Overview
- Kelly made the remarks on the Dec. 1 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show during a discussion with Mark Halperin, with the verified quote appearing around the 37:17 mark.
- She said she wanted people from the targeted boats “killed in the water” and added she would “like to see them suffer” and “bleed out,” after briefly stating that armed forces should not commit war crimes.
- A video of the comments was widely shared by the Republican Accountability Project and across social platforms, drawing criticism and prompting calls from some commentators for SiriusXM to cut ties, with no disciplinary action confirmed.
- Reporting since September describes roughly 20 U.S. strikes that destroyed 21 Venezuelan vessels and killed about 80 people, while AP found many of the dead were laborers and the New York Times reported officials told Congress there was no fentanyl on the boats.
- The Washington Post reported an alleged order to “kill everybody” and a second strike on two survivors, which Hegseth denies, as AP highlighted legal experts citing the Defense Department manual’s prohibition on firing on shipwrecked persons and Congress continues scrutiny.