Megyn Kelly slams Van Jones for labeling Charlie Kirk racist before Kirk's killing, then praising him after

Megyn Kelly used her SiriusXM program on Monday to take aim at CNN analyst Van Jones, accusing him of being a coward for branding Charlie Kirk as racist just two days before Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10. The confrontation unfolds amid a clash over Kirk's remarks on race and crime and Jones's response on CNN, with Kelly arguing that Jones altered his stance after Kirk's death to protect his own image.

Kelly recounted what she described as a pattern in Jones's conduct toward Kirk and toward Kelly herself. She said Jones once offered to defend her publicly after her 2018 NBC blackface remarks but later pulled back, telling her he could not appear because he had received death threats and had been advised by the FBI not to reengage publicly. Kelly portrayed this episode as emblematic of how Jones handles controversial figures and warned that similar behavior could recur in fast-moving political debates.

On Sept. 8, Jones appeared on CNN and criticized Kirk for suggesting that race played a role in the North Carolina killing of a Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zaratska. Kelly noted that Kirk had cited a witness who reportedly heard the accused killer say, I got that white girl, and she argued that the on-air accusation tied Kirk to a motive in a highly charged case. She contended that Jones publicly labeled Kirk a racist in that broadcast, two days before the shooting, and argued that such labeling was irresponsible given the complexity of the case and the facts as they unfolded. While she acknowledged that she was covering the murder live on her own program, she maintained that Jones did not earn a justification to cast Kirk in a racist light and that he has yet to undo that characterization.

The day before his death, Kirk reportedly sent Jones a private X message inviting him to a show for a respectful conversation about crime and race. Jones later published an essay on CNN describing the private message and the invitation, and he used the platform to discuss his ongoing disagreements with Kirk while also noting the broader conversation around race and crime. Kelly said that, after Kirk’s death, Jones published a CNN op-ed praising him, a move she described as an effort to shift tone and protect his public image rather than reflecting a balanced assessment of Kirk and his rhetoric.

In the CNN essay Jones wrote that he had taken issue with many of Kirk’s past statements yet that he never questioned Kirk’s right to speak them. Kelly highlighted that portion as evidence that Jones condemned the murder unconditionally and immediately, while asserting that his later framing of Kirk’s work was more nuanced. The Associated Press has reported that Jones stated his condemnation of Kirk’s murder was unconditional, and that he did not intend for his earlier criticisms to define Kirk in the wake of the tragedy. The Post has sought comment from Jones on the remarks and on the CNN op-ed referenced by Kelly.

The exchange sits within a broader pattern of media commentary around race and crime, where arguments about responsibility, intent, and the credibility of public figures can intensify in the immediate aftermath of violence. Observers note the challenge of reporting on fast-moving investigations while avoiding manipulation of the narrative for or against individuals involved in politically charged disputes. As coverage continues, the public and media observers will be watching how figures cited in these debates respond, and whether retractions or clarifications follow such high-profile accusations in the courtroom of public opinion.