Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News host, has criticised her former network for its coverage of President Donald Trump's military intervention in Venezuela, comparing it to 'Russian propaganda'. Speaking on her own SiriusXM show, Kelly said there was 'nothing sceptical' in Fox's reporting, only 'rah-rah cheerleading'. While reaffirming her support for Trump, she argued that the operation was clearly about global oil dominance, not law enforcement.
Trump's decision to forcibly abduct Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, which resulted in dozens of deaths, has largely been praised by conservative media allies. Hosts such as Mark Levin and Sean Hannity have championed the move, with Levin labelling critics 'pure evil' and Hannity describing the capture as making 'America and the world a safer, freer place'. Fox's Jesse Watters likened Trump to a 'surgeon' who performed a 'perfect extraction'.
However, not all voices have fallen in line. Tucker Carlson, formerly of Fox News, expressed cautious optimism, saying he was 'grateful for the wisdom of not taking out the entire government' and warning against the mistakes made in Iraq and Libya. Kat Timpf, a libertarian commentator on Fox, pointed out the inconsistency with Trump's past promises to avoid foreign entanglements, questioning why the operation was not considered an act of war.
Kelly's criticism stands out as a rare note of dissent among right-wing media figures, who have generally rallied behind Trump despite his earlier pledges to stop wars. The episode underscores the tension within the 'Make America Great Again' movement between non-interventionist principles and support for the president's actions.
