Megyn Kelly Calls Out CBS For Its Editing Of Hegseth Interview

A new media controversy erupted after SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly accused CBS News’ 60 Minutes of deceptively editing an interview with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, creating the impression that he was answering a question about Israel’s influence on recent U.S. strikes against Iran when, in reality, he was responding to criticism from voices within the America First movement.

The accusation centers on how the segment aired versus what appeared in the full, unedited interview.

In the original exchange, 60 Minutes correspondent Major Garrett asked Hegseth to respond to criticism from prominent figures who identify with the America First movement. Garrett specifically named commentators and political figures including Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, noting that some had argued the strikes on Iran did not reflect an America First foreign policy.

“You mentioned America First,” Garrett said in the unedited clip. “Some who identify with that movement… have said from their perspective, this isn’t an America First campaign. Do you want to address that criticism?”

Hegseth responded with a defense of the administration’s approach, pointing to decades of Iranian hostility toward the United States and threats against American forces.

“All I know is, I’m in the room every day and I see how Trump operates and what he’s putting first, and it’s America, Americans and American interests at every level,” Hegseth said. He went on to cite years of attacks on Americans, the targeting of U.S. troops by Iranian-made explosives in Iraq, and Tehran’s long pursuit of nuclear capabilities.

But when the segment aired on television, viewers saw a different setup. In the broadcast version, Garrett narrated that some critics claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pulled the United States into a conflict that did not prioritize American interests. Immediately after that narration, the program cut to Garrett asking Hegseth to address criticism about America First.

Kelly argued the editing stitched together two separate ideas to suggest that Hegseth’s remarks were a direct response to claims that Israel had influenced the strikes.