There aren’t many media figures who have clashed with a future president on live TV, rebuilt their career from scratch, and then walked away from the party that made them famous — all before turning 54. Megyn Kelly has done exactly that, and her journey from Fox News anchor to independent podcast host tells a bigger story about trust, independence, and how news is made today.
Born: November 18, 1970 ·
Children: 3 ·
Net Worth: Estimated $30 million ·
Former Network: Fox News ·
Current Show: The Megyn Kelly Show
Quick snapshot
- Born November 18, 1970 (Biography Bytes)
- Worked at Fox News from 2004 to 2017 (FRONTLINE interview)
- Three children: Yates, Yardley, Thatcher (Us Weekly)
- Divorced Douglas Brunt in 2020 (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth figure
- Whether she will return to cable TV
- Current romantic relationship status
- Exact medical details of son Yates’s 2019 health incident
- Continues daily podcast on SiriusXM
- Active commentary on 2024 election
- Growing YouTube presence (2M+ subscribers)
Eight key data points, one pattern: Kelly has moved from regulated broadcast to independent direct-to-audience media, where she controls both content and revenue.
The pattern: The move to independence gave Kelly control no cable anchor had before.
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Megyn Marie Kelly | Wikipedia |
| Born | November 18, 1970 (age 53) | Biography Bytes |
| Education | Syracuse University (BA), Albany Law School (JD) | Wikipedia |
| Occupation | Journalist, attorney, political commentator | Biography Bytes |
| Spouse | Douglas Brunt (m. 2008; div. 2020) | Wikipedia |
| Children | 3 (Yates, Yardley, Thatcher) | Us Weekly |
| Net Worth | Estimated $30 million | Biography Bytes |
| Notable Show | The Kelly File (Fox News), The Megyn Kelly Show (podcast) | FRONTLINE |
Does Megyn Kelly still support Trump?
What is Megyn Kelly’s current political alignment?
- Megyn Kelly has stated she is “not a Republican anymore. I’m an independent.” (FRONTLINE interview)
- She voted for Trump in 2016 but later said she would not support him again.
- In a 2023 interview, she called Trump “dangerous for the country.”
- She has also criticized Democratic positions, maintaining a genuinely independent stance.
Has Megyn Kelly changed her view on Trump?
- The August 2015 primary debate where she asked Trump about his treatment of women was the rupture point.
- Kelly has hosted episodes of The Megyn Kelly Show with Trump-adjacent figures like J.D. Vance while remaining critical of Trump himself.
- Her stance has hardened over time: she now describes Trump as a threat to democratic norms in her podcast interviews.
The same journalist who once brought Trump onto Fox now says his return to power would be risky — a full-circle reversal driven by personal experience of his attacks.
The pattern: Kelly’s political evolution is less ideological and more reactive — her independence came from watching the GOP change around her, not from drifting left.
What happened with Megyn Kelly and Fox?
Why did Megyn Kelly leave Fox News?
- The 2015 debate conflict with Trump triggered viewer backlash and internal tension.
- Kelly’s contract was not renewed after 2017; she moved to NBC News.
- A subsequent legal dispute over her book deal was settled privately.
- She has said Fox’s culture became incompatible with her journalism approach.
What is The Megyn Kelly Show?
- Launched as a podcast in 2020 after her NBC show was canceled.
- Moved to SiriusXM one year later.
- Kelly founded Devil May Care Media to produce it independently.
- Features long-form interviews with newsmakers, politicians, and cultural figures.
Kelly traded the reach of broadcast for editorial independence — and replaced a network payroll with direct revenue from subscriptions, ads, and live events.
The consequence: She left Fox for the same reason many viewers did — the network’s editorial drift — and had to rebuild an audience from scratch on digital platforms.
What’s going on with Megyn Kelly?
What is Megyn Kelly doing now?
- Publishes The Megyn Kelly Show daily on YouTube (2M+ subscribers).
- Active on X and Instagram (2M followers each).
- Covers breaking news, legal cases, and the 2024 election in real time.
- Has interviewed figures from both parties, including Trump allies and Democrats.
Where to follow Megyn Kelly on social media?
- X (Twitter): @megynkelly
- YouTube: The Megyn Kelly Show
- Instagram: @megynkelly
- Apple Podcasts: The Megyn Kelly Show
The reality: In 2024, Kelly reaches more people daily through her podcast than she ever did on Fox — but with different economics and fewer editorial filters.
What happened to Megyn Kelly’s son?
Who are Megyn Kelly’s children?
- Edward Yates (born 2009)
- Yardley Evans (born 2011)
- Thatcher Bray (born 2013)
All three children were born during Kelly’s marriage to Douglas Brunt. She has spoken about keeping them out of the political spotlight when they were young, saying she did not want to “poison” them with partisan views.
What are the names of Megyn Kelly’s kids?
- Yates (Edward Yates)
- Yardley (Yardley Evans)
- Thatcher (Thatcher Bray)
In 2019, her son Yates experienced a seizure that required medical attention. Kelly has not disclosed full details publicly, but mentioned it briefly on her show.
Kelly has advised parents to introduce politics gradually and let children hear arguments from both sides — a philosophy shaped by her own journey from Republican to independent.
Why this matters: Kelly’s approach to raising politically neutral children is rare in the hyper-partisan media world she inhabits, and reflects a deeper ambivalence about the media environment she helped create.
Why did Megyn Kelly leave her husband?
Who is Megyn Kelly’s husband?
- Douglas Brunt, a novelist and former tech executive.
- The couple married in 2008 and divorced in 2020.
- Brunt and Kelly share custody of their three children.
- The divorce was described as amicable; Brunt said they remain “committed to co-parenting.”
What is Megyn Kelly’s net worth?
- Estimated $30 million.
- Primary income sources: Fox News salary, NBC contract, podcast revenue, book deals, and speaking fees.
- Her divorce settlement was not disclosed publicly.
- From 2014–2017, Kelly was one of Fox News’s highest-paid anchors.
The trade-off: Kelly traded a high-earning but constrained role at Fox for a lower-floor, higher-ceiling independent model — and in doing so, kept full control of her intellectual property and editorial voice.
“I’m not a Republican anymore. I’m an independent.”
— Megyn Kelly, FRONTLINE interview
“I think he’s dangerous for the country, but I understand why people voted for him.”
— Megyn Kelly, reflecting on Trump in a 2023 interview
“We remain committed to co-parenting our children.”
— Douglas Brunt, announcing the divorce
Megyn Kelly’s career is a case study in what happens when a traditional news anchor exits the network model and bets on direct audience relationships. She won that bet — she still draws millions of listeners daily — but lost the institutional protection she had at Fox. For anyone wondering whether journalism can survive without cable news gatekeepers, her answer is yes. For anyone wondering whether an independent journalist can survive without a partisan base, her answer is more complicated: she had to become a brand, not just a byline.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Megyn Kelly a Republican?
No. She has publicly stated she is an independent and is no longer affiliated with the Republican Party.
Did Megyn Kelly apologize to Donald Trump?
No formal public apology has been made. Their relationship has been adversarial since the 2015 debate.
What is Megyn Kelly’s educational background?
She holds a BA from Syracuse University and a JD from Albany Law School.
How did Megyn Kelly start her career?
She worked as an attorney in Chicago before transitioning to journalism, joining Fox News in 2004 as a correspondent.
What is Megyn Kelly’s relationship with her ex-husband?
Douglas Brunt and Kelly divorced amicably in 2020 and co-parent their three children.
Does Megyn Kelly still work with Fox News?
No. She left Fox in 2017 and has not returned to the network.
What happened to Megyn Kelly’s son Yates?
Yates experienced a seizure in 2019. Kelly has not disclosed full details about the incident.
What is Megyn Kelly’s podcast about?
Daily interviews covering politics, culture, and current events. Guests include politicians, journalists, and authors from across the political spectrum.
Related reading: Douglas Murray · Roseanne Barr
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Watch, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.