Mayland Gov. Wes Moore is seen as a rising star on the left who could be a contender in the 2028 Democratic primary. While he has been coy about his intentions, the first-term governor has been upping his media availability as of late – and Moore is quickly learning that with increased attention comes increased scrutiny.
In the past week, Moore has repeatedly had to dodge questions about awards he did and did not receive during his military career; and he was spotted vacationing on George Clooney’s yacht in Lake Como, Italy, as the largest city in his state, Baltimore, is being eyed by the Trump administration due to rising crime.
On Tuesday’s show, Megyn was joined by Ben Shapiro, author of Lions and Scavengers, to discuss the controversies and what it means for his presidential ambitions.
Bronze Star Controversy
Moore served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 16 years and deployed to Afghanistan from August 2005 until March 2006. He earned multiple service awards, including a National Defense Service Medal, but he has been under scrutiny for erroneously claiming on 2006 application for a White House fellowship that he was awarded a Bronze Star.
Moore has long blamed the application mistake on Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel, a mentor who allegedly told him to include the mention because he had been recommended for the honor. But he cannot blame Fenzel for what he allowed to transpire for years after.
What both Fox News’ Will Cain and ABC News’ Martha Raddatz grilled him about in recent interviews is the fact that Moore allowed interviewers to introduce him as a Bronze Star recipient on multiple occasions long after the 2006 application mishap without correction.
Moore was eventually awarded a Bronze Star after becoming governor in 2024, but he has not yet formulated a satisfactory response to the discrepancy. He kept returning to the familiar refrain of “I am proud of my service” while speaking with both Cain and Raddatz, and neither let him off the hook.
On Friday, Moore’s office issued a formal statement “on his military record,” in which he once again reiterated he is “proud” of his service and blamed the “deputy brigade commander” who “encouraged [him] to fill out an application” for the White House role and include the award, which he had been nominated for but not received, on his resume.
He also took a swipe at President Donald Trump, who suggested on Truth Social that the misrepresentation could mark the “end” of his political career. “Over the last few weeks, our country has grown used to seeing what it looks like when a veteran’s integrity is attacked for political gain,” the statement read. “But those who seek to cast doubt on our records misunderstand something fundamental about true patriots, who have put on the flag of our country and put everything on the line to be called Americans: We don’t get shaken.”
Setting Sail
Trump and Moore have been trading barbs since the president suggested Baltimore could be among the cities targeted as part of his administration’s crime crackdown. After the governor invited him to walk the streets of the city with him, Trump responded on Truth Social that he “would much prefer that he clean up this [c]rime disaster before I go there for a ‘walk.’”
“P.S. Baltimore is ranked the 4th WORST CITY IN THE NATION IN CRIME & MURDER,” Trump added. “Stop talking and get to work, Wes. I’ll then see you on the streets!!!”
The “work” might have to wait, however, for Moore to return from a swanky vacay. The Daily Mail obtained photos of the governor and his wife enjoying themselves onboard Clooney’s yacht in Italy over the weekend.
His comms director later confirmed the lavish trip to FOX 5 DC, saying: “The Governor paid for a trip to celebrate his wife’s 50th birthday.”
Wargaming 2028
Megyn said Moore is following in the footsteps of several deep blue governors and mayors in trying to raise his national profile. “From Brandon Johnson of Chicago to [JB] Pritzker, the governor out in Illinois… to [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom and so on… he is now making news the way everybody wants to make news these days,” she noted. “Which is to make themselves an adversary of Trump.”
That is why she believes Moore is out there saying “I don’t want your help… Don’t send any troops here,” but he is doing so as “people are getting shot and killed in his city” and “he’s on George Clooney’s yacht over on Lake Como Italy.”
In Megyn’s view, the optics are “a nightmare” that “actually could come back to haunt him as he potentially runs,” but she believes the Stolen Valor claims could prove just as damaging. “These Democrats with their Stolen Valor,” she added. “It truly is deeply immoral to say that you have the Bronze Star when you don’t. He wasn’t confused… You know whether you’ve received the Bronze Star or not.”
While Shapiro agreed that neither reflects well on the governor, he believes how much these types of controversies play into the 2028 election will depend on where the country is at. “I think that when we get to 2028, the biggest thing is going to be the economy,” he predicted. “If the economy is good in 2028, then J.D. [Vance is a] shoo-in, basically, if he is the nominee. And if the economy is bad, then things will get real dicey, real fast.”
“I’m old enough to remember when Republicans thought we would never lose an election again after 2004, and then, by 2006, Democrats were running the Congress and, by 2008, Barack Obama was president,” he continued. “And I’m also old enough to remember when Democrats thought they would never lose another election after 2012 and then, lo and behold four years later, Donald Trump was president of the United States. So, things shift real fast in this country.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Shapiro by tuning in to episode 1,139 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.