Podcaster's Epstein Comments Ignite Social Media Storm
Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly has provoked significant online criticism following controversial remarks she made about the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. During the Wednesday episode of her self-titled podcast, Kelly mounted a defence of Epstein by relaying claims from an unnamed source that he was not a paedophile.
Kelly stated, 'I do know somebody very, very close to this case, who is in a position to know virtually everything.' She emphasised that this individual had told her for years that, in their view, Epstein 'was not a pedophile' but was instead into the 'barely legal' type.
In a disturbing clarification, Kelly elaborated that this meant 'he liked 15-year-old girls' who could pass for younger but might appear legal to an observer. While she acknowledged his actions were 'disgusting' and stressed she was not making excuses, her attempt to distinguish his preferences from those targeting younger children sparked immediate fury.
Shifting Allegations and Victim Testimonies
Kelly revealed that her perspective shifted only earlier this year when former Attorney General Pam Bondi stated the FBI was reviewing 'tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn'. This was the first time Kelly considered he might be an 'actual pedophile'.
However, she expressed scepticism, adding, 'I don't really trust Pam Bondi's word on the Epstein matters anymore.' Kelly further questioned the evidence, noting 'we have yet to see anybody come forward and say, 'I was under 10, I was under 14'' when they first encountered Epstein.
This contradicts the official indictment from federal prosecutors, who charged Epstein with sex trafficking of minors in July 2019. They alleged his victims were as young as 14 years old and that Epstein knew many were underage, as some had explicitly told him so.
Widespread Backlash and Public Outcry
The reaction on social media was swift and severe. Listeners and users across platforms condemned Kelly's comments as a defence of the indefensible.
One X user demanded, 'How is 15 barely legal???' while another lamented, 'It's so sad how far people will go to defend the indefensible.'
A YouTube comment challenged Kelly directly: 'What if your 15 yo daughter was pursued by a greasy dirty old man? Not only that but trafficked and permanently traumatised????' Another user stated plainly, 'A 50 year old targeting 15 year old's is sick, disgusting and much more. Why are you defending this?'
The controversy emerged as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein's estate, keeping public attention firmly on the case.
This is not the first time Kelly has commented on such issues. In 2018, she asserted there was 'no consenting for a 14-year-old or even a 17-year-old' during an interview with an alleged abuse victim, a statement that stands in stark contrast to her recent podcast remarks.
Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
