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Iran’s deepest weakness is getting exposed through America’s maximum pressure campaign

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:57 -0400

The United States finds itself in a protracted standoff with the Islamic Republic of Iran – which, in many respects, it has been in for decades. The difference this time is the opportunity to do lasting damage to the regime’s pursuit of regional domination and end its 47-year-old assault on core U.S. national interests.

In the past few weeks, President Donald Trump has rightly opted for a policy of exerting economic pain on the regime and its sources of funding. The Treasury Department has unveiled a slew of strident measures to further squeeze Iran’s access to revenues from oil sales.

These measures include sanctions targeting Chinese, Indian and other third-country oil brokers and tanker operators. Treasury has also gone after operators behind Iran’s "shadow fleet" and illicit Iranian financial networks.

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America’s economic pressure on the regime is backed up by the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iranian ports, involving over 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft, and costing Iran tens of millions of dollars every day.

Crucially, this "maximum pressure" strategy is underpinned by the use of tactical yet large-scale air strikes and other military measures designed to do additional damage to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other military targets across Iran. Its goal is to keep the regime in Tehran on its back heels while intermediaries (such as the Pakistani and Qatari governments) pursue efforts to reach a deal on a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

This diplomacy is a necessary part of the standoff that has pulled in Iran’s neighbors, many of whom are still reeling from the shock of being attacked by Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

However, based on the regime’s defiance and unwillingness to open the Strait of Hormuz in June and July – even after Trump agreed to a ceasefire under a "memorandum of understanding" that was widely considered to be quite advantageous to Iran – it is unlikely that diplomacy will succeed in achieving a lasting end to the conflict.

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The IRGC generals now running Iran will almost certainly violate both the terms and the spirit of any agreement or understanding – as Iran did in a variety of ways in the years following the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The most important element of the U.S. "maximum pressure" campaign, therefore, is what it means for the Iranian regime itself. Iran’s economy was in tatters, even before the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign initiated on February 28 inflicted close to $150 billion of damage.

Years of egregious economic mismanagement and rampant corruption – notably by IRGC generals and their thugs – contributed to no less than four mass protest movements in Iran since 2018. It is easy to forget that the largest of these crescendoed in January of this year, when Iran’s then-rulers ordered security forces to open fire on men, women and children marching in numerous cities and towns across Iran.

Thousands of people – possibly tens of thousands – were slaughtered by their own government. The regime continues to hang young Iranians on a daily basis for their participation in those protests, and, equally importantly, to try to scare Iranians from taking to the streets again – a sign of innate weakness on the part of regime leaders, if not fear.

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Meanwhile, the regime’s upper echelons are in disarray. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed along with 40 of Iran’s most senior military commanders during the opening salvos of Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion. Iran is ostensibly led by a supreme leader who hasn’t been seen in public since he was seriously wounded on February 28. But it’s increasingly clear that IRGC generals are calling the shots – and are at odds with civilians in the government tasked with reaching an agreement with the United States.

Many of these men are literally running scared. They know that the Mossad has penetrated Iran’s national security apparatus and likely has the ability to target senior IRGC and other officials – as it did with devastating effectiveness last summer and six months ago. None of this bodes well for regime coherence and coordination.

Nobody knows when the Iranian people will rise up again. But the economic crisis is deepening, and under Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign the situation could come to a boil. Will Iranian policemen keep getting their paychecks? Will they open fire on their neighbors’ kids when they take to the streets again?

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Regime collapse could lead to a period of upheaval; the United States and its regional partners need to be prepared for that. But it’s a reckoning that is all but inevitable: Few governments in the world are as deeply despised by their own people; and the corrupt IRGC’s hold on power makes a mockery of the Islamic Republic’s religious foundations.

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The Trump administration can hasten the regime’s demise by maintaining the economic squeeze on oil reserves, keeping up tactical military and covert pressure on IRGC centers of power and funding, and expanding support for activists inside Iran. President Trump could then rightly take credit for helping usher in a new Middle East.

Trump's endorsement collides with $1.3M effort to oust House ally

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:55 -0400

A key congressional primary race will serve as a test of President Donald Trump's political weight on Thursday night.

Voters in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District are headed to the polls to decide between Trump-backed Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and Republican Charlie Hatcher, the former state agriculture commissioner, who scored an 11th-hour endorsement from Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday evening.

Ogles, one of Trump's most vocal allies in Congress, is seeking a third term representing the Middle Tennessee district, which includes part of the Nashville suburbs. Hatcher is the state's former Agriculture commissioner under Lee, and served as Tennessee State Veterinarian before that under both Democrat and Republican administrations.

"I'm not really surprised at all. You know, they're friends," Ogles said of Lee endorsing his rival.

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He argued that his endorsements, including Trump and House GOP leaders, prove that he's the more conservative choice in the race.

"The golden endorsement that anyone wants is that of President Trump's, which I have. And I think Trump has really done a good job of making sure that he's choosing conservatives in races, which is also why I have the endorsement of [House Speaker] Mike Johnson, you know, conservative stalwart. [House Judiciary Committee Chair] Jim Jordan has endorsed me," Ogles said.

"And so you just go down the list of my endorsements, it's that of the conservatives, whereas my opponent has less conservative folks, shall we say, endorsing him."

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And having Trump's backing is not a small edge in deep red Tennessee, which Trump won by double digits in 2024. He bested Vice President Kamala Harris by roughly 18 points in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District that year.

But despite that and his incumbency advantage, Ogles has still faced a tough race this year with a clean energy super PAC spending more than $1 million to unseat him.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC spent roughly $1.3 million against Ogles and in favor of Hatcher. The group boasts billionaire Chris Larsen as a top donor, who also previously donated to Harris' presidential campaign.

Ogles is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have built a reputation as being thorns in the side of House GOP leaders.

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But Ogles, for the most part, has avoided that label. He instead acted as a key liaison between Johnson and his right flank on several pieces of legislation, which has apparently earned the Louisiana Republican's loyalty in response.

Johnson spoke in support of Ogles at a tele-rally on Tuesday night, warning that he was the best choice against Democrats who would take the country down a "dark, dangerous, deadly road to communism" should they win in November.

"I think everybody who's listening to our voices tonight understands we have a fateful midterm election coming up," Johnson said. "We have to keep and maintain and grow the republican majority in the House, and Andy Ogles is a key part of this majority."

The House speaker also lauded Ogles as one of his top negotiators on extending Trump's tax cuts in the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" earlier this year, as well as other measures.

"We're working with a one or two vote margin, and at the end of the day when things are tight, Andy Ogles is one of the members who's a small handful of guys who helps deliver the vote," Johnson said. "He helps me, he's my agent on the floor, you know, he's making sure that we corral the votes and get these things done. So he has an outsized influence in Congress, and he's a critical member of this team."

Lee said in a video released Tuesday night that he and Hatcher have been friends for 25 years and that he's "stood with President Trump since day one," touting him as a conservative with strong right-wing values.

Hatcher thanked Lee for his endorsement on Facebook and added, "In Congress, I will work hard, serve people, and get the job done by pursuing sensible, problem-solving solutions. I will defend our conservative values, support President Trump’s agenda, and fight to lower the cost of living for Tennessee families."

But despite Lee invoking Trump in his endorsement, the pair have notably split on a Republican primary race once before. Trump endorsed Republican Bobby Harshbarger for a state Senate seat over a Lee-backed incumbent in 2024. Harshbarger ultimately won, and Trump denounced Lee as a "RINO" in a Truth Social post afterward.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Hatcher's campaign for comment.

Nancy Guthrie's Tucson neighborhood searched again after monsoon shifts landscape, neighbor says

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:54 -0400

TUCSON, Ariz. — A neighbor of Nancy Guthrie's in the Catalina Foothills tells Fox News Digital she saw the FBI return to search the brush behind the missing 84-year-old's home days before her unsolved disappearance reached the six-month mark, a neighbor told Fox News Digital.

While a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff's Department said that no task force investigators had returned to the area recently, the neighbor said she recognized faces from earlier law enforcement activity in the neighborhood connected to the case. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The neighbor, who lives just a few doors down, reported seeing them combing through the desert brush.

Guthrie, the mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, is believed to have been taken by force from her home in the early hours of Feb. 1, according to authorities.

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Bob Krygier, a retired Pima County Sheriff's Department lieutenant and former SWAT commander, said there are a few reasons why investigators would return to the area, ranging from new leads to the chance that evidence has been shifted around by recent weather.

"There's a couple of different reasons that go through my mind first is going to be they got some leads, they got some new tips that are viable and they're out there looking for something specific or in an area specific to that, because I'm certain that they've searched those areas already," he told Fox News Digital.

It could also be that, six months into the investigation, authorities are putting a fresh set of eyes on the case, he said.

And heavy rains may also have altered the landscape, potentially exposing or moving evidence investigators hadn't previously seen, he said.

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"About a month ago, monsoon season started here in Tucson and a lot of water has come down — a lot of water at once, and it pushes things," he said. "So it's moved the environment. Rocks have been pushed away."

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Depending on the area, floodwaters can rise from just a few inches to as much as 12 feet, Krygier said, with enough force to sweep away vehicles, trees, rocks and even people.

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"I'm not sure if they found him yet, but there was a report of a man in the wash floating down, being pushed downstream by the water — and the Santa Cruz is what that feeds into, which is, you're looking at 20, 30 feet deep when it's at its peak and 50, 60 feet across," he said. "All that water, it's rushing fast, and it's taken not only the people, but it's taken cars, it's taken trees, branches, rocks, all of this stuff, and basically turned into a big blender."

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Authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News Digital last week that investigators are still following up on active leads, reviewing "tens of thousands" of videos and do not consider the case cold.

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On Friday, his office also released a pair of purported ransom notes in the case, in the hope that someone in the public can help identify the sender's "unique linguistic style."

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling 520-88-CRIME.

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The combined sum of rewards in the case is over $1.2 million and remains unclaimed.

Inside America's laser revolution as the military nears big battlefield breakthrough

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:46 -0400

For decades, laser weapons have represented one of the Pentagon's most ambitious technological goals — promising to shoot down enemy drones and missiles at the speed of light without expending costly interceptors.

Now, after years of testing and false starts, the Army appears poised to take its biggest step yet toward making that vision a battlefield reality.

The Army is nearing a contract award for the enduring high energy laser (E-HEL), a system that, if fielded as expected, would represent the service's first laser weapon to transition into a permanent operational capability.

The development comes as the Pentagon races to adapt to a new era of warfare in which inexpensive drones can overwhelm traditional air defenses and force militaries to expend missile interceptors costing hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of dollars. If fielded, the enduring high energy laser would mark a significant step toward giving U.S. forces a new way to counter those threats without relying solely on costly kinetic weapons.

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In July, Army acquisition chief Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano said the service was negotiating a contract with AeroVironment for the Enduring High Energy Laser, describing it as the Army's first program of record for a family of high-energy laser systems. He said the technology had shown "a lot of recent promise and capability" during testing at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

A source with knowledge of the program told Fox News Digital the Army is nearing a contract award, though negotiations are continuing and nothing has been finalized.

The Army's move is not happening in isolation.

In July, the Air Force disclosed it is using the compact laser weapon system at multiple locations overseas to defend against drones. The Navy, meanwhile, has spent years testing its high energy laser with integrated optical-dazzler and surveillance (HELIOS) aboard destroyers, gradually integrating directed-energy weapons into fleet operations.

Together, the developments suggest the Pentagon may be entering a new phase for directed-energy weapons after decades of research and billions of dollars in investment.

The U.S. is not alone in pursuing the technology. Israel has begun deploying its Iron Beam laser air defense system — developed with significant U.S. support — to counter rockets, mortars and drones, while China has publicly showcased a growing range of military laser systems and counter-drone weapons as it expands its own directed-energy capabilities.

Even so, the War Department has spent decades pursuing laser weapons, with many early U.S. programs struggling with technical hurdles ranging from power generation and beam control to thermal management and reliability in operational environments.

"It's not about the laser anymore," Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital. "It's all these other things that make it workable as a weapon system" — from ensuring it can withstand dust, heat and bad weather to developing doctrine, training operators and maintaining the systems in the field.

And because laser beams can continue traveling well beyond their intended target, the military also must ensure they do not inadvertently illuminate satellites or other aircraft, one reason integrating the technology into everyday operations has proven more complicated than simply building a powerful laser.

The shift has been driven in large part by the rapid proliferation of inexpensive drones across battlefields in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Red Sea, forcing militaries to rethink how they defend against increasingly cheap aerial threats.

Even as lasers move closer to operational use, they are unlikely to replace traditional missile defenses.

Unlike missiles, which can travel over the horizon to engage distant threats, lasers are largely line-of-sight weapons, meaning they can only strike targets they can directly "see."

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"It's great for when that drone is coming in on top of you," Karako said. "But it's more difficult to be able to get past the horizon."

That means lasers are expected to become another layer of the Pentagon's air defense architecture rather than a replacement for kinetic interceptors. Missiles will still be needed to engage threats at long distances and in adverse conditions, while lasers are likely to be most effective against drones and other aerial threats that have already entered a defended area.

The Army is also pursuing a next-generation counter-drone missile expected to cost less than $150,000 per interceptor, part of a broader effort to expand lower-cost options for defeating unmanned aircraft.

Lasers are only one piece of the Pentagon's broader directed-energy push. The military also is testing high-powered microwave systems such as Epirus' Leonidas, which are designed to defend against one of the battlefield's fastest-growing threats: swarms of inexpensive drones.

Rather than relying on a kinetic interceptor, high-powered microwaves use bursts of electromagnetic energy to disrupt the electronics of multiple nearby unmanned aircraft simultaneously.

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The Pentagon also is investing in radio-frequency technologies capable of jamming communications between drones and their operators or interfering with satellite navigation signals, potentially causing unmanned aircraft to lose control.

Holy Land discovery reveals ancient charred relics from one of Jerusalem's darkest chapters

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:34 -0400

Archaeologists recently uncovered charred wooden beams in Jerusalem dating back roughly 2,600 years — likely remnants of the destruction of Solomon's Temple.

The discovery, which was found beneath a parking lot in the City of David, was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in July.

IAA officials said the wood was found "within a building that collapsed by the intense fire at the time of the First Temple's destruction."

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Their statement added, "What likely preserved the beams for approximately 2,600 years was plaster that melted from the building's walls, sealing the burnt wood beneath it."

Solomon's Temple, also called the First Temple, was destroyed by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 B.C., after his army captured Jerusalem following a lengthy siege.

It was originally built by King Solomon in the 10th century B.C. as the permanent house for the Ark of the Covenant, according to Scripture.

The destruction of Solomon's Temple ushered in the Second Temple period, the era of Judaism in which Jesus lived and practiced.

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Efrat Bocher, an excavation director, said that the beams "appear to have served as the roof of an inner courtyard."

"During the destruction, they collapsed onto the floor," Bocher said in a statement.

"We believe that the plaster cladding of the building's walls, melted by the fire, covered the charred wooden beams, and ultimately enabled their exceptional preservation."

The beams contain an unusually high number of growth rings, giving researchers the potential to narrow their dating to within about a decade.

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"It is very rare in Israel to find wood with such a large number of growth rings," said Johanna Regev, a radiocarbon dating expert at IAA.

"Here, in the City of David, we found thick beams with many rings, offering significant research potential — with more growth rings enabling higher dating resolution," she noted, according to the IAA.

Regev added, "Until now, we could date finds within a range of hundreds of years. Now we can attain much greater precision, narrowing the dating range down to as little as 10 years."

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Interestingly, experts believe Jerusalem's residents likely chose to preserve the memory of the destruction by leaving the ruins in place.

"Preserving memory is a human need, seeking to preserve what once existed," excavation director Yiftah Shalev said in a statement.

"Here we see it in its clearest form: a deliberate choice to leave ruins in place as a testament to the destruction and build the new layer over them."

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In a statement, Bocher called the discovery "deeply moving."

It "makes you feel that you are witnessing the very moment of destruction, the moment when it all happened," she said.

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Jerusalem, known as the Eternal City, is the setting of countless notable archaeological discoveries per year.

Last year, archaeologists in Jerusalem uncovered the longest and best-preserved section of the city's Hasmonean-era wall.

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Earlier this year, excavators uncovered a "mysterious and impressive" ancient tunnel near Jerusalem's biblical-era Kingdom of Judah.

Socialist frontrunner’s tradition-trashing holiday rants come back to bite her: ‘Worst of humanity comes out’

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:00:01 -0400

Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong may be leading the Democratic gubernatorial primary, but resurfaced social media posts suggest she has a problem with some of America’s biggest holidays.

Hong, a dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has recently drawn considerable flak for stating in a November 2020 post that the country should "cancel Thanksgiving" in order to "stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indegenous [sic.] folx and women." A comment she has since walked back amid backlash, claiming that it's her "favorite holiday."

Less discussed, however, are her complaints about other popular American holidays.

"I miss working in a restaurant every day...except on VDay," she posted on Valentine's Day 2022. "As if we weren't invisible enough to those who don't recognize the emotional & physical labor of service work, the worst of humanity comes out from folks 'celebrating' on another day capitalism tells you how to show love."

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Figures on the left have long challenged traditional holidays such as Thanksgiving, Independence Day and Columbus Day over their historical associations. But Hong’s yearslong trail of posts criticizing or dismissing several major celebrations is drawing fresh scrutiny as she campaigns to lead a swing-state battleground.

"I don't allow myself to work Halloween weekend or the day of," Hong wrote in 2019. "I would actually ask every single person in costume to leave."

Six years later, she made another post telling her followers that they could ask her anything but noting that the "only subject off limits is Halloween."

"Not my thing," she added.

Conservative and liberal commentators alike have posted pictures of the Grinch in response to Hong’s old posts, suggesting that she has a hatred of holidays. One anonymous user accused her of "grinchmaxxing."

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Hong also doesn’t seem to be a fan of one of America’s most iconic holiday celebrations.

"Why isn't there a curfew on fireworks?" she wrote in the early morning hours of July 5, 2020.

"I do not enjoy fireworks," she said on June 29, 2019.

"If Francesca Hong had the explicit goal to attack storied institutions in order to turn off as many normal people as possible, she wouldn’t be doing anything different," Republican commentator Steve Guest wrote on social media.

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Though some have claimed Hong has a distaste for Christmas, pointing to a post where she felt "slightly attacked" when someone changed her computer background to a Christmas tree, she has also made multiple posts celebrating the holiday.

Conservatives have long accused Democrats of waging a "war on Christmas," a charge liberals deny.

While many are poking fun at Hong for her distaste toward holidays, others find it relatable.

"Tbh this doesn’t make me dislike her at all, she has character," Las Vegas DSA member Val Thomason wrote on X. "Like ‘oh you know Fran, she hates holidays.’"

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The Hong campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

Popular smoothie ingredient may reduce one key health benefit, study suggests

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:29 -0400

Bananas are a smoothie staple, but a viral social media video has raised questions about whether they could reduce the nutritional benefits of other ingredients, such as blueberries.

In a July appearance on the "Mel Robbins Podcast," Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a biomedical scientist and founder of FoundMyFitness, demonstrated how she likes to make her smoothies, which do not include banana.

Bananas contain polyphenol oxidase (PPO), an enzyme that can break down polyphenols, which are beneficial for gut, heart and brain health, according to Patrick, who is based in San Diego. PPO is also responsible for turning cut fruit brown.

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Recent studies suggest that when a banana is added to a blueberry smoothie, fewer beneficial polyphenols are absorbed from the berries.

Instead, Patrick uses avocado to give the smoothie the same creamy texture with 95% less sugar, she said. Avocado also adds more vitamins and monounsaturated fat, which can increase absorption of carotenoids, like lutein and zeaxanthin, from kale in the smoothie.

This opinion sparked debate in the online nutrition community, with some dietitians and nutritionists arguing that bananas should not be villainized based on a small body of research.

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The study Patrick referenced, which was published in the journal Food & Function in 2023, analyzed food absorption in eight healthy men.

On separate days, participants drank either a banana smoothie (high in an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase), drank a mixed berry smoothie (low in the enzyme) or took flavan-3-ol capsules (dietary supplements that contain concentrated plant compounds) with milk.

Blood tests showed that people absorbed about 84% fewer beneficial plant compounds after drinking the banana smoothie than after taking the flavan-3-ol capsules.

While researchers didn't test a banana-blueberry smoothie, the results suggest that bananas could reduce the benefits of foods high in flavan-3-ols.

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Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein, author of the upcoming book "Beyond the Shot," said the findings are "interesting," but don't tell the whole story.

"It doesn't mean the smoothie loses all of its health benefits," she said. "You're still getting fiber from the banana, and many other beneficial nutrients from polyphenol-rich fruits."

Muhlstein pointed out that the study included only eight participants and has not yet been replicated. She also noted that researchers used a standardized cocoa-derived flavanol supplement instead of whole fruits, such as berries, which may be absorbed differently by the body.

In a follow-up post on Instagram, responding to the backlash from the original post, Patrick said, "You can add bananas to your blueberry smoothies. However, you should know that you are going to degrade some of the polyphenols in those blueberries."

"Bananas are nutritious, I eat them, and this is not a reason to stop," she added in the caption. "But if your goal is to preserve as many of the berry polyphenols as possible, the chemistry matters."

Not every beneficial compound in blueberries will be eliminated by bananas, Patrick wrote, as the fruit contains many other polyphenols, including anthocyanins.

"This was a small study that should be replicated," she said. "But the magnitude of the effect was meaningful enough for me to consider when optimizing my smoothie."

New York-based certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco agreed that the findings don't mean everyone should avoid bananas.

Unlike well-established advice to limit processed meats and added sugar, the guidance on bananas is more nuanced and doesn't apply to everyone, she told Fox News Digital.

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As nutrition advice spreads on social media, DeCicco said it's important to remember that everyone's health needs are different and to consult a doctor before following online recommendations.

The broader issue, she noted, is that Americans aren’t eating enough nutrient-rich foods, like bananas and berries, and are instead consuming more processed foods that have been linked to chronic disease.

"That’s why Americans are fatter and sicker than they've ever been, so I think focus on that more," DeCicco advised. "It doesn't need to be so complicated all the time … If you're eating a banana instead of french fries, that's good."

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Nutrition should be individualized, DeCicco said. Someone who eats mostly fast food should focus on replacing processed foods with fruits and vegetables, while someone with a more advanced nutrition plan may benefit from limiting high-carb, high-sugar fruits like bananas.

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For those trying to lose weight and balance blood sugar, choosing fruits that are lower in sugar and higher in fiber may help with these outcomes.

"It really [depends] on where you're coming from and what your health journey is," DeCicco said.

Those looking to maximize polyphenol intake can swap bananas for frozen zucchini, avocado or Greek yogurt in smoothies for the same creamy texture, Muhlstein added.

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DeCicco shared the following simple, high-protein smoothie recipes that can be made at home.

Low-sugar high-protein smoothie (without banana)

Unsweetened organic almond or soy milk
1/2-1 cup organic frozen berries
1 serving vanilla unsweetened plant protein powder
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1-2 tablespoons of all-natural organic nut/seed butter
A few handfuls of organic mixed baby greens/mixed greens or chopped zucchini
Cinnamon, vanilla/almond/coconut/hazelnut extract (to taste)

Low-sugar high-protein smoothie (with banana)

Unsweetened organic almond or soy milk
1 ripe banana
1 serving of unsweetened, plain, full-fat or reduced fat Greek or Icelandic yogurt
1/2 ripe pear or apple with skin
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or ground chia seed
A few handfuls of organic baby mixed leafy greens
1 serving of collagen for more protein (if desired)
Organic cinnamon, vanilla extract (to taste)

GOP dropout candidate puts 'communist' opponent on notice after stunning comeback win

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:30:06 -0400

A Michigan Republican who suspended his campaign, endorsed one of his opponents and then won the primary anyway is back on the trail — and promising to take the fight to Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet.

Tom Smith surfaced at a GOP unity brunch in Macomb County on Wednesday, where he declared that he was "running" for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District and told Republican activists he would need their help to unseat Rivet. Smith did not return Fox News Digital's inquiries about whether he would be resuming his campaign.

"My name is Tom Smith, and I’m running for the 8th Congressional District to unseat communist comrade Rivet," Smith said at a Republican unity brunch in Macomb County. "And I’ll need your help to do it."

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Meanwhile, in a statement to CNN, Smith reportedly said he was "humbled and honored" to be chosen to take the fight to Democrats in the November general election for Michigan's 8th Congressional District.

"I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson and the entire Republican team to expand our House majority and advance President Trump’s America First agenda to lower costs for working families and make America affordable again," Smith said.

TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN ADVANCES TO FACE VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT IN KEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND

After dropping out of the race last month, Smith put his support behind his contender in the race, Al Lemmo, who finished third in Tuesday's GOP primary behind Thomas and Trump-backed candidate Amir Hassan.

Hassan came in second to Thomas by a substantial margin, putting out a video posted to social media on Wednesday after his defeat declaring there were "no excuses."

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"I fell short last night. I make no excuse. It was a tough race," Hassan said in the video, which appeared to be recorded from his car. "I know what God has in store for me – something greater, even if I can't see it right now and don't understand."

He subsequently congratulated his opponents, told his supporters he "looked forward to seeing [them] again," and said that despite his loss, "it's still time to flip the eighth."

New York Times-owned Athletic podcast trashes female athletes who defend women’s sports

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:45:51 -0400

The New York Times-owned Athletic distributed a podcast this week in which one host dismissed a 12-time All-American swimmer as "not even a very good one," while another smirked and laughed at an eight-year WNBA veteran because she isn’t the best player in the league.

Quite the celebration of female athletes.

Charlotte Wilder and Madeline Hill made those comments on the latest episode of "The Sports Gossip Show," which is distributed through The Athletic Podcast Network.

Wilder went after Riley Gaines and Hill said Sophie Cunningham’s basketball career would only last so long because "she’s not the best player."

LEFT-WING SPORTS HOST SARAH SPAIN LAUNCHES DISGUSTING PERSONAL SMEAR OF SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM

Then Hill smirked, gave a condescending laugh and repeated herself.

"She’s not."

Well, no. Cunningham isn’t the best player in the WNBA. Nobody said she was. She has merely spent eight seasons playing in the best women’s basketball league in the world, which apparently isn’t enough to earn respect from two people hosting a "sports" podcast.

Then the hosts accused Cunningham of launching a "right-wing grift," plotting a post-basketball conservative career and becoming a Republican "mouthpiece." They also described signs and shirts supporting women's sports as "anti-trans" and suggested that some young girls involved in the movement might lack "critical thinking skills."

Did we mention these two women, particularly Wilder, fancy themselves as champions of other women?

In 2019, Wilder told the Washington Post, "For my whole career I’ve tried [to] be helpful and supportive of other women in the industry."

She sure has a funny way of showing it, huh?

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The Athletic, owned by The New York Times Company, distributes "The Sports Gossip Show" through its podcast network. The show joined the network under a licensing agreement in 2025.

This particular episode even labeled the segment attacking Cunningham, "Sophie Cunningham’s right-wing grift."

Subtle, right?

The problem is that the facts don’t cooperate with it.

Female excellence only counts when the politics align

Wilder’s swipe at Gaines is the easiest place to begin because whether Gaines was a good swimmer isn’t a matter of political opinion.

She earned 12 All-America honors at Kentucky, won three individual conference championships, set two SEC records and qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Gaines tied for fifth in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships, and one of her conference-title swims was, at the time, the 16th-fastest in American history. Kentucky called her one of the most decorated swimmers in program history.

Not very good, huh?

Perhaps Wilder only considers Olympic gold medalists to be good swimmers. That would be a strange standard for someone whose own website describes her as "the sports expert," but at least it would be a standard.

More likely, the line served a simpler purpose. Diminish Gaines’ athletic accomplishments, and listeners don’t have to wrestle seriously with what happened to her or why she speaks about women’s sports.

Hill used a similar move against Cunningham with her condescending characterization of Cunningham as "not the best player."

Cunningham was drafted in 2019 and has remained in the world’s top women’s basketball league since. She appeared in the 2021 WNBA Finals and ranks among the top 10 in league history in true shooting percentage, making her one of the most efficient shooters the WNBA has ever seen. Plus, Cunningham is in her eighth WNBA season, roughly twice the length of the average player’s career, and Hill still found her accomplishments worthy of derision.

Almost every girl who has ever picked up a basketball would consider reaching the WNBA an extraordinary achievement.

Hill treated it as a joke because Cunningham thinks women's sports should be for women only.

That’s quite a message from two women being paid to discuss women’s sports: female athletic accomplishments count right up until the athlete disagrees with them.

The left's new favorite insult: "grifter"

Calling Cunningham a "grifter" is different from saying she’s wrong, opportunistic or enjoying the attention.

A grift involves deception. The accusation only makes sense if Cunningham is pretending to hold a belief she doesn’t actually hold because she thinks the act will make her money or extend her celebrity.

That’s what Wilder and Hill were alleging, whether they wanted to say it that plainly or not.

Hill said Cunningham "knows what she’s doing." The hosts speculated that defending female sports was her post-retirement strategy, suggested Republicans were using her to deliver talking points and predicted she would speak at the next Republican National Convention.

Their evidence?

Cunningham spoke publicly, posed with Gaines and former Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey and her player-exclusive Adidas shoe sold out in hours after doubling down on her position.

Those facts show that Cunningham’s stance has increased her popularity with a segment of the public. They might even show that she recognizes the commercial benefit.

They don’t establish that she’s lying.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SEES SUPPORT SURGE AFTER STAR PUTS CAREER ON LINE FOR GIRLS SPORTS

Cunningham said Wednesday that the ESPN interview took place in February and that the writer directly asked her about transgender athletes in women’s sports. She answered the question, then spent the next several months saying virtually nothing about it until ESPN published the story.

That’s an odd way to launch a carefully planned grift. Answer one question, keep quiet and wait for someone else to make it public?

A person can sincerely believe something and make money from saying it. Wilder and Hill should understand that better than most. They are, after all, paid to deliver progressive political opinions into microphones. Presumably, they don’t view their own salaries as proof they’re lying.

Plus, Cunningham’s position didn’t suddenly appear when Adidas released a shoe.

In 2022, Cunningham shared a message criticizing the participation of Lia Thomas in women’s college swimming and said athletes should have the opportunity to compete fairly. That was four years before this supposed "hard pivot right."

That doesn’t prove Cunningham has never considered the career benefits of speaking out. It does create a rather significant problem for the claim that she invented this belief as a convenient retirement plan.

The hosts provided no evidence of political coordination, compensation from conservative groups or private statements contradicting Cunningham’s public position.

OutKick/Fox News Digital reached out to Wilder and Hill and asked if they could provide that evidence and explain whether calling Cunningham a grifter meant they believed she was lying. Neither responded by the publication deadline.

They just announced that her sincerity was fake, kept talking and didn't respond to a request to provide proof.

Then they turned their contempt toward teenage girls.

It’s one thing to take cheap shots at Gaines and Cunningham, two highly successful adult women who can answer for themselves.

It’s quite another to aim that same condescension at teenage girls, particularly girls who have already lost to biological males in girls’ sports.

But that’s where Wilder and Hill went next.

Wilder praised Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve for questioning whether young girls holding signs at WNBA games understood the "real" threats facing women’s sports. She also described the XX-XY Athletics shirts worn by the girls as "anti-trans," though she never explained what language or imagery on the shirts attacked transgender people.

She then suggested that some people involved might lack "critical thinking skills" or hadn’t been "taught how to think about these things."

One of the girls they were discussing was Ahnaleigh Wilson.

Wilson didn’t arrive at her position because Republicans tricked her into it. She became involved after losing a girls’ 1,600-meter race to a biological male athlete when she was 14-years-old.

I interviewed Wilson in 2024. Her position wasn’t hateful, and it certainly wasn’t thoughtless.

"It isn’t fair, and it isn’t working for biological girls," Wilson said. "And it isn’t fair, and it isn’t working for transgender athletes."

Wilson had considered how the policy affected everyone involved. She simply didn’t reach the conclusion Wilder and Hill demanded.

WNBA SILENT ON WHETHER FRENCH TRANSGENDER STAR DOMINATING WOMEN'S LEAGUE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY

That makes the lecture about "critical thinking skills" particularly rich. A basic search would have revealed that one of the girls they were dismissing had personally experienced the exact competitive problem they claimed wasn’t a threat to women’s sports.

And Wilson wasn’t alone.

NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher attended a rally supporting Cunningham in Minnesota after her final high-school game ended in a state-championship tournament loss to a team featuring a biological male pitcher. The pitcher held Kotzmacher’s team to two runs and hit a double that helped set up the winning run.

Kotzmacher said a counterprotester at the rally told her she "should’ve been aborted." She also said she had received death threats and hateful messages after speaking publicly about her experience.

These weren’t teenage girls parroting political talking points they didn’t understand. They were female athletes who had competed against biological males, lost races and potential championships, and then faced abuse for talking about it.

None of that made it into the discussion before Wilder lectured the girls about how to think.

That’s quite a display of intellectual curiosity from someone hosting a podcast for a New York Times-owned outlet.

The Athletic is distributing more than sports gossip.

By the end of the segment, the conversation had drifted well beyond Cunningham.

Hill accused Republicans of distracting from "snatching people off the street and murdering people on the street." Wilder claimed there is more money in conservative commentary because rich people support Republicans who "don’t tax billionaires."

Neither provided specific evidence for those claims during the episode.

That’s their right. Podcasts contain opinions, jokes and exaggerations. "The Sports Gossip Show" doesn't pretend to be a nightly newscast and no one would mistake these two for serious or seasoned political journalists.

But "gossip" isn’t a magic word that makes factual claims immune from scrutiny.

Wilder said Gaines wasn’t a good swimmer. Her record says otherwise.

The hosts said Cunningham’s position was a grift. They didn’t show that she was being dishonest.

They treated supportive signs as anti-trans without identifying any anti-trans language.

And they questioned whether young girls knew how to think about the issue while leaving out that at least one of those girls had experienced it firsthand.

OutKick/Fox News Digital sent detailed questions to Wilder and Hill asking them to explain those claims. OutKick/Fox News Digital also contacted The Athletic and The New York Times Company to ask what standards apply to content distributed through The Athletic Podcast Network and whether either company stood by the episode.

None responded by the publication deadline.

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The issue is not that Wilder and Hill hold strong opinions. It's that they made factual and motive-based claims about athletes without showing the evidence needed to support them. They also launched multiple personal attacks.

Riley Gaines held the wrong political opinion, so her 12 All-America honors no longer made her a good swimmer. Sophie Cunningham held the wrong political opinion, so Hill smirked at an eight-year WNBA career and dismissed her as "not the best player." Teenage girls held the wrong political opinion, so their firsthand experiences became evidence that they hadn’t learned how to think.

The hosts didn’t rebut these women and girls. They diminished their accomplishments, questioned their sincerity and treated their experiences as irrelevant.

Apparently, female athletes deserve support only until they defend female sports.

Sports cartoons of the day

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

Canadian accused of attacking teen over 'Trump' and 'ICE' pants ordered deported: DHS

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:30:24 -0400

A Canadian woman accused of attacking a teenager over his "Trump" and "ICE" pants has been ordered to be deported back to the Great White North.

An immigration judge in Texas ordered Kaitlyn Tracey deported to Canada on Tuesday, after she allegedly approached a group of teens on New Jersey's Point Pleasant boardwalk over Fourth of July weekend and struck one of the girls, the Department of Homeland Security said.

A spokesperson for DHS previously told Fox News Digital that Tracey entered the U.S. on an April 2024 visa and stayed past the Sept. 6, 2024 expiry date.

POLICE SAY CANADIAN WOMAN SLAPPED TEEN OVER TRUMP AND ICE CLOTHING BEFORE ICE DETAINED HER

"She overstayed her visa and failed to depart," the spokesperson said.

"She received full due process and was ordered removed on Aug. 4 by an immigration judge to her home country of Canada. ICE will return her home as soon as possible," a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

A probable cause affidavit by law enforcement states that Tracey allegedly slapped the victim across her face and body."

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Tracey started yelling at the teen because she was wearing "patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording," police added, stating that the young woman was wearing sweatpants that read "Trump" and "ICE."

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Tracey reportedly took issue with the group's "patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording," police said.

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Surveillance footage showed Tracey hitting the teen twice with an open hand, once in the face and once in the body, before fleeing the scene, investigators said.

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The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department previously said officers responded to an assault report after a woman allegedly hit a juvenile.

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Tracey was arrested days after the incident and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment and obstruction.

"Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE is targeting the worst of the worst," a DHS spokesperson said. "Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Our message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you."

Michigan Gov Whitmer congratulates El-Sayed, expressing support after backing his opponent in Dem primary

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:06:05 -0400

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday expressed her support for state Democratic U.S. Senate primary winner Abdul El-Sayed after backing his opponent, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, in the contest.

"Congratulations to Jocelyn Benson, Abdul El-Sayed, and every Democrat who won up and down the ballot in this primary. They’ve got my support as we fight like hell together to win in November," Whitmer wrote in a post on X.

"Together, let’s stop MAGA Republicans so we can get to work and deliver results for the people of Michigan," she added.

EL-SAYED'S THREAT AGAINST GOP RIVAL BACKFIRES AS CONSERVATIVES BRING RECEIPTS: 'IS DUBAI IN FLORIDA?'

El-Sayed edged out Stevens by about 1% in the close contest.

The congresswoman congratulated her opponent and extended her support.

EL-SAYED CAMPAIGN BACKED BY OVER $100,000 FROM DOZENS OF MEMBERS OF GROUP WITH ALLEGED TERROR TIES

"I love Michigan and am so proud to have put up my hand to serve. I spoke with Abdul a few moments ago to offer him my full support as we work to defeat Mike Rogers this November. Thank you, Michigan," Stevens wrote in a post on X.

El-Sayed shared her post and wrote, "Putting your hand up to participate in democracy is no easy thing. Thank you for running, Congresswoman. Looking forward to uniting this fall to beat Mike Rogers. Because what unites us is so much bigger than what divides us."

DEMS' LEFTWARD LURCH GETS LEGS AS EL-SAYED'S MICHIGAN SENATE VICTORY SPARKS PARTY DEBATE

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Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican who lost the 2024 Michigan U.S. Senate race to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, is running for U.S. Senate in the state again this year.

Prince William faces 'work-shy' criticism but is secretly running monarchy like a CEO, expert says

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:59 -0400

Prince William has been branded "work-shy" for years, but one royal expert says the heir to the British throne is quietly executing a CEO-style strategy designed to secure the monarchy's future.

Dan Wakeford, founder of Celebrity Intelligence, told Fox News Digital that the father of three isn't fazed by critics as he continues to prioritize his family while placing less emphasis on tradition and more on key engagements aimed at strengthening the institution.

"William is extremely good at setting boundaries and not working during the holidays, protecting his kids’ privacy and his wife’s mental health," said Wakeford. "There’s some criticism of that. Some critics snipe at that and think that he’s ‘work-shy’ or a little bit lazy. But I think William is working more like a CEO and being very strategic with his time."

KATE MIDDLETON IS 'INDISPENSABLE' TO ROYAL FAMILY AS SLIMMED-DOWN MONARCHY FACES MOUNTING PRESSURE: EXPERT

"He studies the monarchy in a way to help make it survive and keeps a boundary around his real life and his relationships so that he doesn’t get burned out, and he can do the best job possible," Wakeford shared. "And the poll numbers show that he’s extremely popular, and he’s doing a good job."

The royal family’s working ranks have grown increasingly slimmed down in recent years. In 2019, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor stepped back from public duties following a disastrous televised interview in which he attempted to explain his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He lost his title of prince and other honors in 2025.

In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made their exit as working royals and moved to California. While King Charles has maintained a full schedule, he continues to undergo cancer treatment.

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM'S BOUNDARIES ARE STRENGTHENING THE MONARCHY: EXPERT

Catherine Mayer, author of "Divide & Rule," previously told People magazine that the senior royals "are all stretched thin — and none of them are young," adding that "William and Catherine carry the whole thing."

"William is the very antithesis of 'work-shy,'" Christopher Andersen, author of "Kate!" told Fox News Digital.

"The Prince and Princess of Wales want to make a real impact by raising awareness of mental health, cancer research and other causes they're prioritizing," Andersen said.

"Does William want to be the first king to run the monarchy like a CEO? Well, it's been called 'The Firm' for decades, hasn't it? The royal family is worth billions, including extensive prime real estate holdings. To say it should be taken seriously as a business enterprise is a colossal understatement."

William has long faced criticism for taking on fewer engagements than other senior royals, earning the "work-shy" label. Last year, The Sunday Times reported that Princess Anne wanted her nephew to take on more "bread-and-butter" engagements as he prepares for the throne, citing unnamed sources close to the princess. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment at the time.

Journalist Emily Andrews previously reported that William once confronted her about an article she wrote titled "Work Shy Wills." According to Andrews, William told her there were "a lot of things we hadn't seen behind the scenes."

"Princess Anne will always do more engagements," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "That’s her job. But William has the monarch’s permission to prioritize his young family. And in 2026, that stability is part of the job.

"Preparing to run the monarchy like a CEO doesn’t mean less work. It means different work. Forget 400 meet-and-greets. We’re getting 10-year projects. We’re talking about big goals, big partnerships and measurable, real outcomes."

"King Charles is like the custodian," Chard continued. "His mission is to preserve and consider a slimmed-down monarchy. Prince William, the strategist, is making the monarchy indispensable for the next 50 years. The traditional charity work is not going anywhere. Charities still need royal visits to raise money and profile. However, there will be more efficient, targeted visits."

Wakeford noted that William's workload cannot be judged solely by the number of public appearances he makes.

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The royal family's website says the Prince of Wales carries out official duties in support of the king while overseeing charitable projects in Britain and abroad. He leads long-term initiatives, including Homewards and the Earthshot Prize. He's also responsible for leading the Duchy of Cornwall.

The Times also reported that William plans to sell about 20% of the Duchy of Cornwall's estate over the next decade to help fund housing, environmental and renewable energy projects.

"A major part of his duty is to raise a future king," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "His focus on being a good father to Prince George is critically important. Prince William and his family present a strong visual image, which is a significant asset in the age of social media."

"Princess Catherine is by his side, emphasizing family stability. Their appeal lies not so much in the volume of events but in making the monarchy more modern and stable."

Some royal experts have cautioned that if the monarchy becomes too focused on metrics, branding and management, it could risk losing the mystique and tradition that make it unique.

"The question needs to be asked: Does Britain want a royal family run like a business?" royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.

"Why should William wish to change the principles of royalty devised over 800 years? The view I come back to constantly is that the royal family should never forget. It is the blood, sweat and tears of the British taxpayers who finance the royal family. Although King Charles understands this, the jury is out on William. The lazy label attached to William in the past may have spurred him into action. But his alleged new style for the future could change many things."

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William's reported plans to modernize the monarchy won't spell the end of royal pomp and pageantry, Andersen argued.

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"William and Kate are both keenly aware of how important it is to keep up appearances and centuries-old traditions," he said. "No matter how business-savvy William is as king, or how smoothly the monarchy runs, the public probably won’t see it. What they’ll see, what the royal family wants them to see, is the familiar, magical fairy tale."

Primary showdown: Conservative firebrand Marsha Blackburn eyes governor's office in Tennessee

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:58 -0400

Conservative firebrand Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is aiming to change her work address from Washington D.C. to Nashville.

The former longtime congresswoman and two-term senator with a robust national profile thanks to her regular cable news appearances is the front-runner in Thursday's Republican gubernatorial primary, in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Bill Lee.

The Republican face-off for governor of Tennessee, where Democrats haven't won a gubernatorial election in two decades, takes top billing as the red-leaning southeastern state holds nominating contests for state and federal offices.

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Blackburn is considered the frontrunner in a race that also includes four-term Rep. John Rose, who like Blackburn is a staunch Capitol Hill supporter of President Donald Trump, and state Rep. Monty Fritts.

Even though the president handed out endorsements in other GOP gubernatorial primaries this cycle, Trump remained neutral in the Tennessee contest.

"Unfortunately, she’s running for governor. She’s running for governor of Tennessee. I’d love her not to, I begged her," Trump said in January. "‘I said, ‘Marsha, don’t. We don’t want to lose you in the Senate.’"

But the president has said Blackburn would be a good governor, and also noted that Rose has been a staunch loyalist.

Even though she didn't land Trump's endorsement, Blackburn has showcased her support for him.

"As President Trump sends power and authority back to the states, I'm ready to deliver for the people of the Volunteer State and make our state America's conservative leader," she wrote on the eve of the primary in a social media post that included a photo of her and Trump.

Five Democrats, including Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green, are bidding for their party's gubernatorial nomination.

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Tennessee's other U.S. senator, Republican Bill Hagerty, is unopposed in the GOP primary as he seeks a second six-year term in the Senate.

Five Democrats are vying to challenge Hagerty in the general election. Then-Sen. Al Gore's re-election 36 years ago was the last time a Democrat won a Senate contest in Tennessee.

In U.S. House battles, Memphis voters will cast ballots for their Democratic and Republican nominees using a new GOP-drawn congressional district map that created an extra right-leaning seat and forced longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen to not seek re-election.

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Meanwhile, two-term Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, a major Trump ally in the House who is backed by the president, is facing a stiff primary challenge from Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who was endorsed earlier this week by Lee. The race has seen a large infusion of money from outside groups.

Madison Brooks’ mom slams attempt to ban pink at trial for slain LSU student: ‘We wear it to honor her’

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:56 -0400

"It's not about anyone except for Madison," says Ashley Baustert.

She is the mother to the Louisiana State University student Madison Brooks, who was allegedly gang-raped before she was hit by a car and killed after a night out in 2023.

She wants to ensure her daughter's accused attackers are held accountable.

SLAIN LSU STUDENT MADISON BROOKS’ ALLEGED RAPIST WANTS SUPPORTERS BANNED FROM WEARING PINK AT TRIAL: REPORT

Brooks, 19, was a student at LSU when she was hit by a car and killed after a group of men allegedly raped her, then dumped her out of a vehicle on a Baton Rouge, Louisiana highway in 2023, and drove off.

LSU DEATH: MADISON BROOKS' LAST TEXT TO MOM WHO 'KNEW SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED'

The driver of the vehicle that hit her stayed on scene and was cleared of charges.

WATCH: LEFT FOR DEAD THE CASE OF MADISON BROOKS A NANCY GRACE INVESTIGATION

"Maddie felt safe that night, she thought these were her friends and I think a lot of selfish choices were made that night and ultimately it led in a horrific ending," Baustert told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF RAPE, MULTIPLE SEX CRIMES AFTER RELEASE FROM MARYLAND JAIL

On top of the unimaginable grief of losing her child, Baustert has been dragged through an ongoing legal marathon in her fight to hold her daughter's alleged attackers accountable.

"It's very challenging," Baustert said. "I have to just keep the course and stay positive and pray that justice will in the end prevail."

Desmond Carter, 21, one of the men accused of raping Brooks, is asking an East Baton Rouge Parish judge to ban spectators from wearing pink in court. His defense claims the color—which supporters wear to honor Brooks—could bias or intimidate the jury.

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Baustert is strongly pushing back against the motion.

"We are not disruptive, we are very peaceful, and it's really just about Maddie's favorite color," Baustert said. "We wear it to honor her. It's not about anyone except for Madison."

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A judge will make a decision on Thursday, Louisiana First News reported.

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"I hope that she disagrees with the defendant's attorney and allows us to peacefully wear pink. I feel that if she agrees with them, I think it's going to cause more of an outrage," Baustert said.

WATCH: Madison Brooks case: Nancy Grace previews exclusive new Fox Nation special, 'Left for Dead'

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Brooks was a sophomore at LSU and was pursuing a communications degree when she was killed.

Prior to her enrollment at LSU, she "graduated from Saint Scholastica Academy in 2021, where she was an honor roll student, cheerleader, member of Doves for Life, Spirit Club, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes," the LSU Foundation says.

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Baustert said, "Nothing will bring Madison back, but we remain committed to honoring her life and ensuring that her voice is never forgotten."

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Carter's attorney.

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He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Aug. 17.

‘The Shack’ author expects more Christian criticism with sequel, but will take it in stride

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:52 -0400

Some Christians dismissed author William P. Young’s novel "The Shack" as heresy for its portrayal of the Holy Trinity, and he said he expects more pushback on his sequel.

"The Shack," which was also adapted into a major motion picture in 2017, tells the heartbreaking story of a father, Mack, whose daughter is kidnapped and killed while on a camping trip. In the midst of his grief, Mack discovers a letter in his mailbox from God, who implores him to visit a shack. Once there, he meets a diverse Holy Trinity. Papa is a middle-aged Black woman, Jesus is a Middle Eastern carpenter, and the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman named Sarayu.

Some Christians balked at the unorthodox portrayals, saying Young sorely misrepresented the nature of God. America magazine's David E. Nantais wrote at the time that the book had become "both a fascination and an object of contempt to millions of Christians" because it literally portrayed the Trinity as three persons.

Young's sequel, "Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption," is out on bookshelves in October. And he expects Christians to again make some noise because of the subject matter.

AT PENTECOST, THE HOLY SPIRIT MANIFESTS IN EACH BELIEVER IN A 'RADICALLY UNIQUE WAY,' SAYS FAITH LEADER

"You know, I don't brace for any of it," Young told Fox News Digital. "Yes, it'll probably happen. But yes, if you're going to have something out in public purview, you'll always find people who don't like it. And that's fine with me. I think — and I did get considerable but not overwhelming pushback from my own people — because of my history as a missionary kid, a preacher's kid."

An additional aspect of his new novel that may raise eyebrows is how the child murderer, simply named J, is portrayed. J is now a death row inmate, and Young gives him a more humanized storyline in the sequel, including references to his childhood and abusive father. Young said he decided to go that route because of what he experienced through his own broken relationship with his dad.

In candid interviews since "The Shack" was released, Young has described his father as angry, distant, and strict. His novel helped him repair their relationship and show mercy toward his father.

"He was allowed only to be a failed father," Young told Fox News Digital. "And so I finally released him from my expectations and allowed him to become something greater than a failure to my expectations and greater than being my dad. And that was to finally become a human being. And when that happened, suddenly his story mattered."

Young shared that some of the prisoners in the sequel are modeled after death row inmates he befriended at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee, so he felt compelled to view them through a sympathetic lens, too.

"That's just one of the layers that's going on," Young said. "But I think that death row inmates would be one of the most related to as animals, put into category. Like the guys say, 'We're only known for the worst day of our lives.'"

JD VANCE REVEALS WHAT DREW HIM BACK TO GOD AFTER SEEING CHRISTIANS HAD LIFE ‘FIGURED OUT’

LOST PAGES WITH 'GHOST' TEXT RECOVERED FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT NEW TESTAMENT MANUSCRIPTS

"We're talking about human beings who've come from very diverse backgrounds and situations and trauma being a very centerpiece, abuse being a centerpiece," he added.

Young says, however, that people should not use that as an excuse for the choices they make. He surmised that some of the Christians who took issue with his first book have "a fear-based religion."

"And there is no fear in love, that's a Scripture out of the New Testament," he said. "So any degree of fear, that's in your sense of the transcendent, in your sense of the higher power, your sense of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Any fear indicates that your theology, your religion is seriously flawed. And because people are afraid, they're going to react out of their fear."

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Young sympathized with some of the reaction, however. Over the years, he's admitted to marital infidelity and how that impacted his own walk with God.

"If it hadn't been for that kind of monumental failure — when you get caught you have to either run or face it. I think it's by the grace of God that I faced it," Young told Oregon Live in 2015.

"And I get that, because I've been there and done that," he told Fox News Digital. "You know, I went through enough crap and did enough harm and had to deal with the consequences of that in my own life, that I know who I am now. And I'm not a book, and I'm not a movie. That's not my identity."

"My identity is outside of that," Young continued. "And so, you know, sometimes I think if people are bothered by something, it means something is in them that needs to be addressed and it becomes an invitation. And I'm excited for that to happen in people's lives. If I can walk on the holy ground of their story a little bit, I'm honored."

Young said he "absolutely" believes in miracles, like Mack receiving a letter from God.

"I absolutely believe something like that could happen," he said. "Like I've said, I've never heard God speak audibly, but I believe that God is in union with every single person who's ever been conceived. And God is not mute, but God is not coercive. And if you want to see what the character and nature of God is like, look at Jesus, read the Gospel, read John or one of the Gospels, and you'll see how love lives in this world."

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"So I'm one of those who is — I don't like a purpose-driven life — I like a spirit-indwelt, moment-by-moment participatory life," he continued. "And I'm good with that."

Gen Keane questions whether Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar can be trusted in Iran talks

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:38 -0400

Retired Army Gen. Jack Keane questioned whether Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia can be trusted to help shape negotiations with Iran, accusing the regional partners of steering President Donald Trump away from military pressure while leaving the United States and Israel to bear the risks of confronting Tehran.

Keane, a Fox News senior strategic analyst and former Army vice chief of staff, said during a Monday appearance on Fox News’ "America’s Newsroom" that Pakistan and Qatar were "compromised" as mediators because, in his view, they favor Iran over the United States.

"It is well known in the Middle East region, by our intelligence services, by all the players, that the Pakistanis and the Qataris are compromised because they favor Iran at the expense of the United States," Keane said. "This is historical. This is not new."

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Keane’s criticism contrasts with Trump’s public praise for Islamabad.

Trump said April 26 during a phone interview with Fox News that he had "great respect for Pakistan" because its officials had "been terrific" and "really tried" to advance negotiations with Iran. He added that Pakistan would remain involved in the process.

While speaking to reporters after the G7 summit in France on June 18, Trump also credited Pakistan and Qatar with helping advance the negotiations that produced the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly also defended the administration’s regional partners, telling Fox News Digital that, "President Trump has great relationships with leaders from Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and he appreciates the involvement of all of our regional partners who are assisting with negotiations."

"If Iran cannot agree to a good deal with the United States, the fault will lie squarely with the regime, who will suffer the consequences," Kelly added.

Mediators were preparing a second memorandum focused exclusively on the Strait of Hormuz, Wednesday reports indicated, potentially separating the immediate maritime crisis from the broader dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Keane, a former four-star general, argued that their involvement may have contributed to Washington misunderstanding Iran’s intentions.

"And yet they’re mediators," Keane said. "So their influence here, I think, had played a part in misleading the United States in terms of Iran’s real intentions."

TRUMP SAYS SAUDI NUCLEAR AGREEMENT WON'T MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ABRAHAM ACCORDS: 'THEY HAVE TO BE A MEMBER'

Pakistan and Qatar have played formal roles in the diplomatic process.

A June 22 joint statement from the two countries said they were mediating talks between the United States and Iran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The framework established working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring and dispute resolution, as well as a mechanism intended to prevent incidents involving commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan declined to comment on Keane’s criticism. The Saudi and Qatari embassies in Washington did not respond by the time of publication.

Raza Rumi, editor-at-large of Pakistan’s The Friday Times, disputed Keane’s characterization, arguing that Islamabad’s working relationship with Tehran does not make it a compromised mediator.

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"Successful mediators are often those that enjoy channels of communication with all sides," Rumi told Fox News Digital, saying Pakistan’s approach is shaped more by geography, security and economic concerns than ideological alignment with Iran.

He noted that Pakistan shares a long border with Iran and wants to prevent further instability, while also maintaining longstanding ties with the United States and close partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Rumi also pointed to the exchange of strikes between Pakistan and Iran in January 2024 as evidence that relations between the neighbors are not uniformly close.

"The suggestion that Pakistan somehow caused Washington to misunderstand Tehran’s intentions is difficult to substantiate," Rumi said. "It would be a considerable stretch to attribute any American misreading of Iran’s intentions to Pakistani mediation."

Keane directed even sharper criticism at Saudi Arabia, saying that Riyadh denied the United States access to Saudi airspace and a U.S. air base during preparations for a possible operation to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also claimed Saudi officials had repeatedly persuaded Trump not to resume major military operations against Iran.

"The fact of the matter is, the Saudis are not willing to sacrifice to rid the Middle East region of Iran’s aggression," Keane said, describing the potential costs as casualties and damage to Saudi oil infrastructure.

"They’re willing for us to make that sacrifice, for sure," he added. "They’re willing for Israel to make that sacrifice, for sure."

His remarks highlighted a broader debate over whether Saudi caution represents an unwillingness to confront Tehran or a strategic effort to prevent an open-ended regional war.

GULF COUNTRIES STRONGLY CONDEMN IRAN'S DRONE ATTACK ON BAHRAIN AS RISING TENSIONS THREATEN MOU

Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, rejected the suggestion that Riyadh is unwilling to confront Iran, saying the Kingdom distinguishes between credible deterrence and military action without clear objectives.

"Saudi Arabia supports confronting Iranian aggression, but not an open-ended regional war without clear objectives or an endgame," Al-Ansari told Fox News Digital.

"Riyadh favors diplomacy backed by credible deterrence, but any agreement must be enforceable and verifiable, addressing Iran’s nuclear program, its proxies, and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.

A Gulf affairs analyst who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue offered a different assessment, saying Saudi leaders fear that a wider confrontation would expose the Kingdom’s critical infrastructure to Iranian retaliation.

"Saudi Arabia believes it should appease Iran because it is deeply concerned about the consequences of a broader confrontation," the analyst said. "Riyadh fears the damage Iran could inflict on the Kingdom’s infrastructure and has therefore favored restraint and negotiations over a decisive military campaign."

The analyst described a widening divide among Gulf states, arguing that Saudi Arabia and Qatar favor accommodation while the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait support stronger pressure on Iran.

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank and former National Security Council official, said during a separate Fox News appearance Wednesday, that Washington continues to depend on Saudi infrastructure even as disagreements persist over military strategy.

"When we talk about the Gulf states, we talk about Saudi Arabia and General Keane’s comments, remember, we also are relying on Saudi Arabia with their overland pipelines to keep us in the game here," Goldberg said. "The fact that they’re at maximum capacity moving through the Red Sea also allows us to continue the strangulation strategy."

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The debate comes as the United States and Iran continue negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.

Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia all have been involved in the diplomatic effort, while reports Wednesday indicated that mediators were working on an interim arrangement that could establish separate shipping routes through Iranian and Omani waters as broader nuclear negotiations continue.

The central question is whether those negotiations can produce an enforceable agreement or merely allow Tehran to preserve its leverage over the waterway.

Keane said he remained doubtful that Iran was prepared to surrender meaningful control.

"They are not going to give up the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "They think it’s a strategic asset."

He predicted Iran would seek to retain some degree of control over the waterway and warned that reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program would be even more difficult.

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"My gut feeling here is no," Keane said when asked whether Iran was prepared to reach and implement a substantive agreement. "The president is not going to make a bad deal here."

Senate moves to unshackle America's drivers from California's 'climate zealots'

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:30 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republicans are launching a multi-front effort targeting the legal framework they say allows California to exert outsized influence over vehicle and equipment emissions standards beyond its borders, creating economic and consumer consequences.

Republicans argue California has become the nation's de facto emissions regulator — as manufacturers rarely create separate product lines for the Golden State and instead are inclined to build to California’s standards, creating implicit national requirements.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. — a top member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) — is leading the effort alongside Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. They argue EPA waivers granted to California during the Obama and Biden administrations under the Clean Air Act have turned narrow environmental exceptions into de facto climate regulation, advancing the state's sweeping climate agenda.

"California's climate zealots have run roughshod over the rest of the country for too long," Lummis told Fox News Digital.

CALIFORNIA SUES TRUMP EPA OVER MOVE TO SUBJECT STATE VEHICLE EMISSIONS WAIVERS TO CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW

"Under Governor Newsom, Sacramento has decided it can dictate what Wyoming families drive and what equipment our small businesses use. That ends today."

Last year, lawmakers successfully rescinded three Biden-era EPA waivers allowing California to create emissions standards for trucks, cars and buses that they said gave the state outsized regulatory control. Thursday’s package goes a step further by targeting earlier EPA decisions they say laid the legal foundation for those now-rescinded regulations.

Each resolution uses the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify a different EPA waiver. The CRA gives Congress the power to check agencies' executive power.

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Because the CRA bars agencies from issuing rules that are "substantially the same" without new authorization from Congress, Republicans argue overturning the waivers would prevent future administrations from simply reinstating them — which targets the legal foundation of such carveouts.

Collectively, the package targets California's authority over gas-powered lawn equipment, passenger vehicle emissions standards, the Advanced Clean Cars program and the original 2009 EPA waiver allowing Sacramento to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles.

In the 1960s, the Clean Air Act gave California a narrow carve-out to seek EPA waivers for emissions rules that could be stricter than federal standards — but critics say the exemption, originally intended to address severe Los Angeles smog, has been weaponized to force manufacturing changes that reverberate across the country.

Andrew Bray, an executive with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, whose members rely on small off-road engines affected by the waivers, said he supports a responsible transition to lower-emission equipment — but underlined that it must come from "practical innovation" and not government mandates.

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"This resolution is a critical step in securing the flexibility businesses need while technology continues to advance," Bray said. Michael Lee of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America added that the legislative process, not state-specific fiats with "nationwide consequences," is the way to address the situation.

The four lawmakers leading the fight said in a release that California regulators have "abandoned any pretense of addressing local air quality and turned the waiver process into a backdoor for imposing a radical climate agenda on the entire country… without a single vote in Congress."

Lummis' resolution would rescind a 2025 waiver granted just before President Donald Trump took office that she said allowed California to phase out gas-powered small engines such as chainsaws and leaf blowers.

In doing so, manufacturers would no longer be inclined to transition to electric or zero-emission models.

TRUMP'S EPA CHIEF PUSHES BACK ON CLIMATE SKEPTICS BEING LABELED 'SCIENCE DENIERS'

Lummis' resolution targets a 2025 EPA waiver that allowed California to move toward phasing out new gas-powered small engines such as chainsaws, leaf blowers and lawn mowers. Supporters say repealing the waiver would remove regulatory pressure encouraging manufacturers to transition those products toward zero-emission technology.

Husted’s resolution targets a 2022 EPA waiver that restored California’s authority to continue its Advanced Clean Cars program.

"Ohioans shouldn’t be forced to follow California’s lead when it comes to policies that make everyday life more expensive and less convenient," he told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Ricketts said the situation is proof that the Obama-Biden era of "overregulation and red tape" continues to cost Nebraskans and Americans writ large millions of dollars, citing his state's massive agricultural industry as an example of regulatory reverberations from Sacramento.

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"They used California policies as a backdoor EV mandate and even tried to control how we cut our grass," he said. His CRA resolution targets an Obama-era waiver originally authorizing the clean car program, while Schmitt seeks repeal of a waiver granted just months after President George W. Bush left office that allows California to enforce greenhouse gas emissions standards for new passenger vehicles beginning with the 2009 model year.

Schmitt said the waivers allow Sacramento to "continue to punish" manufacturers around the country and affect consumer choice and costs through their "climate alarmist rules."

Together, Republicans say the four resolutions represent Congress' broadest effort yet to unshackle states and manufacturers from California's emissions framework by targeting not only individual regulations but the EPA decisions they argue made those regulations possible.

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Opponents are expected to counter that the effort would undermine California's longstanding authority under the Clean Air Act to adopt stricter environmental standards.

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Fox News Digital reached out to former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for comment.

EXCLUSIVE: Illegal immigrant's hit-and-run on 'kind' elderly woman triggers ICE action: 'Could hear screaming'

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:30:54 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: An illegal immigrant’s alleged hit-and-run that critically injured an elderly woman outside her Miami-Dade home prompted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to urge local authorities to "cooperate with us and not release this criminal from jail."

Seventy-four-year-old Geraldine Byrd, who neighbors described as "kind" and friendly, is on life support in critical condition after authorities say she was run over by illegal immigrant Tomas Raymundo Brito, according to CBS Miami.

The outlet reported that Brito allegedly struck Byrd twice outside her home early Sunday morning. Byrd had stepped out of her car to open her gate when Brito allegedly struck her vehicle, causing it to spin into Byrd before his truck allegedly struck her again, trapping her underneath the vehicle.

Neighbors were reportedly alerted to the crash by the sound of a loud boom. One neighbor, Kristina Diaz, told NBC 6 South Florida that "we could hear screaming, we could hear everybody yelling, ‘Where is she? Oh, she’s underneath the car. Call 911.’"

MAN CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED MOTHER AND TWO YOUNG SONS HAS ICE DETAINER, PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS

The same neighbor told the outlet that Byrd "would always send my daughter gifts for her birthday. So, she was a very kind woman." Speaking in Spanish, another neighbor, Flor Ortiz, told CBS Miami that she and Byrd "do not speak the same language, but we always greet each other. She is a good person."

After the incident, Brito allegedly got out of the truck and fled the scene. A family member of Byrd’s reportedly chased him down and found him hiding in a shed. After his arrest, Brito reportedly admitted he was the driver and said he drank five beers before the incident.

Byrd was airlifted to a nearby hospital and remains on life support in critical condition, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Brito was charged with leaving the scene of a crash causing serious bodily injury and driving without a license.

ICE LODGES DETAINER FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DISARM VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER

Fox News Digital learned that ICE lodged a detainer with the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center the same day Brito was arrested.

Brito entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and location, according to DHS. He is a Guatemalan national.

"This criminal illegal alien from Guatemala is charged with hit-and-run after a drunk-driving accident that sent a 74-year-old woman to the hospital in critical condition in Miami-Dade County," Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"He should have never been allowed in our communities or on our streets," Mullin continued, adding, "ICE is asking officials in Miami-Dade County to cooperate with us and not release this criminal from jail, and to turn him over to ICE custody so we can remove him from our country."

Mullin added that "thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, ICE is unleashed to go after criminal illegal aliens like this one so that we can make America safe again."

A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the department had received ICE's request and that Brito is currently in custody.

The spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "Miami-Dade County honors these detainer requests in accordance with the law by holding the individual for the authorized 48-hour period."

The spokesperson said that "if ICE does not take custody of the individual within that timeframe, the individual is released as required by law."

"Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department comply with all applicable laws regarding immigration detainer requests and do not deny detainer requests submitted by federal authorities," the spokesperson added.

NEW MAINE LAW LIMITS POLICE COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS

Miami-Dade County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction, and Florida law prohibits sanctuary policies. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office also participates in ICE's 287(g) program under state law.

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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, has previously criticized ICE’s "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center, which closed down this June. Upon the center’s closure, Cava released a statement alleging that "people, including some of our own residents," had been "held there without meaningful due process."

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She added that "immigrants helped build Miami-Dade County, and our community has always believed that public safety, the rule of law, and respect for human dignity can go hand in hand."

Rand Paul predicts Fauci contempt vote will pass, vows swift DOJ referral

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:30:44 -0400

Senate Republicans are readying immediate ramifications for Dr. Anthony Fauci's refusal to testify last week in the upper chamber, and the leader of the push believes the votes are there to pull it off.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs are slated to decide whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for declining to answer lawmakers’ questions after being subpoenaed to testify, and, instead, invoking the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning.

"I think there is a very good chance that we will win the vote," Paul told Fox News Digital.

RAND PAUL SEEKS CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER FAUCI INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES

And if successful, Paul wants to get the Department of Justice (DOJ) involved swiftly.

"The next step will be when we send the referral over directly to the Department of Justice," he said.

Paul unveiled the contempt resolution on Tuesday, which stipulated that once reported from committee, it would be sent to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

The Kentucky Republican has spent years challenging Fauci, who previously served as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director and played a major role in the country’s policy and messaging on COVID-19 during the pandemic.

WATCH: RAND PAUL SAYS THERE'S ONE THING AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM FAUCI

He’s charged that Fauci should be thrown in prison and sought to compel him to admit that the virus sprang from a lab leak in Wuhan, China, in connection to risky research allegedly funded under his direction.

Last week’s hearing was meant to be the ultimate battle between the two and the pinnacle of Paul’s yearslong crusade against Fauci. But that didn’t happen when Fauci, under advice from his lawyers, pleaded the Fifth Amendment well over 100 times during the hearing.

"Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci said.

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Those became the last words that the former chief medical advisor to the president uttered in the hearing beyond invoking his constitutional rights.

That prompted Paul to tee up a vote on contempt charges against him in a bid to compel Fauci to speak. The lawmaker also cast doubt on whether Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment comported with his sweeping pardon from former President Joe Biden on his way out of office.

Biden granted Fauci a full and unconditional pardon for all actions taken between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.

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"I think there's another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity," Paul said as the hearing closed.

When asked to expand on the legal question looming over Fauci’s pardon, Paul declined. "It’s a good legal discussion, and we will make those legal points to DOJ in sending the referral over," Paul said.

STEVE MOORE: The IRS became judge, jury and executioner in a tax-code witch hunt against Americans

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:00:32 -0400

I’m a flat tax guy like Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief, Forbes Media and author of "Flat Tax Revolution," so in an ideal world, we wouldn’t stuff the IRS tax code with special tax breaks and instead would have one simple, low rate of 18% for everyone.

But if Congress passes tax laws steering people and businesses into certain activities, it can’t just snatch those incentives away indiscriminately. This is called a "bait-and-switch" trap, and here’s a perfect example of such a misdeed.

More than 60 years ago, the IRS created a program called a conservation easement through a revenue ruling. Its goal was to protect nature, stop development, and save working lands. Landowners received a tax incentive for voluntarily setting aside a portion of their land from development. The law has been in effect since 1976 — nearly 50 years. The tax break was made permanent in 1980 and has been part of the tax code ever since.

To further encourage this land preservation policy, individuals, business partnerships and corporations were permitted to donate to these land easements in exchange for a tax write-off. The result? Tens of millions of acres have been conserved.

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Then, in late 2016, IRS officials who disapproved of these syndicated conservation-easement transactions unilaterally changed the rules of the game. Notice 2017-10 did not formally abolish the conservation-easement deduction, but it branded a broad category of transactions as "listed transactions," imposed burdensome disclosure requirements, and opened the door to an aggressive campaign challenging taxpayers who used them.

They retroactively labeled partnerships participating in the program "presumptively abusive." This aggressive IRS enforcement campaign has swept more than 1,100 syndicated conservation-easement disputes into audits and litigation, including roughly 740 cases docketed in U.S. Tax Court and about 400 transactions still under examination as of May 2026.

The IRS improperly issued Notice 2017-10, branding an entire category of these legal, decades-old transactions presumptively abusive, retroactive to 2010.

No proposed rule. No public comment. No vote by anyone accountable to voters.

Just an IRS notice — followed by an increase to a 100% audit rate for all transactions of this kind. The result was an abusive enforcement campaign that has now clogged the U.S. Tax Court with more than a thousand cases.

TENS OF MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS MAY BE OWED IRS REFUNDS FROM COVID-ERA

If there are bad actors, of course, they should be punished. A bipartisan Senate Finance Committee investigation identified serious abuses in some syndicated conservation-easement transactions, particularly deals involving inflated land valuations and outsized deductions. But evidence that some promoters abused the deduction does not give the IRS license to presume that every transaction was fraudulent or that every investor knowingly participated in a tax shelter.

By using cookie-cutter metrics and conducting desk audits, the IRS has harassed law-abiding taxpayers, pressured them to pay tens of millions of dollars in unfair "settlement agreements," forced some to file for bankruptcy, and treated them like common criminals despite their having followed the law.

Clearly, the IRS changed tax law after the fact, which is only legal "with respect to criminal and penal cases, but not civil revenue measures." On top of that, the IRS does not make the laws. Congress does. Sadly, the IRS continued this aggressive approach during the Biden administration, when the agency received a major infusion of funding and personnel that expanded its enforcement capacity. Rather than correcting the campaign’s procedural and fairness problems, the administration allowed it to continue against taxpayers caught in these long-running conservation-easement disputes.

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Perhaps the most ironic part is that the IRS itself was caught engaging in illegal activity. In a May 2026 report, the Treasury Inspector General found seven cases involving backdated penalty-approval documents; the IRS conceded more than $68 million in penalties in those cases.

Even so, IRS officials have frightening leeway to make allegations of tax fraud, then serve as judge, jury, and executioner, forcing people to pay tax bills that aren’t actually owed. It is a pattern of abuse that Americans have come to recognize: an agency substituting its own policy preferences for the law Congress wrote, then using its enforcement powers to punish law-abiding citizens who relied on the statute as written.

It’s time for Congress to amend tax laws to prohibit after-the-fact tax changes so that trust and fairness in the tax code can be restored.

In addition, the IRS should issue clear guidance on how to make a proper donation of a conservation easement and how to prudently value the deduction without creating later controversy.

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Finally, the IRS should immediately end the witch hunt against law-abiding taxpayers who were encouraged by Congress and the Treasury Department for decades to participate in conservation easement programs.

Simply put, this is weaponization at its worst — and it is un-American.

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MIKE SARRAILLE: Extortion 17's heroes died once. America must never let them die twice

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:00:24 -0400

PROGRAMMING ALERT: The Fox Nation special "Final Flight: The Men of Extortion 17" is available to stream now on Fox Nation.

Fifteen years after Extortion 17 became the deadliest single incident for U.S. forces in the war in Afghanistan — and the greatest loss of life in Naval Special Warfare history — our duty is to ensure the men aboard are never forgotten.

There is an old saying that a soldier dies twice: first, when he draws his final breath; and again, when his name is spoken for the last time.

On Aug. 6, 2011, some of America’s finest warriors died their first death. It is a cliché to say these men were the best of us, but in this case, it is simply true. Gen. "Wild Bill" Donovan, founder of the World War II-era Office of Strategic Services, once described such operators as "Ph.D.s who can win a bar fight" — individuals possessing brilliant, highly specialized intellects while also having the grit to get their hands dirty.

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Thirty-one Americans, including Navy SEALs, Air Force special operators and Army aviation soldiers, alongside their Afghan commando counterparts, boarded a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to answer a call for support. The helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, killing everyone aboard. In an instant, they were gone. But their stories remain.

Extortion 17 is not merely a call sign, a date or an entry in the history of a long war. It was personal. The Navy SEALs aboard that helicopter belonged to SEAL Team 6’s Gold Squadron. I knew these men. They were my brothers-in-arms.

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They were among the most elite warriors our nation has ever produced — highly trained men who operated in the shadows, accepted long periods away from their families and carried burdens most Americans will never fully understand.

They were also among the kindest, most empathetic and respectful human beings you could ever meet.

That is the paradox of the American warrior.

These men possessed a rare and necessary ability. They could dim their empathy like flipping a switch, bring overwhelming violence against evil on our behalf and then return home to be dad again. They were the monsters our enemies feared and the fathers, husbands, sons and brothers their families needed.

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On that fateful night, Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment were engaged with the enemy in the Tangi Valley and needed reinforcements. When the call came, the men of Extortion 17 did not hesitate.

They did not debate the danger. They did not take a vote. They simply flew off into the night.

In doing so, they upheld a covenant few Americans will ever understand: When your brothers are in harm’s way, you go. Even when the risk is extraordinary. Even when death may await you.

That is a warrior’s life.

We are blessed as a nation that such men and women still live among us — the "damn few" willing to carry the burden for the overwhelming majority.

While filming our Fox Nation special "Final Flight: The Men of Extortion 17," commemorating the 15th anniversary of their deaths, I sat down with former teammates, parents, wives and siblings of the fallen. Fifteen years have passed, but the pain remains fresh. The chairs are still empty. The voices are still missed. The holes left behind have never truly been filled.

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Yet these families have moved forward — not past the loss, but with it. They carry the weight of their loved ones with the same quiet strength those warriors carried for this country. Their sacrifice did not end on Aug. 6, 2011. It continues every morning they wake up and choose to keep going.

America owes them more than a moment of silence once a year.

We owe them remembrance through action. We teach their names. We tell their stories. We teach our children that freedom is not self-sustaining. It demands strength, sacrifice, stewardship and love of country. We remind them that the peace they inherited was purchased by men and women willing to stand between their families and evil.

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Remembrance is not passive. It is a duty — a duty to be worthy of their sacrifice. We cannot repay the men of Extortion 17. But we can refuse to let them die twice.

LCDR Jonas B. Kelsall, 32

SOCM Louis J. Langlais, 44

SOCS Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34

EODCS Kraig M. Vickers, 36

SOC Brian R. Bill, 31

SOC John W. Faas, 31

SOC Kevin A. Houston, 35

SOC Matthew D. Mason, 37

SOC Stephen "Matthew" Mills, 35

EODC Nicholas H. Null, 30

SOCS Robert J. Reeves, 32

SOCS Heath M. Robinson, 34

SOC Darrik C. Benson, 28

SOC Christopher G. Campbell, 36

IT1 Jared W. Day, 28

MA1 John "Jet Li" Douangdara, 26

CAD BART

CTR1 Michael J. Strange, 25

SOC Jon T. Tumilson, 35

SOC Aaron C. Vaughn, 30

SOC Jason R. Workman, 32

SO1 Jesse D. Pittman, 27

SO2 Nicholas P. Spehar, 24

TSgt John W. Brown, 33

SSgt Andrew W. Harvell, 26

TSgt Daniel L. Zerbe, 28

CW5 David R. Carter, 47

CW4 Bryan J. Nichols, 31

SSG Patrick D. Hamburger, 30

SGT Alexander J. Bennett, 24

SPC Spencer C. Duncan, 21

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MORNING GLORY: Rogers versus El-Sayed is a referendum on the future of America

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:00:22 -0400

Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Senate Democratic primary Tuesday over Congresswoman Haley Stevens. El-Sayed had a 1% win in a race that featured a third candidate, Mallory McMorrow, who had dropped out but who nevertheless polled around 4% of the total vote.

Mike Rogers is the GOP nominee in the fall against El-Sayed. In 2024, Rogers — a very respected, former seven-term Congressman from Michigan who served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee — tallied 2,693,680 votes, or 48.30% of the total electorate in the state in a Senate race he lost to Elissa Slotkin. Republicans need only turn out the same electorate as voted in 2024 and Rogers will win the 2026 race.

That sort of turnout is usually, however, a big lift in a non-presidential year, because statewide elections are not as exciting to the average American as presidential contests.

JEWISH MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS ADMIT THEY WILL VOTE REPUBLICAN IF ABDUL EL-SAYED BECOMES NOMINEE

But Michigan in 2026 may prove to be the exception to the "exciting race" rule because El-Sayed is a radical leftist, an Islamist-supporting extremist whose far-from-the-mainstream positions may energize an off-year electorate the way a presidential campaign charges turnout every four years. El-Sayed is so extreme that he held back from commenting on Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei’s elimination on the first day of the U.S.-Iran battle for fear of upsetting whatever small number of Michiganders who were sad that the American-killing fanatic who ordered the murder of tens of thousands of Iranians in January had himself died on February 28.

That El-Sayed hates the state of Israel is not open for debate. He does. He also routinely attacks Americans who support the state of Israel by repeatedly attacking the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is primarily, though not exclusively, made up of American Jews. El-Sayed, himself a Muslim, will probably energize the estimated quarter of a million Muslims in the Wolverine State as well as the Jewish population of approximately 120,000 people (about 1.2% of Michigan’s population). Most Jews and many non-Jews believe that El-Sayed is simply antisemitic, and certainly the most extreme mainstream party candidate to ever run for, much less serve in, the United States Senate.

El-Sayed will energize all sorts of demographics within the electorate, but given the polarization that follows in his wake, count on the national media camping across the state from now until November and covering every twist and turn in this campaign.

Count on Republicans across the country, as well as supporters of Israel who are not Republicans from all across the country, helping Rogers raise funds for his campaign. His campaign website began to cook even before the El-Sayed primary victory was certain.

HASAN PIKER UNLOADS ON 'ISLAMOPHOBIC PIECES OF S---' DEMOCRATS AS EL-SAYED FACES PARTY UNITY TEST

Rogers versus El-Sayed is almost certainly the highest-profile race of 2026, and President Trump, Vice President Vance and every other GOP surrogate will be stumping for Rogers — just as will AOC, Bernie Sanders and every other Democratic Socialist of America extremist be campaigning aside El-Sayed, as will notorious Twitch streamer Hasan Piker whose Tuesday night profanity-laden tirade against Democrats urging El-Sayed to moderate has gone viral thanks to opponents of El-Sayed who want to staple Piker to the candidate and merge the two into one being.

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So a 12-week free for all in Michigan is ahead, one that will tell us much more than who controls the United States Senate for the next two years. The result of Rogers versus El-Sayed will tell us which way the country is headed, to the far left or back to the traditional center-right after a year of Mamdanism running the Democrats.

Much as Buckeyes like me love to give folks from "The State Up North" a hard time, even Ohioans, when pressed, will admit it is as nice and normal a place as every other venue in the Midwest. It’s not full of coastal elites and "one-percenters."

Michigan’s collective common sense will be tested over the next three months: Will they vote for an experienced, responsible, serious legislator who understands the world and America’s role in it and who can fight for the average Michigander, or a radical who cares more for "from the River to the Sea" chants than he does the national security of the United States.

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Bet on Rogers. Folks from Michigan lose their minds on the approach of "The Game" every Saturday after Thanksgiving, when the biggest contest in college football happens, but are otherwise pretty normal Americans. Like Mike Rogers.

Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.

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New York gubernatorial candidate urges 9/11 attendees to turn away from Mamdani during ceremony

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 03:06:36 -0400

Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate in New York's gubernatorial race, said Wednesday that attendees at this year's Sept. 11 memorial ceremony should turn their backs on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani if he attends.

"I would equate this to a wake. You don't go to a wake if you're not welcome," Blakeman, whose nephew was killed in the South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, and who currently serves as Nassau County executive, told reporters.

"I think it's completely appropriate if family members ask him not to come, but if he does come, I think there's a respectful and peaceful way to protest that, and I would suggest that people turn their back on the mayor," he said.

FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY 'RADICAL' MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES

Blakeman argued Mamdani's refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada" should disqualify him from attending the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

"He's not welcome there because he has yet to say anything in opposition to the global intifada. As a matter of fact, it seems like he supports that phrase, which is part of the reason why we had the tragedy we had on 9/11," Blakeman said.

Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The mayor has said he still plans to attend the ceremony.

9/11 FAMILIES PUSH TO BAN MAMDANI FROM 25TH ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE OVER 'HOSTILE' RECORD

"I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year's 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day..." Mamdani said last week.

His comments came after relatives of Sept. 11 victims launched a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to bar Mamdani from attending the ceremony in Lower Manhattan.

"Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani's public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values," the Change.org petition states.

"Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani's participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy."

JEWISH LEADERS FAULT MAMDANI RHETORIC AS UPPER WEST SIDE STABBING, HATE CRIME PROBE CONTINUES

A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum previously told Fox News Digital that the organization has "intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue."

"Government officials from across the political spectrum, including every sitting president, governor, and mayor since 9/11, have attended the ceremony simply to bear witness — they do not deliver remarks and are asked to remain in a designated area," the spokesperson added.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki was also asked Wednesday whether Mamdani should attend the ceremony.

"It's my nature to be inclusive, and that is my instinct, but Sept. 11 is different. So, I may have comments on that," Pataki said, according to the New York Post.

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Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

Florida man allegedly attacked sister with machete while she was sleeping next to toddler daughter

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 02:59:40 -0400

A Florida man is accused of slashing his sister with a machete while she was sleeping in bed next to her 1-year-old daughter, according to officials.

Ruben Altidore, 36, repeatedly hacked at his sister in her bedroom in an unsuccessful attempt to kill her on Monday in Margate, which is located about 40 miles north of Miami, according to an arrest report obtained by WPLG.

"Oh my God, why aren’t you dead yet?" he shouted during the attack, according to the arrest report.

Altidore was arrested on Monday in connection with the attack. He was charged with attempted felony murder, aggravated child abuse and violation of probation, according to jail records.

BELOVED TEACHER KILLED AS SHE SLEPT, DAUGHTER STABBED IN ATTACK AS MOTIVE REMAINS UNCLEAR: DA

His sister survived the attack but suffered serious injuries.

She suffered a 10-inch wound that reached the bone on the back of her right thigh, a four-inch laceration to the back of her right hand with the possible amputation of at least four fingers, a near amputation of her left index finger and thumb and a cut to her left palm with a near amputation of her left thumb, according to investigators.

The victim’s 1-year-old daughter was found after the attack lying in the bed covered in blood, though investigators said the child was not injured.

The woman eventually managed to escape and ran to a neighbor for help, WPLG reported, adding that her piercing screams were captured on home surveillance video.

MAN FACING FEDERAL CHARGES AFTER ATLANTA TRAIN PASSENGER STABBED ABOUT 20 TIMES, FBI INVESTIGATING

"My [brother] is trying to kill me," the woman reportedly screamed as investigators arrived at the scene, according to the police report.

A cousin of the victim also told investigators that Altidore attacked his sister with a machete, and a neighbor reported hearing the victim screaming after she ran outside following the attack.

"She ran to the middle of the street and then ran to my front door where she was asking for help," neighbor Luis Pereria told WPLG. "Apparently she was sleeping when this all happened. I was just baffled by it. How can you do that?"

Investigators found a large amount of blood inside the victim’s bedroom that was tracked into the hallway, to a bathroom door and outside the home.

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A machete sheath was discovered in the kitchen, and a machete was found under a bed with what appeared to be "red smudges," investigators said.

Altidore was taken to the Broward County Main Jail and is being held without bond.

A motive for the attack remains unclear at this time.