UK PM Duped by Wiles Impersonator, Clancy Defense Begins, Lifeguard Honored at WH: AM Update 8/18

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0:32Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, and this is your AM Update. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly exchanging messages with someone impersonating White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. What did she tell you? She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children. The prosecution resting its case in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial as the defense begins presenting evidence about her mental state before the killings. The U.S. Supreme Court rejecting President Trump's final effort to overturn the$5 million verdict awarded to E. Jean Carroll. Both of you people have to be very proud.

1:12The whole group is proud. Teen lifeguard Ryder Williams honored at the White House alongside the 10-year-old boy he rescued from the violent California surf. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.

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2:58It is unclear what exactly they discussed or when Burnham first began communicating with the person. The situation reportedly concerning British officials enough that the UK embassy in Washington raised it with the White House. Downing Street declining to comment, citing national security. Wiles reportedly telling associates then that contacts from her personal cell phone had been hacked, potentially giving the impersonator access to private numbers belonging to influential people. However, the White House telling Politico the incident had, quote, nothing to do with the chief of staff's devices being hacked.

3:33President Trump asked about the report yesterday during an unrelated Oval Office event, though he did not appear familiar with the story. The incident comes roughly a year after a separate impersonation campaign involving Wiles. The Wall Street Journal reporting at the time that senators, governors, and prominent business executives had received calls and text messages from someone pretending to be the White House chief of staff, prompting an investigation by the FBI and White House. It is unclear whether that investigation ever identified who was behind the impersonation campaign and whether the person who reportedly contacted Burnham is connected.

4:12The prosecution resting its case yesterday in the murder trial of Massachusetts mother, Lindsay Clancy, as the trial enters its fourth week of testimony. Prosecutors calling roughly 70 witnesses over their case before the defense beginning to present its own evidence yesterday afternoon. Five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson, and eight-month-old Callan Clancy were killed inside their family's home in Massachusetts on January 24, 2023. Clancy not disputing that she killed her children before attempting to take her own life, suffering spinal injuries that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

4:51Clancy pleading not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, with her attorneys arguing she should not be held criminally responsible because she was suffering from severe mental illness, including what they say was postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors arguing Clancy understood what she was doing and acted intentionally, contending she sent her husband Patrick to pick up takeout and medicine before killing the children. Under Massachusetts law, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clancy was criminally responsible at the time. After the Commonwealth rested, defense attorney Kevin Reddington, asking the judge for a required finding of not guilty or, alternatively, to reduce the charges from first-degree to second-degree murder.

5:35Judge William Sullivan denying the motion for now, clearing the way for the defense to begin calling witnesses. Clancy's sister, Allison Osga, among the first defense witnesses, describing a decline in her sister's mental health in the months before the killings. Osga testifying that by December, she knew Clancy was experiencing suicidal thoughts and receiving psychiatric treatment, recalling her sister feeling numb and hopeless. Osga saying Clancy initially appeared to improve after leaving McLean Hospital, where she had sought mental health treatment, but still seemed to be struggling when Osga saw her roughly two weeks before the children were killed.

6:13On cross-examination, Osga telling prosecutors she is a social worker and mandated reporter, meaning she is legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect, saying she never believed the children were in danger. Clancy's mother, Paula Musgrove, then taking the stand, describing growing concern over changes she saw in her daughter beginning in the fall of 2022. Musgrove recalling an October message from Clancy, telling her, quote, I'm really sick, something is wrong, prompting Musgrove to travel from Connecticut to stay with the family. Musgrove testifying Clancy continued struggling through November and December, losing weight, becoming increasingly fearful, and repeatedly telling her mother she did not feel like herself.

6:57Musgrove then recalling a conversation in December when Clancy revealed something even more concerning. I know that this is difficult in December of 2022. Do you recall the time that you were in the kitchen with Lindsay and Patrick and she made a statement about her state of mind to her husband, Pat, and you were there? Yes. I know it's difficult. Just tell us what you remember. I remember her being very nervous. I remember her saying, I just have to tell you guys something. And then she told us. What did she tell you? She told us that she had thoughts of harming the children. Thank you very much.

7:42Prosecutors focusing on evidence suggesting Clancy appeared to be improving closer to the killings, including a January 22nd message Musgrove sent her daughter saying, it was nice to see her doing better. Musgrove pushing back on that interpretation, testifying she still had concerns and intended the message as encouragement while her daughter was trying to get better. The defense ending the day with testimony from emergency room physician Dr. Michael Volfovich, who did not treat Clancy but reviewed her medical records at the defense's request. Reddington attempting to have Volfovich weigh in on whether Clancy's injuries indicated a genuine attempt to take her own life, with a judge preventing the doctor from offering an opinion about her intent based on the wounds.

8:28Volfovich ultimately testifying the injuries were, quote, consistent with self-injurious behavior. Prosecutors declining to cross-examine him, the judge then adjourning court for the day, the trial set to resume later today. Coming up, President Trump reaching the end of the road in his appeal of the$5 million E.G. Carroll verdict. And teen lifeguard Ryder Williams recognized at the White House, joined by the 10-year-old boy whose life he saved.

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9:48If you are looking to take back control of your health from the inside out, consider Armra, and they have a special deal right now for you. Go to armra.com slash Megan or enter Megan to get 30 % off when you check out of your first subscription order. That's A-R-M-R-A dot com slash M-E-G-Y-N. The Supreme Court yesterday declining for a second time to take up President Trump's bid to overturn the$5 million civil verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll, bringing the appeals process in that case to an end. Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, first publicly accusing Mr. Trump in 2019 of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-1990s.

10:35The president repeatedly denying the allegation, maintaining he never assaulted Carroll and does not know her, describing her claims as a politically motivated hoax. Carol suing Mr. Trump for defamation later that year over statements he made denying her allegations. Then in 2022, Carol filing a second lawsuit, this one including both a sexual abuse claim stemming from the alleged department store encounter and another defamation claim over statements Mr. Trump made that year. The lawsuit made possible after New York enacted the Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year time frame for adults to bring claims of sexual assault, regardless of how long ago the alleged abuse happened.

11:17The second lawsuit reaching trial first, with a federal jury in 2023 finding President Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarding Carroll$5 million in damages. The jury not finding Mr. Trump liable for rape. President Trump appealing, arguing in part that the trial was unfair because jurors were allowed to hear other allegations of sexual misconduct and the infamous Access Hollywood tape. A three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the verdict, the full appeals court later declining to reconsider that decision. Mr. Trump then taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

11:55In June, the justices declining to hear his appeal for the first time, his attorneys then making the highly unusual move of asking the high court to reconsider that decision, which was denied yesterday, the justices not offering an explanation. Carroll already receiving more than$5.6 million last month, the award plus interest after a federal judge ordered the money Trump had deposited while appealing, released to her, following the Supreme Court's initial decision not to hear the case. That ends the legal fight over the$5 million verdict. The other case, stemming from Carroll's first lawsuit, still ongoing.

12:32A different jury in January 2024, awarding Carroll$83.3 million in damages, the Second Circuit later upholding that judgment too. President Trump now asking the Supreme Court to overturn that, arguing in part that he is immune from being sued over statements he made while serving as president. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether it will hear that appeal. 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams visiting the White House yesterday, reuniting in the Oval Office with 10-year-old Nathaniel Rye, the boy he rescued from the violent California surf last month. The meeting coming after dramatic video of the July 25th rescue at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz spread across social media, catching President Trump's attention.

13:21Ryder, a first-year lifeguard, spotting Nathaniel losing his footing in the water, then racing into surf reportedly reaching up to 10 feet as the boy was swept farther from shore. The video showing Ryder locking both arms around Nathaniel as wave after wave crashes over them, refusing to let go as the surf repeatedly drags the pair back toward the ocean. Another lifeguard eventually reaching them, with rescuers and bystanders forming a human chain closer to shore to help bring Nathaniel to safety. Nathaniel's father previously telling ABC7 the 10-year-old lost consciousness during the ordeal and saying he believes another two or three seconds could have made the difference between life and death.

14:03Ryder later returning to his lifeguard tower and continuing to work, making additional rescues that same day. President Trump inviting Ryder and Nathaniel to the White House after seeing the viral footage, previously announcing that Ryder would receive what he described as a, quote, high civilian honor. The president praising both boys during Monday's Oval Office visit. We're honored to have all of you. And again, what you did was incredible. And everybody saw it. And you'd watch it over and over. And then when I first saw it, I said, roll that back. I want to see that again. Is that really happening?

14:40And both of you people have to be very proud. The whole group is proud. and your father is the happiest man in the world, you know? Because I asked him a question. I said, so if that didn't happen, your life would be ruined. And you said it would be a whole different life, right? Absolutely. Amazing. It's incredible what Ryder did. I'm just beyond grateful to him and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the good Samaritans that were there. I mean, it's just such a privilege to be sitting next to him today and be able to celebrate his birthday tomorrow. A reporter asking President Trump what young Americans should take away from Ryder's actions.

15:39An unbelievable experience. Anybody watching, like, it's not my world, but I respect that world, I always had, but never maybe so much as I do now. So I thought you'd bring, you know, to your profession, to what you do, and what you do so well, you brought tremendous grace and experience, really tremendous grace, tremendous feeling that it's so amazing to see this happen, to see it before your eyes. I just thought it was really a very worthwhile event to have it at the Oval Office, so congratulations. Ryder then reflecting on what was going through his mind during the rescue and what he hopes comes next.

16:21In those dangerous moments that we have, we always try to fall back on our training. We are trained so well by many to handle that situation as best we can, so I'm really just thinking about how to get the boy out of the water as fast as I can. And for shaping my future, I want to be a firefighter in the future, Hopefully go through paramedic school. Is this a good start? We'll give him recommendations. You may have some good recommendations. Ryder receiving a certificate of commendation during the visit, the question and answer session later taking a much different turn as President Trump clashed with CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes.

16:58Holmes first asking the president about comments from Democrat Senator John Ossoff of Georgia, who accused Mr. Trump at a campaign rally Sunday of being more interested in building his White House ballroom and traveling with executive assistant Natalie Harp than doing his job. Later in the availability, the president discussing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after directing the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. Another reporter asking about the decision before Holmes shouted a follow-up question about whether Kim Jong-un had requested the change, President Trump then singling her out.

17:37Quiet. You're very disrespectful in front of this young man. Okay. Don't you find her disrespectful? He understands. Quiet. Who are you with? I'm with CNN. Fake news. You're fake news. You're a loud, boisterous person. You're fake news. Be quiet. Be quiet. Be quiet. You're a fake reporter and you report fake news. Go ahead. The Trump administration's Rapid Response 47 account later responding to Holmes's earlier question about Senator Ossoff's comments, calling Holmes, quote, a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession and accusing her of using the Oval Office vent to take, quote, a cheap shot at a member of the president's staff.

18:25The Post adding, quote, quote, these scumbags are the lowest of the low. CNN responding with a statement of its own, reading in part, quote, public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with, but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press. We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms. And that'll do it for your AM Update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK Show, live on Sirius XM's The Megyn Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on YouTube.com slash Megyn Kelly, and on all podcast platforms.

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