Trump Begins High Stakes China Summit, CIA Whistleblower on COVID, AOC Tops '28 Poll: AM Update 5/14

Summary

The Megyn Kelly Show: AM Update May 14, 2026

Episode Title: Trump Begins High Stakes China Summit, CIA Whistleblower on COVID, AOC Tops '28 Poll

Host: Emily Jashinsky (filling in for Megyn Kelly)
Date: May 14, 2026
Platform: SiriusXM Channel 111

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Overview

This episode of The Megyn Kelly Show’s AM Update focuses on three major stories:

• President Trump’s pivotal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping amidst global tensions.
• Explosive testimony from a CIA whistleblower alleging a cover-up in the investigation into COVID-19’s origins, with Dr. Anthony Fauci’s role called into question.
• Surprising new 2028 presidential primary polling that puts Marco Rubio and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez atop their respective parties.

Also discussed: a new book on the viral “Brigitte Macron shove” incident and what may have fueled that shocking moment.

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1. President Trump’s High-Stakes China Summit

([02:21]–[04:56])

• President Trump arrives in Beijing for a two-day summit with President Xi, accompanied by American business leaders including Elon Musk.
• The visit features traditional diplomatic ceremonies, with major issues on the agenda: trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and the ongoing war with Iran.
• The summit occurs at a delicate moment:
  • Trump faces political and legal headwinds over tariffs and rising energy prices.
  • Xi’s economy feels the pinch from the Iran conflict, especially on manufacturing and energy costs.

Key Quotes:

• James Comer, House Oversight Chairman ([04:09]):

  “We have a lot of problems with China. They steal our intellectual property, they manipulate their currency. ... But, we really need to have a fair trade agreement with China. We need China to buy more agricultural goods from the United States. ... If I were President Xi, I would worry ... that China could be faced with even more tariffs from the United States.”

Notable Points:

• Both leaders need economic breakthroughs.
• A possible US-China Board of Trade and of Investment is reportedly under consideration.
• If talks fail, escalation of tariffs is likely.

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2. CIA Whistleblower Testimony on COVID-19 Origins

([04:56]–[10:48])

Background

• CIA officer James Erdman III gives public testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Rand Paul.
• Erdman alleges US intelligence and leading scientists, including Dr. Fauci, downplayed the lab leak hypothesis and steered public debate.

Discussion Highlights

Potential Conflicts of Interest:

• Erdman ([05:58]):

  “Dr. Ralph Baric collaborated with Drs. Zhengli Shi in Wuhan to create gain-of-function coronaviruses. But Dr. Baric was also part of BCEG and an active consultant to intelligence agencies on the origins of COVID-19.”

• Other experts like Peter Daszak, recipient of significant US funding, also played roles in both research and the government/WHO investigations.

Dr. Fauci’s Alleged Influence:

• Erdman ([07:08]):

  “How can Anthony Fauci objectively comment on a discussion of COVID origins when he approved the very funding that may have caused the pandemic virus? ... Some scientists on that [February 2020] call privately raised serious concerns about a laboratory origin. Yet ironically, those same scientists later coauthored the proximal origin paper which publicly dismissed the lab leak hypothesis. One author received a $9 million grant from Dr. Fauci’s own agency after he changed his opinion...”

• Erdman claims Dr. Fauci intervened in intelligence discussions at least twice, pushing for a “natural origins” narrative ([08:57]).

Senator Rand Paul’s Challenge:

• Paul ([08:27]):

  “Intentional or not, the IC’s actions resulted in cover up, wasted resources and a failure to properly inform policymakers. Public health policy would have been very different had the American public been made aware that a virus from a lab in China was going to serve as the foundation for an emergency use authorization...”

CIA’s Response:

• The agency call’s Paul’s hearing “dishonest political theater” ([09:56]), noting it already assessed a lab origin as “most likely.”
• Senator Ron Johnson ([10:23]):

  “I am calling on CIA Director Radcliffe ... to apologize. This is not political theater. I have years and years and years of built-up frustration of agencies like the CIA... snubbing our oversight, giving us the big middle finger.”

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3. 2028 Presidential Primary Shock Polls

([12:19]–[15:53])

Republican Field

• Atlas Intel poll—one of the most accurate from 2024—puts Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 45.4%, dominating the field and beating VP J.D. Vance by nearly 16 points.
• Ron DeSantis comes third, while other polls have shown Vance in the lead consistently.

Donald Trump’s Reaction ([14:12]):

• In a Rose Garden dinner, Trump playfully pits Rubio and Vance supporters against each other:

  “Who likes J.D. Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right, sounds like a good ticket. ... I do believe that's a dream team, but these are minor details. That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”

Democratic Field

• AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) leads at 26%, followed by Pete Buttigieg (22.4%) and Gavin Newsom (21.2%); Kamala Harris, usually the frontrunner, is a distant fourth at 12.9%.
• This is the first major poll showing AOC in the lead.

AOC on Her Ambitions ([15:53]):

“They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat, and my ambition is way bigger than that. ... I make decisions by waking up in the morning, looking out the window and observing the conditions of this country and saying what move ... can I make today that is going to get us closer to [a better future]...?”

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4. Brigitte Macron Shove Incident—A New Book’s Revelation

([16:41]–[19:21])

• Viral 2025 video appears to show France’s First Lady shoving President Emmanuel Macron as they exit a plane.
• New reporting:
  • Macron jokes: “...somehow that becomes a ... catastrophe with people even coming up with theories... We are horsing around.”
  • Political journalist Florian Tardieff’s book claims Brigitte was angered by a flirty text Macron sent to exiled Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani.
  • Brigitte denies reading Macron’s messages or that the plane episode was about jealousy—she was merely tired after a rough flight.
  • Farahani also denies any affair: “Rumors, you have to let them go. Fair or unfair, they’re only rumors.”

---

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• James Comer ([04:09]): “If I were President Xi, I would worry ... China could be faced with even more tariffs from the United States.”
• James Erdman ([05:58]) (on COVID origins conflicts): “The very scientists ... were in some cases the very scientists who were complicit in the origins of ... experiments that may well have created Covid.”
• Rand Paul ([08:27]): “Intentional or not, the IC's actions resulted in cover up, wasted resources and a failure to properly inform policymakers.”
• Donald Trump ([14:12]): “Who likes J.D. Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right, sounds like a good ticket ... that does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”
• AOC ([15:53]): “My ambition is way bigger than [a title or seat] ... presidents come and go, Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go, but single payer healthcare is forever, a living wage is forever.”

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Segment Timestamps

• [02:21] Trump Arrives in China, Details on the Summit
• [04:09] James Comer on the Summit’s Stakes
• [04:56] CIA Whistleblower Testimony: Erdman and Senator Paul
• [05:58] Erdman Explains Key Scientist Conflicts
• [07:08] Erdman on Fauci’s Role
• [08:27] Senator Paul on Institutional Failures
• [09:56] CIA Pushback and Congressional Anger
• [12:19] 2028 Poll Shockers
• [14:12] Trump Comments on Potential 2028 GOP Ticket
• [15:53] AOC Speaks to Presidential Ambitions
• [16:41] The Brigitte Macron Shove Incident Explained

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Conclusion

This AM Update covered pressing and controversial issues in American and international politics, including high-level US-China diplomacy, explosive whistleblower allegations about the COVID-19 origins probe, and 2028 polling upsets. The episode ends on both a lighter and salacious note with French political drama. Highly detailed and candid discussion, maintaining The Megyn Kelly Show’s “no agenda, no fear” style throughout.

Transcript

[CIA Officer James Erdman III]

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[Emily Jashinsky]

Good morning everyone. I'm Emily Drishinski, host of Afterparty and the Megyn Kelly wrap up show on SiriusXM channel 111. It's Thursday, May 14, 2026 and this is your AM update.

[House Oversight Chairman James Comer]

I think this is a very important tr. Obviously it's historic, but we have a

[Emily Jashinsky]

lot of problems with China President Trump in China for a high stakes summit with President Xi as both leaders face mounting pressure at home.

[Senator Rand Paul]

The IC's actions resulted in cover up, wasted resources and a failure to properly inform policymakers.

[Emily Jashinsky]

A CIA officer testifies in front of Congress, accusing intelligence officials of downplaying evidence that Covid may have started in a Wuhan lab and accusing Dr. Fauci of improperly influencing the government. Review a shocking new 2028 poll from one of the most accurate firms of the last presidential election showing two unlikely names leading the early primary fields and a new book raising fresh questions about the viral moment when cameras appeared to catch France's first lady shoving President Emmanuel Macron in the face. All that and more coming up in just a moment. On your AM Update,

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[Emily Jashinsky]

President Trump arriving in Beijing for a high stakes two day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mr. Trump and a delegation of American business leaders including Elon Musk landing Wednesday night Beijing time. Air Force One greeted on the tarmac by a formal welcome ceremony with hundreds of Chinese children waving American and Chinese flags, a military honor guard and a military band. The visit marking the first trip by a US President to China in nearly a decade. With trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war with Iran all Expected to be on the agenda. The major diplomatic meetings beginning Thursday morning in Beijing with President Trump arriving at the Great hall of the people just before 10am local time, greeting President Xi and then sitting down for a bilateral meeting. President Trump also expected to take part in a bilateral tea before attending a state banquet at the Great hall of the People Thursday evening. The summit coming at a politically and economically delicate moment for both leaders. President Trump arriving as his sweeping tariff agenda faces legal setbacks at home while the ongoing war with Iran continues to drive up energy prices and test public patience. President Xi facing pressure of his own, especially as the US Conflict with Iran disrupts oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up energy costs for China's manufacturing heavy economy an expected focus of discussions establishing new economic channels between Beijing and Washington with a U S China Board of Trade and a U S China Board of Investment. House Oversight Chairman James Comer yesterday on Fox laying out the balancing act for President Trump.

[House Oversight Chairman James Comer]

I think this is a very important trip. Obviously it's historic, but we have a lot of problems with China. They steal our intellectual property, they manipulate their currency. They don't abide by any environmental laws. They're funding our greatest enemy right now, Iran. But having said that, we really need to have a trade agreement, a fair trade agreement with China. We need China to buy more agriculture goods from the United States. We need China to import American energy. China has already received the message that the United States is serious with all the tariffs that have been slapped on China. And if I were President Xi, I would worry if this is an unsuccessful summit after or two days that China could be faced with even more tariffs from the United States.

[Emily Jashinsky]

A CIA officer testifying yesterday under subpoena alleging intelligence officials downplayed the possibility that COVID 19 began in a Wuhan China lab and accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci of improperly influencing the government's review of the virus's origins. Special Operations Officer James Erdman iii appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Senator Paul opening the hearing by arguing the COVID Origins debate was shaped by a small circle of government officials, scientists, intelligence advisors and outside experts who he says were presented to the public as independent voices despite overlapping relationships and potential conflicts of interest. The senator pointing to the Biological Sciences Experts group known as BCEG as one example, arguing some of the scientists involved in advising the government had also worked in fields directly tied to the research at the center of the COVID Origins fight.

[CIA Officer James Erdman III]

For example, Dr. Ralph Baric collaborated with Drs. Zhengli, Shi and Wuhan to create gain of function coronaviruses. But Dr. Baric was also part of BCEG and an active consultant to intelligence agencies on the origins of COVID 19 paths pandemic. Likewise, Peter Daszak received hundreds of millions of dollars from the US government and worked with Dr. Shi also on these gain of function experiments. Daszak was even sent to China with the WHO to investigate the origins of COVID So the very scientists that were commissioned to investigate Covid were in some cases the very scientists who were complicit in the origins of of the gain of function experiments that may well have created Covid.

[Emily Jashinsky]

Senator Paul Singling out former director of the National Institute of Allergy and infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, arguing Fauci was not merely involved in public health messaging during COVID but had long standing ties to national security discussions on biological threats, dangerous pathogens, classified research, pandemic preparedness and Covid origins.

[CIA Officer James Erdman III]

How can Anthony Fauci objectively comment on a discussion of COVID origins when he approved the very funding that may have caused the pandemic virus? He referred to the idea that the pandemic originating in the lab was a conspiracy, that it was a conspiracy theory. Dr. Fauci convened the now infamous February 1, 2020 call. Some scientists on that call privately raised serious concerns about a laboratory origin. Yet ironically, those same scientists later co authored the proximal origin paper which publicly dismissed the lab leak hypothesis. One author received a 9 million dollar grant from Dr. Fauci's own agency after he changed his opinion from lab leak on the private phone call to natural origin in public.

[Emily Jashinsky]

Erdman, who has worked for the CIA since 2013, spending more than a year reviewing the intelligence community's handling of the COVID origins probe as part of DNI Tulsa Gabbard' Directors Initiatives Group or Digg. Erdman, telling lawmakers, intelligence leaders and senior analysts downplayed the possibility that COVID 19 began with a lab incident shaping not just the government's intelligence assessment, but the public debate over emergency pandemic policies that followed.

[Senator Rand Paul]

Intentional or not, the IC's actions resulted in cover up, wasted resources and a failure to properly inform policymakers. Public health policy would have been very different had the American public been made aware that a virus from a lab in China was going to serve as the foundation for an emergency use authorization MRNA products being mandated by the former administration.

[Emily Jashinsky]

According to Erdmann, Dr. Fauci inserted himself into intelligence community discussions twice, once in February 2020 and again in June 2021, allegedly pushing officials toward a natural origin explanation here, an exchange between Erdman and Senator Paul.

[CIA Officer James Erdman III]

Your conclusion is that changing from the scientific consensus of it being from a lab to a neutral position by the CIA was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci.

[Senator Rand Paul]

It was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci's injecting himself into the IC, particularly during the 90 day study. We have documentation that shows that as of August 12th, the CIA was considering calling this a lab leak. August 12th of 2021. And then that changed on August 17th of 2021. And unfortunately, because the CIA would not provide us documentation that we asked for, we can't. We have no idea why that changed.

[Emily Jashinsky]

The CIA pushing back sharply, saying Paul's committee acted in bad faith by subpoenaing Erdman despite already receiving closed door testimony from him and calling the hearing dishonest. Political theater masquerading as a congressional hearing. The agency noting it has already assessed COVID 19, most likely originated from a lab leak. Senator Ron Johnson, Republican from Wisconsin, reading the statement toward the end of the hearing, then firing back.

[Senator Rand Paul]

I am calling on CIA Director Radcliffe and this person to apologize to Chairman Paul and this committee. This is not political theater. I have years and years and years of built up frustration of agencies like the CIA, Department of Justice, the FBI, HHS snubbing our oversight, giving us the big middle finger.

[Emily Jashinsky]

Coming up, a new 2028 poll from one of the most accurate firms of the last presidential election, putting two unexpected names at the top of the early primary fields. And a new book claims to reveal what was really behind the viral moment when cameras appear to catch France's first lady shoving President Emmanuel Macron's face.

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a new 2028 poll scrambling the early presidential primary picture showing two surprise names at the top who are not even close to the lead of most national averages. The survey from Atlas intel finding Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the Republican field by nearly 16 points, ahead of Vice President J.D. vance. On the Democrat side, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of New York narrowly leading the Democratic field over former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Those numbers a major break from the broader polling landscape where Vice President Vance dominates nearly every GOP survey and former Vice President Kamala Harris leads in most Democratic polls. The results of the survey standing out because of Atlas Intel's track record in 2024, when the firm ranked among the most accurate pollsters of the presidential election and correctly called the winner in every swing state. In this poll, Secretary Rubio dominating the field with 45.4% support Mr. Vance in second with 29.6%, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in third at 11.2%. That result sharply contrasting the RealClearPolitics polling average currently showing VP Vance leading with 40.5%, more than 20 points ahead of Rubio, who sits at 20.3%. Donald Trump Jr. Is third in the RCP average at 11.2%, followed by Governor DeSantis at 8.2%. Until his latest Atlas survey, Vance topping every 2028 Republican primary poll included in the Real Clear Politics average dating back to November, leading all but one of them by double digits. The split in the early polling coming as President Trump is now openly floating both Vance and Rubio as the party's possible next ticket. President Trump Monday night at a Rose Garden Club dinner party.

[Donald Trump]

Who's it going to be? Is it going to be J.D. is it going to be somebody else? I don't know. Who does anybody have? Okay, let's go. You ready? Who likes J.D. vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right, sounds like a good ticket. JD Is a perfect. That was a perfect ticket, by the way. I do believe that's a dream team, but these are minor details. That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance. I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.

[Emily Jashinsky]

On the Democrat side, Atlas intel showing AOC narrowly leading the field with 26% support among Democratic primary voters. Secretary Buttigieg following at 22.4%, with Governor Newsom close behind at 21.2%. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads most early Democratic polling, coming in a distant fourth in the Atlas survey at 12.9%. That result also breaking sharply from the broader RealClearPolitics average, where Harris leads the Democratic field at 25% support. Governor Newsom is second in the RCP average at 18.8%, followed by Buttigieg at 13.1% and Ocasio Cortez at 11.3%. Before this latest Atlas survey, AOC had not topped any 2028 Democratic primary poll included in the RealClear Politics average dating back to November, with VP Harris leading in the nine polls prior to the Atlas result. AOC asked directly about her presidential ambitions during an appearance last week at the University of Chicago.

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]

They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat, and my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country and presidents come and go, Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go, but single payer healthcare is forever, a living wage is forever. But I make decisions by waking up in the morning, looking out the window and observing the conditions of this country and saying what move or what decision can I make today that is going to get us closer to that future, Stronger, faster, better than yesterday?

[Emily Jashinsky]

Just weeks before the one year anniversary of the viral moment when cameras appear to catch France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron shoving President Emmanuel Macron's face, a new book is revealing more about what may have happened behind the scenes. The Macrons had just landed for a stop on a tour of Southeast Asia as the couple prepared to disembark the plane in Vietnam, Mrs. Macron seen placing both hands on the president's face with enough force to push him slightly sideways. President Macron, looking briefly startled, recovered quickly, smiling and waving to the crowd below. Mr. Macron later explaining the moment to reporters in remarks translated from French quote, There's a video showing me joking and teasing my wife and somehow that becomes a sort of geoplanetary catastrophe with people even coming up with theories to explain it. We are horsing around political journalist Florian Tardieff's new book, An Almost Perfect Couple reporting the first lady was angered by a text message sent by her husband to an exiled Iranian actress now living in France. Gulshifta Farahani, one of Iran's most famous actresses, was a major star there before becoming internationally known in Body of lies opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, the role making her a target of the Islamic regime after she appeared without a hijab, eventually forcing her into exile. Macron reportedly sending Farahani a text stating, I find you quite pretty, Tardif alleging The message fueled Mrs. Macron's fear that her husband could leave her for the actress. A source close to the first lady telling French newspaper les Paris that Mrs. Macron categorically denied to Tardive that the plane incident had anything to do with a text message insisting she never looks through her husband's phone. According to Tardief, who interviewed the first lady for the book, Mrs. Macron gave a different explanation of the incident, describing herself as exhausted after a turbulent flight, unable to sleep and reluctant to get off the plane, saying she pushed her husband away as he tried to make her laugh and hand her water. Farahani also denying rumors of an affair with Macron, telling Gala magazine last year, quote, rumors, you have to let them go. Fair or unfair, they're only rumors that'll do it for your AM update, I'm Emily Jashinsky, host of Afterparty. Catch the Megyn Kelly show live on SiriusXM's the Megyn Kelly Channel 1 11@nonies on YouTube.com Megyn Kelly and all podcast platforms.

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