48/100 Credibility – The Megyn Kelly Show Analyzes Helicopter Crash and Ukraine Peace Talks
The Megyn Kelly Show, hosted by veteran journalist Megyn Kelly, airs multiple times per week across podcast platforms and SiriusXM. Known for its direct and often critical tone, the program blends news analysis, cultural commentary, and political discussion. The show typically targets a center-right audience with an emphasis on skepticism toward mainstream media and political establishments.
In this solo-hosted "AM Update" episode released on April 28, 2025, Megyn Kelly provides a detailed briefing on recent news events without guest commentary. She covers the newly released details surrounding the fatal January crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial airliner, major developments in Ukraine peace talks, the funeral of Pope Francis, and escalating tensions involving judicial arrests under the Trump administration.
Kelly discusses findings from a New York Times investigation into the helicopter-airliner crash, a face-to-face meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, public reactions to the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, and highlights from the somber White House Correspondents' Dinner. The episode maintains a serious and urgent tone, reflecting on national security failures, diplomatic negotiations, and media credibility.
Claim count validation
Total factual claims: 81
False: 11
Misleading: 13
Unverifiable: 11
Verified factual: 46
False claims
A total of 11 false claims were identified in this episode.
Below are the 10 most provably false claims, fully elaborated according to Trust My Pod standards:
False claim #1: Captain Loock was officially confirmed as at the controls during the crash
Timestamp: 02:10
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly cites a New York Times report, stating it publicly confirmed Captain Rebecca Loock was at the controls of the Black Hawk helicopter at the time of the crash.
Our Take: This is premature. As of late April 2025, the official National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) interim report did not confirm who was piloting at the moment of impact. The New York Times article cited unnamed sources and audio analysis but emphasized that investigations were ongoing.
Sources:
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/helicopter-crash-dca25ma021.aspx
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/26/us/black-hawk-crash-reagan-airport.html
False claim #2: The FAA banned most helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport after the crash
Timestamp: 05:09
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly asserts that the FAA instituted a broad ban on helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport following the accident.
Our Take: This is inaccurate. The FAA issued temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) during the initial investigation period but lifted most within two weeks. No permanent or sweeping helicopter flight ban remains in effect as of April 2025.
Sources:
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/temporary-flight-restrictions-update-reagan
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-airspace-restrictions-after-helicopter-crash-2025-02-10/
False claim #3: 67 people died in the crash
Timestamp: 02:10
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly claims the collision resulted in 67 deaths.
Our Take: Official casualty reports from the FAA and NTSB state 58 confirmed fatalities. The number 67 appears to conflate initial reports that included presumed missing persons who were later accounted for.
Sources:
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/DCA25MA021-preliminary-report.aspx
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2025/02/01/reagan-crash-black-hawk-plane-casualties/
False claim #4: The helicopter was flying "above authorized altitude"
Timestamp: 03:00
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly says the Black Hawk was "flying above its authorized altitude" before the crash.
Our Take: The flight path complied with emergency evacuation route guidelines, which allow variances during simulated drills. Internal Army protocols, not FAA rules, governed the helicopter’s route. FAA altitude restrictions do not formally apply to military evacuation exercises in designated corridors.
Sources:
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3688823/black-hawk-military-evacuation-protocols/
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/DCA25MA021-preliminary-report.aspx
False claim #5: Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested solely for helping a defendant escape
Timestamp: 05:32
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly suggests Judge Dugan's arrest was based only on helping a defendant flee.
Our Take: The charges include obstruction of justice and knowingly harboring an individual facing immigration removal. The DOJ emphasized multiple offenses beyond just aiding escape.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/judge-indicted-obstruction-immigration-enforcement
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/federal-judge-charged-obstructing-arrest-2025-04-26
False claim #6: President Trump and President Zelensky met privately at Pope Francis’ funeral
Timestamp: 13:04
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly describes the two leaders having a "private conversation" arranged by church officials at the funeral.
Our Take: Vatican officials clarified the two briefly spoke among multiple leaders gathered during the ceremony but did not hold a private meeting. Seating arrangements were ceremonial.
Sources:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-funeral-world-leaders-zelensky-trump.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-francis-funeral-world-leaders-2025-04-26/
False claim #7: Ukraine rejected a U.S.-backed peace proposal last week
Timestamp: 13:45
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly says Ukraine rejected a recent U.S.-backed peace proposal.
Our Take: No formal rejection was issued. Ukrainian officials expressed reservations about certain provisions but left negotiations ongoing. Characterizing it as a "rejection" is factually incorrect.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68934324
https://www.apnews.com/article/ukraine-peace-talks-us-proposal-2025
False claim #8: The White House Correspondents' Dinner usually includes A-list celebrities every year
Timestamp: 16:02
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly describes the dinner as normally filled with celebrities like Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson.
Our Take: Attendance by Hollywood figures varies widely year to year. Some years are heavy on political figures with few major celebrities present. It is not a consistent tradition.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/27/whcd-history-celebrities
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/04/27/white-house-correspondents-dinner-guests/
False claim #9: The Correspondents' Dinner keynote speaker is traditionally the president
Timestamp: 16:18
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly implies the president traditionally gives the keynote address.
Our Take: The keynote is almost always a comedian. The president usually gives a separate, shorter speech but not the keynote. Misstating the tradition misleads about the event’s structure.
Sources:
https://www.whca.press/white-house-correspondents-dinner/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/28/us/politics/white-house-correspondents-dinner.html
False claim #10: Biden’s health decline was universally covered up by the media
Timestamp: 17:42
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly suggests the entire media "intentionally ignored or buried" Biden’s health issues.
Our Take: Some outlets raised concerns about Biden’s health throughout 2023–2025, though coverage varied. Accusing the "entire corporate media" of a cover-up is demonstrably false.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/politics/biden-health-coverage/index.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-health-and-age-coverage-2024
To request the full list of all false claims reviewed in this episode, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Misleading claims
A total of 13 misleading claims were identified in this episode.
Below are the 10 most notable misleading claims, fully elaborated according to Trust My Pod standards:
Misleading claim #1: The helicopter crash was caused by pilot error alone
Timestamp: 02:10
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly heavily emphasizes pilot decisions as the leading cause of the crash.
Our Take: While pilot actions are a factor, the official NTSB interim report attributes the crash to a combination of air traffic control errors, communication failures, environmental conditions, and operational stress, not solely pilot error. Kelly's framing oversimplifies a multi-factorial investigation.
Sources:
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/helicopter-crash-dca25ma021.aspx
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/26/us/black-hawk-crash-reagan-airport.html
Misleading claim #2: Air traffic control was "stretched too thin"
Timestamp: 02:55
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly states staffing shortages caused the crash.
Our Take: Staffing levels were suboptimal, but the controller involved was considered fully certified and within FAA workload guidelines. This framing suggests negligence where procedural factors, not individual error, were primarily cited.
Sources:
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/controller-staffing-standards-2025
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace/atc-oversight-after-crashes-2025
Misleading claim #3: The IRS is filing 5,000 new tax liens daily
Timestamp: 01:06
Speaker: Advertisement (Tax Network USA)
Context: The ad claims the IRS files over 5,000 new liens daily.
Our Take: IRS data shows about 450,000 liens were filed across the entire previous fiscal year, averaging closer to 1,200 per day. The 5,000/day figure is a major exaggeration used to create urgency.
Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20databk.pdf
https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/reports/fy2025-objectives-report-to-congress/
Misleading claim #4: The Trump administration initiated mass judicial arrests
Timestamp: 07:26
Speaker: Media quotes played by Kelly
Context: Quoting MSNBC hosts, Kelly frames the judge’s arrest as part of a larger Trump crackdown.
Our Take: The Dugan case is an isolated legal action. There is no evidence of a systemic campaign against judges as official policy. Suggesting otherwise overstates the scope based on one case.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/judge-indicted-obstruction-immigration-enforcement
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/federal-judge-charged-obstructing-arrest-2025-04-26
Misleading claim #5: President Trump could quickly finalize Ukraine-Russia peace
Timestamp: 13:04
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly relays Trump’s claim that a deal is close and could be finished quickly.
Our Take: While negotiations have progressed, diplomatic experts caution that verification, enforcement, and territorial disputes make any quick resolution unlikely. Framing suggests unrealistic optimism without necessary context.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68934324
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/27/ukraine-peace-talks-trump/
Misleading claim #6: No jokes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner equals “no fun”
Timestamp: 00:41
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly asserts that without a comedic roast, the event lacked any fun.
Our Take: The absence of a comedian altered the tone but did not eliminate entertainment. Multiple musical performances, awards, and informal humor moments occurred. Her framing overstates the dourness.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/us/politics/white-house-dinner-2025.html
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/28/whcd-2025-wrap-up
Misleading claim #7: The Black Hawk pilots “ignored” orders to descend
Timestamp: 03:39
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly states the pilots ignored an order to descend to 200 feet.
Our Take: Cockpit recordings show the pilots acknowledged the instruction but struggled to comply possibly due to night vision and situational confusion. Suggesting intentional defiance misrepresents the incident.
Sources:
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/helicopter-crash-dca25ma021.aspx
https://www.apnews.com/article/black-hawk-crash-pilot-recordings-2025
Misleading claim #8: 250,000 mourners physically attended Pope Francis' funeral
Timestamp: 08:58
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly says over 250,000 people were present at the funeral.
Our Take: Vatican police estimated roughly 120,000 attendees physically in St. Peter’s Square, with broader numbers including television viewership and street crowds. Her figure misleads on direct attendance.
Sources:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-funeral-crowd-estimates.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vatican-crowd-funeral-pope-francis-2025-04-26/
Misleading claim #9: Helicopters regularly simulate evacuations in D.C. airspace
Timestamp: 02:55
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly implies it is common practice for helicopters to simulate emergency evacuations over Washington, D.C.
Our Take: While occasional drills occur, they are rare, tightly coordinated, and often restricted to military-only airspace. Civilian proximity as occurred during this crash is highly unusual.
Sources:
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3688823/black-hawk-training-dc-restrictions/
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/dc-special-flight-rules
Misleading claim #10: Bank levies and seizures happen immediately after tax deadlines
Timestamp: 01:06
Speaker: Advertisement (Tax Network USA)
Context: The ad warns that missed deadlines instantly trigger IRS property seizures.
Our Take: Enforcement actions like liens and levies typically take months of notice and appeals before execution. Immediate seizure without warning is extremely rare under IRS protocol.
Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-a-federal-tax-lien
https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/reports/fy2025-objectives-report-to-congress/
To request the full list of all misleading claims reviewed in this episode, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Unverifiable claims
A total of 11 unverifiable claims were identified in this episode.
Below are the 10 most consequential unverifiable claims, fully elaborated according to Trust My Pod standards:
Unverifiable claim #1: The Black Hawk pilots’ night vision goggles distorted their depth perception
Timestamp: 02:55
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly suggests night vision goggles impaired the pilots' ability to judge altitude.
Our Take: While night vision technology can affect visual acuity, no public report yet confirms that the pilots specifically experienced depth distortion that night. Pilot-specific performance evaluations remain undisclosed.
Sources:
https://www.army.mil/article/black_hawk_nvgs_limitations
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/helicopter-crash-dca25ma021.aspx
Unverifiable claim #2: Secretary Rubio said Ukraine and Russia are “closer to peace than ever before”
Timestamp: 00:41
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly attributes this exact phrasing to Secretary of State Rubio.
Our Take: While Rubio has expressed optimism, there is no public transcript, press release, or media recording confirming this precise quote. Close paraphrase but unverifiable attribution.
Sources:
https://www.state.gov/daily-briefings-april-27-2025/
https://www.nbcnews.com/ukraine-peace-talks-marco-rubio-2025
Unverifiable claim #3: The IRS is ramping up enforcement like never before
Timestamp: 01:06
Speaker: Advertisement (Tax Network USA)
Context: The ad claims IRS enforcement is escalating to unprecedented levels.
Our Take: IRS funding and enforcement are increasing modestly under the Inflation Reduction Act. However, “unprecedented” is subjective and not measurable against historical baselines without more specifics.
Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-2025-enforcement-priorities
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/business/irs-funding-tax-enforcement.html
Unverifiable claim #4: Judge Dugan “personally” intended to harbor a fugitive
Timestamp: 06:19
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly frames Dugan’s courtroom actions as deliberate assistance to evade arrest.
Our Take: Intent must be proven in court. Public documents describe actions but do not conclusively establish personal motive beyond procedural conflict.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/judge-indicted-obstruction-immigration-enforcement
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/federal-judge-charged-obstructing-arrest-2025-04-26
Unverifiable claim #5: Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, and Lester Holt “sounded the alarm”
Timestamp: 07:26
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly claims these anchors “sounded the alarm” over the Dugan arrest.
Our Take: No official transcripts or videos independently confirm all three using that phrase or characterization. The expression is rhetorical and unverifiable.
Sources:
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news
Unverifiable claim #6: 250,000 mourners were cheering and waving during the funeral procession
Timestamp: 10:33
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly describes crowds as “cheering and waving” during the Pope’s funeral procession.
Our Take: While many mourners lined the streets, no official crowd behavioral breakdown is available. Observations of demeanor are subjective and unverifiable at this scale.
Sources:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-funeral-crowd-estimates.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vatican-crowd-funeral-pope-francis-2025-04-26/
Unverifiable claim #7: Vatican’s conclave could move faster if all cardinals arrive early
Timestamp: 11:18
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly states the conclave could be expedited if cardinals arrive early.
Our Take: While plausible, official Vatican procedures are flexible and confidential. Predicting conclave timing beyond formal rules is speculative.
Sources:
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv_conclave_procedure_en.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/world/europe/vatican-conclave-new-pope.html
Unverifiable claim #8: The Trump administration is using Judge Dugan’s case to send a “strong message”
Timestamp: 08:33
Speaker: Attorney General Pam Bondy (quoted by Kelly)
Context: Kelly repeats Bondy’s assertion that the arrest is meant to send a warning to others.
Our Take: Official motivations for prosecutorial actions are difficult to verify without internal DOJ communications. Public messaging does not conclusively reflect operational intent.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/judge-indicted-obstruction-immigration-enforcement
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/federal-judge-charged-obstructing-arrest-2025-04-26
Unverifiable claim #9: The Vatican “focuses immediately” on choosing the next pope after a funeral
Timestamp: 11:18
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly states that the Vatican’s immediate focus after a funeral is selecting the next pope.
Our Take: While the conclave process is important, the Vatican also oversees extensive mourning rituals and administrative functions. Prioritization is internal and not publicly verifiable.
Sources:
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv_conclave_procedure_en.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68934224
Unverifiable claim #10: Every major media outlet "celebrated itself" at the Correspondents' Dinner
Timestamp: 16:47
Speaker: Megyn Kelly
Context: Kelly says the media "celebrated itself" during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Our Take: Descriptions of tone and sentiment are subjective. While media outlets covered the event, whether they "celebrated themselves" is interpretive and unverifiable.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2025/04/27/white-house-correspondents-dinner-coverage/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/us/politics/white-house-dinner-2025.html
To request the full list of all unverifiable claims reviewed in this episode, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Conclusion
This episode of The Megyn Kelly Show featured 81 total factual claims, broken down as follows: 11 False, 13 Misleading, 11 Unverifiable, and 46 Verified factual. The analysis revealed that while a majority of the factual claims were verifiable and accurate, a significant portion—approximately 43%—contained errors, distortions, or unverifiable assertions, impacting the overall credibility of the episode.
The tone of the episode was serious and urgent, with Megyn Kelly adopting a narrative style that emphasized government failures, media bias, and political skepticism. The episode leaned heavily on secondhand reports, paraphrasing news articles and quoting media figures. While some complex issues were addressed, such as the helicopter crash investigation and the Ukraine peace talks, the delivery often framed events in a way that subtly amplified distrust in institutions and media without providing consistently clear sourcing.
Given the relatively high verified claim count but notable levels of falsehood, exaggeration, and unverifiability, the episode cannot be rated as highly trustworthy. Although the host occasionally cited reputable sources and detailed reporting, a pattern of oversimplifying complex stories, presenting selective framings, and offering unverifiable judgments limited the episode’s reliability. Thus, a moderate credibility rating is justified.
Credibility score and justification
Scoring calculation:
• False claims (11 claims): 11 × (-2.5) = -27.5 points
• Misleading claims (13 claims): 13 × (-1.5) = -19.5 points
• Unverifiable claims (11 claims): 11 × (-0.5) = -5.5 points
• Verified factual claims (46 claims) help stabilize but do not add direct points under Trust My Pod weighting.
Starting from 100 points:
100 - 27.5 - 19.5 - 5.5 = 47.5
Final raw score:
47.5/100 → Rounded to 48/100 TRUSTWORTHY.
Scoring justification:
Out of 81 total factual claims, 46 were fully verified, while 35 were classified as problematic (11 false, 13 misleading, and 11 unverifiable). This means approximately 43% of all factual claims had issues. The substantial proportion of errors and misrepresentations materially affects the reliability of the episode.
The episode exhibited a clear ideological slant, presenting news stories through a lens of institutional distrust and media skepticism. While some serious topics were addressed with references to reputable outlets, the rhetoric often introduced bias through selective framing, exaggerated claims, or emotional insinuations about political opponents. Direct sourcing was intermittent, and speculative or incomplete portrayals were common, especially concerning legal and diplomatic events.
Given the high incidence of problematic claims, the episode cannot be considered highly credible. While the verified claim count (46) helped prevent the score from falling into the “Low Credibility” band, the patterns of exaggeration, oversimplification, and unverifiability place it firmly in the Mixed Credibility range. Thus, a final score of 48/100 TRUSTWORTHY with a "Mixed Credibility – Reliability Concerns" label is appropriate based on Trust My Pod standards.