Megyn Kelly Faces Fierce Backlash Over Controversial Epstein Remarks

Right-wing host Megyn Kelly has sparked widespread outrage after quoting someone saying that Jeffrey Epstein was not an “actual pedophile” because his victims were “barely legal” 15-year-olds rather than younger children.

The remarks, made on The Megyn Kelly Show, have ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many calling her comments indefensible and potentially career-damaging.

Megyn Kelly cited a source “very close” to the Epstein case who allegedly denied the financier’s pedophilia, asserting Epstein preferred “very young teen types” who could “pass for legal.”

Despite Florida’s age of consent being 18, Kelly doubled down, admitting she only reconsidered Epstein’s actions as pedophilia after reports of his possession of child sexual abuse material surfaced. “There’s a difference between a 15-year-old and a 5-year-old,” she argued, a statement that further fueled public anger.

Critics, including activist Shannon Watts and Democratic strategists Adam Parkhomenko and Ally Sammarco, slammed Kelly for seemingly downplaying Epstein’s crimes. Watts accused her of portraying Epstein and associated figures like President Donald Trump as merely “horny men” rather than predators. Sammarco predicted the remarks could end Kelly’s career, emphasizing that 15-year-olds are children, incapable of consent.

Social media erupted, with some labeling Kelly’s comments as “groomer-like.”

The controversy, amplified by a viral clip and overshadowed by an Epstein email dump linking him to Trump, has drawn comparisons to Kelly’s 2018 blackface scandal, which led to her NBC show’s cancellation. As the backlash grows, many are questioning whether Kelly’s defense of Epstein will mark a turning point in her polarizing career.