The Megyn Kelly Show - 20250314_schumer-caves-in-budget-battle-putin-playing-hardb
Aired: 2025-03-14
Duration: 15:54


=== Schumer Averts Shutdown (03:06) ===

[00:00:02]  Good morning, everyone.
[00:00:03]  I'm Megan Kelly.
[00:00:04]  It's Friday, March 14th, 2025, and this is your AM update.
[00:00:09]  Allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.
[00:00:16]  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer caving in the budget battle, announcing he will vote to allow the government funding bill to go forward, averting a shutdown.
[00:00:26]  Our position is based on the assumption that this ceasefire would lead to a long-term peace.
[00:00:32]  Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled tentative acceptance of a ceasefire deal, but says he has some concerns he would like to speak to President Trump about.
[00:00:41]  President Trump inviting New York Governor Kathy Hochul to the White House, trying to pressure her into reversing New York's Green New Deal fanaticism.
[00:00:51]  And Michelle Obama's podcast debut does little to squash swirling divorce rumors.
[00:00:57]  All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.
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[00:02:08]  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer caving on the budget battle, a complete reversal from his position just hours earlier, announcing on the Senate floor Thursday night he will not let the government shut down.
[00:02:20]  While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.
[00:02:31]  For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option.
[00:02:36]  But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even more, even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.
[00:02:46]  Despite Senator Schumer's early assertions of unity, the Democrat Party remaining deeply divided on their spending bill strategy, some fearing a shutdown would be worse politically than passing the Republican CR.
[00:02:59]  Punch Bowl News reporting New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand could be heard yelling loudly through the doors of the Senate Dem's lunch, arguing against shuttering the government.

=== Putin's Energy Bargaining Chip (09:18) ===

[00:03:09]  Eight Democrats are needed to advance the bill in a procedural vote.
[00:03:13]  They will not be required to vote on the actual bill itself, which only requires a simple majority, which the Republicans have.
[00:03:20]  With Senator Schumer's support of the procedural move, the bill is likely to pass later today, just in the nick of time.
[00:03:29]  The European Union announcing a 50% tariff on select U.S. imports, namely whiskey, in direct response to Wednesday's U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel.
[00:03:40]  President Trump immediately responding on Truth Social, writing, quote, if this tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes, and alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU-represented countries.
[00:03:56]  Commerce Secretary Howard Luttnick on Bloomberg admonishing the European Union and Canada for not appreciating the gravity of the president's tariff strategy.
[00:04:06]  We need to have steel and aluminum domestically in America.
[00:04:10]  In national security, you need metals to make bullets.
[00:04:15]  You need metals to make munitions.
[00:04:18]  You need metals to make everything.
[00:04:19]  And Donald Trump is very focused on let's make sure the key ingredients that are necessary to defend America are made here in America.
[00:04:29]  Secretary Luttnick saying retaliatory tariffs on items such as sports equipment and alcohol are not serious policy measures, only serving to frustrate the president further, escalating tensions even more.
[00:04:40]  A key plank in President Trump's economic vision, bringing back aluminum and steel manufacturing, shoring up national security, and creating American jobs he believes we never should have lost.
[00:04:52]  U.S. steel and aluminum production began declining in the 1970s as foreign competitors like Japan modernized and ramped up production.
[00:05:01]  The decline accelerated in the 1990s with the rise of China and the passage of NAFTA.
[00:05:06]  Foreign producers operate under different labor laws and environmental regulations.
[00:05:10]  They're able to manufacture metals more cheaply, often selling them below market value, making it tough for U.S. manufacturers to compete.
[00:05:18]  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting in June 1979, manufacturing employment reached an all-time peak of 19.6 million.
[00:05:28]  Today, the number is around 13 million.
[00:05:31]  President Trump summing up his views on U.S. trade policy on Truth Social, writing, quote, the U.S. doesn't have free trade.
[00:05:37]  We have stupid trade.
[00:05:39]  The entire world is ripping us off.
[00:05:41]  Markets, still spooked by the uncertainty of the tariff wars, the Wall Street Journal reporting the SP 500 losing about 5.3 trillion from its mid-February peak, the NASDAQ down 14% from its December high, and the Dow dropping 9% from its record level.
[00:05:57]  Treasury Secretary Scott Besson on CNBC reassuring investors.
[00:06:02]  I'm not concerned about a little bit of volatility over three weeks, because if you look over the long term, the reason stocks are a safe and great investment is because you're looking over the long term.
[00:06:14]  I can't tell you that markets are going to go up today, tomorrow, next week, but I can tell you that if we put proper policies in place, it's going to lay the groundwork for both real income gains and job gains and asset continued asset gains.
[00:06:32]  Secretary Besson saying markets will stabilize if Congress can work together to pass tax cuts for individuals and businesses.
[00:06:42]  Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing at a Thursday news conference some reservations about the ceasefire proposal agreed to by the Ukrainians.
[00:06:50]  Mr. Putin saying the Russians agree with the ceasefire in theory, but they have additional concerns, and he would like to speak to President Trump before agreeing to anything.
[00:06:59]  We agree with the proposals for the ceasefire, but our position is based on the assumption that this ceasefire would lead to a long-term peace, something that would remove the initial reasons for the crisis.
[00:07:15]  Mr. Putin initially justified his invasion based on a number of reasons.
[00:07:19]  The first on the list, Ukraine's push to join NATO.
[00:07:22]  Mr. Trump, as recently as Thursday, reiterating that will not happen.
[00:07:27]  Mr. Putin also claimed the invasion was intended to denazify Ukraine.
[00:07:31]  The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish.
[00:07:35]  Prior to the war, Ukraine was home to one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe.
[00:07:40]  Mr. Putin also asserted without evidence the Ukrainian government was preparing a military offensive against Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass region.
[00:07:50]  This region borders Russia and it's home to primarily Russian speakers.
[00:07:54]  The Russian military currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine, including the Donbass region.
[00:08:00]  Its fate subject to further peace negotiations.
[00:08:03]  Despite media reporting suggesting Mr. Putin's statement is an indication he will refuse this deal, President Trump responding with cautious optimism from the Oval.
[00:08:14]  I hope Russia is going to make the deal too.
[00:08:18]  If President Putin agrees and does a ceasefire, I think we're going to be in very good shape to get it done.
[00:08:26]  We want to get it over with.
[00:08:27]  That's why it was very important what I instructed everybody, including Steve, what we're looking for, to discuss concepts of land, concepts of power plants, because it's complicated.
[00:08:40]  The power plant in question, Zaporizha nuclear power plant, is the largest in Europe.
[00:08:46]  It's been under Russian control since 2022 and is not currently operational.
[00:08:50]  In peacetime, the plant provides about 20% of Ukrainian energy.
[00:08:54]  It is a key bargaining chip in Russian possession.
[00:08:57]  On CNBC, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson warning the president is prepared to fully ratchet up pressure on the Russians in order to get a deal done.
[00:09:06]  If we just take kind of a scale zero to 10, that I think the Biden administration sanctions on Russia were probably a three.
[00:09:15]  On the way out the door, they took them to a six.
[00:09:17]  And I can tell you, we wouldn't hesitate to take them up to 10.
[00:09:22]  Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is in Moscow.
[00:09:25]  Long days of intense negotiations on all sides to come.
[00:09:30]  Coming up, President Trump invites New York Governor Kathy Hochul to the White House, pressuring her into reversing New York's Green New Deal fanaticism.
[00:09:38]  And Michelle Obama's podcast does little to squelch divorce rumors.
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[00:10:49]  New York Governor Kathy Hochul meeting President Trump at the White House this morning to discuss a pipeline project hinging on New York's approval.
[00:10:58]  The Constitution pipeline, previously killed by New York in 2020, would run 124 miles bringing gas from Pennsylvania to New York, where it could then be moved across New England.
[00:11:09]  President Trump telling reporters from the Oval the project is an easy win to reduce energy costs.
[00:11:15]  Well, we're working on one project.
[00:11:17]  It should be very easy.
[00:11:19]  It's a pipeline going through a small section of New York.
[00:11:23]  Families in New York and Connecticut and New England are going to save $5,000 a family.
[00:11:31]  Think of that.
[00:11:32]  Because right now they have the highest energy prices maybe in the world, they say New England is a disaster.
[00:11:37]  So we're working on that.
[00:11:39]  The president writing on Truth Social that if New York does not give final approval, then they will use other authorities to get the project through.
[00:11:45]  Governor Hochul embracing radical green energy policies.
[00:11:49]  She aims to stifle and ultimately phase out natural gas in the Empire State.
[00:11:54]  In 2023, New York became the first state to begin eliminating natural gas hookups in most new buildings.
[00:12:01]  Barron's reporting the pipeline's builder is Williams Companies.
[00:12:05]  Its CEO, Alan Armstrong, says he will not build this thing without the governor's buy-in, even if he does get federal approval.
[00:12:12]  Mr. Armstrong saying, quote, We are not going to go putting our neck out until they invite us with the red carpet rolled out.
[00:12:19]  Williams Company says Mr. Armstrong lost hundreds of millions of dollars trying to build two failed pipelines in the Northeast over the past decade.

=== Michelle Obama Returns to Podcasting (03:01) ===

[00:12:28]  Former First Lady Michelle Obama, noticeably absent from the public eye since last year, finally found launching a podcast with her brother, Craig Robinson.
[00:12:39]  The podcast, IMO, in my opinion, premiering on Wednesday to a lukewarm reception and low viewership.
[00:12:46]  The podcast produced by Higher Ground Productions and Obama Company will feature Mrs. Obama and Mr. Robinson sharing life lessons and conversations with their elitist friends.
[00:12:57]  A lot of people have questions they want to know, especially when they see somebody of note with a platform who, you know, by every measure looks successful.
[00:13:07]  The people, you know, they want to hear some honest kind of conversation about how people are working it through.
[00:13:15]  The first episode premiered to 42,000 views after 24 hours.
[00:13:20]  And the second, featuring actress Issa Ray lagging even further, just 13,000.
[00:13:26]  The show's YouTube numbers appearing to receive a slight boost following reports highlighting how bad the audience engagement was.
[00:13:32]  Newsweek running cover for the Less Than Stellar Performance reporting, it's also important to note that this new podcast from Obama is very much in its infancy.
[00:13:41]  The Michelle Obama podcast was released in 2020 and was the most successful original in Spotify history.
[00:13:49]  Well, that podcast launched in July of 2020, the height of George Floyd rioting and COVID shutdowns.
[00:13:56]  Her latest podcast was promoted by virtually everyone.
[00:13:59]  Lately, the biggest buzz surrounding Mrs. Obama, however, is not about where she is, it's about where she is not.
[00:14:06]  A recent slate of solo appearances from her husband, Barack Obama, sparking divorce rumors.
[00:14:12]  In January, President Obama attended President Jimmy Carter's funeral and then President Trump's inauguration without his wife.
[00:14:19]  Last week, Mr. Obama went to dinner with his daughters and then an LA Clippers game without his wife again.
[00:14:26]  On Valentine's Day, the couple sharing coordinated messages on social media with the exact same photo posted, but staying silent, of course, on swirling divorce rumors.
[00:14:36]  Mrs. Obama using her new platform instead to offer some less than flattering words about her husband of three decades.
[00:14:44]  When a girlfriend comes to visit, it's usually like, you got to stay for two days because it's going to take us so much time to check up.
[00:14:56]  Now, Barack's come in, he's come out, and he's like, y'all still talking?
[00:15:00]  He'll sit down for five minutes, be like, how are the boys?
[00:15:02]  Because he golfs.
[00:15:04]  It takes five hours to golf.
[00:15:05]  He'll golf with his buddies, come back, and be like, how's X?
[00:15:09]  He's good.
[00:15:10]  It's like, what'd y'all talk about?
[00:15:12]  Nothing.
[00:15:13]  On Thursday, Mrs. Obama was seen in public for the first time this year for a live taping of her podcast at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
[00:15:23]  No reporting of Mr. Obama anywhere in sight.
[00:15:27]  And that'll do it for your AM update.

=== The Disappeared Girl Mystery (00:25) ===

[00:15:29]  I'm Megan Kelly.
[00:15:30]  Join me back here today for our last installment of our special series, Megan Kelly Investigates on the Disappearance of Baby Lisa Irwin and a shocking conclusion.
[00:15:42]  A 10-month-old girl who disappeared from her crib in the dark of night.
[00:15:45]  It will air on SiriusXM Triumph Channel 111 at Noon East, on youtube.com/slash Megan Kelly, and on all podcast platforms on on the Moving Kelly Show