McConnell Makes Senate Return, Hayden Panettiere Death Probe, China's AI Response: AM Update 9/15

0:00What's better than watching college football? Watching it on your own terms with sling. Sling lets you watch your favorite college teams on ESPN your way, starting at just 499. Whether you want a quick day pass for 24 hours of non-stop action, a three day or seven day pass or a monthly plan or a full season pass, sling gives you total control over how you watch. Watch college ball your way? Sling lets you do that. Learn more at sling.com. Good morning everyone, I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, September 15th, 2026 and this is your AM update. After three months out of the public view and mounting speculation about his condition, Senator Mitch McConnell returning to Capitol Hill yesterday in a wheelchair. A possible fentanyl-laced pill, the suspected cause of actress Hayden Penetier's death. We have to do them prudently, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop it industry. The great AI debate going global, China pushing back against calls to slow development as President

1:04Trump warns America cannot afford to fall behind. There's like a sense that sort of like woke one was over, but that's just not true. And I do think that we continue to expand the number of things that people can't talk about. And a failing grade for free speech on America's college campuses as nearly half the schools in a new nationwide ranking earn an F. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update. Feeling sluggish, bloated, not quite like yourself? Life constantly bombards us with silent threats, processed foods, artificial light, nonstop stress, all of which can disrupt gut health, drain energy, and weaken immune health. When that happens, it's not that your body is broken. It's that it might be missing the right inputs. This is why I want to tell you about Armra colustrum. It's packed with more than 400 bioactive nutrients that they say can work at a foundational level to fortify gut health, support immune health, fuel recovery, and promote whole body vitality.

2:09Strong gut integrity can support metabolism, skin and hair health, and even performance and recovery, which is why colustrum has long been valued by some elite athletes as well. If you are looking to take back control of your health from the inside out, consider Armra. And they have a special deal for you. Go to armra.com slash Megan or enter Megan to get 30% off your first subscription order. That's 8RMRA.com slash Megan. After more than three months away from Washington, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky, returning to the Capitol yesterday, putting an end to weeks of questions about whether he would come back at all. The 84 year old former Senate leaders seen leaving his Washington home in a wheelchair, flashing a thumbs up before being quickly helped into an SUV and driven to the Senate. Ahead of the vote, Senator McConnell telling reporters it was, quote, time to get back to work and to, quote, finish the job for this Congress, identifying the Farm Bill and continued support for NATO allies fighting Russia among his priorities.

3:12The Senator arriving on the Senate floor just minutes before the Monday vote, casting the deciding yes vote to advance the nomination of President Trump's pick, Matthew Byrne, to serve as a federal judge in Southern Ohio. The 47 to 46 vote in favor of closure or allowing a substantive vote on the nominee, clearing the way for a separate confirmation vote in the coming days. Senator McConnell's return coming after he acknowledged in a statement that he is still not fully recovered, describing the past three months as a, quote, long and often frustrating process. Mr. McConnell adding that he will continue physical therapy while promising majority leader Thune that he will do his best to return for a close vote whenever Republicans need him. Senator McConnell hospitalized June 14 after his team says he fell inside his Washington home and briefly lost consciousness later revealing that doctors also treated him for a mild case of pneumonia. EMT dispatches from the scene reported a cardiac arrest and that CPR was administered, the

4:16Senator later denying that he had a heart attack. Senator McConnell eventually transferred to a rehab facility for turning home in early August to continue his recovery. The lack of public information surrounding his condition fueling intense speculation during his absence as Mr. McConnell gave no interviews and his office released only two photographs during his recovery. His return coming at a critical moment for Senate Republicans ahead of a major vote today on cryptocurrency legislation. Senator McConnell's vote expected to prove essential Wednesday as well when Republicans make another attempt to advance their stalled Farm Bill out of committee. The previous committee vote falling one vote short during McConnell's absence forcing party leaders to postpone another attempt until his return. Senator McConnell now entering the final months of a Senate career spanning more than four decades. His term expires in January after a record 18 years leading Senate Republicans.

5:19New details emerging in the investigation into the death of actress Hayden Penetier as authorities reportedly focus on a suspected fentanyl laced pill and the dealer who may have supplied it. TMZ reporting multiple law enforcement sources believe Penetier took an oxycodone pill containing fentanyl on the morning of her death. The outlets sources saying the 36 year old actress reportedly obtained oxycodone and other black market prescription drugs from a longtime dealer in LA taking several of those drugs while flying to South Carolina the previous day. However, this is reportedly only the working theory, not yet an official cause of death. The Greenville County Coroner's Office saying Penetiers cause and manner of death remain undetermined as investigators await the results of toxicology tests. TMZ's law enforcement sources similarly acknowledging those results will determine whether their theory is correct. DEA agents in LA and South Carolina reportedly working alongside local authorities to trace

6:23the suspected pill, including examining Penetiers alleged relationship with the dealer. Her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, reportedly speaking with the DEA as part of that investigation. Hickerson giving first responders a bag containing Penetiers medications after she was found unresponsive inside their South Carolina rental. He reportedly administered Narcan before paramedics arrived. The case drying comparisons to the death of rapper Mac Miller in 2018 at the age of 26, multiple individuals convicted of supplying him with counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. A representative for Penetier telling page six the investigation remains ongoing and describing the case as complex, adding that they hope to have more answers soon. Coming up, China rejecting calls to slow the pace of artificial intelligence advancement as President Trump dismisses fears of a technological takeover and vows the U.S. will remain in the

7:24lead. And a new poll reveals nearly one in three college students still says violence can be an acceptable response to speech. We're still a couple months out, but the midterms are fast approaching and make no mistake if the House flips. It is a very big deal for our economy. That uncertainty is one of the reasons to consider diversifying with gold from Birch Gold Group. In the three months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, the price of gold jumped over 12 percent. Why it's a hedge against uncertainty. If you do not own gold, consider talking with Birch Gold. They will discuss your goals and explain how precious metals can fit into your savings. They can even help you convert an existing IRA or 401k into an IRA in gold for no additional money out of pocket. Text the letters MK to the number 989898 and get a free Info Kit and some solid information.

8:25The midterms will be here before you know it. Text MK to 989898 now. China now weighing in on the great AI debate. Britain calls from American tech leaders to slow development and accusing them of using safety concerns to undermine Beijing's growing AI industry. The dispute erupting after Anthropics CEO Dario Amadeh proposed new government oversight and greater coordination among leading AI companies to prevent the technology from advancing faster than researchers can safely control it. Amadeh also calling for tighter restrictions on advanced AI chips reaching China, arguing the US must preserve its technological advantage while pursuing broader international safety agreements. Open AI CEO Sam Altman and XAI founder Elon Musk broadly agreeing that the industry needs to move more slowly and cautiously while critics argue the largest companies could use new regulations to box out smaller competitors.

9:27A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman responding yesterday by accusing American AI companies of spreading what he called, quote, threat narratives and engaging in confrontation and malicious competition. The spokesman telling reporters China favors open and inclusive AI development warning that a slowdown would disrupt international cooperation and benefit no one according to the Chinese state run China daily. The Communist Party aligned global times going further portraying Amadeh's proposal as part of a quote Cold War playbook intended to preserve American technological dominance and to hold back Chinese competitors Beijing nonetheless acknowledging serious risks from the tech itself. The Financial Times reporting China's Ministry of State Security on Sunday, issuing its first public statement focused on AI warning that foreign adversaries could use deep fakes, fabricated content and automated troll networks to spread political rumors and inflamed divisions inside China.

10:29State Security Minister Chen Ye-shin also reportedly raising concerns about AI-powered cyber attacks, military vulnerabilities and Chinese companies exposing sensitive information by using foreign AI tools. The Chinese warnings focus on specific national security threats rather than the possibility of AI, you know, wiping out humanity, offering no support for slowing the country's own development of the technology. Here at home Vice President J.D. Vance yesterday expressing similar skepticism toward the American executives asking Washington to intervene. You know, it's something that we're concerned by, but we want to make sure that we actually regulate smartly and we're thoughtful about the risk here. So there are obviously risks to AI. There are some benefits to AI. I have to say just personally, I feel a little bit weird about the fact that you have so many frontier AI tech companies kind of coming to the government and begging the government to regulate them. It feels a little bit to me like a bit of a Trojan horse.

11:31So I think we just have to be careful about this. Throughout the day President Trump also firing off a series of truth social posts, arguing the government already has sufficient authority to punish AI companies that cross the line. The president accusing critics of trying to cripple a transformative American industry and hand China an advantage while dismissing the most catastrophic predictions and insisting the US must remain in the lead. Mr. Trump also calling into the all-in podcast summit yesterday as Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang appeared on stage. Well, I know about AI. I know I also have common sense about AI. The robots will not be taken over. The AI will not be taken over the rest of the world. The whole thing is our hoax. Now with that we have to be a little bit careful. We have to do things and we have to do them prudently. But that doesn't mean we're going to stop an industry because as we work on the next 10 years about how to destroy it.

12:32So I'm with you all the way. I didn't even know how you felt about it. I assumed you felt the same way as me. Yes. And we're going to lead. And I have an expression. It's whoever wins AI wins. That's how big it is. It's bigger than the internet. And whoever wins AI wins. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to meet at the White House September 24th. AI safety expected to be among the issues on the agenda. Sounds like it could be a short discussion. Nearly half of the colleges included in a new nationwide survey receiving a failing grade for their campus speech climate. The foundation for individual rights and expression or fire, finding 121 of the 261 schools in its annual college free speech rankings, earn an F. While 30% of students say violence can be acceptable, at least in rare circumstances, to stop someone from speaking on campus, a four point decline from last year. The report arriving one year after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University

13:36while engaging students in political debate. UVU falling from 71st place last year to 210th this year as students there report growing self-censorship and declining comfort expressing controversial views. That'll happen when someone's killed for speaking on your campus. At Utah Valley, Charlie Kirk now ranking as the single most difficult subject for students to discuss while nationwide he ranks third behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and President Trump. We spoke with fire president and CEO Greg Lukyanov asking how Charlie Kirk's assassination continues to shape campus speech one year later. I visited Utah Valley not too about a month after Charlie was murdered. And it was clear that both students had come together trying to recover from witnessing something so terrible. But it was also clear that students were still afraid to talk about it. And we've seen this trend nationally is that students all over the country are afraid

14:39to even discuss the murder of Charlie Kirk. It's been added to the list of radioactive topics on campus. Researchers examining not only which subjects students avoid, but how often they censor themselves, whether they tolerate controversial speakers and whether they trust administrators to defend free expression when controversy erupts. The findings complicate a growing perception that campus culture wars at the past decade had begun to fade. I think there's like a sense that sort of like woke one was over, but that's just not true. And I do think that we continue to expand the number of things that people can't talk about. Meanwhile, you know, it's turning off a lot of people from higher ed, particularly young men. So I think it's going to higher higher ed, which could potentially decrease our polarization is, you know, turning it up to 11. Some universities showing how dramatically a campus can improve while most of the others continue losing the trust of their own students.

15:40Luke Yanaugh pointing to the factor he believes most clearly separates the two overwhelmingly. What makes a good, just to wish is a good school from a bad school is leadership. That's been made very clear by schools like Dartmouth and Vanderbilt that are both in the top 10 now. They weren't always great on free speech. They got excellent leadership and they rocketed up the charts and they really mean it. Chicago has a combination of great leadership, but also a reputation for being in place where people can actually talk and more serious minded students tend to go. So it's hard to beat a place that has that long standing reputation where they get the kind of students already mature enough to talk across lines with difference. And why you though? I mean, you know, a lot of the schools in New York also Columbia. I mean, they just don't seem to know what they're doing at all and their students appropriately don't trust them. The University of Chicago taking the top spot for the third time in seven years while New

16:41York University finishes dead last. The overall picture remaining bleak though fire says this year's findings provide some reasons for very cautious optimism. The number of schools receiving failing grades falling from 166 last year to 121 this year, though just 24 schools receive a C or better. The average campus score reaching its highest level since the rankings began seven years ago, though that average corresponds to a D minus on the reports grading scale. We asked Luke Yanov what the University of Chicago, the highest scoring school in the rankings, would need to do to earn an A. I think some of the easiest stuff that they could do is a decrease the number of students who think violence is okay in response to free speech. They already have a relatively low number of those students, but I still think it covers around 20% which is nuts. A lot of students are coming in believing that they have a right to decide for everyone

17:43else who they can hear. And that's something that that school should be actively screening against. Luke Yanov arguing that the message should begin before students ever arrive on a college campus. If it came down from Yale and Harvard, all these schools to the big K through 12 theater schools to say, listen, if we, if it indicated thus, you're the kind of person who believes that they have a right not to hear things that offend them and nobody else may either, that we don't want you. That would change attitudes quick and they could work it into the essays. They could talk about tolerance and curiosity. There's a million ways higher I could fix this. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK show live on Series XM's The Megan Kelly Channel 11 at New East on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly and on all podcast platforms. Running a business is hard enough. So why make it harder with a dozen different apps that don't talk to each other?

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