The Megyn Kelly Show

Episode: Trump Torches UN In Front of World Leaders, Routh Guilty, Kamala Back on The View: AM Update 9/24
Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Megyn Kelly (SiriusXM)

Episode Overview

In this AM Update, Megyn Kelly brings listeners up to speed on a dramatic day in political news:

• President Trump’s fiery and unscripted speech at the UN, including personal jabs at the institution
• The guilty verdict and courtroom chaos in the trial of would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh
• Vice President Kamala Harris’s tense return to “The View,” confronting a moment widely blamed for her 2024 election loss
• The looming government shutdown standoff
• Insights on voter sentiment and political figures

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Dramatic UN General Assembly Appearance

Arrival Fiasco & Security Controversy

• Escalator Breakdown: Upon arrival, President Trump and First Lady Melania were stranded on a broken escalator at the UN, with technical malfunctions also affecting the teleprompter ([03:32]-[04:41]).
  • UN Response: Claimed a safety mechanism was inadvertently triggered.
  • Criticism of Secret Service: "The stalled escalator with President Trump and First Lady Melania stuck on it, was a classic setup for an assassination hit. Yet the Secret Service barely noticed and didn't pull POTUS and FLOTUS off the suddenly stopped stairs." (Susan Crabtree, [03:32])
  • Secret Service is investigating the incident.

Trump's Speech: Scathing Critique of the UN

• Trump was forced to deliver his remarks using a paper copy due to a teleprompter malfunction.

• Major Quotes:

  • “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle and then a teleprompter that didn’t work. These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. I realized that the United Nations wasn’t there for us... What is the purpose of the United Nations?” – Donald Trump ([04:41])
  • “For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. It’s empty words, and empty words don’t solve war... The only thing that solves war and wars is action.” – Donald Trump ([04:41])

• Central Criticism: The UN’s failure to address key world conflicts, over-spending, and “creating” new problems, especially mass migration and adherence to green energy mandates.

Mass Migration & Funding Allegations

• Trump accused the UN of funding illegal migration into the US ([06:05]).
  • "The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them. You're destroying your countries..." – Donald Trump ([06:05]-[07:00])

The “Green Energy Scam”

• Trump ridiculed renewable energy initiatives and climate policies.
  • Quote: “Those big windmills are so pathetic and so bad, so expensive to operate and they have to be rebuilt all the time and they start to rust and rot... If you don't get away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail.” ([07:19])

Ukraine-Russia War: Notable Shift

• After meeting with Zelensky, Trump called Russia a "paper tiger" and mused that Ukraine could not only retake all its territory but “maybe even go further than that” ([08:11]).

  • “Putin and Russia are in big economic trouble and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”

• On US support: “The US will continue selling weapons to NATO and NATO can do what they want with them.”

• On trust in Putin: “I’ll let you know in about a month.”

• On Russian aircraft over NATO territory: “NATO countries should shoot down Russian military aircraft.” When asked if US would support—“It depends.”

Viral Macron Moment

• French President Macron got stuck behind a security barrier in NYC and turned to President Trump for help; was forced to walk to the French Embassy, snapping selfies along the way ([10:42]-[11:01]).

2. Trial and Conviction of Ryan Routh: Attempted Trump Assassin

• Ryan Routh found guilty on all five counts, including attempted assassination ([11:01]).
  • Routh’s reaction: Attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen as the verdict was read, had to be subdued by marshals.
  • Notable moment: His daughter in court, pleaded with him not to self-harm.
  • Routh faces life in prison; sentencing set for Dec. 18.
  • Trump’s reaction: "Congratulations to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Tad Blanche and the entire DOJ team on the conviction in Florida of the person who attempted an assassination on my life." ([11:01])

3. Government Shutdown Looms: Trump vs. Democrats

• Budget Crisis: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to support what they call a “dirty spending bill.”

• Trump’s Response: Claims Democrats demand over $1 trillion in new spending for issues like “free health care for illegal aliens,” “transgender surgery for minors,” and “dead people on the Medicaid rolls” ([13:42]).

  • “They’re threatening to shut down the government of the US unless they can have over $1 trillion in new spending... allow men to play in women’s sports and essentially create transgender operations for everybody.”
  • Trump says he’ll negotiate only if Democrats “get serious about the future of the nation.”

• Progressive Strategy: Ezra Klein in NYT advocates for Democrats to force a shutdown to get attention ([14:54]).

4. Kamala Harris on The View: Revisiting “the Blunder”

Flashback to 2024 Blunder

• Original misstep: When asked what she would have done differently than President Biden, Harris replied, "There is not a thing that comes to mind..." ([16:01])
  • This answer was quickly weaponized by the Trump campaign. Analysts and pundits often tied her 2024 loss to this moment.

Revisiting the Moment

• Sunny Hostin: Directly confronted Harris about the widespread view that her answer cost her the election ([16:33]).

  • Sunny: “Do you think that moment tipped the election?”

  • Harris: “No. No.” ([17:00])

  • Reflection: Harris admitted she misunderstood voters’ desires to see differences between her and Biden and didn’t want to appear critical.

    • “I’m a loyal person and I didn’t fully appreciate how much people wanted to know there was a difference between me and President Biden…,” ([17:15])

  • Megyn Kelly’s tone: Sarcastic and critical of Harris, suggesting Harris blamed voters for misunderstanding.

Harris’s 2028 Prospects & Public Perception

• Harry Enton, CNN: “...In October of 2024, she was minus 5 points... But now she's at minus 13... She's 37 points underwater with independents... If you can't win independents, you can't win the election.” ([18:13])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump on the UN:
  “What is the purpose of the United Nations? ...all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up. It's empty words, and empty words don’t solve war.” — Donald Trump ([04:41])

• On Green Energy:
  “Those big windmills are so pathetic and so bad, so expensive to operate and they have to be rebuilt all the time... The environmentalists refuse to acknowledge that.” — Donald Trump ([07:19])

• On Ukraine:
  “...Ukraine, with the help of the EU, is in a position to, quote, win all of Ukraine back in its original form, end quote.” — Megyn Kelly relaying Trump's statement ([08:11])

• On Democrats and Spending:
  “They’re threatening to shut down the government of the US unless they can have over $1 trillion in new spending to continue free health care for illegal aliens...” — Donald Trump ([13:42])

• Kamala Harris’s infamous answer:
  “There is not a thing that comes to mind in terms of and I’ve been a part of most of the decisions that have had impact.” — Kamala Harris ([16:01])

• On Harris’s current standing:
  “Among the overall electorate, she is not well liked at this particular point. The American people, they don’t want this. They don’t want her. ...she is way, way, way underwater. She is definitely swimming with the fishes.” — Harry Enton, CNN ([18:13])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Intro and Lead Headlines: [00:32]–[01:07]
• Trump’s Escalator Incident & UN Speech: [03:32]–[08:11]
• Russia/Ukraine War Shift: [08:11]–[10:41]
• Macron’s NYC Embarrassment: [10:42]–[11:01]
• Ryan Routh Verdict & Courtroom Drama: [11:01]–[12:47]
• Government Funding Showdown: [12:48]–[14:54]
• Kamala Harris on The View & Campaign Self-Reflection: [15:52]–[17:46]
• Harry Enton on Harris’s Ratings: [18:13]–[18:55]

Overall Tone & Final Thoughts

The episode is punchy, fast-paced, and critical, especially toward the UN, Democrats, and Vice President Harris. Megyn Kelly blends hard news with commentary, providing listeners with clear opinions and sarcasm—especially when assessing Harris and Democratic strategies. Trump’s performance at the UN occupies the core of the update, with major implications for US foreign policy and domestic politics.