Fact Check: Megyn Kelly’s Comments on the Cornell University Rape Case
Claim:
Political podcaster Megyn Kelly suggested that the Jane Doe in the Cornell University sexual assault case “made a decision to get it on,” “enjoyed it,” and remarked that “she’s not the most attractive gal.”
Rating: Correctly Attributed
Context:
Kelly made these statements during the Oct. 5 broadcast of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” framing them as “the narrative that is likely to have occurred here, in my opinion.” She did not use Jane Doe’s real name, nor did she present any verifiable evidence confirming the woman’s identity.
Background
Recently, audiences reached out inquiring whether political podcaster and former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly made critical remarks regarding the anonymous Jane Doe involved in a high-profile sexual assault case at Cornell University.
The case involves a former female Cornell student—whose identity remains withheld in court filings and public reports to ensure her privacy—who has accused seven current and former male students of raping her at an on-campus fraternity house between October 19 and 20, 2024.
Social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X (formerly Twitter), widely shared text transcripts and video snippets of Kelly’s commentary. Many users expressed shock, prompting widespread questions across online forums regarding whether the footage was authentic or generated by artificial intelligence.
What Megyn Kelly Said
The circulated transcripts were accurate. Kelly did indeed make the statements during a live broadcast of “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM and YouTube, specifically originating around the 15-minute mark of the episode. Throughout the segment, she did not name the accuser or provide any documentation verifying her identity.
Leading up to the most controversial portion of her commentary, Kelly criticized what she viewed as an excessive emotional reaction from women, arguing that such outrage strips women of personal agency.
She then stated:
“No one will even consider the possibility that this woman made a decision to get it on with four men total, not seven, and enjoyed it because, I’m just going to be honest, she’s not the most attractive gal.”
Kelly went on to disparage the physical appearance of the woman she assumed to be Jane Doe, characterizing her perspective as “the narrative that is likely to have occurred here, in my opinion.”
Her reference to “four men total, not seven” aligned with investigative reporting by The New York Times, which noted that only four of the seven accused men admitted to having sexual contact with the accuser, maintaining that those interactions were entirely consensual, while the remaining three denied any sexual encounter.