In a striking critique from within conservative media circles, former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has launched a sharp rebuke of her former employer's coverage of potential U.S. intervention in Venezuela. Kelly accused the network of abandoning journalistic skepticism in favour of unabashed cheerleading for President Donald Trump's aggressive stance towards the South American nation and its leader, Nicolás Maduro.
A Stance of Caution Amidst Cheerleading
During her Monday show on SiriusXM, The Megyn Kelly Show, the commentator delivered a pointed assessment. "I turned on Fox News yesterday, and I’m sorry, but it was like watching Russian propaganda," Kelly stated. She described the coverage as lacking any critical perspective, instead being filled with "rah-rah cheerleading" for action against Venezuela.
While expressing her support for the U.S. military and for Trump himself, Kelly argued for a more measured approach. "There are serious reasons to just exercise a note of caution before we just get on the rah-rah train," she cautioned. Drawing on her experience at Fox News, where she admitted to having been "embarrassed" by past fervent support for interventions, Kelly positioned herself in what she called "yellow-light territory"—a state of cautious waiting for more information.
Questioning the Rationale and Remembering History
Kelly specifically challenged the Trump administration's framing of its Venezuela policy as a law enforcement operation against drug trafficking. "I see that other countries like Russia and China and Cuba were all over Venezuela and its oil, posing a potential threat to the United States. I get that. That’s actually the most persuasive argument and obviously the real one, and none of this bullshit about law enforcement," she asserted, cutting to what she believes is the core geopolitical motive.
Her primary hesitation, however, stems from historical precedent. Kelly invoked the protracted and costly outcomes of past U.S. military engagements. "I have seen what happens when you cheerlead, unabashedly, U.S. intervention in foreign countries... only to wind up with what we’ve called [a] quagmire in places like Iraq, not to mention Libya," she reflected. She expressed deep skepticism about the U.S. ability to successfully manage the aftermath of removing a foreign leader, noting such efforts "don't work out well" nine times out of ten.
The Personal Cost of 'Boots on the Ground'
The commentary took a deeply personal turn when Kelly addressed Trump's suggestion that U.S. military "boots on the ground" could be deployed to Venezuela. "Well, whose boots?" she questioned pointedly. Linking the policy discussion to family, Kelly mentioned her three children—ages 16, 14, and 12—and the children of her listeners as the potential ones to "fill the boots" in any conflict.
"So I think I speak for a lot of moms, and dads for that matter, when I say I’m staying in yellow territory until we know more," she concluded, framing her caution as a parental concern shared by many Americans.
Wrapping up her segment, Megyn Kelly made her position unequivocally clear: "I will not be joining the Fox News cheerleading brigade this time," adding, "I’ve been burned too many times." Her remarks represent a notable public fracture from the narrative often championed by her former network, emphasizing vigilance and historical awareness over immediate support for military action.
