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Caitlin Clark's teammate called 'wildly unprofessional' for airing true thoughts on Mercury

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:54:47 -0400

Sophie Cunningham is throwing more fuel onto the WNBA fire.

Caitlin Clark's sidekick is never one to hide from anything, and on the latest episode of her "Show Me Something" podcast, she did not shy away from her true feelings about her former team.

Cunningham once played for the Phoenix Mercury, but last week the Mercury was Public Enemy No. 1 after Alyssa Thomas' hard foul on Caitlin Clark.

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The foul went uncalled before the WNBA reviewed the play, upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, and suspended Thomas. But the Mercury also poked fun at the incident in a since-deleted social media post.

Continuously having Clark's back, Cunningham said "no one" likes the Mercury.

"I know people in their own organization — no one likes their team this year. They say that they're the unfriendliest group," Cunningham said. "So we're not the only ones who feel that way. Internal people feel that way too."

That, however, drew the ire of USA TODAY WNBA reporter Meaghan L. Hall, who said Cunningham should keep her comments to herself.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER RIPS WNBA’S ‘THUG TREATMENT’ OF CAITLIN CLARK AFTER LATEST ON-COURT CONTROVERSY

"Goodness gracious. I — 1) This is wildly unprofessional," she began in an X post.

"2) How is this helping with the points at everything current discourse? 3) There is not any scenario that exists where a player should be saying this about any organization."

Cunningham spent six seasons with the Mercury before joining the Indiana Fever last year. She was named in a lawsuit last year that claimed she had a sexual relationship with Phoenix Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein, which she denied.

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The Fever and Mercury will face off again on July 9, but Clark's status remains in question due to a lingering back issue.

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Get a whole-home clean with these 17 Amazon essentials from just $6

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 13:17:36 -0500

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Supreme Court strikes down limit on party campaign spending in coordination with candidates

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:40:34 -0400

The Supreme Court struck down a longstanding federal campaign spending limit, ruling that political parties can now spend unlimited amounts in coordination with their federal candidates, as long as they otherwise comply with campaign finance laws.

The 6-3 vote in the case National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission saw all the conservative justices in the majority, ruling against the restriction in the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA).

"In short, constitutional text, history, and precedent establish that the political-party coordinated-expenditure limits violate the First Amendment," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the majority opinion. "Importantly, by holding FECA’s political-party coordinated-expenditure restrictions unconstitutional, the Court’s decision today treats all political parties equally."

Then-Senator J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, was among those who brought the original lawsuit in 2022, along with the Republican senatorial and congressional committees.

Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. Kagan wrote in her dissenting opinion that "today, the Court rewrites the rules, to allow circumvention of the contribution limits."

"The majority invalidates Congress’s restriction of coordinated expenditures, thus enabling a party to serve as an alternative checking account for a campaign," Kagan wrote.

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This is a developing news story; check back for updates.

Fox News’ Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.

UAP whistleblower Luis Elizondo details congressional staffer's warning of a plot to 'eliminate' him

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:39:53 -0400

A whistleblower's brush with death, a congressman's dive into one of America's biggest mysteries and chilling warnings for their safety have taken center stage on the latest episode of the "Hang Out With Sean Hannity" podcast.

Former Pentagon official and UFO whistleblower Luis Elizondo recalled a startling warning he received from a congressional staffer regarding him and fellow whistleblower David Grusch.

"There was a plan to eliminate you," Elizondo said, recounting the warning.

UFO WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS BILLIONS IN SECRET SPENDING HIDDEN FROM CONGRESS

According to Elizondo, the "inebriated" staffer had left a classified briefing on Capitol Hill where government officials had disclosed the information just prior to the call.

Though no details were provided regarding how the plan had been formulated or exactly what it entailed, he indicated he was prepared for such a faceoff.

"It's the reason why I have five German shepherds, and I'm heavily armed," he said.

A call from another staffer immediately followed, offering another ominous warning related to the news.

EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS UAP FILES REVEAL 'TREASURE TROVE' OF INTELLIGENCE DATING BACK TO THE 1940S

"[The] first thing he says, 'Lou, are you okay?' I said, 'Yeah, I'm fine, why?' He's like, 'Well, you need to really watch yourself. Because there was discussions involving you and Grusch, that some people were very upset with what you guys did,'" he recounted.

Both Elizondo and Grusch were former intelligence officials who helped spearhead calls to disclose classified information regarding UFOs or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs).

Their calls have been met with some resistance, he says, including the alleged plan.

Tennessee GOP Rep. Tim Burchett, also appearing on the podcast, similarly touched on the dangers of pressing for transparency,

"I was sitting at the house and I got a call from... a friend of the administration. It told me that I'd kicked a hornet's nest, and it said, you need to get bodies around you," he recalled.

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"I'm in East Tennessee, I've got bodies around me. There's enough good old boys out there..." he continued.

"Lou will tell you we have kicked a virtual hornet's nest, and these people don't want this stuff out, and I have my own theories about that as well. I'm sure Lou does, too."

The full "Hang Out With Sean Hannity" episode with Elizondo and Burchett is available now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce reported MSG wedding plans call for 1,000 guests, street closure at MSG: source

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:44:23 -0400

NEW YORK — Pop superstar Taylor Swift’s wedding to three-time Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce will be a days-long event involving street closures, hundreds of VIPs, a special police detail and taxpayer-funded security measures, according to a source with knowledge of the event.

The NYPD is preparing to lock down a city block outside Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan.

The source detailed an event spanning multiple days of setup, festivities, and breakdown, with 1,000 guests expected to attend — all small crowd for the venue, and for the star players, but many of them are described as "high profile" and "VIP" by the police department.

Swift and Kelce have been secretive about the guest list itself, and police have been advised to expect large crowds and paparazzi outside, according to the source.

TAYLOR SWIFT'S WEDDING RUMORS SPARK SPECULATION ABOUT CLOSE FRIENDS, INFAMOUS FALLOUTS AND BRIDAL PARTY

Guests have reportedly received individual watermarked invitations in an effort to discourage leaks, TMZ reported previously. There has even been a mystery surrounding the wedding's location for weeks.

About 100 people were invited to a rehearsal dinner that will also take place at the Garden an evening before the big day, the source said.

New York authorities will shut down West 31st Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues all day on July 3 — less restrictive than the shutdowns for the NBA Finals, which the New York Knicks won earlier this month. Those closures extended for multiple blocks surrounding MSG.

On the wedding day, guests will arrive at a secure reception tent as the cocktail hour kicks off, so they can enter away from prying eyes.

SECRET SERVICE, TSA AND NYPD TRANSFORM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN INTO FORTRESS FOR TRUMP'S NBA FINALS VISIT

The ceremony is scheduled for the evening with the reception running into the early morning of July 4, according to the source, and reports suggest there will be A-list performances along the way.

Roughly 10 blocks to the north, revelers will be ringing in the United States' 250th birthday in Times Square, according to the organizers of America 250 — with a ball dropping eight times, marking midnight in every time zone where the country has territory.

The days-long festivities have been sponsored and approved by New York City’s Street Activity Permit Office, which is part of the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management.

The NYPD is expected to provide taxpayer-funded security and traffic control.

TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE WEDDING BUZZ GROWS AS STEVIE NICKS AND TIM MCGRAW ARE TAPPED TO PERFORM: REPORT

The New York Post’s Page Six has reported that the wedding bash will feature performances from Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw and be "bigger than the Met Gala."

The annual Metropolitan Museum of Art fundraiser generates tens of millions of dollars for the organization and also receives security assistance from the NYPD and New York City’s Sanitation Department.

In a photo obtained by Fox News Digital Monday, a large truck was seen backing into a loading bay at the MSG, where workers took out large items concealed by black plastic sheets.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The venue falls within the NYPD's Patrol Borough Manhattan South, whose commanding officer was reassigned last week amid an internal affairs corruption probe.

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Fox News' Janelle Ash contributed to this report.

Trump suffers major Supreme Court defeat as justices uphold birthright citizenship

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:36:30 -0400

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to restrict birthright citizenship, preserving the long-standing constitutional interpretation that most children born in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens, including children born to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present in the country.

The ruling is a major setback for Trump, who made curbing birthright citizenship a key part of his immigration agenda.

Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office that would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or are in the country temporarily.

LIVE UPDATES: SUPREME COURT TO UNVEIL BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, TRANSGENDDER ATHLETES DECISIONS ON TERM'S FINAL DAY

Multiple lawsuits followed the executive order. After the Supreme Court curtailed the use of nationwide injunctions, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a nationwide class-action lawsuit on behalf of families affected by the policy. The suit, led by a Honduran woman identified only as "Barbara" to protect her identity, challenged the order as unconstitutional and argued it violated the 14th Amendment's guarantee of birthright citizenship.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Supreme Court makes ruling on trans athletes in women's sports

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:06:21 -0400

The Supreme Court has established a new nationwide precedent that allows states to protect women's sports.

The justices ruled in favor of West Virginia and Idaho on Thursday against trans athletes who sued to gain access to girls' sports. The states were backed by the law firm Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), while the trans athletes were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Cooley Legal.

In the highly-anticipated rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the high court upheld state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3.

Justice Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring with the judgment in part and dissenting in part, which Justices Kagan and Jackson joined. Jackson filed an opinion concurring in the judgment in part and dissenting in part.

Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex.

West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey praised the court's decision in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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"This is a monumental victory for every female athlete who has ever competed, or dreamed of competing, on a fair and safe playing field. Today's Supreme Court decision affirms what common sense and the law have long made clear: states have the right to designate sports teams based on biological sex, not gender identity. Without that delineation, Title IX is turned on its head and decades of hard-fought progress to advance female athletes is erased," McCuskey said.

"I am immensely proud of my team for not only getting this issue before the Court but for delivering sound and successful arguments. This landmark victory will give all states, not just West Virginia, the clarity and confidence to ensure fairness and safety for female athletes today and for generations to come."

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrado echoed McCuskey's statement.

"Today’s decision is a victory for common sense, fairness, and the countless girls and women who dedicate themselves to athletics. Idaho led the nation by becoming the first state to protect women’s sports, and I’ve never wavered in defending that law," Labrado said.

"The Supreme Court has now confirmed that states can preserve fair competition and protect the opportunities that generations of women fought to secure. Every parent can rest assured that our law protects their daughters competing in Idaho."

Education Secretary Linda McMahon released a statement later.

"Today’s ruling affirms the common sense right of states to prohibit men from competing in women’s sports, safeguard the integrity of female spaces, and ensure no woman faces discrimination on the basis of sex," she said. "For years, ideologues distorted Title IX to advance a radical transgender agenda, subjecting women to immeasurable harm.

"The Trump Administration has fought to restore Title IX’s protections for women and girls since Day One. Today’s ruling cements those reforms and builds on decades of work to secure equal educational opportunities for women and girls. This is a tremendous victory, and we look forward to ensuring that every educational institution in America abides by the law of the land

West Virginia's "Save Women's Sports Act" and Idaho's "Fairness in Women's Sports Act" were at the center of the fierce legal battle.

Those state laws had been blocked in recent years after trans athletes in West Virginia and Idaho successfully sued to challenge them. After years of failing to get past the court of appeals, the Supreme Court agreed to hear both cases last July. Now, after oral arguments in January, the laws will be protected.

The decisions mark a massive victory for "Save Women's Sports" advocates and conservative lawmakers who have passed state legislation on the issue. The ruling validates and protects the 27 other state laws that have been passed in recent years to ban biological males from women's sports.

The transgender plaintiffs were Lindsay Hecox, a transgender athlete who sought to run women's track and cross-country at Boise State University, and Becky Pepper-Jackson, a transgender youth athlete in West Virginia, who sued the state while in middle school in 2021, before recently winning a girls' track and field state championship in shot put in May.

During oral arguments, attorneys for both trans athletes had questionable moments.

Pepper-Jackson's attorney, Joshua Block of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), suggested that "sex" should not be defined legally. Block then fled questioning when asked to elaborate why after the hearing.

"I really urge the court not to do it on the definition of sex argument," Block originally said during the hearing.

CONSERVATIVE JUSTICE SWIPES AT DOJ IN TRANS SPORTS CASE: 'I DON'T THINK YOU'RE A PHD IN THIS STUFF'

But after grilling from Chief Justice John Roberts, who insisted sex "must mean something," Block conceded that sex should be defined by biology for the sake of this case, but this case only.

"I think for this case, you can accept, for the sake of this case, that we're talking about what they've termed to be biological sex," he said.

Fox News Digital asked Block what his definition of "sex" is, and he declined to give a definition, then fled further questioning.

Meanwhile, Hecox's attorney, Kathleen Hartnett of Cooley Legal, admitted that Hecox athlete was "unlikely" to graduate in May after the firm previously argued that the athlete's May graduation would render a ruling about Hecox's athletic eligibility unnecessary.

"She's unlikely to graduate by May, as my friend said, but is hoping to make, through summer credits, to graduate in the fall," Hartnett said just months after the firm filed a suggestion of mootness, in which Hecox stated, "I am currently enrolled in classes that may allow me to graduate as early as May 2026."

Earlier in the hearing, Idaho Solicitor General Alan Hurst called out Hecox's claimed graduation date of May as "not possible" after the state's leadership did some back-door digging to discover Hecox's status.

AGS LEADING THE 'SAVE WOMEN'S SPORTS' LEGAL TEAM IN SCOTUS BATTLE REVEAL EXPECTATIONS FOR COURT'S DECISION

"[Boise State] is a client of Idaho, we asked, and the university confirmed that it's unlikely to happen in the spring," Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) legal counsel John Bursch, who has worked with the Idaho and West Virginia AGs on the Supreme Court case, told Fox News Digital. "It just shows that throughout the case, Hecox has flipped back and forth."

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said that exposing the discrepancy was "important" to their arguments Tuesday.

"I think it's important. I don't think it's the main issue in the case, but I think it's important," Labrador told Fox News Digital.

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Now, more than half of the states in the U.S. are empowered to enforce the protection of women's sports without fear of a legal challenge.

However, there are still 23 states, including California, New York and Massachusetts, that don't have any such laws, and some of those have laws to protect trans athletes in girls' sports.

WATCH: Fights break out at Russian gas stations as Putin admits fuel shortages

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:15:46 -0400

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly acknowledged that Ukrainian long-range strikes are creating fuel supply problems inside Russia, as videos obtained by Fox News Digital show long lines, angry motorists and fights erupting at filling stations across several Russian regions.

Speaking at a meeting with government ministers and other officials after a wave of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, Putin said on Sunday that strikes on "critical infrastructure" and energy facilities were creating "problems," including shortages affecting motorists, businesses and agricultural producers, but said Russia was dealing with them, according to Reuters.

The remarks marked a rare admission from the Kremlin that Ukraine’s long-range campaign is having an impact beyond the battlefield.

UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT

For Ukraine, the fuel crisis is evidence that its long-range strike campaign is doing more than damaging individual facilities. The attacks are forcing Moscow to manage visible problems at home, exposing a vulnerability in a country whose global power has long rested on its energy sector.

Ukraine increasingly has used long-range drones to target Russian oil refineries, depots and supply routes hundreds of miles from its border. Ukraine hit two Russian oil refineries overnight, Reuters reported Sunday, including one in Krasnodar, Russia, and another in Yaroslavl, Russia, as Kyiv continues targeting infrastructure linked to Moscow’s war effort.

Fuel shortages have spread across Russia, including occupied Crimea, southern Russia, Siberia and Moscow. Moscow also is weighing emergency measures, including temporarily allowing the production and import of lower-quality fuel, according to a draft government document reported by the Kommersant daily newspaper.

Maxim Katz, a Russian opposition figure and former Moscow municipal deputy, told Fox News Digital that the fuel shortages are real and increasingly difficult for Russians to ignore.

"There are fuel problems in Russia right now — real ones," Katz told Fox News Digital. "I’m getting a lot of reports, and I can see it too: It’s hard. You can’t find fuel, or you have to stand in line. In some cities, you have to spend half a day looking for fuel, and then they give you only a little, and you have to get back in line again."

Katz said the shortages appear tied directly to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refining capacity.

"They are bombing the refineries very effectively," he said. "Putin doesn’t have a way to defend them. Right now, it looks like there is no way to defend them, and that is a major pressure point on Putin."

Videos obtained by Fox News Digital from East2West news agency show scenes of frustration at Russian filling stations, where drivers are seen waiting in long queues and arguing as shortages bite. In one video, two women appear to argue over a place in line, with one insisting, "I was in the queue," before the confrontation escalates into shouting and threats.

'PURE HELL' IN MOSCOW AS UKRAINIAN DRONES STRIKE MAJOR REFINERY SUPPLYING CAPITAL'S FUEL MARKET

In Serov, Russia, police were called after a male driver was seen shouting obscenities at several women before punching one of them, according to a video.

In Ryazan, Russia, video shows a fight breaking out near a forecourt as drivers waited for fuel. In Irkutsk, Russia, a man is seen leaning into the open window of a hatchback and repeatedly hitting another motorist.

One woman, identified only as Tanya, 29, told east2west she waited 13 hours in Siberia to get half a tank of fuel and blamed Putin’s war for the chaos.

"He should stop this senseless conflict and let us live normally," she told the outlet.

'PURE HELL' IN MOSCOW AS UKRAINIAN DRONES STRIKE MAJOR REFINERY SUPPLYING CAPITAL'S FUEL MARKET

Katz said the fuel disruption comes alongside deeper economic pressure caused by the Russia–Ukraine war, including high domestic borrowing, steep interest rates and a budget increasingly built around military spending.

"The whole economy is now built on war," Katz said. "War does not produce anything. Nothing comes back from it. So what remains is a big hole."

He said Russia is not yet on the verge of collapse, but the strain is "growing and growing," with economic officials warning that spending may need to be cut as the budget deficit becomes harder to close.

This assessment was also confirmed to Fox News Digital by a European intelligence source, who said the economic pressure is effectively working.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Russian and Ukrainian spokespeople for comment.

Reuters contributed to this story.

Dave Portnoy left 'stunned' by NYC socialist victories, says the American Dream is under siege

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:12:15 -0400

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy had an answer Monday about whether he is weighing a potential mayoral run in the Big Apple: "Maybe."

Speaking with Fox News Digital following a 92NY event promoting his new book, the New England native debated whether he’d be the best candidate to take on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose socialist brand is rising in the Democratic Party.

"Depends what day you ask me," Portnoy told Fox News Digital. "I don’t know that I could win, but somebody’s got to take that guy and beat him."

"So I don’t know," he added. "Maybe I’m the guy to do it. Depends on how much more he keeps pissing me off."

DAVE PORTNOY CELEBRATES NOT LIVING IN NYC AFTER DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAMDANI'S MAYORAL WIN

The comments came following a panel promoting Portnoy’s new book, "Cancel Me If You Can," in which the Barstool founder left no stone unturned when it came to topics of discussion — including touching on the recent sweep by three far-left socialists in New York City’s primary elections last week.

"I don't want to say, ‘We don't do politics,’ and then I jump into politics," Portnoy said during the panel, in response to a question submitted by Fox News Digital. "And I can't stay out of it, because it is blowing in my mind what's going on [in New York City] right now."

Portnoy went on to blast previous comments from Mamdani-backed candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier that have resurfaced in light of her primary win.

DEM SOCIALIST'S NYC PRIMARY UPSET SIGNALS 'GENERATIONAL' SHIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STRATEGISTS SAY

"That lady, Chevalier, just got elected," Portnoy said. "The things she has said are unbelievable."

"She said all Arab men [and] Black men shouldn’t date ugly colonizers," he continued. "She said no prisons, no quarters, no jails. She started a group at Columbia that’s goal was to overthrow Western society — she just got elected."

Although Chevalier has not been elected to office, her victory is effectively a certainty in her deep-blue district after winning the Democratic nomination.

He also pointed to resurfaced remarks made by Mamdani-backed Aber Kawas, who won her primary race in New York State Senate District 12, in which she appeared to suggest the United States deserved the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

MAMDANI'S FAILURE TO WALK BACK THESE POSITIONS COULD CAUSE RECKONING IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY: 'FIVE-ALARM WARNING'

"[Kawas], who just got elected, said America deserved 9/11," Portnoy said. "Like that to me, is just — I can’t even wrap my brain around it."

"I don’t know if it’s scary or if I should be scared or like, [if] I gotta get into politics," he added. "I am stunned by some of the things that are happening now."

Kawas’ previous comments stemmed from a 2017 episode of the Asian American Writers' Association podcast titled "Islamophobia beyond 9/11 with Aber Kawas," in which she said, "The system of capitalism and racism and White supremacy… and Islamophobia have all been used to colonize lands, to take resources from other people and so this is a long trajectory, and we're just seeing the manifestations of that continuation with 9/11."

NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI DEFENDS PAST TWEETS, SAYS CUOMO ATTACKING ‘MYTHICAL VERSION’ OF HIM

The socialist candidate later walked back her comments days after her win, telling Fox News Digital, "I’ve always been outspoken about the wrongful scapegoating of Muslim Americans, both before and after 9/11, and in this interview I was speaking about the harmful notion that Muslims should have to apologize for an act of violence they have nothing to do with."

The pizza critic known as "El Presidente" took aim at Mamdani, blasting the sitting mayor’s socialist agenda while refusing to confirm whether a mayoral run was off the table.

WATCH: DAVE PORTNOY DISCUSSES WHETHER HE'D RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFIC

"I’d want to go right for Mamdani," Portnoy told the audience at 92NY, in response to Fox News Digital’s question.

RAPPING, ACTING CAMEO AMONG FRINGE ACTIVITIES LINING MAMDANI'S THIN WORK RESUME

"Unlike Mamdani, who’s never had a job, I’ve had a real job," he added. "And I’ve actually done a lot of good when I wasn’t doing it to run for office. I’m doing it because it’s the right thing to do."

"I don’t know if I could win this city with a Democrat, but [Mamdani] has said what he wanted to do before he got elected. And I trust what people say before they’re running, and he said some pretty crazy things about what he wants to do."

Portnoy lamented that he believes entrepreneurship — a fundamental principle of the American Dream — has been demonized by far-left candidates throughout Democratic cities in the country.

MAHER DEFENDS CAPITALISM AS BETTER THAN 'REVERSE,' CALLS OUT MAMDANI'S SOCIALIST BELIEFS

"To me, I think Barstool is the American Dream. I really do," Portnoy said. "It’s like, you work your a-- off, you build a company, you employ 400 to 450 people who enjoy it. I’ve become wealthy beyond my reach. It kind of is the American Dream."

"I don’t like when I hear that people should be ashamed for being successful — that bothers me greatly," the Barstool founder continued, earning a round of applause. "A lot of things [Mamdani] says really do bother me."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office for comment.

Speaking to the audience in response to Fox News Digital’s question, Portnoy paraphrased a famous line from philosopher Plato to emphasize his belief that Americans should run for office if they are unhappy with the politicians elected to represent them.

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"If you don’t do your job in public service, then you’re doomed to be ruled by people dumber than you," Portnoy said.

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

Taylor Sheridan says he doesn't care what critics think, admits to 'rage baiting' them on purpose

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:10:10 -0400

Taylor Sheridan couldn't care less what critics think about his work.

Sheridan has become the most powerful creative visionary in entertainment, and there's no close second.

The man took TV by storm with "Yellowstone," and has continued to expand the universe of the neo-Western with great success.

That's on top of his series "Landman," "Lioness" and many others.

MICHELLE PFEIFFER FOUGHT 'BATTLE' WITH TAYLOR SHERIDAN BEFORE SURRENDERING TO HIT SHOW 'THE MADISON'

Taylor Sheridan slams critics

Sheridan's series are all hits with regular people, but he's routinely been a target for critics. I guess woke Hollywood doesn't know success when it sees it.

But the "Yellowstone" creator couldn't care less what people in the media have to say.

"The critics are going to come after me. I’m underutilizing [Demi Moore], can’t write for women, all this nonsense. Then I’m going to kill your husband and you’re going to have to run the oil company," he said. "The critics and me… I don’t care what they think and it annoys the s--- out of them that I don’t care. I’ll be the first to tell you that there are things that I do that rage bait them a bit, and this is one of them. F--- ‘em, honestly," Sheridan said on the "The Bill Simmons Podcast," according to Deadline.

'LANDMAN' STAR ANDY GARCIA SAYS 'MAVERICK' TAYLOR SHERIDAN HAS REFRESHING APPROACH TO HOLLYWOOD

Sheridan also laid out his mindset when it comes to work and not being interested in being told what to do or how to do it.

"This is not a democracy. There’s no committee. You’re going to pay me and you’re going to give me a bunch of money and I’m going to deliver you these shows. I’m pretty common and I’m going to tell stories that common people are going to understand. That’s most of America. You’re not going to win no Emmys with me, but I’m not trying to win Emmys. That’s not my goal. My goal is to sit somebody on their couch and move them, make them think, make them laugh, scare the s--- out of them, excite them. That’s what I want to do, because that’s what I want from a show," Sheridan further explained on the podcast.

Sheridan's comments might come off a little abrasive, but he's not wrong on any count. Nobody cares what critics think, and his mindset clearly works. His new deal with NBCUniversal reportedly is worth more than $1 billion. He's on a generational run we might not see again.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Stay out of the man's way, and let him continue to produce the best entertainment on TV. It's a shockingly simple formula for success.

What do you think about Sheridan's comments and career? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Three college football recruiting 'winners' that dominated the month of June on the trail

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:04:12 -0400

Temperatures are starting to rise across the country as we enter the summer months, and with that, things on the recruiting trail are beginning to heat up as well.

Now that official visits are starting to wind down, more and more teams and recruits are getting a clearer picture about what the future holds for them in the 2027 cycle.

As with most things in college football, though, there are winners and losers, and rather than be a glass-half-empty kind of guy, I thought it would be fun to look at three programs who dominated on the recruiting trail in the month of June.

These will all be some pretty familiar names if you follow recruiting even casually, so don't expect to be surprised by the teams you find on here.

DOES UCLA'S SURPRISING TOP-10 RECRUITING CLASS HAVE LEGITIMATE JUICE OR IS IT JUST FOOL'S GOLD?

With all that said, let's crown some recruiting champs.

Texas A&M Aggies (247Sports Composite Ranking: 1)

It seems the rich are getting richer... and richer, and richer, and richer.

If I sound like a broken record at this point, it's because the Texas A&M Aggies are pulling off a prime Nick Saban-level recruiting class, and we haven't even hit July yet.

FIVE-STAR TEXAS A&M OFFENSIVE LINE COMMIT GETS TORCHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR AWKWARD HAT RITUAL

If you want to be disgusted, go take a look at the Aggies' commit list when you get a chance, which boasts a staggering SIX composite five-stars.

A&M reeled in two top-50 prospects in the month of June alone, with another (Frederick Ards III) sitting just outside of the composite top-50.

Ninety-eight percent of programs would be happy to have two top-50 players in an entire recruiting cycle.

FOUR-STAR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PROSPECT 'SHUTS DOWN' RECRUITMENT ONLY TO FLIP TWICE IN 24 HOURS

Hell, I even had to postpone writing this because the Aggies picked up a commitment from one of those aforementioned top-50 prospects just two days ago.

There's no stopping the run that A&M is on, as it looks like everyone else is just settling for number two this year.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (247Sports Composite Ranking: 2)

Speaking of number two, if it wasn't for the death march that Mike Elko and the Aggies are on, the Irish would almost certainly be viewed as the belles of the 2027 ball.

THREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL STORYLINES TO FOCUS ON INSTEAD OF LSU COACH LANE KIFFIN THIS OFFSEASON

For most of my adult life, I was told by anyone that I trusted in the inner circles of college football recruiting that Notre Dame was a deceptively hard place to land talent.

Whether it was academic standards, booster buy-in, location, or some combination of the three, it seemed like Notre Dame was destined to be a tier-two recruiting machine in perpetuity during the modern era.

Head Coach Marcus Freeman must not be aware of this, because he has built the Fighting Irish into an absolute war machine on the trail.

HERE'S WHY NICK SABAN AND NOTRE DAME'S PETE BEVACQUA ARE WRONG ABOUT NIL RUINING COLLEGE FOOTBALL

After signing a top-five class last cycle, Freeman and the Irish are looking to one-up their efforts, currently holding the silver medal spot in 2027.

Notre Dame has arguably been more impressive in June than the Aggies, reeling in two five-star players along the line of scrimmage, and adding another top-100 wide receiver this month for good measure.

They boast arguably the best offensive line class in the country, with two five-star offensive tackles and have done a really good job of squeezing every drop of talent to come from the Midwest and the Northeast.

WHICH TEAMS HAVE THE MOST VALUABLE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROSTERS HEADING INTO 2026 SEASON?

The Irish have one of the most complete classes in the country and June only solidified that for them.

LSU Tigers (247Sports Composite Ranking: 19)

You all know how much I hate to say "I told you so," but the Bayou Bengals are making a vertical climb into the upper echelon of the 2027 recruiting rankings.

People pointed and laughed when the Tigers and Lane Kiffin had a recruiting class that ranked in the 40s around May 1, but I knew better, especially when they added former head coach and recruiting wizard Ed Orgeron to their staff.

BY ADDING ED ORGERON TO STAFF, LANE KIFFIN AND LSU ADDRESS KEY FLAW FROM PREVIOUS REGIME

Things even got off to a rough start when they had their five-star edge prospect Jaiden Bryant flip to the Miami Hurricanes (who also could've made this list) at the beginning of June in what ended up being the second-most eyebrow-raising recruiting story of the month.

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But it's how you respond in this business that separates the wheat from the chaff, and LSU responded in a big way, landing two top-100 edge rushers, Chris Whitehead and K.J. Green, to help fill the gap left by Bryant.

Throw in not one but TWO four-star running backs in Trey Martin and David Segara, and teams across the country are starting to sweat.

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Speaking of which, don't look now, but the Tigers have put themselves in prime position to flip two elite five-star prospects, wide receiver Easton Royal and defensive tackle Jaden Brewster, from Texas and Texas Tech, respectively.

Sometimes it's about the work you put in behind the scenes, and although neither player flipped during June, I wouldn't be surprised if the legwork done throughout the month landed both of these players for LSU down the road.

Civil rights heroes loved America. Today's grievance peddlers just hate it

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:18 -0400

I was scrolling on X the other day when I came across a post from Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democrat and community organizer running for Congress in New York's 13th District. If she wins in November, she plans to abolish ICE, and she has been endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. She declared that "Hate has no place Uptown and in the Bronx" and that there is "no room for the hateful politics of the past." Sounds reasonable enough.

Then something interesting happened. Filmmaker Eli Steele quote-posted her, highlighting the contradiction in the words above with previous comments by the would-be U.S. representative.

This is the same candidate who previously called the United States a "f---ing disgrace" and declared "ALL PIGS EVERYWHERE ARE HARAM" — meaning all police are impure, enemies of the people. Now she wants to wrap herself in the language of unity and anti-hate?

MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS

The hypocrisy is obvious. What troubled me more were the replies cheering her on. Pastor Ben Dixon: "America is a disgrace.... what is the controversy?" Javier Soriano went further: "The United States of America has been a 'f---ing disgrace,' terrorist country since day one." What White Europeans did to Native Americans and black slaves was terrorism, he wrote. American foreign policy is terrorism.

Reading those comments forced a hard realization: When did hating America become a virtue?

Anti-Americanism is not a political opinion. It is not legitimate critique. It is a soul-rotting disease. And it has infected large parts of our communities for so long that many now treat it as normal.

WATCH: KELLYANNE CONWAY INSISTS SOCIALIST PRIMARY VICTORIES DON'T REFLECT AMERICAN VALUES NATIONWIDE

I know this sickness intimately. I grew up seeing its effects in the black underclass. Part of me understands where the rage comes from — generations of real oppression leave scars. But this hatred has metastasized. It no longer targets specific injustices. It targets the country itself.

How do you raise a Black child — or any child — when every signal tells them their nation is evil at its core? That it is racist to the bone, built to destroy them, and will never change? How do you instill pride, ambition, or responsibility in a child you've convinced is living in enemy territory?

This poison is no longer confined to the streets. It is now taught in some of America's wealthiest schools under the banner of "liberated ethnic studies." Children are divided into oppressor (White) and oppressed (people of color) camps. The message is clear: You are your race first, and America is rigged against you. The individual disappears. Tribalism becomes destiny.

AOC’S BILLIONAIRE ATTACK SELLS GEN Z A SMALLER, SADDER AMERICAN DREAM

You cannot build a brighter future in a nation you believe is your enemy. That is the point.

If I truly believed America was irredeemably racist and evil, I would not be pouring my sweat and prayers into building a community center on the South Side of Chicago. I would be looking for the exit ramp, not digging in deeper. But I know the narrative is a lie. And the lie persists for three main reasons: it excuses personal failure ("The system is rigged, so why try?"), it feels revolutionary without requiring real work, and it grants power — the power to tear down rather than build up.

Chevalier's platform offers nothing inspiring. Abolish ICE. America is rotten. Any fool can repeat slogans. Real leadership requires telling the truth: America is imperfect, but it remains the greatest vehicle for human flourishing ever created. It gave my ancestors a chance their forebears in Africa never had. It gave me the chance to build.

This anti-American record has played for decades — through the 1960s and '70s, fading somewhat in the '80s, roaring back with Black Lives Matter in the 2010s. Each time, it torches credibility, communities, and futures, all while calling itself justice.

The civil rights generation marched into fire hoses and billy clubs not because they hated America, but because they loved it enough to demand it live up to its principles. They bled for this country's promise. Today's professional haters offer only fire and grievance. When the fire comes back at them, they act shocked.

When you make hatred your identity, you invite hatred into your life. That is not America's fault — it is the predictable consequence of the choices we make.

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In my neighborhood, I fight this every single day. I refuse to tell young people that their country is their enemy. The moment I do, I have given them permission to give up. Instead, I tell them the truth: America is flawed, but it rewards builders.

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It is time to throw out the broken record of hatred and start building something that blesses the next generation with real opportunity.

That is the only revolution worth fighting for.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM PASTOR COREY BROOKS

'Desperate Housewives' star James Denton says LA is 'not a great place to raise kids' due to image culture

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:05 -0400

James Denton shares why he believes raising his children outside of Los Angeles ultimately benefited them.

During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 63-year-old actor discussed his one-man play "A General's Prayer," at the Museum of the Bible, in which he portrays George Washington as he contemplates the next steps in the American Revolution.

He also touched on the reasons he moved from Los Angeles to the Midwest, and the positive effect that move had on his kids' lives.

The actor noted that he sees his friends' kids who are growing up in Los Angeles and can "watch the social media impact and the desire to keep up with the other people," something he doesn't see in his kids.

JOSH DUHAMEL SAYS MIDWEST LIFESTYLE ALLOWS HIM TO TEACH KIDS LESSONS THEY CAN'T LEARN IN LA

"Whether it's the plastic surgery or the nails or the hair or all that. It's really interesting to me and something my daughter didn't really go through in the Midwest to that degree. So that was interesting to see. Wow, that is a different culture for kids."

He continued: "Some parents handle it great and do a wonderful job. But I thought it was easier just to get out of it. And we had a great reason with all the family there. But, L.A. is a tougher place because of, I think just that whole, the emphasis on image, which really is hard to escape in L.A."

WATCH HERE: JAMES DENTON DIDN'T THINK LOS ANGELES WAS A GOOD PLACE TO RAISE HIS TWO KIDS

Denton famously starred as Mike Delphino on "Desperate Housewives" for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012, telling Fox News Digital he chose to move when the show came to an end because, "it's not a great place to raise kids."

The "Good Witch" star shares son Sheppard, 23, and daughter, Malin, 21, who were only 10 and 8 years old when Denton and his wife, Erin O'Brien, decided to move.

"Their mom and I were like, 'Look, all of her family was up in Minnesota, great place to raise kids, in the Midwest, great public schools, let's get them out of LA. Let them grow up somewhere a little more healthy and then I'll figure it out,'" he said. "And there's a good example Providence, whatever. I immediately got a job on the Hallmark Channel in Toronto. So I was only two hours away and I flew home every weekend."

He explained that now that he has moved back to Los Angeles, he has met a lot of kids who are "fantastic," but for him, having his kids "around their cousins and grandparents" in their youth, "was a better place for them to grow up."

WATCH HERE: JAMES DENTON SHARES WHAT GEORGE WASHINGTON WISHES FOR AMERICA WERE

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The actor recently starred in the one-man theatrical experience, "A General's Prayer," which explores the role of prayer in some of President George Washington's toughest moments while leading the colonies during the Revolutionary War.

"It's set at Valley Forge, the beautiful set with tents, and it even snows," he shared. "But he was at the end of his rope. I mean, that was when Washington really did seriously have doubts if we would survive. That's the all starved, dissolved, dispersed speech which we use. And so it's interesting to see him that vulnerable because you never get to see it. He's so stoic, and he's so revered and you never to see that vulnerability. It's interesting too how he had so many names for God."

The play began its run at the World Stage Theater at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., on June 12, and will continue until July 19.

Ahead of the 250th anniversary of the country's independence, Denton urges Americans to remember Washington's words, saying, "This play is full of that," and that probably the last "25% of it is what I wish for this nation."

WATCH HERE: JAMES DENTON FOUND IT INTERESTING TO DELVE INTO GEORGE WASHINGTON'S VUNERABLE SIDE IN NEW PLAY, ‘A GENERAL’S PRAYER'

"Almost every word of it is taken from Washington's speeches and written and oral," he said. "But one thing he says that really sticks with me is that this country be bound by a familial affection. So we're not characterized by geographical distinctions, northern, southern, western, can all have a unity. That doesn't enable cunning and unprincipled men to subvert the power of the people."

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He continued. "That's not a political statement about anything. It's just a general statement that our leaders have to live up to a certain standard. And if we are united, we can sort of manifest that. So that's the big one, the geographical thing. He really wanted to pull the country together. And of course, you know, his real aversion to international entanglements. So I would love to hear what he thinks of the MOU, but we're never gonna know."

Tickets to the show can be found on the Museum of the Bible website.

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Phil Mickelson obtains defamation counsel to absolve 'false rumors' about golf club departure

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:33:14 -0400

Phil Mickelson is ready to fight the latest accusations against him that got him booted from his own golf club.

The six-time major champion was accused of making inappropriate contact with a female employee before a round of golf this spring at The Farms Golf Club in the San Diego area.

Mickelson allegedly approached the female employee at the clubhouse and made nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with her.

The employee reported the incident to the club's supervisors after rejecting the alleged advances after Mickelson returned to the golf course.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

However, Mickelson's attorney said video evidence will absolve Mickelson of any wrongdoing.

"There is a great deal of misinformation circulating and, while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained defamation counsel and is determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors," Mickelson's attorney, Tom Clare, told Golf Digest.

Club officials moved quickly and actually located Mickelson in the middle of his round, confronted him with the accusation on the golf course and told him to leave the premises. Mickelson reportedly left the course before completing his round.

LIV GOLF STILL WAITING ON $400M IN FUNDING, MAY BE FORCED TO CANCEL FINAL TWO EVENTS OF THE SEASON

"Following a staff member report of member misconduct, the Club provided immediate and ongoing support to the staff member, conducted a thorough independent investigation of the incident and took decisive action. This individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club," a statement from the club shared with Golf Digest explained in part.

"The Farms conducts thorough reviews of all reported matters according to California Law and takes appropriate action when warranted, consistent with our commitment to integrity, excellence and accountability. To protect the safety and privacy of our staff and members, we are unable to speak further on this matter. We appreciate your understanding."

Mickelson, a member of LIV Golf, has played in just one of the circuit's nine completed events this season due to an undisclosed "personal health matter" within his family. That lone appearance on LIV came in late March in South Africa, where he finished tied for 48th.

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The 55-year-old released a statement April 2, a week ahead of the Masters, explaining that he would not be teeing it up at Augusta National and would be out for "an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter."

He is not entered in next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

OutKick's Mark Harris contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Tommy Paul's fiancée enjoys bachelorette party festivities, Grace Boor for bikini season & a homer to the junk

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:36:46 -0400

While Tommy Paul was taking care of business in the first round at Wimbledon, his influencer fiancée Paige Lorenze was doing what she does best, posting content.

This wasn't just any content, this was content from her Nantucket bachelorette party.

Nothing says Screencaps on a Tuesday in late June like an influencer's Nantucket bachelorette party. The party portion of the festivities were shared by the tennis WAG on Monday and, this goes without saying, came after a traditional bachelorette fitting.

You can risk going through with a bachelorette party without a proper fitting, but that's not a risk Paige was willing to take, and you can't really blame her.

This sort of activity prior to the party might seem unnecessary to some of you out there, but that's only because you're the sort of person who doesn't have your own bikini bride collaboration before walking down the aisle.

DANICA PATRICK IMPRESSES THE MAHA CROWD BY TAKING UP TENNIS AS HER NEWEST FITNESS WORKOUT, BAT DOGS & MEAT!

Her sophisticated tastes are going to exceed what you might think is normal. That's perfectly fine. She's chasing greatness and with that comes certain sacrifices. One of those is any sense of a basic "slap a sash on the bride-to-be and have some drinks" bachelorette party.

It's our expectations of how she should prepare to tie the knot that has Paige going above and beyond, not hers. She would love a fun night out with the girls where she could let loose. It's simply not possible. Not in the summer of Taylor Swift's wedding.

A lot of credit goes to Paige here. She hasn’t missed a beat. She took her bachelorette party and turned it into a learning experience for all of us. That's special. Congratulations are in order.

CHIEFS HEIRESS GRACIE HUNT MIGHT HAVE SET A BRIDESMAIDS RECORD, FIGHTING IN THE DOVER PARKING LOT & WINGS!

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Surf & Turf from CWB

- Steve writes:

Hey SeanJo,

RING GIRL SYDNEY THOMAS DUMPS OUT RED CARPET CONTENT FROM VEGAS, HANNAH BARRON IN THE GYM & COACH O IS BACK

Long time reader, first time emailer. Thanks for toeing the rubber for Joe and team this week - bench strength is a sign of great management and critical for success in any organization!

Love seeing the grilling episodes of our brethren here, so adding some of my own - my version of surf & turf from our vacation condo here in Clearwater Beach, FL. A sliver of the Gulf of America visible in the background, prime filets on the Coyote electric, doing its usual fantastic job (not sponsored but highly recommended!).

As Texans, we’re closely watching this screw worm infestation as it travels north from Mexico, hoping the Department of Agriculture can figure out more effective means to stop it, but already having an impact on beef prices - I paid $60/pound at the local meat market for these bad boys. Wondering if other readers are seeing similar price increases yet?!

Keep up the great work, thanks for all you do.

SeanJo

Hey Steve, thanks for the support and thanks for sending me your meat. I'm happy you decided to get in on the action. I couldn’t tell you if the prices have been impacted in my area. Not because I'm a wealthy guy or anything, but because I do almost none of the grocery shopping, and when I am sent out to pick things up on occasion, I don't pay attention. I never have and it doesn’t look like I ever will.

MACKENZIE CARPENTER COULD BE THE NEXT GREAT NASHVILLE COUNTRY STAR, OILERS FANS GET INTO MASSIVE BRAWL & MEAT!

Thankfully, you don't have to rely on me for an answer. The Screencaps community should have some answers for you. Keep sending me your meat.

Velveeta and PB sandwich update

- CF, a Cornhusker in Kansas, writes:

Hey Sean,

It was a loooong time ago and I honestly don't remember if I ate the velveeta and peanut butter sandwich. I most likely did as I grew up hearing my mom telling me "I was a child of the Depression." She used to rinse out baggies and re-use them. Also, I can't tell you how many empty plastic butter containers were in the cupboard because you never knew when you might need one.

SeanJo

Thanks for the update. If you did eat the Velveeta and peanut butter sandwich, it must not have been that bad. You would think it would be a traumatic experience that you never forget if it was completely disgusting.

NFL WIFE CLAIRE KITTLE CONTINUES HER METEORIC RISE UP THE POP CULTURE RANKINGS, HOME RUN OFF A HEAD & MEAT!

Cheese

- Joe writes:

Regarding the reader and his velveeta/pb sandwich:

For many years,I have been telling anyone who will listen (not very many) that cheese makes any sandwich better- yes, even a PBJ. I have always been a cheese lover and prefer sharp cheddar on mine. I have tried many different varieties: Danish havarti, american, swiss, etc., and encourage y'all to try different ones until you find "your" PBJ/cheese.

New Phone Problems

- Jeff writes:

Sean Jo,

Great job of relieving Joe as always. Awhile back someone was having problems getting the imbeds to open on their phone and someone mentioned how to fix it. I believe it was a phone setting. I just got a new phone, it's an android,, and I am having that same problem. If any reader(s) out can help out I would appreciate it.

Happy 250th America and Happy 4th of July to all!!!!

Please.

- Eric writes:

Can someone please do an article about how the PGA and world golf rankings are a complete joke? They use points from tournaments 3 years old and once a player like Scheffler has amassed them, we have to listen to and read the media continually refer to him as the world #1 or the best player on the planet.. I have news for you.. He’s not.. There are several golfers that are playing better than him right now; and it’s disingenuous to not consider their efforts in current form. I’d say there are 3-4 players that are actually more deserving as we speak.. Ranging from Wyndham Clark , Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood; I’d take any of them on a bet over Scheffler. Then again, it’s the same media pushing the narrative that say the Rams were better than the Seahawks last year after they lost to them 2 out of 3 and the Hawks won the Superbowl..

SeanJo

I can't guarantee that anyone will, but I'll pass it along.

Amazing relief work on Screencaps

- Brandon C writes:

Three items'

1- your Screencaps babes are the best. Love Joe's writing but you just have a more discerning eye on the babe content. Top of the cap to you, sir

2- took a quick trip to the Gulf of America with the wife this week, Clearwater Beach. Wonderful area. Yes, touristy, but not as overrun by price gouging business owners at places like Virginia Beach or Myrtle Beach. Love the free state of Florida. Keep it going. While here I got my picture in front of the Hulk Hogan statue, did a jet ski tour, and got $3 Budweiser drafts at a bar across the street from the beach during a Brazil - Japan world cup game, where the bar was apparently a Brazil supporters site. Top notch.

3- as a native Michigander, of course I've spent many a family vacation in Central Florida. But since the algorithms read my location and knew I was in Florida this week, a story popped up about an abandoned and redeveloped theme park Boardwalk and Baseball in Central Florida. I remember going to that on a family vacation and remember two things, they had a baseball themed roller coaster (I think it was the screwball and it was a Corkscrew knockoff) and they also had the most awesome attraction ever invented. They were basically small tanks that you shot tennis balls at other tanks in an arena and tried to score points. You had one person as the driver and the other way the turret gunner. Does anyone remember what these were called? I think my family did 3 or 4 sessions on these things during our one visit - my dad and I absolutely loved them. Wonder where those ended up? Ukraine? Any other abandoned theme parks by the screencap community memory hole? I remember the short lived "Autoland" in Flint that would have been awesome if they had figure out the technology for the Epcot Test Track Chevy ride and the Mall of America roller coaster back then, but alas.

Keep it rolling as we press on to the Nations 250th! I'll be prepping the brisket for my inlaws grill up north Michigan this week.

SeanJo

Thanks for reaching out Brandon. Boardwalk and Baseball sounds very familiar to me. I'll have to ask my parents if we visited that park when I was a kid.

I don’t know if this one is abandoned or not, but I always wondered what happened to a Flintstones amusement park I went to when I was a kid. I think it was in Canada.

Ready for some football

- Phil S in Florida writes:

Good day to you sir! Thank you for toeing (towing?) the rubber for the SC community. We appreciate it. I’m no soccer fan. But I am in love with the videos of people from around the world just being in awe of our everyday lives. This country is the best. Stopping for gas on the way home from work? Some dude from Europe has a video in envy. Too hungover to cook? Brazil found chic fil-a. Gotta just run out and grab a few things? Walmart and Costco are blowing minds. Texas BBQ is reshaping the world. I think it’s time us as Americans unleashed our greatest weapon upon our wonderful guests. Hank Williams JR’s Are you ready for some football. That song would probably solve so many geopolitical problems. Nobody’s going to war with a country that’s ready for some football!

SeanJo

I agree. The World Cup visitors being blown away by all that is America is pure entertainment. I also agree that now that they've experienced a lot of what we have to offer, it's time to drop Hank Jr. on them. I think they're ready for it.

World Cup Fever

- Mark from N.C. sends in:

##########

That's a wrap for Tuesday and that's also a wrap for June. July arrives tomorrow whether you're ready or not. I still have several emails to get through, which I'm going to dedicate some time this afternoon to catch up on. Keep them coming sean.joseph@outkick.com.

Send your meat. Send your bizarre food combinations. Send your abandoned amusement parks. Send it all. You can also follow me on Twitter and over on Instagram if you'd like. Feel free to slide into the DMs.

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Trump's Turkey arms sale proposal sparks congressional questions before NATO summit

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:32:00 -0400

The Trump administration is moving forward with a controversial arms sale worth $700 million to NATO ally Turkey despite apprehension over Ankara’s closeness with Russia and terrorist groups in the Middle East.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administration notified him of the State Department’s decision to bypass Congress and send Turkey the $700 million in defense articles, mostly fighter jets.

"In this case, the State Department did not even attempt to justify its decision. It did not invoke any emergency authority, did not present a written rationale, and for months refused to make a good-faith effort to brief me on implications of the sale for the U.S.-Turkey relationship, Turkey’s continued possession of the Russian S-400 system, and other regional security concerns," Rep. Meeks said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.

TURKEY DETAINS OVER 200 SUSPECTS, INCLUDING ALLEGED ISIS MILITANTS, IN SWEEPING RAID AHEAD OF NATO SUMMIT

Turkey signed a deal with Moscow in 2017 to purchase the Russian S-400 air defense system and acquired it in 2019, causing alarm within the NATO alliance. The U.S. and NATO considered the move an intelligence threat that undermines NATO cohesion and readiness.

The S-400 is designed to detect, track, and exploit stealth aircraft like the F-35.

"Turkey’s possession of both the S-400 and the F-35 is so dangerous because the two systems operating in proximity or networking together could give Moscow valuable intelligence for shooting down F-35s flown by Americans and our allies," according to a report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The U.S. sanctioned Turkey in 2019 for the purchase and excluded Ankara from the F-35 fighter jet program. Congress also passed a law banning Turkey from the F-35 program while it continues to possess the S-400 air system.

The State Department dismissed concerns about the U.S.' arms sales and Turkey’s possession of Russian-made air defense systems.

TRUMP SQUEEZED BETWEEN ISRAEL AND TURKEY AS NETANYAHU, ERDOGAN ESCALATE FEUD

"The president has been clear; Türkiye is a strong member of NATO. Türkiye is a significant contributor to Alliance operations and missions," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The package is a major boon for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he prepares to host the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara.

"The US engine sale is critical for Turkey’s most important defense project, the KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet. Turkey is developing its own engine, but it won’t be ready for several more years. Without U.S.-made GE engines, KAAN would struggle to move from a prototype to a serially produced combat aircraft," Gonul Tol, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.

Tol, who’s in Ankara for the NATO summit, said the deal is more meaningful than just a defense sale for President Erdogan, it’s a cornerstone of his foreign policy and a major source of domestic political legitimacy.

"If the aircraft succeeds, Ankara believes it will not only expand Turkey’s defense exports but also strengthen NATO’s overall industrial capacity and reinforce Turkey’s strategic importance within the alliance," Tol said.

President Erdogan, who has a warm relationship and receives frequent praise from President Trump, has continued to aggressively lobby the United States to readmit Turkey to the F-35 program, despite pushback from Congress.

On Monday, four Republican allies of President Trump — Reps. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., and Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., — released a joint statement over the proposed sales. "As Greek American Members of Congress, we are deeply concerned regarding reports of a proposed military sale of jet engines to Turkey. Turkey continues to be a destabilizing force in the region through its expansive and disputed maritime claims, continued illegal occupation of Cyprus, and rhetorical demonization of Israel."

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The statement continued, "The Eastern Mediterranean region holds significant potential to become a beacon of commercial opportunity, energy cooperation, and regional security, an effort we have actively supported through legislation and engagement, but Turkey’s rhetoric and actions increasingly threaten these efforts, key American allies, and regional stability. For example, Turkey's harboring of Hamas and position as the only NATO member to refuse sanctions against Russia is deeply troubling. We are actively engaging with the Administration and House leadership to obtain additional information regarding this reported sale and to express our strong opposition to any prospect of Turkey’s reintegration into the F-35 program without complete compliance with CAATSA requirements," their statement said.

A spokesperson for the Turkish government did not reply to a request for comment.

Poll shows Platner’s oyster-farmer image failing to win over working-class Maine voters

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:22:18 -0400

A poll released this week, in addition to showing a dead heat in the Maine Senate race, suggests that Democratic candidate Graham Platner’s working-class bona fides as an oyster farmer — which he has made a central part of his campaign — aren’t resonating.

Platner currently trails incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins by 21 points, 37% to 58%, with registered voters who do not hold a four-year college degree, according to a New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll released on Monday.

Additionally, the poll shows Platner up 37 points with White college-educated voters but trailing Collins by 23 points with White non-college-educated voters.

In the September 2020 New York Times/Siena poll, Collins led Democrat Sara Gideon by just 48%-45% with White non-college-educated voters, a 20-point swing from six years ago in a race Collins won by about nine points statewide.

PLATNER’S ANTI-CORPORATE CRUSADE HITS AWKWARD SNAG AS RECEIPTS TELL ANOTHER STORY

Platner’s sagging support from those without a college degree has prompted some on social media to suggest his messaging to working-class voters as an oyster farmer from rural Maine is falling flat, despite his repeated pledges to fight against "corporate greed" and the billionaire "oligarchy."

Ryan Girdusky, founder of the 1776 Project PAC, posted on X that "Graham is what a college educated person thinks a working-class person is supposed to act like and working-class people can see he's a fraud."

"Blue collar voters can tell he’s not one of them," journalist Melissa Braunstein posted on X.

EXCLUSIVE: COLLINS PITS RECORD BUILT IN MAINE POTATO FIELDS AGAINST PLATNER'S 'ANGRY RHETORIC'

Platner has faced criticism during his campaign for claims about his background as he has long identified himself as an oyster farmer and harbor master, giving a blue-collar tinge to his left-wing campaign, at the same time financial disclosures show that he brings in relatively little money from oyster farming and reports have suggested that Platner receives the majority of his income through veteran’s disability payments, Fox News Digital previously reported.

In his pitch to working-class voters, Platner has also had to overcome his own wealthy background that resulted in him attending private schools, including The Hotchkiss School, an exclusive $75,000-a-year boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut.

"Mainers know authenticity, and they can spot a pretender from a mile away," Maine Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby told Fox News Digital. "Maine voters aren't looking for a performance, they're looking for someone who understands their lives and will fight for them — that has always been Susan Collins."

THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER'S MAINE SENATE BID

The various controversies surrounding Platner, including infidelity, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend, a Nazi-linked tattoo, disparaging comments about the military and referring to himself as a "communist," appear to have hurt him with voters, as only 44% said he has "good character" while 47% said he is "too extreme" for the state.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.

Still, despite the questions about his background and his controversial statements, Platner’s pitch to voters as a combat veteran who will push back against Trump and the establishment of both parties has helped him to a two-point lead over Collins, according to the New York Times poll, in a race that could decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate in November.

Fifty-four percent of respondents in the poll said they'd like to see the Democrats win back the Senate majority in the midterms, five points higher than the 49% who are supporting Platner. And Collins is capturing 10% of voters who prefer the Democrats control the Senate.

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Warning signs for Collins in the poll include a majority that said they thought the senator would be too supportive of Trump and even some of her own supporters worry that the 73-year-old Collins is too old to be an effective senator.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Gorsuch suggests Supreme Court's Trump ruling is opening move against administrative state

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:03:39 -0400

The Supreme Court may have done more Monday than give President Donald Trump new firing power — it may have opened the door to a far broader challenge to the modern administrative state, the sprawling network of federal agencies that many conservatives have long dubbed the "deep state."

In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled Trump could lawfully remove Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, overturning much of the nearly 90-year-old Humphrey's Executor precedent that had protected independent agency officials from at-will dismissal.

While Chief Justice John Roberts' majority opinion held that the FTC's leaders must remain accountable to the president because the agency exercises executive power, Gorsuch argued the ruling raises a broader constitutional question over whether Congress can continue allowing executive agencies to exercise sweeping legislative and judicial powers.

"The fourth branch's powers still exist; they have just been reassigned to the President," Gorsuch wrote in a concurring opinion.

SCOTUS TAKES UP TRUMP’S BID TO FIRE FTC COMMISSIONER AT WILL — A SHOWDOWN THAT COULD TOPPLE 90-YEAR PRECEDENT

That observation could become the next major front in the Supreme Court's ongoing effort to reshape the modern administrative state.

For decades, independent agencies such as the FTC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Communications Commission and National Labor Relations Board have combined multiple governmental functions under one roof. They investigate alleged violations, write regulations carrying the force of law and adjudicate enforcement actions through administrative proceedings.

With Humphrey's Executor now overruled, those agencies remain intact, but their leadership is subject to presidential control if they exercise executive power. Gorsuch questioned whether Congress can continue delegating broad legislative and judicial authority to agencies that are now unmistakably under presidential supervision.

"The power to write new regulatory crimes still exists," Gorsuch wrote. "The ability to judge disputes in-house remains, but now the house is white."

Carrie Severino, president of the Judicial Crisis Network, said Gorsuch's concurrence points toward the next phase of litigation.

CONGRESS EXPANDED THE EXECUTIVE—ONLY FOR TRUMP TO QUASH MUCH OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE

"I think the next step in this type of litigation won't be looking at firings per se, but really trying to make sure all of these administrative agencies actually fall into one of our constitutional buckets," Severino said. "Are they executive agencies or are they legislative or are they judicial? You can't straddle all of this."

She said that while Monday's ruling restored presidential control over executive agencies, it did not resolve whether those same agencies can continue exercising quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powers that Congress has delegated over decades.

"There still remains to be more work going back and taking out of these agencies that now are properly under executive control the activities that really aren't fundamentally executive in nature," Severino said.

Haley Proctor, a constitutional law professor at Notre Dame Law School, similarly described Gorsuch's opinion as a roadmap for future legal challenges.

LEGAL CHALLENGES ON ADMINISTRATIVE REACH EXPECTED IN TRUMP'S DEREGULATORY SCHEME, EXPERTS SAY

"I do think what Justice Gorsuch is pointing out is that this is the first step toward rethinking the way in which the administrative state is empowered and structured," Proctor said.

Rather than simply expanding presidential authority, Proctor said the concurrence raises the possibility that Congress may ultimately have to reclaim powers it has delegated to agencies or assign certain responsibilities back to Article III courts.

"If we're concerned about the amount of power that the Federal Trade Commission has, then the next step would be to reconsider giving that power to the Federal Trade Commission because some of the decisions that it's making could be made by Congress instead and some of the decisions that it's making could be made by the courts," she said.

The majority opinion did not resolve those questions. Instead, Roberts limited the Court's holding to presidential removal authority, concluding that the FTC "unquestionably exercises executive power" and therefore its commissioners must remain accountable to the president.

The Court stopped short of deciding how much power Congress can give executive agencies to make rules or resolve disputes, saying questions involving agencies such as the Federal Reserve will have to wait.

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But Gorsuch suggested future cases could go much further, arguing the Constitution provides the tools to dismantle much of the modern administrative state. He pointed to several constitutional doctrines that could be used to sharply limit the power of independent federal agencies and return lawmaking authority to Congress and judicial power to the courts.

"From here, the only sure path is to finish the journey we start today and restore legislative and judicial powers to where they belong: in Congress and the courts," Gorsuch wrote.

World Cup soccer fans are discovering America’s greatness. It’s time Americans did, too

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:00:03 -0400

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, we received an unexpected gift from millions of World Cup visitors: a fresh reminder of what makes America exceptional.

Tourists from dozens of countries descended on American cities this summer for the World Cup, or FIFA 2026, and what they found shattered everything their media had told them. They had been warned about an angry, divided, dangerous country in irreversible decline. Instead, they found something so ordinary it became extraordinary: a country that looked nothing like the headlines they’d been told to believe.

They found strangers holding doors, police officers posing for photos with kids, neighbors grilling in backyards, firefighters waving tourists over to see their fire engines, packed churches and thriving businesses. Communities celebrating together, not defined by the partisan noise that dominates their televisions back home.

THE USA IS A FIFA WORLD CUP HIT AS VISITORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE ARE IN LOVE WITH AMERICANA

And they posted all of it to social media. In the process, they created what may be the most effective marketing campaign America never paid for. Millions of visitors documenting, in real time, a version of America that looked nothing like the one portrayed in so many headlines.

Visitors went viral marveling at the everyday abundance America offers. They posted videos gushing over free refills and ice water that just shows up at the table – no charge, no questions asked. At Buc-ee's, which foreign tourists treated like a national monument, they marveled at the spotless restrooms, brisket sandwiches and seemingly endless abundance. At Waffle House at one in the morning, they treated it like a Michelin-starred restaurant. At Costco and Walmart, where entire aisles are devoted to a single product category. At Bass Pro Shops, which more than a few tourists genuinely mistook for a theme park.

The reaction wasn't isolated. Across social media and international news coverage, visitors kept reaching the same conclusion. British visitors made headlines with a blunt admission that has since gone viral: "We were wrong about Americans." Reuters documented visitor after visitor leaving with a fundamentally changed view of the United States. Axios captured the moment tourists discovered free chips and salsa and nearly lost their minds.

BRITISH WORLD CUP FANS CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF AMERICAN HOT DOGS DURING THE TOURNAMENT, BUY A BOND BIKE & MEAT!

It would be easy to laugh at all of this, but we should be paying very close attention to what’s actually happening here.

These visitors aren’t amazed by free refills; they’re amazed by what free refills represent. They’re seeing, for the first time and with fresh eyes, the product of 250 years of freedom, capitalism, hard work and the most audacious political experiment in human history.

A grocery store with 50 cereal options isn’t normal globally. Air conditioning in nearly every building isn’t normal globally. Endless consumer choice, convenience on demand, food available at any hour, none of it is normal. We’ve simply lived here long enough to forget that and have taken much of America’s abundance for granted.

AMERICA DIDN’T GIVE ELON MUSK A TRILLION DOLLARS. HE EARNED EVERY PENNY

America produces roughly one-quarter of the world's economic output while representing only about 4% of its population. That didn't happen by accident. It happened because generations of Americans were free to build, invent, take risks and create. The abundance visitors are marveling at today, from endless grocery aisles to air-conditioned stores and everyday conveniences, is the product of 250 years of freedom, innovation and opportunity.

Yet the abundance wasn't what surprised visitors most. What surprised them even more was the people.

If you judge this country solely by social media or cable news, even as an American, you might think we despise one another. Yet millions of World Cup visitors traveling city by city and state by state have discovered a very different America, one filled with generous, welcoming and open-hearted people.

They found the America the headlines miss. The real one. And perhaps that's why so many visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for America than some Americans themselves.

And perhaps the most revealing part of this story isn't what visitors think about America. It's what their enthusiasm reveals about us. As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, only 53% of Americans say they are very or extremely proud to be American.

Too many Americans have been talked into embarrassment about their own country. They've absorbed a relentless message that America is systemically broken, historically irredeemable and structurally cruel. World Cup visitors have something many Americans lack: a point of comparison. They've seen other systems, other countries, and other realities.

And their verdict is not close.

The lesson from all of this is simple. The things Americans often take for granted: abundance, opportunity, safety, innovation, generosity and freedom, remain extraordinary to much of the world. Not because America is perfect, but because America is free. And freedom, given 250 years and a people willing to work for it, to fight for it, produces something the rest of the world travels thousands of miles just to witness.

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They came to watch soccer, but they stayed to remind us of who we are.

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Happy 250th, America.

The world still sees America's greatness. It's past time we did too.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JILLIAN KING

Pope Leo pleads with breakaway Catholic group not to commit 'sin of extreme gravity'

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:25:01 -0400

Pope Leo XIV issued an extraordinary last-minute plea Tuesday to a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group to abandon plans to consecrate four bishops without Vatican approval, warning the move was a "sin of extreme gravity" and could deepen a decades-old split with the Church.

In a letter addressed to the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, leader of the Society of St. Pius X, Leo urged the group to reconsider before Wednesday's planned ceremony in Econe, Switzerland, saying it would place the bishops involved outside the Church’s communion.

"I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!" the pope wrote.

POPE LEO SENDS UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE ON IMMIGRANTS DURING VISIT HONORING AMERICA'S FIRST SAINT

Under church law, consecrating bishops without papal approval is considered a schismatic act and carries automatic excommunication for both the bishops being ordained and the bishop performing the ceremony.

"I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit, and in some cases, even valid reception of the sacraments," Leo wrote.

The dispute marks the first major challenge of Leo's pontificate. Since becoming pope, the American-born pontiff has emphasized healing divisions within the Church, including tensions with traditionalist Catholics who favor the old Latin Mass.

POPE LEO XIV JOKES YOUNG SPANIARDS WOULD PICK BAD BUNNY OVER HIM DURING MADRID VISIT THIS WEEKEND

The Society of St. Pius X was founded after the Second Vatican Council, rejecting many of the church's reforms, including allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin. The group has long argued that it is preserving authentic Catholic teaching.

The society defended its decision to consecrate four new bishops, saying there is a "state of necessity" requiring it to provide bishops for its faithful.

The planned ceremony echoes a similar confrontation in 1988, when the group's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops without papal approval. The Vatican responded by excommunicating Lefebvre and the newly ordained bishops, though those excommunications were lifted in 2009 as part of an effort to restore relations.

Despite years of dialogue with the Vatican, the SSPX remains outside the church's formal structure.

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The society has continued to expand in recent decades, reporting hundreds of priests, seminarians and religious members across dozens of countries, making it one of the largest traditionalist movements operating outside the Catholic Church's official authority.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reds' Dane Myers carted off field after crashing into wall making acrobatic catch vs Brewers

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:21:29 -0400

Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers needed to be carted off the field after a play that could be a candidate for "Catch of the Year" turned scary after he crashed into the fence in Milwaukee on Monday night.

Milwaukee Brewers veteran Andrew Vaughn smashed a ball to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Myers got a great jump as he started to track the ball.

As he sprinted toward the gap, Myers reached up and made an acrobatic catch, but he lost his balance and was too close to the wall when he collided with the fence at top speed. It was a miracle he even held on to the ball considering the collision, but it clearly took a toll.

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Myers, writhing in pain on the warning track, was bent over when his fellow outfielders came over to tend to him, while the Reds training staff started the sprint out onto the field.

Myers was holding his right shoulder, though his collision was head-on with the fence. Trainers looked at Myers for some time, as the crowd was hushed in hopes he would walk away from this somehow.

REDS ROOKIE TYLER CALLIHAN BREAKS ARM CRASHING INTO WALL WHILE TRYING TO MAKE DIVING CATCH

Eventually, a cart came out and Myers rose to his feet with some assistance as the crowd gave him a round of applause for sacrificing his body for his team. TJ Friedl ended up taking his spot in center field.

Myers was taken to a local hospital in Milwaukee for further testing, and it was a good sign that initial X-rays came back negative, according to manager Terry Francona following the Reds' 5-3 loss to the Brewers. Francona wouldn't go into specifics on what ailment Myers may be dealing with.

Myers, a 30-year-old Columbus, Texas, native, is in his first season with the Reds, where he serves as a bench outfielder.

He has played in 63 games this season, owning a .256/.358/.385 slash line with a .742 OPS, three homers and 14 RBI across 117 at-bats.

Prior to his time in Cincinnati, Myers made his big league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2023, playing 22 games that year and hitting .269 over 67 at-bats. He spent the next two seasons with the Marlins, though his longest tenure in MLB came in 2025 when he played 106 games and hit .235/.291/.326 with six home runs and 31 RBI with Miami.

Unfortunately for the Reds, they were unable to get the win for Myers in the end. Joey Ortiz's two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning broke the 3-3 tie at the time in this NL Central bout, which capped a comeback that also saw Brice Turang, who starred for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic, smash a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

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The Reds were up 1-0 at the time of Myers' injury.

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Stephen A Smith warns Democrats embracing socialism is 'handing the presidency to the GOP'

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:20:46 -0400

Stephen A. Smith emphasized how socialism could threaten the Democratic Party's presidential goals for 2028 if it embraces democratic socialist candidates like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

During his "Straight Shooter" show on Monday, Smith reacted to Mamdani's claims on ABC News that a democratic socialist "can get elected anywhere across this country for any position."

Though Smith agreed with Mamdani on concerns about the wealth gap and the working class, he bristled at the idea of the Democratic Party pushing socialism.

AOC ISSUES WARNING TO HER FELLOW DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS IN THE WAKE OF SOCIALISTS WINNING BIG IN NYC

"I am not a socialist, nor do I aspire to see socialism in the United States of America," Smith said. "I don't know anywhere in the world where true socialism has worked. I don't see it. I don't know where communism has worked."

Smith added that Mamdani's socialist policies are unlikely to appeal to many voters outside New York City and could risk damaging the Democratic Party's broader reach.

"If he's coming, what does that mean for the rest of America? Because I got questions. Where has socialism ever succeeded? If so, tell us where that is. How is it going to succeed in New York? How are you going to sell that in a capitalistic society? You might do it in New York with young voters. What about the people in the suburbs? What about them? You really, really think this kind of message is going to resonate with them?" Smith asked.

STEPHEN A SMITH QUESTIONS WEALTH OF BILL CLINTON AND BARACK OBAMA, SAYS AMERICANS SHOULD PROSPER FIRST

He continued, "If it resonates within the Democratic Party, but it doesn't have a snowball's chance of resonating in a general election, then you're basically handing the presidency to the GOP as well. That's what you're doing because the party, the Democratic Party, will have been perceived as being fragmented. That's what I'm seeing when I see Zohran Mamdani. That's what I'm looking at, and that's what I see when I see his ascension taking fold before our very eyes."

At the end of his show, Smith revealed that Mamdani "was supposed to be coming on" the show but has yet to appear to discuss the issues. Despite his concerns, Smith acknowledged that it was important to pay attention to Mamdani's rise in popularity.

BILL MAHER TEARS INTO SOCIALISM AND BEGS DEMOCRATS TO EMBRACE MODERATE CANDIDATES

"That wealth gap is real, y'all. It's very, very real. There are two Americas in this country, no matter what way we slice it. The haves and the have-nots. And there's a lot more have-nots than haves, which is why Zohran Mamdani is relevant, if not more so. So think about that," Smith said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office and the Democratic Socialists of America for comment.

Mamdani's original comments came after Mamdani-backed candidates Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier won Democratic congressional primaries in New York, with Lander and Chevalier defeating incumbent Democrats. Other socialist candidates have also launched primary campaigns throughout the country.

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Far-left group calls out New York officials for taking too long to issue reparations as 'disservice' to Blacks

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:00:57 -0400

A prominent civil rights organization is calling out New York officials for extending the timeline on a highly anticipated state report investigating slavery reparations remedies.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) on Friday slammed the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies after a provision embedded in the newly passed state budget pushed the release of its final report back an additional two years — moving the deadline to 2029.

"The state’s decision to spend an additional three years before it takes any action to address these harms raises a lot of questions about when Black New Yorkers will receive reparations," said Chantelle Williams, the NYCLU’s assistant director of the Racial Justice Center, pointing to the total time elapsed since the commission's inception.

TRUMP ADMIN VOWS TO STOP REPARATIONS PROGRAMS, ACCUSES OFFICIALS OF 'VIRTUE SIGNALING' TO GET 'VOTES'

"Meanwhile, the impact of discrimination continues to harm Black individuals and communities across the state. This delay is not just a bureaucratic inconvenience. It is a disservice to those who have suffered the profound and lasting consequences of inequality," Williams added.

The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, a nine-member panel composed of scholars and community leaders, recently concluded a series of statewide public hearings. The final hearing, titled "From Extraction to Repair: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap," took place in Harlem at the end of May.

The commission was born out of legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in late 2023, which established a panel to examine the state's historical ties to the institution of slavery, subsequent Jim Crow-era policies, and modern economic disparities like redlining. The body was tasked with compiling those findings into a formal report proposing recommendations for financial compensation and policy changes.

However, state leaders agreed to stall the inquiry. Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, D-Nassau County, who helped draft the original legislation, acknowledged that the extension was requested to navigate a changing national landscape, citing the erosion of voting protections and conservative legal challenges against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Additionally, the new budget measure shields the commissioners from personal legal exposure if they face lawsuits over their official findings.

TRUMP ADMIN WANTS TO STOP ILLINOIS CITY'S REPARATIONS EFFORT FOR 'SIMPLY HANDING OUT MONEY BASED ON RACE'

Williams believes that rushing the final findings would be a mistake, but emphasizes that the clock is ticking for impacted communities.

"The reparations report from the state commission – whenever it’s finally released – will undoubtedly provide ample evidence of past and present harm to Black New Yorkers," Williams said. "Will the legislature respond to the report’s findings with clear, measurable actions to help repair historic wrongs? That’s an open question, and the answer will depend on lawmakers’ political will."

"New York has studied, exposed, and documented injustices committed against Black Americans. Now state leaders must decide whether they are ready to truly make amends for those harms," she continued.

The Empire State is part of a broader wave of states and local municipalities exploring local reparative structures. Some localities have pushed forward regardless; the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, made headlines by distributing $25,000 grants to eligible Black residents to address historic housing discrimination.

Williams' comments come as the NYCLU itself faces fierce criticism from grassroots reparations advocates who take issue with the organization's overarching philosophy.

At a public hearing held at Hempstead High School on Long Island, Susan Gottehrer, the Director of the Nassau County Chapter of the NYCLU, defended a broad approach to any state-level restitution framework.

"These government policies have affected Black New Yorkers regardless of lineage. Excluding a subset of Black Americans would leave a significant portion of documented racial injustice completely unexamined," Gottehrer testified.

OAKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT VOWED REPARATIONS FOR BLACK STUDENTS, YET OUTCOMES APPEAR STAGNANT AFTER 5 YEARS

That stance drew immediate backlash from members of the U.S. Freedmen Project, an advocacy group present at the hearing. Lineage advocates argue that reparations should be strictly reserved for ancestral Black Americans—specifically the direct descendants of individuals enslaved in the United States.

Activists with the Freedmen Project argued that the left-leaning NYCLU and its local chapters do not represent the specific legal and historical interests of foundational Black Americans by trying to include modern Black immigrants under the same compensatory umbrella.

The testimony gathered from these tense public forums will be weighed alongside historical data as the commission continues its work ahead of its revised multi-year deadline.

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

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Taylor Swift's empire tops $2 billion as wedding frenzy fuels global obsession

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:00:44 -0400

Taylor Swift's biggest wedding gift may already be sitting in her bank account.

Before the superstar prepared to say "I do," she built an estimated $2 billion empire that branding experts said transformed her from a hitmaker into one of the most powerful businesses in entertainment.

"At this point, Taylor Swift's brand is so dominant and so deeply tied to her creative output that marriage is only going to add a new dimension to an empire that is already running on all cylinders," reputation management expert Evan Nierman told Fox News Digital.

"The buzz and speculation around her wedding have made it a global media event long before it even happens, and that level of cultural gravity tells you everything about where her brand stands heading into the next chapter," Nierman, founder & CEO of crisis PR firm Red Banyan, added.

TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE WEDDING BETTING FRENZY REVEALS ONE OVERWHELMING PREDICTION

Reports of Swift and Travis Kelce's rumored July 3 wedding intensified last week after The New York Times reported Swift had rented Madison Square Garden for a multiday celebration.

The couple's potential July 3 wedding would come weeks after Forbes announced the global pop star had surpassed a net worth of $2 billion after becoming a billionaire in 2023. Swift's fortune included roughly $800 million earned directly from her music and touring along with a $600 million music catalog, according to the outlet.

The "Life of a Showgirl" singer's massive fortune didn't happen by accident, branding experts said. Instead, they pointed to years of relentless touring, strategic business moves and an unmatched connection with fans that turned the singer into a global powerhouse.

"Taylor Swift is the apex predator of the entertainment industry," branding expert Doug Eldridge told Fox News Digital.

"She is the first artist to earn one billion dollars from a world tour and while the ticket prices often started at four figures, the reality is she was an absolute road warrior – she put in the work, and was willing to grind on that tour," Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, added. "When it comes to her billion dollar valuation, she earned it. It was grit, not grift."

TRAVIS KELCE'S DAD CALLS TAYLOR SWIFT 'THE GIRL NEXT DOOR' AS WEDDING SPECULATION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

While Swift's record-breaking tour fueled her fortune, experts said her billion-dollar success extends far beyond ticket sales.

"The music catalog is a massive asset, but it would only be worth a fraction of what it is today without the power of the Taylor Swift brand behind it," Nierman said. "Her ability to fill stadiums, command global attention and elevate every album release into a cultural event is what turned a great body of work into a $2 billion empire."

Nierman said that brand wouldn't have reached its current value without one key ingredient: the unwavering loyalty of Swift's fans.

"The Swifties are the single most valuable fanbase in entertainment because they’ve turned loyalty into an economic engine that generates revenue at a historic scale," he explained. "The ‘Eras Tour’ generated over $2 billion in ticket sales and experts estimate fans spent billions more on travel, merchandise and experiences around those shows, which is the kind of consumer spending power that most major corporations would kill for."

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Former CBS executive Derek Reisfield said Swift has turned fan loyalty into something few artists ever achieve: complete control over her business.

"Swift is calling the shots," he explained. "She essentially is a Fortune 1000 CEO. It is driven by the music, but Swift seems to have a knack for creating significant revenue streams on top of the music. The loyalty and emotional investment of her fans helps her do that."

Reisfield credited Swift's genuine connection with fans for helping her sustain one of entertainment's most powerful brands.

"Taylor Swift has an extremely strong brand. She is an incredible musician and performer, and she has bonded with her fans in a powerful and unique way," the co-founder and founding chairman of MarketWatch told Fox News Digital. "She has an authenticity that is genuine that drives a powerful connection with her audiences."

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Looking ahead, experts said a wedding would likely mark another evolution of the Swift brand rather than a departure from it.

"Will marriage affect her brand? I think in only positive ways," Reisfield said. "Her relationship with Travis Kelce seems to be part of her story now. Kids won't affect her brand either. They will probably only enhance her brand in the short to medium term."

Eldridge predicted that whatever comes next for Swift personally will likely translate into business success.

"It’ll be one of two things: source material for her next 'good girl, done wrong' album, or a logical evolution of teen, to young adult, to finding her own, real-life Prince Charming," the PR expert noted. "In either case, it will generate eyeballs, interest, and investment. In other words, Swift will cash in."

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Heartbroken father blasts ‘broken’ system that let family massacre take his children before they could reunite

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:00:13 -0400

A father is grieving the loss of his four young children following an alleged murder-suicide poisoning plot.

Speaking with Fox News Digital, the children's father, Brady Harmon, said nothing could have prepared him for the shocking and devastating news. He said, "There is no preparation. It's horrendous."

The children's grandmother is suspected of poisoning the four children and their mother before taking her own life in Mechanicville, New York, police said during a Thursday news conference.

"There is recovered evidence inside the apartment that indicates intentional poisoning with numerous prescriptions and over-the-counter medication," said Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt.

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He added that during an autopsy examination it was discovered that one of the child victims may have "suffered fatal sharp force injuries."

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Investigators made their grim discovery during a welfare check at the home on Tuesday, June 23.

MPD named those found dead:

Amy Steadman, 64
Sarah Myers, 44
Harper Harmon, 13
Hudson Harmon, 11
Gavin Harmon, 10
Gracelynn Harmon, 10

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During the news conference, police named Steadman as the children's grandmother. Rabbitt said investigators found a "handwritten note" that may link her to the deaths.

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He also said causes of death are pending additional investigation and toxicology testing.

Before the young victims were found dead, Harmon, who lives in Utah, told Fox News Digital he was planning on taking his children back to Utah with him for the summer. He never had the chance.

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He was fighting an ongoing custody battle with the children's mother, Myers, he said. He also told Fox News Digital he had concerns about the children's safety and well-being before the tragedy.

His worst fears became realized.

"The system is broken, it takes way too long to get anything done. I spent six and a half years fighting to be able to have access to my kids," he said.

While the murder investigation continues, Harmon said, "My concern right now is being able to bring my kids home, and have them away from those two monsters that did this to them."