In a no-holds-barred commentary, Megyn Kelly didn’t mince words about how Fox News treated Charlie Kirk, especially after the network tried to claim him as "one of their own" — all while effectively banning him for his support of Tucker Carlson. On her popular podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, the former Fox News anchor tore into the network for its disingenuous portrayal of Kirk and its role in sidelining him for years.
"It’s really bothering me how Fox News is talking about Charlie, like he was theirs — he wasn’t. It’s a lie. Just stop," Kelly said, making it clear that the narrative Fox is now trying to craft doesn’t match the reality of how they treated the Turning Point USA co-founder.
Kelly, who left Fox News in January 2017 and has been a vocal critic of the network ever since, particularly after Carlson's firing in 2023, revealed that despite a few friendly personalities at Fox, the network’s leadership had intentionally kept Kirk off the air. "Fox News, they wouldn't put Charlie on, OK? I know this from my own behind-the-scenes conversations, and I'm not going to specify from whom. But they were annoyed on Team Charlie because he was banned. They wouldn't put him on. He had been too supportive of Tucker," Kelly said, pulling back the curtain on how Fox’s corporate structure worked to isolate Kirk.
Kirk, who had long been a fixture on Fox News, noticed his absence in 2023 and 2024, a result of Carlson’s firing. Despite occasional appearances to cover up the ban, Kirk himself acknowledged the fallout, particularly during his AmericaFest event in Phoenix in December 2023. "We don't have a single person from Fox here, and in the years past, we have," he said, lamenting the network's withdrawal of support. "They’ve been very good to me," Kirk added, highlighting how drastically the situation had changed.
Kirk pointed to his ongoing exclusion from Fox and expressed hope for a potential reconciliation. "I hope we can heal our relationship, because for whatever reason, it's gone off the reservation," he said. Yet, the network’s actions seemed to speak louder than any words.
The animosity between Fox News and Kirk wasn’t just personal—it was political. His outspoken support for President Donald Trump, particularly during and after the 2020 election, earned him the ire of the Murdoch family and network executives. His pro-Trump stance mirrored the treatment of other Trump allies, including prominent figures like Jason Miller, Rudy Giuliani, and Kari Lake, all of whom faced varying degrees of exclusion from Fox’s programming.
Kelly continued to shine a light on Fox’s inconsistent approach to Kirk, pointing out that after Carlson’s firing, the network only occasionally allowed him on air, clearly aware of his independent rise. "He was considered 'other,'" Kelly said, emphasizing that Fox’s actions were less about Kirk’s value as a commentator and more about corporate control.
And despite all of Fox’s efforts to distance themselves from Kirk, he thrived. Kelly praised Kirk for his resilience and independence, calling him a "rising star" who thrived outside corporate media. "He was independent—fiercely independent," Kelly said. "He built his own thing, created his own platform."
While Fox News may have turned their back on Charlie Kirk, Newsmax stood by him. After his passing, a top executive at Turning Point USA expressed their gratitude for Newsmax’s unwavering support. "You made your network always available to Charlie, and we felt that," the executive wrote to Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy.
For Kelly, Kirk’s ability to rise above Fox’s attempts to control him only underscores the strength of his character. "Charlie was ubiquitous in his appearances," she said. "He was loving, forgiving, and would say yes to anyone. He was independent."
In the end, Kelly's comments serve as a sharp reminder: Charlie Kirk’s success wasn’t due to any network’s help—it was because of his unwavering commitment to his principles, his independence, and his relentless pursuit of truth. The truth is, Fox News may have tried to control him, but Charlie Kirk built his own empire on his terms—and it’s clear now that his influence was undeniable.
