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Yes, the United States was treated unfairly by the controversial Folarin Balogun red card decision

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:11:11 -0400

The USMNT is through to the round of 16 after winning their first knockout stage game at a World Cup since 2002. By any measure, the 2026 tournament has been a resounding success, both for the United States as a host, and for U.S. soccer.

For the first time in, well, maybe forever, the U.S. Men's National Team looks, at times, dominant. They control play and control possession. They're threading through balls at an elite international level. They've outscored their opponents 8-1 with their starting 11 on the field. Malik Tillman's free kick goal to cement the 2-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina was world class.

And it all might be taken away by absurd, unfair officiating.

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Folarin Balogun's red card came as the result of a series of ridiculous, unforgivable errors from the officials in this match. And the players, coaches, and fans have noticed and pointed out what the laughable "process" has done to the legitimacy of FIFA's officiating staff.

The biggest mistake? That the decision to go to VAR was made in the first place. Andy Davies, a referee who worked in the Premier League and Championship and was a Select Group referee for over 12 seasons, published a short analysis of the VAR process on this play for ESPN, saying that the review should never have taken place.

"VAR made their recommendation to the referee based on slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, as these should be used for only point-of-contact purposes in a red card tackle situation," Davies wrote.

Davies did explain that based on the letter of the rules, the tackle itself was always likely to receive a red card. But the review should never have happened, because it was only recommended based on slow-motion replays.

Importantly, too, many other similar plays have happened throughout the tournament, with no reviews or red cards given. And the players know it.

"Obviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable," said USMNT star Weston McKennie after the match. "I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. It’s disappointing."

The most prominent similar play? One involving Argentinian star Lionel Messi. Messi, in the early stages, went after a loose ball against Algeria, only to catch Aissa Mandi with his studs up. Algeria were awarded a free kick, but no card for Messi, and no review from VAR.

Algeria were so furious about the no call that they filed a complaint to FIFA for the poor officiating.

There have been plenty of other similar plays throughout the World Cup that also received no review. And because FIFA is FIFA, there is no process for appealing Balogun's suspension for the massive Round of 16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

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The referee on the field, Raphael Claus, has previously been investigated for match fixing in Brazil, though of course, there's no indication that this was a motivating factor in this case. But Claus also did not see anything on the field, at full speed, to warrant a card at all, let alone a red. Only after the VAR official incorrectly used slow-motion to recommend a second look, did he send Balogun off.

Fans of the USMNT are right to be furious with this call. Not only were the rules misapplied, according to an expert referee with years of elite experience, but similar plays during this tournament have been ignored. This isn't just about Messi, but it's impossible not to see the double standard. VAR officials would never, ever, call for a review of a red card on the tournament's most famous player. But they did so against Balogun and the USMNT.

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The USMNT may go on to beat Belgium on Monday, even without their star striker. Or they might get eliminated without him. The former would not excuse the referee's poor decision making and process. The latter would put a permanent stain on the 2026 World Cup and potentially damage the future of the sport in the United States. It's unlikely bordering on impossible that the USMNT win the tournament, with or without Balogun. But a loss, coming after such an absurd, farcical process, and removing the possibility of a gigantic matchup against Spain or Portugal in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles, would be unforgivable.

But for FIFA, unforgivable is just another day at the office.

Ahead of America's 250th birthday, faith group urges families to reconnect through patriotic traditions

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:58 -0400

As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, a faith organization is urging parents to make the most of Independence Day by reconnecting with their kids and taking time to teach them about the nation's founding ideals.

Ahead of July 4, Communio, a faith-based organization focused on strengthening families, released its "Great American Family Fun Kit," complete with activity ideas, recipes for patriotic treats, and a prayer for the nation. Some of the activities include trying to use 18th-century slang, making a gratitude jar, creating a family flag and having an Independence Day-themed scavenger hunt.

"When you think about all the holidays we have as a country, the Fourth of July, the Independence Day is — of our non-religious holidays — it's right up there with Thanksgiving as being the most important family celebration that we have as a country," Communio founder and president J.P. De Gance told Fox News Digital.

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Communio is using its partnerships that cover 17,000 churches across the U.S. to reach out to families and encourage them to celebrate Independence Day through neighborhood gatherings, block parties and activities to build their communities.

"The most fundamental building block of a society is not the individual, it's the family," De Gance said.

De Gance told Fox News Digital that Communio's Great American Family Fun Kit reflects the organization's belief that strong families are the foundation of strong communities.

"I think there's a lot of recent polling data that shows love of country, good old-fashioned patriotism, has declined in our nation amongst a lot of folks. And the goal here is to tie people back to the ideals of our founding and do so in a really grassroots, organic way at the local level," De Gance said of Communio's Great American Family Fun Kit.

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While the kit's activities are centered around America's 250th birthday, De Gance said their broader purpose is to encourage families to spend more meaningful time together away from screens. The Communio founder and president asserted that even simple activities can create these opportunities for parents and children to connect.

"One of the things that we know about family life is that parents and kids who communicate regularly, those kids report a more warm and good relationship with mom and dad," De Gance told Fox News Digital. He added that children who have good relationships with their parents tend to have better long-term outcomes and are more likely to see faith as an important part of their lives.

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While at first glance, the kit appears to be geared toward families with younger children, it also contains activities aimed at teen engagement too. De Gance suggested that the scavenger hunt activity could be used to get children of different ages to do something together.

De Gance also pointed to rising rates of reported loneliness and sadness among American teenagers, arguing that family time could be key to combatting these issues.

"I think if we were honest with ourselves… there's probably not a high number of those kids who would report having frequent time with their family and siblings and recreation and fun together, right?" he said. "Because when that happens, they're more likely to report having a good relationship with their mom and dad, and they're less likely to report being lonely and being isolated."

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As he looks to America's future, De Gance would like to see a revival of healthy marriages and family life across the nation. He said he is hopeful that young people are becoming more focused on finding purpose in "enduring things," such as faith, marriage and family.

"The pathway to making sure that we celebrate America 300 and America 350 and America 400, really runs through the family," he said.

James Carville breaks with famous ‘It’s the economy, stupid’ slogan because of Trump

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:44 -0400

James Carville, the architect of President Bill Clinton’s 1992 victory over President George H.W. Bush and industrialist H. Ross Perot, said this week that President Donald Trump has forced him to break with the catchphrase that many believe helped win that election and made him a political household name.

Carville originally coined "It’s the economy, stupid," as an internal reminder to campaign staff at Clinton’s Little Rock headquarters to stay on-message amid Bush’s rising approval ratings connected to his handling of the Gulf War.

But this week, Carville suggested allegations of corruption involving President Donald Trump have supplanted the idea that the economy should remain top of mind during election season.

During a discussion on his "Politicon" podcast network, former Mount Holyoke dean Joseph Ellis mentioned "It’s the economy, stupid" before the Ragin Cajun cut him off.

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"So, professor, I thought about that recently – about ‘It’s the economy, stupid' – it's a great catchphrase. It's maybe one of the most oft-repeated things in politics," Carville said.

"I now have come to detest the fact I said that."

Without mentioning Trump by name, Carville — who has repeatedly accused the incumbent of corruption in recent months — compared him with the more genteel Bush.

"I'll listen to people who say, ‘people don't care about corruption, they care about the economy -- As long as their incomes are up, they don't care what he does’ – and I'm afraid that's right."

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"But I said it in 1992, and say what you want about George H.W. Bush, he was not… a corrupt man at all; decent man too. We have now the breathtaking, staggering -- I understand if people say, ‘Yeah, you know, you're right, that's all people care about is the economy, and I won't do it, I don't say anything, I'm nice’," he said, appearing to envision voters preferring to focus on the economy over other personality issues.

"I want to punch him in the f---ing face. OK? Yes. I'm serious… Because the phrase actually haunts me today."

Asked about the invective, White House spokesman Davis Ingle called the Ragin' Cajun a "stone-cold loser."

"[Carville] suffers from a severe and incurable disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome, and it has rotted his peanut-sized brain," Ingle said.

During an earlier discussion with his co-host, former Wall Street Journal Washington bureau chief Al Hunt, Carville said that "we are drowning; we’re suffocating in corruption" before accusing Trump of increasing his net worth by $2 billion since becoming president.

"I’m just really fearful for the United States," he added.

In February, Carville directed one of his segments at Trump as though the president were watching, telling the president that his inner circle "hates" him and that he is a "fat, sorry, sack of s---."

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Since then, he has continued criticizing the president and recently said he is proud to have proverbial "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

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Carville has been a mainstay in Democratic politics ever since helping engineer Clinton’s 1992 victory, alongside other notable campaign aides, including ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, whom Trump also spars with on occasion.

Clinton’s 1992 campaign produced several enduring touchstones, from Carville’s "It’s the economy, stupid," to Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit "Don’t Stop," which became the de facto theme song for his successful bid.

Carville's comments about his old slogan also come as he recently rebuked socialist nominees taking over his party.

Fox News Digital reached out to Carville via his Politicon podcast for further comment.

MMA fighter leans on faith in quest to catch suspected child predators

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:39 -0400

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Dustin Lampros strides into a grocery store, scanning the aisles for his target. But it’s not an item on the shelf that he’s pursuing. It’s a suspected child predator.

The mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter has been working to expose alleged child predators since 2022. On social media, where he shares about his quest, he’s known as 561 Predator Catcher, a nod to his hometown area code.

To his friends and in cage fights, he’s Scrappy. He earned the nickname on the fourth-grade football field after taking on two bigger boys who’d picked on him.

His mission to catch adults who prey on children was launched when a friend in cybersecurity told him about the online danger.

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Lampros had just recommitted to his faith, he told Fox News Digital. He’d started praying to know God’s will for his life.

He was stunned when his friend demonstrated the problem.

It took minutes to create a fake profile for a 13-year-old girl, "Amy," on a platform known for facilitating connections.

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It took seconds for men to make contact. "We had multiple grown adults reaching out trying to talk to who they thought was a 13-year-old," Lampros said, fuming at the memory.

That sparked painful memories.

"Two people close to me in my life were victims," he said, including a close childhood friend. "He was raped by our principal from sixth to eighth grade."

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Lampros felt a calling on his life.

"Instantly, I knew that I was meant to do something.

"I could help."

Bait and switch

Now, the 32-year-old professional fighter coordinates with people across the country who work as decoys posing as children. They converse online. They exchange photos.

Once an in-person meeting is arranged, and plans for sexual activity are discussed, Lampros prepares to pounce.

At the agreed-upon time, he waits outside the meet-up location. And when he spots the person who’s been communicating with the child, he places a 911 call to police.

Then, he strolls inside. Coolly and confidently, he walks up and addresses his "target" by name.

Immediately, Lampros pummels them with questions about why they’re there, who they’d planned to meet, and what they’d planned to do. He films the interactions on Meta glasses.

"I've gotten really good at getting these guys to just kind of … admit everything to me," he said. Twice, his targets were women. One was a law enforcement officer. Several have been teachers.

When their answers to his questions don’t match the conversations decoys shared with him in screenshots, he brandishes his phone.

"I have all the messages right here," Lampros reveals.

When police arrive, he turns over the messages and his video of the "catch," as he calls it, as evidence.

He credits his MMA training and his faith for his ability to stay calm.

"Inside I'm fuming, I'm boiling," he said.

"The goal is to get these guys arrested, charged, and convicted, and I know that if I put my hands on them, or if I act out, I know that that can affect the case. So, therefore, I keep myself calm, and keep myself composed."

Fighting to protect children

Lampros trains at the MMA Science Academy in Sunrise, Florida. The other fighters and coaches celebrate his successes, said the gym owner, Roger Krahl.

By sparring with him and helping him hone his skills, they feel they play a role in his mission, he said.

But they’re mystified by how Lampros refrains from flexing his fighting skills when interacting with alleged child predators.

"We tell him all the time," Krahl said. "But he’s got the perfect personality for it. He stays very calm and keeps his cool, which is obviously a big thing in the cage.

"When you get in there and fight, you’ve got to be calm under pressure. You’ve got to be able to think."

Lampros has completed about 100 catches since 2022. About 10 have resulted in convictions, he said. Others still simmer in the legal pipeline.

"The cases take years," he said.

Meanwhile, his technique has evolved, even softened, he admitted.

He used to order catches to do pushups while waiting for police. Now, he coaxes alleged predators to discuss details on video that can be turned over to police.

"He’s very comfortable," Krahl said, adding that he doesn’t worry about the 5-foot-7 fighter’s safety.

"Obviously, he can protect himself. He’s a high-level professional athlete.

"Even though he’s a smaller guy—a bantamweight, 135 pounds—I wouldn’t worry about him versus anybody. Just a trained professional athlete versus an untrained person is not even fair."

Lampros and his decoy helpers don’t coordinate with law enforcement. He reveals the details when he calls police.

"I tell them exactly what's going on, that there's a grown adult coming there to meet what they believe is a 13- or 14-year-old to engage in sexual activity."

When officers don’t arrive quickly, Lampros stalls.

Twice the situation spiraled dangerously, he said. Once, a man he was questioning pulled a gun from his car. Lampros and his helper fled. Another man wielded a boxcutter during their interaction.

‘God’s will’

Lampros isn’t deterred. If he’s ever badly injured or killed during a "catch," he’ll know he was doing God’s will, he said.

"It took years for police departments and state attorneys to actually look at us as legit and to make these cases stick," Lampros said.

Now, about every month, a years-old case yields a conviction, he said.

Some lawyers in Florida advertise that they can help defend accused child predators who interacted with Lampros. They accuse him of being a vigilante. They subpoena him for depositions. Some insist he’s "just in it for the clicks," he said.

But no matter the cost, Lampros said he’s in this fight for the long term.

He won’t stop working to expose child predators, he said. And when his MMA fighting career is over, he hopes to travel the country, educating parents about how to protect children from online dangers.

Before starting 561 Predator Catcher, Lampros said he was where any young, professional fighter would want to be.

He’d moved from Illinois to South Florida, a hub for the sport. He had a 7-0 record in cage fights, with five knockouts.

His sole focus: becoming a fighter for the UFC. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the world’s largest professional MMA organization.

But, "I felt very empty," he said. "My whole identity had been behind being an MMA fighter, being ‘Scrappy’ the fighter. I knew that having UFC as my idol wasn't gonna fulfill me. That's when I realized there's got to be something more for me."

He started praying, he said, "asking for His will to be done in my life."

It was then that he was introduced to the idea of catching child predators. "When you start focusing on God's plan, the doors kind of open up."

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"Once I figured that out, and I started living for Him instead of living for Scrappy the Fighter, my life has evolved so much more into such a blessing."

He still hopes to be selected as a fighter in the UFC. But, he said, a fight against evil is far more important. "Knowing that God's on my side, whatever happens, I believe it's God's will."

Vulnerable House Dem's bipartisanship push clashes with fantasy to ‘beat the s--- out of’ Hegseth

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:38 -0400

Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., a swing-district Democrat who touts herself as a bipartisan dealmaker, told a liberal audience she wants to "work across the aisle" before saying moments later that watching Pete Hegseth testify made her want to "beat the s--- out of him."

Lee made the remarks during an appearance last month before the Sun City Liberal Club in Las Vegas while discussing rare earth minerals and her work supporting MP Materials, a Las Vegas-based company involved in U.S. critical minerals production. The comments come as she seeks re-election in Nevada’s closely divided 3rd Congressional District.

"I want to be bipartisan. I want to work across the aisle," Lee told the crowd, according to video of the remarks. But moments later, while discussing Hegseth appearing before her committee, she said, "Now listen, it’s so easy. It’s so easy. Like you just wanna beat the s--- out of him."

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"But you got to bite it," Lee said of wanting to "beat the s---" out of Hegseth.

The Hegseth remark is not the first profanity-laced comment to draw scrutiny for Lee. In April, Fox News Digital reported that Lee deleted an expletive-filled late-night social media post targeting Trump after online backlash, then defended her remarks by saying her "nerve was touched" by what she described as attacks on the Constitution.

"Secretary Hegseth has made life less safe and more expensive for Americans. The war of choice that he and President Trump started has placed more burden on working families by increasing the cost of gas and groceries. And despite promising to immediately review Congresswoman Lee’s request to get Nevada Test and Training Range veterans the health care they need, Secretary Hegseth has dragged his feet for nearly two months," a spokesperson for Lee told Fox News Digital. "Clearly, there are many areas in which Congresswoman Lee does not see eye to eye with the Secretary."

Lee's comments about wanting to beat up Hegseth came while she was teeing up a story to the Sun City Liberal Club about pressing the Secretary of War during a hearing on the Pentagon's decision to invest in an Australian company while supposedly leaving a U.S.-based one out to dry. Lee said she appealed to Hegseth by telling him she believed in "made in America" and questioned why the Pentagon had invested more heavily in a different Australian company as opposed to MP Materials, an American one.

"Now listen, it’s so easy. It’s so easy. Like you just wanna beat the s--- out of him. I mean yea, but you just got to bite it. So this is what I did – he came in front of my committee twice," Lee said as she told the story about the rare earth investments.

"You got to lay on their ego, right?" she continued. "Well, three weeks later, they announced a $2 billion investment in MP Materials, okay? I didn’t want to be sweet with Hegseth, okay, I didn’t. But, you know, you got to do what you got to do to get s--- done, right?"

"Congresswoman Lee set aside [her differences with Hegseth] on behalf of her constituents to secure an investment in a Nevada-based employer that will create hundreds of jobs in southern Nevada," Lee's spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "She will continue putting politics aside and working with anyone — regardless of party — to lower costs, create jobs, and make life better for her constituents."

But Republicans took aim at the remarks as evidence that Lee’s bipartisan brand is at odds with how she talks about Trump administration officials behind closed doors.

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"It's unfortunate for our Republic, near our 250th birthday of this great experiment we call America, that town hall comments like this reveal the truth, and Republican voters should be warned that Democrats, if they take over the majority, will simply spend their time going after President Trump and his administration," said Mark Bednar, former head of communications for former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

Republicans also took issue with Lee’s claim that her exchange with Hegseth helped spur a major Defense Department investment in MP Materials, accusing the Nevada Democrat of overstating her role while using the story to burnish her bipartisan credentials.

"Either Susie Lee believes her words contain the persuasive power of the word of God, or she's making stuff up and being completely unhinged to boot," said Republican National Committee spokesperson Nick Poché. "Nevadans deserve a leader who will work to deliver for them, not posers whose only objective in office is to improve their stock portfolios like Susie Lee."

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MP Materials eventually signed a major agreement with the Defense Department, including a $400 million Pentagon investment that made the federal government the company’s largest shareholder and other commitments aimed at strengthening the U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain.

Trump kicks off Fourth of July weekend with symbolic salute to America’s legacy

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:25 -0400

President Donald Trump will open America’s 250th Independence Day weekend with a return to Mount Rushmore, reviving one of the most symbolic scenes of his first administration as the White House stages a week of patriotic events across some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.

Trump last attended a Mount Rushmore fireworks display in 2020, when the landmark hosted its first official fireworks show since 2009.

Trump issued a presidential action in January to honor the history of America, ordering "a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026." On both a federal and state level, the nation has thrown a summer line up of events including the "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall.

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Trump kicked off the fair on June 24 by hosting a rally the night before the beginning of the fair.

He will return Saturday for the "Salute to America" event, where he is expected to take the stage.

Washington, D.C., has been placed under an "Extreme Heat Alert" until Sunday morning with temperatures predicted to feel like 105°F or hotter, according to DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management.

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Trump’s remarks are expected to begin around 9:00 PM ET, prior to a massive fireworks display on the National Mall that has been touted by the administration as the largest in history.

The National Mall has garnered special attention this year after a string of vandalism against the Reflecting Pool and monuments.

The pattern emerged after Trump ordered a restoration and repainting of the reflecting pool, which was then met with "razor-blade cuts" to its lining, according to the White House.

Earlier this week, Trump attended the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Library in Medora, North Dakota, on Wednesday.

Roosevelt was known for his passion for the outdoors – dramatically expanding federal protection of natural resources and public lands. He established national parks, created national monuments and strengthened the U.S. Forest Service.

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Trump signed the "Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization," which centers on previous legislation signed by the 45th and 47th president but renews funding in honor of America’s 250th birthday.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's love story in photos as wedding day arrives

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:19 -0400

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding day has arrived.

The couple first sparked romance rumors in 2023, after Kelce spoke about attending an Eras Tour show in Kansas City in the hopes of getting Swift's number during an episode of his podcast "New Heights."

Soon after, Swift was spotted at a Chiefs game, further fueling speculation. Eventually, the two were spotted out together on numerous occasions, confirming they were dating. The two announced their engagement in August 2025, with an Instagram post featuring Kelce on one knee, with the caption, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨."

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As their wedding approaches, here is a look back at their relationship over the years, in pictures.

Chiefs game

Swift made headlines when she was photographed sitting next to Kelce's mom, Donna, at a Kansas City Chiefs game in September 2023.

Rumors of their relationship continued to swirl after they were photographed leaving Arrowhead Stadium together after the game. The rumors first began after Kelce gave her a shout-out on his podcast in July 2023.

"We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other," she told Time in her Person of the Year cover story in December 2024. "By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date."

'Saturday Night Live'

In one of their first photos out together as a couple, Swift and Kelce were seen arriving to the "Saturday Night Live" after-party, after they both made appearances in an October 2023 episode.

"She's very self-aware," Kelce said of Swift in a June 2024 episode of the "Bussin' with the Boys" podcast. "And I think that's why I really started to really fall for her, was how genuine she is around friends [and] family. It can get crazy for somebody with that much attention ... and she just keeps it so chill and so cool."

Date night

Swift and Kelce began stepping out into public together more often, as they were photographed holding hands during a date night in New York in October 2023.

"I’ve never dealt with it," he told the WSJ in 2024. "But at the same time, I’m not running away from any of it ... The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she’s just living, enjoying life. When she acts like that, I better not be the one acting all strange."

Post game

Swift was there to comfort Kelce when his team lost to the Buffalo Bills in December 2023.

"I'm enjoying all aspects of life. Me and Taylor are happy," Kelce said on an episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, in January 2025. "I couldn't be happier to have that confidence and that comfort off the field and all the support I could ever ask for in the stadium."

AFC Champions

Swift and Kelce were all smiles while posing with their arms around one another as they celebrated Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs becoming the 2024 AFC Champions.

"I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in," she told Time Magazine. "There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once."

"I’m just there to support Travis," she added. "I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads."

Super Bowl champions

Swift and Kelce could not help but show some PDA as they celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl in February 2024.

"Thank you for coming, baby. Thank you for the support. Thank you for coming," Kelce said to Swift following the win, according to ABC News. "Thank you for making it all the way across the world. You are the best, baby. The absolute best."

Sweet moments

Kelce and Swift were spotted getting cuddly while watching the men's singles final match during the US Open in September 2024.

"Your most popular pop star, beloved musician, somehow met your most popular beloved athlete, and they actually fell in love, and it's just real," Kelce said in an April 2024 episode of his podcast. "Anyone who hates on it is a bitter loser. But I think a lot of people who maybe would expect to hate on it actually love it, and they acknowledge they love it because there's something so American about it or something. There’s something just classic about it."

Eras Tour

Kelce surprised audiences when he joined Swift on stage as a dancer during her performance of "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" on the London stop of her Eras Tour in June 2024.

"When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care," she told Time Magazine. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other."

Forever date

Swift and Kelce attended a friend's wedding together in New York in September 2024, and were photographed smiling and holding hands outside.

Night out

Kelce debuted a new look when he was photographed holding hands with Swift while sporting a Hawaiian shirt and a mustache while the pair were out together in New York in October 2024.

Yankees

Kelce and Swift took a break from football and the Eras Tour to enjoy an outing in Game 1 of the ALCS, played between the Yankees and the Guardians, in October 2024.

"Something that I'll always remember is when I would finish a take, and I'd say ‘cut,’ and we'd be done with that take, I would always just hear, like, someone cheering from across the studio where we were shooting it, and that one person was my boyfriend, Travis," she said when accepting her award for Video of the Year at the VMAs in September 2024.

"Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic. So, I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot because I’ll always remember that."

AFC Champions part two

Swift was there to support Kelce when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship again in January 2025, telling Time Magazine, "Football is awesome, it turns out."

She has apparently picked up parts of the game quite quickly, with Kelce telling the "Rich Eisen Show" in September 2024, she even "creates plays for me."

"She had just been so open to learning the game, she didn’t know much about the rules or anything…I think she was just curious about the profession...I know none of the plays have gotten to Coach Reid yet, but if they ever do I’ll make sure everyone knows it was her creation."

Hockey fans

Following the end of football season and the Eras Tour, Swift and Kelce took time to enjoy some other sports, and were all smiles as they watched Game Four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in June.

"I knew that he wasn't crazy the first couple of times that we talked. I was just like, 'He's truly getting to know me in a way that's very natural, very normal," she said on an episode of "New Heights" in August 2025. "The way that he could make me laugh so immediately about normal things."

All smiles

Kelce posted photos of the two of them having fun and posing with matching hats while on a boat in July 2025.

"I hadn't experienced somebody in the same shoes as me, having a partner who understands the scrutiny, understands the ups and downs of being in front of millions," Kelce told GQ in August 2025. "That was very relatable, seeing how exhausted she would get after shows."

He added, "She may not think of herself as an athlete. She will never tell anyone that she is an athlete. But I've seen what she goes through. I've seen the amount of work that she puts on her body, and it's mind-blowing."

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Engagement

The two announced their engagement in August 2025, with an Instagram post featuring Kelce on one knee, with the caption, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨."

"He's just my favorite person I've ever met, no offense to everyone else, but the fact that this is the person that I get to hang out with every day forever, that's the whole thing of it," she said on the "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in October 2025. "You look at it and you're like, ‘I'm going to hang out with him forever,' and this represents that."

Lovebirds

Swift and Kelce have attended many industry events together, including the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March 2026.

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Courtside fans

Swift and Kelce were most recently spotted sitting court-side at game three of the Eastern Conference Finals played between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks in May 2026.

"I feel like whenever I'm on a date I'm always having the sense of like, I'm a man in the situation, I'm like protective, yeah for sure," Kelce said on his "New Heights" podcast in October 2023. "You always kind of have that feeling — or that self-awareness, I guess."

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Massachusetts woman steps in after 'shameful' Dem governor boycotts Great American State Fair

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:17 -0400

A patriotic woman from Massachusetts took matters into her own hands after leaders in her state decided to boycott the Great American State Fair out of anger at President Donald Trump — and she showed no mercy to those who made that decision.

"I came here to represent Massachusetts because I didn't want the public to walk into an empty room. I wanted somebody to be there," said Donna Festinger, who paid her own way from the Bay State to the nation's capital to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

Festinger is manning her state's booth at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, part of the Trump-aligned Freedom 250 event that began on June 25 and ends on July 10.

DAVID MARCUS: LIBERAL ELITES SEETHE OVER AMERICA'S STATE FAIR

She had a clear message for Massachusetts leadership, along with the leadership of other states who also declined to participate in the celebration.

"I'm very disappointed that Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts decided — their governments decided not to support this effort to celebrate our American heritage," she said. "It's actually shameful."

"It makes me feel like they really don't love America or Massachusetts — my governor," she said of Democrat Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who has had some very public spats with Trump.

Festinger, a former teacher who paid her own way to the event in Washington, D.C. and arrived at the beginning of the celebration, says she plans to stay through the entire 16-day event.

BILL MAHER TELLS LIBERALS TO STOP 'PARTISAN SULKING' AND JOIN AMERICA 250 PARTY

She told Fox News Digital that she thinks the state boycotts are actually a point of unity for the American public, "because most people are upset about it and do not understand why a governor would do that."

"And so that's actually uniting people, Democrats, Republicans, independents, and agreeing that every state should be proud of our country," Festinger speculated.

She added: "I think the Trump administration is working hard to bring the country together."

MIKE MINOGUE HEADS TO MASS GOP CONVENTION READY TO TAKE ON MAURA HEALEY: 'SHE'S BANKRUPTING OUR STATE'

Meanwhile, Healey, known for her rabid anti-Trump streak, mocked the fair in an interview with Boston Public Radio.

Asked whether she would welcome Trump if he visited the state, she reportedly said the president is "too busy with his Great American State Fair down there that everybody’s bailing on."

She also claimed without evidence that Trump is using the fair to "get money into his own pocket," and falsely claimed that states were being charged to participate in the fair.

Festinger also recently garnered some backup at the Massachusetts booth.

Judith Kalaora, a Boston resident, stood at the state's stand dressed to the nines in a Revolutionary War uniform to honor Deborah Sampson, a Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man to fight the British.

"I'm hopeful that my being here will unite folks to realize that Boston and Massachusetts have a great spirit, and that that spirit can unite the United States through our nation's heritage and through our military history," said Kalaora.

"I believe that the United States of American has accomplished in 250 years than many other nations have accomplished in 400 or 500 years,"

Eleven states, all run by Democrats, decided to skip the fair.

Some had explicitly anti-Trump reasons in declining to participate. Like Illinois Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker citing what he said is Trump's "politicization of America 250 activities."

Oregon's leadership expressed a similar sentiment, though did not mention Trump by name.

"The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented," Democrat Gov. Tina Kotek's office said in a statement.

Kalaora, however, remains optimistic.

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"Times change, and emotions change, and that's okay, as long as we still remember that we've done great things," she said.

"I'm happy to be here."

America's most-searched ice cream brand may surprise you — and there's a healthy reason why

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:09 -0400

As Americans celebrate National Ice Cream Month this July, the brand they're searching for most online is one that takes an unconventional approach to making frozen desserts.

Halo Top was the most-searched ice cream brand from April 2025 through April 2026, according to Google search trends from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., analyzed in a study from Innerbody Research.

Halo Top markets its ice cream as a "feel-good treat" with "fewer calories and less sugar than other leading brands, with a good source of protein."

AMERICA'S MOST ICE CREAM-OBSESSED STATE REVEALED AS NORTHEAST CRUSHES COMPETITION

"From the beginning, Halo Top has taken a different path," the company's website says. "While most ice cream brands hide their calorie counts, we put ours right on the front: big, bold and impossible to miss."

Halo Top was founded in 2011 and named "Food Disruptor of the Year" in 2017 by Food Dive after it reported a 2,500% increase in sales the previous year.

Ice cream manufacturer Wells Enterprises, which also owns Blue Bunny, acquired Halo Top in 2019.

The other ice cream brands with the highest search interest after Halo Top were Cold Stone Creamery, Breyers, Talenti and Häagen Dazs, according to the Innerbody Research report.

Searches don't necessarily translate to sales, however. In 2025, Breyers, Blue Bunny and Turkey Hill were the top-selling brands by dollar sales, Dairy Foods Magazine reported.

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"A most-searched list is often a mirror for our anxieties," food scientist and Johns Hopkins University senior lecturer Kantha Shelke told Fox News Digital.

"Halo Top is winning the search bar because it promises indulgence without the consequences naturally associated with that experience."

The Halo Top curiosity is the GLP-1 era translated into dessert, Shelke said.

"Protein-forward, portion-sized, low-sugar and guilt-free indulgence," she said of Halo Top.

Consumers looking for foods that they can enjoy without the guilt is not a new concept, said Maeve Webster, president of Vermont-based food and beverage consulting firm Menu Matters. It happened before with the frozen yogurt trend.

"What is new, particularly with Halo Top, is the technology for how you create a healthier ice cream without the crystallization or the poor flavor or the poor mouthfeel that we may have seen in some previous iterations of these kinds of efforts," Webster told Fox News Digital.

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"The technology is catching up," Webster added. "And increasingly, we'll be able to create healthier versions of these kinds of products that are closer, if not almost exactly like, the original full-indulgence ice cream experience."

Webster also believes social media and inventive marketing played a role in people becoming more interested in Halo Top recently.

"With the volume of information people get on a daily basis, they're probably seeing a lot of things they've never heard of before, haven't seen in the stores and suddenly they're curious about it because they see some video on social media," she said.

Ice cream is often cited as America's favorite dessert, with 97% of Americans saying they love or like ice cream, according to a 2024 International Dairy Foods Association survey. The average American consumes about 20 pounds — almost 4 gallons — of ice cream each year, the association also reported.

Because consumers eat ice cream so often, they're more likely to make an effort to find a brand that enables them to "enjoy ice cream without that guilt and the feeling that you're doing something wrong or bad for yourself," Webster said.

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Foods marketed as "natural" are not the same as "risk-free," and "high protein" is not the same as healthy, Shelke noted.

"Safety and benefit are designed at the formulation stage, not conferred by a claim on the front of the box," she said.

Consumers should beware of light ice creams that use the sugar alcohol erythritol, which is produced through the fermentation of corn, Shelke said.

She cited a 2023 Cleveland Clinic study, published in Nature Medicine, that linked higher blood erythritol levels with increased rates of heart attack and stroke and found the sweetener appeared to make platelets more likely to form clots.

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"The context matters: that is an association in at-risk cardiac patients, it concerns circulating blood levels rather than any single serving and it has been debated in the literature. The authors notably called for long-term safety studies," Shelke said.

"Not a reason to panic. Just a reason to pay attention."

Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 3, 2026

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:00:06 -0400

Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz, featuring a primary upset in Colorado, while police identify the Empire State Building climbers as foreign daredevils.

Looking for another challenge?

Second lady Usha Vance mocking The New York Times for reading political significance into her Old Navy maternity dress and the New York Knicks celebrating their NBA title were featured in last week's News Quiz.

Test your knowledge of cruise controversies, wedding whispers and more in this week's American Culture Quiz.

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

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

Maine man uses truck to rescue moose calf from charging bear: 'I knew what I had to do'

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:50:35 -0400

A Maine couple used their pickup truck to save a moose calf from a charging bear during a routine fishing trip Thursday, helping reunite the young animal with its mother.

Todd Malcolm told The Associated Press he believed the bear would catch the calf unless he intervened.

"I knew what I had to do and I just did it," Malcolm said.

WOMAN STALKED BY CHARGING BEAR ON MORNING DOG WALK CAPTURES TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER ON CAMERA

The encounter began when Todd and Elvia Malcolm spotted a female moose near the edge of the woods in Telos Township, Maine, and pulled over hoping to snap a photo.

"I said to Elvia, I said, ‘Grab your phone because you’re going to get a chance to get a picture of a moose,’" Todd Malcolm said.

After parking their truck, the couple noticed the moose appeared unusually agitated — and, as it turned out, for good reason.

TWO HIKERS CAPTURE TERRIFYING VIDEO OF CHARGING GRIZZLY BEARS AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Moments later, a bear and the moose calf burst from the woods and sprinted directly toward their truck, they told the AP.

Todd Malcolm said he was convinced the bear would catch the vulnerable calf and decided to intervene.

"I put the truck in drive and I just stepped on the gas," he said.

CALIFORNIA COUPLE FIGHTS OFF 70-POUND BLACK BEAR WITH HATCHET AND WATER BOTTLE OUTSIDE THEIR HOME

Malcolm said he didn't want to hurt the bear and only intended to put the truck between the predator and the calf.

His plan worked, and the bear darted to the side of the road before disappearing back into the woods.

"Boom, gone, right in the woods," he said.

The ordeal was just as nerve-racking for Elvia Malcolm.

"My heart was racing because I did not want to witness the bear catching the calf," she told the AP. "As soon as the calf got past the truck and we were able to get the bear to give up the chase, I looked up the road and saw that they were together, the mom and the calf."

Despite the chaos, Elvia Malcolm said she still managed to capture several photographs of the dramatic encounter.

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"I really thought I probably got like a bug on the windshield when I started to look at them," she said. "I took them through the front windshield of the truck. I wasn’t outside the truck. No way was I getting outside the truck."

The couple later continued their fishing trip after watching the moose calf reunite with its mother.

Louisiana attorney general accused of threatening local officials in criminal indictment

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:29:21 -0400

A New Orleans grand jury on Thursday indicted Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on charges including intimidation and malfeasance, accusing the state's top law enforcement officer of threatening local officials during a high-profile political dispute over the Orleans Parish criminal court clerk's office.

The 16-count indictment accuses Louisiana's first female attorney general of threatening local officials with removal from office if they proceeded with actions she believed violated state law.

Assistant District Attorney Laurie White, who is prosecuting the case, said Thursday she expects it to be "very simple" and "very open and shut."

INDICTED SPLC CHIEF FACES HOUSE GRILLING OVER ALLEGED SECRET PAYMENTS TO KKK MEMBERS

Murrill responded in a post on X, calling the indictment "retaliatory, meritless, and unconstitutional" and saying she would immediately appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

"I will not back down," Murrill wrote. "I will continue enforcing the law, fighting corruption, and doing the job the people of Louisiana elected me to do."

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry also defended Murrill, saying he would pardon her "as fast as the law allows."

NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR DEMANDS FEDERAL REPARATIONS AFTER ACCUSING DEA OF FUELING STATE'S FENTANYL CRISIS

Landry said Murrill "will not have to worry about having her reputation tarnished by this kangaroo grand jury or the Orleans Kangaroo court."

"The criminal justice system is a circus at its finest in Orleans and we will not have any of that!" he added.

In a follow-up post, Landry called for an investigation into the grand jury proceedings.

NEW MEXICO AG LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO DEA OVER ALLEGATIONS AGENTS LET FENTANYL FLOOD STATE

"Based on the information contained in the motion by @AGLizMurrill, I am ordering the State Police to immediately begin investigating the alleged improprieties of this grand jury and those who ran it!"

The indictment stems from a months-long dispute between state leaders and New Orleans officials over the Orleans Parish criminal court clerk's office.

At Landry's urging, Louisiana lawmakers approved a Republican-backed overhaul that eliminated the elected Orleans Parish criminal court clerk position after Calvin Duncan, a man who spent nearly three decades in prison before his conviction was overturned, won the office. The law transferred the position's duties to the parish's civil court clerk, preventing Duncan from taking office.

After New Orleans officials sought to install Duncan or create a path for him to assume the office, Murrill warned they could face removal under Louisiana's "usurper" laws, which prohibit support for an unauthorized officeholder. Prosecutors allege those warnings formed the basis of the criminal charges against her.

"We’re very interested in elected officials in New Orleans not being intimidated or threatened by letter or any other way," White told reporters after the indictment was unsealed.

Bond for Murrill was set at $400,000 on Thursday, according to court records.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Murrill's office for additional comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Socialist Surge: Far-left Democrats test national playbook after blue-city primary shocks

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:53 -0400

The far left is taking its political playbook nationwide, moving from high-profile primary wins in New York City and Colorado to a string of upcoming Democratic contests in Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida.

After far-left and socialist-aligned candidates scored ballot-box victories over establishment-backed contenders in congressional primaries in New York City and Colorado the past two weeks, the left is taking aim at the Midwest.

Hours after Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed challenger and first-time candidate Melat Kiros toppled 15-term Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in Tuesday's primary in Denver's deep blue 1st Congressional District, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri pledged on social media, "On August 4th, St. Louis will do the same."

Kiros’ victory, coupled with wins a week earlier by three far-left congressional candidates heavily supported by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is emboldening progressives as they try to turn isolated blue-city upsets into a national pressure campaign against the Democratic Party.

VICTORIES BY MAMDANI-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES SPOTLIGHTS GROWING RIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

"Only socialism can solve decades of capitalist mismanagement in the US. Our newly elected leaders will fight for the working class — not for crumbs," the DSA proclaimed in a social media post on Wednesday.

In Missouri, the DSA-backed Bush is running to win back her seat in the state's St. Louis-anchored 1st Congressional District.

Bush, a nurse, pastor and Black Lives Matter activist, first ran against Democratic Rep. Lacy Clay in 2018 before ousting him in the 2020 Democratic primary. But two years ago, she lost renomination to St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell, who was backed by millions in outside money, including pro-Israel groups opposed to Bush's position on the war in Gaza.

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Fast forward to today, and Bush and Clay are locked in an expensive and combative rematch.

The far left is also training its firepower on the crucial Great Lakes battleground of Michigan, which holds its primary on the same day as Missouri.

Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director who unsuccessfully ran for governor eight years ago as an insurgent, is one of three major candidates trying to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, D-Fla.

Backed last year by far left champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, El-Sayed on Thursday was endorsed by progressive rockstar Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

THESE MIDTERM RACES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER REPUBLICANS HOLD THEIR SENATE MAJORITY

"AOC has changed the trajectory of American politics and inspired a generation to believe that government really can work for working people," El-Sayed wrote on social media. "Together, we’re proving that even in the face of unprecedented outside spending, a movement powered by the people can win."

One week later, on Aug. 11, Wisconsin holds primaries.

Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong is on the rise among a crowded field of candidates in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

"It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist," the DSA-aligned Hong posted on X last week after the progressive victories in New York City, in which two Democratic congressional incumbents lost renomination. "Wisconsin is next!"

A week later, the spotlight will shine on Florida, where DSA-backed Oliver Larkin is challenging two-term Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., in the state's 25 Congressional District, which includes portions of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

"Tonight, @MelatKirosCO, tomorrow @OliverALarkin. The movement moves from New York to Colorado to FLORIDA!," the DSA wrote on X hours after Kiros' victory.

Kiros, who lost her job as a lawyer in New York after writing an essay critical of Israel, was also backed by Justice Democrats, the nearly decade-old political group known for heavily supporting "Squad" members Ocasio-Cortez, and Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib as they toppled entrenched incumbents in their initial elections to Congress.

Hasan Piker, the controversial far-left streamer who attended Kiros’ primary night event in Denver, told Fox News, "I think progressive politics, left populism, a politics that centers the needs of the working class, can work in every district, in every state. That's why I kept saying over and over again, it's coming to a city near you."

Progressives also scored an impressive victory in the neighboring 8th Congressional District, a crucial swing seat which stretches along the I-25 corridor north of Denver.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel tallied a convincing double-digit victory over former state Rep. Shannon Bird, a more moderate candidate. Rutinel will now take on Republican Rep. Gabe Evans, who flipped the seat in the 2024 cycle.

The race is considered one of two or three dozen that will determine if the GOP holds onto its razor-thin House majority in the midterms.

Longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital that "it is undeniable that progressives have built a coalition and have a message that can serve to buoy a candidate when they are an acceptable alternative to the status quo."

While plenty of mainstream Democrats have racked up primary victories in recent weeks, it is the far left's wins that are grabbing the media spotlight.

And that is giving Republicans who are facing a rough political climate as they work to hold their slim House and Senate majorities, more ammunition as they portray all Democrats as radicals.

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President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of a "communist" threat.

Vice President JD Vance argued Tuesday on Fox News’ "The Ingraham Angle" that Democrats have "a view that the United States is an evil country that must be dismantled from the ground and then built back up. That's communism at its core, and you see more and more momentum in that direction from the Democrat Party."

Mamdani's advice for seniors gets brutally mocked after urging New Yorkers to limit AC use

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:45 -0400

Shortly after urging city residents to scale back their air conditioning use to reduce strain on the power grid, socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned older residents to be mindful of prolonged summer heat.

"If you have an older loved one, friend or neighbor, check in with them today. Make sure they’re staying hydrated, spending time in the air-conditioned spaces whenever possible and know where to find the nearest cooling center," Mamdani wrote in a post to X.

It didn’t take long for the reactions online to point out the clashing sets of instructions.

"You just told old people to keep their air at 78. Are you on drugs?" Gina Milan, a conservative media personality, wrote in a post to social media.

"Mamdani: Older adults are at greater risk for heat-related illness, especially during prolonged periods of extreme heat. Also Mamdani: set your AC to 78 degrees," another observer wrote.

MAMDANI CLAIMS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS CAN WIN ‘ANYWHERE’ AS DEMOCRATS FEUD OVER PARTY’S FUTURE

"How does he expect these older adults to stay cool if he wants them to keep their thermostat at 78?" another user wrote.

Social media users continue to monitor Mamdani's online directives and his policies as the self-proclaimed socialist navigates the realities of implementing many of his campaign promises.

In the lead-up to his mayoral victory in November, Mamdani claimed that quality of life could not be separated from reactions to climate change.

"Climate and quality of life are not two separate concerns. They are, in fact, one and the same," Mamdani said in an interview with the Nation last year, proposing new school infrastructure that would serve as shelters during extreme heat waves.

However, Mamdani noted earlier this week that the city’s existing infrastructure was struggling with capacity, asking residents to cap their AC units at 78 degrees.

SOCIALISM VS CAPITALISM: HOUSE DEMS CLASH OVER WHAT NY ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR PARTY

"New York: it's hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool," Mamdani posted on X.

The request is a part of a series of other measures the city is deploying to counter the heat, including Cooling Outreach On-Location (COOL) vans, extending pool hours and an additional eight cooling centers through sites such as libraries.

"Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can. Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment. A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand — and get through the heat — together."

Conservatives expressed skepticism of the plan.

"Show us your thermostat, commie," reality TV star and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS

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Notably, one observer on X pointed out that Republican New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had issued similar instructions in 1999, citing an archived press release.

According to the New York Mayoral Office, the city is predicting a heat wave that could reach up to 112, calling it "historic," in a press release on Wednesday.

We should tell real American adventure stories to teach our boys about heroes

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:40 -0400

My 13-year-old son’s "social studies" textbooks appear to be written by committees whose chief concern is to dull boys’ minds in order to make them open to indoctrination by politically correct dictum.

Indeed, the very term "social studies" was promulgated by a Progressive Era committee.

"The social studies are understood to be those whose subject matter relate to the organization and development of human society, and to man as a member of social groups," decided the National Education Association’s (NEA) Committee on Social Studies in 1916. They thought it would be better to present history in the context of social narratives to teach politically useful interpretations.

OBAMA TAKES NEW SWIPE AT FOUNDING FATHERS AHEAD OF AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY: 'DEEP FLAW'

The bad idea soon spread across the land.

And so boys, now for more than a century, have not been told the real story about how George Washington had two horses shot out from under him in the Battle of the Monongahela in 1755, yet still attempted to get the stubborn British general to change tactics as they were being slaughtered, and when this failed, how a then 23-year-old Washington saved what was left of the British army.

Today’s textbooks don’t set the scene to vividly show how Washington rallied a frozen army to cross the Delaware River to take Trenton on Christmas in 1776. They certainly don’t put the boys in the room to show an older Washington wiping his glasses as he made his former officers feel shame for attempting to make him a dictator or king in the Newburgh Conspiracy in 1783.

SECRETS OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLEFIELDS EMERGE 250 YEARS AFTER AMERICA'S FOUNDING

No, all of those stories have, at best, become dead dates on a page.

The stories of adventure and human achievement are gone. In their place are narratives about social ills and the conflicts between races, men and women, the rich and the poor.

All of those are important themes, but instead of honestly putting today’s students in the footsteps of human action, our boys are drowned in passively written prose, or worse, in preachy diatribes, as if to purposely uninspire them — or perhaps to safely, as committees will, navigate around the real things that teach.

DISCOVERIES THAT RESHAPED WHAT HISTORIANS KNEW ABOUT AMERICA'S FOUNDING FATHERS

We now wonder why our boys are struggling in school. When we do, we talk about how growing boys need to get up from those rows of desks, move around, play sports and experiment. Again, that is all true, but no one is talking about how real tales of adventure have been turned into thin politically correct gruel.

Instead of just telling boys how many patents Thomas Edison had or simply reporting that he gave us a long-lasting incandescent lightbulb, how about telling them how he was tossed out of school for being "addled" when he was a boy? How about teachers explaining about how one of Edison’s experiments set fire to a train when he was 12 years old — a period in which he was busy printing his own newspaper on that train?

As they do, they could explain that just after he was thrown off that train, the stationmaster at Mount Clemens — who owed Edison for saving his son’s life — taught Edison how to be a telegraph operator and so helped to set the course of his life and thereby changed the world. An educator could then set the scene of Edison, much later, as he ran his "Invention Factory," a place that must have inspired the Tony Stark (Iron Man) character.

If a teacher started telling real stories of adventure like these, I guarantee the boys in class would sit still a lot longer and listen a lot more attentively. The real stories stay with us. Indeed, within them are the themes that school administrators, via social-studies classes, want to emphasize; only, instead of dumbed-down narratives designed to indoctrinate, they’d be teaching well-rounded, honest history.

Consider Davy Crockett. We could toss out his years and note that he was caught between the cultural friction then occurring between people of European descent moving west and members of Native American tribes. Or we could talk about his heroic stand against the Indian Removal Act and how, after he lost his seat in Congress the second time because of this moral stand, he said (this is the popular paraphrase of the quote), "You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." Then, talk about his last stand at the Alamo and even show a picture of the knife he died fighting with — it is now on display in the San Jacinto Museum in Harris County, Texas.

Boys would go home still talking about that!

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Instead of doing any of that, the committees who write our kids’ textbooks flipped the script in the Progressive Era so they could reduce the great men of history into useful caricatures as they shoved history into politically correct filters.

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Parents need to push back, as the real stories are what excite and teach boys. Real stories about the Founders and other great leaders stay with us. Anyone who has heard about Teddy Roosevelt’s capture of the three outlaws in Dakota Territory in 1886 can picture how he marched them at gunpoint for 36 hours straight and that, after getting them to the town of Dickinson, everyone, including the bad guys, was surprised he had not simply hung them on the spot.

America has some of the coolest heroes, but we don’t do a good job these days of telling their stories. This is, of course, why I wrote "Cool Heroes for Boys—20 True Tales of Adventure" for my son and for America’s boys, but don’t just hand them a book. Rather, talk to them about these heroes and all they faced and what they got right and wrong. As you do, you’ll find that it’s the real stories of adventure that gets boys interested in learning.

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Democrats' socialist surge proves America's 250-year fight for freedom isn't over

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:39 -0400

Just two years ago, no one would have believed it.

While Donald Trump and Republicans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of America, the freest and most powerful nation on Earth, Democrats and their rising radical tide are embracing communism, the worst and most destructive political system in history.

In June, Marxist radicals calling themselves Democratic Socialists swept the New York City primaries, confirming the trend that’s upended the Democratic establishment and created what one of those candidates dubbed "the Commie Corridor," stretching from New York to other blue states and cities.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM IS SWEEPING THE NATION. VOTERS SHOULD BE ALARMED

Don’t be fooled by the name. Democratic Socialists of America may not call themselves communists, but they work closely with communist fronts like Red Star and Springs of Revolution, and even the Communist Party of China. The DSA has successfully drawn young people and other dupes into the Marxist fold, with their promise of free everything by confiscating the wealth of Elon Musk and other "billionaires and oligarchs." They’ve vowed to replace the "rugged individualism" of American capitalism with what their kingmaker, Zohran Mamdani, calls the "warmth of collectivism" — another name for communism.

Let’s look at the record of that collective warmth. Since the first revolution in Russia in 1917, communist governments have cost, by a very conservative estimate, more than 100 million lives, including 20 million in the Soviet Union, 65 million in China, 3 million in Vietnam and Cambodia, and millions more from Cuba to Africa and North Korea.

MY MOTHER FLED CUBA AND FOUND THE FREEDOM TOO MANY AMERICANS NOW FORGET

Communist-style socialism has brought poverty, mass starvation and subsistence misery to tens of millions worldwide. It has turned countries with once-flourishing societies like Venezuela into economic basket cases; reduced others like Poland and Romania to Third World status — including the former Soviet Union — until Ronald Reagan and the United States won the Cold War and set them free.

Socialists like to say, "Capitalism kills," but socialism and communism kill many, many more.

What’s the United States’ record during those same years? Radicals like to attack the American "military-industrial complex," even though it managed to set free millions with victory in World War II and then in the Cold War. It may be poised to do something similar in Iran.

AMERICA’S NEXT 250 YEARS DEPEND ON PASSING FAITH AND FREEDOM TO OUR CHILDREN

They blame America for supposed "genocide" against Native Americans, just as they blame Israel for genocide today. The truth is, deaths of Native Americans in frontier wars pale by comparison with the actual genocide waged by Spanish settlers in Mexico and across Latin America, or the Russians in conquering Siberia — or the Chinese against their Muslim Uyghur minority today.

They attack Trump for "anti-immigrant" policies when, in fact, it’s been America’s highly successful capitalist economy that’s drawn immigrants, legal and illegal, for 250 years.

By contrast, socialist and communist economies attract no one. Just the opposite: People flee the result as soon as they can, as they did from East Germany, Cuba and North Korea, and just as they’re doing from America’s socialist offshoots in California, Illinois and New York.

That’s because, in the end, socialism and Marxism are a rebellion against human nature, even — with their embrace of transgender extremism — against nature itself. Socialism asks people to abandon their sense of individualism, their personal commitment to family, faith and nation, in order to serve what socialists call the common good — which means what their socialist and communist masters decide is the common good.

That includes handing over whatever you own or have earned for yourself. Socialists like to say private property is theft. In fact, under socialism, government is theft. "What you thought was yours," it tells its citizens, "is actually mine. And I’ll decide how much I’m going to leave you after I take what I want."

Abraham Lincoln once said the principle behind slavery was, "You work and toil and earn bread, and I'll eat it." That’s the principle behind socialism, as a modern version of slavery. It’s one millions in the former Soviet Union endured, and that millions more in Cuba, North Korea and China are enduring still.

Fortunately, our Founding Fathers knew this. They knew enough history to know how, in a free society, demagogues like Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders could manipulate millions of voters into believing that economics is a zero-sum game and that the only way to make their lives better is by stealing from other citizens.

Therefore, our Founders built into their Declaration of Independence the principle that our rights are God-given, not government-given, including that all-precious "pursuit of happiness," which is left to the individual, not government, to define and discover.

They included the Fifth Amendment in the Bill of Rights, which protects your property under the takings clause.

They also made sure that the power of individuals to create and discover new ideas and technologies would be safe under our Constitution, with the creation, under Article I, Section 8, of the right to intellectual property and patents, which Lincoln, himself a patent holder, predicted would unleash the "fire of genius" that has grown and sustained the freest and richest economy on Earth, from the telegraph and electric light bulb to the automobile, the microchip, and today’s AI and quantum computers. What America as a free society is able to create, communist regimes like China have to steal, as socialism dries up human creativity and imagination, even as it rejects human nature.

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In short, our Founding Fathers made sure America would become a fountainhead of other founders — people with the vision, drive and realization that risk is a signal for opportunity, not danger — who would spawn businesses, industries, institutions and even movements like civil rights under Martin Luther King Jr. and Turning Point USA under the late Charlie Kirk. Founders who would boost their fellow Americans’ pursuit of happiness and freedom, instead of forcing them to submit to the Marxist dream of utopia.

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Americanism or communism; freedom or slavery; an economy built on human creativity and invention, or one built on organized theft. That’s the choice Americans face, not just in the upcoming midterms and then in 2028, but far into the future.

The original Founders trusted us enough to believe we’d continue to make the right choice, as we have over the last 250 years. Let’s hope and pray they were right.

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wild wedding weekend could include unusually long 'cocktail hour'

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:30 -0400

As Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce get set to tie the knot at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday, July 3, a hot topic of debate is the celebrity couple's plans for a cocktail hour ahead of their ceremony — an event that could far surpass the traditional hour and instead go as long as 2.5 hours, according to multiple reports about the weekend events.

"Yes, cocktail hours traditionally last one hour," said Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore in response to reports about the unusual length of the pre-wedding event as part of a whirlwind day that could last into the wee hours of Friday evening. "This gives the newly married couple time to take pictures, and it gives the guests time to socialize and relax."

But "sometimes," she said, "the cocktail party can last more than an hour if the wedding party is quite large, running late — or if guests and the wedding party have to travel quite a distance to the reception venue."

TAYLOR SWIFT'S UNUSUAL WEDDING GIFTS RULE IGNITES ETIQUETTE DEBATE: 'HONOR THEIR WISHES'

Whitmore also said that, in her view, "it’s perfectly acceptable for the cocktail hour to run longer, as long as enough food and beverages are provided. Otherwise, the guests will most likely get cranky."

As Fox News Digital previously reported, Swift’s wedding to three-time Super Bowl winner Kelce may be a days-long affair involving street closures, hundreds of VIPs, a special police detail and taxpayer-funded security measures, according to a source with knowledge of the event.

Roughly 1,000 guests are expected to attend — with many described as "high profile" and "VIP" by the police department.

The reported schedule is igniting debate, however.

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"Hospitality is measured by comfort, not by the clock," said Lisa Mirza Grotts, a California-based etiquette expert and founder of Golden Rules Gal.

"If guests are well-fed and have plenty to drink, comfortable seating and opportunities to mingle, the celebration simply begins earlier. At larger weddings, an extended cocktail party also allows the couple more time to greet family and friends before the ceremony."

She also said that today's weddings "are less about following a timeline and more about creating an experience. Traditionally, the ceremony came first and the celebration followed. Today, many couples are reimagining that order."

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She noted that a "cocktail party before the ceremony allows guests to relax, connect with one another and settle into the celebration before the vows are exchanged."

When a bride writing on Reddit asked about her own planned two-hour cocktail party, many commenters had strong opinions.

"So cocktails are from 4:30-6:30? That does seem like a long time," one Reddit user said.

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"Don’t do this to your guests. A lot of couples just don’t attend cocktail hour because of photos and that’s totally fine. If you really want to attend cocktail hour, do all your photos beforehand," another said.

"I think two hours is [way] too long. One hour should be the cap for a cocktail hour. You can sneak away for the sunset photos during dinner," a third person chimed in.

A fourth said, "There’s a reason it’s called cocktail HOUR, and not cocktail two-hours! You could push it to 90 minutes if absolutely necessary, but two hours is definitely too long."

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"Seems a little long! I'd be exhausted and people may get very drunk," yet another said.

Whitmore said etiquette rules are in place for a reason.

Still, "wedding traditions have changed, and that’s perfectly fine," said the Florida-based authority. "The one thing that should never go out of style is consideration for your guests."

Michael Ruiz of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Navy SEAL who killed bin Laden says America's 250th proves hard work still pays, warns of 'victimhood' culture

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:29 -0400

Former U.S. Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill, who is credited with killing Usama bin Laden, reflected on America's 250th anniversary, praising opportunities for those willing to work hard while urging Americans to preserve the nation's values amid what he described as a growing hatred of its history.

"As we come up on our 250th anniversary of being the greatest country ever, it's just the opportunity here from my personal experience that reminds me, and I almost get to a point where I'm jealous of younger men that were my age when I joined because they literally have the world at their fingertips," O'Neill told Fox News Digital.

"You can do anything, seriously, in this country."

O'Neill, who served with SEAL Team 6 during Operation Neptune Spear, the 2011 raid that killed the al Qaeda mastermind and chief, encouraged more young people to step outside their comfort zones and contribute to America’s success.

BILL MAHER TELLS LIBERALS TO STOP 'PARTISAN SULKING' AND JOIN AMERICA 250 PARTY

"I'm able to attribute a lot of my successes in life simply because I left the house," he said. "I went to join the military, and I did. In this country, I just proved you can do anything by not doing one thing. I just didn't stop. I never quit."

Looking back on his service, O'Neill said it was a "great honor" to leave home, rise through the ranks on merit, and earn a place on a team chosen solely on ability, calling his experience an example of "the greatness of the country."

"That team was proof of equal opportunity," he said. "You have an equal opportunity to try out, but you're gonna be tested every day, and if you don't pass, we're just gonna get rid of you. But the team was built because of this country, and the country has the ability to do that over and over again."

As millions prepare to celebrate the anniversary, O'Neill acknowledged that not everyone views the milestone positively, blaming a growing "victimhood" mindset for turning people away from the nation's history.

YOUTUBER AMIR ODOM CHALLENGES BLACK AMERICANS TO REJECT VICTIMHOOD AND RECLAIM THEIR FUTURE

"Part of the issue is we stop teaching our kids the past, and we're actually raising a lot of victims," he said. "I don't know why the victimhood is here. Maybe it's because the country is so great, we have to look back on the past and invent problems, and that's what we're doing right now."

A driving force behind this growing disdain is "institutional cowardice," according to O'Neill, who warned that "if we keep importing the enemy and won't call it what it is," the country risks deeper political division and, ultimately, "civil war."

"We're at a place right now of institutional cowardice where we're importing people based on untruths because people in political positions know that they'll vote for them if they keep doing what they're doing," he said.

"Once that base starts growing, they're going to get rid of what was referred to by communists as the 'useful idiots.' It's growing right now. I mean, it's almost ironic that we can look over the ocean at Great Britain on an anniversary from a country where we gained independence, and it's not like looking at another nation. We're looking at a glimpse into our future."

O'Neill said the nation loses its strength despite its ability to "win anything with force," arguing America would need to "import the enemy in order to lose."

"We're seeing right now that we can win anything with force, but we need to import the enemy in order to lose," he said. "What I mean by that is if we get infiltrated, pound for pound, we're never gonna lose a fight. Instead of telling the truth, we just try to appease. That's what we're seeing right now. We win the wars that we're in until we involve too many laws that we make up ourselves."

WHO IS RAISING AMERICA'S CHILDREN? MENTOR WARNS KIDS ARE SEEKING ROLE MODELS ONLINE AS COMMUNITIES FADE

But O'Neill said America can continue to succeed if it preserves its founding values, saying the country is "fragile" as "it's still an experiment."

Pointing to the British, Persian, and Ottoman empires as examples of powerful nations that eventually declined, O’Neill said America's 250-year run does not guarantee its future and people "need to reflect on our great nation and how it's very important that we keep it that way."

"We gotta realize that the American project, the experiment that it is, it's still worth continuing, and it's good to see that we made it 250 years, but also keep in mind, that's usually the lifetime of most empires," he said.

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O'Neill said people should not take the country's freedoms and opportunities for granted, saying he has seen "true poverty and real dictators" and that "it's a blessing" to be here.

"We need to realize that we have been padded by two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic, and you don't want to do the whole 'don't know what you got until it's gone,' because this country is great," he said.

The lesson we can learn from Bicentennial history is to party like it’s 1976

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:28 -0400

Can Americans come together over the next week to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary? With the country seemingly split into irreconcilable, and increasingly violent, camps, storm clouds darken the summer commemorations. Those worrying that the Semiquincentennial will be a giant bust should look no further than the Bicentennial. Plagued by similar fears, the Bicentennial turned into the biggest party the country had ever seen. Today, Americans should take heart and party like it’s 1976.

America’s two-hundredth anniversary came either at the worst possible moment or just in time. The previous 13 years had been among the most violent and disruptive since the Great Depression, possibly even the Civil War. The upheavals of the Civil Rights Movement had been punctuated by the tragic assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. America’s postwar consensus had spectacularly disintegrated barely two decades after the resounding victory in World War II.

To many, America had fundamentally changed. After the assassinations and riots, and the lies of Vietnam and Watergate, the country had become more cynical and distrusting of government, the elites, and big business. As a Boston Globe columnist wrote, the great issue in the 1976 presidential campaign would be "to restore confidence of the American people in their government and themselves," short of which he feared the country would remain "purposeless, rudderless, powerless."

MS NOW GUEST ADMITS 'GREAT TREPIDATION' ABOUT CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH, CLAIMS COUNTRY IS BEING DESTROYED

In a country at once exhausted and divided, it could well be questioned whether Americans would celebrate or jeer the Bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence. Overwhelmingly, they celebrated.

As the jubilee approached, Bicentennial fever swept the country. A torrent of words on the Declaration and the Revolution poured off the presses, most with praise, many also arguing that America still struggled to live up to the promises of her founding document.

Over 12,566 towns and cities participated in the Bicentennial Communities project, renovating parks and historic buildings or building new community centers. Over seven million Americans visited the Freedom Train, which left Wilmington, Del., on April 1, 1975, and crisscrossed the country before ending its run on Dec. 31, 1976. As many as 10 million tourists toured Independence Hall and saw the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Queen Elizabeth II made a triumphal state visit, landing first in Philadelphia.

HOW CAPITALISM MISSED OUT AND FAILED TO CAPITALIZE ON AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

Against all expectations, the Bicentennial turned into both the greatest patriotic celebration and the greatest sales event in American history. Decades before e-commerce made buying with a click ubiquitous, Bicentennial hats, shirts, flags, medallions, coins, mini–Liberty Bells, commemorative booklets, posters, pillow covers, bed linens and pewter engravings sold by the millions through mail-order or catalogs.

Not surprisingly, Washington, D.C., was the center of the celebrations. Over 1.2 million people viewed the Declaration and Constitution at the National Archives over the course of 1976, while on July 2, the Archives opened its doors for a marathon seventy-six-hour "vigil," during which over 10,000 visitors stood in lines more than three hours long to gaze up at the priceless parchment.

Two days later, a street party took over Constitution Avenue in front of the National Archives, as 8,000 people gathered for a reading of the Declaration, heard patriotic songs and then joined in the cutting of a six-foot-tall, multilayered birthday cake.

NEW ORLEANS HOSTS FIRST STOP OF SAIL 250 AS FLEET BEGINS EAST COAST JOURNEY

On the morning of July 4, famed composer Leonard Bernstein read the Declaration before a crowd in Manhattan’s Battery Park. At 2 p.m. Eastern Time, bells rang out across the nation for two minutes, from church steeples, town halls and firehouses. Parades large and small snaked through Main Streets across the nation as people celebrated with barbecues, sports activities and bands. That evening, over a million people packed the National Mall and lined the Potomac to witness a gigantic pyrotechnics display depicting eras in America’s past.

The Bicentennial celebrations did not magically solve all of America’s problems or create eternal fellowship. There were protests and condemnations of the country. However, the vast majority of Americans showed both pride and some badly needed perspective on their history. As an opinion poll taken by the Gallup Organization in June 1976 revealed, 77% of respondents felt that "we had succeeded over these 200 years in achieving the ideals for which this country was founded."

This year, away from the drama in Washington, social media anger and media sensationalism, it’s likely many Americans will feel the same way about their country’s 250th. There is a "Freedom Plane" currently touring the country, and exhibitions at the National Archives, Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution, as well as at local museums and presidential libraries are drawing thousands of Americans to view artifacts from the country’s past. A new bevy of books on the founding, the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence are all being published, and documentaries are being streamed.

Despite the anger manifested online and in the streets, despite rising incivility and political cage-match rhetoric, and even despite assassination attempts by a handful of deranged individuals, the vast majority of the country goes about its daily life peacefully. Debate and even heated argument about the country’s past are part of our tradition, not signs of imminent civil war.

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Our economic problems are serious, our politicians often incompetent, and our schools failing, among other concerns. Yet we need to remember why millions still come to these shores, why opportunity here is still open for the taking, and why very few Americans would trade life here for political systems in China, Russia or even most of Europe.

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As America reaches 250, we remain a great nation, even as we strive to fix our ills and create a more perfect Union. If that task remains forever unfinished, it does not delegitimize the country’s existence or our achievements, but calls us to recommit to the principles of the Declaration. Most of us, I am willing to bet, would agree deep down with the words of the Memphis Tri-State Defender, a Black newspaper, written in 1976: "This land is the only land that we have to live in, and most importantly, few Black Americans want to leave it for some other place."

So, don’t worry, be happy, and embrace the "Spirit of ’76."

WATCH: Controversial SCOTUS decision strikes a divide among lawmakers

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:00:48 -0400

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill had split reactions to the Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down President Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, further allowing children born in the United States to be recognized as U.S. citizens.

"It's a terrible decision," Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.

"Regulate folks before they come in — in terms of not coming here just to have a baby and leave," Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said.

"In terms of the immigration process coming in, there should be regulation. Not that once you're born here that we're going to denaturalize you," he continued.

REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS

The case, which left many Republicans and Democrats divided, challenged Trump’s executive order to detach birthright citizenship from the 14th Amendment. Most Democrats who Fox News Digital spoke to argued that if the ruling had gone the other way, it would have been considered unconstitutional.

"I think they got it right," Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas said. "The Supreme Court said that the Constitution says what it says. That if anybody even has a question about what the 14th Amendment says, I think it's a little embarrassing. So I'm glad they got it right."

TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

"I believe in the Constitution," Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said when asked about the ruling.

"The Constitution is the Constitution. If you don't like the Constitution, you can try to change it," Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said. "But honestly, I think we've got much bigger problems as a country than Americans trying to live their lives as birthright citizens."

The 6-3 decision highlights a significant loss for Trump’s immigration agenda as he has criticized birthright citizenship as a "magnet for illegal immigration."

ICE SURGES ENFORCEMENT, MAKES 10,000 ARRESTS IN FIVE DAYS AMID SUPREME COURT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP DECISION

"I think the president has an obsession with immigrants in this country," Rep. Sarah Elfreth, D-Md., said. "He's hell-bent on making it as uncomfortable as possible. We've seen that time and again with ICE, we've seen this with an attack on the 14th Amendment."

Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Samuel Alito were the three to dissent — arguing the 14th Amendment does not guarantee birthright citizenship to all children born to parents who are unlawfully and temporarily in the country. Alito cited that the ruling fails to recognize the rise of "birth tourism," the concept that foreigners come to America just to give birth, potentially opening the door to national security threats.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., declined to comment on the ruling to Fox News Digital.

"Americans should be happy, because the Constitution means more than one guy’s opinion," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said.

Appeals court blocks Trump admin from holding migrants without bond for over 90 days

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 02:48:54 -0400

An appeals court on Thursday ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot detain immigrants for more than 90 days without giving them an opportunity to seek release on bond while their deportation proceedings are pending.

In a 2-1 ruling, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided against the administration, potentially affecting thousands of immigrants who have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in states within the court's jurisdiction, including Texas and Louisiana.

Judge Leslie Southwick, writing for the majority, said the U.S. Supreme Court found in 2001 that the due process clause protects everyone, including two Mexican citizens and one Honduran whose cases were at issue in this case.

"It is part of the historic majesty of this long-ago founding charter that it makes no exceptions in providing basic rights to those within our boundaries, including a right to be heard when personal liberty is taken," Southwick wrote.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS TRUMP MASS DETENTION POLICY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Cory Wilson said the majority "marginalizes the Constitution's express grant of plenary authority over immigration matters to Congress."

A different panel of the same court had previously been the first in the country to side with the administration's novel interpretation of a federal immigration statute allowing mandatory detention of non-citizens living in the U.S.

However, that ruling in February did not address whether the due process protections of the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment require giving the immigrants an opportunity to seek release on bond by appearing before an immigration judge.

Rebecca Cassler, a lawyer for the migrants at the American Immigration Council, said in a statement to Reuters that the group is "delighted that the panel recognized the core constitutional principle that the due process clause does not allow the government to lock them away indefinitely."

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to the outlet that it disagrees with the ruling, adding that it is "confident in its legal position regarding mandatory detention."

Fox News Digital reached out to the department for comment.

Last week, the administration had asked the Supreme Court to review a similar ruling by a different appeals court.

Federal immigration law states that "applicants for admission" to the country are subject to mandatory detention ⁠while their cases proceed in immigration courts, making them ineligible for bond hearings.

BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY

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Despite a long-standing interpretation of immigration law, the Department of Homeland Security claimed last year that non-citizens who are already in the U.S. qualify as "applicants for admission" subject to mandatory detention, rather than only people arriving at the border.

The Board of Immigration Appeals, which is part of the Justice Department, announced in September that it had adopted the Department of Homeland Security's interpretation.

Immigration judges employed by the department began ordering mandatory detention across the country.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Judge blocks Philadelphia law targeting masked federal officers

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 01:43:03 -0400

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Philadelphia from enforcing against federal officers a law that restricted law enforcement officers’ use of masks, concealed identification and unmarked vehicles.

U.S. District Judge Chad Kenney, issued a preliminary injunction blocking Philadelphia from enforcing the mask ban and other restrictions against federal officers before they are set to take effect on Tuesday.

The judge ruled that the city cannot determine how federal officers conduct operations, siding with the Justice Department, which sued last month and argued the measure was a "blatantly unconstitutional" attempt to regulate federal agents.

"When the Philadelphia City Council voted to pass Bill No. 260060 … it attempted to sidestep the Constitution’s clear mandate and disregarded this fundamental principle of law that has informed American jurisprudence for over 200 years," Kenney wrote, citing the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal law preempts state and local law in cases of conflict.

DOJ ESCALATES BLUE-STATE ICE STANDOFF AFTER STATES REFUSE KEY FEDERAL REQUEST

"Endorsing the City of Philadelphia's position would mean ... municipalities could decide whether to pass their own laws regulating how, when, where, and whether federal law enforcement officers can conceal their identities," he added.

Philadelphia's mask ban against federal officers was approved earlier this year as part of a larger legislative package passed by the City Council amid a national debate over masked immigration agents carrying out raids targeting migrants in communities across the country, with some of these agents documented shooting people, including two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January.

The measure applied to local, state and federal law enforcement officers, but Thursday’s injunction blocked Philadelphia from enforcing it against federal officers. The statute would ban covered officers from wearing masks or shielding their identities while on duty and interacting with the public, with exceptions including medical masks, religious coverings, certain tactical equipment and hazardous conditions. They would also be required to wear visible badges and use marked vehicles in certain circumstances.

The statute would ban federal officers from wearing masks or shielding their identities. They would also be required to wear visible badges and use marked vehicles.

Officers could be subject to civil and criminal penalties under the ordinance.

"This type of direct regulation of the federal government by a municipality is blatantly impermissible," Kenney wrote.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Democrat, declined to sign the bill, saying the city solicitor's office informed her it presented significant legal problems.

Kenney wrote that Parker "acted with civic wisdom and courage to stand up for the Constitution and follow the rule of law where it led" by not signing the measure.

But the bill was not vetoed and became law in May after Parker allowed it to take effect without her signature.

Fox News Digital reached out to the city for comment on Thursday's ruling.

In a statement to Reuters, the Justice Department praised the court's ruling and said the department "will keep fighting jurisdictions that try to obstruct President Trump's immigration enforcement with policies that endanger agents and public safety."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

MINNESOTA SENATE VOTES TO BAN ICE FROM WEARING MASKS, ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SUE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS

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This is just the latest in ongoing legal fights between the Trump administration and state and local governments that have attempted to adopt mask bans or identification requirements affecting federal officers.

On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked a new law in Virginia barring federal law enforcement from wearing masks.

In February, a federal judge halted a California law that prohibited federal officers from wearing masks while on duty.

The Justice Department also sued New Jersey to block a similar mask ban targeting federal officers.

Reuters contributed to this report.

'American Kitchen' serves up the ultimate backyard barbecue menu with steak, ribs, seafood and more

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:01:41 -0400

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, backyard barbecues and home-cooked meals remain at the heart of many Independence Day traditions.

A new Fox Nation special, "American Kitchen: An America 250 BBQ," celebrates those flavors with patriotic recipes, grilling inspiration and dishes that reflect the country's diverse culinary traditions.

Premiering July 3, the special features decorated U.S. Army veteran and celebrity chef Andre Rush alongside chef David Burke, with appearances by chef Robert Irvine, as they showcase classic American cooking and Fourth of July favorites.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S 1757 BEER RECIPE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE AHEAD OF AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY

Below are nine recipes featured in the special, offering everything from classic barbecue favorites to regional dishes inspired by communities across the country.

1. Live-Fire Oak-Smoked Salmon on Cedar & Banana Leaf

A rustic, open-fire method that layers salmon over banana leaf and cedar plank, allowing gentle oak smoke to flavor the fish while keeping it exceptionally moist over live coals.

The banana leaf acts as a protective barrier, preventing the salmon from sticking or drying out during the slow roast. (Yields: 6–8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35–45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salmon

1 side salmon fillet (3–4 lbs), skin-on, pin bones removed

1 untreated cedar plank (large enough to fit fillet)

1 large banana leaf

4–6 food-safe stainless steel nails or metal skewers

Chunk oak firewood, burned down to glowing coals

Spray bottle filled with water

Herb & Garlic Marinade

8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Shallots, roughly chopped

1 cup olive oil

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 bunch dill, roughly chopped

½ cup capers, drained

1 bunch basil

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Buttermilk Herb Sauce

1½ cups buttermilk

¾ cup mayonnaise

¾ cup sour cream

½ bunch basil

2 tbsp chopped dill

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp capers

2 hard-boiled eggs

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Cedar Plank & Banana Leaf

Submerge the cedar plank in water for at least 1–2 hours, or overnight if possible. This prevents the wood from burning too quickly over the fire.

Run the banana leaf under warm water or briefly pass it over a flame for several seconds until pliable. Trim to fit the plank.

2. Build the Fire

Use chunk oak firewood to build a live fire. Allow the wood to burn down until you have a steady bed of glowing coals with low, controlled flames. The goal is gentle smoke and indirect heat rather than aggressive flames.

3. Make the Marinade

In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, shallots, olive oil, parsley, dill, capers, basil, lemon zest and juice.

Blend until rustic but spoonable. Season with salt and black pepper.

Spread the mixture generously over the salmon fillet. Let marinate at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.

4. Assemble the Plank

Lay the banana leaf over the soaked cedar plank.

Place the salmon skin-side down on top of the leaf. Secure the salmon, banana leaf and plank together using stainless steel nails or skewers.

The banana leaf protects the fish while allowing the cedar and oak smoke to gently perfume the salmon.

5. Cook the Salmon

Place the planked salmon near — not directly over — the oak coals.

Cook slowly for 35–45 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches approximately 140°F.

Keep the spray bottle nearby to control any flare-ups from the cedar plank.

6. Make the Buttermilk Herb Sauce

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream.

Finely chop the basil, dill, parsley, capers and hard-boiled eggs. Fold into the dressing mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Chill until ready to serve.

7. Serve

Carefully remove the plank from the fire using heat-resistant gloves.

Lift the salmon from the banana leaf and serve directly from the cedar plank alongside the chilled buttermilk herb sauce.

Serve with grilled lemons, charred vegetables, roasted potatoes or fire-toasted bread.

2. Smoked Bulgogi-Glazed St. Louis Ribs

Slow-smoked until deeply tender and finished with a glossy Korean-inspired bulgogi glaze, these St. Louis ribs balance smoke, sweetness, heat and umami. The combination of soy, garlic, ginger, sesame and gochujang creates a lacquered finish that caramelizes beautifully during the final stage of cooking.

CHEF ON 'AMERICAN KITCHEN' SHARES COMMON SPICE THAT TURNS ORDINARY POTATOES INTO MEDITERRANEAN DELIGHT

Two full racks comfortably serve 6–8 people, depending on portion size and sides. (Yields: 6–8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5½–6 hours
Rest Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Ribs

2 full racks St. Louis-style pork ribs

Yellow mustard, for binding

Dry Rub

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Bulgogi Marinade & Glaze

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

1 Asian pear, grated (or 1 apple)

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp gochujang

1 tbsp black pepper

2 green onions, chopped

Finishing Sauce

½ cup barbecue sauce

¼ cup reserved bulgogi glaze

1 tbsp butter

Garnish

Sesame seeds

Sliced green onions

Pickled vegetables

Fresh cilantro, optional

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Ribs

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs using a paper towel for grip.

Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard.

In a bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients and season the ribs generously on all sides.

Allow the ribs to rest at room temperature while preparing the smoker.

2. Make the Bulgogi Glaze

Combine all bulgogi marinade ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and cool completely.

Reserve 1 cup of the glaze for basting and finishing later.

3. Prepare the Smoker

Preheat the smoker to 250°F.

Use applewood, hickory, oak or a combination for balanced smoke flavor.

Once the smoker is stable and producing clean smoke, place the ribs bone-side down directly on the grates.

4. Smoke the Ribs

Smoke the ribs uncovered for approximately 3 hours.

During this stage, the ribs will develop color, bark, and smoke flavor.

Lightly brush the ribs with bulgogi glaze during the final hour if desired.

5. Wrap the Ribs

Remove the ribs from the smoker.

Brush generously with bulgogi glaze, then wrap each rack tightly in heavy-duty foil with 2 tbsp butter and an extra splash of bulgogi glaze.

Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker and continue cooking for 1½–2 hours, until tender.

The ribs should bend easily and the meat should begin pulling back from the bones.

6. Finish & Caramelize

Carefully unwrap the ribs and return them to the smoker uncovered.

Combine the barbecue sauce, reserved bulgogi glaze and butter to make the finishing sauce.

Brush the ribs generously with the finishing sauce.

Smoke uncovered for an additional 30–45 minutes, allowing the glaze to caramelize into a sticky, lacquered finish.

7. Rest & Serve

Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Finish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, pickled vegetables and fresh cilantro, if desired.

Serve warm with additional glaze alongside steamed rice, grilled vegetables or crisp slaw.

3. Grilled Clambake Foil Packets

A grill-friendly version of a classic coastal clambake, cooked in foil packets over indirect heat until the clams steam open and the butter, wine, lemon and smoky sausage create a rich broth inside the packet.

This recipe can be made as individual foil packets for each guest or one large foil packet served family-style.

FROM YELLOWSTONE TO YOSEMITE, NEW COOKBOOK REVEALS RECIPES INSPIRED BY AMERICA'S MOST ICONIC PARKS

Serve with additional melted or drawn butter on the side, if desired. (Yields: 6–8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30–40 minutes

Ingredients

60 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
6 ears corn, cut into halves or thirds
1¼ lbs smoked sausage, sliced into thick rounds
1 cup dry white wine
1¼ lbs unsalted butter, cubed and divided
½ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ lb pee wee potatoes (or baby potatoes), halved if needed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small handful pea shoots
½ cup sliced peppadew peppers
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Fresh parsley, pea shoots, or lemon wedges for serving
Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Prepare the Grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, approximately 375°F.

For charcoal grills, arrange coals to one side for indirect cooking. For gas grills, leave one burner on low or off to create an indirect heat zone.

Close the lid and allow the grill to fully preheat.

2. Par-Cook the Potatoes & Corn

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes until slightly tender.

Add the corn during the final 3–4 minutes of cooking. Drain well.

3. Assemble the Foil Packets

Tear large sheets of heavy-duty foil.

For individual packets, divide all ingredients evenly among 6–8 packets. For one large packet, use a double layer of foil and pile everything into the center.

Layer potatoes, corn, sausage, cherry tomatoes, peppadew peppers and clams.

Pour the white wine and lemon juice evenly over the mixture.

Distribute the cubed butter throughout the packets. As the packets cook, the butter combines with the wine, clam juices and lemon to create the broth.

Season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.

Top with pea shoots.

Seal the packets tightly, crimping all edges securely to trap the steam.

4. Grill the Clambake

Place the packets on the indirect heat side of the grill.

Close the lid and cook for 30–40 minutes, depending on packet size and grill temperature.

Rotate the packets once during cooking for even heat distribution.

The clambake is ready when the clams have fully opened, the potatoes are tender, the broth is bubbling and the sausage is heated through.

Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking.

5. Serve

Carefully open the foil packets — hot steam will escape immediately.

Serve directly from the packets or transfer to a large serving platter with plenty of the buttery broth spooned over the top.

Finish with fresh lemon wedges, parsley, or additional pea shoots.

Serve additional melted or drawn butter on the side, if desired.

4. Fire Pit Clambake Foil Packets

A rustic, fire-cooked clambake designed for cooking directly over hot coals in a fire pit. Clams, sausage, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, butter, white wine and bright lemon steam together inside foil packets until smoky, briny and deeply flavorful.

This recipe can be prepared as individual foil packets for each guest or one large shared foil packet for serving family-style.

'AMERICAN KITCHEN' CHEF SHARES SECRET TO HOMEMADE LASAGNA THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MEASUREMENTS

Additional melted or drawn butter can be served on the side, if desired. (Yields: 6–8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35–45 minutes

Ingredients

60 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean

6 ears corn, cut in halves or thirds

1¼ lbs smoked sausage, sliced into thick rounds

1 cup dry white wine

1¼ lbs unsalted butter, divided

½ cup fresh lemon juice

¾ lb pee wee potatoes (or small baby potatoes), halved if needed

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 small handful pea shoots

½ cup sliced peppadew peppers (estimated amount)

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Fresh parsley or additional pea shoots, for garnish

Heavy-duty aluminum foil

'AMERICAN KITCHEN' CHEF'S POPOVERS RISE TO THE OCCASION

Instructions

1. Build the Fire

Prepare a wood fire in a fire pit and allow it to burn down to a steady bed of hot coals with moderate heat.

You want enough residual heat to steadily steam and roast the packets without scorching them.

2. Par-Cook the Potatoes & Corn

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes until just beginning to soften.

Add the corn during the final 3–4 minutes. Drain well.

This ensures everything finishes cooking evenly inside the packets.

3. Assemble the Packets

Tear large sheets of heavy-duty foil.

For individual packets, divide ingredients evenly among 6–8 packets. For one large packet, double-layer the foil and pile everything in the center.

Layer in potatoes, corn, sausage, cherry tomatoes, peppadew peppers and clams.

Pour the wine and lemon juice evenly over everything.

Cut the butter into cubes and distribute throughout the packets. The butter melts into the seafood broth as the clambake cooks.

Season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.

Top with pea shoots.

Seal the foil tightly, crimping all edges well to trap the steam.

4. Cook Over the Fire

Place the foil packets directly over the hot coals or on a grill grate positioned above the fire.

Cook for 35–45 minutes, rotating occasionally if needed for even heat.

The clambake is ready when the clams have opened, the potatoes are tender, the sausage is heated through and the broth is bubbling and fragrant.

Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking.

5. Serve

Carefully open the packets — hot steam will escape immediately.

Serve directly from the foil with crusty bread and additional melted or drawn butter on the side, if desired.

Finish with extra lemon, parsley or fresh pea shoots before serving.

5. Oak-Smoked Cedar Plank Salmon on the Grill

This grill-friendly version captures the same wood-fired character and slow-roasted texture of traditional plank salmon without the banana leaf or nailed presentation.

Cooking the salmon directly on a soaked cedar plank allows the fish to absorb gentle oak smoke while staying tender and moist over indirect heat. (Yields: 6-8)

WORLD CUP FANS FALL IN LOVE WITH AMERICAN CULTURE, COMFORT FOOD CLASSICS

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 30–40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salmon

1 side salmon fillet (3–4 lbs), skin-on, pin bones removed

1 untreated cedar plank, large enough to fit the salmon

Chunk oak firewood or oak smoking chunks

Neutral oil, for lightly brushing the plank if desired

Herb & Garlic Marinade

8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

4 shallots, roughly chopped

1 cup olive oil

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 bunch dill, roughly chopped

½ cup capers, drained

1 bunch basil

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Buttermilk Herb Sauce

1½ cups buttermilk

¾ cup mayonnaise

¾ cup sour cream

½ bunch basil

2 tbsp chopped dill

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp capers

2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Soak the Cedar Plank

Submerge the cedar plank in water for at least 1–2 hours, or overnight if possible. This helps prevent the plank from burning too quickly on the grill.

If desired, lightly brush the top of the soaked plank with neutral oil to further reduce sticking.

2. Prepare the Grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, approximately 350–375°F.

For charcoal grills, push the coals to one side for indirect cooking. Add chunk oak firewood or oak smoking chunks directly onto the hot coals.

For gas grills, use indirect heat by leaving one burner off or lowering one side of the grill. Add oak chunks in a smoker box or foil packet with ventilation holes.

Close the lid and allow smoke to develop.

3. Make the Marinade

In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, shallots, olive oil, parsley, dill, capers, basil, lemon zest and juice.

Pulse until rustic but spreadable. Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

Spread the marinade evenly over the salmon fillet and let sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature.

4. Grill the Salmon

Place the marinated salmon skin-side down directly onto the soaked cedar plank.

Transfer the plank to the indirect heat side of the grill and close the lid.

Cook for 30–40 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, the internal temperature reaches approximately 140°F and the edges are lightly caramelized and smoky.

If the plank begins to smolder aggressively, lightly mist the edges with water.

5. Make the Buttermilk Herb Sauce

In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream.

Fold in basil, dill, parsley, capers and chopped hard-boiled eggs.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. Serve

Carefully remove the cedar plank from the grill using heat-resistant gloves.

Serve the salmon directly from the plank with the chilled buttermilk herb sauce alongside grilled lemons, charred vegetables, roasted potatoes, or toasted rustic bread.

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6. Classic Charred Corn on the Grill

A straightforward, American summer cookout staple.

Fresh sweet corn is grilled until lightly charred, then finished with melted butter, salt, black pepper and fresh lemon. Simple, smoky, and built for backyard barbecues, smoked ribs, burgers and Fourth of July gatherings. (Yields: 6-8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12–15 minutes

Ingredients

8 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Prepare the Grill

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

Clean and lightly oil the grates if needed.

2. Grill the Corn

Place the corn directly on the grill grates.

Cook, turning every few minutes, until the corn is tender and lightly charred on all sides, about 12–15 minutes total.

The kernels should develop dark golden spots without becoming overly blackened.

3. Finish the Corn

Transfer the grilled corn to a platter.

Brush generously with melted butter while still hot.

Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Squeeze fresh lemon over the corn and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.

4. Serve

Serve immediately alongside smoked meats, barbecue ribs, grilled burgers, sausages, baked beans, potato salad or watermelon.

Additional melted butter can be served on the side for guests.

7. Grilled Bulgogi-Glazed St. Louis Ribs

These Korean-inspired St. Louis ribs are slow-cooked on the grill until tender, then lacquered with a sweet-savory bulgogi glaze layered with soy, garlic, ginger, sesame and gochujang.

Finished over live heat for caramelization, the ribs develop a sticky, smoky crust without requiring a smoker.

Two full racks typically serve 6–8 people comfortably, depending on sides and portion size. (Yields: 6–8)

Prep & Cook Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4½–5 hours
Rest Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Ribs

2 full racks St. Louis-style pork ribs

Yellow mustard, for binding

Dry Rub

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Bulgogi Marinade & Glaze

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

1 Asian pear, grated (or 1 apple)

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp gochujang

1 tbsp black pepper

2 green onions, chopped

Finishing Sauce

½ cup barbecue sauce

¼ cup reserved bulgogi glaze

1 tbsp butter

Garnish

Sesame seeds

Sliced green onions

Pickled vegetables

Fresh cilantro, optional

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Ribs

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs using a paper towel for grip.

Lightly coat the ribs with yellow mustard.

In a bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients and season the ribs generously on all sides.

Allow the ribs to rest at room temperature while preparing the grill.

2. Make the Bulgogi Glaze

Combine all bulgogi marinade ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.

Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Cool completely.

Reserve 1 cup of the glaze for basting and finishing later.

3. Prepare the Grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to approximately 275°F using indirect heat.

For charcoal grills, bank coals to one side.

For gas grills, leave one burner off or on very low.

If desired, add wood chunks or foil packets of wood chips for light smoke flavor.

4. Slow Grill the Ribs

Place the ribs bone-side down on the indirect heat side of the grill.

Close the lid and cook for approximately 2½–3 hours, maintaining a steady temperature around 275°F.

Rotate occasionally for even cooking.

5. Wrap the Ribs

Brush the ribs generously with bulgogi glaze.

Wrap each rack tightly in heavy-duty foil with 2 tbsp butter and an additional splash of bulgogi glaze.

Return the wrapped ribs to the grill over indirect heat and cook for another 1½–2 hours, until tender.

6. Finish & Caramelize

Carefully unwrap the ribs.

Combine the barbecue sauce, reserved bulgogi glaze and butter to make the finishing sauce.

Brush generously over the ribs.

Return the ribs to the grill uncovered for 15–30 minutes, allowing the glaze to caramelize and become sticky and lacquered.

Watch carefully during this stage to prevent burning.

7. Rest & Serve

Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Finish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, pickled vegetables and fresh cilantro, if desired.

Serve hot with additional glaze on the side.

8. Heirloom Tomato & Beet Salad

Yields 4 portions – family style

Ingredients

For the roasted beets

1 lb. yellow beets

2 tbsp evo oil

½ cup water

For the dressing

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp dried oregano flakes

½ tsp kosher salt

1 dash ground black pepper

½ cup evo oil

For the salad

8 oz stracciatella cheese

1 lb. multi-color heirloom tomatoes, 1/2" thick sliced

2 each cara cara oranges, segmented

1 large fennel bulb, sliced thin

6 oz thin sliced prosciutto ham

2 tbsp fig balsamic glaze (or regular balsamic glaze)

¼ cup fresh basil sprigs, torn

¼ cup pistachios, chopped

2 tsp maldon sea salt flakes (optional)

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Instructions

For the Roasted Beets

Pre heat oven to 375 F.
Toss the beets with oil and place into a casserole dish with ½ cup of water and cover with foil. Roast in the oven at 375 F for 60 minutes or until tender.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel the beets and cut into wedges and set aside.

For the Dressing

In a mixing bowl, whisk the vinegar, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper together. Slowly whisk in the evo oil and set aside.

For the Salad

Spread the stracciatella cheese across the center of a large serving platter.
Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the roast beets, orange segments and sliced fennel with the dressing. Arrange on top and around the sliced tomatoes.
Fold and place the thin sliced prosciutto ham down the middle and on top of the arranged salad.
Drizzle the balsamic glaze on top of the salad and garnish with torn pieces of basil sprigs, pistachios and Maldon sea salt.

9. Dry-Aged Prime Porterhouse with Porcini-Coriander Dry Rub & Chimichurri Sauce

Yields 4 portions

Ingredients

For the steak dry rub

1/4 cup porcini mushroom powder

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp ground coriander

For the chimichurri sauce

1 bunch fresh cilantro

3 bunches fresh parsley

5 each peeled whole garlic cloves

2 cups grapeseed oil

3 each lemons, zested and juiced

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Other ingredients

1 each 36 oz prime (or choice) dry-aged porterhouse steak

2 tbsp grapeseed oil (to oil the grill with)

Instructions

For the steak dry rub

In a mixing bowl, mix all the steak dry rub spice ingredients together.

For the chimichurri sauce

Place all of the chimichurri ingredients into a blender and purée together for 30 seconds until blended well.

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Grill and serve

Heat a gas or charcoal grill and set up the heat so that half of the grill is high heat and the other half is medium-low heat.
Using a pair of tongs and a towel, lightly rub the heated grill grates with a little grapeseed oil.
Generously sprinkle both sides of the steak well with the dry rub mix.
Sear the dry rubbed seasoned steak on the hottest area of the grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Next move the grilled steak to the medium-low side of the grill and continue to cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the steak reaches between 125 F to 130 F degrees for medium-rare.
Remove the cooked steak and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve the dry-rubbed grilled steak with the chimichurri sauce on the side.

Fox News Digital's Kelly McGreal contributed to this report.

VAR denies Croatia's game-tying goal as Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal to Round of 16

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:15:51 -0400

Croatia thought their FIFA World Cup hopes were still alive when they scored the game-tying goal just before the end of stoppage time in the second half.

But a VAR review said Mario Pasalic was offside, and it was Portugal moving on instead.

Gonçalo Ramos’ goal just minutes earlier — a beautiful header into the back of the net in the 94th minute — was the decider in this 2-1 victory for Portugal. And it was only the second time in Portuguese World Cup history the nation needed to come from behind to win, underscoring its resilience on the sport's biggest stage.

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It was a controversial ending, though, and one where Croatia tried to argue the ball never hit the head of Igor Matanovic, which made Pasalic offside during VAR review.

It’s also worth noting that a new chip within the ball shows when it is touched, giving more concrete evidence to the referee’s final decision at such a crucial time of the match. This was the 10th goal overruled by VAR thus far in the World Cup.

GABRIEL MARTINELLI'S 96TH-MINUTE GOAL RESCUES BRAZIL FROM JAPAN UPSET IN WORLD CUP ROUND OF 32

So, with the goal annulled, Croatia’s time at the tournament has ended. As a result, Croatian legend Luka Modrić is finishing his fifth World Cup, which will likely be the 40-year-old midfielder’s final one.

But another older legend on the pitch will move on, as Cristiano Ronaldo made some World Cup history during this match.

When No. 7 stepped foot on the pitch and the ball was kicked, he became the oldest player to participate in a knockout stage match at the World Cup at 41 years and 147 days old. He also became the oldest player to score in a knockout stage match when he saw a penalty situation while Portugal was down 1-0 in the match.

Ivan Perisic got the first goal of this game and put Portugal’s back against the wall. But after a foul was committed inside Croatia’s box in the 67th minute, it was time for Ronaldo to get his first career knockout goal, and he didn’t disappoint.

Ronaldo was ecstatic, sprinting toward the corner flag and performing his signature "SIU!" celebration, which the crowd bellowed with the score at 1-1. Ronaldo had also seemed to get that first knockout goal just minutes earlier, but he was called offside.

Modrić and Ronaldo, two former teammates on Real Madrid, also made history together, as they were the first two players 40 years or older to play in the same match together.

It was also an emotional moment after the match, as Ronaldo wore the jersey of late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident a year ago. A team photo was taken on the pitch, with Ronaldo holding up Jota's jersey alongside his squad.

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Now that the job is done in the Round of 32 for Portugal, they face a big challenge against a key rival in the Round of 16.

Spain, who dominated Austria with a 3-0 finish earlier on Thursday, awaits Portugal at Dallas Stadium on July 6 at 3 p.m. ET.

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The Democratic socialists are no longer on the fringe

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:03:57 -0400

No one will struggle to keep warm amid an historic heat wave gripping the eastern U.S.

But how about keeping "your comrade warm?"

No. You’re not back in the USSR.

But you might be in the Democratic Party.

SOCIALISTS SWEEP NYC AS AMERICANS BALK AT MOVEMENT’S BRUTAL CATCH: ‘TALK TO IMMIGRANTS’

"You deserve to make sure that your international comrades are actually working with you and getting the benefits that you that you all deserve," said Democratic New York House nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier at a union rally in New York City.

"Half of the people here are strangers to you all. But now you have comrades," said Colorado Democratic Congressional nominee Melat Kiros who defeated Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) Tuesday.

"I’ve got to give a shout out to my comrades," said Missouri Democratic Congressional candidate Hartzell Gray on a podcast interview.

To Democratic Socialists, you don’t know how lucky you are.

"You have the solidarity of the entire labor movement. And you have my solidarity, too," said Democratic New York House nominee Claire Valdez.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) didn’t endorse either Avila Chevalier nor Valdez. However, he did congratulate them. Jeffries naturally needs Avila Chevalier, Valdez and Democratic New York House nominee Brad Lander to win. They probably will this fall. But when asked about progressives who prevailed in the New York primary – who he didn’t endorse – Jeffries delivered a nuanced answer.

"I will support every single Democratic incumbent in the New York Congressional delegation and beyond," said Jeffries.

CNN resuscitated a set of old tweets from Avila Chevalier. Some praised communism. Others called for more Marxist literature in libraries. Yours truly pressed Jeffries about whether he should call out Avila Chevalier for some of her old social media postings.

"Should she apologize or clarify some of these very inflammatory tweets that she sent?" I queried.

"That’s a question you're going to have to ask her," answered Jeffries.

"But as leader, is that a problem?" I followed up.

"I've spoken to this issue. I've expressed my position as it relates to many of the things that she has said in the past over Twitter. My statement speaks for itself," answered Jeffries.

Then the 29-year-old Melat Kiros whipped 29-year House veteran Diana DeGette in Colorado. Kiros’s victory demonstrated that the Democratic Socialist message didn’t just resonate in the urban canyons of Lower Manhattan. But in the Rocky Mountains, too.

"What we are fighting for is Medicare for all. Universal child care. Abolishing ICE. And ending the genocide in Gaza," said Kiros.

These are core subjects for the left.

"They're winning on platforms like Medicare for all. Universal health care. Universal childcare. Raising the minimum wage," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). "These ideas, whether you call it socialism or not, they are very popular across the country."

Progressive influencer Hasan Piker believes victories by these candidates in New York and Colorado are just the beginning.

"Progressive politics, left populism. It can work in every district in every state. That's why I kept saying over and over again, it's coming to a city near you," said Piker.

But not everyone is on board.

"Will Democrats continue to defend crazypants?" asked Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) on Fox.

Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) is another. He’s a moderate, pro-Israel Democrat in a battleground district in which President Trump carried in 2024.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES CONFRONTED ON 'YOU'RE NEXT' CHANTS FOLLOWING NY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES

"My folks want really normal folks. Democrats, Republicans, just people who are going to get things done. And so they see this because this is what gets attention," said Landsman. "I hope the party doesn't go in that direction. Having a diversity of opinions is one thing. But some of what some of them think is beyond the pale. It's just outrageous."

Landsman wished Democratic leaders would speak out against controversial candidates and nominees.

"The fact that they won't even call it out, I think is an underlying current within the Democrat Party that they're scared of their own base," said Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC).

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) is retiring after 32 years in Congress. She’s not aligned with her likely successor, Claire Valdez.

"So what do you make of some of the controversy about your prospective successor? And is that driving a wedge through the party?" yours truly asked Velazquez.

"Look, we are celebrating the outcome of this Supreme Court decision that reaffirm the fundamental principle of the Constitution that anyone born in this country is an American citizen," answered Velazquez, trying to change the subject.

"But do you have but did you not see things eye to eye with your prospective successor here?" I followed up.

Velazquez sighed.

"Look, she won, and I wish her well. And I offered myself to sit down with her and discuss the transition. But this is how democracy works," said Velazquez.

Still, other Democrats believe the party can operate under a "big tent" and court voters.

"There's room for conversations about where we go. But we're not the party of one person or coalition and there's going to be those discussions about where we move forward," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL).

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) asserted that wins by Democratic Socialists in New York City carried outsized weight. She also said that it was natural for the press corps to capitalize on possible divisions in the party.

"I think that you all try to stir it up. Stir up this language. Try to pit people against each other," said Dingell.

I asked Dingell about "controversial things" which Avila Chevalier peddled over the years.

"I don't have to agree with everything that she said. The Republicans are putting kerosene on the fire," said Dingell.

"Didn't she pour kerosene on it to start with?" I asked.

"Look, I wouldn't have said some of the things that she said. But I don't vote in New York. They do," answered Dingell.

SOCIALISM GOES WEST AS DSA-BACKED CHALLENGER OUSTS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT

Republicans are adamantly opposed to socialism. But in a weird way, the Democratic lurch left might actually help the GOP beat the historic odds and hold the House.

"They're a complete socialist party now," said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC). "They’ve got to either own it or disassociate themselves from it."

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When the Beatles released Back In the USSR, American conservatives and right-wing reactionaries said this proved that the group harbored communist sentiments.

Now the American right says the Democratic Party has turned to the left. Republicans say listen to the rhetoric of Democratic Socialists espousing their views. And to hear the GOP tell it, those candidates may as well be back in the USSR.