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Trump admin sued over visa time restrictions for foreign students, journalists

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:47:49 -0400

A group of unions and advocacy groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to block the Trump administration from enforcing new visa restrictions that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can stay in the U.S. without applying for extensions.

The Department of Homeland Security's rule creates fixed periods of admission for people in F status as international students, J status as exchange visitors and I status as foreign journalists.

People in those classifications generally have been admitted for the duration of their studies, exchange programs or qualifying media assignments rather than until a fixed date.

Under the new rule, set to take effect on September 15, F students and J exchange visitors generally would be admitted for the length of their program, for no more than four years at a time, and would have to seek an extension to remain longer.

TRUMP ADMIN PLANS TO IMPOSE 4-YEAR LIMITS FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS STUDYING IN US

The period of admission for most foreign journalists in I status, which currently can last years, would be limited to 240 days, while I-status journalists presenting PRC passports, excluding Hong Kong and Macau SAR passport holders, generally would be admitted for up to 90 days. Journalists may seek extensions of up to 240 days, or 90 days for the covered PRC passport holders, but no longer than the length of their assignment.

In the lawsuit, the coalition said the new changes would be "catastrophic" for universities, international students and scholars and the U.S.

"They will discourage foreign students and other nonimmigrants from coming to the United States, repelled by the intolerable prospect of losing lawful immigration status partway through their studies," the groups said in the lawsuit.

The rule does not require international students to complete their studies within four years; students in longer programs may apply to extend their stay. It separately imposes new restrictions on transfers and changes in educational objectives, including limits affecting some graduate-level students.

Foreign students, notably, typically pay more tuition and receive fewer scholarship opportunities, meaning the proposed rule may have a financial impact on U.S. colleges if it leads to a dip in international enrollment.

"Students will lose opportunities, schools will lose talent, and the public will lose billions of dollars of economic contributions supported by one of the United States’ top exports: education," the complaint reads.

The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the lawsuit as "performative," arguing that the changes would root out fraud without offering evidence of the alleged fraud.

DHS has said the fixed periods of admission will allow immigration officials to periodically assess whether visa holders continue to comply with the terms of their status.

"If the media really cared about legitimate international students, they would be thanking President Trump for cracking down on the rampant fraud to ensure only those truly intending to study in the United States are given the privilege," a department spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters.

NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss, whose organization represents thousands of media members in the U.S., called the rule an attack on journalists.

TRUMP JOLTS IMMIGRATION HAWKS WITH SURPRISING DEFENSE OF CHINESE STUDENTS IN USA

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"In addition to attacking international students and scholars, the Trump administration is again attacking journalists by also shortening the duration of I Visas, which support the important work of international journalists working in the United States," Schleuss said in a statement. "Our First Amendment makes it clear that the United States is supposed to be a champion of a free press, not an opponent. These rule changes are just another attempt by this administration to chill reporting done by talented journalists."

"Our democracy depends on journalism and journalism dependents on journalists of all stripes. We are proud to stand with other partners and fight these illegal rule changes intended to weaken our democracy," he added.

DHS previously said that requiring regular assessments for foreigners to remain in the U.S. for a longer period would allow the agency to conduct "proper oversight" and reduce the number of people in the country on visas.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Ryan Fitzpatrick says friends raving about Highmark Stadium despite harsh critics: 'Absolutely unbelievable'

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:50:04 -0400

The Buffalo Bills' new Highmark Stadium was seen for the first time by fans in recent weeks, and the reception of the venue hasn't been the brightest.

But former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is hearing differently.

The Bills have played one preseason game against the Carolina Panthers and held open practices at the new Highmark Stadium, the NFL franchise's new $2.2 billion home. New stadiums are always exciting for fans to see, but critics came out in droves on social media.

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Posts showing obstructed views from some seats, complaints about sightlines and even early criticism from players about the grass field’s condition have quickly turned what could have been a warm reception cold.

However, Fitzpatrick told Fox News Digital that he’s had friends take his season tickets to the stadium for the first preseason game, and he heard glowing reviews.

BUFFALO BILLS IN DAMAGE CONTROL MODE OVER THEIR $2.2 BILLION STADIUM THAT IS GETTING CRUSHED ONLINE BY FANS

"As it was being constructed, I was there right before they put the grass in, so it’s been a while," Fitzpatrick said, while highlighting his partnership with VRST, the men's activewear and apparel brand from DICK'S Sporting Goods. "Everybody has their opinions. It could be the opinion of 14 people versus the opinion of 59,000 people. So, I rely on the people that I know and love the best.

"A few of my neighbors that I talk to that have been to the games, because they’ve sat in my season tickets. They did the [open practice] scrimmage, and then I had some that also did the first preseason game against Carolina. Everything that I’ve heard from the experience from parking to walking into the stadium, to the food, the sight lines — it’s absolutely unbelievable. I’m excited to get my own eyes on it and get my own experience of it."

One of the knocks on the new stadium has been its seating capacity. The new Highmark Stadium has 10,000 fewer seats than the old venue.

However, Fitzpatrick believes it's going to be advantageous for the Bills in the long run.

"What I know is it’s 10,000 less seats. It’s 60,000 people, but I think for the opponent that comes in there, it’s going to feel even louder," he explained. "People are on top of you. You got the canopy, so noise is going to be bouncing off the canopy. I’m excited to feel the energy in that new stadium, especially in their season opener against Detroit."

Fitzpatrick and the Prime Video "Thursday Night Football" crew will be in Buffalo on Sept. 17 for the Bills' home opener in Week 2. It will be there Fitzpatrick can finally see the finished product.

Will the reception be better by then? Will the field be better for the players?

One anonymous Bills player told The Athletic, "The field a-- right now. But it’s early." But linebacker Dorian Williams said differently.

NFL PLAYERS MAY COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN FOR GRASS FIELDS IN FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS BUT IT WOULD COME AT A COST

‘The grass looked good. It was cool," he said to the same outlet. "A couple spots kind of chunked up a little bit, but it’s better than playing on turf."

COOL AND COMFORTABLE WITH VRST

In the coming months, Fitzpatrick will be all over with the "Thursday Night Football" crew providing his best analysis on the featured early game of the NFL schedule. It's quite the active lifestyle, especially when he also has to throw in his family duties on top of that.

Fitzpatrick partnered with VRST because of how well he feels the activewear's performance and style fit exactly what he's going to be doing no matter what the day throws his way.

"For me, the authenticity of it — it just captures my vibe," he said. "It’s not just the resort wear, it’s the active lifestyle stuff. The Limitless pants — there’s a lot of stuff that I’m pulled in a lot of different directions whether it’s running to a kid’s soccer game, or driving a carpool, or flying somewhere for ‘Thursday Night Football.’ All the different things I do, to be able to look good and feel comfortable, I think those are the two biggest things for me that made this a no-brainer for this partnership.

"It fits my active lifestyle and it actually looks good."

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Fitzpatrick is known for his vibrant colors and patterns with his TNF fits, which VRST is helping him out with this season. But no matter the occasion, he knows he has options that will be comfortable, while also showcasing that evolved men's style fit for today.

"You can wear it in so many different situations. That’s the biggest thing for me," he said. "I’ll have people come up to me and ask me about the shirts, or ask me about the pants. Look, I just got off a plane, I’ve been flying all morning. I feel comfortable. I’m standing out here at a soccer practice in the same thing feeling great and looking great."

America’s reddest state crowns GOP governor nominee

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:17:30 -0400

Wyoming Republicans chose former state House Speaker and current state Sen. Eric Barlow on Tuesday as their nominee for governor in the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Mark Gordon.

The selection tees up the likely next person to move into the governor's mansion in January, considering the deep-red roots that run in Wyoming's statewide officials.

Gordon considered seeking a third term and challenging Wyoming’s two-term-limit law, before ultimately deciding against another bid. This left Republicans with an open contest to replace him in November's midterms. Trump-endorsed State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder came in second behind Barlow Tuesday, while Marine Corps colonel and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Brent Bien finished third.

2026 MIDTERMS: PRIMARIES, KEY RACES AND ELECTION RESULTS

Barlow emerged from a four-way primary that featured Degenfelder, Bien and professional bull rider Curt Blake who had less than 1,000 votes with 26% of the total counted.

He will face Democrat Kenneth Casner in the Nov. 3 general election.

REPUBLICAN SURVIVES PRIMARY ON TIM WALZ'S OLD CONGRESSIONAL TURF AS DEMS EYE SEAT FLIP

Degenfelder and Barlow entered the final stretch of the campaign on roughly similar financial footing, reporting about $1.3 million and $1.2 million raised, respectively, according to campaign finance figures cited by The Associated Press. Bien reported raising about $192,000, while Blake reported no money raised.

Republicans enter the general election with a substantial political advantage in Wyoming. Every statewide elected office is currently held by a Republican.

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The governor’s race is one of several open-seat contests at the top of Wyoming’s ballot this year.

The state also has open races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, secretary of state and superintendent of public instruction, creating an unusually large turnover in Wyoming’s political leadership.

Caitlin Clark helps lift Fever past Tempo after Kelsey Mitchell sits out late while 'overheated'

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:15:17 -0400

Fever star guard Kelsey Mitchell came out firing Tuesday night, pouring in 16 points in the opening quarter before finishing with 29 as Indiana held off the Toronto Tempo 101-95 for their fifth straight win.

Caitlin Clark added 24 points as Indiana kept its hot streak rolling, even with Mitchell sitting out the fourth quarter.

The performance also put Clark and Mitchell in the WNBA record book. The duo has now scored at least 20 points apiece in the same game 16 times this season, surpassing the previous mark of 15 set by Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter with the Phoenix Mercury in 2008.

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Mitchell’s night also put her alongside another of the league’s biggest stars. Her standout performance marked her 20th consecutive game with at least 20 points, matching four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson for the longest such streak in WNBA history.

But after pouring in eight points in less than a minute late in the third quarter, Mitchell headed to the locker room and did not return. Fever head coach Stephanie White said Mitchell got "overheated."

Aliyah Boston scored 16 points, and Sophie Cunningham made all three 3-point attempts and finished with 13 for the Fever, who never trailed. Indiana has now won 10 of their past 12 games, while Toronto has dropped 11 in a row.

Toronto’s Marina Mabrey cut the gap to 97-93 with back-to-back 3-pointers late in the final quarter, but the Tempo got no closer.

CAITLIN CLARK HELPS WNBA SHATTER ANOTHER TV RATINGS RECORD AS FEVER-DREAM DRAWS MASSIVE AUDIENCE

In the Fever’s first visit to Toronto this season, there was a mix of cheers and boos when Cunningham entered the game, and fans cheered when she missed her first free-throw attempt. Cunningham said in an ESPN profile published last month that she was opposed to transgender girls and women competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

Late in the fourth, fans cheered when someone holding a banner in support of transgender rights was shown on the video screen during a timeout.

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The Fever travel to Dallas to face the Wings on Thursday, while the Tempo return to action Wednesday against the Washington Mystics.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democrats pick their fighter for uphill bid to flip deep-red Senate seat

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:07:50 -0400

Former state representative James Byrd advanced Tuesday against former golf club greenskeeper Billy Benavidez in Wyoming’s Democratic primary race for the newly opened Senate seat.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced in December that she would not seek re-election, saying she did not have the energy for another six-year term and creating an open Senate seat in deep-red Wyoming.

Byrd was an exploration geophysicist in the energy industry then later became an IT project manager and software consultant.

WYOMING OFFICIAL FACES BACKLASH AFTER POSTING 'HANG BAD JUDGES' COMMENT ON ABORTION RULING

He served in the Wyoming House of Representatives for a decade, beginning in 2009, and has touted his bipartisan approach to lawmaking in a majority Republican legislature.

The Senate seat has been held by Republicans since 1962. Joseph O’Mahoney was the last Democrat elected to the seat, winning in 1954, while Democrat John J. Hickey was appointed to the seat in 1961 and served until November 1962.

The moderate Democratic candidate ran a Wyoming-first campaign running on protecting public lands, supporting energy jobs and lowering rural healthcare costs.

SON OF REPUBLICAN MEGADONOR THROWS HAT IN THE RING FOR OPEN AT-LARGE HOUSE SEAT IN WYOMING

His opponent, Benavidez, ran as a more libertarian-leaning Democrat, campaigning on individual liberty, opposition to government surveillance, free-market policies, congressional term limits, and reducing the power of the federal government.

Byrd has criticized President Donald Trump over tariffs, arguing they have hurt Wyoming beef and agricultural products by reducing access to foreign markets.

TRUMP BET TARIFFS WOULD BRING BACK AMERICAN FACTORY JOBS. NEW REPORT SAYS IT DIDN'T WORK

On immigration, Byrd has taken a more moderate stance than many Democrats, supporting stronger border security and enforcement while opposing family separation and backing broader immigration reform and expanded legal pathways for workers.

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Byrd has also backed expanding data centers in Wyoming, arguing they could diversify the state’s economy, create jobs and take advantage of Wyoming’s abundant energy resources.

Republican who kicked Liz Cheney out of Congress seeks higher office in reddest state

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:55:16 -0400

Wyoming Republicans chose Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wy., on Tuesday as their nominee for U.S. Senate in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

Lummis, elected to the Senate in 2020 after serving four terms in the U.S. House , announced she would not seek a second term, opening the seat in one of the nation’s most reliably Republican states.

Hageman emerged from a five-way Republican primary featuring former Kirby Mayor Sam Mead, Jill Edwards, John Holtz and former environmental services business owner Jimmy Skovgard.

2026 MIDTERMS: PRIMARIES, KEY RACES AND ELECTION RESULTS

Hageman, in the country's most red state based on registered voter percentage, entered the race as the best-known and best-funded candidate in the field. She is seeking a promotion to the upper chamber.

President Donald Trump endorsed Hageman after also backing her successful 2022 campaign to unseat former Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming’s Republican House primary.

Now serving her second term as Wyoming’s lone U.S. House member, Hageman rose to national prominence with her victory over Cheney.

Cheney became Trump's biggest target in 2022 after she served as one of the only two Republicans on the House Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots alongside fellow GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-IL, who did not seek reelection that year.

The ousted Wyoming congresswoman, daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, become one of Trump’s most prominent Republican critics.

TRUMP-BACKED NOMINEES DOMINATE PRIMARY CONTESTS AS PRESIDENT TIGHTENS PARTY VICE GRIP

Hageman will now face the Democratic nominee in the Nov. 3 general election — though with Wyoming's deep red roots, it's highly unlikely the single U.S. House seat will flip blue this year.

The at-large seat is ranked by the bipartisan Cook Political Report as solidly Republican with a R+23, the best odds of any Senate race this election cycle.

Republicans enter the general election with a substantial advantage in Wyoming. All of the state’s statewide elected offices are currently held by Republicans.

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The Senate contest is part of an unusually large turnover in Wyoming’s political leadership.

For the first time in 32 years, the state has open races for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House in the same election cycle.

69 live animals found stuffed in pillowcases in hidden car compartment after border arrest: Feds

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:23:05 -0400

A woman identified by federal prosecutors as a Tijuana resident was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border before U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 69 live animals — including venomous vipers, caimans and a baby crocodile — allegedly stuffed inside taped-shut pillowcases in a hidden compartment of her Volkswagen the following day, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.

Georgina Bribiesca Chavez, 66, of Tijuana, was arrested Aug. 10 while attempting to enter the U.S. through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the Justice Department said. Chavez allegedly told a CBP officer she had nothing to declare, but a records check revealed an outstanding warrant tied to a wildlife trafficking investigation.

CBP seized the Volkswagen, but officers did not discover the animals until they inspected it the following morning. Behind the rear seat, they found a concealed factory compartment containing pillowcases that had been knotted shut and sealed with tape.

BORDER AGENTS UNCOVER RPG LAUNCHER, CACHE OF RIFLES HIDDEN IN VEHICLE HEADING TO MEXICO

One of the pillowcases was moving.

The bags were taken to the San Diego Zoo, where workers found 60 abronia lizards, four venomous yellow-blotched palm pit vipers, three caimans, a baby crocodile and an indigo snake, according to the DOJ.

Prosecutors said Chavez never told officers about the animals, leaving them inside the vehicle for nearly 24 hours in the August heat. All three caimans died. The other animals were stable and remained in the zoo's care as of last week.

Chavez pleaded not guilty to a federal wildlife trafficking charge and was ordered held without bond. Her alleged trafficking partner, Salvador Pelayo, 28, of Chula Vista, was arrested in July and has also pleaded not guilty.

MASSACHUSETTS HOMEOWNERS STUNNED AFTER TOWN WARNS JULY 4 FLAGS THREATEN ENDANGERED BIRDS

The arrests followed an approximately 18-month undercover investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, though prosecutors allege Chavez and Pelayo had trafficked wildlife together since 2023 and made tens of thousands of dollars selling exotic animals.

During one alleged undercover transaction in March 2025, Chavez delivered four protected Mexican box turtles to an agent for $2,600 cash shortly after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. All four turtles later died after being transferred to the Oakland Zoo, prosecutors said. The turtles were already in poor health when they were acquired during the undercover operation and were believed to have been wild-caught and suffering from respiratory disease, according to prosecutors.

Pelayo is separately accused of using the alias "Jose Lopez" to ship four protected Mexican and Yucatan box turtles to an undercover agent in New York.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case with assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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Chavez and Pelayo face Lacey Act trafficking charges carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy returns to camp after wife gives 'blessing' as she recovers from Virginia home shooting

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:17:34 -0400

Mia Bieniemy was shot on July 26, and Eric Bieniemy left the Kansas City Chiefs soon after to be with his wife and the rest of his family. The couple's 27-year-old son, Elijah, was arrested in connection with the shooting.

Bieniemy returned to Kansas City last week ahead of the team’s preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Chiefs offensive coordinator hinted that his return was prompted by some gentle encouragement from Mia, joking that he had been "driving her and a bunch of my family members crazy" while staying by her side during her recovery from the shooting at their Virginia home.

Speaking publicly about the shooting for the first time on Tuesday, Bieniemy said his wife’s progress gave him the comfort he needed to return to football. "First and foremost, yes, she's on a great road to recovery. Yes, she's doing great."

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"It is one of the main reasons that I am back here, because of her recovery. She's truly a soldier. She's a saint. And it's been incredible to watch."

Bieniemy, who spent the 2023 season as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator, remained closely involved with the Chiefs while back home in Ashburn, Virginia. He watched practices at Missouri Western State University remotely and regularly joined team meetings before and after workouts.

ERIC BIENIEMY’S SON BELIEVED TO HAVE CALLED COPS SAYING 'HIS PARENTS' CUT OFF HIS ACCESS TO WEAPONS: REPORT

Eventually, Bieniemy called Chiefs general manager Brett Veach at one point, knowing Andy Reid was sitting beside him, and had Veach pass over the phone so he could point out a small coaching detail involving one of the players.

"I was yelling at the screen, yelling at players, yelling at coaches — 'What the hell are we doing?!' I'm yelling at myself, 'Why would you put that play in!?'" Bieniemy said, smiling. "At the end of the day, I was making sure I was keeping up with what was going on."

At the same time, he was driving Mia and the rest of the family crazy.

"So she was like, 'You have my blessing to leave,'" Eric said, "so it was time to get back."

Elijah Bieniemy has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. His court appearances remain delayed pending a mental health evaluation.

"I'd like to say thank you to the Hunt family, the entire Chiefs family for the outpouring, the love and support that my family has received through this particular situation," Eric Bieniemy said. "And with all that said, we're back to football."

Bieniemy was part of coaching staffs that helped the Chiefs reach three Super Bowls and win two, and he helped to set the foundation for the dynasty to come.

Following a one-season stint with the Commanders, Bieniemy spent one season at UCLA before coaching the Chicago Bears’ running backs last season. He returned to Kansas City to replace Matt Nagy, who left to become the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator.

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"Obviously, it’s great to have him back. We missed him and prayed for his family when he was out," Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said. "But to have a guy like that come back to the field, man, a competitor — it brings out the best in us."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Your favorite cocktail could be an unexpected casualty of Trump's looming trade fight

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:59:50 -0400

President Donald Trump's latest trade fight with Canada could soon spill into your cocktail glass, with a looming 50% tariff on Canadian spirits putting bars, restaurants and liquor stores on edge.

Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council, said the stakes cut both ways, saying the tariff could hit U.S. hospitality businesses while also potentially pressuring Canada to put American spirits back on its shelves.

"First and foremost, great thanks to President Trump because he has recognized that our industry has lost 73% of our American distilled spirits exports to Canada as a result of the provincial ban of purchasing American distilled spirits," Swonger told Fox News Digital.

"We are hopeful that an agreement will be made between the Trump administration and Canadian politicians to put American spirits back on the shelves," he added.

FROM BOURBON TO BORDEAUX: TRUMP'S TARIFFS SPILL INTO GLOBAL BOOZE MARKETS

The new tariff threat marks the latest escalation in a trade fight that has already sent U.S. spirits exports to Canada plunging. In retaliation for earlier U.S. tariffs, some Canadian provinces pulled American spirits from store shelves.

Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held last-minute talks Tuesday as the two sides raced to avert the 50% tariffs before the midnight deadline.

The tariffs cover roughly $20 billion in Canadian imports, including liquor, dairy products, vehicles, hockey equipment and other goods. Canadian whisky, vodka, gin, rum, wine and beer are among the products facing the new levy.

Canada had been a roughly $250 million annual market for American distillers before the trade dispute, but fell from the second-largest destination for U.S. spirits to sixth in 2025, according to DISCUS data previously reported by Fox News Digital. From March through December, exports plunged from $203 million in 2024 to $60 million in 2025 — a roughly $143 million drop.

The fallout has been especially significant for Kentucky, which produces 95% of the world's bourbon and supports more than 23,000 industry jobs, according to the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

Swonger said the prospect of steep tariffs on Canadian liquor could prove to be the leverage needed to persuade Canadian officials to reopen their market to U.S. producers.

"Considering applying a 50% tariff on Canadian distilled spirits would hopefully be the trigger, the forcing mechanism to get the Canadian province leaders to put American spirits back on the shelves," he said.

US WHISKEY EXPORTS TO CANADA COLLAPSE NEARLY 70% AFTER TRUMP TARIFF FIGHT

The stakes extend beyond distillers on both sides of the border. Canadian whisky and other distinctive Canadian spirits are consumed by Americans at home and served by U.S. bars and restaurants, meaning a new trade barrier could reverberate through the hospitality industry.

Swonger said the U.S. historically exports roughly $220 million worth of distilled spirits to Canada annually, while Canadian producers have exported more than $500 million worth of spirits to the much larger U.S. market.

But Swonger cautioned that the American spirits industry ultimately does not want the tariffs to take effect.

He warned a 50% levy would be "absolutely devastating to the Canadian distilled spirits industry" and would have "a real impact on the American hospitality economy."

‘WE WERE RIGHT’: HE TOOK TRUMP’S TARIFFS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON

Unlike products that can simply be swapped for a domestic equivalent, Swonger argued that spirits are distinctive products. American consumers seek out Canadian whisky, while Canadian consumers have increasingly embraced American whiskey.

The industry's preferred outcome, he said, remains a return to free trade rather than an escalating tariff battle.

"We're an industry that thrives on zero-for-zero tariffs and zero trade barriers," Swonger said.

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With negotiations continuing ahead of the deadline, Swonger said distillers are anxiously waiting to see whether Trump's pressure campaign produces a deal.

"We hope we can get back to that tomorrow," he said.

Liberia agrees to accept 1,200 third-country deportees from US within a year

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:53:07 -0400

Liberia announced Tuesday that it will accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. over the next year under an agreement between the two countries.

The agreement marks one of the largest arrangements of its kind under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown. Liberia's President Joseph Boakai was one of five West African leaders who traveled to the White House last year to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.

As part of the arrangement, the first group of 20 deportees are expected to arrive on Thursday, Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told reporters.

The 1,200 deportees who will be sent to the country within the next 12 months will include Africans as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, Piah said.

TRUMP ADMIN SCORES COURT WIN TO END DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS

Piah said the deportees would be received "as guests," adding that they could leave when they wanted and apply for asylum in Liberia.

He also said Liberia will receive support from the U.S. to manage the program and strengthen its migration system. But he said the deal was not part of a quid pro quo with the U.S. government and that the African nation was not demanding compensation in exchange for taking in the deportees.

"Liberia’s gesture is entirely humanitarian and in keeping with the country’s longstanding traditions," he said. "The government of Liberia intends to provide the transferred persons with the necessary support to seek protection in Liberia and to be safe during their stay here."

Liberia's government referenced its historical ties to the United States, including its roots in a 19th-century settlement established for free and formerly enslaved Black Americans and its history as a country with "a long history of accepting people seeking refuge from political and other crises."

Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said that the country has screened the migrants ahead of their arrival.

"Most of them are people who had immigration violations and offenses," he said.

The Liberian government said the arriving deportees are not criminals and are not being prosecuted under U.S. or Liberian law.

Since Trump returned to the White House in January of last year, his administration has reached several deals with African countries to accept third-country deportees, including in some cases migrants who have legal protections barring their return to their countries of origin because of risks of torture, persecution or other abuses. It was not immediately clear whether any members of the group being sent to Liberia have such protections.

TRUMP SCORES MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORY AS JUDGE CLEARS WAY TO END TPS PROTECTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF SOMALIS

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Under several agreements that have not always been publicly disclosed in full, the administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, with about 10 of them in Africa, according to immigration advocates.

The administration has defended the third-country deals as lawful, saying federal immigration law permits the government to remove migrants to willing third countries. The Supreme Court last year stayed a lower-court order that had imposed additional procedural requirements on third-country removals while litigation continued.

The U.S.-Liberia agreement says Liberia will not return a transferred person to their home country while a protection claim is pending and that both governments intend to act consistently with their obligations under refugee and anti-torture law.

Rights groups say some migrants have been sent to countries they have never visited or where they could face safety risks, potentially increasing pressure on them to return to their countries of origin.

Other African countries that have taken in third-country deportees include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Yankees' Jazz Chisholm boots routine grounder, immediately blames umpire as replay tells another story

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:48:11 -0400

New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. managed to turn a basic fielding error into an embarrassing display of deflection during Tuesday night's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.

After kicking away an easy grounder, he instantly launched into a rant against the second-base umpire, looking for a scapegoat the second things went wrong.

The mistake came in a scoreless second inning at Camden Yards with runners on first and second. Carlos Rodon executed his pitch perfectly, coaxing Christian Franklin into what should have been an inning-ending double-play ball hit straight to Chisholm at second base.

CINCINNATI REDS PITCHER RIPS 'F—ING FATA–' UMPIRE FOR GETTING IN DEFENDER'S WAY ON GROUND BALL

Instead, Chisholm clanked the ball off his glove, loaded the bases, then somehow decided the umpire was the problem.

Before the ball even stopped rolling, Chisholm was already pointing at second-base umpire Ryan Additon. The replay quickly killed the excuse, showing Additon standing exactly where he belonged while Chisholm simply butchered the grounder.

Fortunately for Chisholm, Rodon bailed him out.

With the bases loaded and one out, Rodon struck out Carlos Narvaez and Jackson Holliday back-to-back to strand the runners, allowing the Yankees to eventually walk away with a 3-1 win.

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR GIVES BLUNT SELF-ASSESSMENT AFTER EMBARRASSINGLY FAILED ABS CHALLENGE

The childish reaction comes during a miserable 2026 season for Chisholm, who dragged a pathetic .216 average into Tuesday after getting benched over the weekend.

Jazz even offered his own brutal assessment earlier this year, stating, "It sucked. I've sucked all season. The numbers speak for themselves."

ANTHONY RIZZO CALLS OUT JAZZ CHISHOLM'S 'IMMATURITY' AFTER EJECTION DURING YANKEES' FENWAY PARK SWEEP

Chisholm got lucky his pitcher cleaned up the mess before it showed up on the scoreboard.

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

Prosecutors hammer Tyler Robinson's bid to derail death penalty in Charlie Kirk murder case

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:45:34 -0400

Utah prosecutors are urging a judge to send Tyler Robinson to trial on every charge in the killing of Charlie Kirk, arguing that the evidence against him is overwhelming and pushing back against the defense's effort to take the death penalty off the table.

In a 19-page filing Tuesday, prosecutors responded to a defense brief asking Judge Tony Graf to throw out the sole aggravating factor that could expose Robinson to the death penalty.

The defense has argued prosecutors failed to show that shooting created a great risk of death to anyone other than Kirk.

ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON ASKS JUDGE TO TAKE POTENTIAL DEATH PENALTY OFF TABLE

Prosecutors said the evidence shows otherwise, arguing Robinson allegedly fired his grandfather's high-powered rifle toward a crowd of thousands, with several people in the line of fire or close to Kirk.

They rejected the defense's argument that the bullet traveled above the crowd, saying people near Kirk were still within the "zone of danger" created when Robinson allegedly fired the rifle.

"The evidence here easily establishes at least probable cause" that Robinson knowingly created a great risk of death to others, prosecutors wrote. They said the evidence is "more than sufficient to support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt."

The state also took aim at the defense's broader challenge to the evidence presented during Robinson's preliminary hearing.

CHARLIE KIRK MURDER CASE AS 'STRAIGHT-FORWARD' AS IT GETS, PROSECUTORS ARGUE AS CASE NEARS TRIAL DECISION

"Defendant does not challenge the substance of the evidence demonstrating that he was the person who crawled to the sniper’s perch on the Losee Building rooftop, fired the fatal shot that killed Mr. Charlie Kirk, hid the rifle in a wooded area, got rid of some of the clothing he was wearing, and told his roommate to delete their texts about the shooting," prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors also accused Robinson's attorneys of relying on case law that was later rejected by the Utah Supreme Court while failing to alert the judge to those later decisions.

"This blatant omission violates counsel’s duty of candor to the court," prosecutors wrote.

The filing also defends a witness-tampering charge involving Robinson's roommate and an allegation that Robinson committed a violent offense in the presence of a child.

UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY SCRAPS CONTROVERSIAL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER WHO CRITICIZED CHARLIE KIRK AFTER HIS MURDER

Prosecutors also argue there is evidence Kirk was targeted because of his political expression, pointing in part to a cartridge engraved with the words "Hey fascist, catch."

Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk, 31, as Kirk spoke at Utah Valley University Sept. 10, 2025. Robinson has not entered a plea.

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Graf is expected to decide at a Sept. 1 hearing whether prosecutors have shown enough probable cause to send the case to trial.

Fox News' Lee Ross contributed to this report.

Maryland rocked by third beaver attack in weeks after 2 animals test positive for rabies

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:38:08 -0400

Maryland wildlife officials are searching for a beaver that attacked a 10-year-old girl at a state park, marking the state's third reported beaver attack in less than three weeks.

The girl was swimming and wading with an organized group at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County when a beaver attacked and bit her around 3:30pm Thursday, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Camp counselors intervened and removed the beaver from the girl before the animal escaped into the water, DNR said. The girl suffered three lacerations to her upper leg and was taken by family members to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda for treatment.

DANGEROUS RABID BEAVERS ATTACK 2 TEENS, WITH 1 AIRLIFTED AND POPULAR PARK PARTIALLY CLOSED

No other injuries were reported.

The attack occurred at a bend in Seneca Creek near Berryville Road, close to the Potomac River. DNR closed the area, including roughly one mile of trail and river access points, until further notice while wildlife teams search for the beaver.

Other parts of Seneca Creek State Park, including the Lake Area off Clopper Road in Gaithersburg, remain open.

A separate group of people canoeing in the area also reported a beaver attempting to charge one of their boats, but no one was injured, according to DNR.

HIDDEN DANGER AT POPULAR US NATIONAL PARK FORCES TRAIL CLOSURES AS BEAR SIGHTINGS CLIMB

The Seneca Creek attack follows two beaver attacks at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, more than 36 miles away.

A beaver attacked a 13-year-old swimmer at Cunningham Falls on July 26. Another beaver bit a 19-year-old fisherman on the ankle in the park's South Beach Day Use area on Aug. 5.

The fisherman took himself to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, where he received treatment for rabies exposure and a tetanus shot, DNR said.

Natural Resources Police caught and euthanized the beavers involved in both Cunningham Falls attacks. Both animals later tested positive for rabies.

BEACHGOERS WARNED AFTER DEADLY 'FLESH-EATING' BACTERIA KILLS 5 IN SOUTHERN STATE

Following the second attack, the Maryland Park Service closed the Houck Day Use Area, the adjacent boat ramp and Big Hunting Creek above the lake while wildlife officials investigated the incidents.

DNR said the Seneca Creek attack is not considered related to the Cunningham Falls cases because of the distance between the parks and the home range and social behavior of beavers.

Health department data also show no indication of a rabies outbreak in either Frederick County or Montgomery County, according to DNR.

Beaver attacks on people are rare, the agency said, and are thought to primarily involve animals infected with rabies. Before this year's incidents, the last recorded beaver bites in Maryland confirmed to involve rabid animals occurred in 2021 and 2015.

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Beavers typically avoid conflict with people, according to DNR. The agency recommends maintaining a minimum distance of 25 yards from the animals in the wild.

Potential successor to cowboy hat-wearing Dem tops crowded Florida primary

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:31:25 -0400

Retiring Rep. Frederica Wilson's chosen successor has won the crowded Democratic primary to replace her in Congress.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert is now likely to follow Wilson, D-Fla., to Congress representing her safe blue seat in Florida's 24th Congressional District.

The district is located in South Florida and includes part of Miami. It remains largely Democratic after Florida Republicans redrew the state's congressional map this year, though areas along the shore, including Miami Beach, are now part of a neighboring constituency.

Wilson has been in Congress since 2011, first representing Florida's 17th Congressional District for a single term before redistricting spurred her to run in the 24th.

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She is perhaps best known for her eccentric attire, which centers on brightly colored wide-brimmed hats that Wilson regularly wears both inside and outside the U.S. Capitol.

Her exit from Congress at the end of this year spurred a mad dash among Democrats to replace her, with seven people running in the party's primary.

House Democratic leaders have stayed out of the race so far but are likely to coalesce behind the now-chosen winner.

Wilson emphatically endorsed Democrat Oliver Gilbert in the race, declaring at a rally for the candidate, "If I am endorsing you, everybody in District 24 should be endorsing you."

And while competitive, the race was notable in that it was not one of the litany of high-profile clashes between establishment Democrats and the far-left that have come to define the 2026 midterm season.

BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS

Far-left Democrats across the country, many linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), have been posing competitive challenges and, in some cases, even unseating incumbent lawmakers within the party.

Elsewhere in Florida, DSA member Oliver Larkin challenged moderate Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., in a district drawn to more heavily favor Republicans this year.

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Self-described socialist Elijah Manley is one of many challengers to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who has generated controversy for running in a majority-Black district after her own seat was changed by the Florida GOP-backed new congressional map. Wasserman Schultz won Tuesday night.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirms league wants multiple teams based outside the US: 'no doubt'

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:26:20 -0400

The NFL has made no secret of its desire to increase its footprint internationally. Not content with dominating the domestic marketplace, commissioner Roger Goodell has been open about the importance of playing more games overseas.

The 2026 season will already feature nine international games, spread out in different countries around the world. Melbourne, Australia hosts a week one game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams. In week three, the Ravens and Cowboys will play in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Then there are four straight weeks with games in Europe.

Colts-Commanders in London in week four, Eagles-Jaguars also in London in week five, Texans-Jaguars at Wembley in week six, and Steelers-Saints in Paris in week seven. Later weeks feature the Bengals-Falcons in Madrid, Patriots-Lions in Munich and Vikings-49ers in Mexico City.

ROGER GOODELL DISMISSES 49ERS COACH'S CONCERNS ABOUT PLAYING IN AUSTRALIA, SAYS IT'S PART OF LONG-TERM PLAN

While most years had eight international games, and this upcoming season features nine, there's already been a vote to approve up to 10 non-US games starting in 2027. That vote also removed the ability of teams to prevent their home games from being moved to an international host.

All this is to say that the international expansion in the NFL is only growing. And Goodell took that a step further this week, saying in a new interview that there will be not just one but multiple teams, plural, based internationally.

"At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," Goodell said in an interview with former NFL player Markus Kuhn for German media outlet RTL/ntv. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day."

While he didn't specify a city, or cities, that would host these "teams," he made an even more aggressive prediction: that the new international destination could potentially hold a Super Bowl.

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"There are definitely international cities that could host something like that," Goodell said. "But we would like to see an NFL team in such a city first."

Just imagine, a Super Bowl played outside the United States. Fans will be thrilled.

This isn't the first time Goodell has said the NFL is serious about expanding internationally. There's a nearly-limitless fountain of money available if the league is able to grow a serious permanent foothold in Europe, for example, and there is nothing the NFL cares more about than increasing its revenue.

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He's also spoken of a desire to host games in Asia, and Mexico City was a frequent destination from 2016-2022. How this would work, however, still seems up for debate and discussion.

There are the obvious travel and logistical hurdles, especially if Europe is the ultimate choice, as seems likely. West coast teams would have 10-12 hour flights to London or Paris. Even East Coast teams would have to adjust to different travel schedules, time zones and jet lag.

Then just imagine having a Super Bowl played at the Tottenham Stadium. Or Wembley. Or the Stade de France. How bizarre, off-putting and disconnected from the NFL would that be? Not to mention the difference in time zones leading to some, shall we say, interesting, scheduling questions.

The Super Bowl typically kicks off at 6:30pm Eastern, but 6:30pm Eastern is 11:30pm in London. Moving the game to say, 8pm in London would mean a 12pm kickoff time on the West Coast, and 3pm on the East Coast. That's on Sunday, so it's less worrisome to not be in prime time, but it's hard to imagine the NFL upending tradition so thoroughly.

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Obviously, this is years, or even decades, away from happening. But the NFL and Goodell are clearly committed to putting teams, multiple teams, in other countries. Money comes first, last and always.

‘Hebrew Hammer’ defeats social media influencer after bitter campaign marred by antisemitic posts

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:00:15 -0400

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., has won the Republican primary in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, defeating a crowded field after a campaign marked by fierce personal attacks against him.

Fine cruised to victory in a district rated solidly Republican by Cook Political Report, beating businessman Manuel P. Asensio, challenger Aaron Baker, retired U.S. Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Charles Gambaro and social media influencer Dan Bilzerian, who unleashed a barrage of antisemitic attacks against Fine during the campaign.

Fine entered the contest with major advantages, including a substantial fundraising edge and the backing of President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Fine in October 2025, calling him a "MAGA Warrior."

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Fine, first elected to Congress in a 2025 special election after Mike Waltz resigned, has quickly established himself as one of the House GOP's most outspoken advocates for Israel and efforts to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish communities.

Before joining Congress, Fine — then Florida's only Jewish Republican legislator — earned the nickname the "Hebrew Hammer" from colleagues for that work, a moniker he has since embraced.

Bilzerian is a social media influencer and businessman who built his online persona around being a playboy, posting videos and photos of himself surrounded by women. He is the founder of Ignite International Brands, which sells products that include disposable vapes, vodka and tequila. Bilzerian flaunts his sexually promiscuous lifestyle and has publicly described "manosphere" social media influencer Andrew Tate as a friend.

Tate was arrested in Miami in July and awaits extradition to the United Kingdom, where he and his brother Tristan are charged with rape and sex trafficking. They have also been charged with similar offenses in Romania.

Bilzerian has repeatedly drawn condemnation for antisemitic remarks and conspiracy theories about Jews. He has claimed Jews knew about the Sept. 11 attacks and were responsible for John F. Kennedy’s assassination, that Jewish people control the media and has questioned the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust.

JEWISH CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE SAYS HARASSMENT FROM GAZA AGITATORS WENT ‘BEYOND FREE SPEECH’

Bilzerian’s attacks against the Jewish community and Fine continued after he launched his campaign. Just days before the election, Bilzerian posted two photos of himself with supporters on X with the caption: "District 6 understands the jewish problem- Dan Blizerian."

The social media influencer also posted a 2½-minute AI-generated campaign ad attacking Fine, calling him a "fat Jew" and including other antisemitic remarks.

The video caught the attention of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who condemned the video.

"The vile attack ads against Congressman Randy Fine in Florida's 6th District are disgusting and should be condemned by all political leaders on the Right and Left," Johnson wrote on X.

"Antisemitism and outward hatred of Jewish communities have no place in our politics or in America, and we will continue to call them out wherever they arise."

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Before coming to Washington, Fine served eight years in the Florida House and then in the state Senate, where he chaired five committees. He became closely associated with school choice, immigration enforcement and legislation targeting what he described as harmful ideologies in schools. Fine, Florida’s only Jewish Republican legislator, has referred to himself as the "Hebrew Hammer."

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Fine’s victory sets him up for the November general election in a district rated safely Republican.

Polls close as socialist insurgency storms Trump’s backyard

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 05:00:04 -0400

Polls have closed in Wyoming as the high-stakes battle between the left wing and the center-left establishment over the future of the Democratic Party takes the spotlight Tuesday in Florida, where a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) faces a more moderate incumbent Democrat who supports Israel.

After attention-grabbing left-wing victories this month by Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in crucial Democratic Senate nomination showdowns, and a major setback for the DSA with the defeat of DSA member Francesca Hong in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, the next faceoff in the party's civil war comes in Florida, which, along with Alaska and Wyoming, is holding primaries.

The Senate primaries in Alaska and Florida will set up crucial general election showdowns in the fight for control of the chamber. Floridians will pick the major party nominees in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, while longtime Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is fighting for political survival against a socialist candidate in a dramatically altered congressional district.

But the primary grabbing the most national attention is in Florida's 25th District, where DSA-endorsed Oliver Larkin is challenging the more moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in a key congressional swing district that's among roughly two dozen House seats that will determine whether Republicans hold onto their razor-thin majority in the midterm elections.

DEMOCRATIC GROUP LAUNCHES $15 MILLION WAR ON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS: 'MORTAL DANGER'

The 33-year-old Larkin, a veteran of Sanders' 2016 Democratic presidential campaign, is the only DSA-endorsed House candidate running in a crucial congressional swing district.

Larkin says he supports abolishing the U.S. Senate, arguing in a Fox News interview that it's an "undemocratic institution," and has referred to Israel's ruling coalition as a "religious supremacist regime."

Moskowitz is a strong and vocal supporter of Israel and has advocated for robust U.S. military and security assistance.

The two-term federal lawmaker, a former state representative and Florida emergency management director, is running for re-election in the state's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a Broward County-anchored swing seat in the southeastern corner of the one-time battleground state that has leaned red.

Moskowitz, who enjoys establishment backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is also supported by AIPAC, a major pro-Israel political group. Larkin has support from prominent far-left figures, including controversial political streamer Hasan Piker.

Wasserman Schultz, an 11-term congresswoman and former Democratic National Committee chair, is running for re-election in the newly drawn 20th District, even though she lives in an adjacent district. She has faced criticism from Black leaders for being the only White candidate running for a majority-minority seat that has been represented by Black lawmakers for three decades.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

The field includes former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned from Congress in April over allegations that she misused $5 million in federal funds, which she denies; former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness; and community activist Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell, a rapper best known for his role in 2 Live Crew.

A slew of groups on the left, including the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), are backing Elijah Manley, a 27-year-old substitute teacher and self-described socialist who overcame childhood homelessness.

In the race to succeed DeSantis, Rep. Byron Donalds enjoys the backing of President Donald Trump. The large field of contenders also includes Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and businessman James Fishback.

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Former Republican Rep. David Jolly, who became a Democrat last year, is the best-known candidate running for his party's gubernatorial nomination. No Democrat has won an election for Florida governor in more than three decades.

Florida's Senate primary will tee up the race to fill out the remainder of the term previously held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stepped down from the Senate early last year to serve in the Trump administration.

DeSantis appointed then-Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the vacant seat. She faces three primary challengers on Tuesday.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, who gained national attention after testifying in Trump's first impeachment trial, faces progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon for the Democratic nomination.

Democrats are hoping to flip the Senate seat in the midterms, as they aim to win back the Senate majority.

Democrats also have their eyes on red-leaning Alaska, where Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is running for re-election and is expected to face a formidable challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.

Sullivan and Peltola are the best-known candidates among the 16 contenders in the state's all-party primary, where the top four vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.

A former teacher also named Dan Sullivan is on the ballot. Republicans unsuccessfully tried to block the other Dan Sullivan from appearing on the ballot, accusing him of colluding with Democrats to help elect Peltola by confusing voters, an accusation he and the Peltola campaign have denied.

Meanwhile, Peltola made headlines last week by distancing herself from an endorsement coming from former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Alaska also has crowded primary fields in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy and in the contest for the state's sole congressional seat, where Republican Rep. Nick Begich is seeking re-election.

In bright-red Wyoming, Trump is backing Rep. Harriet Hageman in her bid to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

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There are also primaries for governor, where GOP Gov. Mark Gordon is term-limited, and for the state's at-large U.S. House seat, which Hageman is leaving to run for the Senate.

Meanwhile, four months after Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell quit Congress amid sexual assault allegations that sank his bid for California governor, voters in his former Bay Area district will choose a replacement. Both candidates on the ballot are Democrats, meaning the GOP's razor-thin House majority will narrow further.

Fox News' Matthew Donnell contributed to this story

Portland parent fights child's elementary school over 'final straw' of adding trans-inclusive flag

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:02:16 -0400

Portland, Oregon, mother Allison Roberts told Fox News Digital Tuesday she hopes her fight with her children's elementary school over a trans-inclusive flag will inspire others to speak out for their beliefs.

"I think the increased political presence with the progressive flag was a bit much," Roberts said of her situation. "And I think that was the final straw that got me to open my eyes and see that, yes, the school had become a political apparatus. It wasn't my problem with the pride flag, per se, it is what I think is using it as a political apparatus and indoctrination for the kids."

According to the Liberty Justice Center, which filed a lawsuit on behalf of Roberts last week, she initially expressed concern last year over Meriwether Lewis Elementary School's decision to repaint its traditional rainbow pride flag with an "Intersex-Inclusive Progress" variant and an "identity flower" assignment given to her 11-year-old child that asked students to identify and discuss their gender identity with classmates and teachers.

PORTLAND PARENT BANNED FROM SCHOOL EVENTS AFTER OPPOSING GENDER IDENTITY ASSIGNMENT FILES LAWSUIT

Roberts described herself as a liberal Democrat but felt the new flag was a step too far, particularly given her religious beliefs, and warned that situations like hers are likely happening in other schools.

"I never would have thought it would have happened in Portland, arguably one of the most, at least, vocally liberal cities out there. I really didn't think it could happen here," Roberts said.

"So, if it can happen here, I have no doubt that it can happen anywhere. And, again, it's ... it's curriculum that is being stealthily placed into and around other curriculum. So, I do firmly believe that it's happening everywhere."

After receiving what she described as an unsatisfactory response from the school, Roberts wrote an open letter to the community opposing the school's policies, which she distributed on a public sidewalk outside school property.

Roberts was later issued a one-year trespass order after a heated exchange with another parent, barring her from attending school events, including her child's graduation ceremony. When she reached out to the school for clarification, Roberts was reportedly told it was a result of engaging in "harassment, intimidation, and threatening behavior" as part of a pattern of "animus and harassment targeting vulnerable members of [the] community."

PARENTAL RIGHTS GROUP FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST OREGON SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR ALLEGED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

The Liberty Justice Center argued that the school violated Roberts' First and 14th Amendment rights by stifling and retaliating against her speech criticizing the school's policies. Timothy R. Snowball, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, also told Fox News Digital the school's actions were particularly problematic given Roberts was criticizing the school outside school property.

"Not only is that problematic for the First Amendment, but it really undermines our entire democratic system of government," Snowball said. "We have something called the marketplace of ideas in which each citizen is supposed to be able to participate. And, hopefully, through that conversation, you arrive at the best policy prescriptions for everyone.

"And, so, shutting somebody down because you don't like what they're saying really is problematic for that," he continued. "There's no offense exception to the First Amendment. There's no hate speech exception to the First Amendment. These are made-up words, made-up things, and so really what they are doing here is insidious, I think, on several different grounds."

WASHINGTON MOTHER PULLS CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL AFTER PRIDE LESSON SHOWN IN MUSIC CLASS WITHOUT NOTICE

Portland Public Schools declined to comment to Fox News Digital about the ongoing case.

Roberts encouraged other parents to get involved with their children's schools and take action when necessary.

"Don't be afraid to speak up. Be loud," she said. "I think the time for hoping that the common sense and the adults will enter the conversation and make things right is kind of over. And I think it is time for us to be vocal and to get involved."

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"And I would say to people, get involved in your school, your kid's school," Roberts added. "Go take a tour when it starts up this year. That's all I'd say."

Federal judge blocks Trump admin plan to move FBI headquarters to Reagan Building

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:59:21 -0400

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s plan to move FBI headquarters into Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Building, preserving the previously selected Greenbelt, Maryland, site for the bureau’s long-planned new headquarters.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled Monday that the FBI and General Services Administration’s (GSA) decisions to select the Reagan Building were "not in accordance with law" and exceeded their statutory authority. The court also found the FBI’s decision to redirect previously appropriated funds toward the move was arbitrary and capricious.

The FBI blasted the decision in a statement to Fox News.

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT MAKES DRASTIC CHANGE FOLLOWING DEADLY 2025 MIDAIR COLLISION

"This is not the first time courts have tried to undermine the administration in its goal to make government more cost-effective for American taxpayers. The court has chosen to impermissibly intervene for political reasons. This FBI is mission focused and will continue the best course of action to meet the needs of law enforcement. Sycophants seeking to undermine the work of this FBI, which has led the largest reduction in crime in American history under President Trump, will not deter us."

The ruling marks the latest turn in a fight stretching back more than a decade over replacing the deteriorating J. Edgar Hoover Building, which has housed FBI headquarters since 1974. The court noted that the building is obsolete, cannot house all headquarters staff and does not meet applicable security standards.

GSA selected Greenbelt in 2023 after Congress directed the agency to choose among three previously identified sites: Greenbelt and Landover, Maryland, or Springfield, Virginia. But in July 2025, the FBI and GSA announced that they instead planned to relocate headquarters to the Reagan Building in Washington.

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Chuang found that those congressional site-selection requirements prevented the agencies from unilaterally choosing a different location. The court said the Reagan Building was not among the three sites Congress authorized and that the FBI exceeded its statutory authority by selecting it.

The ruling blocks the FBI from moving forward with its planned headquarters at the Reagan Building and reinstates Greenbelt, Maryland, as the selected site. The judge said Congress would have to change the law if the administration wants to pursue a different location.

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The White House referred Fox News Digital to the FBI for comment on the ruling.

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this reporting.

Democrats get their man as scandals put once-safe GOP House seat in play

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:58:17 -0400

A retired Navy helicopter pilot backed by the Democratic establishment cruised to victory in the Florida primaries on Tuesday night.

Bale Dalton defeated ex-congressman Alan Grayson and progressive Marialana Kinter, another Navy veteran, for the Democratic nomination to run in the Sunshine State's 7th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.

What was once expected to be a safe GOP seat is now being viewed as a possible pickup opportunity for Democrats in November as scandals continue to pile up for Mills.

WATCH: CORY MILLS BLASTS DOJ PROBE AS ‘POLITICAL OP' AHEAD OF FLORIDA PRIMARY

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report downgraded Republicans' chances of keeping the district from a "safe" to "likely" win for the GOP. It's rated R+5, meaning Democrats could have a shot with the right candidate.

Dalton is already on the House Democratic campaign arm's "Red to Blue" list, meaning left-wing leaders are expected to pour money and other resources into the race.

He was also endorsed by progressive veterans group VoteVets, the moderate-left Blue Dog Coalition, as well as Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and Lois Frankel, D-Fla.

Mills, who served in the Army, has been bogged down by controversies in recent years that have prompted two of his fellow Florida Republicans — Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla. — to call for him to drop out of the race.

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They backed challenger Ryan Elijah, a former longtime Orlando news anchor.

Mills is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee and allegedly by the Department of Justice (DOJ), though he denied the latter probe's existence. Mills has also denied all wrongdoing.

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He went into his bid for a third term endorsed by President Donald Trump, though the commander-in-chief has not spoken on the allegations of sexual harassment and financial impropriety that have dogged the sitting Republican incumbent.

Drew Brees gives his stance on Eli Manning's Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy amid strong debate

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:50:22 -0400

Drew Brees has officially entered the great halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as he, alongside other legends of the game, were inducted earlier this month.

Brees’ career resume speaks for itself: second all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns, Super Bowl XLIV winner and MVP, 13 Pro Bowls, and the list goes on. Brees was always going to see his golden bust on that stage in Canton one day.

Others, though, have to wait their turn – if it ever comes. And one name in particular has been debated about since he retired from the game.

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Eli Manning, a fellow quarterback, spent 16 years in the NFL leading the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, while joining Brees, though further down, on the all-time passing leaders lists. Surely, Manning should join Brees, his older brother Peyton, and the many others in the Hall, right?

Over the last two years, though, Manning hasn’t received enough votes to be inducted. He missed being one of the 15 modern-era finalists for the second straight time this past voting period.

So, does Manning deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Brees gave his stance.

"Yeah, he is," he told Fox News Digital, while also highlighting his work with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS. "It's always funny to hear how people want to evaluate the quarterback position. I mean, look, there's so much that goes into it. It's body of work, it's consistency, certainly championships factor into it. I think when you look at all those things, it's hard to argue the things that he accomplished in his career with his two championships, and then, you know, his body of work and his consistency. "

ADAM VINATIERI SHAMED INTO OFFERING APOLOGY AND EXPLANATION FOR HALL OF FAME SPEECH THAT WAS EPIC

Brees called what Manning did across his 16 seasons leading one of the most iconic franchises in the sport "impressive." And it’s hard to ignore the fact it was done against a generation of fantastic quarterbacks like himself, Peyton, Tom Brady, who Eli beat in his two Super Bowl appearances, and more.

"I think overall I look at this era that we had a chance to be a part of," Brees explained. "It started with Peyton [Manning]. You go Peyton, Tom Brady, my draft in '01, and that ‘04 draft was impressive with Eli, with Philip [Rivers]. With Ben Roethlisberger and then Aaron Rodgers coming the year after that.

"I kind of look at that as kind of an era of quarterbacks that we all battled against each other, man. It was some epic battles , too, when you look at them. I think we all brought out the best in each other in a lot of ways because we knew what we were going up against week in and week out."

The argument against Eli, however, is that there was too much mediocrity in his career despite the greatness he showcased. He owned an even 117-117 record in the regular season. Eli also never made a first-team All-Pro squad, while never once receiving a vote for AP NFL MVP.

Then, there’s the turnovers. Eli was never afraid to fit the football in any window, or allow his receivers to make a play – the David Tyree helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII is a prime example of that. But he led the NFL in interceptions three separate times, while owning a completion rate of 60.3% on his passes.

But then again, Manning’s durability (210 consecutive regular-season games played for the Giants), career totals and the ability to clutch up in the playoffs against a dynasty in the New England Patriots twice in the biggest game on the gridiron, let alone other postseason moments, is too great a resume to ignore.

At least, it is for Brees, who believes Manning will eventually hear his name called to Canton one day.

FOOTBALL ALL IN ONE PLACE

Outside of football, Brees is also a businessman, being a co-owner and partner in Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux, one of the fastest-growing sports bar franchise concepts in the country. It began in Louisiana, has grown to 80-plus units, and it continues to pave its way through the country.

As a sports bar concept, there’s nothing that matters more than having any game, any time, for customers walking into the establishment.

Football is king in the Southeast, as well as throughout the rest of the country, and DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS makes it easy for those like Brees to bring together live TV and streaming networks all in one place. More than 300,000 bars and restaurants have access to local, national, college and pro games for fans to watch through DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS.

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"We pride ourselves on Louisiana-inspired cuisine. It's unbelievable food," Brees said of Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux. "My kids crave it all the time. But like a really family-friendly atmosphere, you know, whether it's date night, bring the family, bring the little league after the game — something for everybody. Obviously, it’s sports, and high energy, and excitement on the TV all the time. Thanks to our partnership with DirecTV for Business, that's what allows us to basically have access to every college and pro game around the country. And that's not just football. We're talking basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer. So big events like March Madness and the Kentucky Derby, Masters — you name it. So, we're really appreciative of that DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS partnership. It allows us to help create that energy and excitement around our establishments.

"And for the fans themselves, sportsbarfinder.com allows them to find those sports from DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS at their local spot anywhere in the country, which Brees loved to see.

"There's a saying: fans have more friends. You know, they really do. You step into your local sports bar wearing the local jersey. Man, all of a sudden, next thing you know, you're high- fiving everybody and you just made 100 more friends. That's the kind of atmosphere and that's what sports does, it brings people together," he said.

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Media executive overcomes Trump endorsement in race to succeed Byron Donalds in ‘circus-like primary’

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:45:29 -0400

Florida media executive Jim Schwartzel won the GOP nomination to succeed Rep. Byron Donalds despite President Donald Trump endorsing his opponent.

President Donald Trump endorsed Catalina Lauf, who served in the Department of Commerce during his first term in office, Aug. 13, upending the race just days before voters headed to the polls in Florida’s 19th Congressional District. Tuesday night’s results bucked a trend of Trump-endorsed candidates fairing well in primary contests.

As of mid-July, 97% of candidates endorsed by the president had won their primaries.

Trump’s endorsement success rate has remained at 93% or higher since 2018, according to Ballotpedia’s election tracker.

TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN’T BACKING DOWN

Lauf and Schwartzel weren’t the only candidates to throw their hats into the race to be Donalds’ successor.

The field in Florida’s 19th Congressional District also included former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who lost his North Carolina seat after a series of scandals in 2022; former Rep. Chris Collins, a former New York congressman convicted of insider trading; and Jim Oberweis, a wealthy former Illinois state senator.

The unusual cast of characters running in the election attracted amusement and ridicule from the national media. Axios dubbed the race "the GOP's carpetbagger primary" and wrote that "whoever claws their way through the circus-like primary is almost guaranteed a ticket to Washington."

TLAIB UNDER FIRE FOR WORKING TO UNSEAT TWO JEWISH HOUSE DEMOCRATS IN FLORIDA

On the campaign trail, Schwartzel attacked Lauf for running for Congress twice in Illinois before recently moving to Florida, arguing that his ties to the state ran deeper than hers.

Lauf responded that she is a "blue state refugee," not a "carpetbagger."

"I came here, I didn’t have a choice to be born and raised in Illinois but I have a choice to live here," she said during a July debate.

SOCIALIST INSURGENCY HEADS TO TRUMP’S BACKYARD, TARGETS PRO-ISRAEL DEMOCRAT

Lauf accused Schwartzel of being behind the firing of a popular local meteorologist. Schwartzel responded that although he owns several local media stations, he did not have an ownership stake in the network that fired the meteorologist.

Schwartzel said his supporters expressed anger after Trump endorsed Lauf.

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"The president endorsed my opponent tonight. You're hearing it from me before you hear it anywhere else," he said on the night of the endorsement.

"But let's be precise about where that anger belongs. Not with President Trump. I've supported him from the beginning, and I'll support him after Tuesday.

"It belongs with the operation that worked this for months: the out-of-state super PACs that have poured millions into this district, the Washington consultants who packaged a candidate who ran for Congress twice in Illinois and sold her as Southwest Florida's choice, the people who decided our seat shouldn’t be settled in a room a thousand miles from here."

Never-Trump Republican is top Dem choice in crucial Florida primary

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:33:41 -0400

David Jolly, a former Republican congressman and now a Democratic candidate for governor in Florida, won a primary election on Tuesday evening, topping a crowded field of hopefuls to become the party's nominee to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Sunshine State.

DeSantis is prevented by term limits from running for a third term.

Jolly’s win sets up a race to see if a moderate Democrat can tempt a solidly Republican state to voice its frustrations with the Trump administration and, more pointedly, with Trump himself.

In many ways, that’s the crux of Jolly’s message as a candidate.

HAWAII GOV JOSH GREEN CRUISES TO DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WIN, SETS UP FALL MATCHUP WITH GOP NOMINEE

Jolly previously served as the representative for Florida’s 13th Congressional District from 2014-2017, but, after losing the general election to Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, he began voicing disagreements with the direction of the GOP and President Donald Trump.

In 2018, Jolly published an opinion piece with NBC, stating that "you can’t be never-Trump and be a Republican."

"I was a sitting Republican member of Congress who took to the house floor and called on then-candidate Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race," Jolly said.

On the campaign trail in 2016, Jolly balked at a proposed "Muslim ban" Trump and the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump made crude remarks about advances toward women.

IDAHO DEMOCRATS CHOOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN UPHILL RACE AGAINST INCUMBENT GOP GOVERNOR

"Three years later, I find myself fully immersed in a dwindling coalition of Republicans often referred to as never-Trumpers. That is, I was immersed in that coalition — last month I came to the conclusion that it was time to finally leave the Republican Party and registered with no party affiliation," Jolly said.

Now, running as a Democrat, Jolly has pitched himself as an opportunity to break Trump’s momentum.

"Since the emergence of Donald Trump in 2015 when he came down the escalator, he has disrupted the entire American experiment over the last 10 years," Jolly said in a campaign video.

"If in the state of Florida, Florida’s voters are the ones who say, ‘not anymore, ‘we will have provided a reset."

Among his top priorities, Jolly lists insurance affordability, public schools and campaign finance reform on his website. He also supports more traditionally Democratic platform elements like increasing access to abortion.

FLORIDA GOP GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY CANDIDATE SAYS AS GOVERNOR, HE'D 'SHUT DOWN' EVERY ABORTION CLINIC IN STATE

In his campaign, Jolly has raised nearly $6.4 million, according to the Florida Department of State Division of Elections. Having secured the nomination, Jolly faces an uphill race to the general election on Nov. 3.

Florida last elected a Democrat for governor in 1994, in Lawton Chiles. Chiles served from 1991 until his death in 1998, just three weeks before the end of his second term.

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Most recently, DeSantis last won reelection in a 49.4% to 40.0% victory over Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, a former Biden representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Veteran Dem defeats scandal-plagued former lawmaker, progressive challenger in Trump's backyard

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 19:27:39 -0400

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has bested a young progressive challenger and an embattled former lawmaker after a hard-fought primary characterized by its racial overtones.

Schultz, a 21-year veteran of the House, stressed her seniority on the campaign trail and her ability to deliver services to constituents and secure federal funding for her district.

To secure her primary victory, Schultz defeated former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned in April following fraud allegations, and 27-year-old activist and teacher Elijah Manley, who is aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

JEFFRIES DECLINES TO BACK WASSERMAN SCHULTZ AS BLACK LEADERS REVOLT OVER DISTRICT SWITCH

Mid-decade redistricting in Florida prompted Schultz to choose to run in Florida’s 20th Congressional District, which has a stronger Democratic lean than her home constituency.

Schultz, a White woman, drew considerable backlash for deciding to run in the district in May. Criticism centered around the district being majority Black and having long been represented by a Black member of Congress.

Both Cherfilus-McCormick and Manley argued that Schultz representing Florida’s 20th Congressional District would be an affront to the African American community. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declined to back Schultz during the dispute.

"While the Republicans are trying their hardest to silence Black voices, I don't expect somebody in our own party, a White Democrat, to do the same," Manley said of Schultz at a candidate debate. "We are not going back to a time where there were no Black people in Congress."

TLAIB UNDER FIRE FOR WORKING TO UNSEAT TWO JEWISH HOUSE DEMOCRATS IN FLORIDA: 'NO COINCIDENCE'

Cherfilus-McCormick accused Schultz of "district forum shopping" and said electing her would amount to the erasure of Black history and power.

During a debate, Schultz defended her candidacy by emphasizing her extensive tenure in Congress and her experience representing Black and Caribbean communities in her former district.

Cherfilus-McCormick’s candidacy was itself mired in controversy.

Federal prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick and her co-defendants stole a $5 million overpayment from a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination contract, laundered the money through multiple accounts and used part of it to finance her 2021 congressional campaign through illegal contributions. She resigned from Congress in April before an expulsion vote could be scheduled and has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.

FORMER BERNIE SANDERS OFFICIAL ACCUSES SENATOR OF PUSHING MOST ANTISEMITIC CANDIDATES 'IN A GENERATION'

Accusations that Schultz was carpetbagging and the federal fraud charges against Cherfilus-McCormick weren’t the only controversies in the Democratic primary in Florida’s 20th Congressional District.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib appeared at a Fort Lauderdale Chomp the Oligarchy rally Aug. 14 to support the effort to oust Schultz from Congress. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., has claimed the effort to oust Schultz stems from the fact that she is Jewish.

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Schultz has described herself as a "staunch supporter" of Israel and has voted against measures to cut off military aid. Her position has put her at odds with progressives seeking to reduce U.S. support for Israel.

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Other candidates in the Democratic primary for Florida’s 20th Congressional District included former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness and longtime community activist Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell.

Rep Ralph Norman calls Senate hiatus 'a slap in the face' while SAVE Act remains stalled

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:00:51 -0400

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., criticized Senate Republican leaders for taking a five-week recess while conservative priorities, including the SAVE America Act, remained stalled in the Senate.

Speaking on the "Fox News Rundown" podcast recently, Norman discussed his campaign and scolded Senate Majority Leader John Thune for allowing the break with so many issues in flux.

"To go on a five-week hiatus is an abomination to — and a slap in the face of — people all over this country. That's what I want to change," Norman told Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.

SEN RICK SCOTT: AMERICANS WORK FIVE DAYS A WEEK, WHY CAN’T THE SENATE?

Senators began their break on Aug. 8 and won’t return to Washington, D.C., until Sept. 14. Several conservative priorities remain stalled in the Senate, including the SAVE America Act, a House-passed bill requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Norman said there’s "no more important legislation than the SAVE Act" and called on senators to focus on passing it.

"If we don't know that American citizens are voting for the leaders of our great country, what do we have? We don't have a democracy," Norman said.

He criticized the Senate’s progress on conservative priorities but stopped short of calling for Thune’s removal as Majority leader.

TRUMP'S VOTER ID BILL CATCHES UNLIKELY BREAK AS MCCONNELL REMAINS SIDELINED

"Here's what disappoints me with Sen. Thune: I like him. I've met him. What frustrates me is we keep hearing the same refrain. 'We don't have the votes.' How long are we going to hear that? Are you staying in session, or are you going on a five-week hiatus like they did?" Norman said.

"We've got to dial into fixing this country in a way that we haven't had to do. It's D-Day now. It's time to do it," he later added.

Though Norman focused his criticism on the Senate, both chambers of Congress are on their scheduled August recess. The Senate has also previously held votes on election integrity and voter ID measures during late-night floor sessions, but none secured the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

Norman also addressed President Donald Trump’s decision to endorse his primary opponent, Darline Graham.

"I wanted the president's endorsement, I called him. He chose otherwise, that's fine. South Carolina will pick the next senator for six years," Norman said.

Graham and Norman advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff following South Carolina’s special Republican primary on Aug. 11. Both are vying for the Republican nomination to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, was appointed to finish her brother’s term and is now seeking a full six-year term.

Trump endorsed Darline Graham in a Truth Social post following her brother’s death, writing, "She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot. Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina."

RALPH NORMAN SUGGESTS SPECIAL GOP PRIMARY RUNOFF RIVAL DARLINE GRAHAM IS THE ESTABLISHMENT'S CHOSEN CANDIDATE

"I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey," Trump added.

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Norman announced his Senate bid during an interview with "Saturday in America" host Kayleigh McEnany in July, telling her, "I'm here to announce that I will be a candidate for the Senate. I'll be throwing my hat in the ring. And day one, Kayleigh, I will be laser-focused on passing President Trump's America First, and it starts with the SAVE America Act."