Megyn Kelly Finds Way to Defend Trump's 'Smile More' Remark, Invokes Roger Ailes Advice
Megyn Kelly is facing renewed backlash for defending President Donald Trump's comment telling CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to "smile," drawing on advice she said she received from late Fox News executive Roger Ailes. The remark sparked widespread criticism as sexist and dismissive of Collins' role as a journalist.
During an interview with Vice President JD Vance on her SiriusXM show, Kelly defended the Trump comment, saying she had previously offered similar advice to Collins and that Ailes "used to tell us that." However, the reference to Ailes immediately sparked outrage from media critics and social media users given his tainted legacy. Ailes was forced out of Fox News in 2016 amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment, including from Kelly herself.
Critics argue that Kelly's defense of the remark is jarring, particularly given the context of Ailes' departure. The phrase "smile more" has long been criticized as a sexist expression used to undermine authority or shift attention away from substantive reporting and toward appearance. Advocacy groups and commentators have pointed out that such language is often directed at women in professional settings.
In contrast, supporters of Kelly argue that she was simply speaking from personal experience in television news, where producers and anchors often discuss on-camera presence. They see her anecdote as an attempt to reflect broadcast realities rather than endorse sexism.
The exchange comes as Kelly has increasingly aligned with conservative audiences and figures, including Trump. The episode has reignited conversations about the use of gendered language in journalism and how media figures revisit past critiques in light of present political alignments.
Megyn Kelly is facing renewed backlash for defending President Donald Trump's comment telling CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins to "smile," drawing on advice she said she received from late Fox News executive Roger Ailes. The remark sparked widespread criticism as sexist and dismissive of Collins' role as a journalist.
During an interview with Vice President JD Vance on her SiriusXM show, Kelly defended the Trump comment, saying she had previously offered similar advice to Collins and that Ailes "used to tell us that." However, the reference to Ailes immediately sparked outrage from media critics and social media users given his tainted legacy. Ailes was forced out of Fox News in 2016 amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment, including from Kelly herself.
Critics argue that Kelly's defense of the remark is jarring, particularly given the context of Ailes' departure. The phrase "smile more" has long been criticized as a sexist expression used to undermine authority or shift attention away from substantive reporting and toward appearance. Advocacy groups and commentators have pointed out that such language is often directed at women in professional settings.
In contrast, supporters of Kelly argue that she was simply speaking from personal experience in television news, where producers and anchors often discuss on-camera presence. They see her anecdote as an attempt to reflect broadcast realities rather than endorse sexism.
The exchange comes as Kelly has increasingly aligned with conservative audiences and figures, including Trump. The episode has reignited conversations about the use of gendered language in journalism and how media figures revisit past critiques in light of present political alignments.
I think Megyn Kelly is trying to spin this in a way that's not super relatable to most people. Like, who hasn't had a producer tell you to "smile more" on live TV? But the thing is, it's usually said in a joking manner... not as a serious piece of advice from a powerful man like Trump. And honestly, it feels like Kelly is trying to justify something that's already pretty problematic. I'm not sure if she's just trying to fit in with her new audience or genuinely believes that "smile more" is a harmless phrase... either way, it doesn't sit well with me 
. I mean, yeah, he was a great boss and all, but that don't make the comment itself cool 
. It's like, if you're gonna defend something, you gotta own up to the fact that it might be problematic too. And let's be real, "smile more" is just a lazy way of saying "shut up and be pretty" 
. Can't we focus on actual journalism here instead of just trying to curry favor with the Trump crowd? 
I'm seeing a lot of cringeworthy moments in this story... Megyn Kelly trying to spin that comment from Roger Ailes is like drawing a wonky diagram - it's hard to follow and just looks messy 
The fact that she's referencing Ailes' toxic legacy is, well, pretty gross 
It's like taking a healthy breakfast cereal and mixing it with stale cereal dust - still doesn't taste good 
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Can't we just focus on reporting facts and holding people accountable without resorting to sexist tropes? 
. What do you guys think? Should Kelly take responsibility for her words or keep spinning them as some kind of "broadcast reality"? 
. I mean, come on, he was accused of harassment and she's trying to use his advice to defend a sexist comment? Not buying it 
. We know he was accused of doing some pretty shady stuff, and it feels like she's trying to distance herself from those allegations while still defending Trump's comment 
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. i mean, we all know the history with roger ailes and fox news, right? 
... he was basically accused of being a serial harasser, and now kelly is invoking his name to defend trumps' behaviour? that's just sketchy, you feel me? 
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she just defended trumps "smile more" remark like literally wtf does that even mean? its so sexist & dismissive 
its not about the smile more part its about the fact that trump thought he cud just tell kaitlan collins 2 "smile" and she wudnt even bother reportin on whats goin on 
. I mean, she did say it was advice from Roger Ailes' days at Fox News, which is just a major red flag 
According to Twitter sentiment analysis, the conversation around this episode has turned from "Kelly's tone-deaf" (60%) to "she was just trying to defend herself" (40%), showing a shift in public opinion. 
A quick scan of online comment sections reveals that 55% of comments are now focused on Kelly's past allegations against Roger Ailes, highlighting the complexities of her defense. 
Meanwhile, on social media platforms, #MegynKelly and #SmileMore have seen significant spikes in engagement, with some influencers already using the hashtag to spark discussions about women in journalism and on-camera presence 
The fact that she's bringing up his name in an attempt to justify the remark is just cringeworthy. And let's be real, the phrase "smile more" is basically code for "you're not being taken seriously unless you're pretty." It's sexist and condescending, and Kelly's defense of it is just weak sauce 
. Newsflash, Megyn: telling someone to "smile more" is not just about being friendly on camera, it's about objectifying them as a woman. Can't we all just try to be a little more respectful and genuine in our words? 