The Megyn Kelly Show - Trump Begins High Stakes China Summit, CIA Whistleblower on COVID, AOC Tops '28 Poll: AM Update 5/14
Episode Date: May 14, 2026President Trump arrives in Beijing for a high-stakes summit with President Xi Jinping, as both leaders face economic pressure at home and major disputes over trade, Taiwan, AI, Iran, and energy. A CI...A officer testifies under subpoena, accusing intelligence officials of downplaying evidence that COVID-19 began with a lab incident in Wuhan and alleging Dr. Anthony Fauci improperly influenced the government’s origins review. A new AtlasIntel poll scrambles the early 2028 race, showing Marco Rubio leading Republicans and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez narrowly leading Democrats, despite both trailing in most broader polling averages. A new book claims to reveal the backstory behind the viral moment when French First Lady Brigitte Macron appeared to shove President Emmanuel Macron’s face. Herald Group: Learn more at https://GuardYourCard.com ARMRA: go to https://tryarmra.com/MEGYNto get 30% off your first subscription order Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcript
Discussion (0)
Good morning, everyone. I'm Emily Dershinsky, host of After Party and the Megyn Kelly Wrapup show on SiriusXM Channel 111. It's Thursday, May 14th, 2026. And this is your AM update.
I think this is a very important trip. Obviously, it's historic, but we have a lot of problems with China.
President Trump in China for a high-stakes summit with President Xi, as both leaders face mounting pressure at home.
The IC's actions resulted in cover-up, wasted resources, and a fairer.
to properly inform policymakers.
A CIA officer testifies in front of Congress accusing intelligence officials of downplaying evidence
that COVID may have started in a Wuhan lab and accusing Dr. Fauci of improperly influencing
the government's review.
A shocking new 2008 poll from one of the most accurate firms of the last presidential election,
showing two unlikely names leading the early primary fields.
And a new book raising fresh questions about the vice.
viral moment when cameras appeared to catch France's first lady, shoving President Emmanuel Macron
in the face. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.
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President Trump arriving in Beijing for a high-stakes two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping,
Mr. Trump and a delegation of American business leaders, including Elon Musk, landing Wednesday night Beijing time.
Air Force One greeted on the tarmac by a formal welcome ceremony, with hundreds of Chinese children waving American and Chinese flags, a military honor guard, and a military band.
The visit marking the first trip by a U.S. President to China in nearly a decade,
with trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and the war with Iran all expected to be on the agenda.
The major diplomatic meetings beginning Thursday morning in Beijing, with President Trump
arriving at the Great Hall of the People just before 10 a.m. local time, greeting President
Xi, and then sitting down for a bilateral meeting.
President Trump also expected to take part in a bilateral tea before attending a state banquet
at the Great Hall of the People Thursday evening.
The summit coming at a politically and economically delicate moment for both leaders,
President Trump arriving as his sweeping tariff agenda faces legal setbacks at home,
while the ongoing war with Iran continues to drive up energy prices and test public patience.
President Xi facing pressure of his own, especially as the U.S. conflict with Iran disrupts
oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up energy costs for China's manufacturing
heavy economy. An expected focus of discussions, establishing new economic channels between Beijing and
Washington, with a U.S. China Board of Trade and a U.S. China Board of Investment. House Oversight Chairman
James Comer yesterday on Fox laying out the balancing act for President Trump.
I think this is a very important trip. Obviously, it's historic, but we have a lot of problems
with China. They steal our intellectual property. They manipulate their currency. They don't abide by
any environmental laws. They're funding our greatest enemy right now, Iran. But having said that,
we really need to have a trade agreement, a fair trade agreement with China. We need China to buy
more agriculture goods from the United States. We need China to import American energy.
China has already received a message that the United States is serious with all the tariffs
that have been slapped on China. And if I were President Z, I would worry if this is an unsuccessful
summit after two days that China could be faced with even more tariffs from the United States.
A CIA officer testifying yesterday under subpoena, alleging intelligence officials downplayed the
possibility that COVID-19 began in a Wuhan-China lab and accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci of improperly
influencing the government's review of the virus's origins. Special operations officer James Erdman
the third, appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee,
chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Senator Paul, opening the hearing by arguing
the COVID-origines debate, was shaped by a small circle of government officials, scientists,
intelligence advisors, and outside experts, who he says were presented to the public as
independent voices, despite overlapping relationships and potential conflicts of interest.
The senator pointing to the biological sciences experts group known as BSEG, as one example,
arguing some of the scientists involved in advising the government had also worked in fields
directly tied to the research at the center of the COVID origins fight.
For example, Dr. Ralph Berwick collaborated with Dr. Zengli, she and Wuhan to create gain-of-function
coronaviruses.
But Dr. Barak was also part of B-Sag and an active consultant to intelligence agencies
on the origins of COVID-19 pandemic.
Likewise, Peter Dezac received hundreds of millions of dollars
from the U.S. government
and worked with Dr. She also on these gain of function experiments.
Dezik was even sent to China with the WHO
to investigate the origins of COVID.
So the very scientists that were commissioned to investigate COVID
were in some cases the very scientists
who were complicit in the origins of the gain of function.
experiments that may well have created COVID.
Senator Paul singling out former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
Dr. Anthony Fauci, arguing Fauci was not merely involved in public health messaging during COVID,
but had long-standing ties to national security discussions on biological threats,
dangerous pathogens, classified research, pandemic preparedness, and COVID origins.
How can Anthony Fauci objectively comment on a discussion?
of COVID origins when he approved the very funding that may have caused the pandemic virus.
He referred to the idea that the pandemic originating in the lab was a conspiracy, that it was a
conspiracy theory. Dr. Vouchy convened the now infamous February 1st, 2020 call. Some scientists on
that call privately raised serious concerns about a laboratory origin. Yet ironically,
those same scientists later co-authored the proximal origin paper, which,
publicly dismissed the lab leak hypothesis.
One author received a $9 million grant from Dr. Fauci's own agency after he changed his
opinion from lab leak on the private phone call to natural origin in public.
Erdman, who has worked for the CIA since 2013, spending more than a year reviewing the
intelligence community's handling of the COVID origins probe as part of DNI, Tulsa Gabbard's
director's initiatives group, or dig.
Erdman telling lawmakers, intelligence leaders, and senior analysts downplayed the possibility that COVID-19 began with a lab incident,
shaping not just the government's intelligence assessment, but the public debate over emergency pandemic policies that followed.
Intentional or not, the IC's actions resulted in cover-up, wasted resources, and a failure to properly inform policymakers.
public health policy would have been very different.
Had the American public been made aware that a virus from a lab in China
was going to serve as the foundation for an emergency use authorization
MRI products being mandated by the former administration.
According to Erdman, Dr. Fauci inserted himself into intelligence community discussions twice,
once in February 2020, and again in June 20,
allegedly pushing officials toward a natural origin explanation.
Here, an exchange between Erdman and Senator Paul.
Your conclusion is that changing from the scientific consensus of it being from a lab to a neutral
position by the CIA was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci.
It was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci's injecting himself into the IC,
particularly during the 90-day study.
We have documentation that shows that as of August 12th, the CIA was considering calling this a lab leak, August 12th of 2021.
And then that changed on August 17th of 2021.
And unfortunately, because the CIA would not provide us documentation that we asked for, we have no idea why that changed.
The CIA pushing back sharply, saying Paul's committee acted in bad faith by subpoenaing Erdman,
despite already receiving closed-door testimony from him
and calling the hearing, quote,
dishonest political theater masquerading as a congressional hearing.
The agency noting it has already assessed COVID-19
most likely originated from a lab leak.
Senator Ron Johnson, Republican from Wisconsin,
reading the statement toward the end of the hearing,
then firing back.
I'm calling on CIA Director Radcliffe
and this person to apologize to Chairman Paul
and this committee.
This is not political theater.
I have years and years and years of built up frustration of agencies like the CIA,
Department of Justice, the FBI, HHS, snubbing our oversight, giving us the big middle finger.
Coming up, a new 2028 poll from one of the most accurate firms of the last presidential election,
putting two unexpected names at the top of the early primary fields.
And a new book claims to reveal what was really behind the viral moment when cameras,
appear to catch France's first lady shoving President Emmanuel Macron's face.
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A new 2028 full scrambling the early presidential primary picture, showing two surprise names at the top,
who are not even close to the lead of most national averages.
The survey from Atlas Intel finding Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the Republican
field by nearly 16 points.
ahead of Vice President J.D. Vance. On the Democrat side, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
narrowly leading the Democratic field over former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Those numbers are a major break from the broader polling landscape, where Vice President Vance
dominates nearly every GOP survey, and former Vice President Kamala Harris leads in most Democratic polls.
The results of the survey standing out because of Atlas Intel's track record in 2020.
when the firm ranked among the most accurate pollsters of the presidential election,
and it correctly called the winner in every swing state.
In this poll, Secretary Rubio dominating the field with 45.4% support.
Mr. Vance in second with 29.6% and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in third at 11.2%.
That result sharply contrasting the Real Clear Politics polling average,
currently showing VP Vance leading with 40.5%, more than 20 points,
ahead of Rubio, who sits at 20.3%.
Donald Trump Jr. is third in the RCP average at 11.2%, followed by Governor DeSantis
at 8.2%. Until this latest Atlas survey, Vance topping every 28 Republican primary poll
included in the Real Clear Politics average dating back to November, leading all but one of them
by double digits. The split in the early polling coming as President Trump is now openly
floating both Vance and Rubio as the party's possible next ticket. President Trump,
Monday night at a Rose Garden Club dinner party. Who's going to be? Is it going to be J.D.?
Is it going to be somebody else? I don't know. Does anybody have, okay, let's go. You ready?
Who likes J.D. Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right. Sounds like a good ticket. J.D.
It's a perfect, that was a perfect ticket.
By the way, I do believe that's a dream team, but these are minor details.
That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.
I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.
On the Democrat side, Atlas Intel showing AOC narrowly leading the field with 26% support among Democratic primary voters,
Secretary Buttigieg following at 22.4%, with Governor Newark.
Newsom close behind at 21.2%. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads most early Democratic
polling, coming in a distant fourth in the Atlas survey at 12.9%. That result, also breaking
sharply from the broader Real Clear politics average, where Harris leads the Democratic field
at 25% support. Governor Newsom is second in the RCP average at 18.8%, followed by Buttigieg at 13.1%
and Acacio-Cortez at 11.3%. Before this latest Atlas survey, AOC had not topped any 2028 Democratic primary poll included in the Real Clear Politics average dating back to November, with VP Harris leading in the nine polls prior to the Atlas result.
AOC asked directly about her presidential ambitions during an appearance last week at the University of Chicago.
They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat.
and my ambition is way bigger than that.
My ambition is to change this country.
Presidents come and go,
Senate, house seats, elected officials come and go,
but single-payer healthcare is forever.
A living wage is forever.
But I make decisions by waking up in the morning,
looking out the window, and observing
the conditions of this country and saying what move or what decision can I make today
that is going to get us closer to that future, stronger, faster, better than yesterday.
Just weeks before the one-year anniversary of the viral moment when cameras appear to catch
France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, shoving President Emmanuel Macron's face.
A new book is revealing more about what may have happened behind the scenes.
The Macron's had just landed for a stop on a tour of Southeast Asia.
As the couple prepared to disembark the plane in Vietnam,
Mrs. Macron seen placing both hands on the president's face
with enough force to push him slightly sideways.
President Macron, looking briefly startled, recovered quickly,
smiling and waving to the crowd below.
Mr. Macron later explaining the moment to reporters and remarks translated from French,
quote,
somehow that becomes a sort of geoplanetary catastrophe,
with people even coming up with theories to explain it.
We are horsing around.
Political journalist Florian Tardif's new book,
an almost perfect couple,
reporting the First Lady was angered by a text message sent by her husband
to an exiled Iranian actress now living in France.
Gelshifta Farahani, one of Iran's most famous actresses,
was a major star there before becoming internationally known in Body of Lai.
opposite Leonardo DiCaprio,
the role making her a target of the Islamic regime
after she appeared without a hijab,
eventually forcing her into exile.
Macron reportedly sending Farahani a text stating,
quote, I find you quite pretty.
Tardif alleging the message fueled Mrs. Macron's fear
that her husband could leave her for the actress,
a source close to the First Lady
telling French newspaper Le Parisian
that Mrs. Macron, quote,
categorically denied to Tardif
that the woman,
plane incident had anything to do with a text message, insisting she never looks through her husband's
phone. According to Tardeev, who interviewed the first lady for the book, Mrs. Macron gave a different
explanation of the incident, describing herself as exhausted after a turbulent flight, unable to sleep,
and reluctant to get off the plane, saying she pushed her husband away as he tried to make her laugh
and hand her water. Farahani also denying rumors of an affair with Macron, telling Gala magazine
last year, quote, rumors, you have to let them go. Fair or unfair. They're only rumors. That'll do
do it for your AM update. I'm Emily Dishinsky, host of After Party. Catch the Megan Kelly show
live on SiriusXMs, the Megan Kelly channel 11 at New Newnese on YouTube.com slash Megan
Kelly and all podcast platforms.
