The Megyn Kelly Show - August 04, 2025


Trump Fires BLS Chief, American Eagle Defends Sweeney Ads, LA Wildfires Funds Stalled： AM Update 8⧸4

Topics
LA Fire Aid Misinformation
Hosted by
Megyn Kelly
Mentioned
Trump Sidney Sweeney Sue Pascoe Erica McIntarfer Fire Aid Counselor Peter Navarro William Wiatrowski Alan Greenspan Abigail Finan Larry Summers William W. Beach Kevin Hassett Billie Eilish Stevie Wonder Chris Wallace Rod Stewart Kevin Kiley JD Vance Katy Perry Lady Gaga and 7 more
Buried Intel Bombshell Released, Athletes Sue over Trans Dispute, Harris’s 2028 Hints： AM Update 8⧸1 DOJ Opens Russiagate Grand Jury Investigation, TX Dems Flee, Secrets of Dem PAC Cash： AM Update 8⧸5

Episode Stats


Length

19 minutes

Words per minute

153.92

Word count

3,002

Sentence count

226


Summary

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

Trump fires his Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, citing the need for objectivity and trust. American Eagle doubles down on its Sidney Sweeney Has Great Genes ad campaign, despite intensely negative reactions from many on the crazy left. This is the stuff of authoritarianism.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Topics generated with Qwen2.5-3B-Instruct.
Hosts, guests, and mentioned names generated with spaCy (en_core_web_sm), reconciled against Wikidata.
00:00:00.000 I'm Chris Hadfield. I'm an astronaut, an author, a citizen of planet Earth.
00:00:05.420 Join me for a six-part journey into the systems that power the world.
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00:00:25.420 This is On Energy.
00:00:27.400 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
00:00:30.000 Good morning, everyone. I'm Megyn Kelly.
00:00:34.820 It's Monday, August 4th, 2025, and this is your AM Update.
00:00:38.880 We either got incompetence or we got partisanship.
00:00:42.840 And either way, it was absolutely appropriate for President Trump to clean house.
00:00:48.340 President Trump fires his Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner
00:00:52.060 following several dramatic jobs report revisions, citing the need for objectivity and trust.
00:00:57.680 American Eagle doubles down on its Sidney Sweeney Has Great Genes ad campaign,
00:01:03.340 despite intensely negative reactions from many on the crazy left.
00:01:07.500 I said, how do people apply for it?
00:01:09.780 And he said, people don't apply for it.
00:01:12.040 It's going to nonprofits.
00:01:13.500 This is not for individuals.
00:01:14.920 Months after the massive celebrity benefit concert for LA wildfire victims,
00:01:19.900 many locals are wondering, where's the money?
00:01:22.680 All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.
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00:02:50.620 President Trump firing the Biden-appointed Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erica McIntyrefer on Friday
00:03:00.420 in the wake of a soft jobs report.
00:03:02.520 The latest report announcing 73,000 new jobs in July, about 27,000 fewer than expected.
00:03:09.640 And crucially, the report included yet another downward revision on May and June jobs numbers
00:03:15.120 by a combined total of 258,000 jobs lost.
00:03:19.460 The steepest monthly downward revision to U.S. jobs growth since May 2020.
00:03:24.560 This latest revision won in a series of large monthly and annual adjustments
00:03:29.100 sparked by the COVID pandemic, which contributed to delayed reporting.
00:03:33.880 In August 2024, an annual revision showing the Bureau had overstated the number of jobs
00:03:38.640 created by the Biden administration from March 2023 to March 2024
00:03:43.060 by more than 800,000 over a 12-month period.
00:03:47.080 President Trump announcing the firing on Friday in a pair of scathing Truth Social posts.
00:03:52.800 The first reading in part, quote,
00:03:54.260 I was just informed that our country's jobs numbers are being produced by a Biden appointee,
00:04:00.060 Dr. Erica McIntyrefer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics,
00:04:04.040 who faked the job numbers before the election to try and boost Kamala's chances of victory.
00:04:09.780 This is the same Bureau of Labor Statistics that overstated the jobs growth in March 2024
00:04:15.020 and then again right before the 2024 presidential election.
00:04:18.620 No one can be that wrong with a question mark.
00:04:22.640 We need accurate jobs numbers.
00:04:24.480 I have directed my team to fire this Biden political appointee immediately.
00:04:28.940 From the follow-up post, quote,
00:04:30.620 In my opinion, today's jobs numbers were rigged
00:04:33.300 in order to make the Republicans and me look bad.
00:04:37.020 Democrats decrying the ouster calling it dangerous.
00:04:40.240 Former director of President Obama's National Economic Council,
00:04:43.360 Larry Summers, Sunday on ABC This Week.
00:04:45.840 This is the stuff of democracies giving way to authoritarianism.
00:04:53.260 Firing statisticians goes with threatening the heads of newspapers.
00:04:58.940 It goes with launching assaults on universities.
00:05:02.840 It goes with launching assaults on law firms that defend clients that the elected boss finds uncongenial.
00:05:13.340 This is really scary stuff.
00:05:18.520 Sunday on CNN, the former Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner nominated under Trump 1.0,
00:05:24.600 William Beach, criticizing the firing.
00:05:27.400 The commissioner doesn't do anything to collect the numbers.
00:05:30.760 By the time the commissioner sees the numbers, they're all prepared.
00:05:33.720 They're locked into the computer system.
00:05:36.140 The only thing the commissioner does on Wednesday is to kind of do the edits on the text.
00:05:39.860 Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, on NBC, saying the data collection process has long been flawed
00:05:47.120 and has dramatically worsened since COVID.
00:05:50.280 What we've seen over the last few years is massive revisions to the jobs numbers.
00:05:55.480 In fact, they were extremely reliable, the kind of numbers that you want to guide policy decisions and markets through COVID.
00:06:02.380 And then when COVID happened, because response rates went down a lot, then revision rates skyrocketed
00:06:08.760 so that the typical monthly revision often was bigger than the number itself.
00:06:13.600 And now we had a number that just came out.
00:06:16.380 The actual number for the month wasn't so bad, but the two months before were revised down by more than it ever happened since 1968.
00:06:24.940 And in 2015, Alan Greenspan and I were asked to attend a conference at BLS,
00:06:31.060 and we warned that if they didn't try to let the data collection and calculation keep up with the data that was happening in the economy,
00:06:39.500 that we would have problems like this.
00:06:41.660 White House Senior Counselor Peter Navarro, Saturday on Bloomberg's Balance of Power podcast,
00:06:46.740 saying the current trend of large revisions undermines the perception of objectivity and trust.
00:06:52.200 Let me just say this. Since the pandemic, we've been getting the numbers spectacularly wrong.
00:07:00.780 I mean, the variance in the numbers dramatically increased after COVID.
00:07:04.640 So we either got incompetence or we got partisanship.
00:07:09.100 And either way, it was absolutely appropriate for President Trump to clean house at the BLS.
00:07:16.040 We need people to give us numbers.
00:07:17.860 And the reason why it matters is if we don't get the right numbers,
00:07:22.520 then we're not going to make the right decisions, particularly at the Fed.
00:07:26.620 Deputy Commissioner William Wiatrowski will serve as acting commissioner until a replacement is selected.
00:07:34.300 On Saturday, American Eagle doubling down on its Sidney Sweeney ad campaign.
00:07:40.060 My jeans are blue.
00:07:41.420 Sidney Sweeney has very jeans.
00:07:43.360 The campaign igniting a firestorm among some leftists, many expressing deep disgust that the retailer would feature an unapologetically beautiful blonde woman with white skin, blonde hair and blue eyes.
00:07:56.180 The horror to market their product and use the double entendre about great jeans.
00:08:02.560 The ad campaign prompting an outpouring of criticism, including accusations of endorsing racism, promoting eugenics, and celebrating Nazism.
00:08:12.020 On Saturday, despite the intense public pressure, American Eagle remaining unbowed, posting this text graphic to social media.
00:08:20.220 Quote,
00:08:20.380 By the way, jeans in all of those comments was spelled with a J.
00:08:41.340 Friday on the Ruthless podcast, Vice President J.D. Vance weighing in, saying the outcry is a boost to the GOP.
00:08:47.640 My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sidney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi.
00:08:54.480 That appears to be their actual strategy.
00:08:57.200 I mean, it actually reveals something pretty interesting about the Dems, though, which is that you have like a normal all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad, right?
00:09:07.020 They're trying to sell, you know, sell jeans to kids in America.
00:09:11.420 And they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing.
00:09:16.800 And it's like, you guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election?
00:09:21.120 Like, I actually thought that one of the lessons they might take is we're going to be less crazy.
00:09:25.860 The lesson they have apparently taken is we're going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sidney Sweeney is beautiful.
00:09:32.580 Great strategy, guys.
00:09:33.840 That's how you're going to win the midterm, especially young American men.
00:09:37.380 Yesterday, American Eagle continuing its campaign on its Instagram account, posting blue jeans for summer Sundays with a new image of Sweeney.
00:09:45.140 The top comment cheering the company for, quote, trolling the crybabies.
00:09:51.680 In January of this year, fueled by near hurricane force winds and bone dry terrain,
00:09:56.880 the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades devoured everything in their paths, homes, businesses, memories.
00:10:05.840 In days, entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
00:10:09.300 The staggering toll, more than 18,000 structures damaged or destroyed, mostly homes.
00:10:15.560 31 lives were lost and tens of thousands were displaced.
00:10:19.520 The damage standing at an estimated $250 billion.
00:10:22.620 On January 31st, dozens of Hollywood's biggest stars turning out for Fire Aid, a benefit concert hosted across two venues, featuring performances from Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, and more.
00:10:38.520 Celebrities urging viewers to donate to the cause and promising that direct relief would go to those impacted by the fires.
00:10:47.380 All the money that's raised will go directly to people who need help in the short term and for the long-term effort to get this city back on its feet.
00:10:59.280 Everyone, please go to fireaidla.org and give what you can.
00:11:03.920 All of the money raised will go directly to people who need it now.
00:11:07.720 100% of the money goes to short-term relief and long-term efforts to rebuild.
00:11:12.960 The event, raising an estimated $100 million.
00:11:16.400 In the weeks that followed, Fire Aid hailed as a triumph of celebrity-driven charity.
00:11:21.880 But months later, many locals were asking the same question.
00:11:25.380 Where's the money?
00:11:27.120 Fox 11 Los Angeles speaking to some survivors.
00:11:30.100 And I was actually expecting to some type of reach out or something to let us know that we're here to help you.
00:11:37.020 And I've been searching and trying to figure that out since.
00:11:41.580 I have not seen any benefit from the fire aid money.
00:11:44.620 They're my friends and neighbors.
00:11:46.320 We spoke to independent journalist Sue Pascoe, editor of Circling the News, who started digging after a reader reached out with a simple question.
00:11:54.380 How do I apply for help?
00:11:56.220 Someone in the Palisades emailed me and said, how do we apply for this aid?
00:12:00.840 Someone who had lost her home.
00:12:02.140 I said, I don't know.
00:12:03.220 So let me call the Annenberg, who was supposedly sort of in charge of the sort of the grant process.
00:12:10.780 And I called and I called.
00:12:12.300 And finally, someone got back and said, oh, you need to talk to the media spokesperson for fire aid.
00:12:18.340 So I called Chris Wallace, who's a media spokesperson.
00:12:20.780 And I said, how do people apply for it?
00:12:23.760 And he said, people don't apply for it.
00:12:26.020 It's going to nonprofits.
00:12:27.240 This is not for individuals.
00:12:29.840 That revelation shocking Pascoe, as the concert had been promoted as direct relief for victims.
00:12:36.340 Pascoe began following the money, finding some grant recipients appearing to have little to no connections to fire relief.
00:12:44.480 Supposedly, there are more than 100 that got the money.
00:12:47.960 There are some that clean preschool bathrooms.
00:12:51.220 They got money.
00:12:52.020 There are all these food organizations, many whom I've never heard of before, that got money, mixed in with some very reputable ones.
00:12:59.680 Then there was money that went to L.A. City Foundations.
00:13:03.540 There was money that went to L.A. County.
00:13:05.660 There was money that went to like the Native California Voter Organization.
00:13:11.380 There's a bunch more that went to immigrants for whatever reason.
00:13:16.420 There is some nonprofits that you could you could go onto the website and you could just click on and you just go, you know, they're not even based in in Los Angeles.
00:13:26.640 How is this money going to the victims?
00:13:29.620 Pascoe's reporting generating significant media traction.
00:13:32.960 President Trump posting to Truth Social 10 days after Pascoe appeared on Fox 11 L.A. to share her findings, calling fire aid, quote, a total disaster and, quote, another Democrat inspired scam.
00:13:43.640 Fire aid responding that it does not have the capability to make direct payments to individuals.
00:13:49.700 And that was never the plan, it says.
00:13:52.000 Posting a lengthy response on its website, reading in part, quote, there has been an increasing amount of misinformation being shared online about the distribution of fire aid funds.
00:14:01.420 Together, we raised an estimated 100 million that have been designated for direct relief and will not be used for administrative purposes.
00:14:09.560 Under frequently asked questions, fire aid writing, quote, does fire aid award grants to individuals directly?
00:14:18.040 The answer, quote, yes, through local nonprofits and organizations.
00:14:23.560 In other words, no.
00:14:25.300 Fire aid saying it hired law firm Latham and Watkins to conduct a comprehensive review of the governance and grant making process.
00:14:31.960 So far, disbursing $75 million, it says, to 160 organizations, including food banks, community groups and disaster relief.
00:14:41.440 The organization also noting each grant recipient was first checked out by Goldman Sachs's GS Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund to ensure its good standing, which doesn't mean they sent the money to fire victims.
00:14:54.880 Recipients will be required to report on fund usage by December, those results set to be audited by KPMG.
00:15:02.860 Pascoe agrees some legitimate groups received funds, but she argues that's not the point.
00:15:08.460 The concert was marketed as direct relief for families who lost everything.
00:15:13.580 The website now says we have to stop all this misinformation that's going about.
00:15:18.120 We never said it was going to be for victims.
00:15:20.700 Well, yes, you did.
00:15:21.900 All the performers said it was going to be for victims.
00:15:23.940 And they've hired a law firm now to defend them against all this misinformation.
00:15:30.720 Well, no, just give the money to the victims.
00:15:33.280 And they say, well, we are not equipped to do that.
00:15:36.200 Well, why not?
00:15:37.020 The Red Cross did it.
00:15:38.100 The Red Cross gave everyone impacted by the fire here, and I believe in Altadena, some money.
00:15:44.880 Why couldn't they do that?
00:15:46.060 Why couldn't they give cash to the victims?
00:15:48.180 There's no reason.
00:15:49.060 Pascoe also challenging fire aid's claim that none of the money was spent on administrative fees.
00:15:55.060 But here's another thing that most people don't know about nonprofits.
00:15:59.340 Say you want to start a nonprofit.
00:16:01.300 It takes you about anywhere between six months and a year to get a number.
00:16:05.440 And if you don't have a number, you can go to either Community Partners or California Community Foundation.
00:16:11.180 They will share their number with you so you can use it to apply for aid, and then you give them an 8% administrative fee.
00:16:20.360 And then you have a number.
00:16:21.500 And to apply, there are only six questions that they asked.
00:16:24.980 What's your nonprofit's name?
00:16:26.400 What's your nonprofit's number?
00:16:27.780 Where are you based, and what have you done to help fire victims?
00:16:33.100 I'm sure everyone was a nonprofit, but the bottom line was this was supposed to be marketed for victims.
00:16:41.340 It was marketed for the survivors of people who lived in Altadena, people who lived in the Palisades, who lost everything.
00:16:48.120 It was marketed for them, and they received nothing.
00:16:51.520 Pasco reached out to several of the organizations on the list of recipients, saying the vast majority never replied to her.
00:16:59.660 I actually send out a little questionnaire to 20 of the some hundred-odd.
00:17:05.120 I don't have a large staff.
00:17:06.760 It's basically me.
00:17:08.200 I send out a questionnaire just asking, hi, when was your nonprofit formed?
00:17:13.720 How did you spend the money?
00:17:16.120 And is there anything else you would like to highlight about, you know, the good works that you've done?
00:17:22.000 I got two replies.
00:17:23.480 One was from a very sweet organization that talked about how they had helped an individual in Altadena and asked how they had helped people in the Palisades.
00:17:32.120 They said they didn't help people in the Palisades.
00:17:34.480 Then I got another response from someone who said, take me off your mailing list.
00:17:39.300 And then, and I got no more responses.
00:17:42.760 I think it's going to have to come from some attorney general or someone who's going to have to ask for an accounting or take some legal steps.
00:17:57.880 I mean, I think I've exposed that victims didn't get the fire aid.
00:18:02.200 It was marketed as for victims, and it was marketed incorrectly.
00:18:06.700 It was sort of like sold a false bill of advertising almost.
00:18:09.920 And I think that's got to come from some sort of legal source.
00:18:14.880 We reached out to Attorney General Rob Bonta's office in California for comment, receiving no reply.
00:18:20.780 In July, Republican Congressman from California, Kevin Kiley, sending a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting she investigate.
00:18:28.620 So far, the DOJ has not responded.
00:18:31.480 Wired reports that some 11,000 home dwellings were destroyed in the fires.
00:18:36.380 As of early July, less than 200 homeowners have received permits to rebuild.
00:18:43.840 And that'll do it for your AM Update.
00:18:45.760 I'm Megan Kelly.
00:18:46.700 Join me back here for The Megan Kelly Show, live on SiriusXM Triumph Channel 111 at noon east,
00:18:51.640 on youtube.com slash megankelly, and on all podcast platforms.
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