Shutdown Nears End Amid Nationwide Airport Chaos, Push to Nuke Filibuster Grows: AM Update 11/10

0:02Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Monday, November 10th, 2025. And this is your AM update. Total headache. Disaster nightmare. It's terrible. It's just terrible. Chaos at the nation's airports as they contend with travel delays and canceled flights caused by the government shutdown. As Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sounds the alarm. This is the place where the grown-ups need to sit down and to be able to have hard conversations. Senate Republicans facing mounting pressure from the White House to go nuclear and ditch the filibuster. Former FBI lovebirds Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, as well as former CIA director John Brennan, subpoenaed by a grand jury, reportedly in connection with the DOJ's investigation into the Russia collusion hoax.

0:47All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.

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1:34All Family Pharmacy offers ivermectin, mabendazole, and over 200 other essential medications all shipped straight to your door. You want to check with your doctor, of course. Visit allfamilypharmacy.com slash Megan and use code Megan10 to save 10 % on your order. That's allfamilypharmacy.com slash Megan to learn more. A breakthrough on the government shutdown. Late last night, the Senate agreeing to a deal to advance the House-passed continuing resolution, keeping funding at current levels through January 30th, the first step to reopening the government as the record 40-day shutdown continues.

2:12Later this week, the Senate will vote on a package of bills that would fully fund certain departments all the way through the end of the fiscal year, September 30th, 2026, including the Agriculture Department, FDA, Veterans Affairs, military construction, and congressional operations, according to Politico. The House will then have to approve any Senate-passed deals. Part of the deal includes a separate vote this December on a Democrat proposal to extend Obamacare tax credits for one year. That bill would require 60 votes to pass. The agreement also funding SNAP benefits, food assistance for low-income families, through September of 2026 and would assist federal employees who were laid off in the shutdown, per Axios.

2:59Meanwhile, thousands of weary air travelers over the weekend feeling the toll of the shutdown at airports nationwide, a sampling from ABC7 at Reagan National Airport in D.C. Kind of speechless with it because our world is just sort of really crazy right now. We got to get it together. It's absurd. I think it's a complete failure of government and the government serving itself and not the people. It's driving me nuts. Total headache, disaster nightmare. It's terrible. It's just terrible. I feel like the American people are being held hostage right now. Starting last Friday, the FAA reducing flights at 40 of the nation's top airports amid air traffic control staffing shortages, beginning with a 4 % cut in air traffic, rising by 1 % each day, up to 10 % by midweek this week if the shutdown continues.

3:47FAA Administrator Brian Bedford saying last week, a massive 20 to 40 percent of controllers are failing to report to work on any given day as they, like other federal employees, have not been paid for weeks, missing two full paychecks since the government shutdown began on October 1st. Just on Saturday, Fox reporting 5 ,450 flights delayed, American Delta, Southwest, and United, each canceling about 700 flights. As the shutdown continues, those numbers only set to rise. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning air traffic will fall to, quote, a trickle as we head to Thanksgiving. Secretary Duffy sounding the alarm on Sunday, appearing on both Fox and CNN about the mounting strain on U.S.

4:33airports as air traffic controllers work without pay. Yesterday we had 81 staffing triggers with air traffic controllers across the airspace. You reported there was a whole slew of cancellations and delays across the airspace. That trend line is getting worse, right? More controllers aren't coming to work day by day the further they go without a paycheck because Democrats refuse to pay them. I have more complaints coming into the FAA from pilots who are saying that air traffic controllers are not as responsive. They seem stressed or they're not using the appropriate language because they're under pressure.

5:09So I look at that data that came from the safety team, and the trend line is going in the wrong direction. So I need to take action and make sure that we keep people safe. Secretary Duffy warning last week in a press conference that even with the passage of a budget deal, flight delays will take time to resolve. If the government opens on day one, will I see an immediate response from controllers? No, the union is telling me it's going to take time to get them all back in. I don't wish this was the circumstance in which I was dealing with. So I imagine as we see the data change and more controllers come to work, we are as quickly as possible going to take these restrictions away.

5:50That's the best approach. But we have to look at how many controllers come to work and how long that takes after the government opens back up. The White House pushing hard on Senate Republicans to kill the filibuster. the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to get a vote on most legislation, which then would need 51 votes in order to pass. President Trump in recent weeks arguing that ending the filibuster is essential for the Republicans' electoral prospects. Posting on Truth Social last week, quote, the Democrats are far more likely to win the midterms and the next presidential election if we don't do the termination of the filibuster, the nuclear option, because it will be impossible for Republicans to get common-sense policies done with these crazed Democrat lunatics being able to block everything by withholding their votes.

6:41For three years, nothing will be passed, and Republicans will be blamed. Democrats nearly abolishing the filibuster in January 2022 in an effort to pass so-called voting rights legislation, that effort failing 52 to 48, with Democrat Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema joining Republicans to keep the filibuster in place. They're both now gone. Vice President J.D. Vance, posting to X Friday Morning, quote, Many of my friends and former colleagues in the Senate are against eliminating the filibuster because they don't think the Democrats will do it. This is just obviously wrong. The reason the filibuster exists is because of Democratic senators Manchin and Sinema.

7:22Both of them had their careers destroyed by the far left for protecting the filibuster. And you better believe every Senate Democrat internalized that lesson. Key Republican senators still resisting the call. Senate Majority Leader John Thune telling local South Dakota outlet KELO on Thursday, quote, getting rid of the filibuster is not the answer here. And frankly, there aren't the votes to do it, even if we tried. U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, a Republican, Sunday on Meet the Press arguing to preserve the Senate's structure. Yeah, we should not get rid of the filibuster. The filibuster has been a core in the United States Senate since the early 1800s.

8:00But what's unique about the filibuster and about the United States Senate, it's the only place in our government where both sides have to talk to each other. That's a good thing for America. This is the place where the grownups need to sit down and to be able to have hard conversations and say, we have differences of opinion. Let's work our differences out. In the House of Representatives, it's majority only. In the Supreme Court, majority only. In the executive branch, majority only. The Senate forces both sides to talk to each other. So I think that's good for the country. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, also a Republican, Sunday on Fox, calling on his fellow GOP colleagues to ditch the filibuster.

8:36I've got to believe every Republican believes they'll do that. But again, they are clinging. Listen, I wish the Democrats respect the filibuster. It's a good thing for the institution, but they don't. So you have to recognize that reality. I come from the private sector. A lot of realities sometimes you don't like to recognize. But if you don't, you're going to be in big trouble. And that's basically what President Trump is saying. We have to recognize that reality. If we want to do good things to the American public, we better end the filibuster on our watch. GOP Senators Jim Banks and Tommy Tuberville have also signaled they would support eliminating the filibuster.

9:12U.S. Senator Adam Schiff of California, a Democrat, Sunday on ABC saying he supports abolishing the filibuster to pass Democrat Party priorities. When you were running for Senate, you came out against the filibuster. If that comes to the Senate floor, will you vote for it? I have continued to oppose the filibuster and would be happy to do away with a filibuster. But the question is, do away with it for what reason? I would do away with it so that we can expand and protect people's freedoms and their rights. The Republicans and the president right now are talking about doing away with a filibuster so they can raise people's health care costs.

9:46That is the wrong reason to do away with a filibuster. At the Megyn Kelly live tour Thursday night, Ben Shapiro floating a possible compromise. I have sort of a happy medium counterproposal, and it was actually put forward by our friend Jeremy Boring. I thought it was quite brilliant. What he suggested is that what Republicans should do, he said this a year ago, what Republicans should do is they should say to Democrats, let's do a constitutional amendment to enshrine the filibuster permanently, and if you won't do it, then we'll nuke it. I like that. Because that's like, okay, either we're all on board or nobody's on board.

10:16We're not going to play this kind of take them on faith game, which I think is quite smart. Coming up, former CIA director John Brennan and many more subpoenaed by a federal grand jury as part of the investigation into the origins of the Russia collusion hoax. And Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is officially running for governor of New York.

10:41As President Trump is settling into his new administration, one of the top Democrats in Congress aiming to undermine the Trump agenda is Democrat Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. And according to our sponsor, the Electronic Payments Coalition, Senator Durbin has a new plan, a government takeover of your credit card. Today, Americans have thousands of choices in credit cards, but they say Senator Durbin's plan will result in less competition and less security. which means more risk for your credit and your identity. You can learn more for yourself at guardyourcard.com. And you could consider telling your senators to stop Dick Durbin's government takeover of your credit card before it's too late.

11:23A federal grand jury on Friday subpoenaing former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, with many more expected to come as part of the ongoing investigation into the origins of the Russia collusion hoax, according to Fox News. The trio served on Friday, the scope of the subpoenas unclear for now. Fox reporting up to 30 more individuals are expected to be served in the coming days in connection with the investigation. The probe, based out of the Southern District of Florida, overseen by U.S. Attorney Jason Redding Quinonez. The New York Post reporting, quote, the people targeted are seen as part of the conspiracy that peddled claims President Trump's campaign colluded with the Russian government ahead of the 2016 election.

12:10Article 3 Project founder and President Mike Davis has long argued that the Russia probe violated 18 U.S.C. Section 241, conspiracy against rights. Davis writing on X back in July, quote, when you politicize and weaponize intelligence agencies and law enforcement to go after your political opponents, that is textbook conspiracy against rights. So is this latest round of subpoenas a prelude to criminal charges? Possibly. Struck, the former FBI counterintelligence agent, opening the Trump-Russia investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane back in 2016. Struck eventually moving to special counsel Robert Mueller's team investigating possible collusion.

12:53FBI attorney Lisa Page serving briefly on the Mueller investigation as well. You may recall the two lovers' text messages uncovered during the Inspector General Michael Horowitz's probe into the investigation's origins. August 8th, 2016, Lisa Page writing to Strzok, quote, Trump's not ever going to become president, right? Right? Strzok responding, quote, no, no, he won't. We'll stop it. Those texts and many more, equally cringey, leading to Strzok's removal from the Mueller team. Strzok and Page already investigated by Inspector General Michael Horowitz for their roles, both in Crossfire Hurricane and in the Clinton email probe.

13:34IG Horowitz ultimately referring them for internal discipline rather than criminal charges. Page resigning from the FBI in 2018, Struck fired that same year. In July 2024, the Biden DOJ agreeing to pay them a$2 million settlement over the public release of their texts. Horowitz's probes did not extend to the CIA, though former Director Brennan has since come under scrutiny of his own. Fox News' first reporting in July on the criminal investigation into former CIA Director Brennan launched after a referral from current CIA Director John Ratcliffe to the DOJ. Over the summer, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, declassifying the 2020 House Intelligence Committee report, finding top intel officials, including Mr.

14:24Brennan, used flawed and selectively filtered intel to craft the Obama-ordered 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, or ICA, which claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin, quote, aspired to help then-candidate Trump win in 2016. Since then, Brennan has been referred to the DOJ for possible wrongdoing, at least once more, by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan in connection with allegedly false statements made by Brennan over the CIA's reliance on the discredited Clinton-funded opposition research known as the Steele dossier in the ICA. Chairman Jordan pointing to one example of an allegedly false statement stemming from a May 2023 transcribed interview Brennan gave to the Judiciary Committee.

15:11Congressman Matt Gates, pressing Brennan on his Russian disinformation expertise, quote, you were involved with analyzing the Steele dossier. Brennan responding, quote, no, I was not involved in analyzing the dossier at all. I said the first time I actually saw it, it was after the election and the CIA was not involved at all with the dossier. It was in the FBI's purview, their area, not ours at all. However, according to the now-released 2020 Intel report, not only was the CIA involved with that dossier, but it was Director Brennan himself who insisted on including it in the ICA, despite objections from senior CIA Intel officials.

15:54Those agents citing its serious credibility problems, arguing that it should be excluded, only to be overruled by Director Brennan, who allegedly said, quote, yes, but doesn't it ring true? Mr. Brennan has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Struck and Page have yet to weigh in. Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik on Friday officially launching her campaign for governor of New York, posting a video to social media attacking Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul over New York's affordability crisis and highlighting the governor's support for New York City Mayor-elect Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani.

16:33Kathy Hochul made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation, crushing families with sky high taxes, unaffordable rent, soaring energy costs and record high grocery bills and cozied up to a defund the police, tax hiking, anti-Semitic communist. But from the ashes of Kathy Hochul's failed policies, New York will rise like we always do. The spirit of the empire state cannot be broken. Elise Stefanik will make New York affordable and safe. People in New York, no matter if you're a Republican, independent or Democrat, enough is enough. We are the most unaffordable state in the nation because of single party Democrat rule led by Kathy Hochul.

17:21In an accompanying post, Congresswoman Stefanik unveiling a strategy of tying the governor to Mayor-elect Momdani, writing, quote, When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our governor, she bent the knee to the raging defund the police tax-hiking communist causing catastrophe for New York families. Political reporting, Republicans hold a vast voter enrollment disadvantage in New York, and no GOP candidate has won statewide office since 2002. Axios reporting Stefanik's team aims to win over independents and moderate Democrats alienated by Mamdani and his socialist policies. Complicating Governor Hochul's re-election effort, a primary challenge from her own Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, who launched his campaign in June.

18:08The Lieutenant Governor says he's open to increasing taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. Axios summing up Team Stefanik's characterization of Governor Hochul's predicament as such, If Hochul greenlights Mamdani's request for tax increases to pay for his affordability push, the governor would turn off moderates and independents. But if she turns Mamdani down, she risks alienating his coalition of voters she wants to turn out for her in 2026. Politico also reporting Mamdani's anti-Israel views poll poorly in New York suburbs. Congresswoman Stefanik is a notable House voice against anti-Semitism, best demonstrated in this moment from a December 2023 hearing with Ivy League presidents over their handling of on-campus antisemitism.

18:56Do you understand your testimony is dehumanizing them? Do you understand that dehumanization is part of antisemitism? I will ask you one more time, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard's rules of bullying and harassment, yes or no. It depends on the context. It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes, and this is why you should resign. These are unacceptable answers across the board. An October poll by conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute showing Congresswoman Stefanik leading Governor Hochul by one point, 43 to 42, in a hypothetical matchup. That poll, markedly different from one in September conducted by Siena College, showing Governor Hochul leading Stefanik by 25 points, 52 to 27.

19:48Election day is November 3rd, 2026. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for The Megan Kelly Show, live on SiriusXM's The Megan Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly, and on all podcast platforms.