Megyn Kelly calls fake news on an NBC News tweet about Pete Buttigieg that's since been deleted and corrected

A lot of people — well, Lawfare executive editor Susan Hennessey in particular — are giving Megyn Kelly a hard time for calling out NBC News for fake news; that is, that Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay member of a president’s cabinet. A lot of journos passed along the historic news earlier today, with the more sly ones noting that their criteria include that the person be nominated and confirmed by the Senate.

More #fakenews from NBC. Congrats to @RichardGrenell (& President Trump) for *actually* breaking this barrier. Nice to see someone else walking the path they paved. https://t.co/UAu5hUdA2D

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) February 2, 2021

Grenell was never confirmed, nor was he ever even nominated, to a position in the presidential cabinet. https://t.co/YksV1HX1Ny

— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) February 2, 2021

I don't know if he was the first ever openly gay acting member of the cabinet. He may have been, which itself would break a barrier. But NBC's tweet is not "fake news," but rather a factually and contextually accurate statement on the occasion of a historic confirmation vote.

— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) February 2, 2021

If NBC News’s tweet wasn’t fake news, why did they delete it? It’s gone.

The Senate on Thursday voted 56-42 to confirm Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the ambassadorship to Germany.

Coming on the heels of Mike Pompeo’s confirmation as secretary of state, Grenell’s confirmation fills a position that has been vacant since January 2017 when Trump dismissed the political ambassadors appointed under President Barack Obama.

So you weren’t “Acting”?

— Patricia ??? (@pilarwish) February 2, 2021

Moving the goalposts again?

Read the vacancy act, Pat.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 2, 2021

You see @RichardGrenell doesn’t count for some b/c he worked for Trump. Oh wait, er, I mean…it’s bc he was only an “acting” cab. memb. Got it?
Except someone should tell the NYT: “Mr. Grenell, is also thought to be the first openly gay cabinet member.”https://t.co/Q4CKyNJwKU https://t.co/edHPGZgenV

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) February 2, 2021

Yes, Grenell served briefly (Feb-May '20) as acting DNI, which is historic, but never confirmed, thus not official Cabinet member in sense that textbooks record without the *acting asterisk. It may seem like semantics but it is quite significant in how we lay out scholarly facts.

— Christopher Nichols (@CMcKNichols) February 2, 2021

Again, nice goalpost-shifting. Here’s NBC News’ correction:

Correction: Buttigieg is first openly gay person to be confirmed as a Cabinet secretary.

Under Pres. Trump, Richard Grenell served as acting director of national intelligence and is openly gay, but did not face confirmation as an acting director.

A new tweet will be issued. pic.twitter.com/mKRFDGp2Gs

— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2021

Facts:

Frances Perkins, who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, was the first woman and known LGBT person to serve in the Cabinet.

Richard Grenell was the first openly gay man to serve in the Cabinet.

Pete Buttigeig is the first confirmed by the Senate. https://t.co/JXclwLxNiS

— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) February 3, 2021

Why is it so hard to admit that Buttigieg isn’t the first openly gay cabinet member?

Related:

See what he did there? Richard Grenell congratulates openly gay presidential cabinet member Pete Buttigieg on his historic achievement https://t.co/eXMp4xPAKy

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 2, 2021