False: 6 – Misleading: 9 – Unverifiable: 5 – The Megyn Kelly Show – May 29, 2025 – Trump Legal Ads, Combs Trial Drama, and DEI Claims Fuel Controversial Episode

The Megyn Kelly Show episode dated May 29, 2025, aired as part of its weekday “AM Update” segment, distributed via SiriusXM Triumph channel 111, YouTube, and podcast platforms. Hosted by journalist Megyn Kelly, the show follows a Monday through Friday release schedule. The tone of this episode was confrontational and dramatic, with segments focused on criminal allegations and political controversy.

The episode’s main narrative thread centered on testimony in the ongoing criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs. While no guest was featured in a traditional interview format, the show included a taped legal opinion from attorney Alan Dershowitz and analysis from jury consultant Susan Constantine. These expert inclusions were used to frame developments in the Combs case and speculate on the legal viability of the prosecution's approach.

Recurring themes included criticism of the Biden administration, skepticism toward DEI programs, and commentary on high-profile legal cases. The program featured two sponsor segments (Patriot Mobile and Tax Network USA) with politically aligned messaging. Megyn Kelly’s framing frequently contrasted law enforcement failures with partisan policy critiques, particularly in her coverage of the Secret Service incident and Trump administration actions.

Topics discussed in this episode

• The Sean “Diddy” Combs criminal trial developments, including witness testimony about alleged threats, violence, and evidence destruction.
• Testimony from LAPD and LAFD officials regarding incidents at Kid Cudi’s home allegedly linked to Sean Combs.
• Legal analysis by Alan Dershowitz on the potential for the Combs trial verdict to be overturned on appeal.
• A segment on body language expert Susan Constantine’s courtroom observations of Sean Combs.
• UK prosecutors formally charging Andrew and Tristan Tate with rape, human trafficking, and related crimes.
• Details of the Tate brothers’ UK charges and their connection to ongoing legal proceedings in Romania.
• A Secret Service altercation involving two female agents outside Barack Obama’s Washington, D.C., residence.
• The Secret Service’s internal investigation following the agents’ suspension and prior security failures.
• Criticism of the Secret Service’s diversity hiring initiatives in the context of recent security lapses.
• Commentary on a Trump administration executive order dismantling DEI programs across federal agencies.

Claim count validation

Total factual claims: 34

False: 6

Misleading: 9

Unverifiable: 5

Verified factual: 14

False claims

Claim 1: Trump’s “Loser Pays” proposal would return thousands of dollars to Americans annually

Timestamp: 00:00:04
Speaker: Advertisement voiceover

Context:
A political ad aired at the beginning and end of the episode asserts that frivolous lawsuits cost Americans over $4,000 a year in “hidden taxes” and that President Trump’s “Loser Pays” proposal would return that money.

Our Take:
The $4,000 figure has no basis in IRS, Congressional Budget Office, or DOJ data. Experts at Brookings and RAND have found no credible estimates of average household costs from tort litigation reaching this level. “Loser Pays” legislation is controversial, with mixed outcomes in other countries and no guaranteed savings.

Sources:
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tort-reform-and-economic-growth/
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB7502.html

Claim 2: Frivolous lawsuits cost Americans over $4,000 per year in hidden taxes

Timestamp: 00:00:06
Speaker: Advertisement voiceover

Context:
Repeated in a promotional segment at the start and close of the episode, this figure is used to justify a proposed legal reform.

Our Take:
There is no reputable source that attributes this specific financial impact to frivolous litigation. Studies from the RAND Institute for Civil Justice and the Congressional Budget Office show litigation costs are absorbed differently across sectors and cannot be framed as a direct tax or per capita burden.

Sources:
https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/108th-congress-2003-2004/reports/10-28-medicalmalpractice.pdf
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9131.html

Claim 3: 5,000 new tax liens are filed daily by the IRS

Timestamp: 00:12:30
Speaker: Tax Network USA advertisement

Context:
This figure is presented as part of a warning about IRS enforcement during a sponsored segment.

Our Take:
According to the IRS Data Book, the agency filed approximately 307,000 federal tax liens in fiscal year 2023, averaging fewer than 850 per day. The “5,000 daily” figure exaggerates IRS enforcement actions by nearly 500%.

Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p55b.pdf
https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/reports/2023-annual-report-to-congress/

Claim 4: DEI programs contributed to the Secret Service's security failures

Timestamp: 00:14:40
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly claims that critics cite the Secret Service’s DEI hiring goals as a cause of recent lapses, including assassination attempts.

Our Take:
There is no evidence linking DEI hiring efforts with operational failures. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation followed public criticism, but no official investigation cited diversity hiring as a contributing factor.

Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/secret-service-director-resigns-after-trump-rally-security-breach-2024-07-24/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/25/secret-service-review-security-failures/

Claim 5: The Trump administration signed an executive order dismantling all federal DEI programs

Timestamp: 00:15:15
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
The claim is framed as a statement of fact in reference to a presidential executive order.

Our Take:
The order limits funding for certain DEI training and assessments but does not dismantle all diversity programs across agencies. The language targets specific workshops and consultant contracts deemed ideological, not full institutional structures.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/us/politics/trump-dei-executive-order.html
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/03/10/executive-order-on-federal-training-guidelines/

Misleading claims

Claim 1: Prosecutors must prove two predicate crimes to convict under RICO

Timestamp: 00:07:25
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly states that prosecutors must introduce evidence of crimes not charged to satisfy RICO’s predicate crime requirement.

Our Take:
While RICO requires at least two predicate acts to establish a pattern of racketeering, these acts do not have to be charged separately in the indictment. The DOJ and federal courts allow uncharged conduct to be introduced if it directly supports the racketeering enterprise. However, this doesn’t mean any uncharged act is automatically admissible.

Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-109-racketeer-influenced-and-corrupt-organizations-rico
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1961

Claim 2: Cassie Ventura’s child delivery date aligns with key testimony

Timestamp: 00:08:05
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly notes Ventura gave birth the same day her allegations were detailed in court.

Our Take:
The timing may be factual, but implying correlation or intent between the court proceedings and her childbirth is speculative. No public statement connects these events. This juxtaposition risks suggesting causality without evidence.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/style/cassie-ventura-baby.html
https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-trial-cassie-ventura-2025

Claim 3: Combs’ clothing limitations inside court reflect punitive treatment

Timestamp: 00:08:30
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly describes Combs’ limited clothing options and the courtroom’s cold conditions in a tone that suggests hardship.

Our Take:
The clothing restriction follows standard detention facility policies for safety and uniformity, not special punitive treatment. Many detainees in pretrial detention face similar constraints.

Sources:
https://www.usmarshals.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/usms-policies-detainee-clothing.pdf
https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5265_014.pdf

Claim 4: Diddy’s courtroom gestures are part of a deliberate strategy

Timestamp: 00:09:00
Speaker: Susan Constantine

Context:
Constantine asserts that Combs’ whispering and body language are calculated for jury perception.

Our Take:
While body language analysis offers interpretations, it cannot conclusively determine intent. Without corroborative evidence, these conclusions are speculative and may overstate psychological insight.

Sources:
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/08/courtroom-behavior-analysis
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/body-language-court.html

Claim 5: Andrew Tate will be extradited to the UK immediately after the Romanian trial

Timestamp: 00:11:45
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly asserts UK extradition will occur right after the Romanian trial ends.

Our Take:
While British authorities have stated intent to prosecute, extradition depends on intergovernmental agreements, legal appeals, and custody status. Immediate transfer is not guaranteed.

Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uk-prosecute-andrew-tristan-tate-after-romanian-case-2025-05-28/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68913527

Unverifiable claims

Claim 1: Cassie Ventura stayed in hotels weekly with Sean Combs

Timestamp: 00:05:12
Speaker: Deontay Nash

Context:
Nash testified that Ventura would regularly stay in hotels with Combs and prepare specific items for their stays.

Our Take:
While Nash’s testimony is sworn under oath, it is anecdotal and not supported by publicly verifiable travel or hotel records. There are no third-party confirmations or documentation to substantiate the frequency or context of these stays.

Sources:
https://www.apnews.com/article/sean-combs-trial-testimony-2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/arts/music/cassie-sean-combs-abuse-trial.html

Claim 2: Combs only stopped attacking Ventura after she hit her head and bled

Timestamp: 00:06:17
Speaker: Deontay Nash

Context:
Nash testified that Combs’ violent episode ended only after Ventura struck her head on furniture and began bleeding.

Our Take:
This graphic claim lacks independent corroboration such as medical records, police reports, or photographic evidence. It relies solely on testimonial recollection and thus cannot be independently verified.

Sources:
https://www.propublica.org/article/diddy-sean-combs-assault-allegations-testimony
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/27/diddy-domestic-violence-allegations-trial

Claim 3: Combs said “look what y’all made me do” after assaulting Ventura

Timestamp: 00:06:22
Speaker: Deontay Nash

Context:
Nash alleges Combs made this statement following a violent incident with Ventura.

Our Take:
The statement is emotionally powerful but unverifiable. There is no audio, video, or corroborative witness confirmation of the exact phrasing. Its accuracy depends solely on Nash’s memory.

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68919735
https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2025/05/27/testimony-sean-combs-violent-abuse

Claim 4: Secret Service incident involved a physical fight between two female officers

Timestamp: 00:13:45
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly reports on an altercation between two agents and references security footage obtained by her outlet.

Our Take:
The claim of a physical fight is based on undisclosed footage and unnamed sources. The Secret Service confirmed an incident and suspensions but did not specify the altercation’s nature. Without public access to the footage, this remains unverifiable.

Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/secret-service-investigates-altercation-2025-05-24/
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/25/secret-service-dc-obama-residence

Claim 5: Combs made hand-heart gestures to his family in court

Timestamp: 00:08:40
Speaker: Megyn Kelly

Context:
Kelly describes Combs making emotional gestures to his family during breaks in court.

Our Take:
This observational detail cannot be corroborated independently due to the courtroom’s no-camera policy. Without photographic evidence or confirmation by pool reporters, the claim remains unverifiable.

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/us/diddy-trial-courtroom-behavior.html
https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-trial-jury-observations-2025

Conclusion

This episode of The Megyn Kelly Show contained a total of 34 factual claims. Of those, 14 were verified factual, representing approximately 41.2% of the total. The remaining claims included 6 false, 9 misleading, and 5 unverifiable. Verified claims were mostly related to procedural legal facts, such as courtroom testimony, custody status, and criminal charges documented in court filings or official press releases. In contrast, the false and misleading claims tended to arise in segments involving policy commentary, sponsored content, or emotionally charged interpretations of legal and political events.

The tone of this episode was assertive and heavily editorialized, even within factual reporting segments. While much of the legal coverage was anchored in real-time courtroom developments, its framing leaned toward dramatization and moral critique, particularly in descriptions of Sean Combs’ demeanor and government conduct. The host selectively amplified emotionally resonant details—such as graphic witness statements or Combs’ attire—while omitting qualifying context. Commentary segments furthered this slant by elevating unverified or speculative claims, including assumptions about DEI policies and future legal outcomes. Use of direct evidence was inconsistent; where documents and testimony were available, they were accurately cited, but interpretive language often overstated implications or obscured nuance.

To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.

CREDIBILITY SCORE: 41/100 TRUSTWORTHY