The Megyn Kelly Show - August 04, 2026


Blanche Confirmation Coming, Primary Preview - Michigan Showdown, Harris Shifts Left: AM Update 8⧸4


Episode Stats


Length

19 minutes

Words per minute

149.06

Word count

2,871

Sentence count

185


Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
00:00:00.000 Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, August 4th, 2026, and this is your AM
00:00:08.380 Update. Todd Blanche did what we asked him to do. It finds not only him, but also the Department
00:00:14.600 of Justice as a whole. And so I think that satisfies my demands. Two Republican holdouts
00:00:23.120 now backing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation after the DOJ acquiesced to their
00:00:29.480 demands. You kind of have to ask the question, why wasn't he already in jail? A Charlotte murder
00:00:35.380 suspect allegedly opening fire just 90 minutes after posting bond as the city faces fresh
00:00:41.940 scrutiny over repeat offenders. Primary voters heading to the polls across five states today,
00:00:48.160 with Democrats facing major tests over the future direction of their party. And former Vice
00:00:53.420 President Kamala Harris distancing herself from Joe Biden while previewing a sharply progressive
00:00:58.840 agenda for a possible 2028 campaign. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.
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00:02:27.360 Two Republican holdouts now clearing the way for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's
00:02:32.420 confirmation for AG following a weeks-long standoff over President Trump's IRS settlement.
00:02:38.980 Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Tillis of North Carolina withholding their
00:02:43.900 support until the DOJ addressed two provisions of the settlement document they argued were too
00:02:49.980 broad. The dispute centering on the agreement resolving President Trump's lawsuit against the
00:02:55.080 IRS over its illegal disclosure of his tax returns. The May settlement requiring the AG to
00:03:01.440 establish a nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, providing compensation to individuals
00:03:07.980 claiming they were improperly targeted by the feds. The agreement also reportedly including
00:03:13.620 protections against certain tax investigations involving the president, his family, and his
00:03:18.800 businesses. Blanche announcing in June that the administration would no longer move forward with
00:03:24.340 the fund. In exchange for their support for his confirmation to Attorney General, Senators Cornyn
00:03:29.800 and Tillis demanding Blanche's commitment in writing to not move forward with the fund,
00:03:34.980 while also seeking to limit the tax protections to the lawsuit's named parties and to past tax
00:03:41.000 matters rather than future filings. The confrontation reaching a boiling point last
00:03:45.960 week with Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley canceling a planned vote as the
00:03:51.320 negotiations stalled. President Trump then threatening to temporarily withdraw Blanche's
00:03:56.480 nomination and keep him in the acting position until Senators Cornyn and Tillis leave office
00:04:01.740 in January, a gamble that would have delayed confirmation until after the midterms. Blanche
00:04:07.460 announcing an agreement late Sunday night, releasing two documents he argues resolved
00:04:11.960 the Senators' remaining concerns after weeks of negotiations. The first, a formal Justice
00:04:17.620 Department order, declaring, quote, this order establishes beyond any doubt that there is no
00:04:23.360 fund. Blanche releasing a second document addressing the settlement's tax protections,
00:04:28.580 limiting them to past claims involving President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump,
00:04:33.300 and the Trump Organization. Yesterday morning, Cornyn and Tillis releasing a joint statement
00:04:38.260 announcing, quote, we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate
00:04:42.700 Judiciary Committee soon. Senator Cornyn speaking to Spectrum News yesterday.
00:04:48.040 I appreciate the fact that we've been negotiating with him for a few days now and that we basically
00:04:54.860 got a stake driven through the heart of the weaponization fund. That was $1.8 billion.
00:05:01.420 and we got him to confirm his sworn testimony about the scope of the audit protection in the
00:05:08.400 future. I think Todd Blanche did what we asked him to do. It binds not only him, but also the
00:05:15.780 Department of Justice as a whole. And so I think that satisfies my demands and we're ready to
00:05:25.500 proceed with the markup tomorrow. The two Republicans now expected to provide the
00:05:30.100 decisive votes Blanche needs to advance through the closely divided Judiciary Committee.
00:05:35.020 The agreement appearing to end the political impasse, though Axios and CNN are raising questions
00:05:40.080 about whether Blanche's order actually changes the underlying settlement, which provides that
00:05:45.480 its terms can only be modified with the written consent of both sides. Sunday's order carrying
00:05:51.140 Blanche's signature, but not those of President Trump, his sons, or the Trump Organization.
00:05:56.500 President Trump, yesterday in the Oval, asked about the terms of the agreement.
00:06:00.100 Did you sign off on Todd Blanche?
00:06:02.420 I didn't look at it. All I know is that Todd Blanche is great. He's going to do a great job.
00:06:08.320 Everybody knows it. And I understand there's been a sign off. But I don't know what they agreed.
00:06:14.200 I think Todd Blanche agreed to reconfirm things that he's already said. And what he said was OK.
00:06:21.300 CNN reporting senior White House officials were closely involved in the negotiations,
00:06:25.720 though the outlet does not indicate the president personally reviewed the final terms.
00:06:30.100 Blanche coordinated with the White House throughout the talks, keeping senior officials informed about the negotiations and the major sticking points, according to the outlet.
00:06:39.060 The Senate Judiciary Committee now scheduled to vote on Blanche's nomination at 9 a.m. this morning.
00:06:45.400 A repeat violent offender in Charlotte, North Carolina, allegedly shooting two men last week, killing one of them less than two hours after being released from jail.
00:06:55.820 29-year-old David Simpson now charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder,
00:07:00.520 and several additional weapons offenses. Local outlet WCNC citing court records reporting
00:07:06.620 Simpson paid a $10,000 bond shortly after midnight Wednesday, following an unrelated
00:07:12.000 charge of possessing a weapon while behind bars. Police called to an East Charlotte apartment
00:07:17.880 complex about an hour and a half after Simpson was released, discovering two men who had been
00:07:23.680 shot. One victim dying from his injuries, the second reportedly surviving with serious wounds.
00:07:30.360 An affidavit cited by local outlets indicating the shooting rose out of a long-running dispute
00:07:35.060 over a parking space. Simpson's girlfriend, Shakima Scott, allegedly involved in an argument
00:07:41.440 with the victims earlier that night, with residents calling 911 twice. Simpson's girlfriend charged
00:07:47.660 with accessory after the fact. A judge now ordering Simpson held without bond, as his lengthy criminal
00:07:54.300 record, including a conviction for killing another person, comes under fresh scrutiny. Simpson
00:07:59.920 initially facing first-degree murder in a 2013 killing before pleading guilty to voluntary
00:08:05.600 manslaughter in 2015. Simpson serving about five years in prison before being released on parole
00:08:11.440 in 2020. That conviction? Only one entry in a criminal history continuing after his release.
00:08:18.800 WSOC-TV reports Simpson has been arrested at least 10 times since his 2020 release from prison.
00:08:25.260 Charlotte defense attorney Tim Kennedy, who is not involved in the case,
00:08:29.480 telling WCNC the newest allegations force an obvious question.
00:08:33.440 If you look at his history, it seems like this gentleman has picked up just about every year
00:08:40.280 up to this point some kind of a violent crime so you kind of have to ask the question why wasn't
00:08:47.280 he already in jail when he got the new charge in either 2025 or earlier this year the DA's office
00:08:54.820 could have filed a motion approached you know done a hearing and asked the judge to revoke
00:09:03.060 the bonds in his prior cases granted one of them was dismissed but he picked up two separate
00:09:09.460 weapons charges, and no one revoked his bond. This case now becoming the latest example of
00:09:15.420 a repeat offender in Charlotte repeatedly returning to the streets until another person
00:09:20.420 is killed. The city drawing national criticism last year after Ukrainian refugee Irina Zarutska
00:09:26.580 was stabbed to death on a light rail train by a repeat offender with more than a dozen prior
00:09:31.840 arrests. Her murder igniting outrage over a justice system in a blue city, repeatedly showing
00:09:37.400 compassion to dangerous criminals as innocent people pay the price.
00:09:42.360 Simpson now set to return to court on August 21st.
00:09:46.980 Coming up, Michigan Democrats choosing today between the party establishment and its progressive
00:09:52.640 wing in a critical Senate primary.
00:09:55.260 And former Vice President Kamala Harris separating herself from former President Joe Biden while
00:10:00.580 signaling a leftward turn ahead of a possible 2028 campaign.
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00:11:16.360 Primary voters head to the polls today in Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington,
00:11:21.960 kicking off another round of midterm contests. All eyes in the political world are watching
00:11:27.060 Michigan, where a fiery Senate showdown is testing whether the Democrat Party's progressive
00:11:31.880 insurgency can break beyond deep blue cities and capture a statewide nomination in one of the
00:11:38.240 country's most important battlegrounds. Congresswoman Haley Stevens facing progressive
00:11:43.640 former Detroit Health Director Dr. Abdul El-Sayed with voters choosing the Democrat nominee to
00:11:49.820 replace retiring Democrat Senator Gary Peters. The bruising campaign becoming a referendum on
00:11:55.660 the future of the party, pitting its establishment against activists hoping to carry the left-wing
00:12:01.080 momentum seen in places like New York City into the Midwest. The stakes extending far beyond
00:12:06.640 Michigan, Democrats need a net gain of four seats in November to take control of the Senate,
00:12:11.740 making this open seat one they can hardly afford to surrender. Congresswoman Stevens entering
00:12:17.120 election day with the backing of much of Michigan's Democrat establishment,
00:12:21.000 including Governor Gretchen Whitmer and retiring Senator Peters. El-Sayed assembling the party's
00:12:26.520 progressive heavyweights, earning endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman
00:12:31.140 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. AOC joining El-Sayed in a series of closing ads.
00:12:56.520 Hey, whoever you vote for, I'm going to fight for you.
00:12:59.000 And we only win when all of us win.
00:13:01.920 That's right.
00:13:02.880 I'm Abdul Al-Sayed, and I approve this message.
00:13:05.640 The Stevens campaign playing up the congresswoman's ties to former President Obama,
00:13:10.140 while once again leaning heavily into her exaggerated Michigan accent.
00:13:14.820 There's those cool kids on the internet making fun of how I talk.
00:13:19.480 But let's be real, they're making fun of Michigan.
00:13:21.540 Their jokes make me fight harder.
00:13:24.000 Just like I did when I was working for President Obama.
00:13:28.600 Like I'm doing standing up to Trump to stop ICE.
00:13:33.080 They might not like how I sound, but I am going to make damn sure they hear us in the halls of power.
00:13:42.060 I'm Haley Stevens, and I approve this message.
00:13:45.200 President Obama has not endorsed in the race.
00:13:48.320 Despite Congresswoman Stevens' powerful allies and an enormous wave of outside spending,
00:13:53.080 the race entering its final hours with El-Sayed widely viewed as the candidate to beat.
00:13:58.920 CNN's senior data analyst Harry Enten yesterday on the dramatic reversal
00:14:03.220 in El-Sayed's political fortunes since the spring.
00:14:06.740 I think that tomorrow, Abdul El-Sayed will deliver the biggest blow so far
00:14:12.060 against the establishment of the Democratic Party because he is the heavy favorite going into tomorrow.
00:14:17.700 Just take a look at the prediction mark at odds.
00:14:19.420 OK, chance to be the Michigan Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul Asayyad.
00:14:23.800 Look at this. He's up to a 98 percent chance, according to the cash prediction markets,
00:14:28.660 way up like a rocket compared to where he was on April 3rd when he was just a 28 percent chance
00:14:33.540 just a few months ago. The bottom line is this. You look at all the data that is out there.
00:14:39.480 Abdul Asayyad is the very heavy favorite going into tomorrow.
00:14:42.840 And of course, he is backed by a lot of folks on the left wing of the Democratic Party.
00:14:47.520 Today's winner will advance to face Trump-backed Republican Mike Rogers in November,
00:14:52.360 Rogers leading El-Sayed 46 to 43 percent in a hypothetical general election matchup,
00:14:58.500 according to new polling by Michigan-based firm Epic-MRA.
00:15:04.240 Congresswoman Stevens performing five points better, leading Rogers 44 percent to his 42.
00:15:10.760 President Trump asked in the Oval Office yesterday which Democrat he would rather see Rogers face.
00:15:15.720 Who are you voting for in Michigan?
00:15:45.720 Polls close in Michigan at 8 p.m. local time. In Missouri, another Election Day showdown testing just how far left Democrat voters want their party to move.
00:15:55.360 Former Squad member Cori Bush attempting a political comeback against Democrat Congressman Wesley Bell, the man who knocked her out of office two years ago.
00:16:05.240 Missouri polls closing at 7 p.m. tonight.
00:16:07.780 Former Vice President Kamala Harris appearing to put some distance between herself and her
00:16:13.860 former boss while keeping the door open to another White House campaign.
00:16:18.700 Vice President Harris speaking Friday at the National Urban League conference in Nashville,
00:16:22.880 where CEO Mark Morial asked her to identify the three most effective presidents in American
00:16:29.320 history. The former vice president naming several Democrats, conspicuously leaving out the man she
00:16:35.840 served beside for four years. In your view, rank the top three most effective presidents in American
00:16:43.580 history. Oh, Mark, don't make me do that. And I was watching NPR. I was doing a whole, did anybody
00:16:50.880 watch a whole thing on FDR? You know, he did some good things. In fact, it was he who talked about
00:16:58.800 the expansion of the Supreme Court, and then he got ferocious back, you know, kind of blowback for
00:17:06.800 that. But he did good. It was Social Security. I credit, you know, Kennedy, of course, in terms of
00:17:13.120 what he laid the groundwork for, and then Johnson followed up on. Of course, of course.
00:17:18.620 And then, of course, Barack Obama. Yeah, of course. And what he did with the Affordable Care Act,
00:17:24.980 among many things. The omission coming as Vice President Harris continues weighing whether to
00:17:30.100 seek the Democrat nomination again in 2028. Ms. Harris signaling that her version of a comeback
00:17:35.900 campaign would embrace sweeping systemic changes long championed by the Democrat Party's far left
00:17:42.080 flank. More here from Friday's event. I know this is going to be controversial coming from me in
00:17:48.220 particular, we need to revisit the Electoral College. We need to revisit the point of expanding
00:17:57.400 the court to 13 justices like we have 13 district courts. We need to revisit, if they so want,
00:18:08.780 statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C. Though offering several notable teases in recent months,
00:18:14.820 Ms. Harris has yet to commit to running again, a person familiar with her private deliberations
00:18:20.000 telling Politico, quote, she hasn't decided and she hasn't ruled it out. No credible strategist
00:18:25.540 would recommend ruling it out this early. For now, the former VP remaining an early Democrat
00:18:30.780 frontrunner, the latest Real Clear Politics average placing Harris at 28 percent, leading
00:18:36.680 California Governor Gavin Newsom by 11 points. Governor Newsom sitting in second at 17 percent,
00:18:42.660 followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 10.6 percent, Congresswoman AOC of
00:18:49.240 New York at 8.8 percent, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has 6.6 percent, although one recent
00:18:56.440 poll from Emerson has Harris in fifth place among the potential contenders. And that'll do it for
00:19:04.600 your AM Update. I'm Megyn Kelly. Join me back here for The MK Show, live on SiriusXM's The
00:19:09.440 megan kelly channel 111 at noon east on youtube.com slash megan kelly and on all podcast platforms