Megyn Kelly's Attempt to Defend Trump's "Smile More" Remark Sparks Outrage
The controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's comment telling CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to "smile" continues to escalate, with Fox News host Megyn Kelly drawing renewed criticism for defending the remark. In a recent interview on her SiriusXM show, Kelly invoked guidance from the late Roger Ailes, a former Fox News executive who was forced out of the network in 2016 amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment.
Kelly's defense of Trump's comment has sparked widespread outrage among media critics and social media users, with many pointing out the jarring juxtaposition between defending sexism and citing guidance from Ailes. The "smile more" remark, particularly when directed at women in professional settings, has long been criticized as a gendered phrase used to undermine authority or shift the focus from substantive reporting to appearance.
Kelly's reference to Ailes has reignited conversations about the legacy of the late executive and his role in shaping the media landscape. Critics argue that Kelly is attempting to revisit past critiques in light of her present political alignments with conservative audiences, including Trump.
Supporters of Kelly have countered that she was speaking from personal experience in television news, where producers and anchors often discuss on-camera presence. However, others see this anecdote as a thinly veiled attempt to justify sexism rather than reflect broadcast realities.
The exchange has raised important questions about the role of media figures in defending sexist language and the ways in which they revisit past critiques in light of present political alignments. As Kelly continues to align with conservative audiences, it remains to be seen how her stance on issues like this will evolve.
The controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's comment telling CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to "smile" continues to escalate, with Fox News host Megyn Kelly drawing renewed criticism for defending the remark. In a recent interview on her SiriusXM show, Kelly invoked guidance from the late Roger Ailes, a former Fox News executive who was forced out of the network in 2016 amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment.
Kelly's defense of Trump's comment has sparked widespread outrage among media critics and social media users, with many pointing out the jarring juxtaposition between defending sexism and citing guidance from Ailes. The "smile more" remark, particularly when directed at women in professional settings, has long been criticized as a gendered phrase used to undermine authority or shift the focus from substantive reporting to appearance.
Kelly's reference to Ailes has reignited conversations about the legacy of the late executive and his role in shaping the media landscape. Critics argue that Kelly is attempting to revisit past critiques in light of her present political alignments with conservative audiences, including Trump.
Supporters of Kelly have countered that she was speaking from personal experience in television news, where producers and anchors often discuss on-camera presence. However, others see this anecdote as a thinly veiled attempt to justify sexism rather than reflect broadcast realities.
The exchange has raised important questions about the role of media figures in defending sexist language and the ways in which they revisit past critiques in light of present political alignments. As Kelly continues to align with conservative audiences, it remains to be seen how her stance on issues like this will evolve.
. Like, come on! That's not just sexist, that's straight up condescending. And invoking Roger Ailes' guidance? No thanks! 
I mean, we all know what happened to him and Fox News back in the day. It's time for Kelly to own her stance and take responsibility for defending language like that. Instead of trying to spin it as some kind of "TV news" thing, let's just call it out for what it is: sexism. 
And honestly, if she can't even be bothered to acknowledge the harm caused by Trump's words, then maybe she shouldn't be defending them at all. 
. Newsflash Megyn: just because you're defending Trump doesn't mean you get to erase your own complicity in sexism 
. And honestly, it's not even about the "smile more" comment – it's about the culture of toxic masculinity that pervades our media landscape and allows guys like Trump to say stuff like that without consequence 
. We need to call her out on this, Megyn!
megyn kelly's attempt to defend trump's comment is literally just a big ol' mess 
and trying to justify it by saying she was speaking from personal experience? that's not how it works, girl 
. honestly though, i think this whole thing is a great opportunity for media figures to talk about how we can do better when it comes to sexism in the industry 
it's time for them to own up to their mistakes and use their platforms to educate and uplift rather than defend outdated views 
anyway, invoking roger ailes' guidance is lowkey shady tbh... like, we all know what went down with him in 2016 
it's not about being in tv news, it's about having the guts to call out sexism when you see it, which kelly clearly doesn't have right now 
but seriously tho, if she really believes what she's saying then maybe she should just own it and stop whining like a baby 
just saw this article about Megyn Kelly defendin Trump's "smile more" remark and I'm like wth is wrong wit ppl? can't she just say its sexist and move on? 
she's trying to spin that, but honestly, who does she think is gonna buy it? "smile more" is a low blow and anyone saying otherwise is just drinking the Kool-Aid 
. And btw, did she really have to mention Ailes' name? Like, what does that even prove? 
. Newsflash: it doesn't work that way! 
? Like, come on Megyn, you can't just revisit old criticisms and expect everyone to forget about them. Newsflash: sexism isn't just about on-camera presence, it's about treating people with respect and dignity.
.
. and referencing roger ailes? what are they even thinking?! that guy was all about exploiting women and now kelley's trying to use him as an excuse... no way, man 
. i think she's just trying to cling to her old audience but the truth is out there and it ain't cute 
.
its time to move beyond "both sides" and just get real about sexism, misogyny, and all the other forms of oppression that still plague our society 
. I get that she was talking about her own experience in TV news, but using Ailes' guidance as an excuse for sexism feels dodgy 
and avoid the elephant in the room – Trump's reputation on women.
. Maybe she's trying to be the voice of reason in a polarized debate 
.
. And can we talk about how she's using the "on-camera presence" excuse? Like, that's just a weak attempt to justify sexist language in a professional setting 
. The fact that she's aligning with Trump and his crew is just making her look more like the problem she's trying to solve 
. Meanwhile, we're left wondering what exactly Kelly believes is being defended by invoking Ailes' name – a toxic ideology that values "smile more" over substance? It's a concerning trend when media figures use past critiques as a means to justify their own biases rather than engaging in genuine self-reflection 
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