Megyn Kelly explains the “real” reason Donald Trump wants to move the presidential debates

Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump go way back. Now Megyn thinks she knows the “real” reason Donald Trump wants to move the presidential debates scheduled to run up against major NFL games this fall.

Trump has been accused by his rivals–including “Shark Tank” judges Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca–of looking for an “out” to debate Hillary Clinton.

Im going to go out on a limb and say that @realDonaldTrump will do everything possible not to debate @HillaryClinton.

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 28, 2016

@realDonaldTrump Setting up your excuses for ditching the debates? Good move. Plant the seeds now then you'll look a bit less afraid later.

— Chris Sacca (@sacca) July 30, 2016

Megyn Kelly thinks there is a different reason. Speaking with “Face the Nation’s” John Dickerson on “The Kelly File,” she gave her “inside info”:

“I feel that I have inside information on this, which will come as a surprise to some folks,” the Fox News host told viewers Monday night. “I think it is about the ratings. … To me, there’s no doubt about it, because when Trump and I did our interview in May and I asked him to sit down with me for my Fox broadcast special, the No. 1 thing he wanted to know was what we were up against.

And there was a very competitive show that got 17 million viewers that night or something. It was the season finale of something, and a main character was being killed off. And he’s smart; he knows about ratings, and he says, ‘They call me the ratings machine.’ He likes big ratings.”

Kelly knows firsthand what it’s like to run afoul of Donald Trump when it comes to ratings. A Fox News primary debate that saw Trump’s absence suffered considerably while the Republican candidate ran a competing event at the same time. When things were apparently patched up between Trump and the network, Megyn was rewarded with a primetime interview that garnered considerable attention.

When it comes to the media, few know the ins-and-outs like former “Apprentice” star Donald Trump. In this heavily contested election year, Trump wants to use every advantage he’s got.