Megyn Kelly has praised former President Donald Trump for his remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, during which he compared CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Kelly suggested on her SiriusXM show that Trump's comparison was a strategic move that put liberals in a difficult position.
"He got up there and he gave her a little jazz, which is kind of what [presidents] do. It's clever because it puts the left in such a difficult position, because they have to say that's not complimentary, so they have to rip on a trans person, which they definitely don't want to do," Kelly stated.
Trump, during his speech, commented on Collins's appearance, saying, "I thought Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship. But then I informed her that it wasn't her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney." This remark references Mulvaney's controversial partnership with Bud Light, which led to significant backlash and boycotts among conservative consumers. Mulvaney has been open about her transition and underwent facial feminization surgery.
Kelly further elaborated on Trump's tactic, noting that his comparison of Collins to Mulvaney was intended to highlight what she perceives as a double standard among liberals. "He's put them in a very difficult position because you basically have to say it's insulting to compare her to Dylan Mulvaney. Why is it insulting? Because Dylan Mulvaney's a man. They just won't close that circle. But we all know why they find it insulting," Kelly said. She also pointed to instances where liberals allegedly criticized figures like Chris Christie and JB Pritzker for their weight, while not expressing similar outrage when Wanda Sykes reportedly mocked Rush Limbaugh's death.
Kelly defended Trump's decision to speak at the event, characterizing it as entering "the lion's den" despite knowing that many attendees are critical of him. She also criticized Collins, a former employee of The Daily Wire, for her consistently negative coverage of Trump. "She's always nasty. She's always making negative commentary about him. Her questions always have the most negative bent you could possibly go into the questioning with, so the president did what all presidents do," Kelly remarked.
Following Trump's comments, CNN leadership and staff reportedly expressed anger, with some executives discussing the possibility of the network withdrawing from future White House Correspondents' Dinners, according to Semafor. CNN, however, defended Collins in a statement, calling her an "exceptional, trusted journalist" who reports with "real strength and tenacity."
Collins herself responded to Trump's initial remarks on social media, highlighting the importance of the First Amendment and the role of journalists in asking critical questions. Trump later shared an image on Truth Social, superimposing Collins's face onto Mulvaney's body in the Bud Light advertisement that gained notoriety in April 2023.