Donald Trump Gets Warning From Megyn Kelly Ahead of Kamala Harris Debate

Conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly issued a warning to former President Donald Trump about Vice President Kamala Harris’ potential tactics before the 2024 candidates’ Tuesday debate in Philadelphia.
Kelly told RealClearPolitics that Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, “is being coached to stay calm and avoid getting drawn into Trump’s personal attacks. She and her team are focusing on how to unsettle and rattle Trump. It’s less about substance and more about presenting Harris as a woman who isn’t afraid,” according to an NBC News report.
During the conversation, The Megyn Kelly Show host joked that people seemed to want a female president who isn’t afraid of Trump. This prompted RealClearPolitics host Carl Cannon to point out that Kelly herself is a woman unafraid of Trump, leading him to ask if that would make her qualified to be president.
“Trump has to be careful,” Kelly said, suggesting that Harris could portray herself as a victim during the debate against Trump by leveraging her gender.
“He can’t do anything aggressive even though she’ll be aggressive against him,” she added.
The media personality and former president have had a contentious relationship over the years, most notably during Kelly’s time as a Fox News host moderating a Republican debate in 2015.
After she questioned Trump about his past comments on women, he infamously remarked later, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”
Since leaving Fox, Kelly has launched a podcast and YouTube show. She recently stated that her feud with Trump is behind them, and in 2023, Trump agreed to an interview with her.
During the hour-long conversation, Kelly praised his response to her debate question from nearly a decade earlier. She has continued to defend Trump ever since.
Trump and Harris are gearing up for Tuesday’s presidential debate in very different ways, setting the stage for a showdown that will highlight their contrasting visions for the country and showcase their distinct approaches to high-pressure moments.
Both candidates are expected to stay behind their podiums during the debate, but Republicans are hopeful that Trump will avoid provocations like pointing, yelling, or otherwise confronting Harris in a way that could alienate suburban women or swing voters.
This will be their first face-to-face meeting onstage in Philadelphia, and both know Pennsylvania is critical to their chances of winning the presidency.
A loss in the state would make it hard to recover the necessary electoral votes elsewhere. Both have made frequent visits to Pennsylvania—Harris is set to return on Friday, and Trump was in Butler County on July 13 when he survived an assassination attempt.
The presidential debate begins at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday on ABC News.
Update 9/9/24, 11:19 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.