Jesse Kelly
ON THE RECORD · 18 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“For a while, that was the case. But like any other politician, same for all of them, you don’t stay hot forever. It’s not possible. No matter what, we’re nearing the end of the Trump era because his last term’s almost over and people are going to start looking around for the next guy.”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said over lunch that no politician stays popular forever and the Trump era is nearing its end.
“a tiny percentage who worship everything he says and does”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly described a tiny percentage of Trump supporters as those who worship everything the president says and does.
“When he was the bee’s knees there for a while on the right, honestly, it was easy radio, easy podcasting, easy TV to just sit down and just powder Trump’s butt all day long,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said over lunch at a Red Lobster in Webster, Texas, that praising Trump was once easy for conservative media hosts.
“Unless I’ve gone through a metal detector, I have a weapon on me,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said he carries a weapon on him unless he has gone through a metal detector.
“When Trump does something I don’t like, I’ll say it. And I’ll say it when he does stuff I like,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said he will speak honestly about Trump whether he approves or disapproves of the president's actions.
“I think if you told Donald Trump that he’d still be stuck over there with $4-a-gallon gas a month before the election, I think he probably would’ve made a different call,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly criticized Trump for starting a war with Iran before an election he expects to be rough for Republicans.
“That’s what the audience wanted to hear.”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly was explaining over lunch why pro-Trump content was easy to produce.
“sick, evil and demonic”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly referred to Democrats as sick, evil and demonic on a recent show.
“I just got out of the Marine Corps and got mad and decided to run for Congress,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly recalled that he ran for Congress because he was angry after leaving the Marine Corps.
“I think a huge percentage of Trump’s supporters have always understood that Trump has flaws like any other human being has flaws,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said most Trump supporters understand the president has flaws like any other human being.
“It would suck to be in Congress.”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said he is now thankful he lost his congressional races because being in Congress would be unpleasant.
“the safest thing you can possibly do is everything Maga, all the time”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly believes that doing everything Maga all the time is the safest approach, though he has chosen a different path.
“Those are just generally ridiculous and stupid human beings. But the large percentage of Trump supporters are not sheep.”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly called the small group of unconditional Trump supporters ridiculous and stupid, while saying the large majority are not sheep.
“I don’t think it’s supposed to work out that way,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said in an interview that his quick rise in radio was not supposed to work out the way it did.
“I’ll probably never fully understand why people love it the way they love it,”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said he will probably never fully understand why people love his show the way they do.
“the phone call everybody who does what I do wants”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly described getting a call from Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott offering him a job as the call everyone in his field wants.
“I just would rather do it off the top of my head.”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said he prefers working off the cuff rather than from prepared lines, as he did during his congressional campaigns.
“a lot of people”
Jesse Kelly · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23
Kelly said a lot of people in conservative media care about securing a White House invite, but he claims to be uninterested.