Fox News host Megyn Kelly says Donald Trump is an ‘effective’ candidate

IT’S the TV host Donald Trump loves to hate and openly attack. But Megyn Kelly has hit back, damning him with faint praise and saying he must try harder.

In this Jan. 28, 2016 photo, Moderator Megyn Kelly waits for the start of the Republican presidential primary debate in Des Moines, Iowa. Kelly, in an interview with Charlie Rose to air on CBS "Sunday Morning" on Sunday, April 3, said she wished colleague Bill O'Reilly had done more to defend her when he interviewed Trump before a January debate that the Republican skipped because he wanted Kelly removed as a moderator. She also criticized CNN for airing portions of a Trump rally on the night of that same debate. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

JOURNALIST Megyn Kelly has addressed her fiery feud with Donald Trump, saying, “If he could pull himself back in just somewhat, he would be so effective”.

“He’s already so effective, he could be so much more effective,” said the Fox News anchor in an interview that will air in the US on Sunday morning.

Kelly was asked if the friction between her and the Republican frontrunner stemmed from the August 2015 debate, reported the New York Post.

“Yes, it did,” she said. “Clearly, because Mr Trump and I didn’t really have a relationship at all prior to that.”

As for the vitriol she seems to inspire in Trump, Kelly chalked it up to the mogul hating that he can’t manipulate what she says on her show or during debates.

“I think it’s very clear to him that he cannot control the editorial on my show, or from me, in a debate or other setting,” she said.

“Just that? That’s all it is?” CBS Sunday Morning host Charlie Rose asked.

“I wouldn’t want to speculate beyond that,” Kelly replied.

The journalist conceded that her back and forth with Trump has given her more exposure.

“One of our babysitters is from Peru,” Kelly explained.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign stop.

“And she came home one day and told us that she saw my name in the Peruvian papers. I don’t think that ever happened before this particular dust-up. So I’m gonna have to give him that point. I certainly think it’s gotten me much more exposure.”

The anchor also said she understands why Mr Trump could never be banned from Fox News, despite the insults he’s been slinging at her.

“What he really wants is oxygen, you know, he wants television time,” Kelly said.

“So the only thing that is really meaningful to him, the only consequence that would actually have an effect on him, we cannot enact because it would be insane. You cannot ban the presidential front runner from a channel.”

As Kelly said, the feud with Trump erupted last year when she helmed a debate between US Republican presidential hopefuls.

Zeroing in on Trump, Kelly quizzed him on past derogatory remarks he had made towards women.

In an interview with CNN following the debate, a fired-up Trump said, “I just don’t respect her as a journalist. I don’t think she’s very good, I think she’s highly overrated.

“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions, and you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.”

Many interpreted Trump’s comment as suggesting Kelly was on her period. He later tweeted that he actually meant a nosebleed.