The Megyn Kelly Show - August 18, 2026


UK PM Duped by Wiles Impersonator, Clancy Defense Begins, Lifeguard Honored at WH： AM Update 8⧸18


Episode Stats


Length

18 minutes

Words per minute

153.67

Word count

2,855

Sentence count

161


Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
00:00:00.000 Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, and this is your
00:00:08.400 AM Update. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly exchanging messages with someone
00:00:13.820 impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
00:00:17.920 What did she tell you?
00:00:19.200 She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children.
00:00:23.120 The prosecution resting its case in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, as the defense begins
00:00:28.260 presenting evidence about her mental state before the killings.
00:00:32.040 The U.S. Supreme Court rejecting President Trump's final effort
00:00:35.260 to overturn the $5 million verdict awarded to E. Jean Carroll.
00:00:40.080 Both of you people have to be very proud.
00:00:42.040 The whole group is proud.
00:00:43.480 Teen lifeguard Ryder Williams honored at the White House
00:00:46.640 alongside the 10-year-old boy he rescued from the violent California surf.
00:00:51.660 All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.
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00:02:03.120 New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly exchanging messages with someone he believed
00:02:08.840 was White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious that he was communicating
00:02:14.300 with an impersonator. Politico reporting four officials confirmed the exchange with
00:02:19.460 One person briefed on the communications, saying Burnham exchanged, quote,
00:02:23.480 a few messages with the person and that the messages were, quote, of no significance.
00:02:29.000 It is unclear what exactly they discussed or when Burnham first began communicating with the person.
00:02:34.700 The situation reportedly concerning British officials enough that the UK embassy in Washington
00:02:39.340 raised it with the White House. Downing Street declining to comment, citing national security.
00:02:45.760 Wiles reportedly telling associates, then, that contacts from her personal cell phone
00:02:50.280 had been hacked, potentially giving the impersonator access to private numbers
00:02:55.140 belonging to influential people. However, the White House telling Politico the incident had
00:02:59.980 nothing to do with the chief of staff's devices being hacked. President Trump asked about the
00:03:05.020 report yesterday during an unrelated Oval Office event, though he did not appear familiar with the
00:03:10.160 story. The incident comes roughly a year after a separate impersonation campaign involving Wiles.
00:03:17.500 The Wall Street Journal reporting at the time that senators, governors, and prominent business
00:03:21.740 executives had received calls and text messages from someone pretending to be the White House
00:03:26.420 chief of staff, prompting an investigation by the FBI and White House. It is unclear whether
00:03:32.540 that investigation ever identified who was behind the impersonation campaign and whether the person
00:03:38.320 who reportedly contacted Burnham, is connected. The prosecution resting its case yesterday in
00:03:45.940 the murder trial of Massachusetts' mother, Lindsay Clancy, as the trial enters its fourth
00:03:51.300 week of testimony. Prosecutors calling roughly 70 witnesses over their case before the defense
00:03:57.280 beginning to present its own evidence yesterday afternoon. Five-year-old Cora, three-year-old
00:04:03.400 Dawson and eight-month-old Callan Clancy were killed inside their family's home in Massachusetts
00:04:08.900 on January 24, 2023. Clancy not disputing that she killed her children before attempting to
00:04:15.940 take her own life, suffering spinal injuries that left her paralyzed from the waist down.
00:04:21.520 Clancy pleading not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, with her attorneys arguing
00:04:26.000 she should not be held criminally responsible because she was suffering from severe mental
00:04:30.600 illness, including what they say was postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors arguing Clancy understood
00:04:37.320 what she was doing and acted intentionally, contending she sent her husband Patrick to
00:04:42.260 pick up takeout and medicine before killing the children. Under Massachusetts law, prosecutors
00:04:48.180 must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clancy was criminally responsible at the time.
00:04:53.800 After the Commonwealth rested, defense attorney Kevin Reddington, asking the judge for a required
00:04:58.860 finding of not guilty or, alternatively, to reduce the charges from first-degree to second-degree
00:05:04.840 murder. Judge William Sullivan denying the motion for now, clearing the way for the defense to begin
00:05:10.240 calling witnesses. Clancy's sister, Allison Osga, among the first defense witnesses, describing a
00:05:16.840 decline in her sister's mental health in the months before the killings. Osga testifying that by
00:05:22.120 December, she knew Clancy was experiencing suicidal thoughts and receiving psychiatric
00:05:26.940 treatment, recalling her sister feeling numb and hopeless. Osga saying Clancy initially appeared to
00:05:33.080 improve after leaving McLean Hospital, where she had sought mental health treatment, but still
00:05:38.080 seemed to be struggling when Osga saw her roughly two weeks before the children were killed.
00:05:43.240 On cross-examination, Osga telling prosecutors she is a social worker and mandated reporter,
00:05:49.360 meaning she is legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect,
00:05:53.740 saying she never believed the children were in danger.
00:05:56.940 Clancy's mother, Paula Musgrove, then taking the stand, describing growing concern over changes
00:06:02.320 she saw in her daughter beginning in the fall of 2022. Musgrove recalling an October message
00:06:08.600 from Clancy, telling her, quote, I'm really sick, something is wrong, prompting Musgrove to travel
00:06:14.520 from Connecticut to stay with the family. Musgrove testifying Clancy continued struggling
00:06:19.380 through November and December, losing weight, becoming increasingly fearful, and repeatedly
00:06:24.640 telling her mother she did not feel like herself. Musgrove then recalling a conversation in December
00:06:30.360 when Clancy revealed something even more concerning. I know that this is difficult
00:06:35.840 in December of 2022. Do you recall the time that you were in the kitchen with Lindsay and Patrick
00:06:44.920 and she made a statement about her state of mind to her husband, Pat, and you were there?
00:06:51.400 Yes.
00:06:52.460 I know it's difficult.
00:06:54.020 Just tell us what you remember.
00:06:55.980 I remember her being very nervous.
00:06:59.380 I remember her saying, I just have to tell you guys something.
00:07:03.300 And then she told us.
00:07:05.400 What did she tell you?
00:07:06.580 She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children.
00:07:10.620 Thank you very much.
00:07:12.140 Prosecutors focusing on evidence suggesting Clancy appeared to be improving closer to the killings,
00:07:17.540 including a January 22nd message Musgrove sent her daughter saying it was nice to see her doing
00:07:23.320 better. Musgrove pushing back on that interpretation, testifying she still had
00:07:28.200 concerns and intended the message as encouragement while her daughter was trying to get better.
00:07:33.920 The defense ending the day with testimony from emergency room physician Dr. Michael
00:07:39.000 Volfovich, who did not treat Clancy but reviewed her medical records at the defense's request.
00:07:45.220 Reddington attempting to have Volfovich weigh in on whether Clancy's injuries indicated
00:07:50.180 a genuine attempt to take her own life, with a judge preventing the doctor from offering
00:07:55.160 an opinion about her intent based on the wounds.
00:07:58.800 Volfovich ultimately testifying the injuries were, quote,
00:08:01.720 consistent with self-injurious behavior.
00:08:05.020 Prosecutors declining to cross-examine him, the judge then adjourning court for the day,
00:08:09.780 the trial set to resume later today.
00:08:11.800 Coming up, President Trump reaching the end of the road in his appeal of the $5 million
00:08:18.880 E.G. Carroll verdict. And teen lifeguard Ryder Williams recognized at the White House,
00:08:25.180 joined by the 10-year-old boy whose life he saved.
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00:09:35.400 slash M-E-G-Y-N. The Supreme Court yesterday declining for a second time to take up President
00:09:43.360 Trump's bid to overturn the $5 million civil verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll,
00:09:49.600 bringing the appeals process in that case to an end. Carroll, a longtime advice columnist,
00:09:55.180 first publicly accusing Mr. Trump in 2019 of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf-Goodman
00:10:01.220 dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. The president repeatedly denying the allegation,
00:10:07.940 maintaining he never assaulted Carol and does not know her, describing her claims as a politically
00:10:12.780 motivated hoax. Carol suing Mr. Trump for defamation later that year over statements he made,
00:10:18.740 denying her allegations. Then in 2022, Carroll filing a second lawsuit, this one including both
00:10:26.100 a sexual abuse claim stemming from the alleged department store encounter and another defamation
00:10:31.820 claim over statements Mr. Trump made that year. The lawsuit made possible after New York enacted
00:10:37.280 the Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year time frame for adults to bring claims of sexual
00:10:43.280 assault, regardless of how long ago the alleged abuse happened. The second lawsuit reaching trial
00:10:49.160 first, with a federal jury in 2023 finding President Trump liable for sexual abuse and
00:10:55.400 defamation and awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. The jury not finding Mr. Trump liable
00:11:01.500 for rape. President Trump appealing, arguing in part that the trial was unfair because jurors
00:11:07.420 were allowed to hear other allegations of sexual misconduct and the infamous Access Hollywood
00:11:12.840 tape. A three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the verdict, the full
00:11:18.580 appeals court later declining to reconsider that decision. Mr. Trump then taking the case to the
00:11:24.420 U.S. Supreme Court. In June, the justices declining to hear his appeal for the first time,
00:11:29.740 his attorneys then making the highly unusual move of asking the high court to reconsider that
00:11:35.020 decision, which was denied yesterday, the justices not offering an explanation. Carol already
00:11:41.200 receiving more than $5.6 million last month, the award plus interest after a federal judge
00:11:47.080 ordered the money Trump had deposited while appealing, released to her following the Supreme
00:11:52.300 Court's initial decision not to hear the case. That ends the legal fight over the $5 million
00:11:57.340 verdict. The other case, stemming from Carroll's first lawsuit, still ongoing. A different jury
00:12:03.740 in January 2024, awarding Carroll $83.3 million in damages, the Second Circuit later upholding
00:12:12.060 that judgment too. President Trump now asking the Supreme Court to overturn that, arguing in part
00:12:17.940 that he is immune from being sued over statements he made while serving as president. The Supreme
00:12:23.600 Court has not yet decided whether it will hear that appeal. 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams
00:12:30.780 visiting the White House yesterday,
00:12:32.480 reuniting in the Oval Office
00:12:33.960 with 10-year-old Nathaniel Rye,
00:12:36.660 the boy he rescued from the violent California surf
00:12:39.280 last month.
00:12:40.840 The meeting coming after dramatic video
00:12:42.740 of the July 25th rescue
00:12:44.340 at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz
00:12:46.840 spread across social media,
00:12:48.800 catching President Trump's attention.
00:12:51.020 Ryder, a first-year lifeguard,
00:12:52.460 spotting Nathaniel losing his footing in the water,
00:12:55.760 then racing into surf,
00:12:56.940 reportedly reaching up to 10 feet
00:12:58.540 as the boy was swept farther from shore.
00:13:01.640 The video showing Ryder locking both arms around Nathaniel
00:13:04.560 as wave after wave crashes over them,
00:13:07.380 refusing to let go as the surf repeatedly drags the pair back toward the ocean.
00:13:12.580 Another lifeguard eventually reaching them,
00:13:15.020 with rescuers and bystanders forming a human chain
00:13:18.040 closer to shore to help bring Nathaniel to safety.
00:13:21.940 Nathaniel's father previously telling ABC7
00:13:24.380 the 10-year-old lost consciousness during the ordeal
00:13:27.260 and saying he believes another two or three seconds could have made the difference between
00:13:31.320 life and death. Ryder later returning to his lifeguard tower and continuing to work,
00:13:37.780 making additional rescues that same day. President Trump inviting Ryder and Nathaniel to the White
00:13:43.360 House after seeing the viral footage, previously announcing that Ryder would receive what he
00:13:47.920 described as a, quote, high civilian honor. The president praising both boys during Monday's
00:13:53.720 Oval Office visit. We're honored to have all of you and again what you did was incredible and
00:14:00.180 everybody saw it and you'd watch it over and over. I know when I first saw it I said roll that back
00:14:06.040 I want to see that again. Is that really happening? And both of you people have to be very proud. The
00:14:12.620 whole group is proud and your father is the happiest man in the world you know because I
00:14:17.960 You asked him a question.
00:14:18.860 I said, so if that didn't happen, your life would be ruined.
00:14:23.280 And you said it would be a whole different life, right?
00:14:26.180 Absolutely.
00:14:27.040 Amazing.
00:14:28.160 It's incredible what Ryder did.
00:14:29.620 I'm just beyond grateful to him and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the Good
00:14:33.700 Samaritans that were there.
00:14:35.140 I mean, it's just such a privilege to be sitting next to him today and be able to celebrate
00:14:38.820 his birthday tomorrow.
00:14:40.120 A reporter asking President Trump what young Americans should take away from Ryder's actions.
00:14:45.000 I mean, look, they're going to look up to Ryder.
00:14:48.380 They're going to look up to Nathaniel, the way Nathaniel handled it.
00:14:51.140 He was cool, considering the problems I was watching.
00:14:55.180 He was very cool.
00:14:57.880 And they're going to gain respect.
00:15:00.360 I think, you know, very importantly, they're going to gain respect for what these people do,
00:15:04.320 having to do with lifeguards and having to do with safety.
00:15:08.480 This was an unbelievable experience.
00:15:12.160 anybody watching like it's not my world but i i respect that world i always had but never maybe
00:15:18.840 so much as i do now so i thought you bring you know to your profession to what you do and what
00:15:24.060 you do so well you brought tremendous uh grace and experience really tremendous grace tremendous
00:15:31.560 a feeling that it's so amazing to see this happen to see it before your eyes i just thought it was
00:15:39.520 really a very worthwhile event
00:15:41.600 to have it at the Oval Office, so
00:15:43.380 congratulations.
00:15:45.500 Ryder then reflecting on what was going through
00:15:47.440 his mind during the rescue, and what
00:15:49.560 he hopes comes next.
00:15:51.660 In those dangerous moments that we have, we always
00:15:53.620 try to fall back on our training. We are trained so
00:15:55.580 well by many to
00:15:57.220 handle that situation as best we can,
00:15:59.540 so I'm really just thinking about how to get the boy out of the water
00:16:01.680 as fast as I can, and
00:16:03.360 for shaping my future, I want
00:16:05.700 to be a firefighter in the future, hopefully go
00:16:07.580 at the paramedic school. We're giving recommendations. We may have some good
00:16:15.060 recommendations. Ryder receiving a certificate of commendation during the visit, the question
00:16:20.660 and answer session later taking a much different turn as President Trump clashed with CNN senior
00:16:26.460 White House correspondent Kristen Holmes. Holmes first asking the president about comments from
00:16:31.640 Democrat Senator John Ossoff of Georgia, who accused Mr. Trump at a campaign rally Sunday
00:16:37.200 of being more interested in building his White House ballroom and traveling with
00:16:41.180 executive assistant Natalie Harp than doing his job. Later in the availability, the president
00:16:47.140 discussing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after directing the Pentagon
00:16:51.980 to substantially reduce joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. Another reporter asking about
00:16:58.720 the decision before Holmes shouted a follow-up question about whether Kim Jong-un had requested
00:17:03.820 the change, President Trump then singling her out.
00:17:33.820 news. Go ahead. The Trump administration's Rapid Response 47 account later responding to
00:17:39.580 Holmes's earlier question about Senator Ossoff's comments, calling Holmes, quote,
00:17:44.840 a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession and accusing her of using the
00:17:50.740 Oval Office event to take, quote, a cheap shot at a member of the president's staff. The post
00:17:56.560 adding, quote, these scumbags are the lowest of the low. CNN responding with a statement of its
00:18:02.160 own, reading in part, quote, public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with,
00:18:06.940 but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent
00:18:12.140 with the principles of a free press. We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks
00:18:17.760 in the strongest possible terms. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me
00:18:25.420 back here for the MK Show, live on Sirius XM's The Megan Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east,
00:18:30.320 on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly and on all podcast platforms.