Don't tell me what to do
Megyn Kelly Claps Back: “Tucker and Candace Are Not the Enemy”
Megyn Kelly defends her right to critique Israel’s actions while supporting American Jews facing harassment, and refuses to distance herself from Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, calling Carlson a vital voice and highlighting pressures faced by conservative media figures.
Recently, Megyn Kelly appeared on "The Fifth Column" podcast, where she addressed criticism over her views on the Israel-Gaza conflict and her continued friendship with Tucker Carlson amid accusations of antisemitism leveled against him (and others like Candace Owens).
She defended her right to criticize Israel's actions without being labeled an antisemite, emphasized her support for American Jews facing harassment, and pushed back strongly against pressure to distance herself from Carlson, saying she loves him as a friend, doesn't believe he's antisemitic, and considers him a vital voice, even if others disagree.
This came amid broader backlash, including from pro-Israel figures, over her platforming Carlson and her reluctance to condemn Owens.
This is what she said:
I, on the other hand, have been very defensive of American Jews. Like, I feel like they were bullied. They were harassed, that what's been happening to them in college campuses is a travesty. The ripping down of the hostage posters was absolutely disgusting."Now, I make a distinction there between them and Israel, who I have no obligation to defend, but my fellow Americans who are being subjected to blatant antisemitism, yes, every day of the week, I've defended them and will continue to.
I don't have to defend Israel. And I generally am against the side of Hamas, which is a terrorist organization and was absolutely vile and disgusting in that 10/7 attack. And I cried on the air after it happened.
That doesn't mean I don't get to criticize Israel. I think it's gone on too long. As much as I see that Hamas has created propaganda, they've been controlling the narrative, those numbers are all lies, a lot of these photos are lies, they put out the sickest child, I know what Hamas does, trust me.
But that doesn't mean that the devastation and destruction can go on forever. And Israel is now taking out Hezbollah. It has decimated Hamas. It had a war with Iran that we almost got dragged into, you know, in more full flower. It's time to wrap it up in this American's view.
I am entitled to that opinion, and I will not be shamed out of it by being called an antisemite.
Now, as for my decision to platform Tucker: Too bad. Too f****ng bad. I love him. We're friends. I don't think he's an antisemite at all. I don't listen to all of Tucker's shows, I don't listen to all your shows either, I don't have that many hours in the day. Seriously, I raise my kids. But I don't really care. I think Tucker's a very important, valuable voice in the national conversation.
Candace... So, I don't know her. I don't really know her that well. Although I will tell you we recently had a very nice exchange before all this. And I was just reminded in my own head that Candace is a young mom, of like three young kids. She's under a lot of pressure, she's got a big show, she's been under attack since she came onto the public airwaves, and she's been under attack constantly. And it's my prerogative if I say to myself, that is not someone I wish to attack. I do not feel that way. I don't wanna do it! And I felt this way, and now that people have made my attacking her the stakes of my relationship with whatever person is saying this, I'm gonna have to say goodbye to that person. I won't do it!
Now, it's like a point of pride. It's literally the same thing as BLM folks trying to make you raise your fist. The answer is no.
Earlier, on October 2, 2025, Kelly had posted on X in response to similar criticism, stating: "Look at this. No, I have no obligation to 'separate' myself from anyone. I run my own media company and my own show. That show is where I express my own opinions, and I will decide what/what not to opine on. If you need me to condemn Candace or Tucker for their opinions in order to listen to me, then I may not be for you. He’s a close friend, and she is under enough pressure w/o gratuitous shots from me. My fight is with the left, not these two."
Tucker has gone down the rabbit hole of not only Jew hatred, but also inciting more Jew hatred at a time when Jews are literally being rammed to death, stabbed and assaulted just for being Jews. And no, it's not 1938.
Even Nick Fuentes, who despises Jews, says Tucker is "too antisemitic for him".
And Candace being a young mother is no excuse for her to peddle dangerous blatantly false claims about how Israel killed Charlie Kirk, not to mention her hundreds of vicious Hitler-like statements.
For Kelly to refuse to stand against conservative voices who preach Israel and Jew hatred is shocking, and devastating to some of her audience, but it's not in the least surprising.