Dems EAT Their Own in California, with Ana Kasparian, and Trump's "Softer" Deportation Approach, with Gregory Bovino | Ep. 1317

Episode of The Megyn Kelly Show · May 14, 2026 · 1 h 42 min

Megyn Kelly and Ana Kasparian discuss California's governor race, Jack Schlossberg, and Thomas Massie's primary, then Gregory Bovino argues Trump's deportation policy has softened.

Summary

Megyn Kelly opened with Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks to discuss the 2026 California gubernatorial race, including Katie Porter's claim on CNN that Tom Steyer leaked a video of her berating a staffer, Xavier Becerra's rise to first place in polling, and his request to a KTLA reporter that the interview be a profile rather than a 'gotcha.' Kasparian criticized all the candidates for lacking policy solutions and argued California faces serious fiscal problems. The two then criticized Jack Schlossberg's Manhattan congressional campaign after a New York Times report on his erratic behavior, thin résumé and a social media post copied from Seth Moulton; Kasparian linked it to what she called a competency problem in the U.S. political class, citing the war with Iran.

The pair next discussed the Kentucky Republican primary in which Thomas Massie faces Ed Gallrein, backed by Trump and heavily funded by pro-Israel groups including AIPAC's United Democracy Project and the Republican Jewish Coalition. Kasparian argued the race shows elections are bought and called for a constitutional amendment removing money from politics; Kelly recalled Citizens United as a watershed. They also debated Trump's remark that he does not think about Americans' finances when negotiating with Iran, with Kelly saying he was taken somewhat out of context and Kasparian disagreeing.

In the second half, former Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino argued that the administration has taken a softer approach on deportations since the Minneapolis deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, blaming advisers he called RINOs. He said dismantling roving patrols had raised border crossings, citing a surge in Laredo, contended that interior enforcement drives self-deportation, criticized Tom Homan and Rodney Scott for never contacting him during operations, and endorsed E-Verify as one facet of 'total spectrum immigration enforcement.' Bovino also claimed there are about 100 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and suggested Border Patrol chief Mike Banks' resignation followed a politically timed smear.

Chapters

  1. 2:29

    Katie Porter blames Tom Steyer

    Kelly and Kasparian discuss Porter's claim that Steyer leaked her staffer video and Steyer's non-denial.

  2. 6:27

    California governor polls and Becerra

    The hosts review polling, the gubernatorial debate, and Becerra's request for a soft profile interview.

  3. 16:00

    Jack Schlossberg's campaign

    They dissect a New York Times report on Schlossberg's erratic campaign and his defense of his qualifications.

  4. 22:54

    Competency in the political class

    Kasparian argues the U.S. suffers a political competency crisis, while Kelly discusses social media's effect on who runs.

  5. 28:13

    Schlossberg copies Seth Moulton

    A spliced clip shows Schlossberg's post closely copying Moulton's, prompting criticism of his entitlement.

  6. 32:42

    The campaign against Thomas Massie

    The pair discuss pro-Israel spending against Massie, a late allegation against him, and Citizens United.

  7. 45:31

    Trump on Iran and Americans' finances

    Kelly and Kasparian debate Trump's remark that financial concerns do not motivate his Iran negotiations.

  8. 51:17

    Homan and signs of a softer approach

    Bovino responds to Homan's hedging on amnesty and reporting that hardliners like Stephen Miller are losing influence.

  9. 1:06:17

    Minneapolis and roving patrols

    Bovino explains roving patrols, the Good and Pretti incidents, and Kristi Noem's messaging.

  10. 1:14:24

    Bovino's departure and sanctuary policies

    Bovino describes clashing with the administration and calls Minnesota a capitulation on sanctuary policy.

  11. 1:20:45

    Laredo, self-deportation and E-Verify

    Bovino links interior enforcement to border crossings and advocates self-deportation incentives and E-Verify.

  12. 1:33:26

    The wall, 100 million claim and Mike Banks

    Bovino defends his estimate of 100 million illegal immigrants and comments on Border Patrol chief Mike Banks' resignation.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued the Steyer campaign's statement was a non-denial and said she believes Steyer leaked the Porter video.

    “if you really had nothing to do with it, you would say neither Tom nor anyone on his team had anything to do with leaking this video”

    Listen from 6:07 · 2026 California gubernatorial election

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argued California is overspending on nonprofits and programs without oversight and needs a governor who can grow tax revenue.

    “we also need to increase our tax revenue by making this a desirable place to do business in”

    Listen from 10:00 · 2026 California gubernatorial election

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly said Becerra openly asking for a soft profile on camera suggests he is not ready for prime time.

    “I want the puff piece of a profile that I was promised. It's pretty extraordinary and suggests the guy's not ready for primetime”

    Listen from 13:33 · 2026 California gubernatorial election

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian claimed Iran has been strategic and is winning the war against the United States.

    “Iran has been incredibly strategic, incredibly strategic, and they are winning this war as a result of that”

    Listen from 23:35 · United States war with Iran

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly predicted that Schlossberg, if elected, would implode and not last past his first year in office.

    “He will implode. He will not make it past the first year in office”

    Listen from 31:29 · Jack Schlossberg 2026 congressional campaign

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argued the campaign against Massie shows elections are bought and that crossing the Israel lobby invites being crushed.

    “it tells you that our elections are bought. And if you don't play nice with the Israel lobby, they'll do whatever it takes to crush you”

    Listen from 35:11 · Israel lobby in the United States

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian called for a constitutional amendment taking money out of politics, including corporate and foreign-lobby spending.

    “a constitutional amendment that takes money out of politics. We shouldn't allow corporate interests, we shouldn't allow pharmaceutical companies or defense contractors”

    Listen from 35:11 · Campaign finance in the United States

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly said she did not disagree with Citizens United legally but saw it as a watershed that let big donors control jurisdictions.

    “I didn't disagree with the ruling as a legal matter, but it was a watershed moment, not just in our political spending”

    Listen from 39:01 · Citizens United v. FEC

  • Megyn Kelly

    Kelly argued Trump was somewhat unfairly bashed for saying he doesn't consider Americans' finances in Iran negotiations, though he should be more careful.

    “I do think on this particular one, the president's being unfairly bashed”

    Listen from 48:12 · United States war with Iran

  • Ana Kasparian

    Kasparian argued the enriched uranium rationale for the Iran war was an Israeli cover story aimed at regime change.

    “the whole thing with the enriched uranium is a cover story by the Israelis. Israelis just wanted to go to us into war”

    Listen from 48:51 · United States war with Iran

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino said the administration has adopted a softer approach and predicted it will lead to Americans being killed by illegal immigrants.

    “As sure as the sun rises today, Megan, American citizens are going to die at the hands of illegal aliens”

    Listen from 58:26 · Illegal immigration to the United States

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino claimed daily border crossings have risen to about 490 from 90–100 a year ago when interior roving patrols were active.

    “oftentimes these border crosser numbers would be 90 to 100 a day. Now they're 490, approaching 500 a day”

    Listen from 1:00:16 · United States Border Patrol

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino argued Trump should have gone harder in Minneapolis and that roving patrols were largely absent there.

    “I think he should have went harder. Some things in Minneapolis that perhaps he doesn't know is those roving patrols”

    Listen from 1:07:09 · United States Border Patrol

  • Linked moment · 1:14:24Skip to 1:14:24 using a listen link in the info box.

    Gregory Bovino

    Bovino said he never heard from Tom Homan or Rodney Scott during his year of field operations.

    “whether that was Tom Holman, Rodney Scott, you know, certainly I didn't hear from him for a year during that operation”

    Listen from 1:16:17 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino argued that interior enforcement directly determines what happens at the border, calling the border-first approach a fallacy.

    “What happens in the interior directly correlates to what happens on the border”

    Listen from 1:21:42 · United States Border Patrol

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino said the goal is self-deportation, which requires making life in the U.S. so hard that illegal immigrants cannot work or function.

    “We would rather them self-deport rather than me put handcuffs on 100 million illegal aliens. Let's just have them self-deport for us”

    Listen from 1:30:29 · Self-deportation

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino supported E-Verify but described it as only one facet of total spectrum immigration enforcement alongside cutting remittances and welfare.

    “E-Verify would be one facet of total spectrum immigration enforcement. You've got a whole bunch of other things, shutting down remittances”

    Listen from 1:31:37 · E-Verify

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino claimed there are about 100 million illegal immigrants in the United States, citing commuter and school absence data from Charlotte.

    “So 100 million, absolutely. I stand by it”

    Listen from 1:37:29 · Illegal immigration to the United States

  • Gregory Bovino

    Bovino said the prostitution allegation against Mike Banks had been investigated years ago and he was cleared, implying a politically timed smear.

    “That had been investigated many years ago and he was cleared. So that's what they're not telling you”

    Listen from 1:40:05 · United States Border Patrol

People

In the conversation

  • Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
  • Ana KasparianAmerican progressive commentator, host and executive producer of The Young Turks
  • Gregory BovinoFormer U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large

Discussed

  • Thomas MassieKentucky congressman facing a Trump-backed primary challenge
  • Ed GallreinTrump-backed Republican primary challenger to Thomas Massie
  • Steve HiltonRepublican candidate for governor of California and former Fox News host
  • Chad BiancoRiverside County sheriff and Republican candidate for governor of California
  • Nancy PelosiUS congresswoman whose husband was attacked with a hammer in their San Francisco home
  • Stephen MillerWhite House deputy chief of staff and architect of the administration's immigration agenda
  • Kristi NoemU.S. Secretary of Homeland Security discussed in connection with a DHS contract scandal
  • Rodney ScottCBP Commissioner
  • Mike BanksBorder Patrol chief who resigned
  • Renee GoodWoman killed in an ICE encounter in Minneapolis
  • Alex PrettiMan killed in a Border Patrol encounter in Minneapolis
  • Jacob FreyMayor of Minneapolis
  • Pete HegsethU.S. Secretary of Defense overseeing the Iran campaign
  • John KerryFormer Secretary of State for whom Schlossberg worked

Topics

More from The Megyn Kelly Show

From the publisher

Megyn Kelly is joined by Ana Kasparian, host and producer of "The Young Turks," to discuss the top Democrats in the California governor’s race spiraling, Katie Porter taking wild shots at Tom Steyer, Xavier Becerra embarrassingly trying to avoid tough questions, Kennedy offspring loser Jack Schlossberg struggling to explain his actual qualifications and role as a “content creator,” backlash to his congressional campaign, the massive campaign against Thomas Massie, how powerful donors are targeting him over his stance on Israel and Epstein push, and more. Then Gregory Bovino, former Border Patrol Commander at Large, joins to discuss concerns the Trump administration is taking a softer approach now on deportations, shifting rhetoric from immigration officials since Bovino left his position, how Trump’s deportation policy shifted after the Minnesota killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, why Bovino believes the administration backed off aggressive enforcement, why “self-deportations” are one of the most effective immigration enforcement strategies, how interior enforcement impacts border security, the role of E-Verify, and more. Kasparian- https://kasparian.substack.com/ Bovino- https://x.com/GregoryKBovino Birch Gold: Text MK to 989898 for a free info kit and to see if you qualify for up to $10,000 back through May 29. Herald Group: Learn more at https://GuardYourCard.com Veracity Health: Head to https://VeracityHealth.co and use code Megyn for up to 65% off your order Relief Factor: Break up with pain—Relief Factor targets inflammation so you can move better and feel better; try the 3-Week QuickStart for just $19.95 at https://ReliefFactor.com or call 800-4-RELIEF.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Politics·News Commentary