Media personality Megyn Kelly sharply criticized Ellen DeGeneres this week over the comedian's public comments on a fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting in Minnesota, accusing her of political naïveté, moral indifference and a pattern of bullying behavior that Kelly argued undercuts DeGeneres's credibility on national issues.
The clash unfolded on the January 19 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, where Kelly took aim at DeGeneres's Instagram response to protests following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis. Kelly framed the comments as emblematic of what she described as DeGeneres's "willful ignorance" about immigration enforcement and public safety, particularly given that DeGeneres now resides in the United Kingdom.
"Ellen DeGeneres felt the need to weigh in, and I know you, like I have been asking yourself, 'What would Ellen think of all this?'" Kelly said during the broadcast, questioning why DeGeneres's views should carry weight in a politically charged and violent episode.
DeGeneres had posted a video message expressing sympathy for Minneapolis residents and support for peaceful protests. "Hey everybody, I just wanted to say, I am so sorry for what is happening in Minneapolis and our country, really, but specifically Minneapolis right now because that's where I shot my last stand-up special and everybody there couldn't have been more lovely," DeGeneres said. She continued: "I shot it there because they say it's the happiest city in America. And I found that to be true. So my thoughts and my prayers are going out to everyone, and I'm proud of everyone who's protesting peacefully, and I am sorry for anyone who has been hurt just for protesting, for doing what you should be doing."
DeGeneres concluded the post by saying, "Anyway, I am just sending love," and shared a photo of Good. The remarks drew mixed reactions online, with critics arguing the comments minimized the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the broader debate over federal immigration enforcement.
Kelly seized on that backlash, arguing that DeGeneres's tone reflected a long-standing disconnect from the consequences of political activism. She went further, reviving allegations surrounding DeGeneres's former daytime talk show, which ended in 2022 after reports of a toxic workplace culture.
"She bullied people who were less powerful than she was," Kelly said. "She had a rule, I'm very reliably informed, that someone I knew had a sister who worked for her. You were not allowed to look her in the eye as one of her producers when you walked past her."
Kelly added, "And so it's no surprise that Ellen DeGeneres is totally fine with what these so-called protesters and terrorists in the streets of Minneapolis." She argued that DeGeneres's past behavior toward staff mirrored what Kelly described as a broader lack of empathy in her political commentary.
