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Conservatives unite around SAVE America Act after Trump declassifies 'shocking' election intel

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:24 -0400

Conservatives rallied around President Donald Trump online Thursday after he doubled down on calls for lawmakers to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, citing alarming election integrity vulnerabilities he said his administration had discovered.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote on social media.

"We are going to lose our country if we don’t pass the dadgum SAVE America Act. Call your senator and tell them to save our great nation."

SENATE FACES 'COME-TO-JESUS' MOMENT ON TRUMP'S ELECTION PRIORITY UNDER GOP'S NEW PLAN

Trump promised a series of disclosures on the discovered weaknesses.

"Tonight, I'm announcing the immediate declassification and release of critical intelligence, revealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure," Trump said.

In particular, the president said those new documents would focus on a handful of key allegations, including foreign data theft carried out by China, that members of the U.S. government had known about election vulnerabilities, that Americans had been misled for years about those weaknesses and new evidence of "election fraud."

Fox News Digital could not independently verify the content of the documents that were released by the White House.

To address them, Trump called on lawmakers to pass the SAVE Act — a bill that, among other provisions, would require proof of citizenship to participate in federal elections.

"I ask you to pick up your phone tomorrow, call your representatives in the House and Senate, and demand that they pass the Save America Act without delay. Together, we will restore faith and confidence in our country, and we will be bigger, better and stronger than ever before," Trump said.

Almost immediately, his calls were echoed by Republican lawmakers online.

"It is more important than ever to crush foreign election interference. It is more important than ever to pass the SAVE AMERICA ACT," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a post to X.

MORE THAN A QUARTER-MILLION NONCITIZENS MAY BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN 4 KEY STATES, DHS ALLEGES

Hans Von Spakovsky, an election expert with Advancing American Freedom, a conservative think tank, agreed.

"The president is absolutely correct that the SAVE Act needs to be passed to implement universal voter ID and proof of citizenship," Spakovsky said.

"He is also correct that the only reason an elected official would oppose this is because that official wants to make it easy to cheat and ensure that aliens who register and vote are not caught," Spakovsky added.

The legislation, which has passed the House of Representatives multiple times, has been stopped by Democratic opposition in the Senate, where Republicans need at least 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

Republicans hold just 53 seats in the chamber.

Despite Trump's calls to remove the filibuster, a part of Senate procedure, enough Republicans have expressed support to keep it in place, arguing that it forces aat least some level of bipartisan cooperation over the most substantive pieces of legislation. But on Thursday, more voices demanded the Senate revisit the rule.

"The Senate needs to end the zombie filibuster and pass the SAVE America Act. Election integrity is far more important than the dying institutional 'norms' of the Senate," Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, wrote on Xshortly after Trump's speech.

Democrats, who claimthe bill would add too many hurdles for minorities and other demographics to participate in elections, bashed Trump’s calls on Thursday, including former Vice President Kamala Harris.

"The SAVE Act is voter suppression. It is part of a larger agenda of conservatives trying to steal power from the people," Harris said in a post to social media.

"He wants you to lose confidence in our electoral system, so you stay home this November. He knows how discontent the American people are, and he wants to make sure that you do not vote," she added.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., echoed Harris’ calls.

WATCH: ELISSA SLOTKIN SAYS SAVE AMERICA ACT WOULD MAKE IT 'HARD FOR ANY DEMOCRAT' TO WIN AN ELECTION

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"Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. And now he’s trying to rig this year’s election with the SAVE America Act to make it harder to vote for millions of women, veterans, rural folks, & voters of color," Pressley said in a post of her own.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also joined in the chorus of Democratic condemnations.

"After listening to the president’s rambling address, I want him to know that the SAVE America Act is going NOWHERE in the Senate. It belongs in the trash with the rest of Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories. America, use your vote and your voice to save our democracy," Murray said in a post to X.

It’s unclear when the Senate might reconsider the SAVE Act.

'The Odyssey' Review: Christopher Nolan goes epic with his most ambitious film to date

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:59 -0400

When a film has a stacked cast of A-listers including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, it's remarkable that more people will go see "The Odyssey" in theaters not because of who's on-screen, but rather who's behind the camera.

In an era where movie stars no longer guarantee box office success, Christopher Nolan is in an elite class of filmmakers who are able to fill that void.

"The Odyssey," adapted from Homer's epic poem circa Ancient Greece, tells the story of Odysseus (Damon), the king of Ithaca known across the land as the "hero of the Trojan War," and his years-long journey home.

‘MOANA’ REVIEW: DWAYNE JOHNSON RETURNS FOR DISNEY'S LAZY LIVE-ACTION REMAKE THAT RESEMBLES AI SLOP

Waiting for him in Ithaca are his wife Penelope (Hathaway) and their son Telemachus (Holland) — neither of them are certain whether Odysseus is still alive. Their palace has become overrun by potential suitors for Penelope as the throne remains vacant, the most prominent being the villainous Antinous (Pattinson).

Throughout his tiring journey home from Troy, Odysseus comes across iconic adversaries, including the Cyclops Polyphemus (an unrecognizable Bill Irwin), the sorceress Circe (brilliantly performed by Samantha Morton) and the Sirens.

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A lot has been said about "The Odyssey" in recent weeks: between the absurd internet rumor that transgender actor Elliot Page was cast as Achilles — which is entirely false — the off-the-cuff remarks about Homer from Lupita Nyong’o, whose casting as Helen of Troy sparked backlash in itself, as well as reports that Nolan allegedly relied on classicist Emily Watson's more modern interpretation and translation of Homer's poem.

Minor casting decisions and mildly flippant interview comments shouldn't dictate whether to see a film. To get worked up over petty squabbles is just exhausting. If you choose not to see "The Odyssey" simply because of what you read online, that's your prerogative. As for me, I simply go by a film's quality and entertainment value. On both counts, "The Odyssey" passes with flying colors.

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What I couldn't get out of my head as I was watching "The Odyssey" was juxtaposing it to the live-action "Moana" I saw the week prior. Both had eye-popping budgets, yet everything about "Moana" appeared absolutely fake and lazy and everything about "The Odyssey" looked so real (again, this is a movie with a Cyclops).

That's because only one of these movies committed to actual artistry, as Nolan reliably does. The mere existence of the live-action "Moana" is more offensive than any of the aforementioned so-called controversies that preceded "The Odyssey."

LOW-BUDGET HORROR FLICK ‘OBSESSION’ SHATTERS BOX OFFICE EXPECTATIONS AS NEW STAR WARS FILM COMES UP SHORT

From "The Dark Knight" trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk and 2023 Best Picture winner Oppenheimer, Nolan continues to raise his own ceiling, as "The Odyssey" is by far his most ambitious film yet. He's a master craftsman who was able to take a lot of moving parts and put them together in a cohesive and (mostly) coherent narrative.

Nolan essentially cast half of Hollywood and there's only so much screen time to go around for them. Some were able to maximize it with strong performances (Pattinson and Morton were among the standouts) while others were underutilized despite their incredible talents (Theron, Zendaya, Nyong'o). Damon does a perfectly fine job as Odysseus, but nearly any leading man could've given that performance.

Nearly every production element of "The Odyssey" is top tier, from Hoyte van Hoytema's stunning cinematography, Ludwig Göransson's powerful score, the editing, the production design, the costumes, the visual effects — there's a lot to marvel at.

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The Verdict

It's always an event when it comes to a Nolan picture, and "The Odyssey" — the first movie ever shot entirely on IMAX film — is no exception. It's a captivating, remarkably made epic worthy of being seen on the silver screen — the bigger, the better.

★★★ ½ — SEE IT NOW

"The Odyssey" is rated R for violence and some language. Running time: 2 hours, 52 minutes. In theaters now.

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Hooters says kids, families are part of its comeback as waitresses insist they've always been welcome

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:59 -0400

When the original founders of Hooters took back control of the iconic restaurant chain last year after its corporate bankruptcy, they promised to return it to its roots.

That meant dialing back what founding member and Hooters Inc. CEO Neil Kiefer described as an oversexualized image, reemphasizing the food and hospitality, and broadening the brand's appeal to families and younger customers after years in which some corporate locations had become, in his words, "little boys' club stores."

But at the South Florida Hooters locations, which have always been operated by the original ownership group, the servers who greet customers every day say they've been appealing to families and children all along.

HISTORY OF HOOTERS: 5 FACTS YOU LIKELY NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE RESTAURANT CHAIN

"Here in South Florida, nothing is changing for us," Gracie Williams, who has worked for Hooters for nearly six years, told Fox News Digital.

"We are the same Hooters girls that we have been from the start," said the 24-year-old waitress and bartender who also happens to grace the July cover of this year's Hooters calendar.

Micayla Williams, 21, who has worked for Hooters for about two years, echoed that sentiment.

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"Nothing's really changed for our locations," she said. "We get families. We get elderly people. We get teenagers, even kids."

Their perspective offers a regional counterpoint to the national conversation surrounding Hooters. As Hooters works to reshape public perception, employees at its two Fort Lauderdale locations say they've long served a broader customer base than the brand's reputation might suggest.

Kiefer said restoring that broader appeal consistently throughout all remaining restaurants is central to the company's strategy.

"We're starting to build that broad base of consumer appeal again, like we have in the original Hooters," Kiefer told Fox News Digital last year.

TIKTOK-FAMOUS HOOTERS GILRS BUILT VIRAL FOLLOWING, BUT LANDLORD HAD FINAL SAY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

The emphasis is on hospitality, food and community involvement, Kiefer said, while moving away from what he described as "renegade stores" that had become "oversexualized."

In South Florida, community involvement has always been the formula, the Hooters girls told Fox News Digital.

But Gracie Williams doesn't ignore the element that has defined the brand for decades.

"We're always building an oasis for others to come," she said. "Good food, hot wings, cold beer and, of course, pretty girls."

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Both women pointed to the restaurant's customer mix as evidence that the perception of Hooters often differs from reality.

During the day, Micayla Williams said, families make up a significant portion of the crowd, particularly at beach locations.

"Obviously, we get more families during the day," but there are also plenty of date nights at her location, she said, "which is pretty neat to see."

Gracie Williams said the oceanfront location attracts parents and children spending the day at the beach.

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"The parents come and hang, and the kids are out on the beach," she said. "And then when the kids come up, there's a bunch of food for all the kids."

Gracie Williams also pointed to the company's fundraising events, which donate a portion of sales to local charities and youth sports organizations.

She recalled hosting dozens of rugby players and multiple teams at one recent fundraiser, saying those events reinforce the restaurant's role in the community.

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"A lot of people think, 'Oh, regulars are a man or someone that just gives you a lot of money,'" she said. "But here at Hooters, regulars aren't necessarily that. Regulars are our family."

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As Hooters works to convince a new generation of customers that it's more than its decades-old stereotype, the women working at its South Florida restaurants insist it's just business as usual.

Would you trust a tiny dental robot?

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:58 -0400

Nobody hears "you need a crown" and feels excited. You start thinking about the drilling, the temporary crown, the return visit and the time it takes to get everything finished.

Now, researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland are working on a tiny dental robot that could one day change that process. The prototype is called MIR, short for Miniature Intraoral Robot. University of Basel says the device could help prepare teeth for crowns and reduce the number of dental appointments needed for treatment.

WOULD YOU PAY $8,000 FOR A ROBOT TO FOLD LAUNDRY?

The idea may sound intense because we are talking about a drill-equipped robot inside your mouth. However, the current design keeps the larger motor and control parts outside the mouth. The small in-mouth robot connects to them through flexible drive shafts, cables and tubes.

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Why crowns take more than one dental visit

If tooth decay leaves a large cavity, a dentist may need to prepare the tooth for a crown. Today, that can mean several steps. The dentist removes decay, fills the cavity, shapes the tooth, takes an impression and fits a temporary crown. Then, the permanent crown gets made and placed during a later visit.

That is where MIR could help. The goal is to move more of the process into a digital workflow. After a scan, a dentist could plan how much tooth material the robot should remove. Then, the crown could be ordered right away instead of waiting for another appointment.

How the tiny dental robot works

MIR attaches to a custom-fitted dental splint made from the patient's scan. That splint connects the robot to the teeth. So, if the patient turns their head, the robot moves with them.

That detail stood out to me. Anyone who has ever tried to stay perfectly still in a dental chair knows how hard that can be. Even a small twitch can feel huge when a drill is near your tooth.

The robot is designed to follow a digital treatment plan. In testing, it prepared tooth models in two stages. First, it used a wider drill to reduce the top of the tooth surface. Then, a longer, thinner drill worked along the sides.

HUMANOID ROBOTS PERFORM LIVE SURGERY IN WORLD FIRST

How small is MIR?

The University of Basel says the MIR prototype is about the size of a wine cork. It measures 43 by 26 by 28 millimeters. Dr. Yukiko Tomooka, the paper's first author, said the robot was designed to fit comfortably inside an open mouth.

That small size is key. A dental robot cannot feel bulky or block the dentist's view. It also cannot depend on a giant device sitting inside your mouth. So, the Basel team moved the larger parts outside the mouth and kept the in-mouth unit compact.

The project page from the University of Basel's Department of Biomedical Engineering says the team wants MIR to enable a fully digital treatment workflow for tooth preparation. The long-term vision is a crown that can be manufactured before or during the preparation process using CAD-CAM dental technology.

How precise is the dental robot?

So far, MIR has been tested on tooth models made of synthetic resin and on ceramic material with hardness similar to tooth enamel. In those tests, the robot's positional error was less than 0.2 millimeters, even though the current version does not yet have sensors to directly measure or correct its position.

Researchers also measured the force created during drilling. University of Basel says the forces stayed below five newtons, which it compares to the gravitational force of a half-liter bottle of water. The team is also studying the robot's noise level to better understand how it might work in a real dental office.

Why MIR still has a long road ahead

This tiny robot has not yet reached dental offices. University of Basel says more work is needed before MIR can be used in dental practices. The next step is to add sensors and a camera, so the system can track its position and monitor the treatment as it happens.

That safety piece is a big deal. The team wants MIR to know where it is, even after a power outage. Professor Georg Rauter, who leads the research group, said the goal is for the robot to continue from the right position using sensor data.

In other words, the robot needs better awareness before anyone should trust it near a real tooth. Precision on models is one thing. A real mouth adds saliva, movement, pressure, nerves and patient anxiety.

Who is behind the tiny dental robot?

MIR was developed by researchers at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Basel. The idea came from researchers at the University of Zurich, who also took part in the work.

The University of Basel project page lists the BIROMED-Lab, the Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry at the University of Zurich, Camlog Biotechnologies and the University of Bern's ARTORG Center as collaborators. The project is sponsored by Innosuisse. The research was published in IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics.

BIONIC HANDS ARE NOW TEACHING ROBOTS TO FEEL

What this means for you

If you have ever needed a crown, you know the process can drag on. MIR could eventually make that experience faster by letting dentists scan, plan and prepare the tooth with more digital precision.

Still, this technology remains in development. You should not expect a tiny robot to show up at your next dental appointment. Researchers still need to add sensors, add a camera and prove that the system can work safely in real treatment settings.

Even so, this is worth watching. Dentistry is already moving toward digital scans, computer-designed crowns and more guided procedures. A robot like MIR could push that trend further, especially if it can reduce repeat visits.

Kurt's key takeaways

This is the kind of dental tech that makes you lean forward and squirm a little. A tiny robot mounted inside your mouth may sound intense. Still, the goal is something many of us would welcome: fewer follow-up appointments when a crown is needed. The most important detail is that MIR remains a prototype. It has only been tested on models and dental-like materials so far. The team still plans to add sensors and a camera before real dental use. If MIR works, a future crown appointment could feel more like a guided digital procedure than the drawn-out process many of us know today.

Would you trust a tiny robot to drill your tooth if it meant fewer trips to the dentist? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Fmr Arizona Dem candidate accused of storming into ex's home with knife, tape, blames 'misunderstanding'

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:58 -0400

A former Arizona Democratic congressional candidate was arrested after allegedly forcing entry into an ex-partner's home with a knife and tape, then telling police the confrontation was a "misunderstanding" over a BDSM scene the victim denies ever agreeing to, according to court documents.

Phoenix police responded to a call on July 10 at 6 p.m. from a woman who said her ex-partner, Brianna Westbrook, had come to the door, and that she opened it believing it was her son, according to court documents. Instead, she found Westbrook holding a knife in one hand and black tape in the other, the documents state. The two wrestled until Westbrook pushed the victim onto a couch and told her "not to move," with the victim to begin screaming, police said.

Westbrook is a transgender rights activist and was a former vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party.

GOT A TIP?

The screaming brought the victim's sister into the room, at which point Westbrook, with a knife, allegedly made a lunging motion toward both women. According to the court documents, the victim pleaded with Westbrook to stop, saying her son would likely be home soon. Westbrook then ran out of the house.

Officers went to Westbrook's residence, where the suspect said the whole thing was a "big misunderstanding" and that Westbrook and the victim were into BDSM.

Westbrook admitted going to the individual's house armed with a knife and duct tape, but claimed the scene was mutually planned, saying "the victim and her agreed on the scene through subliminal messages they exchanged on Instagram."

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Westbrook also claimed the two had "agreed to re-enact a scene where Westbrook scares the victim to help her deal with prior childhood trauma of abuse," according to court documents.

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"Westbrook was given the subliminal message on Instagram that the victim was ready ... to start the scene. Westbrook admitted to going over to the residence with a knife, knocking on the door, entering the residence while armed with a fake knife and tape," police said in the probable cause statement. "Westbrook said she told the victim to sit on the couch. The witness then exited out of her room, interrupting the scene. Westbrook then left the residence."

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However, the victim told police she never agreed to "re-creating" the BDSM scene.

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Westbrook was charged with felony third-degree burglary and aggravated assault using a simulated deadly weapon, as well as misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

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A release questionnaire for Westbrook's arrest also obtained by Fox News Digital shows that police checked boxes stating that the suspect has a history of domestic violence, noting that the "frequency/intensity" of such incidents has been increasing.

A preliminary hearing for Westbrook is scheduled for Monday.

Fox News Digital reached out to Westbrook for comment.

Fox News Digital's News Quiz: July 17, 2026

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:27 -0400

Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz, featuring acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing and a raging Yellostone National Park bison.

Looking for another challenge?

Graham Platner's Senate campaign decision and a restaurant etiquette question are featured in last week's News Quiz.

Test your knowledge of World Cup wins, burger breakthroughs 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!

Think your state is expensive? New data reveals where Americans face the highest cost-of-living

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:21 -0400

As Americans continue facing higher prices for everything from housing to groceries, data reveals where they live can make a significant difference in how far their paycheck goes. A new cost-of-living index ranks the states putting the biggest squeeze on household budgets, revealing where everyday expenses are highest across the country.

The rankings highlight how dramatically living costs can vary from one state to another. And those differences can shape everything from monthly household budgets to long-term decisions about where Americans choose to live, with housing emerging as the biggest affordability driver.

The latest data also arrive as the issue remains central to the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, with inflation, housing costs and the broader economy expected to remain top concerns for many voters as they head to the ballot box in November.

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The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center's (MERIC) quarterly Cost of Living Index estimates statewide living costs using price data collected from participating cities and metropolitan areas. The composite index measures six categories of household spending, with a score of 100 representing the national average. States above that benchmark are more expensive than average, while those below it are more affordable.

Housing proved to be the biggest differentiator among states.

Hawaii's geographic isolation has long contributed to higher prices for everything from building materials to consumer goods, and the state posted a housing index of more than 300, far above every other state, helping propel it to the top of the overall rankings.

Massachusetts followed with the nation's second-highest cost of living, driven largely by elevated housing costs and above-average prices across several everyday spending categories. Alaska, California and New York completed the top five.

THE KEY STRATEGY RED STATES ARE USING TO LOWER HOUSING COSTS REVEALED

Meanwhile, Oklahoma topped the list as America's most affordable state, followed by Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas and West Virginia.

The South dominated the rankings, with Kansas joining the group from the Midwest.

Those states benefited from substantially lower housing costs and generally ranked on the low-end of the spectrum when it came to transportation, utility and other everyday expenses, helping keep overall living costs well below the national average in these states.

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The state-by-state rankings also align with broader migration trends that have reshaped the country in recent years.

IRS data show many of the nation's highest-cost states, like New York and California, have experienced significant losses of taxpayers and income to other parts of the country.

Taken together, the rankings and migration data suggest the cost of everyday life may influence more than monthly budgets, offering a broader look at how affordability and population shifts are unfolding across the nation.

King Charles considered Queen Camilla 'non-negotiable' after Princess Diana, author claims

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:14 -0400

For King Charles, Queen Camilla was never up for debate — she was "non-negotiable."

The claim comes from British author Catherine Mayer's new book, "Divide & Rule," which explores history's most misunderstood royal wives ahead of Queen Camilla's July 17 birthday.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Fox News Digital they don’t comment on books.

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According to Mayer, multiple anonymous friends of the monarch said Charles "deemed Camilla's role in his life a 'non-negotiable,'" resulting in "painstaking" efforts to rehabilitate her public image.

"I think the non-negotiability was the point after the divorce and, of course, after Diana's death," Mayer told Fox News Digital. "He understood that this was the one woman who could really sustain him. And I think he felt the need for that kind of support, and Camilla has clearly always been prepared to do that."

"This is, in many ways, one of the most unlikely love stories you can imagine," said Mayer. "There were a lot of people who bought into the idea of the fairy-tale marriage between Diana and Charles. It was only when it imploded so spectacularly that they were forced to recognize that wasn't the truth of what had happened. And Camilla, at that stage, was seen as the other woman who had destroyed that relationship."

WATCH: WHY KING CHARLES ALWAYS CAME BACK TO QUEEN CAMILLA: AUTHOR

"I personally don't think the relationship between Diana and Charles could ever have worked," Mayer continued. "But that doesn't mean I don't think Diana was very badly treated. ... [It's] terrible what happened to her. But with Camilla, you only need to see her and Charles together to understand that she has this ... magical effect on him. It's transformative."

Mayer, who previously wrote a biography of Charles, described "doggedly following him around" during her research. It was then that she saw Camilla’s undeniable hold over him.

"You would see him tired, very obviously out of sorts," she said. "And then she would come into a room, and he would light up. She just lifts him."

It was love at first sight for Charles when he met Camilla through mutual friend Lucia Santa Cruz in 1970. But according to People magazine, palace expectations got in the way. Camilla wasn't considered a suitable future queen because she wasn't a virgin and lacked the aristocratic pedigree many believed was expected of a future queen.

"She had something of a past," said Mayer. "Charles was looking for a virginal bride. Camilla was not somebody who was — I'm not trying to say she was a Mata Hari or a major league seductress. But she was somebody who enjoyed life. That's why he responds to her so much."

"At some point, she went off on a holiday in America, and she zoomed around on a motorbike in leathers," said Mayer. "She chain-smoked and was the life and soul of social occasions. And she had boyfriends, including the man she later married, Andrew Parker Bowles, who himself had a reputation for having a string of girlfriends."

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"This dusty, old-fashioned institution, they're telling the heir to the throne, 'This is the kind of woman you go off and have fun with, but not the kind you marry.' And if they'd been allowed to marry, history would be very different."

Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner agreed.

"Camilla gave Charles, from the early days, a feeling of masculinity, making him feel sexual desire," he told Fox News Digital. "She treated him like a man rather than a royal."

Believing they didn't have a feasible future together, Charles and Camilla split. In 1971, Charles joined the Royal Navy, which kept him away from Camilla. In 1973, she married Andrew Parker Bowles, who previously dated Charles' sister, Princess Anne. Charles was said to be devastated, but the pair remained friends.

"The monarchy is really terrible at understanding what kinds of women should marry into it and how best to support them," said Mayer. "When Camilla came on the scene, she was seen as absolutely the wrong type of woman for Charles to marry."

Royal author Penny Junor previously claimed that Charles and Camilla reignited their physical relationship around 1978 or 1979, People reported. Parker Bowles reportedly was aware of the affair and "quite enjoyed the fact that his wife was sleeping with the future king," Junor wrote.

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Despite his relationship with Camilla, Charles began courting Lady Diana Spencer in 1980. Diana, a virgin born into an aristocratic family, was seen as an ideal match for the future king. They married in 1981 in what was described as "the wedding of the century."

Still, that didn't stop Charles and Camilla. People magazine reported they began seeing each other again in 1986, despite both being married with children.

"I think they did intend to break things off in terms of any kind of physical relationship, and they did," said Mayer. "But exactly when they rekindled it is another matter entirely because what they've said and what the evidence suggests don't always exactly match."

Turner told Fox News Digital Diana suspected early on that Camilla would never leave the picture.

"Camilla, without doubt, has been the love of Charles' life," he said. "He never stopped wanting to be with her, even when he married Diana. It has long been rumored that Diana recognized this before marrying Charles and tried to stop the wedding, but her father told her it was too late to back out."

During her marriage to Charles, Diana noticed he wore a pair of gold cuff links engraved with interwoven Cs, representing his devotion to Camilla.

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"There was a famous incident described in Jonathan Dimbleby's authorized biography of Charles in which Diana found cuff links she realized were a gift from Camilla to Charles ahead of the wedding," said Mayer.

"The person I spoke to said there was a separate incident in which he lost one of the cuff links and became very upset about it. The suggestion is that these things had great meaning for him and that the friendship had great meaning for him."

In recordings made for Andrew Morton's book "Diana: Her True Story," the princess recalled confronting Camilla about the affair.

"I was terrified of her," Diana said, as quoted by People. "I said, 'I know what's going on between you and Charles, and I just want you to know that,'" she recalled.

"She said to me, 'You've got everything you ever wanted. All the men in the world fall in love with you, and you've got two beautiful children. What more would you want?' ... So I said, 'I want my husband. ... I'm sorry I'm in the way ... and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what's going on. Don't treat me like an idiot.'"

She would later famously tell "Panorama," "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

KING CHARLES LEFT ‘COVERED IN SALAD DRESSING’ AFTER EXPLOSIVE CLASH WITH PRINCESS DIANA: BUTLER

Charles and Diana separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996. A year later, Diana died from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36. In 2005, Charles married Camilla. She was crowned Queen Camilla in 2023.

"In a lot of ways, Camilla has been very good for Charles," said Turner. "She's supported him in his efforts to become a great king. She has been his confidante, mentor and companion."

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital she agreed with Mayer's statement: When it came to Camilla, she was always "non-negotiable" for Charles.

"For years, the palace kept Charles and Camilla in separate boxes," said Chard. "Eventually, he chose love over protocol. Time did the rest. Camilla stayed steady, avoided the spotlight and carried out her royal duties. She became an asset, not a liability. By the time Charles took the throne, it was a no-brainer. You get the king, you get the queen. There was no plan B."

Socialism’s rise inside the Democratic Party now threatens the American Dream

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:00:56 -0400

The latest wave of socialist victories in Democrat primaries in New York and elsewhere should be a wake-up call for Americans across the country. For years, many people dismissed socialism as a fringe movement within the Democrat Party. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

The wins by self-described New York socialists Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Claire Valdez are the latest evidence that the socialist movement is no longer a fringe faction operating on the margins of the Democrat Party. Socialists are increasingly setting the direction of the Democrat Party — and many voters in progressive areas of the country are willing to embrace it. That should concern every American.

All three candidates were backed by fellow socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose rise has transformed him from a local elected official into a political kingmaker. The results stunned Democrat leaders. According to Axios, some House Democrats described the outcome as an "earthquake" and a "huge defeat" for party leadership. Even moderate Democrats will admit they no longer have control of their party, the socialists do.

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE NO LONGER ON THE FRINGE

The significance of these victories goes beyond New York. Mamdani's candidates didn't defeat Republicans. They defeated incumbent Democrats and establishment-backed candidates in districts where the primary effectively decides the election. The result will likely add more socialists to Congress and further pull the Democrat Party to the far left and even further away from the mainstream of American politics.

Voters shouldn’t just be concerned about the label but even more about the policies that come with it.

The policies championed by today's socialist movement would affect how Americans work, start businesses, save money and pursue economic opportunity. They would fundamentally and permanently change the American free enterprise system that has made our country the strongest and most prosperous in the world. As a former small-business owner, I find this to be especially alarming. We don’t help businesses by making government bigger, we help them by getting out of the way.

SOCIALISTS LAUNCH RADICAL PLATFORM TO ABOLISH THE US SENATE IN BID TO FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM AMERICA

For example, Lander has supported policies that would dramatically restrict independent contracting, limiting opportunities for millions of Americans who value the flexibility and freedom that come with freelance and gig work. Avila Chevalier has advocated eliminating right-to-work protections and allowing unions to collect dues directly from workers' paychecks, including from employees who choose not to join a union. Valdez has called for using the full weight of the federal government to expand union power and push workers into union membership, regardless of whether they want to join.

This alarming trend extends well beyond New York. Seattle voters recently elected Katie Wilson, another socialist candidate aligned with many of the same ideological priorities. Across the country, activists are building organizations, recruiting candidates, and steadily expanding their influence within Democratic politics.

Now, we are seeing the trend reach far beyond deep-blue cities. In my home state of Wisconsin, a leading gubernatorial candidate, Francesca Hong, proudly identifies as a socialist. Her candidacy demonstrates that ideas once confined to a handful of urban districts are now being marketed to voters in battleground states that will help determine the nation's future. That is why it is so important that we elect Tom Tiffany as governor of Wisconsin in November and prevent someone like Hong from bringing socialism to our doorstep.

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For years, many Americans assumed socialism could gain traction only in a few areas like New York City or San Francisco. Recent elections suggest otherwise. The movement is producing candidates, winning primaries, and replacing establishment Democrats with candidates who embrace a far more expansive role for government in the economy.

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I know voters in my district and across Wisconsin do not want to follow the same dangerous path we have seen in many coastal cities, and we must do everything we can to prevent that from happening here. If we do not put a stop to this radical-left ideology now, it will come to our neighborhoods next.

Americans who value economic opportunity, more choices for working Americans, and free enterprise should pay attention. What happened in New York was not an isolated event. It was another sign that socialism is becoming the defining direction of the future of the Democrat Party.

I've studied military strategy. Trump now faces Iran's oldest battlefield trick

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:00:39 -0400

War is not checkers. It is chess, a game that began in India and was refined and carried through Persia, where "shah" meant king and "shah mat" meant the king was helpless. The language matters because strategy, whether in chess or war, is not only about placing an opponent in check. It is about knowing how to finish the game.

President Donald Trump holds the stronger pieces, and Tehran knows it. That is why Iran is not trying to match America move for move. It is trying to widen the board before Washington decides how to close the game.

Tehran's counter-move

The pattern is now familiar. Trump strikes Iranian military targets. Iran pressures commercial shipping. Trump tightens the maritime noose. Iran threatens new energy routes. Each American move is answered not by matching American firepower, but by shifting the pressure somewhere else: at sea, in oil markets, across Gulf capitals and inside Washington's political debate.

U.S. Central Command has confirmed a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian coastal defense and missile sites, part of an effort to reimpose a naval blockade on Iranian ports and degrade Tehran's ability to threaten Hormuz shipping. Iran answered with strikes on U.S.-linked targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, and with cruise-missile strikes that killed and wounded mariners aboard tankers in the strait. Tehran is trying to make each American strike produce a wider problem.

MIKE POMPEO: PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S PRESSURE CAMPAIGN ON IRAN WILL LEAD TO A NON-NUCLEAR AMBITIOUS REGIME

That is not simple retaliation. It is a counter-move, and Iran has used this approach before.

The Tanker War's lesson

During the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), Tehran helped turn the Persian Gulf into a battlefield in what became known as the Tanker War. The U.S. Navy launched Operation Earnest Will to escort reflagged Kuwaiti tankers through the Gulf. In April 1988, the frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts struck an Iranian mine while on that mission. Four days later, the Navy answered with Operation Praying Mantis, sinking or damaging a significant portion of Iran's operational navy in a single day.

Iran did not defeat the U.S. Navy. It learned something else: mines, tankers, shipping lanes and oil anxiety can force a far stronger power to defend much more than a single waterway. That habit has not changed.

TRUMP WON’T RULE OUT KHARG ISLAND TAKEOVER: WHAT A US ASSAULT COULD LOOK LIKE

A second chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz remains the central square on today’s board. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that oil flow through Hormuz averaged roughly 20 million barrels a day in 2024, about a fifth of global petroleum consumption.

But Hormuz may no longer be the whole board. Reuters reports that Iran is signaling it could use its Houthi allies in Yemen to threaten the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, putting a second vital energy artery at risk. Closing Bab el-Mandeb would force tankers around southern Africa, adding time and cost to global energy shipments.

A one-chokepoint crisis is dangerous. A two-chokepoint crisis becomes a test of American staying power.

The toll mistake

Washington also handed Tehran an argument it did not deserve. Trump floated a 20% fee on shipping through Hormuz, then dropped the idea a day later, saying no one should be able to charge such a toll. The legal problem was obvious. The U.N.'s International Maritime Organization said there is no legal basis for mandatory tolls on an international strait under transit-passage rules.

America cannot credibly tell Iran it has no right to toll an international waterway while briefly weighing a toll of its own. Even withdrawn, the proposal was an unforced error.

The endurance bet

The larger danger is that repetition becomes a substitute for strategy. Axios reports that Trump convened a Situation Room meeting to weigh an offensive wider than the current strikes near Hormuz, and Trump has said publicly that strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges could follow if Tehran does not return to the table.

TRUMP REVIVES HIS DECADES-OLD IRAN WARNING AS US RAMPS UP MILITARY PRESSURE: 'REMARKABLY CONSISTENT'

Force works when it narrows an enemy's options. It fails when it multiplies America's obligations. Tehran is betting that every American strike, threat and widened blockade will look like progress while adding another place Washington must defend.

What Trump should do now

Trump should refuse that bet. Three disciplines would help him do it.

First, stop making maritime policy in public. A major maritime policy should not reach a social media post before its legal basis, allied support and enforcement mechanisms are settled.

Second, name the war America is actually fighting. Is this limited retaliation, a maritime-security operation, coercive nuclear diplomacy or an effort to dismantle Iran's coercive infrastructure? Each answer requires different targets, different limits and a different explanation to the American people.

Third, use force to narrow the war, not expand it on Tehran's terms. American power should shrink Iran's options, not multiply Washington's burdens.

The Tanker War offers a caution. What began as a limited escort mission became a test of national will, alliance management and escalation discipline. Washington cannot afford timidity. It also cannot afford carelessness.

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Iran cannot defeat the United States directly, and it does not have to. Its strategy is to widen the board, raise the cost and survive long enough to call endurance a kind of victory.

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Trump holds the stronger pieces. He has put Iran in check more than once this year. But check is not checkmate. A regime under pressure can still escape, counterattack and drag the fight into a costlier configuration if its opponent mistakes movement for strategy.

Trump has the pieces to prevail. What he needs now is the discipline to prevent Tehran from choosing the next square.

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Bernie, AOC to team up with El-Sayed as Dem civil war moves to Michigan

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:00:34 -0400

Progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will parachute into battleground Michigan's campaign trail this weekend to boost Abdul El-Sayed, the far-left candidate they're supporting in a crucial Democratic Senate primary.

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez will make three campaign trail stops with El-Sayed, a former Wayne County Health Department director who is facing off for the party's nomination against Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate lawmaker backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the establishment.

After victories by far-left and socialist candidates over more moderate contenders in deep-blue congressional districts in New York City and Colorado last month drew national attention, Michigan is now the latest battleground in the high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party.

"What you’re seeing here are the two opposing forces of the Democratic Party. Both candidates offer very different visions of what the party and the country should look like," veteran Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News Digital. "The stakes are monumentally high because Democrats have to hold this seat in November."

SWING STATE POLL SPELLS TROUBLE FOR FAR LEFT AS SCHUMER BACKED CANDIDATE SOARS

The winner of the Aug. 4 Democratic primary will take on former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is on a glide path to the GOP nomination, in the key midterm Senate faceoff to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

The rare open Senate seat is a top Republican target in the midterms, as well as a must-hold for the Democrats as they aim to win back the Senate majority from the GOP, which currently controls the chamber with a slim 53-47 margin.

The showdown in Michigan became a two-way race a couple of weeks ago, after progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, once the third major Democrat in the primary, suspended her campaign.

McMorrow, who has seen her national profile expand in recent years and was running as a progressive in an ideological space between El-Sayed and Stevens, exited the race after failing to keep pace with her two main rivals.

Stevens held a seven-point lead over El-Sayed earlier this week in a Detroit News/WDIV poll conducted after McMorrow dropped out and following a debate last week between the two candidates.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE

El-Sayed, who, if elected, would make history as the nation's first Muslim senator, is an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018. He has made support for Medicare-for-all a major component of his campaign.

The far-left candidate has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and is a vocal critic of Israel amid its war with Hamas — even characterizing Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" against Palestinians. And El-Sayed, who served as a top surrogate on Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, has vowed not to accept PAC donations.

Schumer and the party establishment view Stevens as more electable than El-Sayed, who has sparked controversy with his past comments. They worry that El-Sayed as the party's nominee would jeopardize the Democrat-controlled Senate seat by pushing the party too far to the left in a state that President Donald Trump carried two years ago by just over one percentage point.

Earlier this week, Peters, who to date had stayed neutral in the race to succeed him, endorsed Stevens.

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The primary showdown has become combustible.

"If you want your politics dictated by AIPAC or Chuck Schumer, then I'm not your guy," El-Sayed said during last week's debate, arguing the Democratic Party would not change if it continued to elect leaders who take money from corporations.

Stevens countered by accusing El-Sayed of benefiting from Republican efforts to boost him in the primary. "What my opponent needs to answer is, why is the GOP spending thousands of dollars to prop up his campaign, saying that he will make Mike Rogers the next U.S. senator?" Stevens said.

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

The primary clash is also expensive, with outside groups spending big bucks to flood the campaign trail with ads.

The biggest spending is United Democracy Project, a political action committee aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The group reports spending nearly $15 million in support of Stevens and against El-Sayed.

"This race is not between Abdul and Haley Stevens. It is Abdul vs. AIPAC," Sanders argued in a social media post. "A billionaire-funded Super PAC shouldn't determine American elections or foreign policy. Let's support Abdul."

A victory by El-Sayed over Stevens in the primary would give the far left a major win on a statewide stage, and further boost their momentum in the battle for the Democratic Party's future.

But Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, warned against placing too much emphasis on the results in Michigan, as he pointed to other factors in the race.

"I don't think that even if El-Sayed wins, that means the national party is moving dramatically to the left, as the left will insist if that happens," he told Fox News Digital. "Some of this is idiosyncratic. There's a huge Arab American population in Michigan. The Israel issue is more resonant there than it is in other places. And candidates matter."

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Caiazzo, a veteran of Sanders' two presidential campaigns, also urged caution.

"I think it’s really important for Democrats not to read into these primaries as any sort of directional change within the party. Every single election happens under a different set of circumstances," he said.

The progressive education machine is collapsing. We should let it fall

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:00:10 -0400

The American education establishment is currently having a collective meltdown. If you watch the headlines closely, you can see the panic setting in across the country.

This is the unmistakable sound of a broken progressive machine collapsing under the weight of its own arrogance. The radical left has engineered our educational system to prioritize ideological compliance over human formation. Reality is finally catching up with them, and the collapse is starting where the crusade began. The war on merit.

A few years ago, the "prestigious" University of California system proudly eliminated standardized testing. They sacrificed the SAT and ACT on the altar of "equity," claiming that objective academic standards were inherently discriminatory. The administrators confidently claimed that removing the tests would level the playing field. They promised it would open the doors of elite academia to students with fewer resources, reshaping the demographic makeup of the incoming students.

CONFIDENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION SLIPS AFTER BRIEF RECOVERY, GALLUP POLL FINDS

This decision turned out to be a complete disaster.

The results are in and the failure is so undeniable that even the New York Times admitted that dropping test requirements was a terrible mistake. These universities are discovering the hard way that when you declare war on merit, you reward mediocrity. You rob intelligent, hard-working students of the ability to prove their worth, all to satisfy a progressive political checklist.

Standardized tests stood for generations as an equalizer. They were a reliable tool for intelligent hard-working students from a failing public school could use to prove they were just as capable as a wealthy student from a private prep school. A high SAT score cut through the noise of privilege. By eliminating that objective metric, the University of California did not fix inequality. They worsened the issue. Admissions offices were forced to rely on highly subjective metrics like inflated GPAs, heavily coached essays, and expensive extracurricular activities, things that favor the wealthy.

PENNSYLVANIA MEDICAL SCHOOL HIT WITH CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT OVER ALLEGEDLY DISCRIMINATORY SCHOLARSHIPS

Without a standardized test to anchor the admissions process, they tried to engineer a utopian admissions process and ended up robbing working-class students of the ability to prove they are just as capable as those with limitless money and private tutors. The war on merit has led to the destruction of the higher education standard. Now, replacing it is a subjective system where ideological compliance and family wealth rule the day.

This spectacular failure in California should cause grave concern and serve as a warning for other higher education institutions in the country. We cannot build a prosperous, resilient nation by hiding from the truth or lowering the bar. If we want to truly help the next generation, we must stop lying to them about what it takes to succeed.

Real life does not operate on a test blind curve. In fact, we are already seeing elite institutions like MIT, Dartmouth, and Yale reinstating their test requirements because they realized the "equity" argument was entirely backward.

LIBERAL FACULTY STILL HUGELY OUTNUMBER CONSERVATIVES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: REPORT

As a university president, I, for one, will not stand by and watch higher education lose its merit. We must restore objectivity to the application process, and demand genuine intellectual effort over artificial, progressive shortcuts.

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But this fight is about much more than admission to college. This is about the survival of America. The defining promise of this country has always been that it does not matter where you come from, how much money your parents make, or your last name. If you work hard and achieve excellence, there is a place for you. When education abandons merit, they destroy that promise.

The war on standards has failed. It is time to reject the equity hustle and restore excellence.

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Jerry Rice storms into gallery after heckler taunts NFL legend at celebrity golf tournament

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:20:06 -0400

Jerry Rice wasn't about to ignore a heckler Thursday, as the NFL Hall of Famer charged into the gallery during the American Century Championship after a fan taunted him at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe.

The San Francisco 49ers legend was competing alongside fellow sports stars and celebrities, including Aaron Rodgers, Charles Barkley and Tony Romo.

Rice, 63, was in the middle of his round before eventually finishing 42nd in the 90-player field.

JORDAN SPIETH SAYS GAMBLING IS FUELING ROWDY GOLF CROWDS AND WANTS THE SPORT TO ADDRESS IT SOON

Immediately after one of his tee shots, someone in the gallery mockingly yelled, "Fore!"

The NFL Hall of Famer turned toward the gallery, shouting, "Hey! Yo! Hey! Hey!"

WATCH:

Before anyone could react, Rice ducked under the ropes, club in hand, and bolted toward the crowd.

"Which one? Which one?!" Rice demanded as he charged toward the spectators.

Even in golf spikes, he closed the distance with the burst that made him one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history.

A nearby fan ratted out the suspected culprit, yelling, "Green and blue!" Rice closed in eventually and the heckler wasn't as cavalier.

FORMER COWBOYS QB TONY ROMO FALLS SHORT IN US OPEN GOLF QUALIFYING BID

The situation cooled, and Rice returned to the tee box to applause from spectators.

It wasn't Rice's first heated moment at Edgewood Tahoe. During last year's American Century Championship, Rice snapped at reporters after interpreting questions about the Kansas City Chiefs as digs at his beloved 49ers.

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One fan on Thursday summed it up perfectly: "Don't poke the bear!"

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Adam Silver calls Caitlin Clark a 'political football' as the WNBA keeps dodging reality

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:50:42 -0400

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is taking a notably passive approach to the safety of the WNBA's biggest superstar.

Rather than directly addressing the repeated physical treatment of Clark, Silver seemed more interested in tamping down the controversy.

On Thursday, as Silver addressed Clark's treatment at a CNBC Sports Summit in New York, the commish had an opportunity to demand greater accountability but instead argued that the Clark controversy has been fueled more by politics than by what is happening on the court.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PRESS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT TO PROTECT CAITLIN CLARK

"I've come to know Caitlin really well. She's an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. She has become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it's incredibly unfair to her. ... It's become political ping-pong with her."

To many Clark supporters, it's Silver missing the point.

Silver shifted attention away from the repeated hard fouls and physical confrontations that have fueled criticism of the league. Instead, Silver suggested the bigger problem is the controversy surrounding Clark, not the repeated physical play that created it.

"Ultimately, the issues around Caitlin Clark are not largely about officiating, and that particular incident is not about whether a foul should have been called at the time ..."

OLYMPIANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WNBA FOR HANDLING OF CAITLIN CLARK

Clark's supporters have watched the Fever star absorb hard foul after hard foul this season, making Silver's explanation a tough sell.

But Silver's reported involvement raises even more questions. According to multiple reports, he consulted with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert before Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was suspended following the controversial throat strike.

Asked point-blank about the report, Silver wouldn't confirm or deny it.

"I'm not going to comment on [the Engelbert report], because I don't think it's fair to Caitlin, and to Cathy Engelbert either."

While Silver did acknowledge one area that needs improvement, saying, "Do we need to improve WNBA officiating? No doubt about it," he quickly pivoted away from the larger questions surrounding Clark's treatment.

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At a time when the WNBA needed action, Silver chose optics.

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

ABC, NBC, CNN avoid airing Trump's primetime election security address live

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:50:26 -0400

ABC News, NBC News and CNN avoided airing President Donald Trump's primetime speech live on Thursday that addressed election security and apparent vulnerabilities during the 2020 election.

Trump alleged that "vital information" about the 2020 election had been "covered up and hidden" from the American people. He accused China of meddling in the 2020 election, claiming newly declassified documents include CIA reporting alleging the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sought to prevent his reelection, as well as intelligence from the FBI claiming China attempted to manufacture illegal ballots for Joe Biden in that election.

Leading up to the primetime address, the five liberal networks developed their own plans on how to handle Trump's remarks.

TRUMP RELEASES DECLASSIFIED ELECTION INTELLIGENCE, SAYS IT REVEALS 'SHOCKING VULNERABILITIES'

A CNN spokesperson earlier told Fox News Digital it planned to cover Trump's speech "as a news event, and monitor it for news developments" and provide on-air analysis and commentary. The network made the speech available on its website and on its streaming platform.

CNN anchor John King explained to viewers the network's decision, saying it's "because this president, sadly, has a history of misleading, and in some cases, simply false statements" on elections and election security, adding that CNN wanted to independently verify newly declassified documents released by the Trump administration.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ADDRESSES THE NATION ON ELECTION INTEGRITY IN PRIMETIME WHITE HOUSE SPEECH

ABC News carried Trump's speech on its streaming platform and ABC News Radio. A spokesperson for the network previously told Fox News Digital that regular ABC newscasts will cover the speech. NBC News similarly carried the address on its streaming platform and later aired a special report on the broadcast network.

Both networks aired special reports recapping Trump's remarks moments after he finished during their normally scheduled programming.

ABC and NBC stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group did preempt the networks and air the speech, however,

Trump took a moment of his address to slam ABC and NBC for their decisions, declaring them "fake news."

"They don't like the topic because they know how corrupt our system is, and they don't want to reveal it," Trump said. "They and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason. They want to keep it going. They want to protect the radical left. They can't have a great country — and that's true — you can't have a great country without free and fair elections."

He continued, "Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses. They use our public, multi-billion dollar in value airwaves for absolutely no money. They pay nothing. All we want is honesty in our elections and honesty in reporting. They pay nothing for multi-billion dollar assets."

ABC News and NBC News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

NEW YORK TIMES BLASTS 'ABUSIVE' TRUMP SUBPOENAS TARGETING REPORTERS' SOURCES

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CBS News aired a special report that initially provided analysis before dipping into the speech minutes after Trump began speaking and cut away moments after Trump's attacks towards ABC and NBC. MS NOW carried the first 15 minutes of his speech live before dipping out to provide commentary. Fox News carried the speech in its entirety.

Networks skipping presidential primetime addresses is not unprecedented. ABC, CBS and NBC chose not to air President Barack Obama's 2014 primetime speech on immigration. The three broadcast networks similarly avoided President Joe Biden's speech outside Philadelphia's Independence Hall in 2022 that attacked MAGA Republicans.

'Shadow government': Trump claims intel community bragged about hiding Chinese meddling

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:32:36 -0400

President Donald Trump accused members of the U.S. intelligence community Thursday night of operating a "shadow government" to allegedly conceal evidence of China’s efforts to influence U.S. elections, seizing on newly declassified emails that he says reveal a bitter internal dispute about how Beijing’s activities should be characterized.

Trump did not claim China changed votes or altered election results. Instead, he argued Beijing engaged in an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.

Trump claimed intelligence officials kept significant reporting out of his presidential briefings and highlighted an email in which a National Security Agency analyst allegedly wrote, "We have deliberately massaged our one pending (presidential daily brief) to avoid any direct links to the election."

TRUMP RELEASES DECLASSIFIED ELECTION INTELLIGENCE, SAYS IT REVEALS 'SHOCKING VULNERABILITIES'

"Those responsible for sounding the alarm instead kept the information secret and hidden," Trump claimed. "They did not disclose (it) to me as president or to anyone else."

Trump used the disclosures to press Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, casting the newly released intelligence as evidence that lawmakers must tighten federal election rules before the midterms.

"Most importantly, addressing this crisis of election security demands that Congress must pass the SAVE America Act," Trump said. "These reforms are urgently needed to stop the vulnerabilities that I’ve mentioned."

The SAVE America Act passed the House in February but stalled in the Senate in March, when a 53–47 vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance it. Trump urged Americans to call their senators and representatives and demand its passage "without delay."

REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP'S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY 'DEAD' IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

The legislation would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, photo identification to vote and ongoing state efforts to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls. Absentee voters would be required to submit a copy of an eligible photo ID when requesting a ballot and again when returning it.

Trump also called for eliminating mail-in voting except in cases of illness, disability, military deployment or travel. The current text of the SAVE America Act does not include that prohibition — it permits absentee voting subject to identification requirements.

Trump urged Americans to call their representatives and demand the bill’s passage "without delay."

The newly released emails show that analysts disagreed over whether any alleged Chinese influence operations and intelligence collection should be explicitly linked to elections. After the NSA analyst described "massaging" the President’s Daily Brief, other intelligence officials questioned the decision, with one writing that "the mind boggles" and another calling the approach "highly irregular."

One official alleged the intelligence community was "deliberately avoiding mentioning a connection to elections for non-substantive reasons," according to a November 2020 email. That official sought to reconnect the intelligence to the election-security assessment and prevent what another described as an "analytic objectivity mistake."

The documents, however, do not establish Trump’s broader allegation of a politically motivated conspiracy. Instead, they portray competing intelligence assessments over whether China’s actions amounted to an effort to influence the presidential contest or a broader campaign focused on U.S. policies, public opinion and issues important to Beijing.

Trump went further Thursday, claiming an FBI official wrote that she was running a "shadow government" to prevent the China intelligence from becoming public.

China denied any interference in U.S. elections.

"China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in other's internal affairs," Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Chang told Fox News Digital. "The U.S. election is an internal matter of the U.S. Its outcome is determined by the votes of the American people. China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S."

Trump is still expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in September, a senior White House official told Fox News.

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Trump directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Justice Department, FBI and CIA Thursday to investigate why the intelligence was withheld, fire anyone found to have participated in a cover-up and pursue criminal charges "if appropriate."

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in response to the address: "Americans heard the president once again repeat claims about our elections that have been investigated for years and repeatedly rejected by the Intelligence Community."

MLB announces earliest ever Opening Day for 2027, Wrigley Field All-Star Game amid labor uncertainty

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:26:57 -0400

Major League Baseball just wrapped up the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, which means it's already time to look ahead to next year's game and schedule.

MLB announced the full 2027 season schedule on Thursday afternoon, with a few notable changes from past years. Instead of the traditional late March-early April timeframe, next season will open on March 24 with one single game between two yet-to-be-determined teams.

That's the earliest date, not including international games, in baseball history. And after Netflix hosted the recently completed Home Run Derby, it's set to host that exclusive Opening Night game as well, which may not be the best outcome if the league is trying to attract the largest audience, considering the mediocre ratings the derby brought in.

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But perhaps most importantly, this new Opening Day schedule raises some serious questions and potential issues for the league, players and the owners. Namely, what happens if there's a lockout? Particularly one that isn't resolved quickly?

Nearly everyone on all sides agrees that baseball, finally, has momentum and growth on its side. Interest is up, ratings are up, attendance is up. The one thing that could jeopardize it? If baseball misses games. And with the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the owners and MLB Players Association on Dec. 1, that's a very real possibility.

The two sides, while seemingly not as far apart as originally feared, are nowhere close to an agreement. Owners have pushed a, frankly laughable, ad campaign out saying the sport needs to "level the field" with a salary cap, all while the $69 million dollar Marlins are 12 games ahead of the $370 million Mets. As just one example. Players, though, have long said they will never accept a cap system, as it limits their earning potential arbitrarily to protect ownership.

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That's a fundamental disagreement about the future of the sport, and this early opening date compresses the number of days available for the two sides to find a compromise. Not just because it's March 24, but because players would need a spring training of some kind to be ready for the regular season. The last lockout delayed the start of the regular season a week, but that was from March 31 to April 7. In 2027 they'll have one less week to negotiate before delaying games or canceling them.

That may be a good thing, however, if it forces the two groups to come to the table more frequently. Just imagine, though, if owners tell the players the game is broken and small markets have no hope after the Milwaukee Brewers or Miami Marlins win the 2026 World Series. Competitive balance indeed.

Assuming that the two sides do come together and get a deal done quickly, the 2027 All-Star Game will return to one of baseball's cathedrals: Wrigley Field.

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Historically one of the sport's best places for dramatic home runs, Wrigley will be a fantastic setting for the Home Run Derby. And the home Chicago crowd has already got a hometown star and fan favorite Pete Crow-Armstrong excited.

"It’s going to be crazy," he said, per MLB.com. "Wrigleyville is fun Monday through Sunday," he said to reporters at the media day event ahead of this year's All-Star Game. "I’m interested to see how packed it is, how hard it ends up being trying to get around. But knowing [Cubs chairman Tom] Ricketts and our front office and the people that will probably have a big hand in planning that, I’m sure it’ll be great. Wrigley’s a beautiful ballpark, and I’m glad that it’ll be on display for everybody to see."

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Wrigley, as always, will make for a fantastic showcase for the sport and the game's stars. Assuming there is a 2027 MLB season, of course. And there better be, if the league doesn't want to cost itself millions, if not billions, by alienating fans permanently.

Trump releases declassified election intelligence, says it reveals 'shocking vulnerabilities'

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:27:22 -0400

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Thursday evening on "free and fair" elections, announcing the declassification of critical intelligence that reveals, as he said, "shocking vulnerabilities" related to "hacking, exploitation and foreign interference."

"This vital information is for many years been covered up and hidden from you," Trump said. "The American people are beautiful, our great American people. But that all changes right now."

Trump did not claim China changed votes or altered election results. Instead, he argued Beijing engaged in an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.

Documents were posted to the White House website during the president's speech.

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The speech came as his administration has aggressively pushed policies, legislation and executive orders to secure U.S. elections.

"The documents we will release starting tonight have been gathered by the White House Government Transparency Taskforce, a great group of people, along with the staff of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, supported by our top intelligence agency chiefs, who have all personally reviewed the findings we are presenting this evening and fully confirmed their authenticity," Trump said Thursday.

Leading up to the address, Trump teased that his speech would be "big news." Trump touted his new Trump Accounts and spoke about how his administration has lowered drug prices, reduced crime and strengthened the border — with the main focus on securing American elections.

Trump said the disclosures underscore its push for stricter election security measures and renewed calls for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, while critics have disputed many of Trump's claims about the 2020 election and widespread voter fraud.

Vice President JD Vance, FBI Director Kash Patel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin were among the White House officials seated in the East Room.

The White House released four sections of documents focused on alleged vulnerabilities in electronic voting and ballot-counting systems, China’s acquisition and exploitation of American voter data, Michigan voter-registration investigation and noncitizens on state voter rolls.

Election law expert and senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom Hans von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital that Trump's allegations are shocking, especially given that they are from reports produced by the CIA, FBI, and other intelligence agencies.

"The president should be commended for declassifying and releasing the reports that support his claims so they can be reviewed in depth," said von Spakovsky.

Trump said China obtained information about American voters such as names, addresses, phone numbers, political affiliations and other personal information to form a dedicated unit to exploit the voter data it had acquired.

"China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in other's internal affairs. The U.S. election is an internal matter of the U.S. Its outcome is determined by the votes of the American people," Chinese Embassy spokesperson Mr. Liu Chang said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S," Chang added.

Reports from the CIA and National Security Agency about China’s interference were kept out of Trump’s almost daily presidential briefings, Trump claimed. Trump also said Congress also was not notified.

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Trump called on the director of national intelligence, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the CIA to launch an investigation and, if appropriate, fire and press criminal charges against those involved.

"To the extent that these intrusions into our election system were covered up, as the president alleges, and hidden from the public, Congress, state election officials, and leadership in the Executive Branch, Pres. Trump is right that everyone involved in that coverup should be investigated and prosecuted for any criminal violations of the law," said von Spakovsky.

Trump again highlighted the issue of noncitizens on voter rolls as he renewed his push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship and photo identification to register and vote in federal elections.

"I've also ordered DHS to notify every state about noncitizens on their voter rolls and direct them to remove all ineligible voters from the lists immediately," said Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security told election officials in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania that a preliminary review identified more than 256,000 potential noncitizens on the states' voter rolls, according to letters obtained by Fox News Digital.

Trump has pushed to get the SAVE America Act passed, which includes the long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification — which Republicans say is key to ensuring elections are safe and secure.

Trump has tried to attach the stalled election legislation to defense spending, holding housing legislation hostage and playing Senate primary politics.

Republicans are running against the clock to pass the stalled elections bill before the party’s midterm window narrows.

Democratic lawmakers swiftly condemned Trump's remarks and criticized the SAVE Act.

"Not now. Not ever. The SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the United States Senate," Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X reposting Trump’s speech.

"Tonight seems to be the ceremonial kickoff of President Trump’s campaign to interfere in the November election. Trump has badly lost independent voters, even MAGA is disheartened; he is failing and unpopular, and he’s dragging his party down with him in the midterms," said Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

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

Jill Biden claims Joe would be ‘excoriated’ if he did what’s happening in current White House

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:00:22 -0400

Former first lady Jill Biden sat down with "The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg in June to promote her memoir, "A View from the East Wing," and to discuss her life, politics and media.

Biden was asked about how the press covered her husband's presidential term, and she didn't hold back.

Goldberg, who moderated the 92nd Street Y event in New York City last month, asked whether the former first lady believes the press covered former President Joe Biden's four years in office fairly.

Hesitating in her response, Jill Biden said, "You know, I think probably, well, I mean, seeing how things are now, I don't know. I don't know. I'd have to think about that."

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The former first lady went on to suggest that her husband's administration could have done more to form stronger relationships with the media.

"But, you know, maybe we could have done more to reach out to the press to be more open so that they understood us as real people and not sort of these figureheads. That's one thing I do regret, that maybe we could have formed closer relationships."

Biden suggested there was a "double standard" between coverage of the Biden administration and the current Trump administration.

"You know, if Joe would have done any one of the things that are occurring now, I mean he would have been excoriated," she said.

Goldberg said while chuckling, "Oh yeah."

The former first lady continued, "But, you know, it's just there — it's like there's a double standard. And that I don't think is fair or was fair."

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Biden also pushed back on Democratic critics of her memoir who have said the book needlessly dredged up controversies from the 2024 election.

During a Washington, D.C., book event in early June, Biden was asked specifically about comments from former Biden White House spokesman Andrew Bates, who said of her book, "I don’t see why that painful conversation for the party needed to be publicly reopened right now," according to the New York Post.

"I want to say to Andrew: Call me up, and say it to my face, buddy," Biden responded, arguing that her book had only "one chapter on politics."

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Olympic great Lindsey Vonn reveals her ankle is ‘still broken’ months after shocking crash

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:55:19 -0400

One of the most memorable moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics came early, when skier Lindsey Vonn delivered a gutsy performance for the ages by competing at 41 just a week after injuring her knee in a crash.

Unfortunately, as admirable as her perseverance was, she injured herself badly in another crash just 13 seconds into her run in the women’s downhill final.

Five months later, Vonn is still very much dealing with her injuries.

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"It’s been a very slow process," Vonn told People while attending the ESPYs Wednesday in New York City. "It’s been five months since I’ve been able to actually go to the gym in a somewhat meaningful way. And walking is actually still really hard for me. My ankle is still broken."

Regardless of the outcome, her decision to attempt that run remains one of the most courageous moments of the Games.

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Remember when I mentioned that injury before the Olympics? That wasn't just a minor bump in the road; it was a completely ruptured ACL.

There was no questioning her courage, but the aftermath has been difficult.

"I was in a wheelchair for so long. I was on crutches for so long," Vonn said. "It was honestly almost 3½ months that I was unable to walk unassisted. I got very emotional when I was able to walk on my own."

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This week, Vonn posted an update on her recovery and said she has "a very long road ahead."

Video shows Canadian illegal alien slapping teen over Trump, ICE clothing: DHS

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:51:41 -0400

A newly released video shows the moment a Canadian woman accused of overstaying her visa allegedly slapped a teenage girl after confronting her group of friends wearing clothing displaying the words "Trump" and "ICE" on a New Jersey boardwalk before being taken into federal immigration custody.

The Department of Homeland Security shared the video Thursday in a post on X, calling Kaitlyn Tracey a "Maple Leaf Menace" and confirming she is now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody pending removal proceedings.

"This illegal alien who assaulted a teenager has no business being in our country," DHS wrote.

The video appears to show Tracey approaching the teenage girl, reaching out and striking her before walking away without stopping.

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A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson later told Fox News Digital that Tracey entered the United States on April 14, 2024, on a visa that expired Sept. 6, 2024, but remained in the country after it expired.

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"She overstayed her visa and failed to depart," the spokesperson said, adding Tracey's name to the "nearly 70% of ICE arrests" netting illegal immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of a crime.

According to DHS, the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department facilitated a controlled transfer into ICE custody following her arrest, where she will remain pending immigration proceedings.

A man identifying himself on social media as Tracey's husband, Matthew Geroni, disputed the allegations in an interview with NJ.com, arguing the incident had been blown out of proportion after drawing widespread attention online.

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"This whole situation has been blown out of proportion, and a person like Kate does not belong in any facility," Geroni told the outlet. "My wife has never been in trouble in her entire life. She's never had any kind of situation like this. This one little situation that was really a nothingburger when it happened has been blown so out of control by conservatives online that it has caused my wife to be put in a detention center."

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, the alleged victim told police she and three friends were walking along the boardwalk when Tracey began verbally berating the group over clothing they were wearing.

The affidavit states two of the victim's friends were wearing patriotic sweatpants displaying the words "Trump" and "ICE." Investigators allege Tracey then approached the victim and struck her once in the face and once in the body.

Officers attempted to stop Tracey, but she refused to identify herself and continued down the boardwalk, according to the affidavit.

Investigators later identified her through social media and passport information she provided when entering the United States from Canada in 2024.

Geroni also posted several emotional videos to social media after Tracey's arrest, saying he was trying to find an immigration attorney and pleading for help.

"I need help. I don't know what to do," he said in one video. "I need an immigration lawyer. ... I need my wife."

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Geroni also said he created a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Tracey's legal defense and immigration costs before it was removed from the platform. Before it was taken down, the fundraiser said it had been organized by friends to help cover Tracey's legal expenses and immigration-related costs.

In another video, Geroni claimed the campaign was removed after what he described as a coordinated mass reporting campaign by a "Facebook group of MAGA supporters."

A GoFundMe spokesperson disputed that claim, telling Fox News Digital the fundraiser was removed because it violated the platform's policies.

"GoFundMe's terms of service prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes," the spokesperson said. "Consistent with this long-standing policy, the fundraiser was removed from the platform and fully refunded."

The case also drew reaction on Capitol Hill after DHS released the surveillance video Thursday.

"Oh, Canada. She's headed back your way!" Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., wrote on X. "Thank you, @SecMullinDHS!"

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Francis R. Hodgson, Tracey's attorney, declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. Court records show Tracey is scheduled to appear in Ocean County Superior Court on Aug. 4.

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

LeBron James drops the ultimate nothing-burger at Fanatics Fest with his NBA decision looming

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:30:09 -0400

LeBron James knew exactly why thousands packed Fanatics Fest on Thursday.

And he left them cold without answering the only question anyone really cared about.

At 41, with few career-defining decisions left, LeBron still understands the value of making everyone wait, just as he did during "The Decision" 16 years ago.

After weeks of keeping the basketball world guessing, the league's all-time leading scorer took the stage for a live taping of his "Mind the Game" podcast with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had spent the previous day teasing fans on social media that answers were finally coming.

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Instead, James drank wine, entertained recruiting pitches and served up a whole lot of nothing.

"I won't hold you guys up too much longer," James promised the crowd, right before doing exactly that.

Not even Haliburton tried to get an answer.

When the Pacers star asked, "Is there a decision that still has to be made?" James immediately shut down his Olympic teammate.

"We literally talked about this in the back," James said.

James' PR team, working in the shadows, pushed that a decision was in the works and ready for the public by the weekend.

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For all the sidestepping Thursday, James did acknowledge one thing about his next move: "It's a big decision for not only myself, but for my family as well."

"It's not just about the team," James insisted.

"There's so many other factors that I'm factoring in right now on what best fits me as a player, what best fits me as a person, and what best fits my happiness, and also my family as well."

NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged on Thursday how much the league is held at the whim of his decision.

"Where LeBron plays will affect the schedule. I’d like him to make his announcement already so we can finish the schedule," Silver said.

LeBron kept every detail about his next team close to the jersey.

He laughed off crowd suggestions for Philly and Miami, then tossed a crumb to his ex, the Lakers, by noting he "spent eight great years" in L.A. while keeping the Warriors rumors on ice. Then he gave himself bulletin board material from all the discussions of his decision online.

"I'm seeing something on social media... that wherever I go, we may be in the Play-In... and I'm not a factor anymore," James said. "So maybe that as well, too, is a little motivation."

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The NBA is still waiting for LeBron's next team. And like a load-management game, Fanatics fans showed up and left disappointed.

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Navy says no reprimands or firings after Blue Angels’ low pass over beachgoers

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:45:37 -0400

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said the flight debrief was complete and there would be no reprimands or firings and there was "no problem" after the Navy's Blue Angels drew widespread attention with a wildly low flyover on a Florida beach.

Cao tweeted: "That’s the sound of Freedom! Semper fi and Hooyah," on Thursday after videos of the maneuver went viral.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other Trump allies also took to social media to weigh in.

Video shared online showed beachgoers cheering as two Blue Angels jets with the flight demonstration team made a low pass over Pensacola Beach on Wednesday. Social media reactions varied, from those who praised the flyover and wished they could have seen it in person, to those who criticized the stunt.

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Hegseth, however, posted on X, "The flyovers will continue until morale improves."

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell shared a photo of one of the aircraft performing a maneuver during the flyover and wrote, "Carry on Patriots."

Eric Trump also responded by sharing an ABC News report on X, writing, "Can't stand the manufactured outrage by the low-T mainstream media. This was undoubtedly the highlight of these people's day…"

The ABC News report Eric Trump shared said Navy officials confirmed in a statement to the outlet that Blue Angels leadership is "reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety review."

The Blue Angels did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The flyover came during Wednesday morning's annual "Breakfast with the Blues" event, which marks the start of Red, White and Blues Week and gives spectators a chance to watch the Navy's flight demonstration squadron practice over the Gulf Coast.

Local news outlet WALA-TV reported that this year's event drew one of its largest crowds in recent memory, with the Casino Beach and Quietwater parking lots filling by about 7 a.m. Thousands lined the beach as the Blue Angels spent about two hours practicing ahead of this weekend's air show.

Brenda Bennett, who has attended the event for decades, told the newspaper she had never seen a crowd this large.

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"I've been coming since 1997 and this is the best kept secret, but I think the secret's out because there's more people here than normally," Bennett said.

Theresa Smith and Sheri Marinovich said they had to park farther away than usual because of the crowds but said the extra walk was worth it.

"They're showing out," the pair told the newspaper. "They love to put on a show for the breakfast crowd. You feel like they're just so much closer and we get to hear them talking on the radio and they do different maneuvers than they do for the show."

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Many spectators told the outlet the event felt especially meaningful following the recent America 250 celebrations. Bennett said she hopes Americans continue celebrating "our freedom that we have here in the United States."

The Blue Angels are scheduled to practice again Thursday before public performances Friday and Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE: DHS seeks custody of illegal immigrant charged with murder after Trump deportation, Biden release

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:50:27 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is asking Florida officials to turn over a Bangladeshi illegal immigrant accused of murdering his sister-in-law after he was deported under the first Trump administration, illegally reentered the U.S. and was released by the Biden administration.

DHS told Fox News Digital that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer against Akbor Miah, who allegedly used the alias Shahidul Islam, requesting he be transferred into federal custody after his state criminal proceedings conclude.

According to DHS, Miah first entered the U.S. in 2016 during the Obama administration. He was arrested by ICE in February 2018, and an immigration judge issued a final order of removal later that year.

However, after being deported to Bangladesh in January 2019, during the first Trump administration, Miah illegally reentered the U.S. — a federal felony — and was released into the country by the Biden administration on March 19, 2022, officials said.

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DHS said ICE filed a detainer requesting Florida officials transfer Miah into federal custody after his state criminal proceedings conclude so he can face immigration enforcement following any sentence imposed in the murder case.

According to authorities, Monica Islam disappeared after leaving the Eustis convenience store where she worked alongside Miah, her brother-in-law, on May 2, 2025. Hours later, she was found dead from a gunshot wound along a road in Mount Dora.

Investigators recovered Monica Islam's DNA from Miah's vehicle, along with a bullet lodged in the passenger-side door and evidence the passenger window had been shattered, prosecutors said.

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Officials claim Miah fled to New York after the killing before he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service and extradited to Florida, where he faces a first-degree murder charge.

"This illegal alien from Bangladesh has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting his own sister-in-law in Florida," DHS acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.

"He then thought he could evade justice by fleeing to the sanctuary state of New York. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, this criminal illegal alien has been arrested and is off our streets. ICE has lodged a detainer so he can never be loose in our country again."

Fox News Digital previously reported that a Lake County grand jury indicted Miah on a charge of premeditated first-degree murder and that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

State Attorney Bill Gladson said investigators uncovered evidence that Miah conducted numerous suspicious internet searches on the morning of the killing.

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Prosecutors also allege he rented a vehicle and drove to New York after the shooting before authorities tracked him down through a joint effort involving local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

Ditching his 'Whizzinator' in a patrol car was Florida man's second bad decision of day

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:41:06 -0400

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has accused a Florida man of coming up with a plan to beat his court-ordered drug test. Executing what on paper might look like a good plan proved to be difficult.

His first mistake was climbing behind the wheel on July 14 and driving to submit his urine sample. A deputy stopped James Shepard, 52, as he pulled in, because according to the sheriff's office, his license is suspended.

That's a violation of the felony probation he was serving for multiple burglaries and thefts, News 6 reports. He was arrested on charges of violating probation and taken to jail in the back seat of a patrol car.

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"Driving on a suspended license was crime number one," according to the sheriff's office. "Crime number two was strapped to his groin."

What Shepard had strapped to his groin was what the sheriff’s office referred to as a "jerry-rigged Whizzinator." It was constructed of a fake bladder that had fake urine in it.

There was a heating pad wired to it and a fake penis attached. For comedy's sake, I hope he went large with the fake attachment. That detail isn't mentioned, but thanks to the camera in the patrol car, there's video evidence of him ditching the device.

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After complaining of a shoulder injury and having the handcuffs moved to the front, he is seen reaching in his pants until finally removing and tossing the "wet wiener on the floor."

When the deputy found the Whizzinator, Shepard said it wasn’t his. The video appeared to contradict his claim, and he's now facing charges of driving without a valid license, violating his probation, defrauding a drug test, and tampering with evidence.

"This pee-brain dirtbag had already been given the deal of a lifetime, walking around on community control when he should have been sitting in a prison cell for almost a decade," said Sheriff Rick Staly.

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"Shepard terrorized our home construction businesses and had stolen enough appliances to open an appliance store but was only sentenced to community control when his own sentencing scoresheet had him eligible for a minimum of 9 years in prison. Now he has a stream of new charges after flushing away a second chance to turn his life around. Instead, he tried to trick the system. Now he needs to go to prison!"

Who knows how it all would have gone down had Shepard had someone else drive him and the Whizzinator to his court-ordered drug test. As it is, he's being held without bond.