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Alleged body cover-up, frantic texts to hide wanted Florida murder suspect exposed in escape plot: affidavits

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:53 -0400

Newly released arrest reports detail how a network of suspected accomplices allegedly helped a wanted fugitive hide a body and hide from law enforcement.

These alleged accomplices are accused of helping deputy-dubbed "master manipulator" Isabelle Rose Johnson, 38, steer clear of cops; she's been on the run for several weeks.

Johnson, of Florida, is accused of killing Jason Coulthart, 43, whose body was found buried in a shallow grave on a Florida property on June 25. He was last seen alive on May 24.

FLORIDA WOMAN ON THE RUN AND WANTED FOR MURDER RELIED ON NETWORK OF ALLEGED ACCOMPLICES TO EVADE CAPTURE: COPS

Alleged accomplice No. 1: In one of the arrest reports from the Walton County Sheriff's Office, a witness detailed to investigators how Johnson allegedly murdered Coulthart and disposed of his body.

The report alleges Johnson's reported roommate, Bobbie Gean Wagstaff, 31, helped her dig a hole to bury Coulthart's body.

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A witness in the same report said, "She killed the victim by placing a zip tie around his neck." The same witness went on to say, "She covered the body with cement so that the dog would not dig it up again."

ALABAMA MOTHER SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR HIRING HITMAN TO KILL HER CHILD'S FATHER OVER CUSTODY DISPUTE

Johnson's possible motive for the alleged murder? The report says the witness told investigators "he was aware of her 'getting rid' of a boy because he was 'aggravating and irritating her.'"

This witness also said that "the 'boy' was also threatening to interfere with Isabelle's custody of her children."

Wagstaff is charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and possession of methamphetamine.

'AMERICA'S MOST WANTED' FUGITIVE LAID BLUEPRINT FOR VANISHING BEFORE 20-YEAR ESCAPE: AFFIDAVIT

Alleged accomplices 2 & 3: In another report, husband and wife Martin and Sandra Leaverton, of Fort Walton Beach, allegedly admitted driving Johnson multiple times after Coulthart's body was discovered and helping move her between homes while she was wanted by authorities.

Investigators say the couple tried to help Johnson leave the state and retrieved her backpacks after she fled from deputies, giving her rides to locations where she could avoid capture.

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"Martin Leaverton agreed to call associates and attempt to arrange safe passage and a place to stay for Johnson outside of Florida," the report said.

Deputies say the Leavertons provided "rides, supplies, and false information to law enforcement about her location."

Authorities charged the Leavertons with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

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Alleged accomplices 4 & 5: In another report, more alleged helpers were arrested for assisting Johnson.

Michael White and Kathleen Morris of Santa Rosa, Florida allegedly helped Johnson evade law enforcement after the murder by giving her a place to stay.

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After initially denying Johnson had ever been at their home, investigators say the pair later admitted they sheltered her at two properties and provided supplies while she was on the run.

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The report also includes a string of text messages between Morris, White and another suspect, aforementioned Leaverton, that investigators say show them coordinating Johnson's whereabouts, discussing her backpacks and referencing efforts to help her.

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In one alleged text exchange, Morris texted Leaverton, "Why is Harley on our couch?" before following up with, "More importantly, when are you coming to get her?"

"Harley" is one of the aliases that Johnson has been using, according to the sheriff's office, along with "Jessica Elaine Bowman" and "Denise."

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Morris later allegedly texted White, "WTF is going on Michael?! Why did Marty leave his young female friend here??? And when is he coming back to get her??????"

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Prosecutors also point to messages they say show Morris offering assistance. After Leaverton replied, "I'm headed there now," Morris allegedly responded, "We talked — anything I can do to help I will. Don't forget the backpacks please."

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The couple is charged with accessory to a capital felony after the fact and obstruction.

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The investigation is ongoing.

We need a truth commission to show the world the insanity of the Biden border crisis

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:49 -0400

Nearly 18 months since President Donald Trump ended the worst mass migration border crisis in American history, terabytes of government emails and records that could teach future generations why and how it happened await liberation.

The secrets in this trove beg discovery, exploitation and analysis about the great "Biden Border Crisis" that had millions of foreign nationals (at least 8 million) enter through the U.S. Southwest Border for 45 months between January 2021 and January 2025. Their value to the American national interest? Crucial knowledge that can prevent history from repeating.

But the referenced government material and the testimonies of involved government workers remain unstudied, the preventative value uncollected. That’s why Trump must appoint a presidential commission now that will establish a comprehensive official public record as to what happened.

THE BORDER IS CLOSED THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. IN VIRGINIA, THAT DOESN’T MATTER

The Trump administration is, of course, busy repairing the damage with mass deportations and policies to secure the southern border. But it must pause for the longer-range benefit of establishing this border crisis history before the opportunity to prevent the next big one is gone.

Why this, of all things, now?

The great mass migration crisis at the southwest border stands as a transformational event of lasting generational consequence. It affects all Americans in one form or another, beginning with having, by most accounts, decided the 2024 presidential election.

DEM REP SETH MOULTON SAYS PARTY HAS NO IMMIGRATION PLAN, IS ONLY ‘OPPOSITION TO TRUMP’

Competing narratives about who carried out which border policies, as well as the ensuing crisis’s magnitude, range of costs and consequences, still fester without a foreseeable end along partisan lines, a permanent state of national dispute. That’s a major problem because history repeats itself when it is not studied, written, absorbed and referenced when needed.

The reason a commission must form now, before Trump leaves office in January 2029, is to ensure there is enough time for records excavators, analysts, researchers and writers to complete the job before a less amenable president enters office and the preventative learning opportunity is lost forever.

A presidential commission is the only option

For the last 150 years, relatively trusted presidential and congressional commissions have cleared the national air of damaging conspiracy theories and public disputes over consequential events in American life. Policymakers often found they could justify action when facts were supported by evidence and generally accepted.

Ideally for the Biden border crisis, Congress would establish a bipartisan commission such as the Warren Commission that examined the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Another example was the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, which produced the famed report in 2004 that Congress followed as a guideline for major homeland security legislation.

Congress alone has ordered over 170 such commissions since 1989, according to a 2017 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.

The chambers of Congress are too hopelessly fractured for bipartisan study today, so a presidential commission must be the option for this job. Presidents have ordered 45 such commissions over the decades.

It’s true that commissions can be wasteful, their suggestions sometimes ignored. The Hart-Rudman Commission released a report in 1998 that fruitlessly warned about the potential for a major terrorist attack on U.S. soil three years before 9/11.

But other commissions have mattered. They are still invoked as final authoritative reference guides about the controversial events of high public interest that birthed them. The U.S. presidential Tower Commission, for instance, investigated the Iran-Contra Affair, laying bare a vast secret foreign military venture during the Ronald Reagan administration.

Years of stonewalling intact

A presidential truth commission is warranted for other sound reasons. The American public agrees on little about the crisis because the Biden administration frequently obstructed good information flow.

Throughout the administration’s four years, President Joe Biden, his staff, media outlets and prominent partisan pundits denied that anything was amiss at the border.

Official White House communications policy required Biden’s top talkers to say that nothing extraordinary was happening at the border. They’d call record-smashing border-crossing numbers a mere "challenge" and, in the face of video evidence and credible reporting, say, "The border is closed. The border is secure!" No top administration official, including Biden, would go anywhere near the border as 200,000 inadmissible aliens a month were pouring over it.

"It’s a seasonal thing … earthquakes, floods … lack of food. It’s because of gang violence and because of a whole range of things," Biden once told reporters with a straight face in March 2021 when all-time national crossing records had just been broken. Such claims found traction in mainstream media outlets for all four years. When they eventually did acknowledge the crisis, Biden officials insisted it was disconnected from administration policies.

From beginning to end, the Biden administration sandbagged the release of data and information that would illuminate impacts on local public safety and national security.

Or the expense of it all. What did the crisis end up costing the American people to care for the millions who crossed and were released by design? Where did all the immigrants go afterward?

Lawmakers never got answers to information requests about how U.S. tax money helped United Nations agencies and migrant advocacy nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) aid the illegal immigrant flows. How much did we give the resettlement industry, and what were our bureaucrats thinking as they cut checks?

The administration ignored barrages of information requests from Congress as well as Freedom of Information Act requests from reporters and public policy think tanks.

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Maybe a presidential commission can fill many of these requests as part of its work and use the data in a final report.

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Too busy for a commission?

Most Americans understand that Trump is busy trying to achieve priorities – including some he may regard as central to his presidential legacy – that seem more urgent than forming a commission to study an event already in the rearview mirror.

But because none of its lessons were learned, yesterday’s crisis is very relevant to tomorrow. Appointing a commission before it’s too late is legacy stuff, because it might just spare America another one or two border catastrophes long after Trump is gone.

Sharon Stone's terrifying weed withdrawal sparks warning about today's potent marijuana

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:47 -0400

Hollywood icon Sharon Stone recently opened up about a health scare after quitting marijuana, revealing her symptoms were so intense that she turned to a neurologist.

During an interview with Variety, the actress said her decision to quit was driven by a desire for a drug-free life.

"And because I think they put so much stuff in it now — they really do — when I stopped smoking pot, I also got sick," she said.

CANNABIS COMPOUNDS COULD REVERSE DISEASE AFFECTING ONE-THIRD OF ADULTS

"I got pretty sick for a month. I went to my neurologist, and he said, ‘Sharon, I’ve had people dying in the emergency room from marijuana.'"

Stone attributed her ordeal to the potency of modern weed, saying, "It’s not like you’re pulling it out of the ground anymore ... It’s not like when we were kids."

Experts note that cannabis withdrawal itself is generally not considered life-threatening, although severe symptoms, underlying medical conditions or interactions with other substances can complicate recovery.

FLYING WITH CANNABIS? TSA'S NEW GUIDANCE COMES WITH A MAJOR HEALTH WARNING

Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the Lindner Center in Cincinnati, confirmed that today's cannabis products are vastly different from the strains of decades past.

THC levels in marijuana have surged from about 3% to 5% in the 1980s to as high as 30% in today's cannabis products, while concentrates can exceed 90% THC, he told Fox News Digital.

Higher THC concentrations have been linked to greater risks of dependence, cannabis use disorder (CUD), psychosis in some users, and more severe withdrawal symptoms, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

As today's cannabis products become increasingly potent, experts say there are several risks and warning signs that daily users should know before deciding whether to continue — or quit — using marijuana.

No. 1: High-potency THC changes the brain's reward system

According to Cleveland Clinic, CUD occurs when marijuana takes over the brain's reward pathways, amplifying compulsive behavior.

"I do believe cannabis is addicting, especially with the high levels of THC," Tuell told Fox News Digital.

No. 2: Addiction isn't always obvious

The American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) outlines the following diagnostic criteria signaling that casual use may have crossed into dependency.

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Taking larger amounts over longer periods than intended
Experiencing unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control usage
Failing to fulfill work, school or home responsibilities
Continuing use despite clear relationship problems

No. 3: Withdrawal can be intense

Quitting heavy, long-term cannabis use can trigger withdrawal symptoms within 24 to 48 hours, Cleveland Clinic notes.

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Users frequently experience severe insomnia, intense irritability, anxiety, appetite loss, sweating, headaches and stomach upset. While acute physical symptoms typically resolve within a month, mood swings and sleep issues can linger much longer, according to Tuell.

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4. Medical guidance may be needed

While cannabis withdrawal alone rarely requires hospitalization, Cleveland Clinic notes that people with significant medical or mental health conditions — or those stopping cannabis while also withdrawing from alcohol, opioids or certain other medications — may benefit from medical supervision.

No. 5: Underlying issues may fuel dependence

Mental health conditions often occur alongside cannabis use disorder, and treating those underlying issues may help reduce problematic marijuana use, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Cleveland Clinic.

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"I strongly believe that CUD and mental health issues co-exist, and that mental health counseling can address the issues driving the addictive behaviors," Tuell said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Stone's representatives requesting comment.

Nancy Armour's disastrous Caitlin Clark article exemplifies why sportswriting and sports media is failing

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:49:06 -0400

Caitlin Clark is the most popular player in the WNBA as a result of her talent, ability and flair for making shots few of her peers would think of attempting. She's also White. And for that reason alone, the vast majority of modern sportswriters or sports media personalities appear to hate her.

The latest example is Nancy Armour, a columnist for USA Today Sports, who put together one of the most bizarre, inexplicable, unacceptable articles you'll ever see attacking Clark. Some of her complaints about Clark's penchant for sometimes flopping or going after the officials are legitimate issues that the 24-year-old should address.

But other complaints? Well, let's just say Armour left the world of rationality far, far behind.

DAVE PORTNOY BLASTS USA TODAY COLUMNIST FOR CLAIMING CAITLIN CLARK’S REFEREE COMPLAINTS FUEL RACISM

She stated that Clark arguing calls puts "Black" and "queer" WNBA players "in danger." Even though Clark herself has often been aggressively fouled or mistreated, with little protection from the league's officials. She brought up examples of contact that she claims Clark exaggerated, then blames her for certain fans sending inappropriate and offensive messages to WNBA players. Even though Clark has never, and would never, encourage that behavior. In fact, she did the opposite, saying in 2024 that fans should not use her to push racism or harass opposing players.

But all that pales in comparison to the profoundly absurd comparison to Emmett Till. What does Till, a 14-year-old Black teen who was abducted, tortured and eventually lynched in 1955 Mississippi after an accusation by a White woman, have to do with Caitlin Clark? Well, because Clark's "actions" are supposedly influencing, uh, lynching? Seriously.

"The WNBA's All-Star Game this weekend is in Chicago, Emmett Till's hometown, and a local art gallery is currently hosting an exhibit imagining his life if he hadn't been lynched. While it’s incumbent on the WNBA to do more to protect its players, there also should be an expectation on Clark to recognize the wider consequences of her actions," Armour wrote.

Caitlin Clark telling officials she's been fouled on a basketball court can lead to "consequences" like Emmett Till, is the implication. This paragraph grabbed so much attention for its idiocy and offensive premise that Armour issued an apology at the ancestral home of sportswriter liberalism, BlueSky, saying it was an "inartful comparison."

USA TODAY REPORTER APOLOGIZES FOR INVOKING EMMETT TILL IN COLUMN ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK AFTER UPSETTING THE WOKE

No kidding. OutKick reached out to the Emmett Till Foundation to see if they had any comment about Armour trying to tie Caitlin Clark to a lynch mob, but as of time of publishing, had not received a response.

Armour has a long history of ludicrous columns, including one just before the start of the 2026 World Cup claiming that the U.S. had already "lost" because of President Donald Trump, or something. But she's just a symptom of a larger problem. Sportswriting and sports media is broken. Consumed by politics. Unable to cover things objectively, fairly, or without injecting their own personal beliefs where it doesn't belong.

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There are countless examples, and it's cost employers ratings, revenue and prestige. Ryan Clark, now formerly of ESPN. Mina Kimes. Jemele Hill. Essentially the entire staff of The Athletic. Los Angeles Times writers who have pushed far-left ideology on Dodgers fans and demanded their local team avoid visiting the White House. The Ringer. Remember the reaction and outrage from many sports media personalities when the US Men's National Hockey Team won the gold medal and laughed at a joke made by President Trump? They "failed to meet the cultural moment." Or didn't "read the room."

How many media figures asked Steve Kerr about his disregard for the truth with ICE-involved shootings in Minnesota, other than OutKick? Or Doc Rivers? How many in sports media criticized teams visiting the Biden White House to celebrate their titles? What about Sophie Cunningham? After she bravely spoke out to defend women's sports, she was immediately peppered with questions from a furious WNBA press unable to comprehend someone telling the truth about biology.

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Nancy Armour is just one in a long, long line of sportswriters who are so consumed with progressive politics and injecting it into every story, every situation, every athlete, that they can't stop even when audiences or readers beg them to. Comparing Caitlin Clark to Emmett Till might sound unreasonable or even insane for most readers. But that's how Armour thinks. And the worst part is, it's not just her. It's all of them.

The woke left captured the Smithsonian. America needs a patriot to take it back

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:51 -0400

Contrary to what some on the right may believe, we are not winning the war against DEI placements and promotions, and we are not winning the war against the greater "Woke" ideology. Both have been placed in faux hibernation by a far-left playing the long game.

Actually, the game may not turn out to be that long at all. Many on the left are planning to double and triple-down on the "Woke" gameplan should the Democrats take back part or all of Congress in November and the White House in 2028.

Should you need a very recent reminder of how insidious and embedded DEI appointments combined with the "Woke" theology can be, I encourage you to watch the smug and condescending testimony given by National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig in response to a number of sane and pragmatic questions asked of her by Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas. While Gill put on a masterclass on exposing merit and nation-destroying "wokism," I can assure you that the seemingly self-righteous and arrogant Hartig was mentally drumming her fingers while thinking: "We are just going to wait you and the Trump administration out and then reinstall "Woke" and DEI across the government and private sector spectrum."

REP GILL CHALLENGES 'GENUINELY INSANE AND OBJECTIVELY OFFENSIVE' DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS AFTER VIRAL HEARING

One of the most dangerous programs Congressman Gill exposed was something called the "MASS Action Toolkit." MASS standing for "Museums as Sites for Social Action." A far-left, anti-Trump propaganda narrative created by museum professionals around 2017 to turn their workplaces into hubs of woke activism and "resistance." The Smithsonian staff heavily promoted it as part of their DEI initiatives.

The obvious question then becomes how best to combat a war that we are losing. First, acknowledge we are losing. Next, see the strategy of the left for what it is. They are playing the "wait you out" game. Next, pick high profile battlefields subverted by the left and decisively win back that terrain.

And with that strategy in mind, I can think of no better place than the Smithsonian. The greater museum of the American people has been deeply infiltrated by the left. They have, year-by-year, step-by-step, turned it into a toxic cauldron for "Social Justice."

WATCH: ‘SHOCKING’ BEN FRANKLIN SMEAR LEAVES SMITHSONIAN CHIEF WITH ‘NO REGRETS’

President Trump has the power to help reverse that. While he can’t directly appoint someone as the head of the Smithsonian, he can exert sustained pressure on the 17-Member Board of Regents to make it happen.

And he does need to make it happen as fast as humanly possible.

To millions in our nation and billions around the world, the Smithsonian Institution is the face of "America." It hosts over 20 million visitors per year while also "educating" over 20 million students per year. It is one of our nation’s most important megaphones and no one understands that better than the woke, Socialist and Marxist subversives who have infiltrated every building and hallway within the institution.

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They view the Smithsonian Institution as one of the greatest tools at their disposal to indoctrinate American citizens and global visitors against the values and traditions first articulated by our Founding Fathers and then outlined in our founding documents. I say that as one who authored a book titled: "The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence." A book with the express purpose of protecting our Founding Fathers from the smears and cancellation by the left.

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But I also say that as one who – as with the fight against wokism and DEI – believes we are losing the battle to protect the names and reputations of men such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Just as we are losing the battle to prevent the far-left from erasing and then "reinventing" our shared American history.

The Smithsonian Institution being "Ground Zero" for the vilification of our nation and those who strongly believe in its exceptionalism. It is for that reason that I believe we need a high-profile "America First" name to take over that institution and proclaim: "The cancellation of our Founding Fathers and the reinvention of our American history ends now. Today."

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President Trump must find a new leader for "The Nation’s Attic." One who does recognize the courage, sacrifice and genius of our Founding Fathers and one who does deeply believe in our exceptionalism.

An American Patriot who will step into the Smithsonian Institution and on day one, begin to throw out the far-left garbage filling every nook and cranny of those buildings. He or she should do so as if our very future depends upon it. Because it does.

Trump turns to 'zombie' court after Boasberg pointed to it in deportation fight

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:48 -0400

The Trump administration is moving to deport an unnamed illegal immigrant suspected of terrorism through the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), which has never heard a single case.

The Justice Department filed its first-ever application for a removal order with the court on July 15, marking the first attempt in the court's nearly 30-year history to invoke a little-known law allowing the government to deport noncitizens suspected of terrorism through a specialized judicial process that relies on sealed classified evidence. If successful, the administration could revive what legal scholars have called a "zombie" court as a powerful new tool for removing suspected terrorists.

"This Department of Justice will use every tool available to bring alien terrorists to justice and remove them from the United States, including by use of this court established by Congress in 1996," a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The move also comes months after Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C., pointed to the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court as an alternative for handling terrorism-related deportation cases while questioning the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act.

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"In fact, Congress has an answer for us, doesn't it? Because they created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court," Boasberg said during a March hearing. "So if there's a national security concern with having these hearings, whether via habeas or otherwise, you can always go to the ATRC, which would be a first, but that's what it's there for, right?"

Boasberg made the comments while presiding over litigation challenging the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He temporarily blocked the administration from using the wartime law for those removals while the courts determine whether Trump's use of the statute is lawful. Boasberg also ordered deportation flights already in the air to return, setting off a high-profile legal battle between the administration and the judiciary.

Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital that it was about time the Justice Department took advantage of this special court.

"I think it is a sign of negligence, frankly, of prior presidents that they did not use this special court, this special procedure that was specifically set up by Congress, so that they could quickly get aliens — aliens who were either terrorists or supported terrorist activities — out of the U.S." von Spakovsky said.

BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY

The one-page sealed application contained virtually no information, leaving out the person's identity, the alleged conduct, and the specific section of the anti-terrorism law the Justice Department cited.

After hearing arguments from Justice Department officials, ATRC Chief Judge Joan N. Erickson, appointed by President George W. Bush, requested additional information before proceedings could continue.

"The Court had questions about the nexus that the government alleges between the actions of the respondent and the specific sections and subsections it invokes with respect to those actions," Erickson wrote.

"The answers persuaded the Court that the Government could benefit from the opportunity for more thoughtful consideration," Erickson continued.

Erickson gave the Justice Department until Wednesday to respond with additional documentation.

Congress created the ATRC through the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

"From now on we can quickly expel foreigners who dare to come to America and support terrorist activities," Clinton said at the bill's signing.

The court is made up of five federal district judges who serve five-year terms. It handles terrorism-related deportation cases where the government says its evidence cannot be made public because it would threaten national security. In those cases, the government provides the respondent with an unclassified summary instead of the classified evidence itself.

DC APPEALS COURT ORDERS JUDGE BOASBERG TO HALT TRUMP CONTEMPT PROBE OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS

At the time of the law's passage, then Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., blasted the law.

"You and me, Judge — me, the prosecutor; you, the judge — let's deport him in a secret hearing, using secret evidence," Biden said. "We know you did it, and we can't tell you how we know. Now I think that is about as un-American as it gets."

According to the 9/11 Commission staff report, DOJ attorneys considered 50 cases by 1998 and another 50 over the next two years, but every one was rejected. Some terrorism-related cases moved forward through the regular immigration court system instead.

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The Justice Department's case before the ATRC comes as the Trump administration has repeatedly faced resistance from federal judges, who have blocked, delayed or narrowed key parts of its immigration enforcement agenda.

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Von Spakovsky said the Justice Department's use of the ATRC could not only streamline terrorism-related deportation cases but also reduce interference from what he described as "rogue" liberal judges.

"I think this court is a much stronger tool the Justice Department can use, and it's going to make it much tougher for what I consider to be rogue judges to interfere with, and hopefully prevent, the removal of immigrants," von Spakovsky said.

Americans are paying people to wait in line for TikTok-famous food

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:45 -0400

People desperate to try viral food items are going so far as to pay others to wait in line for them at shops and restaurants.

Line sitting, also called line waiting or line standing, has been a common practice in big cities like Los Angeles and New York, where people pay others to wait in line for tickets, the latest iPhone or a table at a popular restaurant, Eater reported.

The practice is more popular now than ever because of social media, Robert Samuel, a professional line sitter and founder of the professional line-waiting company Same Ole Line Dudes in New York, told Eater.

RESTAURANTS ARE SELLING GOURMET BURGERS SO POPULAR THEY HAVE TO CAP ORDERS

"It’s always been a thing, but I think social media makes it bigger than it used to be," Samuel said.

"That's why there's more people out there doing it. I blame TikTok more than any other platform."

One of the earliest viral food crazes to fuel Samuel's business was the cronut – a revolutionary pastry that combines a croissant with a doughnut.

"We had a client who wanted to impress these businesspeople visiting from Japan," he told Eater. "They wanted to close a deal with something they'd never seen before, and I guess that was cronuts. They sent six of our [line sitters] to get a dozen, because you can only buy so many per person at a time."

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Today, Samuel said Same Ole Line Dudes employs about 35 line sitters who take requests in New York and beyond "for anything that requires a wait."

Dot cakes from Manhattan's Butterfield Market have taken social media by storm. They're single-serving cakes topped with a thick layer of icing and covered with tiny sprinkles called nonpareils.

The colorful cakes have become a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram, with customers posting videos of long lines outside the Upper East Side grocery store.

"We had a customer who wanted two [dot cakes] of every flavor, so she hired five line sitters," Samuel told Eater.

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Same Ole Line Dudes requires customers to book a minimum of two hours for $50. It charges $25 for each additional hour and $15 for a half-hour add-on, according to the company's website. Rates vary depending on inclement weather, rush orders and the type of service.

TaskRabbit is another company that connects people with line sitters, and there are more than 4,900 line-sitting "taskers" available in New York City, Eater reported.

"People are chasing the high of novel new things and experiences, and food always seems to be at the center of that, particularly when there's an exclusivity angle to it," David Henkes, senior principal and head of strategic partnerships for Chicago-based food service consultant firm Technomic, told Fox News Digital.

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"Largely, I suspect, due to social media, but regardless, this trend of line sitting reflects this continued consumer demand for newness, while also exposing the realities of the economy today," Henkes added.

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"People are time-strapped and, particularly [those with] higher incomes, are willing to pay more for experiences but don't want to go through the hassle of waiting. Obviously, not everyone can afford sitters, so this is really mostly for those with money but not time, widening small gaps in access to cool experiences."

Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 24, 2026

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:35 -0400

Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz, featuring allegations of financial hardship tied to the Obama Center project, and a musician's political remarks.

Looking for another challenge?

The acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing and a raging Yellowstone National Park bison are featured in last week's News Quiz.

Test your knowledge of presidential principles, court side celebrations and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.

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If you're looking to play even more, you can find all of our quizzes by clicking here.

Check back next week for the latest News Quiz from Fox News Digital. Thanks for playing!

Is Israel really isolated? Polls and diplomacy point in opposite directions

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:33 -0400

President Donald Trump predicted in recent days that additional countries would soon join the Abraham Accords, renewing debate over whether Israel is becoming increasingly isolated or continuing to expand its most important strategic relationships.

"The Abraham Accords have been, I think, a tremendous success," Trump said during a Tuesday Oval Office meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. "I think you’re going to see a lot of countries joining pretty soon."

Trump's prediction underscores a central debate about Israel's global position: Public support for the country has fallen sharply in the United States and across much of the world, yet Israel continues to build or preserve diplomatic, military, energy and technology relationships with foreign governments.

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The Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration in 2020, normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sunday. Trump has made expanding the agreements a central goal of his Middle East strategy.

The dispute depends partly on how isolation is measured. Critics point to worsening public opinion, pressure at international institutions and growing opposition among Democrats and younger voters. Israeli officials and conservative foreign-policy experts argue that government-to-government cooperation remains strong and, in some regions, is expanding.

Trump reinforced that strategy Thursday by saying a U.S. civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia would depend on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords. The statement showed the administration attempting to use one of Washington’s most valuable offers to Riyadh to secure normalization with Israel, but it did not demonstrate that Saudi Arabia had agreed to do so.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon rejected the contention that Israel had become isolated.

"The claim that Israel is an isolated country is simply not true," Danon told Fox News Digital. "While the campaign to dismantle the Hamas terrorist organization has drawn international criticism, Israel’s relationships with other countries have not weakened. They have evolved."

Former White House national security official Richard Goldberg similarly argued that Israel retains strong support among conservatives and that its electoral gains are translating into closer government relations.

"Polling in the United States shows massive support among conservatives and Republicans, including self-described MAGA, for Israel still," Goldberg told Fox News Digital. "And that’s reflected around the world, particularly among conservative candidates and parties that win elected office right now."

Goldberg pointed to political changes in Latin America, expanding partnerships in the Eastern Mediterranean and Israel’s continuing defense and technology relationships as evidence that public criticism has not translated into comprehensive strategic isolation.

The dispute comes amid polling that shows Israel retaining deep support among Republicans while losing ground across the broader American electorate and much of the world.

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Eighty percent of self-identified MAGA Republicans said Israel’s security matters to U.S. security and prosperity, a Reagan Institute survey released in June found, while 73% supported sending Israel U.S. weapons. Among MAGA Republicans under 30, 63% said Israel’s security matters to the United States and 60% supported sending weapons.

The same survey found that broader support was narrowing. Sixty-five percent of Americans said Israel’s security matters to U.S. security and prosperity, down six percentage points from a year earlier.

The figure fell nine points among Democrats to 57%, compared with 75% of Republicans and 80% of MAGA Republicans.

A Pew Research Center survey published in June found that a median of 67% of adults across 36 countries viewed Israel unfavorably, while 25% viewed it favorably. The findings came from Pew’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey.

In the United States, 60% of adults viewed Israel unfavorably, up from 53% in 2025 and 42% in 2022, according to a separate Pew survey conducted March 23 to March 29. Eighty percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents held an unfavorable view, while negative assessments were also widespread among adults under 50.

Israel no longer held a statistically significant advantage over the Palestinians in Americans’ sympathies, Gallup reported in February. Forty-one percent said they sympathized more with the Palestinians and 36% with the Israelis, although Gallup said the five-point difference was not statistically significant.

In 2023, 54% sympathized more with Israelis and 31% with Palestinians.

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel highlighted that erosion during a July 8 speech at Tel Aviv University.

"Support for Israel around the world is declining," Emanuel said, "The only diplomatic achievement Israel has secured in the past three years is Somaliland."

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Emanuel’s conclusion focuses on Israel’s declining public legitimacy and its strained position in traditional diplomatic institutions. Goldberg and Danon argue that it overlooks expanding government-to-government relationships built around defense, intelligence, energy, technology and trade.

Goldberg pointed in particular to Latin America, where he said newly elected conservative governments have made closer ties with Israel an early priority.

"Every time a government in South America right now flips from left wing to right wing, one of the first things they do is reestablish better relations with Israel, withdraw recognition of a Palestinian state and see what else they can do to make Israel a strategic partner," Goldberg said.

He cited Argentina under President Javier Milei and the proposed "Isaac Accords," along with political changes in Chile, Colombia and Bolivia, as evidence of a broader realignment.

Goldberg also argued that Israel remains central to emerging partnerships involving energy, defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure.

"If you’re in the Eastern Mediterranean and you’re Greece and you are Cyprus, you’re thinking about how do we work with Israel to make the Eastern Mediterranean partnership even stronger," he said. "If you’re Armenia and Azerbaijan in a tough neighborhood between Turkey and Iran, you’re talking to Israel, you’re getting closer to Israel."

Israel, Greece and Cyprus reaffirmed their strategic partnership during a trilateral summit in December 2025, agreeing to expand cooperation in energy, security, emergency preparedness and regional connectivity.

Danon said the diplomatic shift is visible even inside the United Nations, an institution where Israel routinely faces critical resolutions and public condemnation.

"We see this every day in the corridors of the United Nations," he said. "While many South American countries were once highly critical of Israel in recent years, we are now cooperating with many of them. These discussions are happening in public and behind the scenes."

"As Israel’s official representative to the United Nations, I regularly meet with ambassadors from around the world, including from Arab countries, to quietly advance initiatives where we share common interests," Danon said.

Danon went further than Goldberg in assessing Israel’s position since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks and the subsequent war.

"Compared to the period before October 7th, Israel is in a far stronger geostrategic position," Danon said. "That is reflected not only in regional developments but also in the country’s diplomatic relationships around the world."

The competing evidence suggests that much of the disagreement depends on how isolation is defined.

Israel may be losing public support and influence in traditional international institutions while simultaneously preserving or expanding government-to-government cooperation in defense, technology, intelligence, energy and agriculture.

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Goldberg acknowledged that relationships driven by conservative political victories could become vulnerable when governments change.

But he argued that Israel is increasingly building relationships around durable national interests rather than political ideology alone.

The central risk for Israel is that today’s collapse in public opinion could eventually reshape tomorrow’s government policies. Conservative governments may currently protect and expand strategic ties, but younger voters and left-wing parties could alter those relationships after future elections.

Israel is scheduled to hold national elections Oct. 27, the country’s first since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

Goldberg argued that a change in Israel’s government would provide a test of whether international opposition is directed primarily at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or at Israel itself.

"If there is somebody else who becomes prime minister next, we will have to evaluate," Goldberg said. "Those very loud detractors of Israel who right now use Netanyahu as their symbol for bashing and say it’s not about Israel, it’s about Netanyahu, they’ll be put to the test very quickly."

He noted that the boycott movement and anti-Israel campus organizations remained active during the previous government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, when Netanyahu was not prime minister.

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"Is their hatred and venom really just about Bibi Netanyahu, or is it fundamentally about a Jewish state that they don’t like existing?" Goldberg asked.

For now, both realities appear to be unfolding at once: Israel remains a sought-after military, intelligence and technology partner for a growing group of governments, while its support among the global public has fallen to levels that could eventually threaten those relationships.

WATCH: Cory Mills blasts DOJ probe as ‘political op' ahead of Florida primary

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:18 -0400

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., is forcefully denying reports that he is under criminal investigation by the Justice Department, claiming the allegations are part of a politically-motivated effort to damage his re-election campaign weeks before Florida's Republican primary.

"If you also read the rest of the reports, it never says that the DOJ or the FBI has ever said there's an investigation," Mills told Fox News Digital. "All it ever says is that a source claims the following."

A source familiar told Fox News that the DOJ is investigating Mills but did not specify exactly what he is being investigated for. ABC News later reported, citing additional sources, that the investigation is tied at least in part to Mills' finances.

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But Mills denies that neither the DOJ nor the FBI have ever reached out to him about any probe.

"I have no indication," Mills said about being contacted about an investigation. "No one's ever reached out to us. And the DOJ, FBI themselves have never even confirmed such an investigation exists."

The Florida Republican claimed that the timing of the unsubstantiated allegation indicates that the claim comes from one of his opponents in the upcoming race to fill a House seat representing Florida’s 7th Congressional District.

"This is clearly a political op by our opponents, and they're hoping that within four weeks left to go that they can use this to try and slander my name a little bit further," Mills said.

"It's ‘source on the inside with knowledge,’" Mills said. "Well, if it's a source on the inside with knowledge, then why can't they give the details of what exactly they're supposed to be investigating?"

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There are three candidates running against Mills in Florida’s upcoming Republican primary — former newscaster Ryan Elijah, former Defense Department official Michael Johnson and former business executive Sarah Ulrich. Mills’ main competitor in the race is Elijah.

The DOJ probe claims come as the House Ethics Committee currently has a separate investigation open on Mills. He is being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct and dating violence, along with violations of his campaign finances.

Mills was accused of domestic abuse in an incident in Feb. 2025. He was also accused of blackmail later that same year, alleging he threatened to release a romantic partner’s explicit pictures.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., filed a motion to expel Mills in April, also on claims of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations but additionally including misrepresenting his military service and unlawful involvement in federal contracts while serving in Congress.

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Mills has denied any allegations of wrongdoings in all three efforts against him.

The House Ethics investigation began in Nov 2025, and it has not been specified when it will end.

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Mills was first elected to serve in the House in 2022 and was re-elected in 2024, now serving on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees. He is seeking a third House term.

Florida’s primary race is set to take place Aug. 18.

Trump heads back to correspondents’ dinner months after gunfire forced evacuation

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:11 -0400

President Donald Trump will return to the stage Friday to deliver remarks at a rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, just months after gunfire abruptly ended the organization’s annual banquet.

"In April, President Trump promised to finish the job and plan another WHCA Dinner, and on Friday, he will deliver on that promise. We look forward to a great and fun evening celebrating 250 years of American greatness and a free press," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital.

Trump attended the original dinner in April during the nation’s 250th-anniversary year. He skipped the event throughout his first term amid repeated clashes with the press. This month's dinner is expected to be a night of unity with a more intimate guest list after the April dinner devolved into chaos.

"This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above," Weijia Jiang, president of The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), said when the new date was announced.

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The annual dinner has historically been held at the Washington Hilton. Chaos, however, broke out at this year’s banquet when an armed suspect, Cole Allen, stormed the event in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate the president.

The incident prompted Secret Service agents to rush the president and first lady from the room as guests scrambled for cover, abruptly ending the dinner.

The WHCA will honor U.S. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales during Friday's dinner in recognition of his actions in helping stop an armed suspect from entering the ballroom, WHCA announced in a press release Tuesday.

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Gonzales was at a security checkpoint when Cole tried to burst through the Washington Hilton.

"The WHCA is deeply grateful that law enforcement officials prevented the armed suspect from entering the ballroom," said Jiang.

"Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely. His courage stemmed from a dedication to service, which we are looking forward to honoring this week," she added.

While first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not be in attendance due to prior commitments, many Cabinet officials will be present.

FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are among those attending.

Mentalist Oz Pearlman will return as entertainment for the guests.

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The April dinner drew dozens of anti-war protesters outside the Washington Hilton as the conflict with Iran dominated headlines, and similar demonstrations could greet attendees Friday as U.S. military operations continue.

The event also comes as Trump has used a string of high-profile speeches to highlight his administration's priorities, including a primetime address last week on election security.

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Speaking after the April dinner was cut short, Trump said he hoped the event would be held again and previewed a less combative tone for his eventual remarks. He said he had been prepared to "really rip" the press but decided that delivering such a speech after the shooting would have been inappropriate.

"I think I’m going to be probably very nice. I’ll be very boring the next time. But we’re going to have a great event," Trump said.

Governor blames activists in Nolan Wells case for ‘stoking division,’ official says FBI probing threats

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:09 -0400

MISSISSIPPI – The FBI is investigating threats against the people who were with Nolan Wells in the hours before the Mississippi teen vanished and was found dead, one of the state's top law enforcement officials says.

Wells, 18, disappeared July 4 after joining friends on a boat trip to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Search crews scoured the area for two days before a National Park Service ranger found his remains on the island's northwestern tip on July 6.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said Wednesday that the FBI is investigating threats made against public officials, the people who were with Wells before he vanished and their families. Tindell made the comments on Mississippi Public Broadcasting's "The Sit Down" hosted by Magnolia Tribune Founder and CEO Russ Latino.

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"I'm sure state law enforcement and, the FBI is going to be very interested in investigating, so, you know, when you make those types of threats against public officials, against possible witnesses, and against, the, you know, the folks that are involved in this investigation and the family, then you are also, committing a criminal act, and that's going to be taken very, very seriously," Tindell said.

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Tindell said "false information" shared about Wells' death has incited "rage and emotion" that has led to a higher level of calls coming into his office, some of which are "direct threats." Tindell said he believes Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, has also received threats.

"I can tell you, the FBI has reached out. They're working in any capacity. They've offered a hand, in this case, to do anything that that's needed from their end. But they're also taking a serious look, at some of these threats that have come across, to public officials, to witnesses to the family, to anybody involved in this case," Tindell said.

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The warning from one of Mississippi's top public safety officials comes as national attention on the case has reached a fever pitch, with Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., accusing officials in Mississippi of not being transparent.

"Not only are [Nolan Wells' family] suffering the unimaginable grief of losing a child, they're not getting the truth, transparency, or accountability. Mississippi officials retained some of Nolan's body parts, so yesterday's independent autopsy leaves more questions unanswered," Carson said.

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As the speculation has grown, Mississippi's top elected officials have begun pushing back publicly.

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Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves told Fox News Digital in a statement that attorney Ben Crump and Al Sharpton are responsible for inciting the threats.

"Ben Crump and Al Sharpton are to blame for the threats. They are stoking division for personal gain. It’s sad to see, but not unexpected. This is how they’ve built their careers," Reeves said. "Jackson County law enforcement, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and the State Medical Examiner are conducting a thorough investigation. I’m confident they will follow the facts of the case, wherever that leads them. The state's top prosecutor is also drawing a hard line."

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Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told Fox News Digital in a statement that her office will hold accountable anyone who threatens law enforcement working the case.

"I am proud of the professionalism with which our law enforcement, district attorney, and other local leaders are approaching this tragic case. During an open investigation, it is vital to the cause of justice that everyone respect the integrity of the process. Efforts to intimidate, disrupt, or interfere with the work of our law enforcement and prosecutors and threats to their well-being will be taken seriously and we will hold those who make them accountable. A bright young life has been lost and we extend our prayers to his family," Fitch said.

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During Wednesday's news conference, Crump revealed that an area of "red discoloration" was found on Wells' head, but said Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the autopsy, couldn't come to a conclusion on a cause or manner of death "pending further investigation." An official autopsy into Wells' death hasn't been completed, but the revelation from Crump fueled even more speculation.

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Wells' friends returned to the mainland that July afternoon without him, but Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter previously said investigators believe Wells chose to stay on the island. It wasn't until later that night that his mother learned he was missing from one of Wells' friends and reported it to authorities.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Crump, Sharpton and the FBI for comment.

Lock down your ChatGPT account before the next AI attack

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:57:17 -0400

OpenAI has admitted that a combination of its advanced AI models found a way out of a locked-down test environment and compromised another company's systems. That should make every ChatGPT user stop and pay attention. The models were supposed to stay inside a tightly controlled digital sandbox with no open internet access. Instead, they found a weakness, got online and compromised systems belonging to Hugging Face, a major platform for AI models and datasets.

OpenAI described the breach as an "unprecedented cyber incident" involving "state-of-the-art cyber capabilities." The company says the system included GPT-5.6 Sol and an even more powerful model still being tested behind closed doors. Here is what concerns me. OpenAI built the models and controlled the testing environment, yet the systems still found a way around the safeguards designed to contain them.

The AI models were trying to complete a cybersecurity challenge. They apparently had no goal of damaging Hugging Face. However, they kept pushing until they found vulnerabilities and crossed into another company's infrastructure. That should be a wake-up call. You cannot control what happens inside OpenAI's labs, but you can take a few minutes to lock down your ChatGPT account before an AI-powered threat comes looking for your password, personal files or private conversations.

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OpenAI says its models escaped during a cyber test

OpenAI designed the internal evaluation to measure how well its models could find and exploit difficult security vulnerabilities. The company ran the test without some of the production safety systems that normally block high-risk cyber activity. OpenAI said researchers removed those protections so they could measure the models' maximum capabilities.

The models operated inside a restricted testing environment. Internet access was limited to an internally hosted service that acted as a proxy for software packages. However, the models found a previously unknown vulnerability in that service. They exploited the weakness and moved through OpenAI's research environment until they reached a computer with internet access.

Once online, the models identified Hugging Face as a possible source of answers for the ExploitGym security benchmark. The models then searched for information that could help them complete the test. OpenAI said they combined several attack methods. Those methods included stolen credentials and previously unknown vulnerabilities.

In one case, the models found a path that allowed remote code execution on Hugging Face servers. That gave them the ability to run code on another company's infrastructure. OpenAI said the models remained focused on completing the evaluation. Yet their narrow goal still led them to cross security boundaries and compromise an outside company.

OpenAI says the incident exposed a growing gap between what advanced models can do and the safeguards designed to contain them. "The primary lesson from this incident is that model security and safety must keep pace with rapidly advancing capabilities," OpenAI said in its incident report.

Hugging Face detected an autonomous AI intrusion

Hugging Face first disclosed the breach on July 16, 2026. The company said an autonomous AI agent system carried out the intrusion from beginning to end. The attack involved thousands of automated actions across short-lived digital environments.

Hugging Face identified unauthorized access to a limited set of internal datasets. The attacker also accessed several credentials used by its services. However, the company found no evidence that anyone altered its public models or user-facing datasets. It also verified that its software supply chain remained clean.

Hugging Face closed the vulnerabilities used for the initial access. It also rebuilt affected systems and rotated exposed credentials. Meanwhile, the company advised Hugging Face customers to rotate their access tokens and review recent activity. That guidance applies to Hugging Face accounts rather than consumer ChatGPT accounts. OpenAI later determined that its models caused the activity during its internal evaluation. The two companies continue to investigate the incident together.

CyberGuy reached out to OpenAI and Hugging Face for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

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What the AI sandbox escape means for ChatGPT users

OpenAI's disclosure does not identify consumer ChatGPT accounts as part of the incident. The company has also issued no incident-related instruction telling ChatGPT users to reset their passwords. Therefore, this article should not leave you thinking someone breached your personal ChatGPT account.

The larger warning comes from what the models managed to accomplish. They searched for software weaknesses and found an unknown vulnerability. Next, they moved through restricted systems and used stolen credentials to reach an outside target. OpenAI says models such as GPT-5.6 Sol can sustain complex cyber operations over long periods. The company also says the incident shows these abilities can work against real-world systems.

That raises the stakes for any account containing valuable information. Your ChatGPT history may include private conversations and uploaded files. Developers may also have API keys connected to paid OpenAI usage. Good account security cannot stop an AI model from finding a vulnerability inside a major company. However, it can make your account much harder to take over.

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Ways to lock down your ChatGPT account and stay safe

OpenAI now offers several security controls for personal ChatGPT accounts. Availability can vary by account, device and sign-in method. Start with the settings you have today. Then add stronger protections as they become available to your account.

1) Replace a weak or reused ChatGPT password

A unique password helps protect your ChatGPT account when another website suffers a breach. OpenAI recommends using a password manager to create and store a strong password. The company also advises changing your password immediately when you believe someone exposed or shared it. To add or update your ChatGPT password:

Sign in to ChatGPT
Open Settings
Select Account
Add or update your password

Changing your ChatGPT password updates the password across your OpenAI account. That includes the API Platform. If you originally registered through Google, Microsoft or Apple, you may not have an OpenAI password to change. Instead, secure the outside account that you use to sign in. Also protect the email address connected to ChatGPT. Anyone who controls your inbox may receive verification messages or password-reset emails.

2) Turn on multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication adds another verification step during sign-in. Even when someone gets your password, they still need access to your second verification method. OpenAI may offer an authenticator app, push notification, text message or passkey. Available choices depend on your account and device. To turn on MFA:

Open Settings
Select Security
Find Multi-factor authentication
Select the MFA option you want to use
Follow the setup instructions

An authenticator app may ask you to scan a QR code. Text-message verification may ask for your phone number. OpenAI will use the most secure enabled option first when you have more than one method available. Keep in mind that enabling MFA does not close sessions that are already active. Change an exposed password first. Then review your active sessions.

3) Add a passkey for stronger login protection

A passkey lets you sign in without typing your password. It uses a secure credential stored on your device or a compatible security key. You can protect the passkey with Face ID, Touch ID or your device PIN. Some passkeys can also sync across your devices. To add a passkey:

Sign in to ChatGPT on the web
Open Settings
Select Security
Find Passkeys
Select Add passkey
Follow the on-screen instructions

After setup, ChatGPT may use your passkey as the default sign-in method. The passkey may also work as an additional MFA check. The Passkeys option may not appear on every account. Availability depends on how you created the account and which sign-in method you use. If you store a passkey on only one device, losing that device could create access problems. A synced passkey can offer an easier backup route.

4) Review every active ChatGPT session

Someone who gained access to your account may remain signed in after you change other security settings. ChatGPT's Active sessions page can show browsers and first-party OpenAI apps connected to your account. Details may include the device, approximate location and sign-in time.

To review your sessions:

Open Settings
Select Security
Select Active sessions
Review every listed device and app

To remove one session:

Find the session you do not recognize
Select Log out
Confirm by selecting Log out again

To close every session:

Find Log out of all sessions
Select Log out all
Select Log out of all devices

This closes your current session along with the others. OpenAI says the process may take up to 30 minutes. Active sessions does not display every possible connection. It excludes third-party app sessions and connected apps. It also excludes Codex CLI sessions. The feature may also be unavailable when an organization controls the account through single sign-on.

5) Consider Advanced Account Security

Eligible personal accounts may offer a feature called Advanced Account Security. This setting replaces password-based access with passkeys or compatible security keys. It also disables email sign-in codes and SMS sign-in codes. However, the stronger protection comes with more responsibility. You must keep your secure sign-in methods and recovery keys safe. Before you enroll, you need at least two secure sign-in methods. At least one must work across devices.

To set it up:

Open Settings
Select Security
Select Advanced Account Security
Select Enroll
Select Continue
Add at least two secure sign-in methods
Make sure one method works across devices
Save your recovery keys and confirm that you saved them

ChatGPT will sign you out of every device after setup. You must then sign in with a passkey or security key. Advanced Account Security also turns on login-alert emails and shortens active sessions. In addition, OpenAI says conversations will not be used to train its models while the setting remains enabled. Store your recovery keys away from the devices you use to access ChatGPT. Each recovery key works only once. Losing every sign-in method and your recovery keys could leave you unable to regain access. OpenAI Support cannot restore normal access by resetting your password while Advanced Account Security remains enabled.

6) Turn on ChatGPT Lockdown Mode for sensitive work

Lockdown Mode helps reduce the risk of data leaving ChatGPT during a prompt injection attack. A prompt injection can hide malicious instructions inside a website or uploaded file. Those instructions may try to manipulate how an AI handles sensitive information. Lockdown Mode limits outbound network access that an attacker could use to receive that information. However, it cannot prevent every prompt injection from affecting a response.

To turn it on:

Open Settings
Select Security
Find Advanced security
Turn on Lockdown Mode
Select Turn on in the confirmation window

Lockdown Mode restricts live browsing and disables deep research. It also blocks agent mode and file downloads for data analysis. You can still upload a file for ChatGPT to examine. Image generation also remains available. Lockdown Mode may affect connected services and web-based images. It does not change your memory settings or data controls. When you need a blocked feature, you can turn off Lockdown Mode for one conversation. A status message above the message box provides that option.

7) Treat unexpected login requests like alarms

OpenAI may send a push notification through the ChatGPT app when it detects a login attempt. Approve the notification only when you started the login. Deny access when the request appears unexpectedly. OpenAI may also email a six-digit one-time password. The company says legitimate verification emails may come from these addresses:

noreply@tm.openai.com

otp@tm1.openai.com

Check the sender carefully before using a code. OpenAI advises changing your password immediately when you receive a login alert from an unfamiliar device or location. Never give a verification code to someone who contacts you. Open the official ChatGPT app or type the website address yourself instead of following an unexpected link.

What to do if your ChatGPT account looks compromised

Move quickly when you see conversations you did not start or unfamiliar account activity.

First, change your OpenAI password . People who sign in through Google, Microsoft or Apple should secure that account instead.
Next, open Settings > Security > Active sessions . Log out of all devices and review your available sign-in methods.
Then, turn on MFA or add a passkey. Delete exposed API keys when you use the OpenAI API.
Also contact OpenAI Support right away. OpenAI says faster reporting can help reduce possible damage. You can reach support through the chat option on an OpenAI Help Center page.
Include the time you noticed the activity and details about anything unfamiliar. Screenshots may also help OpenAI investigate.

Kurt's key takeaways

OpenAI deserves credit for disclosing what happened and working with Hugging Face. Still, the company's own report shows that its models crossed a security barrier and reached another company's production systems. The models kept working after they encountered restrictions. That persistence helped them uncover a zero-day vulnerability and find credentials they could use. This should push AI companies and regulators to move faster on containment. Strong monitoring also needs to stay active during the tests designed to measure dangerous capabilities. Consumers cannot build safeguards for frontier AI laboratories. However, you can reduce your exposure by protecting your login and closing sessions you no longer use. When the company building the AI says its own test environment could not contain it, people deserve visible safeguards and fast disclosure when those protections fail.

Would you trust an autonomous AI agent with your banking or personal data after learning that another agent escaped its own security test? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 lineup adds three choices

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:28:30 -0400

Samsung is giving those of you who are looking to buy a new phone more choices this week with three new Galaxy Z foldable models built for very different kinds of use.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra focuses on productivity, cameras and a larger workspace. The regular Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a wider approach for reading, gaming and watching content. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip8 puts more apps and AI tools on its outer screen.

Here is how the three new models compare and what you should know before deciding whether one belongs in your pocket.

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Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra offers the biggest workspace

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the model for someone who wants a phone that can also serve as a small tablet. It opens to an 8-inch main screen, giving you room to view two apps at once. You could keep your email open beside your calendar or watch a video while looking up related information. The 6.5-inch outer screen also works more like the display on a traditional smartphone, so you do not need to open the phone for every task.

Samsung says the Fold8 Ultra measures about 0.16 inches thick when opened and weighs about 7.6 ounces. That is fairly light for a phone with such a large folding screen. Still, you will notice more bulk than you would with a traditional phone. The Fold8 Ultra also has the most capable camera system in the lineup. Its 200 MP main camera should capture more detail, especially when you crop or enlarge a photo. A 50 MP ultra-wide camera helps with landscapes and group pictures. You also get a separate telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.

That zoom lens could be useful when you are photographing a child onstage, an animal across the yard or a landmark that you cannot approach. The other two phones lack a dedicated telephoto camera.

A 5,000 mAh battery powers the phone. Samsung supports 45-watt wired charging, although you need to buy a compatible charger separately. The phone also includes extra cooling to help it stay responsive while you use several apps or record high-resolution video.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra starts at $2,099.99 with 256 GB of storage. Samsung also sells 512 GB and 1 TB versions.

Galaxy Z Fold8 makes reading and video easier

The regular Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a different approach. Instead of following the taller design of previous Fold phones, it uses a shorter and wider shape. The 5.5-inch cover screen handles quick tasks while the phone is closed. Open it and you get a 7.6-inch main display with a shape closer to a small tablet.

That wider screen could make articles, e-books and websites more comfortable to read. It should also give movies and games more room without leaving as much unused space around the picture. At about 7.1 ounces, Samsung calls this its lightest Galaxy Z Fold so far. The phone measures about 0.18 inches thick when opened and 0.38 inches when closed. That lower weight could make it easier to hold during a long reading session or video call.

The Fold8 has two 50 MP rear cameras. One handles everyday photos while the other captures a wider view. You can still take detailed pictures and record video in up to 8K resolution. However, there is no dedicated telephoto camera. Digital zoom reaches 10x, but it will not provide the same clarity as the Ultra model's optical zoom. The Fold8 uses the same Snapdragon processor found in the Ultra and carries a 4,800 mAh battery. It also supports 45-watt wired charging with a compatible charger sold separately.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at $1,899.99 with 256 GB of storage. You can also choose 512 GB or 1 TB.

Galaxy Z Flip8 puts useful tools on the outside

The Galaxy Z Flip8 is the most compact model. It looks like a traditional smartphone when open, then folds in half so it takes up less room in a pocket or purse. The main screen measures 6.9 inches. When you close the phone, a 4.1-inch FlexWindow remains available on the outside.

You can use that smaller screen to check the weather, view your calendar or respond to supported messages. You may also access some apps and AI tools without opening the phone. This could help when you only need one piece of information. Instead of opening your phone and becoming distracted by other alerts, you can check what you need from the outside screen.

The Flip8 weighs about 6.3 ounces and measures about 0.24 inches thick when opened. It is the lightest of Samsung's three new foldables. The Flip8 includes a 50 MP main camera and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera. Its folding design also allows the phone to stand on a table by itself.

That can make hands-free video calls or group photos easier. You can place the phone on a table, adjust the angle and step into the picture without finding someone to hold it. The outer screen can show a preview when you take a selfie with the main camera. Samsung also added tools that help keep video level while you move. The 4,300 mAh battery supports 25-watt wired charging. Samsung says the phone can reach up to 55% in about 30 minutes under its laboratory conditions. The required charger comes separately.

The Galaxy Z Flip8 starts at $1,199.99 with 256 GB of storage. A 512 GB version is also available.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 lineup adds more active AI

All three phones run Android 17 with Samsung’s One UI 9 software. They also include two Galaxy AI features that serve different purposes.

Now Brief works like a personalized daily summary. It can gather the weather, upcoming appointments and reminders in one place, saving you from opening several apps. You can choose which types of information appear in the summary.

Now Nudge suggests a helpful next step based on what is happening on your screen. For example, if someone mentions a date while you are exchanging messages, the phone may offer to open your calendar. On the Fold models, it can place the calendar beside the conversation so you can check your schedule without leaving the message.

Gemini Intelligence can handle broader requests across supported apps. You might ask it to find a restaurant or help with a reservation. I would still review any important action involving travel, appointments or purchases before approving it.

Samsung has also added an AI Assistant Activity dashboard. It gives you one place to review supported actions the phone completed on your behalf. Privacy Alerts can warn you when an app tries to use certain permissions in the background, while Knox and Knox Vault help protect sensitive information.

Galaxy Z Fold8 durability gets several upgrades

Samsung uses a new Flex Titanium structure beneath the folding displays. The company says this helps support the screens and reduce the visibility of the crease. The two Fold screens can reach up to 3,000 nits of brightness. Samsung also uses a low-reflection finish to make the displays easier to see outdoors. All three phones carry an IP48 water resistance rating.

Switching from iPhone to Galaxy gets simpler

Samsung has updated Smart Switch for people moving from an iPhone. You can scan a QR code and transfer supported information wirelessly without installing another app on the iPhone. Samsung says the transfer can include passwords, passkeys and call history. Some accessibility settings and eSIM information may also move, depending on your device and carrier.

Quick Share also gains compatibility with AirDrop. That means supported Galaxy and Apple devices can exchange files in both directions. Moving years of photos and account information can make switching phones feel like a chore. These updates could make the move to Galaxy much easier.

Galaxy Z Fold8 preorder and release details

Preorders are open through Samsung, major U.S. carriers and participating retailers. General availability begins Aug. 7, 2026. The Fold8 Ultra comes in Graphite, Cream and Violet Shadow. Green Shadow is an online-exclusive color.

The Fold8 comes in Graphite, Cream and Lavender. Samsung offers Pistachio as an online-exclusive choice. The Flip8 comes in Graphite, Cream and Pink. Mint is the online-exclusive option.

Samsung advertises up to $1,200 in savings with an eligible trade-in during the preorder period. Buyers who choose no trade-in may receive up to $200 in Samsung credit for eligible add-ons. Offers depend on the phone and trade-in condition. Each model also includes a six-month Google AI Pro trial with 5 TB of cloud storage. The service costs $19.99 per month after the trial unless you cancel.

Kurt's key takeaways

Samsung has made the differences between its foldables much easier to understand. The Fold8 Ultra focuses on a large workspace and stronger cameras. The regular Fold8 favors reading and entertainment, while the Flip8 gives you a phone that becomes smaller when you close it. I like that Samsung now offers two versions of the Fold for different types of use. The new AI activity dashboard also gives you more visibility when the phone takes action on your behalf. The biggest question is whether one of these designs would truly make your phone easier to use every day. That answer will depend on how much you value a larger screen, a more compact shape or Samsung's newest AI tools.

Do you think a larger folding screen would make your phone easier to use? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Wisconsin protester brands Madison as 'corrupt city' during anti-police tirade following deadly shooting

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:26:05 -0400

A Wisconsin police briefing descended into chaos Thursday when a protester seized the podium during a heated demonstration that interrupted officials discussing the fatal police shooting of a homeless man.

The briefing came one day after law enforcement officers shot and killed a homeless man who authorities said wounded an officer with a knife during an encounter Wednesday.

According to officials, officers were responding to reports of a person stealing bicycles and checking vehicle doors. Police identified the man as Corey Durell Ruiz, a 38-year-old homeless resident.

Police said Ruiz was armed with a knife and injured an officer, but protesters accused law enforcement of using excessive force and invoked the 2020 death of George Floyd.

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One demonstrator then grabbed the microphone from Police Chief John Patterson.

"We don’t want any of that talk," a protester said.

The protester then delivered a lengthy denunciation of police, capitalism, imperialism and Zionism, accusing Patterson of participating in a system that he said had oppressed his family for generations.

While the disruption continued, another demonstrator held up a sign that read, "Corrupt cops deserve to die too!!!"

Once the protesters quieted down, the chief resumed his presentation, promising his department’s full cooperation with the state investigation, according to The Associated Press.

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Court records show Ruiz had a lengthy criminal history spanning nearly three decades. He repeatedly cycled in and out of jail in cases involving failure to pay child support, vehicle theft, bail jumping, threats to authorities, resisting an officer, theft, attempted invasion of privacy and cocaine possession.

Earlier in the briefing, city officials also called for accountability, questioning the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the shooting would be "rigorously investigated" and that no one should lose their life from a law enforcement encounter.

"It does not matter who you are or what your past is, you should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement," Rhodes-Conway said, according to the AP.

Madison Common Council President Sabrina Madison went further, questioning why officers involved in fatal shootings should not be taken into custody.

"My first thought is, when the officer’s walking away, why isn’t he walking away in cuffs," Madison said, according to the AP. "I’m angry, there’s no way around it."

Gov. Tony Evers also called for transparency and accountability as the investigation moves forward in a statement released Wednesday night.

According to police, Ruiz fled the area on a bicycle and rode through backyards as officers responded to theft reports.

When officers caught up with Ruiz, officials said he "either fell or was pulled off the bicycle," leading to a struggle with officers in the middle of an intersection.

"During the struggle, the man pulled out a fixed-blade knife and injured an officer," the Madison Police Department said.

After unsuccessful attempts to detain Ruiz with a Taser, the officer injured during the encounter reportedly opened fire. Authorities described him as a veteran officer.

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A second officer was also injured during the encounter, but it is unclear whether the injury was caused by the knife, according to police.

Officers reportedly attempted to provide life-saving measures at the scene before Ruiz was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In total, four officers were involved in or witnessed the shooting, and all officers involved will be placed on administrative leave, authorities said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Progressives want to tax billionaires first, and you're next on the list

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:53 -0400

If you ever wished you could be counted among billionaires, your wish might come true soon if the socialists get their way. Of course, it’s not that you’ll have a billion-dollar net worth, but rather you’ll be subject to the same wealth tax that progressives say they want to foist onto billionaires.

What Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky said of war applies to the wealth tax: you may not care about it, but it cares about you. Recently, California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna published his own personal manifesto, "Why I Support a Billionaire Wealth Tax." But he quickly pulled the mask back even further, revealing the true targets of his tax scheme.

Khanna started arguing to tax billionaires, then halfway through the manifesto decided it should be centimillionaires — $100-million net worth. By the end, he was going after $50-millionaires. At that rate, give it a year or two, and the wealth tax will be $50 thousand, not $50 million.

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This wouldn’t be the first time progressives pulled this kind of bait and switch — it’s what they did with the income tax. Billionaires are the cheese in the mousetrap, a marketing prop to pass the tax before going after the real target. Once the tax is in place, the communists can get to work knocking zeros off the threshold until it hits pretty much anybody with a job or savings or a home.

This just happened in New York. Comrade Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist mayor, campaigned on enacting new taxes for billionaires, but he's already pushing tax hikes on millionaires.

Again, this is nothing new. It’s the same play progressives ran with the income tax. It was just a tax on the rich, they promised at the time — for annual incomes equivalent to $15 million today. Back in 1908, Democrat nominee William Jennings Bryan called for taxing "swollen fortunes" of men of large incomes, so that, as the platform explained, "wealth may bear its proportionate share of the burdens of government."

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Of course, the rich were the bait to get the middle class into the trap. Today, the income tax hits two-thirds of Americans, starting at $15,000, not $15 million. So much for swollen fortunes.

Meanwhile, the tax that started at a rate of 1% to 7% on millionaires now hits the middle class at a 35% marginal rate. Throw in additional taxes on income for Social Security, Medicare and state income tax, and the marginal rate is 50% in places like California.

That’s just the dollars that people lose. It doesn’t include the billions of hours Americans spend in an annual monthlong humiliation ritual, financial colonoscopy, under threat of audit and imprisonment.

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So, it's nice of progressives to spring the trap early by already removing zeros from the original target of their wealth tax. But even if the tax were limited to billionaires, wealth taxes are catastrophically destructive.

Progressives can’t grasp this because their understanding of billionaires seems to be informed by a cartoon duck who swims around in a vault of gold coins. In reality, billionaires keep nearly all their wealth invested in businesses — Walmart, Chick-fil-A, Tesla, etc.

So, every dollar taken in a wealth tax isn't scooped out of the gold pool but is liquidated along with the jobs and innovation built by that investment. The companies fade, replaced with generous funding for Somali "Learing" Centers, left-wing NGOs to riot for social justice and starting new and interesting wars.

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And the businesses fade fast — at Khanna's 5% annual wealth tax, you essentially cancel the investment returns. As in, billionaires should just spend the money on yachts and supermodels instead of parking it in jobs and innovation.

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Even if progressives grasped this reality, they’d probably keep pushing a billionaire tax because it's one of their few schticks that polls well. Of course, it’s just the first act of a tragedy: Khanna's already pushing for the proceeds to seed a one-year universal basic income that would pay millions to sit on the couch, including illegal aliens.

It’s essentially a venture investment for trillions of dollars in vote-buying bread and circuses forever. The great economist Frédéric Bastiat once said government is the fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. Taxing billionaires — and now millionaires — is the cheese in the mousetrap.

E.J. Antoni, Ph.D., is Chief Economist and the Richard F. Aster fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a senior fellow at Unleash Prosperity.

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SEN MIKE LEE: Trump proves America can stand up to a power-mad foreign court

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:53 -0400

At the very core of the American project has always been a fierce defiance of far-off powers, a stubborn opposition to those who would seek to undermine our right to self-rule or impose their will on a people determined to decide their own destiny.

This spirit not only brought America into being but is essential for our nation to preserve its sovereignty into the future.

America again defied those who would undermine our right to self-rule on July 13 when Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration would "dismantle" the International Criminal Court (ICC) and teach them "the full meaning of American resolve."

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This will include diplomatic pressure on nations that partner with American law enforcement or our military and enjoy the benefits of our protection, coordination with allies to join us in rejecting ICC authority, sanctions against the ICC and its affiliates and visa bans for ICC personnel. I have pushed for similar policies legislatively, including the "ICC Out of NYC Act," legislation that would forbid United Nations properties in New York City from being used, leased or occupied by representatives or employees of the ICC.

The ICC, however, remains convinced of its own power to pierce the veil of American sovereignty and wage lawfare against American citizens, soldiers and public servants alike. A global court that attempts to wield ultimate authority – above and beyond the authority of any nation state – poses a direct and dire threat to the continued sovereignty of the United States that can no longer be tolerated.

As Americans, we wholeheartedly reject the notion that a supranational entity, especially one formed by a statute that was never ratified by our country, has legitimate jurisdiction over our citizens and our leaders. The U.S. Constitution is our law and guide and none other.

To forfeit the legal authority of the United States government to an unaccountable transnational organization would amount to a betrayal of the American people – and an abdication of our right to self-rule.

An active and emboldened ICC means that American sovereignty is contingent on the whims of a globalist entity run by those who have never stood for election in front of the American people, never represented America’s interests, and never sworn loyalty to America’s Constitution. No self-respecting nation, certainly not one founded in rebellion against the tyranny of a far-off power, can allow unelected globalists to wield unchecked power against its citizens, soldiers and leaders.

The United States has worked to impose limits on the ICC for decades, with presidents from both parties warning against the threat posed by the court to American sovereignty. No president, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush to Barack Obama, has been willing to ratify the Rome Statute, which would surrender American sovereignty into the hands of globalist bureaucrats empowered to launder their political grievances through the language of unenforceable international law.

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But despite past presidents’ reluctance to fully legitimize the court, none were willing to take decisive action to prevent the severe breaches of sovereignty that the ICC remains capable of committing today. Tepid half-measures are not sufficient in the fight to defend America’s sovereignty.

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Only President Donald Trump is proving bold enough to take decisive action against the capabilities of the ICC, necessary to ensure that American citizens and servicemembers are never subjected to tribunals, and so America’s elected leaders are never threatened with arrest for acting in accordance with our country’s national interest.

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No nation is truly independent when it allows an unaccountable court to sit above it and claim jurisdiction over its people and elected officials. Meeker countries may be content handing veto power over their foreign and domestic policy to an unaccountable supranational body, but such a blatant departure from national self-rule is entirely alien to the American tradition, mind and spirit.

It’s why the Trump administration is right to take on the ICC and ensure it never has the capability to threaten the United States and her people.

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Canada’s wildfire smoke is choking America — Congress must clear the air

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:39 -0400

This week, millions of Americans woke up to hazy skies and scratchy throats under air quality alerts, not because of anything happening in their own local communities or states, but because smoke from the hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada drifted across the border. Across the Atlantic seaboard to the Midwest, Americans were told to stay indoors. Seniors and people with respiratory conditions faced increased health risks. Kids enjoying their summer break watched their outdoor plans get cancelled. Families on vacation were stuck inside.

America’s own regulatory system allows forests to grow dangerously overgrown, letting dead trees and dense underbrush pile up for years while environmental reviews drag on before a single chainsaw ever starts. Meanwhile, drought intensifies conditions and one lightning strike, or a careless spark, can turn into an inferno. This is the opposite of environmental stewardship and neglect dressed up as caution.

Americans deserve policies that help prevent catastrophic fires before they start, protect our communities when fires do occur, and ensure our environmental laws actually improve the environment instead of burying commonsense solutions in years of bureaucratic delay.

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Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established regulations for six critical air pollutants, the majority of which are found in wildfire smoke.

We passed two pieces of legislation on a bipartisan basis to support states in their efforts to mitigate, respond to, and recover from wildfires.

The Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act rests on a simple truth: preventing catastrophic wildfires is itself an environmental win. Prevention beats response every time, and waiting for disaster to strike is almost always the most expensive, and most dangerous option on the table. The FIRE Act allows states to perform prescribed burns, the most effective tool to mitigate wildfires and their emissions, without being penalized for those mitigation efforts. It also directs the EPA to conduct regional analyses when multiple states are affected by the same wildfire or event, which will reduce regulatory burden and streamline federal action. This bill rewards proactive forest management while protecting public health, and is a commonsense solution to a problem that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.

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The Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act clarifies that states should not be held accountable for foreign emissions beyond their control and excludes foreign emissions when the EPA determines whether a state complies with air quality standards to ensure states aren’t penalized for emissions originating outside of the United States. The FENCES Act protects states, energy producers, and manufacturers from costly and unnecessary compliance requirements. When Canadian wildfire smoke degrades air quality in American communities, it’s an injustice to hold those states accountable for outside pollution and does nothing to solve the underlying cause of the air emission.

The Senate already has what it needs. The FIRE Act clears the way for states to manage their own forests, the best tool we have to address wildfires, without years of bureaucratic sign-off and fear of facing extreme economic sanctions. The FENCES Act makes sure no state foots a federal penalty for emissions it never created. Passing both isn't optional anymore.

Canadian researchers themselves have noted that wildfire smoke is becoming a recurring feature of Canadian summers. It is simply unacceptable for American communities and businesses to continue being punished and burdened by wildfires raging outside of our own borders.

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Our states know the cost of catastrophic wildfires firsthand. We've watched communities lose homes, businesses, treasured public lands, and, tragically, lives. We've seen tourism suffer, infrastructure damaged, watersheds contaminated, and local economies disrupted. Even after the flames are extinguished, the impacts linger for years through erosion, flooding, degraded wildlife habitat, and diminished water quality. To hold states accountable for pollution originating from another country is just salt in the wound.

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The smoke currently blanketing much of the United States offers a powerful reminder that poor forest management doesn't stay contained within political boundaries. Air pollution doesn't ask whether you're a Democrat or Republican before affecting your family. It doesn't stop at state lines or international borders. It impacts millions of Americans regardless of where the fire started.

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The best way to improve air quality across the country is to prevent these catastrophic events from happening, and legislation like the FIRE Act and FENCES Act ensure that a future without these disasters and their lasting negative impact to our environment and communities is possible. That's why these bills matter, and why we’re urging our colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation quickly. Every day we wait is another day that preventable risks are allowed to grow. We can't control every wildfire, but we can make it easier to reduce their frequency, severity, protect our communities, and restore healthier forests.

We didn't start the fire. We're just done punishing American communities for our neighbors to the north's mess.

Gabe Evans represents Colorado's eight congressional district.

China’s routing of Biden in chip war with US created a communist tech giant

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:35 -0400

Despite American export controls designed to cut Huawei off from the world's most advanced semiconductor technology, China's largest technology company is poised to post a 60% jump in chip revenue this year — a far cry from the death blow the Biden administration had hoped the restrictions would deliver.

Following export controls implemented in 2023, China directed its state agencies to purchase hardware, chips, mobile devices and software from Huawei while also pouring over $1 billion in government grants into the company.

Now, three years later, Huawei is expected to close 2026 with about $12 billion in chip revenue — a massive jump from $7.5 billion in 2025, according to analysts.

The result is fueling debate over whether U.S. export controls have inadvertently made Huawei stronger—or whether they have successfully slowed China's push to compete in advanced semiconductors.

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To some, like Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, the world’s largest semiconductor engineering company, there’s reason to still believe Huawei should merit respect.

"Huawei is the single most formidable technology company in China," Huang told the Financial Times earlier this year.

"They’ve conquered every market they’ve engaged in," he added.

The U.S. originally placed restrictions on Huawei in 2019, blacklisting its devices from government use.

The Biden administration continued to tighten restrictions in the next few years.

In 2022, it banned sales and imports from the company and, a few months later, halted export licenses to Huawei entirely, citing national security interests. In 2024, the U.S. pressed for many of its allies to follow suit. The Trump administration has continued those efforts in 2025, blocking dozens of Chinese groups from accessing semiconductors and other pieces of technology.

The compounding moves created a de facto ban on the company.

"The export controls announced in the two rules today restrict the PRC’s ability to obtain advanced computing chips, develop and maintain supercomputers, and manufacture advanced semiconductors," the U.S. Department of Commerce wrote in a statement at the time.

"These items and capabilities are used by the [People’s Republic of China] to produce advanced military systems including weapons of mass destruction; improve the speed and accuracy of its military decision-making, planning, and logistics, as well as of its autonomous military systems; and commit human rights abuses."

But by then, China had already begun laying the groundwork for using Huawei as a way to step away from reliance on the U.S.

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Huawei’s annual reports indicate that the company’s government grants skyrocketed during the same period. From 2.5 billion yuan in 2021, worth roughly $403 million, the company received 6.5 billion yuan in 2022 and then 7.3 billion in 2023.

Notably, government investment dipped in 2025, to 3.9 billion yuan.

Even so, the investments have coincided with an important milestone by 2026: the emergence of the Ascend 910B chip — a jump in China’s cutting-edge technology designed to compete with Nvidia's chips.

The company believes it can go further. In May, Huawei announced that it would adopt new strategies to push the boundaries of existing technology. Instead of trying to make parts inside chips increasingly smaller — a key focus for the rest of the industry — Huawei believes it has found a way to make electrical signals move faster and take more efficient shortcuts, a principle called "Tau scaling law."

He Tingbo, a Huawei executive, seemed to believe it could reverse the company’s isolation.

"No single company can independently find all the answers along the path of semiconductor evolution. With the τ Scaling Law, we look forward to working closely with scientists, engineers, and industry partners around the world to drive the sustainable development of the semiconductor and electronics industries."

While debates remain about just how effective Ascend 910B really is as a challenger and some of the other breakthroughs Huawei has promised, some lawmakers argue that the export controls have succeeded in one key area: forcing China to offshore at least some of its production.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said he believed the move had forced China to rely more on Taiwan.

"Huawei’s only path to meeting China’s internal demand has been to illegally procure chips from Taiwan — a humiliation the CCP would prefer to avoid at all costs," Moolenaar wrote in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, referring to a shell company China had used to get around restrictions.

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"While Huawei struggles to cheat its way toward meeting domestic AI-chip demand, the United States has accumulated roughly 75 percent of the world’s AI computing power."

Representatives for Huawei did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

USA Today columnist who attacked Caitlin Clark has history of injecting far-left views into sports

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:06 -0400

The columnist for USA Today who sparked outrage over her attacks towards WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has a lengthy history of injecting her liberal views into sports.

The newspaper's sports writer, Nancy Armour, took aim at the iconic Indiana Fever point guard for repeatedly "flopping" on the court, arguing that it's becoming "dangerous" for others, specifically Black players.

She argued the "racists" and "White nationalist faction to Clark’s fandom" will see her as a "White woman in need of saving and take matters into their own hands," citing harassment Black players have faced following various altercations with the basketball star.

"It shouldn’t need reminding this country has an awful history of Black people being harmed, even killed, in the name of 'defending' [W]hite women," Armour wrote Wednesday. "The WNBA's All-Star Game this weekend is in Chicago, Emmett Till's hometown, and a local art gallery is currently hosting an exhibit imagining his life if he hadn't been lynched. While it’s incumbent on the WNBA to do more to protect its players, there also should be an expectation on Clark to recognize the wider consequences of her actions."

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The writer linking Clark to Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman who falsely accused 14-year-old Till of making unwanted advances that resulted in his brutal murder, sparked outrage among critics.

Armour walked back what she called an "inartful comparision," insisting she neglected to provide enough context in her column — but doubled down on her argument.

USA TODAY REPORTER APOLOGIZES FOR INVOKING EMMETT TILL IN COLUMN ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK AFTER UPSETTING THE WOKE

"However, this point stands: There is a history in this country of perceived threats to [W]hite women being weaponized against African-Americans, and the danger that poses to Black players in the league," Armour wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. "Players have been abused online and have reported receiving death threats. That has to be taken more seriously."

"I sincerely regret that my lack of appropriate context is overshadowing that important conversation and the action that needs to be taken by the WNBA to address it directly — for the benefit of ALL players," she added.

USA Today added an editor's note to the column saying it was "updated to provide further context and clarity."

Armour, who joined USA Today in 2014, has long fixated on fueling her sports columns with her far-left views.

On Thursday, after her latest attack on Clark, she slammed The Heritage Foundation, who she dubbed the "authors of Project 2025," alleging "they're coming for Title IX" based on a recently-released policy report that concluded the longstanding law that requires schools to provide equal opportunities for men and women has become a "powerful engine of feminist social engineering" that doesn't address the inherent difference between both sexes.

"Our bodies, our self-confidence, our independence — they’re not going to stop until women have the same rights and opportunities they did before the 1970s. Which were almost none," Armour claimed.

"It’s easy to say the Heritage Foundation’s efforts will go nowhere... But Project 2025 has done too much damage already not to take the threat to Title IX seriously," she later wrote. "The Heritage Foundation wants a United States that reflects their White, Judaeo-Christian and heteronormative 'values,' and is steadfastly working to eliminate anything that deviates from them... This country has learned the hard way that women can be stripped of what we'd assumed were fundamental rights. Don't let Title IX be the next to go."

SPORTS MEDIA HAS CREATED AN ‘INDUSTRY’ OUT OF COMPLAINING ABOUT WHITE ATHLETES LIKE CAITLIN CLARK

Last month, as the historic FIFA World Cup was underway, Armour declared the United States "lost" due to its "greed and hostility" on the global stage, declaring "we chose to be ugly Americans" as the host nation.

"The U.S. men’s national team could make a historically deep run and the tournament could be filled with wondrous goals and compelling games. It will not change the fact that we have shown ourselves to be a hateful and greedy nation, one where leaders are only willing to welcome a world as they want to see it rather than as it exists, and the love of the game is exploited for top dollar. That will be the legacy, and the shame, of this World Cup," Armour began her column before listing her grievances like the crackdown on Iranian visas as the U.S. continues its war with the Islamic Republic and the skyrocketing ticket prices.

USA TODAY COLUMNIST WHO SLAMMED CAITLIN CLARK DECLARED US GREED WOULD RUIN WORLD CUP

In 2025, Armour rallied behind Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles during her spat with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who she accused of being a "bully" against the transgender community as Gaines became a prominent advocate for women and girls in sports.

"There is no scientific evidence that transgender women athletes have a physical advantage over cisgender women athletes, but that hasn’t stopped Gaines from claiming they do," Armour wrote. "Gaines has publicly lobbied for Biles and Caitlin Clark to support her in her hate which, again, is a laughable idea to anyone who has followed Biles’ illustrious career."

She continued, "Most of us could never do what Biles does as a gymnast. But we can do what she does as a human: Be kind. Defend the most marginalized. And when you get the opportunity to stick up to a bully, do it at full throat. In a world of Riley Gaineses, be a Simone Biles."

SPORTS COLUMNIST FACES BACKLASH OVER SIMONE BILES DEFENSE AFTER RILEY GAINES ATTACK

Armour similarly attacked then-ESPN broadcaster Sam Ponder in 2023 for speaking out in defense of women and girls who object to biological male athletes competing in women's sports, who the USA Today columnist accused of "plain old bigotry."

"Don’t be fooled by the people who screech about ‘fairness’ to cloak their bigotry toward transgender girls and women, the transgender girls and women who have the audacity to want to play sports, in particular. This is, and always was, about hate, fear and ignorance," Armour wrote at the time.

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In 2021, Armour fumed over how NFL superstar Tom Brady, who was just days away from playing in his 10th Super Bowl, had gotten an "undeserved pass" over his past support for Donald Trump.

"Brady’s ability to enter and exit the debate at his choosing, to shield himself from accountability, is the height of white [sic] privilege," she wrote. As this country grapples with the far reaches of systemic racism, look no further than Brady, for whom the expectations, and allowances granted, will always be different."

Armour wrote a similar column prior to Super Bowl LI in 2017 that insisted that Brady "has some explaining to do" and "no longer gets a pass on his friendship with Donald Trump."

USA Today's parent company, Gannett, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Witnesses recount 'scary' NYC stabbing after suspect allegedly yelled 'Allahu Akbar' during attacks

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 03:35:03 -0400

Witnesses recounted the moments surrounding a pair of New York City stabbings being investigated as a possible hate crime, with one calling the scene the "scariest thing" she had ever seen.

The suspect, identified as Raul Morales, 51, is accused of yelling "Allahu Akbar" while stabbing two men on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon, according to officials.

The NYPD is investigating whether bias played a role in the attacks. One victim is Jewish, while the other is Asian, police said.

Police said the stabbings appeared to be separate attacks that occurred near each other. Authorities said there was no known connection between Morales and either victim or between the two victims.

SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY YELLING ‘ALLAHU AKBAR,' STABBING 2 MEN IN NYC ATTACK

Both men were taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Authorities are investigating whether a knife or screwdriver was used in the attacks.

A witness described seeing a knife sticking out of one of the victims following the stabbing.

"I just saw him sitting on his knees not moving at all, with this knife sticking out. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen. The men who worked in the building are amazing and they just ran to get help," the witness told Fox 5 New York.

Another woman, who said she was friends with one of the victims, said she was inside a synagogue when she heard that someone had been stabbed. When she reached the scene, the victim was already being taken to the hospital.

"I spoke to direct eyewitnesses who said that this man had yelled 'Allahu Akbar' and had taken a screwdriver and stabbed him directly in the chest ... then the guy walked away and kind of pretended he was not culpable and said 'maybe someone should call 911, it looks like someone's hurt on the street,'" Nava Silton told the outlet.

Silton said she later visited the victim in the hospital and described him as brave and courageous.

"It is incredibly scary and he's just praying the condition doesn't get worse. He had to pull the screwdriver out of his body," she said.

Initial NYPD findings suggest mental health may have been a factor.

"While the perpetrator has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

AMERICAN TOURISTS STABBED OUTSIDE ATHENS' ACROPOLIS AS POLICE DETAIN SUSPECT IN APPARENT RANDOM ATTACK

Officials across the state denounced the attack, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city," Mamdani said.

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Hochul said she was "disgusted by what appears to be another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish."

Anyone who tries to tear that apart will be met with the full force of the law. New York will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always," she said.

Multiple injured after floatplane makes emergency landing, catches fire off Washington coast

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:22:35 -0400

Multiple people were injured Thursday after a Kenmore Air floatplane made an emergency landing off the Washington coast before catching fire, prompting a massive rescue operation, authorities said.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it received a report around 5:25 p.m. local time that a Kenmore Air seaplane had made an emergency landing in North Beach Shallow Bay off Sucia Island before bursting into flames.

Authorities said all 10 passengers and the pilot were accounted for.

SEN TIM SHEEHY MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER IN-FLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office said multiple people suffered injuries ranging from head trauma to broken bones and lacerations.

Kenmore Air said four passengers were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Authorities said one person was in critical condition. No fatalities were immediately reported.

The airline said it was working closely with investigators and would provide additional updates as more information becomes available.

MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS

Kenmore Air CEO David Gudgel said the company's immediate focus was on those aboard the aircraft.

"We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for, and our immediate focus is ensuring our passengers and pilot receive the care and support they need," Gudgel said.

"We extend our sincere thanks to the United States Coast Guard, local emergency responders, and everyone assisting in the response," he continued. "Kenmore Air is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we will continue providing verified information as it becomes available."

The airline said the aircraft involved was a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter operating near Sucia Island.

According to the sheriff's office, the flight departed Seattle's Lake Union and was headed to Roche Harbor Marina on San Juan Island.

A Kenmore Air spokesperson told Fox News Digital the route between Lake Union and the San Juan Islands is a routine flight for the airline.

"If you live here, you would be potentially taking a seaplane up there," the spokesperson said.

COAST GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING ALASKA TRAINING MISSION, INJURING FOUR CREW MEMBERS

The sheriff's office said multiple agencies responded by deploying boats and emergency personnel to the scene.

The U.S. Navy also responded, while three air ambulance helicopters transported injured passengers.

Orcas Island Fire & Rescue, Lopez Island Fire & Rescue, San Juan Island Fire & Rescue and San Juan County Parks also responded.

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The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard for additional comment.

Two found shot to death inside car on University of Chicago campus: report

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 01:59:03 -0400

Two people were shot and killed inside a vehicle on the University of Chicago campus on Thursday, according to local reports.

The victims — a 27-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man — were discovered inside a vehicle on the 5900 block of South Ellis near Midway Plaisance Ice Skating Rink and Harper Quad at around 5:35 p.m., police said, per NBC 5 Chicago.

Both victims had a gunshot wound to the head, according to police.

MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER COLLEGE STUDENT FATALLY SHOT CHASING ROBBERS WHO ALLEGEDLY STOLE HIS PHONE

The man and woman were transported to the university hospital in critical condition, but were later pronounced dead.

It remains unclear if the two victims had any connection to the university.

CHICAGO'S DEADLY JUNETEENTH WEEKEND LEAVES 7 DEAD AS TRUMP SHAMES DEM GOV FOR INACTION

A firearm was recovered from the scene, police said.

Video of the scene showed that the vehicle, which was damaged, appeared to have crashed either during or after the shooting, NBC 5 Chicago reported.

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The incident remains under investigation.

"This incident is currently under investigation, and we cannot confirm details at this time," a Chicago Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital reached out to university police for additional information.

Former Fever player responds to Sophie Cunningham by alleging Indiana harassment cover-up

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 23:12:23 -0400

The Indiana Fever are facing new scrutiny after former player Brianna Turner accused the organization of firing a male staff member over sexual harassment allegations during her time with the team, weighing in after Sophie Cunningham's comments on trans athletes.

Turner, a Fever player in 2025 and now with the Las Vegas Aces, made the allegations on X after Cunningham defended women's sports for biological females during an ESPN interview.

Cunningham said she wants to "protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS WNBA STAR SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM AFTER SHE SPEAKS OUT IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING WOMEN'S SPORTS

Turner barked at Cunningham's claims, saying organizations like the Fever are a greater threat to the game than trans athletes. According to Turner, the Fever fired a male staff member after allegations of sexual harassment but instructed players not to discuss the matter publicly.

She madly defended trans inclusion, pointing to former WNBA player Layshia Clarendon, who was born female before later identifying as transgender.

"To date there's been one out trans player in the league. They caused zero problems," Turner wrote on X.

WNBA PLAYER FACES BACKLASH OVER OP-ED CRITICIZING IOC FOR POLICY TO PROTECT WOMEN'S SPORTS

Turner contrasted that with the alleged conduct of the fired staff member, adding, "That is an issue. Sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and racism are all issues."

The Indiana Fever released a statement Thursday in response to Turner's claims.

"Protecting our players and employees and maintaining a respectful, professional workplace is our top priority," the Fever said.

"Our policy is to take concerns seriously, investigate thoroughly, and act promptly when appropriate to protect the people in our organization and ensure everyone is treated with professionalism and respect."

The team concluded, "Fostering trust and safety in that process means we do not comment on personnel matters involving former employees."

It remains unclear whether the WNBA will review Turner's allegations.

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As of Thursday, the league had not announced an investigation or publicly commented.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

California mayor's hot mic catches candid exchange after audience sends meeting off rails

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:44:55 -0400

A live microphone exposed a behind-the-scenes conversation between Sacramento's mayor and vice mayor as they discussed whether disruptive protesters could be barred from future city council meetings after a heated immigration-related debate descended into chaos.

"We should go over this disruptions thing, because if we want to ban somebody in the future, like to take them out, we have to point out specifically…" Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes is heard saying.

"I know, but the city attorney said we can't do that," Mayor Kevin McCarty replied.

"We did it last time," Talamantes responded.

GOP SENATORS RALLY AROUND NEW DHS PROPOSAL TARGETING SANCTUARY CITIES: 'SHOULD PAY A PRICE'

"We can't," McCarty said, shaking his head. "I spent my first six months going over this. I wanted to give people, like, probation, like, you can't come…"

Talamantes then appeared to realize the microphone was still live and quickly reached over to switch it off before continuing the conversation, according to the publicly available city council livestream reviewed by Fox News Digital.

The awkward exchange unfolded Tuesday after Sacramento City Council recessed and ordered the public removed from the chambers following repeated disruptions during a fiery debate over the city's continued participation in a regional intelligence-sharing center.

The confrontation escalated after Talamantes defended accepting federal funding for the Central California Intelligence Center, or CCIC, arguing Sacramento's sanctuary city policies and immigrant protections made the city better suited to oversee the grant than other jurisdictions.

"The city of Sacramento is a sanctuary city," Talamantes said during the meeting. "If we don't pass these dollars, other counties will apply for these dollars, they will get those dollars and we will have no safeguards to protect our immigrant communities here in Sacramento."

Dozens of speakers had earlier urged the council to reject the agreement, arguing the intelligence center could facilitate information sharing with federal immigration authorities and undermine Sacramento's sanctuary city policies.

Police officials repeatedly disputed those claims during the meeting, telling council members Sacramento does not share personal identifying information for civil immigration enforcement and complies with California's sanctuary law, known as SB 54.

DHS LAWYER SAYS UCLA 'UTTERLY FAILED' TO STOP PROTEST CHAOS AT LAW SCHOOL APPEARANCE

As public comment grew increasingly heated, one speaker repeatedly demanded McCarty pay attention.

"Kevin, I need your f---ing eyes. Kevin, listen to me. Stop being an a--hole, dude. Listen to your f---ing constituents," the speaker shouted.

Following Talamantes' remarks, another round of shouting erupted inside the council chambers.

WATCH: HEARING DERAILS AS PURPLE-HAIRED DEM POINTS FINGER, SCREAMS AT CHAIR TO PUT DHS CHIEF 'IN HIS PLACE'

"You're a pick-me b----," one attendee shouted at Talamantes, while others yelled, "Shame on you."

McCarty responded with what he described as a "final notice."

"This is the final notice," the mayor said. "We're going to continue with the deliberation, and if there's any more outbursts, we're gonna have to ask the audience to leave."

Seconds later, the disruptions intensified.

"You can't do this behind closed f---ing doors!" one attendee shouted.

"We are the community," another yelled.

"You represent us. You are our f---ing audience," another voice exclaimed as council members attempted to continue the meeting.

Council officials then paused the meeting and cleared the chambers after repeated disruptions prevented deliberations from continuing.

Following the meeting, McCarty said the private conversation focused on existing meeting procedures, not new restrictions.

"Every Tuesday, Vice Mayor Talamantes and I are responsible for overseeing and ensuring transparent, accessible, and open Council meetings," McCarty said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Unfortunately, when meetings are repeatedly disrupted, we must discuss existing policies and rules to ensure Council meetings remain effective, orderly, and respectful for both the residents in attendance and the Councilmembers. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the public can access and engage safely without distraction or intimidation."

The Sacramento City Attorney's Office declined to address McCarty's reference to legal advice during the hot-mic exchange.

"The City Attorney's Office has no comment and will not be providing comment on this matter," the office said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The city's published meeting rules state that members of the public receive two minutes per agenda item and may speak on no more than four items during a meeting, limits intended to help the council conduct city business.

The hot-mic exchange quickly drew criticism from some activists, who argued Talamantes appeared interested in silencing vocal opponents.

Joshua Masias, a volunteer organizer with the Sac Immigration Committee, told The Sacramento Bee the conversation showed an authoritative approach toward members of the public.

"It's very authoritative how she wants to use her power," Masias told the outlet. "It stuck out to me that she was the only one to try to silence the crowd."

Resident Leanna Hunt, one of the council's most outspoken critics, also defended the protesters' frustration.

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"I'm fed up," Hunt told the Bee. "It's not even a tactic — I'm just tired of being treated like we are an audience and that the king is deigning to see us peasants today and when the peasants are unruly, the king gets upset."

Fox News Digital reached out to Vice Mayor Talamantes' office, Sacramento Police Department and the Sac Immigration Committee for additional comment.