, and political maneuvering for the 2028 election. The episode closes with discussion of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s public apology on CNN, the enduring mystery of the Epstein files, and a critique of Michelle Obama’s recent media remarks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bombshell New Details: The Trump Assassin's Digital Footprint

[05:44–22:06]

• Tucker Carlson’s Reporting on Thomas Crooks:
  • Released a 34-minute documentary revealing Crooks’ history of alarming, violent online rhetoric — beginning as far-right, then shifting sharply far-left around COVID (Jan 2020).
  • Explicit threats were posted online, including anti-immigrant, anti-Democrat, and anti-government messages.
  • Introduced the mysterious figure “Willie Tepes” who pressured Crooks toward violence.
  • Crooks’ social media abruptly stops after contact with "Tepes."
  • FBI claims Crooks’ digital footprint is minimal, but evidence says otherwise.

“It took you along the way on this political path that this shooter seemed to have traversed... from far right... to something that resembles... very critical of Trump for his handling of COVID, and other kinds of progressive rhetoric.”
— Glenn Greenwald [15:16]

• FBI’s Evasive Behavior Raises Questions:
  • The FBI remains tight-lipped on the digital evidence and Crooks’ possible recruitment.
  • Glenn Greenwald and Megyn Kelly both question the lack of transparency, given Crooks is dead and there’s ostensibly no ongoing trial or investigation.
  • Kelly suspects the FBI gave Miranda Devine her scoop to distract from Tucker’s bombshell.

“Why are they keeping all that a secret? ... There's no trial. He's dead. They've denied that there's any conspiracy… Why won't they even say if they have this or what else they have?”
— Glenn Greenwald [12:33]

• Possible Conspiracies and Institutional Distrust:
  • The episode draws historical parallels to JFK, highlighting how government secrecy fuels conspiracy theories.
  • Discussion of claims that Iran or even a foreign government (China, Venezuela) could have been involved — all speculative but reflective of rampant skepticism.

“The last time there was a president who was murdered... was John F. Kennedy. And because of the secrecy around that... people still suspect our government might have had some role in that.”
— Glenn Greenwald [20:06]

2. Miranda Devine’s ‘Furry Fetish’ Scoop

[27:20–35:06]

• New York Post Reporting:
  • Crooks allegedly had a “furry fetish,” used they/them pronouns on DeviantArt, and engaged in trans- and furry communities.
  • Kelly and Greenwald question the timing and possible diversionary intent.
  • Both advise skepticism until the government fully confirms and explains the “furry” aspect.

“Why are we only learning about that right now?”
— Megyn Kelly [30:34]

3. Broader Political Fallout—Trust, Transparency, and Conspiracies

[35:06–40:55]

• Differing Government Excuses:
  • Unlike the Charlie Kirk shooter (Tyler Robinson), the FBI cannot claim an ongoing investigation on Crooks, making their secrecy especially suspect.
• Self-protection or Institutional Capture?
  • Kelly floats the theory that high-level Trump administration officials (e.g., Cash Patel, Pam Bondi, Trump himself) are holding back information for undisclosed but “justified” reasons.
  • Greenwald cautions that institutional capture often dulls reformers once they take power.

4. The Shifting Conservative Movement: Tucker Carlson, J.D. Vance & Israel

[45:08–66:36]

• Pressure on Tucker Carlson:
  • Tucker faces mounting accusations of antisemitism, largely due to his criticisms of U.S.-Israel relations post-10/7.
  • Glenn Greenwald, noting his own Jewish heritage, adamantly defends Tucker against those charges, arguing Tucker’s skepticism of interventionism is about “never making the Iraq War mistake again.”
  • Megyn Kelly highlights that prominent conservative attacks on Tucker (Mark Levin, Ted Cruz) represent a sea change from just a few years ago.
  • Both hosts agree that the movement to “deplatform” Tucker is really about enforcing loyalty to the old neocon stance on Israel.

“It’s all about demanding that J.D. Vance embrace the neocon ideology in general and their love and support and loyalty to Israel in particular.”
— Glenn Greenwald [46:38]

• The J.D. Vance Factor:
  • NYT columns and left-wing commentators are already preemptively labeling Vance a white nationalist—despite, as Greenwald points out, his Indian-American wife and mixed-race children.

“Nick Fuentes absolutely despises J.D. Vance... He would rather support Gavin Newsom because he married a white woman...”
— Glenn Greenwald [72:37]

• Fractures Over Israel:
  • The rising divide between the “America First”/isolationist wing (Vance, Tucker, Candace Owens) and traditional neocons (Cruz, Rubio, Mark Levin) is likely to shape the conservative future and the 2028 presidential race.
  • Kelly underscores growing, open debate within the right on Israel policy—a major generational shift.

5. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s CNN Apology & Political Maneuvering

[76:28–86:42]

• MTG’s Break With Trump:
  • Her appearance on CNN, including a public apology for past rhetoric, is seen by Kelly & Greenwald as a major tactical move, perhaps in anticipation of a Georgia Senate run.
  • MTG’s support for releasing more Epstein files has put her at odds with Trump, leading to Trump's caustic social media attacks.

“You don’t go on CNN to do it and get, like, manipulated and exploited by Dana Bash and CNN because they’re not interested in the authenticity of what you’re doing. They’re just exploiting you for political partisan gain.”
— Glenn Greenwald [83:35]

6. The Epstein Files: Ongoing Mysteries & Media Complicity

[86:42–102:19]

• DOJ & Political Gamesmanship:
  • Right-wing calls to release all Epstein investigation files now put Trump allies in an awkward position after years of using Epstein against Democrats.
  • There’s skepticism that any “smoking gun” remains unreleased, but consensus on the moral bankruptcy of the elite social and political circles that continued to associate with Epstein post-conviction.

“The only thing they don’t want to be seen around… is people who are poor. They were more interested in rubbing elbows with the rich guy, notwithstanding his love of raping young people.”
— Megyn Kelly [93:08]

• Stacey Plaskett Scandal:
  • Virgin Islands Congresswoman exposed for texting Epstein for questioning strategy during congressional hearings after Epstein's first conviction.

7. Michelle Obama's Race and Gender Commentary

[102:19–106:46]

• Kelly and Greenwald Respond to Obama’s Media Tour:
  • Both voice strong criticism of Obama’s recurring focus on microaggressions, white people, and American racism—even after enjoying enormous privilege.

“It is so true. There was another clip where she was like, listen up, white people stay out of our hair...Yet you're doing it and blaming it on white people. It's this constant. I don't know anybody who's been more blessed and privileged by the United States than Michelle Obama.”
— Glenn Greenwald [105:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It is absolutely our right to know, this is our country... Whether it’s at the Congressional level or even in the White House is temporary. It’s our country and we have a right to know.”
  — Megyn Kelly [27:20]

• “You could accuse them of acting politically if the person were a conservative...But what about all the reporting...that suggests that he had a different ideology? What possible motive do they have for hiding that?”
  — Glenn Greenwald [15:16]

• “A very odd white nationalist, isn’t it?...That’s a very poor choice that he made for a white nationalist.”
  — Glenn Greenwald on J.D. Vance’s family [73:04]

• “You’re not asking for him to be cancelled because he cannot be. He’s independent, and he’s going to be out there on these podcast feeds whether you like it or not.”
  — Megyn Kelly [57:57]

• “To conflate Israel and Jews is... anti-Semitic...I was born in the United States. I’m a citizen of only one country. I see Israel as a foreign country...To even make that conflation is so unfair.”
  — Glenn Greenwald [68:41]

• “There was this, like, what I had always thought was a caricature right wing character when she [Michelle Obama] was first lady, that she was deeply harboring these animosities toward white people...And now that she’s speaking freely, I mean, it is so true.”
  — Glenn Greenwald [105:10]

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:44–22:06 | Tucker’s Crooks doc; FBI secrecy; emerging theories | | 27:20–35:06 | Devine/Furry reporting; trans/furry effect; skepticism | | 40:55-46:38 | Deepening frustration; speculation on FBI/Trump officials | | 45:08–66:36 | Tucker under fire; debate over Israel splits the right; Vance | | 76:28–86:42 | MTG’s CNN apology; Epstein files debate | | 93:08–102:19 | Epstein emails; elite complicity; Plaskett/Epstein texts | | 102:19-106:46| Michelle Obama critique |

Tone & Style

• Direct, skeptical, and adversarial: Kelly and Greenwald challenge establishment narratives and call out both governmental and media secrecy/manipulation.
• Candid and personal: Both hosts blend reporting with their opinions and personal experiences, especially on intra-conservative debates and media smears.
• Provocative but nuanced: While critical, the hosts resist easy conspiracy (“I love Miranda Devine...but I want answers from the government.” — Greenwald).

Summary Takeaways

• New, disturbing details have emerged about Trump’s would-be assassin, but the FBI’s silence and scattershot leaks have only fueled suspicion and calls for transparency.
• Conservative infighting over Israel and “loyalty” to the old guard is intensifying—a major realignment ahead of 2028 is likely.
• Media and political elites’ persistent hypocrisy regarding the Epstein saga and accountability for their own is unmistakable.
• Marjorie Taylor Greene’s public apology and distance from Trump signal shifting alliances and ambitions within MAGA ranks.
• On all these hot-button topics, Kelly and Greenwald foreground a consistent theme: the public’s right to transparency, honesty, and real debate—even when the establishment (of either party) demands silence or obedience.