The Megyn Kelly Show - January 06, 2026


Maduro In Court, Vandal Attacks VP Vance Home, Pentagon Moves to Demote Sen. Kelly： AM Update 1⧸6


Episode Stats


Length

20 minutes

Words per minute

159.96158

Word count

3,275

Sentence count

232

Harmful content

Hate speech

2

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in a New York City courtroom yesterday afternoon, appearing on narco-trafficking and weapons charges. The pair arrived at the courthouse via helicopter and armored motorcade from a federal facility in Brooklyn where they've been held since their capture in Venezuela on Saturday.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
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00:00:30.000 Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, January 6th, 2026, and this is your AM Update.
00:00:39.720 It's hope for every Venezuelan. This is a hope.
00:00:44.140 As Venezuelans celebrate the downfall off authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, many wonder what happens next.
00:00:51.000 A young man reportedly posing as a woman arrested after allegedly vandalizing Vice President J.D. Vance's Cincinnati home.
00:00:59.040 Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders.
00:01:03.220 The Pentagon initiates a process to demote retired Navy Captain Senator Mark Kelly
00:01:08.220 after he participated in a video urging military members to disobey certain orders.
00:01:14.740 And convicted quadruple murderer Brian Kohlberger's sister speaks publicly for the first time.
00:01:20.640 All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.
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00:02:28.540 Former leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and wife, Cilia Flores,
00:02:33.180 in a New York City courtroom yesterday afternoon, appearing on narco-trafficking and weapons charges.
00:02:38.820 The pair arriving at the courthouse via helicopter and armored motorcade from the federal facility in Brooklyn,
00:02:45.640 where they've been held since their capture in Venezuela on Saturday in an extraordinary mission carried out by the U.S. military.
00:02:53.060 DEA agents escorting the couple wearing matching tan jail outfits to the courthouse for the arraignment.
00:02:59.380 92-year-old Clinton-appointed senior U.S. District Court Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein is overseeing the case.
00:03:06.160 High-profile attorney Barry Pollack, who previously defended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange,
00:03:12.160 representing Maduro, appearing alongside his client yesterday.
00:03:16.340 Maduro's wife Celia is represented by attorney Mark Donnelly.
00:03:20.580 Celia appearing with two bandages on her face,
00:03:23.720 Donnelly claiming his client was injured in the arrest,
00:03:26.660 and that she will require medical care for possibly fractured ribs.
00:03:30.160 Both pleading not guilty to the charges against them involving
00:03:33.940 narco-terrorism conspiracy,
00:03:36.340 cocaine importation conspiracy,
00:03:38.560 as well as possession of and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
00:03:44.120 Maduro speaking throughout the proceedings via translator,
00:03:47.160 referring to himself as the
00:03:48.440 President of Venezuela and a
00:03:50.280 Prisoner of War,
00:03:51.800 telling the judge,
00:03:52.420 I was captured at my home.
00:03:54.780 Typically,
00:03:55.260 defendants speak
00:03:55.940 very little in arraignments,
00:03:57.720 as any comments can be used against them in the proceedings.
00:04:01.060 Judge Hellerstein,
00:04:01.940 telling Maduro,
00:04:02.700 There will be a time and a place to go into all of this.
00:04:06.340 Attorney Pollack,
00:04:07.380 questioning whether Maduro's arrest,
00:04:09.240 carried out before dawn inside a Venezuelan military base by the U.S. Army's elite Delta Force,
00:04:15.120 was lawful.
00:04:16.280 Pollack arguing Maduro is shielded by foreign head of state immunity,
00:04:19.820 hinting at possible upcoming defense motions.
00:04:23.240 Prosecutors expected to challenge that claim,
00:04:25.660 pointing to the U.S. position,
00:04:27.100 also held by more than 50 other countries,
00:04:29.860 that Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela.
00:04:33.440 The U.S. and others say Maduro lost an election to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in July 2024,
00:04:40.640 but declared victory anyway, refusing to leave power.
00:04:44.260 Neither defendant seeking bail,
00:04:46.260 Judge Hellerstein setting the next court date for March 17th.
00:04:49.820 At the end of the proceedings,
00:04:51.060 one onlooker shouting to Maduro,
00:04:53.040 quote,
00:04:53.320 You will pay on behalf of Venezuela.
00:04:56.120 Maduro replying,
00:04:57.140 quote,
00:04:57.660 In the name of God, I will be free.
00:05:00.180 Thousands of Venezuelans living in the U.S.,
00:05:02.420 pouring into the streets,
00:05:03.920 celebrating the end of the authoritarian leader's reign in their home country.
00:05:07.540 The White House's rapid response,
00:05:09.680 X-Account,
00:05:10.520 posting reactions from Venezuelans living across the U.S.
00:05:14.120 We cry because now somebody do something.
00:05:18.640 This president is the first president to do something.
00:05:23.000 It's hope for every Venezuelan.
00:05:26.080 This is a hope.
00:05:27.740 I want to cry, but also I'm happy.
00:05:30.020 I've been looking forward to this day for so many years.
00:05:33.240 Thank you, President Trump.
00:05:34.580 Thank you, the United States, and God bless Venezuela.
00:05:37.920 Meanwhile, some Democrats calling for President Trump to be impeached
00:05:40.920 for failing to seek congressional approval for the operation.
00:05:44.540 The White House argues approval from Congress was not required
00:05:47.340 because the arrest was a law enforcement operation
00:05:50.220 with the assistance of the military.
00:05:52.660 Congressman Dan Goldman from New York releasing a statement,
00:05:55.360 reading, quote,
00:05:56.300 This violation of the U.S. Constitution is an impeachable offense.
00:06:00.320 I urge my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives
00:06:02.960 to finally join Democrats in reasserting congressional authority
00:06:06.720 by holding this president accountable.
00:06:08.840 Axios, however, reporting behind the scenes some more moderate Democrats
00:06:13.820 saying their party should be celebrating the successful raid.
00:06:17.720 One unnamed lawmaker saying, quote,
00:06:19.840 I think it looks weak.
00:06:21.420 If you don't acknowledge when there is a win for our country,
00:06:23.920 then you lose all credibility.
00:06:26.060 U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Democrat John Fetterman,
00:06:29.180 going on the record with Fox in support of the operation.
00:06:32.660 America is a force of good, order, and democracy,
00:06:35.980 and we are promoting these kinds of values.
00:06:38.280 We are the good guys.
00:06:40.200 You know, let's pretend that now we are acting in a way.
00:06:43.600 Now, remember, we all Democrats years ago wanted to eliminate him,
00:06:48.560 and why have a bounty of $25 million if we didn't want him gone?
00:06:53.800 Why would you do these things if you weren't willing to actually do something
00:06:57.140 other than harsh language?
00:06:59.660 House Speaker Mike Johnson last night following a briefing by Trump officials.
00:07:03.300 The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, that is true. 0.97
00:07:07.660 But it also vests the President of the United States with vast authorities as Commander-in-Chief.
00:07:13.980 Under Article 2 of the Constitution, the President has the authority, as all presidents do,
00:07:19.460 to deploy military forces to address threats to the U.S. and to enforce U.S. law.
00:07:24.840 That is what happened here.
00:07:26.060 The War Powers Act states that notification should be made to Congress within 48 hours
00:07:31.080 following the initiation of hostilities.
00:07:34.160 As we've noted, and I've made many public comments, that happened almost instantaneously here.
00:07:39.360 My first call was at 4 a.m. by Secretary of State Rubio.
00:07:42.820 Despite the claims by some of my colleagues under the War Powers Act,
00:07:46.960 there is no requirement for prior congressional approval or prior notification.
00:07:51.800 And in fact, in this case, the intelligence was so sensitive, the conditions had to be perfect.
00:07:57.480 There was no predetermination of when exactly it would occur.
00:08:01.020 And if there had been prior notice, even assembling the Gang of Eight,
00:08:05.260 for example, during the December holiday, it would have set off alerts
00:08:09.780 and very likely might have been a leaked situation,
00:08:12.740 which could have caused great damage to our forces, our troops there.
00:08:16.680 Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez swearing in yesterday as interim president.
00:08:22.120 President Trump, who said on Sunday, the U.S. is in charge of Venezuela now,
00:08:26.720 telling NBC there will not be a new election next month.
00:08:30.300 Quote,
00:08:30.880 No, it's going to take a period of time.
00:08:33.100 We have to nurse the country back to health.
00:08:35.560 The president saying Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth,
00:08:40.080 Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller,
00:08:41.780 and Vice President J.D. Vance will oversee the U.S.'s involvement in Venezuela in the meantime,
00:08:47.480 and that Mr. Rubio has been in communication with interim President Rodriguez.
00:08:51.800 A Cincinnati man in custody after allegedly vandalizing Vice President J.D. Vance's personal
00:08:58.660 home early Monday morning.
00:09:01.220 26-year-old William D. DeFore arrested by Secret Service after allegedly striking four
00:09:07.200 of Vice President Vance's windows with a hammer and damaging a Secret Service vehicle.
00:09:12.340 Secret Service reporting the incident in the early morning hours on Monday,
00:09:15.480 telling dispatch the suspect had fled the scene, according to local outlet Fox 19.
00:09:21.240 Agents apprehending DeFore shortly after midnight, he was then booked into the Hamilton
00:09:25.400 County Justice Center by the Cincinnati Police Department.
00:09:28.840 DeFore is set to be arraigned today. He faces four charges, including one count of obstructing
00:09:34.220 official business, one of criminal damaging or endangering, one of criminal trespass,
00:09:40.640 all or misdemeanors, and one count of vandalism, a felony. At the federal level, DeFore charged with
00:09:46.700 damaging government property, engaging in physical violence against any person or property in a
00:09:51.220 restricted building or grounds, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers. The top
00:09:56.400 charge carrying a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. It is unclear when DeFore is due in federal
00:10:01.960 court. The Vice President and his family were not at home at the time, Fox 19 reporting DeFore
00:10:07.360 pleading guilty last April to two counts of vandalism for inflicting more than $2,000 of
00:10:12.340 damage to a local business. He was sentenced to two years of mental health treatment and required to
00:10:17.540 pay over $5,000 in restitution. In 2023, DeFore charged with criminal trespassing, though a judge
00:10:24.260 later determining he was not mentally competent to stand trial, dismissing the charges. The Daily Mail
00:10:30.200 reporting DeFore, who went by the name Davis at his $27,000-per-year private Catholic school,
00:10:36.620 now living as, guess what, a fake woman named Julia. A Facebook page under the name Julia DeFore,
00:10:43.460 with a picture appearing to match the suspect, seems to have been created just last month,
00:10:48.480 reports the Daily Mail. The profile likes another page called the Heartland Trans Wellness Center,
00:10:54.720 an organization providing resources to so-called transgender patients in Cincinnati. DeFore's
00:11:00.720 father reportedly donated to Kamala Harris, a Democrat Party PAC, and President Biden's 2020
00:11:06.340 campaign. DeFore reportedly growing up in an affluent neighborhood, just a short drive away from the
00:11:12.020 vice president's residence with a surgeon father and pediatrician mother. DeFore graduating high
00:11:17.300 school in 2018 as a national AP scholar, though he does not appear to have gone on to graduate from a
00:11:23.040 four-year college. VP Vance posting on X, quote, I appreciate everyone's well wishes about the attack
00:11:28.800 at our home. As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I'm
00:11:34.420 grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly. Coming up, the
00:11:41.340 Pentagon initiates a review in order to demote retired Navy Captain and now U.S. Senator from Arizona,
00:11:47.540 Mark Kelly, over his involvement in a video urging U.S. service members to disobey illegal orders.
00:11:54.820 And the sister of convicted killer Brian Kohlberger speaks out.
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00:13:08.340 promo code MEGAN. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announcing yesterday morning the Pentagon will
00:13:15.580 move to cut Democrat Senator Mark Kelly's retirement pay for his participation in a social media video
00:13:21.840 last year urging U.S. service members to disobey illegal orders. Senator Mark Kelly, I was a captain
00:13:28.560 in the United States Navy. We want to speak directly to members of the military. Our laws are clear.
00:13:33.340 You can refuse illegal orders. Five other Democrats also participating in the video.
00:13:39.600 Senator Kelly, however, remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice as a retiree,
00:13:45.680 prompting the Pentagon to open an investigation late last year. Secretary Hegseth writing yesterday
00:13:50.980 that the Department of War is taking administrative action against Captain Kelly, issuing a formal letter
00:13:57.100 of censure outlining, quote, Captain, for now, Kelly's reckless misconduct. From the letter,
00:14:03.760 quote, Between June 2025 and December 2025, you engaged in a sustained pattern of public statements
00:14:10.760 that characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the armed forces
00:14:16.580 to refuse orders related to those operations. The letter does not name a specific order,
00:14:22.320 though shortly after the video was released, the Washington Post reporting the U.S. conducted
00:14:27.600 in September a second strike that killed survivors of an attack on an alleged drug vessel.
00:14:34.260 Secretary Kelly publicly questioning the legality of such a strike. Here's one moment from CNN.
00:14:39.980 I've had questions about the operation in general, and I've been saying this for weeks,
00:14:44.980 putting service members kind of like, are you stepping over a line here? Is this legal?
00:14:50.600 They have tied themselves in knots trying to explain to us on the Armed Service Committee
00:14:55.280 how this is legal. Not sharing, you know, all of the information either, which is really troubling.
00:15:03.960 But, you know, going after survivors in the water, that is clearly not lawful.
00:15:11.020 The letter accusing Senator Kelly of undermining the chain of command,
00:15:15.200 counseling disobedience, creating confusion, and discrediting the armed forces.
00:15:19.180 The letter ending with a warning that further misconduct may result in criminal prosecution
00:15:24.600 or further administrative action. With the issuing of the letter, the Pentagon now initiating proceedings
00:15:30.280 to demote Kelly's retirement ranking and lower his retirement pay as well.
00:15:35.880 Senator Kelly releasing a statement, reading in part, quote,
00:15:38.360 I will fight this with everything I've got. Not for myself, but to send a message back that
00:15:43.640 Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don't get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about
00:15:49.160 their government. The senator has 30 days to submit a formal response with a final determination
00:15:54.740 to be made in 45 days.
00:15:58.880 Convicted killer Brian Kohlberger's sister speaking out to the New York Times,
00:16:03.280 sharing the family's perspective on the gruesome slayings carried out by Kohlberger in 2022.
00:16:09.160 Last July, Kohlberger accepting a highly controversial plea deal, pleading guilty to
00:16:13.840 all charges against him, including four counts of first-degree murder.
00:16:18.720 Kohlberger admitting to entering a rental home near the University of Idaho, brutally stabbing
00:16:24.140 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, 20-year-old Zanna Kernodal, 21-year-old Madison Mogan,
00:16:29.360 and 21-year-old Kaylee Gonsalves to death. Kohlberger accepting the deal, avoiding the
00:16:35.620 death penalty. Mel Kohlberger, photographed by the Times wearing a goth-style shirt,
00:16:41.460 sporting electric blue grown-out hair and heavy eye makeup, says she was about to begin a new job
00:16:47.520 as a mental health therapist in 2022, but intense inquiries following her brother's arrest
00:16:53.980 led to her agreeing to leave the post. She felt a sense of alarm, she says,
00:16:59.100 that her brother lived just 15 minutes from the scene of the grisly murders,
00:17:03.680 with the killer still on the loose. Mel recalls telling her brother, quote,
00:17:07.920 Brian, you are running outside, and this psycho killer is on the loose,
00:17:12.680 unaware that the psycho killer was her brother Brian.
00:17:17.400 Brian apparently thanking her for her concern, assuring her he would be safe,
00:17:22.400 then returning home for Christmas break, where Mel says she only remembers him bringing up the
00:17:27.020 murders one time, mentioning that investigators were still searching for the killer. Mel describing
00:17:33.220 her younger brother's struggles with his weight and persistent bullying as a teen, calling his
00:17:38.320 personality standoffish, noting the family now believes it was related to autism. Those struggles,
00:17:45.020 followed by a heroin addiction, Brian at one point stealing his sister's phone to buy more drugs.
00:17:50.880 Mel telling the Times the family worried that Brian was on a path to an early death,
00:17:55.160 but felt he was on a better trajectory after addiction treatment and acceptance into a PhD
00:18:00.240 program at Washington State University, where he studied criminology. Quote,
00:18:05.940 we were all so proud of him because he had overcome so much. Mel telling the Times the family
00:18:11.380 previously declined to give public statements out of respect for the victims and their families during
00:18:16.300 the legal process, expressing concern for further traumatizing the families, though noting that
00:18:21.920 Kohlberger's challenges cannot compare to what these families have endured. A book about the
00:18:26.940 murders recently appearing on Amazon published under the name Melissa J. Kohlberger, appearing to be
00:18:32.440 someone posing as Brian's sister to make money off of the story. Mel saying, quote, it's painful.
00:18:39.000 It's like being victimized, but not really being a victim. Brian's mother, she says,
00:18:44.040 prays daily for the affected families. Mel says she put each of the victims' birthdays in her calendar,
00:18:49.800 so she will be reminded of them. Mel telling the Times the family was raised with lessons rooted in
00:18:56.080 their mother's Catholic faith, that they grew up reading books like Little House on the Prairie.
00:19:01.140 She says she never saw her brother behave violently, which is one reason the family found 0.76
00:19:05.240 the ordeal so disorienting. She talks about a night shortly after the murders. She cut her finger
00:19:11.320 in the kitchen, Brian expressing disgust at the sight of the blood, but ultimately overcoming his
00:19:17.240 revulsion to help her clean and bandage it. This was days after he viciously stabbed four college
00:19:23.520 students to death in their beds, causing so much bleeding, the exterior walls of the house were
00:19:29.500 dripping red. Brian Kohlberger is serving four life sentences at the Idaho Maximum Security
00:19:35.600 Institution. We'll have more on the sister's interview on The Megyn Kelly Show later today.
00:19:40.780 And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for The MK Show,
00:19:47.720 live on SiriusXM's The Megyn Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on youtube.com slash megankelly,
00:19:53.280 and on all podcast platforms.
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