Right-wing political commentator Megyn Kelly has criticized the push for President Joe Biden to forgive college student loans, saying she doesn't want to pay for the education of "elite graduates."
The Biden administration is set to extend the current freeze on monthly student loan payments from May 1 to August 31 after pressure from Democratic lawmakers.
In a February interview with The New Yorker, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the Biden administration's lack of student debt relief and pressed the White House to take action.
During a discussion with guests on her SiriusXM podcast The Megyn Kelly Show, the host said that Ocasio-Cortez made the push "in response to these polling numbers and inflation." Kelly went on to say the representative "was like, 'If we can just stick to the polling numbers and inflation,' and so on, 'If we can stick to the agenda and get [Build Back Better] passed and push this stuff through and get rid of college debt for all college students'—she's a one-trick pony."
Kelly explained that her father died while she was a teenager, while her two older siblings were already in college. She said her mother used her father's life insurance policy to pay for the three kids' college tuition, in addition to loans they took out.
In regards to student loan forgiveness, Kelly said "it would've been nice" to have her student loans forgiven, but ultimately said she doesn't think people should pay for others' college education.
"We took out loans too, but we paid them back," Kelly said. "Why should these snot-nosed kids today—I'm sorry, the ones who really need it, they can get loans; but like you point out, a lot of these people are going to be these college—Columbia—elite graduates who are going to spend their years in journalism trying to shame half of America for doing absolutely nothing wrong."
"Why should I be paying for their college education," Kelly asked. "I don't want to!"
Biden's expected moratorium extension could potentially impact more than 40 million Americans who have student loan debt, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Although the repayment pause is appreciated by some, many are criticizing Biden for not doing more. On the campaign trail, Biden promised to cancel up to $10,000 in student loan debt per borrower but has yet to fulfill that promise.
Republicans have pushed for Biden to end the moratorium and restart student loan payments over concerns about the growing cost to taxpayers.
The Department of Education reported that the pause in student loan repayment has so far cost the government $98.4 billion.
The White House did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for comment. Newsweek has also reached out to Kelly for comment.
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