The Megyn Kelly Show - NJ Gov Race Neck-and-Neck, US Nuclear Testing Resumes, Trump Meets Xi Jinping： AM Update 10⧸31

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00:00:30.000 Happy Halloween, everyone.

00:00:34.500 I'm Megyn Kelly, and it's Friday, October 31st, 2025.

00:00:39.280 This is your AM Update.

00:00:41.340 I'm just going with my gut feel, which is this is a close race.

00:00:45.740 Election night is right around the corner, and the race for New Jersey governor is neck and neck.

00:00:51.100 The U.S. resumes nuclear testing in response to recent Russian nuclear trials.

00:00:55.560 Well, I guess on the scale of from zero to ten, with ten being the best,

00:01:00.000 I would say the meeting was at 12.

00:01:02.400 President Trump returns from a marathon tour through Asia, culminating in significant progress on a new trade agreement with China.

00:01:09.980 And it's that time of year again.

00:01:11.640 The clock's set to fall back this weekend and regain a glorious hour of sleep.

00:01:17.700 Is it worth it?

00:01:18.480 All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.

00:01:21.820 When customers are walking through the aisles of their local Walmart, they're not just picking up groceries or supplies.

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00:01:35.000 The real story is what's behind the label.

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00:01:46.480 Because of that commitment, Walmart invested $350 billion in U.S. manufacturing,

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00:02:06.440 Their story is just one example of how Walmart's U.S. manufacturing investment

00:02:09.980 is supporting over 750,000 American jobs.

00:02:13.600 Businesses across the country are empowered to sell more, hire more, and help their communities grow.

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00:02:22.260 learn how Walmart is fueling the future of U.S. manufacturing

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00:02:32.360 With Election Day just around the corner,

00:02:34.440 New Jersey's governor race coming down to the wire.

00:02:37.600 Republican candidate Jack Cedarelli and Democrat candidate Mikey Sherrill

00:02:41.580 in a statistical tie, according to the latest poll by Emerson College.

00:02:47.140 Sherrill leading Cedarelli by 1.49 to 48 percent among likely voters.

00:02:53.620 Three more polls released on Thursday showing wider margins.

00:02:57.020 Sherrill leading 46 to 42, according to Suffolk University.

00:03:01.180 Fox News has Sherrill with 52.

00:03:03.540 Cedarelli with 45 percent among likely voters.

00:03:06.720 Quinnipiac has Sherrill up by eight points, 51 to 43,

00:03:10.720 in a matchup deciding whether the Garden State stays blue or flips red.

00:03:15.700 With early voting underway, we spoke to New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein

00:03:20.480 about the state of the race and the most recent polls.

00:03:23.860 You know, at this point, I'm not really paying that much attention to polling

00:03:28.440 because these numbers are all over the place.

00:03:31.060 And we're not getting a really good read or at least an adequate read

00:03:36.140 about where they projected electorate will be.

00:03:40.000 At this point, there's just so much data out there that I'm just going with my gut feel,

00:03:47.540 which is that this is a close race.

00:03:49.180 With early voting beginning on Saturday, Wildstein notes a shift in voting behavior.

00:03:54.300 What we're seeing is Republicans becoming increasingly more comfortable

00:04:01.020 with voting in advance of Election Day.

00:04:04.680 Republicans are now returning vote by mail ballots at roughly the same pace as Democrats.

00:04:12.920 I haven't seen that before.

00:04:14.960 What we saw in 2024 is Republicans love in-person early voting,

00:04:21.780 and those numbers are good, but now Democrats are catching up there.

00:04:25.940 So the advantage still belongs to the Democrats because they are more accustomed to voting by mail.

00:04:35.020 So 60-plus percent of all the vote-by-mail ballots that have been sent out have been sent to Democrats.

00:04:43.080 It's almost a three-to-one advantage.

00:04:45.560 Republicans have a long way to go before they catch up here.

00:04:49.920 The environment and energy policy is taking center stage in New Jersey.

00:04:54.800 Cittarelli telling the Megyn Kelly Show on Thursday he would roll back the plastic bag ban.

00:04:59.600 Thank God, try going to Bed Bath & Beyond and getting out to your car and then back from your car into your home

00:05:06.700 with all that stuff and no bag.

00:05:09.220 It's impossible.

00:05:10.680 At least at the grocery store, they sell the bags that you can buy,

00:05:13.740 but they don't sell them at the big home goods store.

00:05:16.720 I speak from experience.

00:05:18.980 Trigger! 0.98

00:05:19.940 Also, he says he would block the horrible offshore wind projects that almost nobody likes or wants,

00:05:25.840 characterizing his opponent as too liberal on environmental matters.

00:05:30.120 So she's doubled down on the Green New Deal that the current governor's put in place 1.00

00:05:33.700 that has two things that people can't stand.

00:05:36.700 The first is the plastic bag ban.

00:05:38.880 We're getting rid of that.

00:05:39.760 And the second thing is wind farms off the Jersey Shore.

00:05:43.380 We asked Wildstein how these issues play with voters.

00:05:45.820 On the plastic bags, I've seen this in surveys over the last couple of years.

00:05:52.820 This might be the most grassroots rank and file unpopular law of the last eight years.

00:06:02.040 And Cittarelli gets it and he says it.

00:06:04.540 I don't know that voters are going to make a decision about who they want to be their governor

00:06:11.220 based upon plastic bags.

00:06:13.080 I think energy costs are hugely important.

00:06:16.620 People's electricity bills have gone through the roof over the last few months.

00:06:20.820 And they look at affordability issues and they look at taxes.

00:06:25.380 And, you know, this is going to make me sound really old, but this is my 14th New Jersey governor's race.

00:06:30.860 And this is the 14th time candidates for governor have promised to cut property taxes.

00:06:39.400 And the state has been disappointed in each of the last 13 times.

00:06:45.180 It just never happens.

00:06:46.540 The candidates also starkly divided on cultural issues.

00:06:50.600 Mikey Sherrill reaffirming her support for LGBTQ curriculum in schools earlier this year on local station NJSN.

00:06:58.320 I would push an LGBTQ education into our schools.

00:07:03.100 Parents have a right to opt out of a lot of things, but this is not an area where they should be opting out

00:07:08.900 because this is an area of understanding the background of people throughout our nation.

00:07:14.560 Cittarelli leaning into parental rights and also protecting girls' sports from transgender insanity. 1.00

00:07:20.600 Here's a sampling from yesterday's MK Show.

00:07:22.680 This mother of two daughters voted yes twice to allow biological boys to participate in girls' sports.

00:07:30.360 That's an 80-20 issue.

00:07:32.440 And I just find this so hypocritical because you and I both know the Democrats will always talk about their defense of women.

00:07:38.280 Well, you're undermining Title IX by allowing biological boys to participate in girls' sports. 0.96

00:07:43.120 But this is somebody that also supports one of Phil Murphy's policies, our current governor,

00:07:47.620 where school districts keep secrets from parents, which I think is immoral, indecent, wrong, and dangerous.

00:07:53.940 Sherrill's campaign working to tie Cittarelli closely to President Trump,

00:07:57.580 who lost to Kamala Harris by about six points in the Garden State. 1.00

00:08:01.940 Surrogate Pete Buttigieg yesterday morning on the campaign trail for Sherrill.

00:08:05.840 The problem is that Jack Cittarelli knows that standing up for New Jersey would require standing up to Donald Trump.

00:08:16.140 And he just doesn't have the backbone to do that.

00:08:20.960 He would rather see those jobs destroyed.

00:08:23.540 He'd rather see those workers get hurt and commuters get hurt than display one inch of independence from his dear leader.

00:08:31.280 Here's Wildstein on how that messaging may resonate.

00:08:34.320 Sherrill, you know, is a middle-of-the-road Democrat.

00:08:38.440 You have a lot of progressive Democrats in New Jersey.

00:08:41.760 And I don't know if progressive Democrats are going to be incredibly motivated to vote for Sherrill.

00:08:50.720 That's one of the things I'm going to be looking for on Election Day.

00:08:53.940 But she thinks that opposing Trump is going to be in her best interest.

00:08:59.720 I think that every poll, whether it's a Democratic poll or a Republican poll, is showing Trump upside down in New Jersey.

00:09:07.320 The question is, is that the issue that people are going to vote on?

00:09:11.520 Sherrill is betting that it is, and Cittarelli thinks it won't.

00:09:16.300 As far as Wildstein's predictions for Tuesday?

00:09:18.660 During a part of my life that I'm glad is over, I had the privilege of attending Federal Witness Academy at the U.S. Attorney's Office.

00:09:30.180 And the first thing they taught me is don't answer a question unless you can answer it honestly.

00:09:36.600 I have no idea.

00:09:37.780 I think this could go either way.

00:09:39.400 I think it's a close race.

00:09:42.980 In a dramatic shift in U.S. nuclear policy, President Trump announcing Wednesday that the U.S. will resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, according to the Associated Press.

00:09:55.560 Just for some perspective, that was the year some of us graduated from college and the number one song in the nation was I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston.

00:10:04.040 Mr. Trump, writing ominously on Truth Social, quote,

00:10:07.880 The U.S. has more nuclear weapons than any other country.

00:10:11.500 This was accomplished during my first term in office.

00:10:14.260 Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it but had no choice.

00:10:19.460 Because of other countries' testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.

00:10:26.980 That process will begin immediately.

00:10:28.960 Prior to Mr. Trump's post, the nonpartisan nuclear watchdog Federation of American Scientists placing Russia ahead of America in total nuclear stockpile with about 4,300 active warheads compared to what they said was about 3,700 for the U.S.

00:10:45.420 The announcement coming shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing the successful test of an underwater nuclear-powered drone called the Poseidon and just days after revealing a separate test of a nuclear-capable missile.

00:11:00.140 Mr. Putin's saying of the Poseidon, quote,

00:11:02.020 There is nothing like this in the world in terms of the speed and depth of the movement of this unmanned vehicle, and it is unlikely there ever will be.

00:11:10.320 All of this unfolding amid a breakdown in talks for a planned summit between Presidents Trump and Putin.

00:11:16.740 Overnight Wednesday, Mr. Trump speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

00:11:20.300 I mean, we don't do testing.

00:11:22.080 We've halted it years, many years ago.

00:11:25.640 But with others doing testing, I think it's appropriate that we do also.

00:11:29.780 I'd like to see a denuclearization because we have so many and Russia is second and China is third. 1.00

00:11:38.160 I think de-escalation would be, they would call it denuclearization, would be a tremendous thing.

00:11:44.980 And it's something, we are actually talking to Russia about that, and China would be added to that if we do something.

00:11:52.580 Coming up, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet face-to-face for the first time in years to discuss a number of critical trade issues.

00:12:01.860 And are you ready to fall back?

00:12:08.160 We'll be right back.

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00:13:19.300 Overall, I guess on the scale of from zero to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12.

00:13:29.180 I think it was a 12.

00:13:30.400 The whole relationship is very, very important.

00:13:33.760 And I think it was very good.

00:13:35.060 President Trump back in the U.S. after nearly one week in Asia on a multi-country diplomatic trip, culminating in a meeting in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

00:13:45.940 Over the last several months, U.S. and Chinese negotiators inching toward a deal as rising tensions between the two nations threatened to erupt in an all-out trade war.

00:13:55.260 With crucial rare earth minerals, semiconductors, and billions in tariffs on the line, the talks carrying major economic stakes, not just for those at the table, but the rest of the world as well.

00:14:07.480 Mr. Trump leaving the meeting without inking the deal, though on Air Force One, noting it could be signed pretty soon.

00:14:13.940 What can I say?

00:14:15.140 It was an outstanding group of decisions.

00:14:17.920 I think it was made.

00:14:18.920 A lot of decisions were made.

00:14:20.500 There wasn't too much left out there.

00:14:22.740 And we've come to a conclusion on many very important points.

00:14:26.920 We have a deal.

00:14:28.300 Now, every year we'll renegotiate the deal.

00:14:31.860 But I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year.

00:14:35.240 We'll negotiate at the end of the year.

00:14:37.500 But all of the rare earth has been settled.

00:14:41.140 And that's for the world.

00:14:42.540 I mean, you know, worldwide.

00:14:44.500 I guess you could really say this was a worldwide situation, not just a U.S. situation.

00:14:49.120 So we continue to produce the rare earths and buy the rare earths and everything else, you know, when you see from other countries.

00:14:56.880 But China is that whole situation, that roadblock has gone now.

00:15:02.820 There's no roadblock at all.

00:15:04.640 It's a one-year deal.

00:15:06.420 That will, I think, be very routinely extended as time goes by.

00:15:09.760 The flow of fentanyl and the chemical precursors used by cartels to make the deadly drug, often originating in China and then processed in Mexico before these materials are funneled into the U.S., a key sticking point between Washington and Beijing.

00:15:26.000 U.S. officials previously accusing the Chinese of not doing enough to crack down on illegal precursor exports.

00:15:32.520 On fentanyl, we agreed that he was going to work very hard to stop the flow.

00:15:38.920 You know, it's a very complex subject because it's used for lots of different reasons, including anesthetics and things.

00:15:47.120 But he's going to work very hard on it, precursors.

00:15:50.800 And I think you're going to see some real action taken.

00:15:54.980 And I've agreed, as you know, I put a 20 percent tariff on China because of the fentanyl coming in, which is a big tariff.

00:16:03.280 And based on his statements today, I reduced it by 10 percent.

00:16:06.560 So I believe he's going to work very hard to stop the death that's coming in.

00:16:12.300 But again, it's complex because of what fentanyl is, what the precursors do.

00:16:18.680 Mr. Trump saying the overall tariff rate will be reduced from 57 percent to 47 percent effective immediately.

00:16:26.760 President Xi echoing the goodwill, saying at the start of the meeting, quote,

00:16:30.720 In the face of winds, waves and challenges, you and I at the helm of China-U.S. relations should stay the right course

00:16:37.820 and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of Chinese-U.S. relations.

00:16:42.820 President Trump set to visit China, along with the First Lady, in April, with the Chinese president visiting the U.S. sometime after that.

00:16:53.060 Goodbye, sunshine.

00:16:54.900 This Sunday at 2 a.m., the clocks fall back one hour, thrusting the nation into early sunsets until March.

00:17:03.220 Earlier this year, President Trump calling on Congress to lock the clock, making daylight savings time permanent,

00:17:09.300 meaning we would eliminate the twice-a-year change of clocks and keep the time one hour ahead

00:17:15.560 where we set it in the spring-forward part of daylight savings.

00:17:19.600 The change would require congressional approval.

00:17:22.600 Over the years, a bipartisan group of legislators introducing and then reintroducing bills to put an end to daylight savings time,

00:17:30.300 always, though, facing opposition.

00:17:32.000 Earlier this week, U.S. Senator from Florida, Republican Rick Scott, calling to pass the latest bill,

00:17:38.120 dubbed the Sunshine Protection Act, by unanimous consent.

00:17:42.180 A bipartisan group of senators promoting the bill in the chamber,

00:17:45.620 Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Rick Scott, and Democrat Senator from Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse.

00:17:52.440 Switching the clock back and forth is the exact opposite of making American Health Again movement.

00:17:57.940 The American people are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year.

00:18:01.240 It's confusing, unnecessary, and completely outdated.

00:18:04.740 I don't always agree with President Trump and with former Senator and now Secretary Rubio,

00:18:09.700 but I sure do agree about this.

00:18:12.480 But Republican Senator from Arkansas, Tom Cotton, blocking the motion.

00:18:17.220 If permanent daylight savings time becomes the law of the land,

00:18:20.580 it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans.

00:18:25.560 For instance, permanent daylight savings time would push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour,

00:18:32.180 depriving Americans of morning sunshine that's essential for our safety and well-being.

00:18:37.560 For many Arkansans, permanent daylight savings time would mean the sun wouldn't rise until after 8 or even 8.30 a.m.

00:18:45.500 Americans in northern states and on the western side of time zones would be even worse off.

00:18:50.520 For instance, the sun wouldn't rise until nearly 9 o'clock during winter in Seattle.

00:18:56.720 The darkness of permanent daylight savings time would be especially harmful for schoolchildren and working Americans.

00:19:02.440 As much as I love the extra hour of sleep on this one day,

00:19:07.840 I think I'd rather have the light in the evenings when we're fully awake and alert,

00:19:12.700 since here in the Northeast, you lose morning sunshine really fast,

00:19:16.520 pretty much as soon as December arrives with or without daylight savings time.

00:19:20.880 What do you think?

00:19:21.820 Email me.

00:19:22.620 It's megan at megankelly.com.

00:19:25.160 And that'll do it for your AM update.

00:19:29.040 I'm Megan Kelly.

00:19:29.980 Join me back here for The Megan Kelly Show,

00:19:32.080 live on SiriusXM Triumph Channel 111 at noon east,

00:19:35.200 on youtube.com slash megankelly,

00:19:37.300 and on all podcast platforms.

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The Megyn Kelly Show - October 31, 2025

NJ Gov Race Neck-and-Neck, US Nuclear Testing Resumes, Trump Meets Xi Jinping： AM Update 10⧸31

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