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Hegseth turns tables on Dems as sparks fly during hearing clash: 'I put this on you'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:30:28 -0400

Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth blasted Democratic senators at a hearing on Tuesday, clashing forcefully with accusations that the United States had demonstrated a failure of leadership in its war with Iran, among other areas.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., raised skepticism with Hegseth, pressing him on whether the administration had a plan to bring the protracted war with Iran to a close.

Peters accused Hegseth of leaving the country in a worse position than when the war began.

PETE HEGSETH HEADS TO CAPITOL HILL TO DEFEND TRUMP'S IRAN WAR AS 60-DAY CONGRESSIONAL DEADLINE LOOMS

"You — you don’t have a strategy, you don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war. Win the war! The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need leadership. When will you show leadership?"

Despite promises to end the conflict with Iran in under 60 days and multiple attempts to broker a peace deal, the U.S. remains in a struggle with Tehran over control of the strait of Hormuz, a key waterway in the Middle East that acts as a bottleneck for much of the world’s oil trade.

The U.S. first began the war in joint strikes with Israel on Feb. 28 that killed Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei.

Hegseth fired back at Peters, pointing out that Democrats had allowed hesitations about the administration’s border enforcement policies to also extend to funding the government, including servicemembers.

IRAN WAR'S PRICE TAG HITS $80B — MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT CONGRESS WAS TOLD

"When will you show leadership and stand up to your fellow Democrats who won’t fund the troop, who play partisan politics while you don’t give us the money? You want to stand up here and talk about the troops?" Hegseth said.

"You won’t show any political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump derangement syndrome and you won’t commit to anything meaningful. So, I put this on you, senator."

As a part of his criticisms, Hegseth said he believes the hesitance Democrats have shown to the U.S. armed forces has stretched from before Trump’s time in office.

"I mean the Biden administration ignored hypersonics," Hegseth said, referring to missiles with the capability to travel faster than sound — a breakthrough China achieved in 2019.

"They just decided to pretend like that technology didn’t exist and we shouldn’t invest in it. There are things — I don’t know what Lloyd Austin did for four years. I really don’t. The amount of neglect, the amount of stale thinking and bureaucracy; it was staggering when we took over," Hegseth said, referring to the Defense Secretary under President Joe Biden.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

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The confrontation at the hearings comes as lawmakers weigh the Department of War's spending needs for 2027.

The administration has requested a record-breaking $1.5 trillion budget, a sizable increase over the roughly $900 billion Congress allocated for 2026.

TNA star Elayna Black shares why she joined company, how she wanted to be in The Beautiful People

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:42:25 -0400

Elayna Black was one of the hottest free agents on the pro wrestling market when she departed WWE in 2025.

Formerly known as Cora Jade in NXT, Black hit the independent circuit performing in places like Atomic Legacy Wrestling, Black Label Pro and Game Changer Wrestling before taking time off. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) was an option for Black and she was very familiar with the company’s programming.

She told Fox News Digital she grew up watching TNA and became a fan of Jeff Hardy and the female faction known as The Beautiful People.

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"At the time I started watching TNA, Jeff Hardy was in the company," Black said. "So, I was a huge Jeff Hardy fan … I started watching WWE first. At first that was the only wrestling company I knew. When you're a kid, you don't really know anything else. And then slowly I discovered TNA and you discover, oh, Jeff Hardy was in WWE and I was young, so I didn't know. So, just discovering Jeff Hardy was crazy because I was like, I love wearing black nail polish and like I was getting into my little emo phase at the time. So, I loved Jeff Hardy.

"But my all-time favorites were The Beautiful People, specifically when it was the three of them at the time. It was Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Madison Rayne. They were like my gods. You could not tell me anything. I was going to be The Beautiful People. I was going to be in The Beautiful People. I remember my first ever phone, like flip phone, this little pink phone when I was in like fifth grade that my parents got me, The Beautiful People's theme song was my first ever ringtone. I emailed TNA when I was like 12 years old trying to convince them to let me be the first ever youngest member of the Beautiful People. Obviously, they never responded, but here I am now. And maybe one day they can walk me to the ring or something. We'll see. But The Beautiful People, those are my girls."

Black finally became a main roster talent for TNA in January.

She told Fox News Digital she didn’t necessarily want to sign anywhere and was trying to do what was best for her.

"I think for a while I didn't really want to sign anywhere," she said. "Obviously, I knew eventually I wanted to be somewhere just because that's what I love to do," she said. "But I think for a while, my mindset was just wanting to prove myself otherwise. And I was having fun on the indies for a little bit, but life happens, some personal things came up and I felt like I really needed to take a break just for my mental health. I started wrestling training when I was 15. I dropped out of high school to do it.

"The only time I ever had time off was with an injury. So, it's been my life forever. And growing up in wrestling is also kind of difficult. So just taking the time for the first time really and I'm 25 now, so 10 years, to just kind of sit back and reflect after losing everything that I had just worked for was probably the best thing I could have done. And taking that time, I was just kind of thinking where would be best for me."

Black said she was initially hesitant to sign with TNA because of its partnership with WWE. She was just coming off a WWE run and at first thought she wanted to be able to do something on her own without WWE.

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But after recalibrating, she said she believed TNA had the best environment for her and provided an opportunity for her to thrive.

"At first, I was a bit hesitant with TNA just because of the WWE partnership. And that's nothing against WWE at all. I loved my time there, but that that goes back to me saying I wanted to prove myself somewhere else and I kind of wanted to be as far away from WWE as possible at the time just to prove who I was without them because I was there for so many years or a few years before that," Black said. "At the end of the day, it seemed like TNA had the best environment. I wanted to help bring TNA to the forefront and help TNA grow.

"They got this AMC deal and I was lucky enough to be a part of the AMC debut, which was great. But I'm not the one who built that. You know, I showed up on the debut. There were so many years of hard work put into getting TNA to the AMC debut and everyone there is a hard worker and everyone there loves wrestling and it's very creatively free, which is something I think I wanted and needed to do to be able to challenge myself. Being in WWE for a long time they kind of have what they want and you obviously have input as well but TNA is very, very open to ideas and everything like that. So, when I kind of thought about all that I was like TNA is probably the place for me, which is great. I love TNA."

Black credited TNA with putting women’s wrestling at the forefront. Gone were the days of bra and panties matches or other risqué types of angles. TNA grew its Knockouts Division and helped make women’s wrestling more than just filler matches.

"I love the locker room. I think TNA has a great locker room environment in the in the women's division. Not only that, but the women put on one hell of a performance every single time," she told Fox News Digital. "I think a lot of the times TNA maybe doesn't get the credit that it should for kind of being ahead of the times with the women, at least in my opinion. I think TNA was doing stuff that other companies weren't doing with women for a long time in the beginning. I remember watching TNA as a kid and even noticing that I was like, I want to do what the Knockouts are doing. They get to do way cooler stuff and everything like that.

"So, I think a lot of times maybe TNA doesn't get the credit for kind of putting the Knockouts on the forefront very early on and trying to show what they can do. So, that's something I've always wanted to be a part of. It's something I always noticed just even as a kid that TNA puts a lot of trust and faith in the women, which is very great and something you don't always see. I think TNA is a great place and some place every women's wrestler should want to be because they truly believe in the women and I think the women are incredible and we're all pushing each other to be better."

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Black is now a contender for the TNA Knockouts World Championship. She’s one of the mainstays on "Impact" every Thursday night on AMC.

Vicious Vicki talks TNA Knockouts TV Championship tournament, why the promotion is where she wants to be

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:40:55 -0400

Vicious Vicki has been a rising talent on the women’s wrestling scene, performing for Awesome Championship Wrestling (ACW) among other places over the last year.

While Vicki has been in the ACW women’s title picture, she recently was put into the tournament to crown the first ever Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) Knockouts TV champion. TNA introduced the belt at Slammiversary and she was one of the independent talents who were selected to participate.

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She explained to Fox News Digital how she was able to get into the tournament after eventually losing to Indi Hartwell.

"I had a really great, still have a really great, relationship with Tommy Dreamer and a lot of the opportunities that I had had in TNA had come from him and he made me earn them like I should have," Vicki said. "I do believe that he had some sort of part in that. But it was a road in TNA for me to, about three or four years ago, getting opportunities and just kind of taking the smaller ones, taking the smaller ones, taking the smaller ones and then this was probably my first real, like my big match where I was able to kind of showcase myself a little more, which is awesome.

"No matter what happens, being able to be a part of history of TNA as an unsigned talent, … there was only two independent women's wrestlers in the entire world in that tournament mixed in with some WWE people. So that to me says a lot for me, and Gabby Forza was the other one, I feel like it says a lot that the work that we had put in over the years really paid off. So, no matter what happens, I can I can say that I was a part of TNA history and that can't be erased."

While TNA has received sharp criticism from fans wanting to predict that the death of the company is coming, Vicki suggested that couldn’t be further from the truth.

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Vicki spoke to TNA’s resilience and being able to battle through the ebbs and the flows that come with any part of the pro wrestling industry.

"I think people just like to point the finger at everyone but themselves in life," she told Fox News Digital. "So, I just think a lot of companies, they flounder every now and then. It just happens, where there's highs, there's lows, there's highs, there's lows. It's just how it is. It's how wrestling is. It's been like that since the beginning of time.

"I think TNA will survive and they have survived much worse. So, I think right now, for me personally, that's where I want to be. Obviously, I would love to be walking down the ramp at WrestleMania, but you have to think realistically and I think that's a great spot for me. I think they are doing great things. I think TNA is the spot. I do."

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TNA airs "Impact" every Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

Pro wrestler BK Westbrook recalls AEW match against 'Speedball' Mike Bailey

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:39:49 -0400

BK Westbrook is among the rising talents on the independent scene.

The North Carolina native has appeared in several different promotions since the end of 2025, including Game Changer Wrestling, Pandemonium: Pro Wrestling, Deadlock Pro Wrestling, TBD Wrestling among others. It’s not very often pro wrestlers moving through the indies get a chance to showcase their abilities on television.

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All Elite Wrestling made that happen.

Westbrook appeared on AEW "Collision" in May against "Speedball" Mike Bailey. He wrestled under just his last name and lasted for just over a minute with Bailey, who could be considered one of the top 10 pro wrestlers in the sport among any company. Westbrook recalled getting a chance to showcase his work with AEW in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

"It was cool. So, I've done extra work a couple times. I've gotten to be kind of in the background, just somebody who's just happy to be a part of the show," he said. "But to be on the show and to be like wrestling, is my first opportunity that I got. Getting a chance to wrestle Mike Bailey, who's somebody I have history with from just being on various independent shows over the years before he's gotten this awesome AEW run and everything and being around him and like Deadlock Pro for instance.

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"I know a good amount of people there at AEW so it was kind of cool to be in that environment. I was super thrilled just to be able to be on TV. I might not have been BK Westbrook, I might have been just ‘Westbrook,’ but the guy is still there. I was thankful for the opportunity. Absolutely. It was a good time."

Westbrook is set to re-appear at Pandemonium Pro’s "JoJo" event in August. The show will raise money for the family of the late Jordan Saint, who was killed in a car crash.

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Westbrook will go up against Epidemiyus Jr.

Campus conflict exposed at the core of SJSU's messy fight vs Trump admin over volleyball scandal

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:06:57 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: Since the start of 2026, San Jose State University (SJSU) has had a donor ask to be removed from a key list in protest, a parade of pro-trans activists shout demands at administrators in an organized meeting, and assault allegations surface against its head volleyball coach.

Fox News Digital has obtained exclusive video and documents from independent verified sources, and emails via a public records request that reveal a university paralyzed and divided over its 2024 volleyball scandal involving Blaire Fleming and Brooke Slusser.

INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’

SJSU and the California State University system (CSU) are currently waging a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration to assert the school followed the law in its handling of the scandal, and to reject the findings of a federal investigation.

The lawsuit may set a national precedent for Title IX enforcement for public universities going forward, as SJSU faces internal and external friction.

The Trans Town Hall

On Feb. 26, a town hall was held in the SJSU engineering building.

A copy of an invitation obtained by Fox News Digital included the title "Trans Gender Rights Town Hall with SJSU Administration" in big, bold all-caps letters. The subject to be discussed was SJSU's response to the Trump administration's resolution proposal.

"Please come to a Town Hall with SJSU’s President and top administration, and tell them they must stand up for our transgender students," it wrote.

A sign-up form said that SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson would be in attendance. But she was not there, as seen in footage of the meeting provided to Fox News Digital from an independent verified source.

Just two administrators were seen in attendance.

One by one, pro-trans activists came up to a lectern and unleashed emotionally charged rants, often directed at the two administrators. At one point, one of the speakers expressed being "glad" that the meeting was being recorded, so it could be sent to Teniente-Matson later. A separate video camera was seen recording the event, in the obtained footage.

Harsh orders were delivered to the two administrators there to tell their superiors not to accept the resolution agreement.

"It is about protecting all of the oppressed communities here on campus, doing more than lip service, and doing your job of going to the CSU and saying, 'We will not capitulate to violent transphobic demands or any other oppressive demands that come from this heinous, heinous current administration at all!'" one person exclaimed.

At one point in the meeting, a speaker declared, "It is your job to get in the room with Cynthia to make sure that she conveys all of this information to the relevant people. This isn’t a compromise. We’re talking about people’s human rights. We’re talking about enforcing segregation on our campus. That’s not something we can capitulate to. That’s not something negotiable."

Teniente-Matson's absence at the meeting was a frequent point of outrage for multiple speakers.

One of them shouted, "We heard from administration, ‘We’re doing our best. We’re doing what we can with the cards we’ve been given.’ Bull f—ing s—. Bulls—. No. Uh-uh ... Your best isn’t f—ing adequate. Like, just point blank. You can do the best. You can say it’s your best. It’s not adequate. People are harmed. People are scared."

Another cried, "45 minutes. They handed over 45 minutes for this issue, 45 minutes. And they didn’t even give us 45. They gave us zero because two of these seats are f—ing empty right now. They didn’t even show up. Gave a bulls— email about two hours before the event started."

Just eight days later, on March 6, SJSU and the entire CSU system announced they were suing the federal government to challenge the ED investigation and its findings.

In her announcement of the lawsuit, Teniente-Matson wrote, "Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years remains unwavering... We’ve heard the fear and anxiety that it has created and recognize that waiting for the university’s response has been difficult at a time already filled with uncertainty."

Administrator inboxes received responses from faculty, students and alumni, with reactions to the news, as seen in public records obtained by Fox News Digital.

"I attended the town hall and heard the students anxiety and pain," one professor wrote to Teniente-Matson. "Thank you for showing the nation how to fight with dignity."

Another SJSU employee sent an email to Vice President of University Advancement Judy Nagai, voicing concerns. That email was then flagged to other administrators.

"It’s worth noting that the university’s communications don’t directly address concerns about fairness and privacy for women," the email wrote. "It’s easy to see how the messaging might come across as ambiguous or even dismissive of women’s rights for some, especially given the strong emphasis on inclusivity for LGBTQ students."

Nagai forwarded that email to Teniente-Matson and other admins and wrote, "[redacted] replied with a lengthy response below. He will likely attend the alumni board meeting."

Nagai later sent out a mass email, advising admins on how to handle individuals with concerns about the lawsuit.

"If you receive any questions, comments, or concerns about this topic from alumni, volunteers, and donors, please connect with [Associate Vice President of Strategy & Campaigns Manaf Mansure] so he can track and assess an appropriate response with guidance from UMC and university leadership," Nagai wrote.

"This includes all forms of communication -- phone calls, emails, texts and mobile messages and in-person conversations."

'Please remove me from your list'

A month before the town hall, and five days before the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced it had determined SJSU violated Title IX, a donor sent an email to the school that was forwarded to Nagai. It was in response to an announcement about the school's dedicated philanthropy partner, The Tower Foundation.

The subject line read "no more giving to SJSU."

"Judy, please remove me from your list. I am totally against trans athletes playing in women’s sports. I am fine with trans people but the women who work so hard to advance their careers in athletics are getting robbed of their chances to rank and be recognized," the donor wrote.

"I was on the Tower Foundation for years and was a supporter. I wrote to the Chair and asked him to let the President know my feelings about this. A separate trans program is fine for me and makes sense. Title IX, in my view was to advance and protect women."

SJSU has addressed the donor's email in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"The University takes very seriously its legal obligations under Title IX. The University has followed and continues to follow the law," the statement wrote.

The email was provided to Fox News Digital in response to a public records request. The identity of the person who sent the email was redacted by SJSU.

Less than a week later on Jan. 28, ED announced that SJSU was found in violation of Title IX after conducting a nearly-year-long investigation into the volleyball scandal. ED gave SJSU an ultimatum to agree to resolve the violation that would have included an apology to players and changes to official program records, but no monetary fines.

But later that same day, SJSU’s Risk Manager Karen Vogler sent an email to a finance colleague, about a potentially different risk.

"It doesn't appear that SJSU will face any fines or monetary penalties as a result of the U.S. Department of Education's investigation. However, claims/litigation may increase given their findings that the Title IX violation goes back to 2022," Vogler wrote.

Facing the fallout

Over the last two weeks, Fox News Digital has reported on decades-old allegations against the coach who oversaw the controversial 2024 team. One of Kress's former players at Fairfield University sent a letter to SJSU in October 2024, near the height of the scandal's national exposure, with a letter that included allegations Kress attacked her in a hotel room in 1998.

The former player made her first public statements on Tuesday, since the allegations first surfaced on July 7 in a Fox News Digital report.

"SJSU has known I feared for the safety of the women in the program since October of 2024 and yet they have allowed Todd to continue to coach and travel with the team," she told Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity. "I informed both Fairfield and SJSU of my 1998 encounter with Todd after reading accounts of young women on the 2024 SJSU team describing his intimidation, coercive, and manipulative behaviors."

SJSU is in this predicament three years after Slusser was allegedly convinced by Kress to move into an apartment with Fleming.

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The alleged treatment of Slusser, and every other player on those teams from 2022-24, would be codified in ED's 45-page findings were SJSU to agree to the resolution agreement.

But SJSU and CSU are seeking to have the entire investigation vacated, as stated in a copy of their lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital.

CSU and the federal government filed a joint proposed order on March 27, 2026, that would prevent ED from using its findings to immediately disrupt federal funding.

Meanwhile, Slusser and former SJSU associate head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose continue to wage their own individual lawsuits against the institutions.

Slusser's lawsuit is set to soon receive a decision on motions to dismiss, after a federal judge delayed final ruling on the Title IX charges in the lawsuit until after the recent Supreme Court cases on trans athletes in women's sports. All nine justices in the cases, all nine justices unanimously agreed that federal Title IX law does not prohibit states from maintaining separate sports teams for biological females or from excluding transgender girls and women from women’s and girls' sports teams.

The unanimous interpretation of Title IX could prove to strengthen Slusser's chances of advancing past motions to dismiss, but does not guarantee it.

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Meanwhile, Batie-Smoose is engaged in a wrongful termination lawsuit with SJSU.

Oral arguments for that case are scheduled for Aug. 21.

GOP gov claims swing-state opponent's agenda carries $18B price tag in explosive report as key midterm nears

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:47 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s campaign estimates that Democratic rival Aaron Ford’s policy agenda would generate $18.1 billion in government and private-sector costs — burdening residents over four years — including nearly $8 billion in projected Nevada state spending — calculations Ford’s campaign sharply disputes.

The Lombardo campaign report assigns estimated costs to 76 Ford proposals, combining projected Nevada spending with costs it says would be borne by businesses and the federal government that ultimately fall to the taxpayers and the public. Ford’s campaign argues the analysis invents implementation plans Ford never proposed and misclassifies some federal and private costs as consequences of his platform.

The analysis projects $7.93 billion in direct state spending over a four-year term. Lombardo’s campaign argues Nevada could not absorb spending on that scale without higher taxes, new fees or cuts elsewhere, while Ford’s campaign says many of the projected expenses would not require new state appropriations.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, University of Nevada, Reno professor Mark Pingle backed the report's findings, saying, "Based on a review of Aaron Ford's policy proposals, an estimated cost of $18 billion is a reasonable assessment."

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS, BUT HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR THEM?

"The bottom line is simple: these proposals would require a record-breaking increase in spending. Before moving forward with a plan this expensive, Nevadans deserve clear answers about how it would be paid for, who would bear the cost, and what it would mean for the state's long-term financial stability. Regardless of political party, $18 billion in new spending deserves careful review and an explanation of how it would be paid for."

Because Nevada has no personal income tax, significant new recurring state spending would likely require additional revenue from other taxes or fees, reductions in other spending, or some combination of the two.

Ford's healthcare agenda, according to the report, carries the largest price tag at an estimated $4.25 billion for proposals addressing medical debt and predatory healthcare practices, including $3.5 billion for a proposal to cancel medical debt.

The report estimates an extra $1.76 billion would be needed to expand healthcare affordability and access through Medicaid protections, workforce expansion and preventive care.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR BUCKS TEACHERS' UNIONS IN SUPPORT FOR STATEWIDE CLASSROOM PHONE BAN

Ford's K-12 education plan is estimated to cost $3.68 billion alone, including raising Nevada's per-pupil funding to the national average, expanding pre-K, providing universal school meals, and increasing pay for teachers and support staff, the report projects.

The report estimates households would receive $17.88 billion in savings and other benefits while businesses, the state and the federal government would bear nearly the same amount in costs.

Overall, according to the report, Ford's platform would cost roughly $4.9 billion for education, $4.8 billion for housing, more than $6 billion for healthcare, about $1.5 billion for energy and nearly $900 million for economic development.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ford campaign spokesperson Prerna Jagadeesh said, "General Ford won’t be lectured by a governor who proposed a budget with a $335 million unconstitutional deficit and twice broke his pledge to never raise taxes."

Jagadeesh continued, "The Lombardo campaign is embarrassing themselves and insulting the intelligence of voters by pushing this fraudulent report. The report lies about Attorney General Ford’s policies and assigns fake costs to programs that won’t cost the state a penny and will actually save taxpayers money, and incorrectly attributes costs to the state. Lombardo’s campaign rushed out this incredibly sloppy report in a desperate attempt to divert attention from a viral video of Lombardo abusing his position of power to evade consequences for breaking the law. Nevadans already know Lombardo has spent the last four years raising costs on working families and is offering no solutions to the problems they’re facing."

The Ford campaign specifically disputes several of the report's largest assumptions, arguing Lombardo's team assigned costs to implementation measures Ford never proposed. Among other examples, the campaign says the report wrongly assumes Ford would spend hundreds of millions expanding the state’s Battle Born health plans and partially replacing federal Medicaid reductions. Ford’s campaign says his platform instead calls for outreach surrounding the existing Battle Born program and federal advocacy to prevent or reverse Medicaid cuts, not new state appropriations to backfill them.

The Ford campaign also showed Fox News Digital its own fiscal analysis, arguing the platform could be implemented without raising taxes and with substantially lower direct state costs than those projected by Lombardo's campaign.

Asked about Ford's contention that the report assigns costs to implementation measures not contained in his platform, the Lombardo campaign said it estimated what it would actually take to fulfill Ford's campaign promises, arguing that regulatory changes, enforcement initiatives and expanded benefits all require staffing, oversight or funding even when those costs are not explicitly identified by the campaign.

Former Nevada state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, who previously served as chief of staff to Lombardo, told Fox News Digital that Ford's proposals would require significant tax increases, saying the level of spending "is simply not sustainable for Nevada."

WATCH: DR. OZ SAYS NEWSOM, OTHER BLUE STATES HAVE TURNED MEDICAID FRAUD INTO A 'FEATURE'

"There is no realistic way to absorb costs of that scale without significant tax increases," he said. "Regardless of political party, proposals of this magnitude deserve serious scrutiny because Nevadans expect responsible budgeting, fiscal discipline, and a clear explanation of how these promises would actually be paid for."

Nevada Democratic lawmaker Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, told Fox News Digital the Lombardo report "uses fake math to lie about Attorney General Ford’s policy positions" and said Ford's platform consists of "common-sense policies that will save Nevadans money at very little to no cost to the state."

The attorney general has also faced mounting questions over his spending during his tenure.

In March, state records reviewed by Fox News Digital found Ford racked up more than $410,000 in travel costs since taking office in 2019, while local outlets reported he spent more than 100 days outside Nevada. A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said the trips were tied to Ford's official duties and campaign activities and were permitted under Nevada law.

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Ford is currently under investigation by the Nevada Commission on Ethics over allegations he accepted improper gifts or benefits and used his office to improperly benefit himself, according to documents obtained by local outlets.

Lombardo is seeking a second term and will face Ford in November in one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races of the midterm elections.

Cyclospora outbreak: Is it still safe to eat at restaurants? Here's what to know

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:45 -0400

While federal investigators continue to search for the source of the ongoing cyclospora outbreak, many people may be wondering what they should order when dining out.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite known to cause cyclosporiasis, Fox News Digital previously reported. The hallmark symptom of the infection is watery, "explosive" diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cyclosporiasis is often caused by consuming contaminated produce. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce but later said the lab the agency used had produced a false positive.

SCIENTISTS SAY YOU'VE BEEN THROWING AWAY PERFECTLY GOOD MEAT BECAUSE OF ONE COMMON MISTAKE

When it comes to eating at restaurants, it's important for consumers to remember that "science follows evidence, not headlines," said Darin Detwiler, professor of food policy and corporate social responsibility at Northeastern University in Boston.

"When people hear about an outbreak, it's natural to wonder whether they should stop eating out," Detwiler told Fox News Digital. "My answer is no. Consumers should approach dining out with informed awareness rather than fear."

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The restaurant where someone becomes ill is not necessarily where the contamination occurred, Detwiler said.

"Fresh produce often travels through a long and complex supply chain before it reaches a kitchen," he said.

"A restaurant may receive ingredients exactly as they were shipped from an approved supplier, while the root cause lies much farther upstream – in agricultural practices, water quality, processing or distribution. That's why food safety is a systems issue, not simply a restaurant issue."

The advice for going out to eat is straightforward, Detwiler said.

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"Stay informed about public health advisories and recalls, and if you're older, pregnant, immunocompromised or otherwise at higher risk, you may wish to choose cooked vegetables over raw leafy greens while investigators continue their work," he said.

"If you experience persistent diarrhea after eating fresh produce, seek medical care, as cyclospora requires specific treatment," he advised.

The science is working, Detwiler said, but "social media demands certainty long before the facts are fully known."

"Food safety is the top priority for the restaurant industry," the National Restaurant Association said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "In light of new information from the [FDA] that lettuce or leafy greens are likely the source [of] the outbreak, restaurant operators are coordinating with their suppliers to check their food sources and will make menu changes as needed."

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Restaurants are governed by the FDA Food Code, along with state and local regulations, to help staff "handle food properly and make appropriate food safety decisions," the Washington, D.C.-based organization added.

The bigger story isn't about a parasite, "it's about trust," Detwiler said.

Consumers should be asking how the outbreak happened and what is being done to prevent similar outbreaks in the future, Detwiler said.

No food system can promise zero risk, he pointed out.

"What we expect – and deserve – is accountability," Detwiler said. "Public confidence is built through transparency, not perfection."

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"Ultimately, every foodborne illness outbreak asks the same question: Can consumers trust the system that produced and delivered their food?" he added. "How industry and public health leaders answer that question will shape public confidence long after this investigation is over."

Khloe Quill of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Prince William, Kate Middleton wrestled with major decision over Prince George's future: expert

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:44 -0400

Prince William and Kate Middleton wrestled with a major decision about Prince George's future.

Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair's royal correspondent and co-host of "The Royals Uncensored," first reported that Prince George received "no special treatment" and had to pass Eton College's entrance exams just like every other applicant.

Kensington Palace recently announced that George, who turns 13 on July 22, will attend the prestigious boarding school where his father and uncle, Prince Harry, were educated.

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON 'CAUTIOUS' ABOUT WHICH ROYAL APPEARANCES THEIR CHILDREN MAKE: SOURCE

"I had been reporting for a while that Eton was the top choice," Nicholl told Fox News Digital. "Although behind the scenes, I think there was a bit of yo-yoing about whether it was the right choice. You've got to remember that George will one day be king. And, of course, William and Catherine are thinking about the future. They're thinking about creating a very modern monarchy that feels relevant."

"One of the things they were discussing was whether Eton was the right choice because it’s very much traditional, steeped in years of history and heritage and very much seen as an ‘old boys’ club.’ They weren’t sure if that was the right look for Prince George, or at least Catherine had her reservations."

Nicholl reported that Kate was initially "on the fence" about Eton. On her "short list" was her alma mater, the coed Marlborough College. However, "it is understood that, from the outset, William was very keen for his eldest son to be educated at Eton."

WATCH: PRINCE GEORGE EARNED ETON COLLEGE SPOT WITH ‘NO SPECIAL TREATMENT’: EXPERT

Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.

"I think that on this one, William was pushing hard for Eton, and they did flip-flop over the issue of where to send George," royal expert Charlotte Griffiths told Nicholl. "Ultimately, it would have been a joint decision, but William always wanted Eton and thinks it's the right place for George. It breeds leaders."

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Eton College holds particular sentimental value for William.

People magazine previously reported that after William's mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 at age 36, Eton provided stability for the grieving prince. He also developed a close bond with housemaster Andrew Gailey, and several friends from Eton remain close members of his inner circle.

"Eton, being in proximity to Windsor Castle, enabled him to walk over on Sundays for tea or lunch with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II," Fordwich explained. "This provided him with a natural and casual way to receive guidance directly from her. No doubt Princess Catherine and Prince William are also anticipating staying close to Prince George in a similar manner."

"Additionally, Eton is well-versed in protecting its students from media scrutiny with global elites in attendance," Fordwich noted.

According to Nicholl, it was an easy choice for George, who was eager to follow in his father's footsteps.

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"I revealed in Vanity Fair that he had to sit [through] the assessments and the exams, pass all of those, just like everyone else who applied," said Nicholl.

"There was no special treatment. And I think there is just a sense of great relief that the decision has been made, the place has been accepted, and Prince George will be starting Eton in September. I know that William's absolutely delighted, and George, I'm told, is very proud to be going too."

"William and George are very close, and William will be making sure George is well-prepared," Griffiths also said in Nicholl's reporting. "They will hunker down and spend the summer together in Norfolk before the big move to Eton. It's an exciting time for them all."

Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, costs about $80,000 a year, according to People magazine. It has educated generations of leaders, including 20 British prime ministers. It's also where George will likely meet many of his future peers before he becomes king.

Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Eton is known to teach its pupils "to be leaders, not followers."

"George will make many friends for life," said Turner. "He will also see the value of the school playing a part in a collective of power-based individuals."

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Other royal experts told Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales likely learned lessons from King Charles III's experiences when considering George's future.

"The lessons the royals learned after sending the then-Prince Charles to Cheam and Gordonstoun, both of which he hated, are that balance is required, which William and Catherine are aware of," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.

"It's imperative that the decisions surrounding the futures of their children fit each child's character. George, from what we know, will relish Eton, and it is also near their home at Forest Lodge. Charles was sensitive and sent to a faraway school, which was a bad mistake."

"Like both of his parents, Prince George is down to earth," Fordwich said. "From what I hear, he's a charming, well-mannered, kind-hearted, yet reserved young man."

Royal author Robert Jobson told the U.K.'s Daily Mail that George is eager to take on the challenge. Jobson reported that George asked his parents if he could try boarding at Lambrook School, where he attends with his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8.

"Prince William and Catherine have consistently tried to remove the unnecessary trappings of royalty while preserving the institution itself," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital.

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"They aren't pretending Prince George is an ordinary child," she said. "That would be absurd. But they're also avoiding the sort of visible favoritism that feeds the outdated narrative that royals believe different rules apply to them. It's modernization through restraint rather than reinvention."

Schofield said William and Kate are raising George to embrace responsibility, not royal privilege.

"William and Catherine appear determined to teach George that being king is about responsibility, not entitlement," Schofield said. "By denying him unnecessary special treatment now, they're strengthening his credibility decades before he ever wears the crown."

"They understand that the monarchy survives because the public believes the family lives by many of the same rules everyone else does," she continued. "While George will never have a normal life, they seem determined not to manufacture unnecessary exceptions just because they can. That message is politically valuable and, honestly, good parenting."

While Kate may have initially questioned whether Eton was the right fit for her son, the Princess of Wales is now fully behind the decision as she and William continue to prioritize humility over privilege.

"There is no avoiding George’s royal lineage," said Fordwich. "Nevertheless, he has been brought up with solid family values. There are zero accounts of him ever behaving in an entitled manner because he hasn’t been pampered at all."

Nigerian pastor highlighted by Trump says he’s next after militia kills his relatives

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:31 -0400

JOHANNESBURG: A Nigerian Pastor highlighted by President Trump on social media, says that nine members of his family have been killed. The minister is an outspoken critic of the killing of Christians by radicalized Muslim members of the Fulani militia.

Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo now says that the same militia has issued a death threat against him. Dachomo, is the regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

The State Department and a leading U.S. non-profit Christian organization have demanded the Nigerian government take more action to stop what the State Department described to Fox News Digital as "a shocking level of violence against Christians".

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Multiple sources reported nine of his extended family were killed in an attack on their family compound in the Riyom district of Plateau State on July 12. A two-month-old baby is said to be among those killed. The attackers were allegedly looking for Dachomo, reportedly asking as they arrived "where is the father of this house?" adding, "Today, you will learn a hard lesson", before opening fire indiscriminately.

This past week, he posted on X "A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. It’s message was terrifying. They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives."

The pastor continued, "I know what it means to stand before grieving families whose only crime was refusing to deny Jesus Christ."

PASTOR FREED FROM CHINESE PRISON AFTER TRUMP RAISED HIS CASE WITH XI JINPING

"Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime?" he posted. "Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria, so the world will not forget them?"

"The Islamist Fulani ethnic militia hate Pastor Ezekiel and targeted him because he is waking up Christians to the reality of what they are facing," Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, a nonprofit, told Fox News Digital. Saul’s organization works to end religious persecution in Nigeria, specifically aiming to end radical Islamist violence against Christians.

By the end of 2025, Dachomo said he had to conduct over 70 mass burials of Christians. The burials have continued this year, with the post highlighted by President Trump showing the Pastor presiding over the funeral of some 20 believers.

CHRISTIAN FARMING COMMUNITIES UNDER SIEGE AS US REPORT NAMES FULANI MILITANTS NIGERIA'S DEADLIEST THREAT

Saul believes the killing will continue, saying "Equipping the Persecuted have documented overwhelming evidence that the Islamist Fulani ethnic militia are responsible for the vast majority of killings of Christians in Nigeria. Within the last week alone, over 40 Christians have been killed, and we have been warning that there are major attacks about to occur within the next few days."

Islamic Fulani militias are by far the deadliest persecutors of Christians in Nigeria, according to a six-year study conducted by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) just published. The study found that the network of Fulani militias is responsible for four times more civilian deaths than the two prominent Islamic terror organizations, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) combined. Boko Haram was previously allied to Al Qaeda, and ISWAP is currently linked to ISIS.

The ORFA report shows that terror-related violence killed 79,323 people from 2019 to September 2025 in Nigeria. This equates to 36 people a day. Islamic Fulani accounted for 44% of the deaths — far more than the 12% that Boko Haram and ISWAP killed combined.

Referring to the killings of Dachomo’s family, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We have seen reports of the killing of nine Christians in Plateau State in Nigeria. There remains a shocking level of violence against Christians in the Middle Belt committed by Fulani Ethnic Militia."

"The United States offers its sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of those who lost their lives," the spokesperson continued, "We unequivocally condemn this heinous act. We urge the Nigerian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and take specific steps that will improve security for Christians."

The spokesperson added, "During meetings with Nigerian officials in Abuja July 13–15, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, and the accompanying U.S. delegation stressed the United States’ grave concern regarding the violence Christians face in Nigeria and the need for concrete action. As President Trump has made clear, the United States will continue to work with the Government of Nigeria to protect Christians and advance religious freedom in Nigeria."

The Trump administration has carried out a series of air strikes in Nigeria, aimed at stopping the killing of Christians. However, these have all been in the north of the country, and specifically against Boko Haram, and ISWAP Islamists. There has been no reported targeting of Fulani groups operating in the coutry’s Middle Belt.

On this, Equipping the Persecuted’s Saul added, "We want the Trump Administration to put laser focus on the Middle Belt of Nigeria, and the Fulani ethnic militia."

Dachomo told Fox News Digital, "We ask President Trump to stop the Fulani terrorists from killing our people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and surrounding regions. These attacks against Christian communities have been going on for years and must be stopped. We need the United States to stand with us."

In an X post, the Pastor pleaded to the President of Nigeria: "Tinubu, I am begging you in the name of Jesus, stop Islamic agenda. Muslim(s), they want to finish us. Christian(s) wake up, open your eyes."

Quoting from the Bible Psalm 118:6, he added, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?"

He concluded, "They may threaten my life, but they cannot silence the truth. They may kill the messenger, but they cannot kill the message."

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Contacted by Fox News Digital, Rabiu Ibrahim, spokesperson at the Nigerian Ministry of Information and National Orientation, offered condolences to the Rev. Dachomo but responded to the pastor’s accusations by saying, "The Government rejects attempts to portray the nation’s security crisis as a conflict between faiths. Such narratives oversimplify a complicated situation and risk serving the interests of criminal groups who seek to exploit existing fault lines, create fear and undermine national cohesion."

Ibrahim continued, "The unfortunate incident involving Rev. Dachomo’s family is being treated with the seriousness that every loss of Nigerian life deserves. However, allegations regarding the identity, motivation and affiliation of perpetrators must be subjected to proper investigation and established through credible security findings. Nigeria’s security agencies remain committed to thoroughly investigating all attacks and bringing perpetrators to justice, regardless of their identity or background."

State Department rips revolutionary socialist Nicaraguan regime as far-left leader ends country's elections

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:24 -0400

Nicaragua's co-president is taking intense heat from the State Department after the socialist revolutionary declared that the Central American country he rules alongside his wife will no longer hold elections.

The State Department on Tuesday condemned Daniel Ortega, who has retained power as the country's leader for nearly 20 years, writing his "declaration that under his family’s dictatorship Nicaragua will never again hold elections lays bare their true authoritarian nature and that, "Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have abandoned even the pretense of popular consent."

"Rosario Murillo and Daniel Ortega, along with their enablers, continue to threaten our national security interests in our region. Their facilitation of illegal immigration, deepening of adversarial relationships, and abuse of human rights and repression of Nicaraguans destabilizes our hemisphere, in defiance of the Trump Administration’s efforts to generate safety and prosperity," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

"The Nicaraguan regime is an enemy of humanity."

Ortega, now 80, said on Monday that he would cancel future elections to stop opposition parties from taking power in Nicaragua, which he classified as attempts to "seize the government."

From the 1960s to the 1990, Ortega was a leader of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), a radical far–left guerrilla movement inspired by Marxism, the Cuban revolutionary politics and anti-imperialism. When the Sandinistas overthrew the U.S.-backed Samoza family dictatorship in 1979, Ortega emerged as a leader. The country aligned itself with Cuba and Russia during the Cold War, and nationalized banks and industry.

NICARAGUA'S ORTEGA SAYS COUNTRY WILL 'NEVER AGAIN' HOLD ELECTIONS, SHUTTING OUT OPPOSITION

Ortega assumed power after the revolution, and led the country until 1990. He was voted out of office, and accepted the results of that election. For the next 16 years, he led an opposition movement before finally being reelected in 2016.

Since then, he and his family have rapidly consolidated power, including changing the country's constitution in 2025 to create the role of co-president, which Ortega then gave to his wife Rosario Murillo, who now addresses the nation daily.

In 2018, anti-Ortega unrest gripped the nation, but was swiftly put down by the left-wing government.

Some observers note that since retaking power in 2007, Ortego has softened his revolutionary tendencies and embraced a left-wing populism , and that he holds conservative social beliefs.

"There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize ⁠the government and seize power," Ortega, now 80, said on Monday. "The days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return ‌to power are over — ‌never again."

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The term "Somocistas" refers to supporters of the Somoza family dictatorship.

"The Nicaraguan people have the right to choose their own leaders through democratic elections," the State Department's message continued. "The United States calls on the international community to join forces to demonstrate to the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship that it cannot expect to maintain business as usual with other nations when it is thwarting the basic tenets of our democratic hemisphere."

Several of Ortega and Murillo's children occupy powerful government positions, including Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, who is the government's chief of communications and oversees state-run media. Another son operates a radio and television station that props up Ortega's messaging.

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The couple's daughter, Camila Ortega Murillo, runs the country's state-backed cultural and fashion initiatives.

Laureano Ortega Murillo, perhaps the most forward-facing of the children, controls the country's diplomatic relations with China and Russia, and works with those countries on investments and trade.

New Jersey mom’s slaying has neighbors on edge with every 'strange noise’ nearly 7 weeks later

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:12 -0400

CHESTER, N.J. – Nearly seven weeks after Brooke Hanlon, 35, was fatally stabbed inside her Chester, New Jersey home, people living just feet away from the Hanlon home are constantly looking over their shoulders.

"Things that never would've bothered me before catch my attention," one neighbor told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

A white Volvo SUV possibly belonging to Brooke Hanlon's husband, Conor, was seen parked outside the home for more than four hours last week before driving away, neighbors said.

SLAIN NEW JERSEY THERAPIST’S GRAD SCHOOL ROOMMATE RECOUNTS FRIENDSHIP WITH COUPLE DURING TIME IN BOSTON

The sighting marked the first time neighbors had seen the SUV at the Chester home since Fox News Digital previously observed what appeared to be the same white Volvo with New Jersey license plates in Boston, just days prior.

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Conor Hanlon grew up in Boston's Brighton neighborhood and has family in the area.

Back in New Jersey, neighbors have been communicating with one another more frequently following Brooke's death.

FAMILY IDENTIFIES YOUNG WOMAN FOUND FATALLY SHOT IN HOME OWNED BY REP AYANNA PRESSLEY'S HUSBAND

She was found dead in her Pottersville Road home on June 6 and leaves behind a 12-month-old child.

Investigators have yet to release information about a possible suspect – let alone a single person of interest.

SLAIN NJ MOTHER 911 CALL MADE BY HER HUSBAND HAS FORENSIC EXPERT WARNING ONE MISTAKE COULD DERAIL FOCUS

When the vehicle was spotted in the driveway, one neighbor said, "My wife called the non-emergency line."

"She wasn't really feeling pretty good about it," he added.

POLICE HUNT SUSPECT AFTER RECENT BUSINESS SCHOOL GRADUATE KILLED IN DOWNTOWN SHOOTING

Without an arrest or any information about a suspect or person of interest on the loose, the neighbor told Fox News Digital he's a gun owner and he's ready to defend his family should the time come.

A line of trees separates his property from the Hanlon home.

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His concern is shared among his peers.

"Nothing has really been released beyond what came out on the first day. They say there's no danger to the public, but it's hard to completely believe that when we don't know anything else."

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Following the recent vehicle sighting, he told Fox News Digital he's more on edge than ever before.

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"Even mowing the lawn, if I hear a strange noise, it's different now. Things that never would've bothered me before catch my attention," he said.

"It's definitely in the back of my mind."

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While Fox News Digital visited the Pottersville Road area in Chester on Tuesday, a law enforcement vehicle was spotted slowing down as it drove past the Hanlon home.

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Fox News Digital took the neighbors' safety concerns to the Chester Township Police Department, which chose not to comment on the investigation.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office, which is the lead investigative agency on the case, also chose not to comment.

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"The lack of transparency is a little bit unnerving at this point," the neighbor said.

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The investigation into Brooke's death is ongoing.

Fox News Digital has repeatedly reached out to Conor Hanlon. He has yet to make a public statement about his wife's homicide investigation.

Iran regime change talk resurfaces as Trump says Tehran 'wants to meet' amid US strikes

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:06 -0400

Elements of the Trump administration are again debating whether the United States should support the downfall of Iran’s government as the war intensifies again, according to a recent analysis.

The analysis, published Monday by Financial Times columnist Gideon Rachman, says the discussion reportedly includes efforts to encourage an internal uprising and the possible revival of proposals to support armed Iranian opposition groups, including Kurdish factions that have fought Iran for decades.

The question has gained urgency as the United States resumes strikes against Iranian military targets and officials debate whether continued pressure should remain narrowly focused on maritime security or evolve into a broader effort to weaken the Islamic Republic from within.

Such a shift would present President Donald Trump with a consequential choice: continue using military and economic pressure to force Iranian concessions, or adopt the far more ambitious objective of helping Iranians remove the Islamic Republic from power.

IRAN REQUESTS TALKS WITH US AS WHITE HOUSE WARNS 'VIOLENCE WILL BE MET WITH VIOLENCE'

Trump, however, signaled Tuesday that he has not closed the door on diplomacy, saying Iran is seeking talks behind the scenes.

"They want to meet desperately to try and end it because they’re getting decimated," Trump told reporters during a Tuesday press conference.

Asked what talks were possible, Trump said: "They want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest…"

"Honestly, they haven't seen anything yet. We've been nice," the president added.

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Trump’s comments suggest that military pressure and diplomacy remain intertwined, even as questions grow over whether some administration officials favor a broader strategy aimed at weakening or ultimately replacing Iran’s leadership.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the military command responsible for American operations across the Middle East, said Monday that it struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air-defense systems as part of an effort to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The current military mission remains focused on protecting global shipping, Secretary of State Marco Rubio similarly said Sunday.

"The only reason why the U.S. is conducting strikes is against assets of Iran that are being used to attack global commercial shipping," Rubio told reporters Sunday at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. "That’s what the objective of this mission is. That’s what it continues to be."

Experts say the distinction between weakening the regime and making its collapse a formal military objective is critical.

"Collapsing the regime remains a long-term goal using all forms of national power, but it doesn’t appear to be a military objective right now," Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, told Fox News Digital. "This is Project Freedom — it’s focused on securing the Strait of Hormuz, and any escalation is likely tied to that mission."

Goldberg said some high-value targets, including nuclear facilities such as Pickaxe Mountain, could be treated as exceptions because of their strategic importance. Pickaxe Mountain is a deeply buried and largely uninspected complex near Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility that U.S. and Israeli officials suspect could be connected to Iran’s nuclear program.

But, he argued that most current U.S. operations are designed to advance maritime security rather than trigger a broader campaign to topple the government.

STEVE FORBES URGES TRUMP TO KEEP THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPEN AT ALL COSTS

"Where this gets confusing is when Central Command targets assets that are necessary for the Hormuz mission but could still provoke wider escalation, like dual-use infrastructure or certain leadership figures," Goldberg said. "That doesn’t mean the U.S. wouldn’t welcome the regime’s collapse, but that outcome is more likely to come through economic pressure, covert action and targeted decapitations over time."

Any move toward regime change would immediately raise questions about who could replace Iran’s rulers and whether Washington could support a political transition without becoming responsible for another prolonged Middle Eastern conflict.

One proposal reportedly discussed earlier in the war involved assisting Iranian Kurdish groups operating near the Iraqi border. Trump was open to supporting armed factions willing to fight Iran’s government, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal in March.

The administration had contacted Kurdish leaders about possible assistance, The Washington Post separately reported.

Such groups could provide Washington with partners on the ground without the deployment of U.S. forces. But they remain divided, militarily constrained and vulnerable to retaliation against their bases and supporters in neighboring Iraq.

The central question is whether those groups are now positioned to exploit perceived weakness inside Iran or whether increased fighting amounts to another round of limited clashes.

Majeed Gly, president of the American Kurdish Committee, said recent clashes involving Kurdish groups indicate a change in how some opposition forces perceive the regime’s strength. He cautioned that the violence should not be mistaken for a full-scale uprising, but said it should not be dismissed as routine border fighting.

"What I’m hearing is, this is not business as usual," Gly told Fox News Digital earlier in July. "This is not like periodic clashes on the border. This is operations, and it seems to be deep inside."

"What has changed is the perception of weakness of Iran," Gly added. "They are less afraid of the regime."

The broader Iranian opposition remains fragmented among monarchists, ethnic movements, secular activists, left-wing organizations and other groups that disagree over leadership and the structure of a future government.

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That leaves the administration confronting the same problem that has complicated previous attempts to encourage political change in Iran: widespread opposition to the Islamic Republic does not necessarily translate into a unified movement capable of replacing it.

Cardinals open training camp Wednesday as arguably NFL's most depressing team

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:58:31 -0400

The Arizona Cardinals will report to training camp on Wednesday, and this annual rite of summer signals the first step toward a looming NFL season. For the 2026 Cardinals, it signals pain.

There will be a lot of it for this club and its fans in the coming season.

We know this.

NFL SUSPENDS ARIZONA CARDINALS EXECUTIVE FOR VIOLATING GAMBLING POLICY, LEAKING DRAFT INFO

Most club observers believe this. Soon, when the team is actually asked to perform, the entire NFL will understand this.

The Cardinals are poised to embark on perhaps one of their worst seasons — and that's saying a lot because, only last season, they suffered through a 3-14 campaign.

So, the season ahead has the potential to make 2025 feel like the good old days.

But why all the doom and gloom? The Cardinals, after all, have a new head coach in 39-year-old Mike LaFleur and he comes from a football family that includes older brother and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. He also worked under coach Sean McVay as the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator the past three seasons and last year that team led the league in yards and points.

The problem for LaFleur and the Cardinals is McVay's team plays in the same division. And the Rams, in the NFC Championship game last season, had a great offseason and could have the NFL's best roster.

The Rams lost to the Seattle Seahawks in that conference title game last January. Then the Seahawks blew out the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl.

And, yes, the Seahawks will also play (beat?) the Cardinals twice this season because they play in the same NFC West.

The remaining division opponent for the Cardinals is the San Francisco 49ers. Like the Seahawks and the Rams, the 49ers also made the playoffs last season after winning almost as many games (12) as the Cardinals lost (13).

This division is brutal. The Rams have defending NFL MVP Matthew Stafford at quarterback. The Seahawks have Sam Darnold fresh off leading his team to the Super Bowl title. And the 49ers also have a Super Bowl quarterback in Brock Purdy.

The Cardinals match up with ... Jacoby Brissett.

Brissett has made himself a tidy NFL career the past 10 seasons. But he's a well-suited backup option in a league reliant on talented starters.

Brissett started 12 games for the Cardinals last year because injuries sidelined starter Kyler Murray. The Cardinals had a 1-11 record in the games Brissett started.

The Cardinals did precious little to upgrade their quarterback room this year. They signed plucky Gardner Minshew to play for his fifth team in five years. And they selected Carson Beck out of the University of Miami in the third round of the draft.

So the Cards are likely to shuffle the starts among their quarterbacks because they'll want to see what Beck can do. Minshew has been around the entire offseason, and Brissett has the most experience of the bunch.

Did we mention Brissett is kind of peeved at the team?

He has missed the entire voluntary part of the offseason program — the one in which LaFleur introduced the new offense to the players who were present – because he's dissatisfied with his contract.

Brissett, 33, wants a raise from the $4.88 million he's due to earn this season because when he signed his contract last season it was with the understanding he'd be the backup rather than the starter.

Brissett's interactions with the team this offseason have mostly limited to acting as his own agent and trying to get a raise rather than, you know, learning the new offense, working on winning the starting job and playing well.

The Cardinals acknowledge Brissett would be underpaid as a starter, but haven't so far offered the quarterback enough to compel him to sign an adjusted deal.

That means the biggest drama surrounding Brissett on Wednesday is whether he'll report to camp on time or hold out. Perhaps he'll report and decline to work in what has become popular among some players as a so-called hold-in.

The Cardinals also aren't certain about starting guard Isaiah Adams, who was arrested over the weekend in his native Canada on gun charges. He's charged with possessing a firearm obtained by crime, possessing a firearm without a permit and possessing a prohibited device.

The gun, by the way, was an Uzi-style weapon.

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Most teams depend on winning games for their drama and entertainment.

Arizona's greatest hope for 2026 could be tied to being bad enough to get the first pick in the 2027 draft.

Such is your life, Cardinals fans.

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FOX reports massive, record-shattering ratings for 2026 FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:50:33 -0400

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many doubters around the world and within sports media, claimed that the United States would be a disastrous host.

That hosting the tournament under President Donald Trump would mean fewer international visitors, and that the U.S. shouldn't host because soccer was still a niche domestic sport. And surprise, surprise, turns out those concerns were completely invalid.

Attendance broke records before the end of the group stage. Visitors flowed into the U.S. from around the world, then gave glowing reviews to their hosts, stadiums, and local fans. Some were even overcome with emotion at the kindness they experienced in the country.

TRUMP ADMIN TAUNTS LEFT FOR ‘PRAYING’ FOR WORLD CUP DISASTER AS DOT TOUTS RECORD NUMBERS

The other concern? That fans wouldn't watch? Turns out that could not have been wrong.

Already, in the round of 16, the match between the U.S. Men's National Team and Belgium set records for the most watched English language broadcast of a soccer game in the history of the country. The World Cup Final, however, featured two teams that have little connection to the United States: Spain and Argentina. Yes, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal added star power, but rosters on both sides did not rise to the level of familiarity most have with say, France or England.

And yet, Tuesday afternoon, FOX reported that ratings and viewership blew that USMNT-Belgium game out of the water. The network announced that Spain-Argentina drew a whopping 38.937 million viewers, peaking at nearly 52 million. That shattered the record for most-watched English-language soccer broadcast in the country's history.

UNITED STATES-BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WORLD CUP MATCH DELIVERS MASSIVE TV RATINGS

Not only that, but it represented the highest viewership for a non-Super Bowl sporting event since the Winter Olympics in 1984. That's remarkable, and it shows how far soccer has come in the United States, and how interest in the World Cup has surged.

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It also raises the possibility that the U.S. should be considered a bit of a rotating host for the tournament. If the field expands to 64 teams, as expected, few other countries have the existing infrastructure to host that many games in large stadiums. And growing the sport in the U.S. is a key goal for FIFA.

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Just imagine how high those numbers would be in a 2038 tournament, if the USMNT could go deeper into the tournament. Even reaching a World Cup final. Hopefully, we won't have to imagine it.

Sports cartoons of the day

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

The battle for Congress gets a Wall Street-style scoreboard powered by real-money bets

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:57 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: As the race for control of Congress heats up, prediction markets are emerging as an increasingly influential complement to traditional polling, offering real-time election forecasts that shift as news breaks and campaigns evolve.

The launch reflects a broader shift in how elections are being tracked. Unlike traditional polls that capture voter sentiment at a single moment, prediction markets update continuously as traders react to debates, fundraising, endorsements and breaking news, giving campaigns and political observers a real-time read on how races are evolving.

Kalshi launched its new Midterms Hub on Tuesday, bringing together live market odds, polling averages, fundraising data, historical election results and political news into a single dashboard tracking House, Senate and gubernatorial races. Kalshi said it plans to expand the platform beyond the 2026 midterm elections, with the goal of making it a permanent destination for tracking U.S. political races.

PREDICTION MARKETS FAVOR DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, VIRGINIA ELECTION DAY RACES

"Prediction markets don't care about spin or partisanship," Tarek Mansour, Kalshi's co-founder and CEO, said ahead of the launch. "They cut through polarization and show you what the wisdom of the crowds actually believes, backed by real money, not rhetoric."

The company argues that it gives users a more dynamic view of the campaign than traditional polling alone.

"You're able to see things happen in real time," a Kalshi spokesperson told Fox News Digital, arguing prediction markets can capture shifts in momentum that periodic polling may miss.

Kalshi says the platform has evolved beyond a trading venue, with roughly 75% of visitors using it to monitor election forecasts rather than place trades. A spokesperson said that trend suggests many users view the markets as an informational resource, even if they never place a wager.

FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: VOTERS SAY THEY'RE IN ECONOMIC PAIN, BUT WILL DEMOCRATS GAIN?

As election markets have grown in popularity, they've also sparked debate over whether traders with nonpublic political information could gain an advantage. Kalshi says it is federally regulated in the United States, where insider trading and market manipulation are illegal, and that it monitors its markets for suspicious activity.

The hub allows users to track races by competitiveness, projected party flips and trading volume while viewing polling averages, Federal Election Commission fundraising reports and historical voting results. Users can also see how election odds have changed over time following debates, fundraising reports and other major campaign developments.

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Beyond voters and political observers, Kalshi says campaigns can use the hub to gauge whether debates, endorsements, fundraising hauls or breaking news are shifting expectations in real time instead of waiting days for new polling.

Kalshi says candidates favored by its markets have won about 90% of races since 2024, even three months before Election Day.

SENATOR TIM SHEEHY: Crazy conspiracy theories are undermining America’s defense

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:28 -0400

The National Defense Authorization Act has long been one of the few pieces of legislation that rise above politics, typically culminating in a bipartisan show of support for our military and national defense. Each year, Congress comes together to fund our military, equip our warfighters and make clear to our adversaries that the United States remains committed to peace through strength.

This year, however, that tradition came to an end.

Instead of debating how best to strengthen America's military, Democratic Socialists and online conspiracy theorists are choosing political theater over national security. One provision of the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in particular – Section 1217, which establishes the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative – became the target of a misinformation campaign fueled by rising antisemitism and growing domestic hostility toward American power and influence on the world stage.

THE US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE – PARTNERSHIP, NOT CHARITY

According to the groypers and far-left socialists behind this delusional campaign, Section 1217 somehow "merges" the U.S. military with Israel's, places American troops under foreign command and subordinates America's national security to another country's interests.

While this sounds like a great plot for a novel, none of it is even remotely true.

Fact

Section 1217 builds upon decades of intelligence sharing, defense research and technology cooperation between the United States and Israel to accelerate the development of capabilities that strengthen America's military.

Fiction

"Section 1217 merges our militaries." No, it does not. Section 1217 does not alter America's constitutional chain of command. It does not place a single American service member under Israeli authority.

This claim isn’t simply inaccurate – it’s absurd. And frankly, it doesn’t make one iota of strategic sense.

Israel's security challenges are largely regional, as it fights to defend itself from hostile neighbors who seek every day to wipe the Jewish people off the map. America's military responsibilities span every continent and ocean, maintaining a global force capable of deterring China in the Indo-Pacific, defending NATO allies in Europe, protecting freedom of navigation and responding to terrorist threats wherever they may be.

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Neither nation has any interest in "merging" military commands because it would make both countries less effective, not more.

Section 1217 isn't some secret, nefarious scheme buried in the NDAA as the anti-Israel lobby would have you believe. It's a continuation of a defense partnership that has benefited our warfighters for decades.

For years, Israel has fought radical Islamic terrorists and hostile regimes while pioneering advances in missile defense, counter-drone technology, cyber defense, battlefield intelligence and autonomous systems. America benefits from this knowledge, just as Israel benefits from American industrial capacity, research and military leadership.

As a combat veteran, I’m familiar with a concept every warfighter understands: on the battlefield, you use every advantage available to protect your troops and accomplish the mission. Pride and bad-faith political symbolism don’t win wars. Superior technology, trusted allies and military dominance do.

That is exactly why Congress included Section 1217 in this year's NDAA.

Artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, autonomous systems and electronic warfare are no longer tomorrow's technology; they are deciding battles today. In Ukraine, inexpensive drones have destroyed tanks worth millions of dollars. In the Middle East, missile defense systems have intercepted massive barrages that would otherwise devastate civilian populations.

MORNING GLORY: AMERICA IS WINNING ITS BATTLE WITH IRAN. IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

Our adversaries aren't working alone. China invests heavily in artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, quantum computing and next-generation military technology with one goal: overtaking the United States. Russia continues adapting through battlefield experience.

In this age of modern warfare, America cannot afford to handicap itself by refusing to work with trusted allies while our enemies freely share tactics, technology and capabilities.

The anti-Israel crowd tries to suggest Section 1217 somehow places Israel's interests above America's. That could not be more backwards. The provision puts our interests first with every technological breakthrough, every missile defense improvement and every advance in counter-drone capabilities that saves American lives. That's not charity – it’s security.

As Montanans, we understand the importance of preparedness. Our state has long played a vital role in America's national defense, from Malmstrom Air Force Base to the generations of veterans who have worn our nation's uniform. We know deterrence isn't built with speeches, but with capability, credibility and a military so advanced that our enemies decide not to test it.

Americans should absolutely debate foreign policy. We should debate defense spending, military priorities and America's role on the world stage. But these days, legitimate policy disagreements have been replaced with tired antisemitic tropes dressed up as national security concerns.

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Let’s be clear: conspiracies about Jewish control of America's military have no place in a serious debate about our nation's defense.

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Our enemies don't care whether the technology that defeats them was developed in Washington, Tel Aviv, or on the far side of the moon. They care that it works. We have a responsibility to ensure American warfighters have every possible advantage when they go into harm's way – not to try and score political points by spreading disgusting conspiracy theories.

Section 1217 does just that by making America stronger, our military more capable, and our adversaries less likely to challenge us. That's peace through strength.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN. TIM SHEEHY

China is building a massive ship that should scare Americans about the future

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:24 -0400

An enormous vessel taking shape near Guangzhou, China, appears designed to refuel, rearm and resupply Chinese carrier groups far from home. At roughly 885 feet long, it could become the world’s largest dedicated naval replenishment ship.

Every Army officer learns the same lesson: weapons attract attention, but logistics decides who can stay in the fight.

The ship does not prove that war is imminent. It does, however, fit a larger pattern. China is building the physical, industrial and technological capacity to absorb economic punishment, replace battlefield losses and project power long after a crisis begins. Taiwan remains the most dangerous flashpoint, but Beijing is preparing for a contest that could continue well beyond the opening shots.

CHINA’S IRAN TIES COMPLICATE TRUMP-XI SUMMIT AS TENSIONS TEST US LEVERAGE

Beijing is stockpiling staying power

Energy is the first requirement of endurance. By late February, China held an estimated 1.2 billion barrels of onshore crude, enough to cover roughly 109 days of seaborne imports. Those stocks gave Beijing more room to absorb the oil-market shock created by the Iran war.

Beijing is extending its military reach as well. The Pentagon says China is developing a global logistics and basing network that could include permanent bases, shared facilities, military sites beside commercial infrastructure and temporary access to foreign ports. A joint logistics center opened at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base in April 2025, while China continues to explore access along the sea lanes through the Malacca Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, Africa and the Middle East.

THREE KEY REASONS WHY AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE TAIWAN TO COMMUNIST CHINA

Beijing is building the ships that carry power and the access network that keeps them supplied.

The factories behind the fleet

China’s advantage is not confined to ships already afloat. It has built an industrial system able to manufacture and repair them. A U.S. Trade Representative investigation found that China’s share of global shipbuilding tonnage rose from less than 5% in 1999 to more than 50% in 2023. Commercial orders sustain the workers, steel mills, dry docks and suppliers that also strengthen the Chinese navy.

TIM SHEEHY EXPOSES A 'SCARY' SHIPBUILDING COLLAPSE THAT LEAVES THE US VULNERABLE TO CHINA

The same pattern is visible in the air. The Royal United Services Institute estimates that production of the upgraded J-20 stealth fighter reached about 120 aircraft a year by late 2025. An open-source assessment places the total delivered by mid-2026 at roughly 500. The exact number matters less than the lesson: China can mass-produce a sophisticated combat aircraft once dismissed as experimental.

On July 6, a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine launched a long-range ballistic missile into the Pacific. Whatever Beijing’s characterization, the test demonstrated greater sea-based nuclear reach and complicated any American calculation about intervening in a regional war.

China is not simply buying a military. It is building the means to replace one after losses begin.

Control the next missile

Modern weapons depend on minerals, chips and data. The International Energy Agency reports that China is the leading refiner for 19 of 20 strategic minerals it tracks, with an average market share of about 70%. Those materials feed batteries, power grids, jet engines, electronics and defense systems. In a long confrontation, control over the ingredients needed to build the next missile may matter as much as the missile already in the launcher.

Beijing is shrinking its semiconductor vulnerability too. Chinese companies held 33% of global production capacity for foundational logic chips in 2023, up from 19% in 2015. These are not the most advanced chips, but they are workhorses inside vehicles, industrial equipment, communications systems and many weapons.

Advanced computing power fits inside this strategy too. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi Jinping promoted Chinese open-source models, training for developing countries and a new coalition called the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. Beijing wants Chinese technology and standards embedded across the Global South.

Space ties these systems together. The U.S. Space Force says China ended 2025 with more than 1,353 satellites in orbit, including more than 510 capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Those systems improve Beijing’s ability to locate American carriers, track deployed forces and support long-range targeting.

Preparing for financial and political pressure

China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System now has 210 direct participants and 1,619 indirect participants. It does not replace the dollar; the renminbi accounted for only 1.99% of reported global currency reserves in the first quarter of 2026. Its purpose is more practical: keep essential trade moving if Western financial channels are restricted.

The campaign also reaches inside the United States. In June, the Justice Department and FBI disabled 13 websites allegedly backed by Chinese intelligence personnel. The sites posed as consulting businesses and targeted current and former U.S. officials and military personnel, especially security-clearance holders. Investigators said the operation used computer-generated profile photographs, professional networking sites and online payments to appear legitimate.

China is preparing to sustain power abroad while seeking leverage inside the societies most capable of resisting it.

China can still fail

Beijing has serious weaknesses. China’s population fell by 3.39 million in 2025. Its property slump continues to depress confidence and domestic demand. The People’s Liberation Army has not fought a war since 1979 and lacks extensive modern combat experience, and the renminbi remains far from challenging the dollar.

Those weaknesses do not disprove the strategy. They explain why Beijing is building buffers. Xi understands where China is vulnerable and is methodically reducing those vulnerabilities before a major crisis.

America’s problem

Washington still treats shipbuilding as a Navy issue, semiconductors as a Commerce Department issue, minerals as a trade issue, espionage as an FBI issue and Taiwan as an Indo-Pacific Command issue. Beijing sees one contest.

America must do the same. We need larger stockpiles of munitions and strategic materials, sustained investment in shipbuilding and repair, secure allied supply chains, hardened space and communications networks, and deeper coordination with Japan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Europe. We must also warn current and former officials about Chinese recruitment methods without treating Chinese Americans as suspects.

The giant vessel near Guangzhou may never dominate a television broadcast. It lacks the drama of a missile launch or a stealth fighter crossing the Taiwan Strait.

But it may tell us more about China’s plans than either.

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Xi is building a country capable of fueling its forces, replacing losses, protecting industry and operating beyond the reach of a quick American knockout. China is preparing not only for a battle, but for the long contest that follows.

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The urgent question is whether America is doing the same.

Nations that lose that race rarely get to run it twice. Beijing is spending every year of American hesitation to build its advantage. Washington still has time to close the gap, but not much of it remains.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ROBERT MAGINNIS

STEVE FORBES, STEPHEN MOORE: America must free its airwaves before China pulls ahead

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:17 -0400

Washington rarely discovers an economic policy that promotes investment, strengthens national security, improves services for consumers and raises billions of dollars for the Treasury without imposing a new tax. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr’s newly announced "super band" spectrum auction manages to do all four.

Spectrum may be invisible, but it is among the most valuable resources in the modern economy. It carries phone calls, financial transactions, emergency communications, industrial data, streaming video and the growing volume of information moving between connected devices.

The FCC has moved to auction 160 megahertz of the Upper C-band — the valuable mid-band airwaves that provide the combination of speed, capacity and geographic reach required by modern wireless networks.

AMAZON LEO SATELLITE INTERNET TAKES ON STARLINK

Congress directed the commission to make at least 100 megahertz available. The FCC went further, adding another 60 megahertz and combining it with spectrum cleared in 2020. The result will be a contiguous block of more than 400 megahertz, creating one of the most commercially useful bands of wireless spectrum in the world.

This will be the first major federal spectrum auction in five years. The commission also moved from a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to a final order faster than it has in any comparable proceeding during the 5G era.

That urgency is welcome.

STEVE FORBES: REGULATORS RISK DESTROYING LOCAL TV BY BLOCKING KEY MEDIA MERGER

Keeping usable spectrum idle — or trapped in inefficient government allocations — has real costs. Networks aren’t built. Jobs aren’t created. New services don’t reach consumers. American companies lose ground to foreign competitors.

Auctions offer the quintessentially American solution: Free up and use markets.

A properly designed auction gets spectrum to companies that value it most and are prepared to put it to productive use. It establishes clear, enforceable rights. It encourages private investment. And it generates revenue for the federal government without raising anyone’s income, payroll or capital-gains taxes.

COULD THE NEXT CHINESE THREAT WALK INTO YOUR KITCHEN ON TWO BATTERY-POWERED LEGS?

The economic potential is enormous. The FCC estimates that putting this spectrum to work could add as much as $264 billion to gross domestic product, support 1.5 million jobs and create nearly $390 billion in benefits for consumers.

Those estimates may sound ambitious, but history shows the value of these airwaves. The first C-band auction in 2000 raised roughly $81 billion for the federal government. Few government actions can promote economic growth, encourage lower consumer prices and reduce federal borrowing at the same time.

This one can because it relies on competition rather than command-and-control regulation.

The auction is also a national security imperative.

The country that leads in mid-band spectrum will have an enormous advantage in 5G, the emerging 6G economy and the artificial-intelligence, robotics, transportation and defense applications that depend on advanced connectivity.

Wireless leadership isn’t merely about downloading movies more quickly. It determines which country’s companies develop the next generation of network equipment, whose technical standards are adopted internationally and where the investment and high-paying jobs associated with these technologies are created.

China understands this. Beijing has long treated spectrum as a strategic national asset. It has deployed extensive mid-band capacity, built networks at enormous scale and used subsidized telecommunications equipment to increase its influence around the world.

America’s regulatory apparatus, by contrast, has often moved at the speed of an old rotary telephone.

The Upper C-band order is crucially important, but it can’t be a one-time event. America badly needs a long-term spectrum strategy, not the haphazard, hit-and-miss approach we’ve had up to now.

Wireless companies and technology innovators make investment decisions years in advance. They need a predictable pipeline of licensed spectrum, not occasional auctions that are interrupted by political disputes and bureaucratic delays. Washington should establish a multiyear calendar that identifies which bands will be studied, cleared and auctioned.

Congress should also make the FCC’s auction authority permanent. Allowing that authority to expire, and then reviving it through temporary extensions, creates uncertainty and delays investment. No successful business would manage one of its most valuable assets that way. Neither should the U.S. government.

Washington must also take a harder look at the enormous amount of spectrum controlled by its own agencies, including the Defense Department.

National security operations must be protected. But "national security" shouldn’t become a mantra that prevents officials from examining whether every allocation is being used efficiently. There are effective ways to preserve government capabilities while freeing additional spectrum for commercial use.

The big problem is that federal agencies have little incentive to surrender unused and/or unneeded airwaves. Congress should change that by allowing agencies to share in the savings or auction proceeds generated when they consolidate operations, upgrade equipment or relinquish underused spectrum.

The broader principle is straightforward. Government shouldn’t attempt to build wireless networks, dictate business models or select favored technologies. Its responsibility is to free scarce spectrum, establish clear rights, enforce the rules and then get out of the way.

Private capital and American ingenuity will do the rest.

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Chairman Carr’s Upper C-band auction follows that formula.

But technological leadership isn’t secured with a single auction. Washington must adopt a sensible, long-term strategy so that America has the spectrum resources required to dominate the next technological era.

Stephen Moore is a co-founder of Unleash Prosperity and a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute.

Trump flexes GOP muscle in Arizona primaries as Dems dodge far-left upset

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:10 -0400

President Donald Trump’s sway within the GOP was on display in Arizona’s primaries Tuesday night, as his endorsed candidates powered through key Republican contests while Democrats avoided a far-left upset in one of the state’s House races.

But Trump’s influence in Republican primaries was the top storyline of the night, with his endorsed candidates powering through key contests up and down the ballot.

Rep. Andy Biggs, a former House Freedom Caucus chair who landed Trump’s endorsement, easily captured the GOP nomination for governor, topping Rep. David Schweikert and the rest of the Republican field by over 50 points.

Meanwhile, former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who received Trump’s "complete and total endorsement" in the final stretch, also won the GOP primary in Arizona’s competitive 1st Congressional District.

TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN

Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another Trump-backed candidate, won the GOP primary in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, the deep-red seat Biggs is vacating to run for governor, and Trump-backed Juan Ciscomani advanced in Arizona's 6th Congressional District after running unopposed.

Biggs’ win sets up a high-stakes general election against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who cruised to renomination after running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Hobbs, a former Arizona secretary of state, narrowly defeated then-GOP nominee Kari Lake four years ago and now heads into a second-term fight against one of Trump’s most prominent allies in Congress.

The race in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, where former NFL kicker Jay Feely came out victorious in the GOP primary Tuesday night, is a rare open seat contest as Schweikert, who has held the seat but gave it up to run for governor, created an open-seat battle in the suburban Arizona district.

The Phoenix-area district includes northeastern Maricopa County and large parts of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills. Feely now moves into a general election fight, where he is expected to face former state Rep. Amish Shah, who was up by almost nine points early Wednesday morning. The Associated Press hadn't called the race as of 3 a.m. Wednesday.

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Lamb’s win in Arizona’s 5th District gave Trump another victory in a reliably Republican seat and positioned the former Pinal County sheriff to replace Biggs in Congress. Lamb, who has campaigned on "God, family, freedom" and echoed Biggs’ hard-line border message, heads into the general election as the favorite in a district that heavily leans Republican, even after his campaign faced scrutiny earlier this year over allegations involving inappropriate messages to women outside his marriage.

While Trump-backed Republicans powered through their primaries, Democrats avoided a potentially damaging left-wing upset in Arizona’s 4th District, where Rep. Greg Stanton held off progressive challenger Kai Newkirk.

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Newkirk challenged Stanton from the left, making the race a test of whether the left-wing energy that has shaken Democratic primaries elsewhere could break through in Arizona. Stanton’s win blunted that narrative, at least for one night, and spared Democrats from having to defend a more polarizing nominee in a battleground Sun Belt district.

The result gave establishment Democrats a needed win after a cycle in which progressive challengers have increasingly pressured incumbents over issues including Israel, ICE, healthcare and corporate influence.

Rubio says US remains open to Iran talks but warns there 'will be consequences'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 03:11:15 -0400

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the United States remains willing to negotiate with Iran but warned there "will be consequences" if Tehran continues to violate its commitments.

Speaking at the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, hours after U.S. forces completed their 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets, Rubio said Washington remains open to diplomacy but questioned whether Iran is negotiating in good faith.

"The problem we're having right now is they're not serious about talks. If they're serious, we're serious," Rubio said. "If they're not, then we will do what is necessary to protect our interests and also the interests of our allies."

STEVE FORBES URGES TRUMP TO KEEP THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPEN AT ALL COSTS

Rubio said Iran has demanded the right to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing Tehran has no legal authority to do so and warning that allowing it would set a dangerous international precedent.

"If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway and, if you don't pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent, which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region," Rubio said.

Rubio argued the "fundamental principle of freedom of navigation" is at stake.

US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

"If that is threatened, then I think the global economy is threatened, and the rules which have underpinned 150 years of international trade and commerce are also threatened, and that cannot be allowed to happen," he said.

Rubio's comments came after the U.S. and Iran passed the halfway point of the 60-day negotiating window established under a June 17 memorandum of understanding covering Iran's nuclear and missile programs, sanctions and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the agreement, the two countries have appeared closer to a broader conflict than a diplomatic breakthrough, with Iran repeatedly attacking commercial vessels in the strait while U.S. forces continue striking Iranian military targets across the region.

TRUMP'S 60-DAY IRAN DEAL REACHES HALFWAY MARK AS CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES INTO ESCALATING WAR

While President Donald Trump has declared the ceasefire "over," he said Tuesday that Iran wants to "desperately meet."

Rubio echoed the president's remarks, saying Washington remains prepared to negotiate while making clear military force remains an option.

"The United States remains open and willing to engage in positive negotiations and talks so long as the commitments that are made are kept," he said. "When those commitments are not kept, which is what’s happened in this particular case, then there will be consequences. And that has to happen."

Rubio said maintaining the threat of military action is necessary to prevent Iran from disrupting one of the world's most important shipping lanes.

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"If these consequences didn't exist, then today we would be living in a world where a significant percentage of the energy supply in this region and 20% of the world's energy supply is being held hostage by a rogue regime," Rubio said.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

DHS issues $84B in fines to illegal immigrants under Trump administration

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 02:29:43 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued more than 100,000 civil fines totaling roughly $84 billion to illegal immigrants under the Trump administration while collecting more than $1 billion in payments, Fox News Digital has learned.

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House about 18 months ago, DHS has issued 103,000 civil fines totaling approximately $84 billion, a DHS official told Fox News Digital.

As of July, the agency had collected about $1.2 billion in fine payments.

TRUMP PUTS ASYLUM LAWYERS ‘ON NOTICE’ WITH NEW FRONT IN WAR ON FRAUD

Shortly after Trump's return to office, the administration announced it would begin fining illegal immigrants subject to final removal orders $998 per day if they failed to voluntarily leave the United States or otherwise comply with their removal orders. Illegal immigrants are required to pay the fines before they are deported, and DHS has said it may seize assets from those who fail to pay.

The Trump administration has unveiled a series of measures designed to encourage illegal immigrants to leave the country, including DHS' announcement that those who refuse to self-deport could face "significant financial penalty."

DHS has argued the program costs significantly less than traditional deportation proceedings and is designed to encourage illegal immigrants to voluntarily leave the United States.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a flyer outlining the "benefits" and "consequences" for illegal immigrants who self-deport using the CBP Home app.

"Self-deportation is safe," the flyer stated. "Leave on your own terms by picking your departure flight."

According to DHS, non-criminal illegal immigrants who voluntarily leave the United States may keep money they earned while in the country and preserve eligibility to pursue legal immigration in the future. Some may also qualify for subsidized flights if they cannot afford travel home.

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Meanwhile, the flyer warns that those who fail to self-deport will be "apprehended by DHS with no opportunity to get your affairs in order beforehand."

In May, Fox News Digital reported that more than 3 million illegal immigrants had left the United States during Trump's first year back in office, according to figures provided by DHS. The department said an estimated 2.2 million of those migrants self-deported.

DHS also said the administration had deported nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants and arrested more than 900,000 others as of May 17.

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The department said the figures demonstrate that Trump's immigration crackdown has reshaped migration patterns following a record number of illegal crossings during former President Joe Biden's administration.

Fox News Digital's Brittany Miller and Landon Mion contributed to this report.

State of play: Dems battle for shot at crucial Arizona House seat amid GOP's razor-thin majority

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 02:03:26 -0400

Two Democratic candidates remained locked in a battle as of early Wednesday morning to claim their party’s nomination in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District for a chance to face former NFL kicker Jay Feely.

Former television news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods and former state Rep. Amish Shah, the two frontrunners, fell shy of capturing enough of the vote to win the nomination outright by early Wednesday morning.

The winner of the primary will go on to have a rare opportunity to flip a seat in the Canyon State and, more broadly, potentially decide the balance of power in Washington, D.C. Feely, who received President Donald Trump’s "complete and total endorsement" in the final stretch of the race, won his GOP primary late Tuesday night.

TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN

The seat could very well decide whether Republicans hold on to a slim majority in the House of Representatives or whether Democrats break a Republican governing trifecta come the November midterms.

Although the district has favored Republicans since 2020, incumbent Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., has only narrowly hung on to the seat in the past two cycles, beating out Shah in a 51.9% to 48.1% victory in 2024.

Schweikert announced that he would not pursue reelection last year, announcing that he would instead pursue a gubernatorial bid. Trump-backed Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., won his primary and was ahead of Schweikert by over 50 points early Wednesday.

VULNERABLE REPUBLICAN WINS GOP PRIMARY IN ARIZONA TOSS-UP DISTRICT DEMS AIM TO FLIP BLUE

"I’ve grown to believe Washington is unsavable. I do believe Arizona is savable," Schweikert told Axios.

This isn’t the first time Amish Shah and Marlene Galán-Woods have competed against each other for their party’s nomination, having clashed in the Democratic 2024 primary for the district.

At that time, Shah narrowly defeated Galán-Woods before advancing to the 2024 general election, where he lost to Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who has represented the Phoenix-area seat since 2013 despite Democrats investing heavily to flip the district blue.

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He is seeking a second consecutive nomination after arguing he remains the strongest candidate to challenge Feely in the general election. Galán-Woods, meanwhile, is expected to emphasize her background as a longtime Arizona television journalist and her ability to appeal to independent and suburban voters.

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Galán-Woods is making another bid for the nomination with support from several national Democratic organizations, which view Arizona's 1st District as one of the party's best pickup opportunities in 2026.

The winner will go on to the general election on Nov. 3.

Long-lost Pan Am crash wreckage found decades after deadly disaster that reshaped airline safety

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:44:47 -0400

Wreckage was found from a Pan Am flight that ditched in the ocean off Puerto Rico in 1952, a crash that killed 52 people and helped lead to mandatory passenger safety briefings on commercial flights.

Searchers recently found the wreckage of the DC-4 by using an autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with high-resolution sonar to locate the fuselage and separated tail in nearly 2,000 feet of water.

The Clipper Endeavor aircraft made a hard landing in the ocean after losing engine power shortly after departure from San Juan, Puerto Rico, en route to New York City.

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The 17 passengers and crew who lived told investigators everyone survived the landing, but many passengers struggled to locate life vests and the crew had a difficult time pulling out life rafts.

The plane sank within minutes.

The Civil Aeronautics Board attributed the accident to inadequate maintenance that contributed to the engine failure and to the captain’s handling of the aircraft after power was lost.

The panic from the occupants struggling to grab floatation devices helped spur aviation-safety reforms, including mandatory preflight passenger briefings and improvements involving flotation equipment.

The crash first drew the attention of Air/Sea Heritage Foundation President Russ Matthews in 2019 when he heard about a luggage tag from the flight washing ashore in Florida and began to dig deeper.

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This led to years of combing through the Pan Am and Coast Guard archives in search of clues about the location of the plane's wreckage. Reports from the Civil Aeronautics Board, which preceded the Federal Aviation Administration, also aided the search.

However, the key to the wreckage discovery was found in records in Puerto Rico from a hearing held on the crash and a map estimating the site of the crash that was made by Air Force pilots who witnessed the accident because they were in the area on a training flight.

Bad weather disrupted a previous attempt two years ago to find the wreckage with a towed sonar array. Matthews said he and his volunteers wanted a second attempt to locate it before next year's 75th anniversary of the crash with a newer advanced drone that was originally created for military uses such as finding undersea mines.

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Tony Romeo, the CEO of the undersea exploration firm Deep Sea Vision, had been speaking to Matthews for some time about the possibility of helping to find the aircraft if one of his ships was ever in the area. Then in April, one of the company’s ships was passing Puerto Rico between two other jobs while carrying an advanced underwater drone with the right sensors to find the plane.

"There we were, and everything kind of came together at the moment: good weather, the right team, and the right equipment and ship. So we took a shot at it," said Romeo, whose father was a mechanic and pilot for Pan Am.

Deep Sea Vision previously led an unsuccessful six-month mission in search of Amelia Earhart's plane.

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All the research Matthews' group had conducted, along with weather data from the time of the crash, was synthesized to develop a map of the most likely location and a search area of 10 square nautical miles. The drone located the wreckage on its first pass over that area, but searchers were unaware until it returned to the surface with images.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Progressive wave crashes in Sun Belt battleground as moderate holds his seat

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 23:25:28 -0400

After socialists won a series of Democratic primaries in New York, Colorado and Washington, D.C., the party’s moderate wing has secured what appears to be an increasingly rare victory in Arizona’s 4th Congressional District.

Incumbent Rep. Greg Stanton fended off progressive challenger Kai Newkirk on Tuesday night after months of bitter primary sparring. On the campaign trail, Newkirk accused Stanton of being too pro-business and too pro-Israel — accusations similar to those leveraged by socialists in New York who went on to dethrone establishment Democrats.

While those angles worked in New York, they fell flat in Arizona, allowing Stanton to advance to November’s general election, where he is a strong favorite to win a fifth term in the House of Representatives.

Stanton’s long-running support for Israel was a major flashpoint in the campaign.

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"He has refused to do anything to try to hold the extremist Israeli government accountable for its genocide in Gaza, for the war crimes around the region," Newkirk said of Stanton.

The progressive specifically criticized Stanton for voting to send aid to Israel, for opposing the Biden administration’s efforts to restrict arms sales to the country and for voting to sanction the International Criminal Court for pursuing cases against Israeli leaders.

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Stanton, who receives support from AIPAC, has called for ceasefires and backed a two-state solution to end the war.

The incumbent congressman’s relationship with business interests was another sore spot for Newkirk.

"It's always been clear to me that he's a corporate Democrat who's never going to fight for the kinds of changes that we need to really shift from oligarchy in our country to a real democracy that puts working-class people first," Newkirk told Axios early in the campaign.

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Stanton is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a center-left caucus within the House of Representatives that takes relatively pro-business stances when crafting policy. Newkirk, meanwhile, is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Newkirk became a DSA member just days after requesting their endorsement, a local DSA member told the Arizona Republic earlier in July.

Newkirk also went after Stanton for his stances on immigration, specifically his support for the Laken Riley Act.

According to Newkirk, Stanton’s support for the Laken Riley Act "gave Trump a green light for his authoritarian mass deportation campaign and began this erosion of due process."

The law, which was passed in 2025 after 46 House Democrats crossed party lines to support it, requires that federal immigration enforcement detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with serious crimes.

While Stanton voted for the Laken Riley Act and criticized the Biden administration for its handling of the border, he has also called for greater oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and criticized the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.

The final stretch of the election was marred by controversy for Newkirk as a number of local activists and party organizations retracted their endorsements in July after former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner was accused of sexual assault, ultimately dooming his campaign.

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A blog post from 2019, which Newkirk has called defamatory, accused him of "grooming" young female political activists. One of the post’s authors later denounced it, saying that it fell short of journalistic standards.

Despite this, the Young Democrats of Arizona pulled their endorsement of Newkirk on July 9, claiming that they were "recently made aware of some concerning patterns of behavior" from the candidate. A leader within the Democratic Socialists of America's Phoenix chapter also rescinded his endorsement of Newkirk around that time, though declined to comment on the specific reasoning behind the decision.