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Pentagon makes dramatic missile shift as repeated conflicts drain US stockpiles and more top headlines

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:28:02 -0400

Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here's what you need to know to start your day ...

TOP 3

1. Pentagon makes shift as repeated conflicts drain US stockpiles

2. Fauci’s 'truly sick' private texts exposed

3. Mamdani’s luxury-home tax rollout gets derailed

MAJOR HEADLINES

LIMITS ARE OFF – Applause erupts as Democratic governor signs law allowing abortion up to birth. Continue reading …

TABLES TURNED – Trump answers Iran’s demand for war payments with a sweeping bill of his own. Continue reading …

DEFENSIVE STANCE – Controversial WNBA player pushes back on Sophie Cunningham's assertion on hard foul. Continue reading …

BACKFIRE POLITICS – Kamala Harris accidentally becomes the SAVE America Act's best saleswoman. Continue reading …

SWING FOR SHOW? – Tim Walz stuns the internet with his golf swing and questionable course attire. Continue reading …

POLITICS

TARMAC TRICK – Trump security team reportedly staged elaborate Air Force One fakeout. Continue reading …

DOSE OF CHANGE – Child vaccine schedule reduced as Trump moves to dramatically shift medical power to parents. Continue reading …

MIDWEST SHOWDOWN – Socialist winning streak puts prized Democratic battleground at risk. Continue reading …

'NOT FIT TO LEAD' – Conservatives shred AOC as she attempts to brush off radical 'Woke 1' wave amid 2028 speculation. Continue reading …

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MEDIA

‘HOW EMBARRASSING’ – 'Pod Save America' accused of temporarily deleting clip critical of Piker after ex-Biden staffer amplified it. Continue reading …

HOT AIR – AOC tries to laugh off 'crazy' woke era as thing of the past, but conservatives aren't amused. Continue reading …

UNWELCOMED THREAT – Democratic Michigan AG accuses her party of 'absolutely not' doing enough to counter antisemitism. Continue reading …

CITY LIMITS – Mamdani clashes with Democratic Socialists' push to abolish police and prisons. Continue reading …

OPINION

LIZ PEEK: A brave Democrat leaves his party as radical socialists take over. Continue reading …

SEAN DUFFY – Fraudsters on the run as highway deaths hit record lows after sweeping crackdown. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

CAUGHT AGAIN – Repeat offender illegal immigrant accused of plowing pickup into Nashville crowd – now ICE wants him. Continue reading …

TROUBLED WATERS – Unlicensed NYC boat operator allegedly ignored safety warnings before mother, baby died in capsizing: feds. Continue reading …

HILLSIDE HAVOC – Suspect arrested at Kim Kardashian's mansion after stolen vehicle, break-in reported in Hidden Hills. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on family fun and medical marvels? Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in to break down contests in Connecticut, Vermont, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Plus, South Carolina's special primary for the U.S. Senate. Check it out ...

PODCASTS

'Ruthless' dives into Democrats' woke agenda. Check it out ...

Kansas City Chiefs Brand Development Executive Gracie Hunt joins 'The Riley Gaines Show.' Catch the new episode at 10am ET ...

The parents of University of Idaho murder victim Kaylee Goncalves join ‘Hang Out with Hannity.' See the new episode at 10am ET ...

Matt Moneymaker joins Planet Tyrus. The new episode goes live at 11am ET ...

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Repeat offender accused of college student’s murder was known ‘threat’ after prior arrest: victim’s mom

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:00:50 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: "This happening to her feels so unfair in so many ways," said the mother of slain University of Arizona student Julissa "Julie" Salazar.

Salazar, 19, was found strangled to death in her apartment near campus on Thursday.

Investigators say her alleged killer, Varun Batchigari, 20, from India, boarded a flight out of the U.S. and was captured by law enforcement in Berlin, Germany.

INDIAN NATIONAL ACCUSED OF ARIZONA GIRLFRIEND'S MURDER ENTERED US ON STUDENT VISA: FEDERAL SOURCES

Reports say his alleged motive may have been tied to a breakup with Salazar.

Her mother told Fox News Digital that Salazar had "broken up" with the suspect before she was found dead.

"She had already had that conversation with him" about ending the relationship, said Salazar's mother, who asked not to be identified.

Federal law enforcement sources confirmed to Fox News that Batchigari entered the U.S. on an F-1 student visa in January 2024. He was expelled from the University of Arizona following a "fight," KOLD reported.

The university confirmed to Fox News Digital that Batchigari was expelled on July 22.

"We can confirm that Julissa Rubi Salazar was a University of Arizona student and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and all who knew her as a member of our campus community," the university said in a statement. "We have been in contact with Julissa’s family and are providing support and resources to those who need them during this very difficult time."

US STATE DEPARTMENT HAS YANKED MORE THAN 175K VISAS UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SO FAR

"He no longer had any business here [in the U.S.] or around the student body, especially as a threat," Salazar's mother said.

Court records from Pima County, Arizona, indicate the University of Arizona Police Department charged Batchigari with assault on May 26.

Before his expulsion, he was a business analytics student who said, "I don't see work as my purpose. I see it as a tool, something that helps me build a life I actually want," according to a video he posted to his YouTube account.

In the video he posted in April, he said, "I want to travel, see different places, experience different cultures, and do that with someone I care about."

As Batchigari awaits extradition back to the U.S., the Salazar family is beginning to come to terms with their new normal.

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Salazar leaves behind her mother, father and two younger sisters. She was a "bright light," her mother said – in more ways than one.

Salazar was just 17 years old when she began her studies – with a scholarship – at UA.

"She was our first-generation child going off to college. So this was a huge deal for our entire family," her mother said.

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She went on to say, "Us sending her off to be able to live that dream that she wanted to live was such an amazing and proud moment for us."

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Before she was killed, she was an aspiring child psychologist working toward her degree at UA; her mother said she was about to begin her third year at the university.

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"She was a big advocate for survivors. She was a big advocate for new first-generation students. She was a big advocate for mental health."

Prior to her academic career at UA, Salazar graduated from high school in the top 5% of her class, her mother said.

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"She skipped seventh grade and moved on to eighth grade because of how smart she is," her mother said.

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"I know we will get justice for my baby girl," she said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and authorities in Berlin, Germany, for comment.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Cut off by your adult child? Psychology researcher reveals what parents should do next

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:00:28 -0400

Family estrangement has become increasingly common in the U.S. — but experts stress that reconciliation may still be possible after relatives have cut ties.

A 2025 YouGov poll found that 38% of U.S. adults were estranged from at least one close family member, including 16% who were estranged from a parent and 10% from a child. Among parents estranged from their children, 70% said they would consider reconciling.

Research also suggests that many parent-child estrangements eventually experience a period of renewed contact. In one nationally representative study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, 81% of adult children who experienced estrangement from their mothers later became unestranged, as did 69% of those estranged from their fathers.

5 REASONS MORE AMERICANS ARE CUTTING OFF THEIR OWN PARENTS, ACCORDING TO PSYCHOLOGIST

While every relationship is different and there are no guarantees, Texas-based psychology researcher Dr. Richard Blake stated that the majority of estrangements do come to an end – but willingness to change and find common ground is key.

In many cases, parent-child estrangements are a cycle — "they'll re-engage, then they'll fall out again," Blake said. "One of the key things from the research is that adult children will reach out and if they see nothing has changed, they'll estrange again."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, the psychology researcher shared the following steps that may increase the likelihood of repairing a fractured relationship.

No. 1: Aim for stability first

Estrangement from an adult child can be seen as a form of "ambiguous loss" — a situation in which someone is gone, but there is still hope they could return, according to Blake.

He compared the situation to having a child missing in action: "You don't know if he's dead or alive and you kind of have to grieve, but you don't really know if you should be grieving, because there's hope."

SECOND LADY USHA VANCE GETS CANDID ABOUT NEW BABY, JUGGLING FOUR CHILDREN AND MOTHERHOOD

Research supports the significant emotional toll of estrangement. In a 2025 study of older parents, being cut off from an adult child was associated with poorer well-being and a reduced sense of purpose, as well as greater depressive symptoms.

Before attempting a reconciliation with an estranged parent or adult child, Blake said the first priority should be stabilizing oneself.

"What I tend to recommend first is to get that person stable, have healthy habits and build a community," he advised. "Good mental health practices are really important."

No. 2: Listen and validate

When communication with an estranged family member is possible, Blake recommends repeating back what the other person has said and acknowledging how they experienced the conflict before offering a different perspective.

"Listen to the other person and then actually repeat back what they said as you understood it, and validate that – like, ‘Oh, I can see why you felt like that. I see why you interpreted it in that way,’" Blake said.

It’s important to resist the impulse to immediately correct, contradict or defend, and to acknowledge the other person's experience without necessarily agreeing with every aspect of their account, according to the expert.

After listening, parents should be open-minded about making some changes as needed, Blake said.

"I really tell our parents … if you're 100% perfect, great … but most parents have done something wrong, something that they want to change. And if they want a relationship with their child, they are going to have to change some things."

No. 3: Pause before reacting to accusations or labels

Certain labels used during family disputes can make compromise more difficult, Blake noted, an issue he refers to as "moralized language."

"I talk about these therapy words that get thrown at parents … abuse, toxic boundaries, narcissists, gaslighting, all those things," he said. "In the research, when you use moralized language like that, compromise becomes far more difficult."

To parents on the receiving end of this type of terminology, Blake’s first recommendation is not to immediately react.

"I tell adult parents to pause before they really react, because it's understandably going to make them very angry."

Taking time before responding can help keep the conversation from escalating and allow both sides to focus on the underlying conflict rather than reacting in the moment.

No. 4: Focus on specific behaviors and events

After pausing, Blake recommends asking the other person to explain specifically what they mean, going beyond broad labels to the behaviors underlying the complaint.

"Okay, you've used the word toxic – can you describe the behavior or behaviors that you consider to be toxic?" he asked as an example.

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Blake distinguished between describing a person’s behavior and its impact on you, and assigning that person a sweeping label.

"If someone says, ‘When you criticize my weight, I left dinner feeling really, really upset,’ that's a fact. That's the person's interpretation," he said.

"But if you say, ‘You're toxic because you always criticize me,’ it’s very difficult to come back from that. So it sort of inflames the situation."

That approach shifts the conversation away from judgments about character and toward concrete actions and events that can actually be discussed.

No. 5: Use ‘I’ statements; avoid ‘always’ and ‘never’

When continued communication is appropriate, Blake suggested using language that focuses on a person’s own experience of a conflict rather than beginning with an accusation.

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"First, I would start by using ‘I’ statements, rather than ‘you,’" he advised. "It'd be like, ‘When you said this, I felt like this. When this happened, I did this.’"

This allows the person to discuss their own reaction to a specific interaction rather than beginning with an accusation.

Blake also recommends avoiding absolutes, such as "you always..." or "you never..." when trying to resolve a conflict.

In cases involving abuse, threats or other safety concerns, however, reconciliation or continued communication may not always be appropriate, he noted.

No guarantees

Although Blake maintains there is always hope for a reconciliation, he acknowledged that there is no single guaranteed formula for restoring a fractured relationship.

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While there are many people who are "selling" reconciliation services, Blake cautioned, "I don't think anyone can promise, ‘I can get your kids back.’"

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The goal is to create better conditions for reconciliation, not to promise that specific actions can achieve it, he noted.

Ultimately, Blake’s advice is for the person to focus on things within their control, such as embracing healthy habits, aiming for stability and building a community.

Cam Newton backs Aaron Rodgers, claiming NFL 'players, coaches and executives' used fake COVID vaccine cards

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:52:48 -0400

It escaped vast attention last week when Aaron Rodgers suggested during his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that NFL people got past league COVID-19 protocols by obtaining "fake" vaccination cards. And now, former quarterback Cam Newton is joining that chorus.

Newton, appearing on his "4th & 1" podcast on Monday, addressed the 2021 NFL protocols that required all team employees – players, coaches, staff, everyone – to get Covid-19 shots so as to avoid stringent frequent testing in order to enter team facilities.

All coaches were forced to take the shots or not work. Players who did not have their shots indeed had to submit to daily testing and had to wear a mask within the team facility and practice distancing guidelines during meals, meetings and workouts.

AARON RODGERS EVISCERATES ANTHONY FAUCI AFTER PLEADING THE FIFTH AT SENATE HEARING: 'ABSOLUTE CRIMINAL'

"If we're being honest," Newton said on his podcast, "Going back to 2020, there were multiple players, coaches, and executives that fraudulently got their COVID shot. Yes, I said it."

That allegation supports what Rodgers said last week in the middle of what was mostly a viral criticism of Anthony Fauci's testimony in front of the United States Senate.

Fauci, one of the leading members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force in 2020 under President Donald Trump, was a strong proponent of the vaccines when they were rolled out during President Joe Biden's administration. He testified before the Senate and invoked the Fifth Amendment so as to not incriminate himself under questioning from Senators.

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Rodgers took Fauci to task for pleading the Fifth a total of 111 times but added this:

"A lot of people had probably fake vax cards back in the day," he said during the latter portion of his McAfee interview. "I remember seeing some of the vax cards. It was like written in crayon.

"I'm like, alright, so we're going to pass that off [as legitimate], but we [unvaccinated] are going to be second-rate citizens over here. I got to wear a yellow armband, train in the back, can't be around more than three people."

Rodgers called it a "crazy time" and it indeed was because wearing masks into restaurants but taking them off during the meal wasn't science derived from the virus being unable to affect people sitting down as opposed to standing up.

It was all performative.

"What a crock of (expletive)," Rodgers said, describing the madness.

Newton apparently agrees because he says people simply got around the NFL's protocols by buying their freedom.

"You're like, Cam, what do you know? It's like, man, I knew multiple people in that locker room didn't get the Covid shot," Newton said. "But they got a card that they paid for.

"Boy, nurses was making big bank. But that card and that little [stamp] .... Man, folks was trying to get in that club. 'Hey, man, you got your vaccination card? Yeah, yeah, I got it...' "

SWITZERLAND FIRES HOCKEY COACH WHO ADMITTED TO FAKING VACCINATION STATUS FOR 2022 BEIJING OLYMPICS

It should be noted that while Newton recalled Cardgate as starting in 2020, it actually began in 2021. And he had his issues with the vaccine during that time.

He was unvaccinated and when he traveled away from the New England Patriots for a medical appointment, he had trouble with the protocols.

The Patriots, for which Newton was the presumptive starting quarterback, said in a statement that Newton went to the appointment and was away for three days, testing negative each day for COVID-19.

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But due to a "misunderstanding about tests conducted away from NFL facilities" Newton became subjected to a five-day, re-entry cadence before he could return to the team facility.

Newton, who had become an inconsistent passer, lost practice time, then lost his starting job to rookie Mac Jones, and eventually lost his job on the team when he was released.

He later said he felt "bamboozled" by the entire issue.

But if Rodgers and Newton are right about fake vaccination cards being a thing around the NFL at the time, there was apparently much bamboozling being done by a number of people.

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GOP senators rally behind 9/11 families in push to ban Mamdani from anniversary ceremony: 'He's a disgrace'

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:43 -0400

Republican senators are rallying behind the petition from families of 9/11 victims to block New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony of the attacks at Ground Zero.

Several families of 9/11 victims launched an online petition calling on the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to not include Mamdani in the commemorative events honoring those who lost their lives in the terror attacks 25 years ago.

Fox News Digital asked senators on Capitol Hill about the efforts to ban Mamdani from attending the memorial, and whether it would be appropriate for him to show up given claims that the democratic socialist has failed to adequately condemn Islamic extremism.

FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY 'RADICAL' MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES

"It might be appropriate if he goes while wearing a paper bag over his head," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital.

"I mean I can't defend anything that guy says or does," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.

The petition cites eight specific concerns about Mamdani, including claims he has never directly condemned the phrase "globalize the intifada," allegedly associating with extremist and anti-American individuals and claims that his beliefs are shaped by his father, who called for destigmatizing suicide bombers and drew comparisons between the United States and al Qaeda.

"His opinions on America's place in the world are pretty different than probably most of those families feel," Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital.

MAMDANI'S POLITICS LINKED TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IDEOLOGY AS NEW YORK VIOLENCE ESCALATES: REPORT

The families’ plea also points to claims of Mamdani praising and appointing people linked to radical Islam, his comments blaming the United States for the radicalization of al Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki and his recent endorsement of democratic socialist Darializa Aria Chevalier.

"He's platformed Islamic extremism, and he openly supports Hamas, as does his wife," Sheehy claimed. "And Hamas is not just an adjacent organization to all the other Muslim extremists, they're one of the core members of it."

Mamdani has taken fire from many GOP lawmakers over his refusal to call for Hamas to lay down its weapons during an interview last year, as well as for other claims of ties to Islamic extremism and alleging the NYC leader of antisemitism.

"Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy," the petition states.

NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE URGES 9/11 ATTENDEES TO TURN AWAY FROM MAMDANI DURING CEREMONY

"I think he has said some pretty disgusting things and seems to be on that trend line that he's going to talk like that more and more," Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said. "And so I certainly can understand why some of the families feel that way."

As of Monday evening, the petition had more than 82,000 signatures in support of the efforts of the families to bar Mamdani from the event.

"As far as I'm concerned, he's a disgrace and an embarrassment to the country, but we'll see if he shows up, right?" Sheehy said.

After hearing of the petition, Mamdani shared that he still plans to attend this year’s 9/11 commemoration, according to CBS News.

Mamdani’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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"At the end of the day, those families should have the say who's going to show up and honor the memory of their own families," Sheehy said.

Inside the Senate's chaotic all-nighter that left Trump's SAVE America Act on the shelf

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:30:28 -0400

During the long night to send the Senate home, deals were brokered, major legislation was punted and promises were extended.

The SAVE America Act never made it off the shelf, despite promises up and down from its biggest proponents to thwart any attempt to leave Washington, D.C., without trying to pass it. And the vehicle to blast through Democratic objections and pass parts of the bill never left the garage, either.

But it all nearly fell apart before lawmakers ever got a chance to hit the Senate floor for an early morning round of votes. Here’s what happened in the dead of night, and how Republicans are readying for a busy stretch when the Senate returns in September.

NO OBJECTION

The sun was about to rise in Washington, D.C., as the Senate tidied up last-minute work, but no lawmaker ever made an objection to adjourning for the rest of August.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, empowered by President Donald Trump, vowed that he would object and force a floor vote to keep lawmakers in Washington to find a way to pass the SAVE America Act.

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT THE SENATE DID AND DIDN’T DO OVERNIGHT

He even stood in the way, along with several other Republicans for differing reasons, of the deal concocted by Republican leaders to get major items, like averting a shutdown, agreed to and sent to Democrats for their approval in a bid to get a guaranteed floor vote.

But the promised objection never came. A roll call vote didn’t happen. And Lee and others settled for a voice vote, responding "no" to the Senate adjourning for recess. They weren’t successful.

SAVE AMERICA AND RECONCILIATION 3.0

Another issue that played out during the night was over the budget blueprint designed to sketch out how to pass pieces and parts of the SAVE America Act without fear of Democrats blocking the process.

It was destined for failure, and Trump pushed Republicans to pull the plug.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who is now at the helm of the Senate Budget Committee, plans to go back to the drawing board with his budget resolution and beef it up to include more funding for the Pentagon.

"We're, obviously, with the president at his direction. This is what he wants to do," Johnson said.

TRUMP PUMPS BRAKES ON SENATE BUDGET PLAN, DELAYING GOP SAVE AMERICA PUSH

But the slowdown serves as another blow to the SAVE America Act and vastly lowers the possibility that Republicans can get another budget resolution and forthcoming reconciliation package, passed before the lame-duck period after the midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged that "we’re going to need to do another reconciliation bill," but wouldn’t say just how soon the Senate could make it happen.

"We'll see," Thune said. "I mean, I think that Ron's gonna work on it over the break, and his team, and we'll see what they come up with."

THE NIL DEBACLE

A major reason that the night dragged on as long as it did was because of a massive college sports bill to redraw the boundaries of the big money tied to name, image and likeness (NIL).

The package, pushed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, faced pushback from several Republicans over bringing it to the Senate floor. It prompted Trump to call on the Senate GOP to move the bill in a Truth Social post, but it wasn’t enough to kill the resistance.

TRUMP URGES CONGRESS TO PASS PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT BEFORE RECESS: 'WE HAVE TO GET THAT DONE'

A source familiar with negotiations told Fox News Digital that things had become bleak as the night went on.

"We are pretty much at a standstill and could be here through Monday or Tuesday," they said.

Ultimately, the bill was stripped from the larger floor deal and delayed until September after Cruz and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., huddled with Thune in his office.

"We will get the bill to President Trump’s desk and deliver results for hundreds of thousands of student-athletes and bring stability to college athletics," Cruz said in a statement.

BLANCHE AND THE BATTLE AGAINST SLEEP

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation almost didn’t happen, not because of Republican defectors, but because of tired lawmakers.

When it finally came time to do back-to-back votes to officially lock him in as former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s replacement, it was just past 3 a.m. And senators were ready to go — Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., had his suitcase ready just outside of the Senate floor.

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But two key votes, Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., had missed the preceding votes. The late night had gotten to them, and Republicans needed them to confirm Blanche.

They were eventually roused and voted to confirm him, handing Trump one of the narrowest confirmation wins in history at 50-49.

Adam Vinatieri shamed into offering apology and explanation for Hall of Fame speech that was epic

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:25:19 -0400

The speech Adam Vinatieri delivered at the Pro Football Hall of Fame upon his induction was touching, insightful, emotional, and comedy-act funny. It was easily the most memorable speech at that venue in recent years so, of course, it turned off some critics.

It caused some people to want him to apologize because, they contend, it was not respectful enough or fitting of a Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony. (If they only knew some of the stuff that happens in NFL locker rooms).

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Anyway, Vinatieri heard some of the disapproval the last few days.

"I wanted it to start sentimental," Vinatieri said during a guest segment on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday. "I wanted to make people laugh, and then I wanted to end it with a bang at the end.

"So hopefully I accomplished that. But if people got offended or thought it was inappropriate, I apologize to you guys."

There is no apology necessary. Because Vinatieri took what is typically a ceremonial assignment and made it entertaining. He turned yawns to guffaws. And tears.

Consider:

In addressing former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, for whom Vinatieri played six years, the former kicker said ....

"Your preparation, discipline, and attention to detail shaped far more than my football career. Unfortunately, Bill couldn’t make it here today. There is a LOT going on at UNC right now. He may be on a recruiting trip looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started.

"But in truth it's because he is judging his girlfriend's cheerleading competition!"

And with that the speech turned into something of a roast.

"I was lucky enough to play with the greatest quarterback in Patriots history," Vinatieri said, redirecting the bullseye. "Unfortunately he wasn’t able to make it today …. Drew Bledsoe."

Ziiiing!

"I had a few more Tom Brady jokes but I was afraid he would run up on stage and 'Will Smith' me like he did to Logan Paul," Vinatieri added.

The crowd roared.

Vinatieri played his final 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. So they didn't escape the jocularity, either. He addressed Peyton Manning as the camera cut to the former Colts quarterback.

"Thank you for generously donating your forehead for today’s teleprompter," Vinatieri said, repeating a joke about Manning's large forehead that was for years whispered in the Colts locker room.

"Hey, Pat McAfee is here today, great to see you brother!" Vinatieri continued as we watched McAfee acknowledge his time as the Indy punter and holder on extra points and field goals.

"The only person who enjoyed holding my balls more than my wife!" Vinatieri exclaimed before a pause.

"She held for me in the offseason when everyone else was gone," the kicker then added.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The speech resembled a two-drink minimum Las Vegas act for a while, but it also had its stirring moments – like when Vinatieri addressed the game of football as if it was an old friend.

"I loved you with everything I had," Vinatieri told the game. "There was a time when I thought I wanted you more than air. But I was wrong. You were the air. You gave me purpose. You gave me direction. You gave me a life I could have never imagined.

"The beautiful thing about our relationship was that the more I gave to you, the more you gave back to me. The more I devoted myself to you, the more you rewarded me. The more I committed to you, the more you committed to me.

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"I tried to honor you every single day because I knew you deserved nothing less than my very best. I gave you 38 years of my life, and in return, you gave me a lifetime of memories. I gave you points, you gave me friendships. I gave you countless hours of work, you gave me the opportunity to travel the world, experience different cultures, and meet extraordinary people.

"Every sacrifice became an investment, and somehow, football, you always gave me back more than I put in. Looking back, I realize I was never just playing football. We were building a life together."

This speech doesn't need an apology to a thinned-skinned crowd of critics. It needs a replay in front of every future Hall of Fame speech writer, as a lesson on how it should be done.

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DiJonai Carrington dismisses Sophie Cunningham's notion that flagrant foul was 'intentional'

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:14:28 -0400

Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington threw herself into the flames of controversy on Saturday when her flagrant foul left the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham bloodied, leading to an ejection and a subsequent social media post that read "WHITE PRIVILEGE."

Cunningham said after the game she believed the foul was "intentional," suggesting that the foul could have been a receipt from when she clobbered Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon during a regular-season game early last year. Carrington played for the Dallas Wings in 2025.

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On Monday night, Carrington seemingly dismissed the notion that the foul was intentional. The Sky lost to the Seattle Storm 97-88.

"It was unfortunate that I made contact with her in the way that I did, but it was never intentional," she told reporters after the game, via the Chicago Sun-Times. "And, look, it might happen again. That’s just how I play. I’m gonna always go all out. I’m not gonna just let an open layup happen. But like I said, I’m never intending to hurt anybody, regardless of the outside noise or whatever the situation may be."

Carrington said she wanted "consistency across the board" when asked whether Cunningham should have been ejected for the shove she gave her after the foul.

"Whether it’s the foul that I commit, whether it’s the reaction or retaliation, I would just love for it to be consistent across the board, regardless of the name on your jersey or your skin color or the score of the game, whatever.

‘‘I don’t think we’re there yet. That’s something that I’ve talked to the league about, as well. I think that will eliminate a lot of frustrations we all have."

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Carrington attempted to explain away the "White privilege" post she made after the Fever game, responding to criticism from sports media personality Emmanuel Acho.

Though she said there was evidence to back up her post, she failed to provide any.

"I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege (that was your assumption). Try exercising your critical thinking skills, I know you studied psych," she wrote in a post on X.

"Furthermore, I’m the LAST thing from ignorant or asinine when it comes to speaking on "white privilege", do ya research on that one. I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject. I would never use that term as a rhetorical weapon knowing the historical and social weight it holds without having the proper evidence to substantiate it."

She said she raised concerns to the league.

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The WNBA has not responded to multiple requests for comment about the post.

Actress Swell Ariel Or takes advocacy for Israeli women further in new film ‘Tankistas’

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:55 -0400

Israeli actress Swell Ariel Or has long cared about championing Israeli women and Jews, but her new role playing an Israel Defense Forces unit captain during the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attacks has her taking her advocacy to the next level.

Since the Tel Aviv-born star of Netflix’s Israeli television series "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem" hit Hollywood’s radar in 2021, she’s been on a mission — and it doesn’t involve chasing award nominations or lucrative brand endorsements like many rising young actresses in Tinseltown.

Instead, Or told Fox News Digital, her mission focuses on authentic storytelling and meaningful narratives that accurately represent her people.

"I think that, of course, the Oscars matter and Hollywood, I mean, like, it's like the Olympics for films and TV, right? But I've seen what it does to the industry to be driven by getting an award or getting accepted to an elite circle of intellectuals and art people," she said. "I just feel as a storyteller that it hurts — that's not what we’re telling stories for."

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The 27-year-old actress recently went viral for echoing that sentiment on Instagram for ARISE for Israel, an alliance whose mission is to "reinforce Israel’s security and economy," while promoting her new film, "Tankistas." The plural form of "tankista," the title means "tank crew members" or "tankers" in several languages.

"I don’t care about the Oscars. I don’t care about Hollywood. I don’t care about doing the biggest, greatest career… I care about honest representation of who we are," Or said about her upcoming film, which wrapped production earlier this year and is being edited in both English and Hebrew versions and is set for release next year.

The war drama, directed by Ayelet Menahemi ("Seven Blessings") and inspired by true events, follows the IDF’s first all-female tank unit and its 17-hour defense during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. As the unit’s captain, Or’s character leads three armored vehicles and engages Hamas militants in battle.

Or served in the IDF in real life before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting and modeling career. She, along with fellow cast members, spent a good deal of time with the real-life women of the combat unit on which the film is based.

She also spoke about why the movie stands out among other combat films and female-focused superhero movies.

"The world is obsessed right now with female heroes, but so often, I feel like it's from the wrong reasons, because it sells or whatever," she said. "This film is very unique because if it was an American film about an all-female team company in World War II or whatever, it checks all the boxes of everything the world wants to see. But this is a feminist film written by women, based on a true story that actually happened, but it's Israeli."

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"It's not a typical war film, thank God, because unlike so many films that try to bring a female hero to the front, the characters here are based on real women," she continued. "They are diverse and human and complex, and it captures what the world so often fails to understand about Israeli women, especially about Israeli women in combat."

Or has made a habit of sharing her convictions while appearing prominently on podcasts and in viral clips of media commentary, where she’s addressed antisemitism and the importance of authentic representation for Jewish and Israeli women in entertainment.

She’s appeared on the "Stars of David with Elon Gold" podcast and "Reel Talk," and joined Tablet Magazine’s "Unorthodox Podcast" to discuss relocating to the U.S. shortly before Oct. 7 and what it’s like to be an Israeli artist abroad.

ARISE for Israel called her "one of the most powerful voices for Israelis and Jews in Hollywood."

Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of the international, nonpartisan Israel education organization StandWithUs, called her an "important voice for a new generation at a time when too many Jews feel pressure to hide their identity, soften their connection to Israel, or remain silent in the face of antisemitism."

"Swell is standing tall and using her platform to tell the diverse stories of the Jewish people while encouraging others to do so," she added.

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"I feel like this community — it's so misunderstood," Or told Fox News Digital about portraying Israeli women in a combat role. "You don't have a lot of stories who portray so many layers at the same time of a woman who's a commander in combat — the values, who they are, their humanity, the profound gap between how the world sees them and what their motives are and what they carry with them."

Besides "Tankistas," the actress can be seen in a new season of her Netflix show, which she said focuses heavily on the year 1948 and the Israeli War of Independence.

"This is a year that is very much relevant for people to learn more about," Or said.

She also recently finished shooting her first short film, "The Divide," which she said is being developed into a feature.

Despite her representation of her homeland, Or said she’s no stranger to facing backlash or listening to those who raise concerns about the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Last week, I walked in LA and a person approached me, and she's like, ‘I watched ‘Beauty Queen.’ I have to tell you, I define myself as Palestinian, but I watched the whole thing because I wanted to see Jerusalem of that day because my family came from there too’," Or recalled.

Regarding Oct. 7, Or said she knew six people who were murdered at the Nova music festival that day.

"You can have debates from here ‘til Russia and back about what happened on October 7. But the festival, it's like something that you can't debate about," she said.

"Growing up in Israel, you are born at a crossroads of so many identities and histories of your own people, so you got to love storytelling because your family's going to tell you all of them, and for me, it's my passion, and it's like my purpose in life," Or continued.

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"It's been my goal even before October 7, but especially after, when I saw that it’s not just a passion of mine, but a necessity," she added. "That's the difference. Now it's a necessity."

Pentagon races to buy 10X more missiles as Iran war dwindles arsenal, threatens readiness for China aggression

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:48 -0400

The Pentagon is preparing a dramatic course correction after years of purchasing key missile-defense interceptors in relatively modest numbers — even as China built up the world's largest arsenal of conventional ballistic and cruise missiles and the U.S. increasingly focused on the threat of a conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

Following a string of missile-heavy conflicts, U.S. air defenses have been used repeatedly to protect Israel, American forces in the Middle East and Navy ships in the Red Sea, drawing down some of the Pentagon's most sophisticated and difficult-to-replace munitions.

The Pentagon's abrupt course correction raises a question that has taken on new urgency after years of missile-intensive warfare: Why did the U.S. wait so long to build deeper interceptor magazines?

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The Army's fiscal 2027 budget, reviewed by Fox News Digital, calls for a massive increase in purchases of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, part of a broader effort to rapidly expand a munitions industrial base that cannot be scaled overnight.

The shift is particularly striking when compared with what the military was buying only a few years ago.

The budget documents show PAC-3 MSE procurement at 230 missiles in fiscal 2024 and 214 in fiscal 2025. The same FY2026 budget book shows the Army Requirements Oversight Council had increased its acquisition objective for the missile from 3,376 to 13,773 in April 2025 — more than quadrupling the requirement.

"The problem is 25 years of not buying enough munitions," retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

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PAC-3 MSE and THAAD are among the military's most important defenses against ballistic missile attacks. Patriot batteries provide shorter-range protection for troops, air bases and other critical assets, while THAAD is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at higher altitudes and greater distances, giving commanders another layer of defense against incoming attacks.

Reuters reported this week that the Army has used "virtually all" of its ATACMS and Precision Strike Missile inventories in just five months of conflict with Iran, while also drawing heavily on Patriot and THAAD interceptors.

The rapid expenditure, coupled with years of relatively modest procurement, raises a broader question: What would happen in a longer conflict against a near-peer adversary like China?

"The shortage was entirely foreseeable, and there have been arguments surrounding interceptor and munition procurement numbers for decades," Jim Fein, a defense industrial base researcher at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital. "Ultimately, budgetary tradeoffs were made, and those arguing for other programs won out."

The Pentagon budget documents, reviewed by Fox News Digital, show years of relatively modest procurement for some of the military's most important missile-defense interceptors.

Army budget documents show PAC-3 MSE procurement fell from 328 missiles in fiscal 2022 to 252 in fiscal 2023, 230 in fiscal 2024 and 214 in fiscal 2025. The fiscal 2026 request began to move higher, with funding for 320 PAC-3 MSE missiles.

THAAD procurement was even smaller. The Missile Defense Agency bought 11 interceptors in fiscal 2024 and 12 in fiscal 2025. Its fiscal 2026 base request called for 25, while an additional $317 million in mandatory reconciliation funding added 12 more, bringing the total to 37 interceptors.

The procurement history broadly aligns with the findings of a new Heritage Foundation analysis, which estimates annual production capacity at 620 PAC-3 MSE missiles and 96 THAAD interceptors. Much of the difference between U.S. procurement and total production was accounted for by foreign military sales, according to Fein, who authored the report.

Lagging U.S. purchases were the byproduct of decisions made across both the Pentagon and Congress.

"Budget tradeoffs obviously lead to hard choices, and it now looks like many of those past decisions were wrong," Fein said. "That includes decisions by the Pentagon in what they request, but ultimately what Congress appropriates."

"The shortage was entirely foreseeable, and there have been arguments surrounding interceptor and munition procurement numbers for decades. Ultimately, budgetary tradeoffs were made, and those arguing for other programs won out."

By fiscal 2027, the approach had changed dramatically. Responsibility for THAAD procurement had shifted to the Army, and the Army request supports production of 857 THAAD interceptors: 27 through discretionary funding and another 830 through mandatory Munitions Acceleration Council funding.

But ordering thousands more missiles on paper is only the beginning.

The new production plans will require Congress to provide the money and industry to build the additional manufacturing capacity needed to deliver them. Fein called the administration's new agreements with defense companies "the most significant effort to address munitions shortfall in, at a minimum, decades."

"The trick will be obtaining the funding needed to turn the framework agreements into actual production," he said.

Even with the money in place, replenishing U.S. magazines will take time. Advanced interceptors rely on specialized production lines and a network of suppliers producing rocket motors, seekers, guidance systems, energetics and other components that cannot be expanded overnight.

That means the dramatic increase in planned procurement is less an immediate refill of depleted inventories than an attempt to build the industrial capacity needed to sustain much higher production over the coming years.

The stakes extend well beyond the war with Iran, the Heritage report argues.

A conflict with China could place far greater and more sustained demands on U.S. missile defenses, particularly if Beijing struck American bases and forces across the Indo-Pacific with large salvos of ballistic and cruise missiles.

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"Interceptor inventory is not a supporting detail in a China contingency — it is what allows the Joint Force to survive long enough to win," Fein wrote.

The report estimates the United States would require 7,082 PAC-3 MSE interceptors and 1,394 THAAD interceptors for what it considers a minimum viable inventory in a conflict with China—several times the inventories it estimates the U.S. currently holds. Actual U.S. stockpile levels remain classified.

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At current production rates, Heritage estimates it would take between roughly nine and more than 80 years to build the interceptor inventories it believes are needed, depending on the missile system. "The window of opportunity to bridge the interceptor gap is closing," Fein wrote.

Prince William, Kate Middleton could seek 'gentleman's agreement' to protect Prince George at Eton: experts

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:28 -0400

Prince William and Kate Middleton could use a "gentleman's agreement" when Prince George starts Eton College in the fall — and it could face the ultimate test in the smartphone era.

Vanity Fair reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales could forge an agreement with the British press to limit intrusions into the life of their eldest son. Royal author and former broadcaster Simon Vigar said it’s the same approach that protected the early days of their romance at the University of St. Andrews.

Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.

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"Prince William and Princess Catherine are realistic enough to know that they cannot completely control the environment around Prince George," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital. "Most people have a camera in their pocket now, and one photograph can be online and around the world before the palace even knows it exists."

"What they can do is establish very clear boundaries with the British press," she said. "There is a huge difference between legitimate coverage of Prince George carrying out public engagements and somebody photographing a teenager going about his public life at school. The palace cannot police every teenager with an iPhone, but the press can make a conscious decision not to create a market for those intrusive photographs."

In June, Kensington Palace announced that George, who turned 13 on July 22, would attend the prestigious boarding school where his father and uncle, Prince Harry, were educated.

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Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, has educated generations of leaders, including 20 British prime ministers. George, who is second in line to the throne, will likely meet many of his future peers there.

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the "new age" of smartphones and social media is one of the many reasons Eton College is chosen "among the elites."

"Many classmates are from extremely wealthy and well-connected families," she said. "Within this circle are unwritten rules of conduct. Throwing a pupil to the media risks being ostracized from the inner circles."

Eton College is known for fiercely protecting its students from prying eyes, creating a world within its walls where they can simply be pupils.

"For Prince George and every high-profile teenager, everything could become international news within minutes," royal broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.

"We're in a better place," she said. "Years ago, after Princess Diana's death, I believe Prince William and Prince Harry forced positive change. The old paparazzi harassment was replaced with something somewhat controlled and truce-like."

When William and Harry were in school, an informal agreement was reached between the palace and the British press: As long as the brothers were pursuing their studies, their privacy was to be respected, Vanity Fair reported.

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According to the outlet, this media truce allowed William and Kate to quietly build their relationship outside the public eye when they were students.

William and Kate met in 2001 at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They were close friends before they began dating more than a year later. Their romance remained a secret for nearly two years before becoming public. That level of discretion, Vanity Fair reported, was made possible, in part, by the informal agreement with the press.

The couple married in 2011.

Vigar told the outlet that William and Kate want to offer the same level of privacy to their three children. Their children's first romantic relationships as they grow older "are already the subject of careful consideration," according to Vanity Fair. If the press respects George's privacy while he's in school, it could set a precedent for his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to enjoy the same discretion.

"The 'gentleman's agreement' is more than necessary now," said Chard. "Prince William knows firsthand what privacy during school gave him. This handshake is perceived as a little fragile now and not necessary due to traditional paparazzi. Friends at school with their smartphones can become instant paparazzi."

"George will have mentors, both family and at school, to guide him through pitfalls. No one wants him to feel burdened at 13. He should have space to grow, to be with friends, to be pain-free at Eton."

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The Prince and Princess of Wales are also navigating what it's like to raise a teenager.

During the Commonwealth Games in Scotland, cycling champion Laura Kenny invited the couple to "come and give it a go" on a tandem bike, The Telegraph reported.

When Welsh TV presenter Gethin Jones asked the royal children if they would like to see their parents "on a tandem in the velodrome," George quickly said, "No."

"We embarrass you enough as it is," said William.

When the royal family received their own Welsh cycling outfits, William joked, "You know me, Lycra!"

"I won't whip the shorts out," the prince promised.

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Royal experts told Fox News Digital that the privacy challenge could become more complicated when George starts dating.

"George understands why people are interested in him," said Schofield. "A teenage girlfriend may find herself facing international attention simply because she sat next to him or was photographed leaving the same place. But Prince William will remember exactly what Catherine experienced. Her family, her friendships, her background and, eventually, almost every aspect of her life became subjects of enormous public interest."

"I would expect William and Catherine to be fiercely protective when the day comes," said Schofield. "Especially while George and whoever he's dating are still minors. And I think the media has to exercise some common sense. A teenage romance involving Prince George is not automatically a royal courtship. Hopefully, we will all give him that space."

Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital it's also likely William will remind his eldest son not to cause "mischief" while at Eton.

"George has been very family friendly, so I don't envision major changes in the dynamics," said Turner. "He must remember William knows every trick in the book."

"Eton was also picked due to its proximity to their home at Windsor," Fordwich pointed out. "Prince William credits his afternoon teas with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Sundays. It was just a short walk from Eton. George will likely stay close to both his parents and spend time with them."

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Schofield told Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales are determined to let George enjoy his school years and make new friends in private, without the added pressures of royal life.

"Teenagers naturally want independence," said Schofield. "Prince George is going to want to make his own decisions and develop interests that have nothing to do with becoming king. At the same time, public curiosity about him is only going to increase.

"These years could be enormously important in shaping the king he eventually becomes. William and Catherine had introduced royal life gradually rather than overwhelming him with it. We've seen George at family engagements, but he has still been allowed to be a schoolboy first."

"The goal shouldn't be to manufacture the perfect future king at 13," she continued. "It should be to produce a confident, grounded adult who understands the institution but has also experienced enough of ordinary life to understand the people he will one day serve. Giving Prince George a genuine adolescence could ultimately be one of the best preparations for kingship William and Catherine can give him."

California sued over policy that could free serial killers as Laci Peterson's friend sounds alarm

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:23 -0400

The family and friends of Laci Peterson are among the advocates of California murder victims opposing a new parole board policy that would open a path to recommend resentencing or clemency for serial killers, mass shooters and other convicts serving sentences of life without parole when it goes into effect later this year.

"We're talking about people that would have been qualified for the death penalty, OK? So they are the worst of the worst," said Anne Marie Schubert, a former Sacramento District Attorney who is now the president and CEO of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation (CJLF), a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that filed a lawsuit over the new policy.

"We are talking about cop killers. We're talking about baby killers. We had a family at our press conference of a 6-week-old that was tortured to death by her father over a weeklong period of time, all of which, what I understand, was on video — and so you talk about baby killers. We talk about mass shooters, there's a case out of Fresno that happened in the early '90s where a guy killed 10 people and he pled to life without parole. He would potentially be eligible."

Schubert singled out some high-profile prisoners serving life without parole:

Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son after she vanished on Christmas Eve in 2002. Gang member David Hill fatally shot San Francisco Police Officer Isaac Espinoza in 2004 and wounded his partner. Darryl Lamar Collins was 24 when he killed two people in 1995 but was granted early release in 2017 thanks to changes in California's youthful offender parole law — only to kill his girlfriend Fatima Johnson less than a year later. They are among thousands who could potentially benefit from the new regulations, Schubert said.

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According to Schubert, the board exceeded its statutory authority by using the bureaucratic rulemaking process to create a resentencing and clemency review system for prisoners sentenced to life without parole, a plan that California's Office of Administrative Law approved on July 9.

"The main primary arguments deal with the fact that one, they don't have the legal authority to do this, that this is an administrative bureaucratic agency that's trying to rewrite the legislature, that they're trying to rewrite sentencing laws that came out of ballot initiatives," she said. "And really, this is a violation of what we call Marsy's Law, which is a constitutional provision that supports the finality of judgments for victims in California."

The CJLF, along with a coalition of victims' families and nonprofit groups, filed the lawsuit in an effort to stop the board's new policy before it goes into effect in October.

"The Board...has taken it upon itself to expand this recommendation authority into a full-blown system of reviews and hearings paralleling and resembling the system of parole hearings — the system that the people of California voted to curb in Marsy’s Law, Proposition 9 of 2008, due to the prolonged suffering it imposes on crime victims and their families," reads the petition, filed in Sacramento's Superior Court on July 15.

"The Board has extended this parallel system to include inmates convicted of first degree murder with special circumstances sentenced to life without parole, despite initiative statutes mandating life without parole as the minimum sentence for this crime and forbidding the striking of special circumstances."

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In addition to alleging the new regulations run contrary to California law, the petition raises concerns that the new process would force victims' families to repeatedly relive traumatic cases that were supposed to be over.

CJLF is working with the victims of some of California's most notorious murder cases, including Sharon Rocha, the mother of Laci Peterson.

"My daughter, Laci, was eight months pregnant when she and my unborn grandson, Conner, were murdered," Rocha said in a statement. "Scott Peterson was initially sentenced to death. After his death sentence was overturned, he was resentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Our family believed that sentence would finally bring some measure of certainty. Victims should not have to spend the rest of their lives wondering whether the person responsible will receive another opportunity for release. Justice demands finality."

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Peterson has maintained his innocence for decades and is still fighting his conviction in court. The California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence but has upheld his murder convictions. Prosecutors have opposed his claims and say the evidence against him is "overwhelming."

When Peterson's death sentence was reduced to life without parole in 2021, Laci's close friend Kim Juarez said she reluctantly accepted it because she believed it still meant he would never walk free.

"The only certainty that we had when Scott was put away was that he wasn't ever going to get out," she told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. "That's what, to me, is aggravating."

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Juarez described the last two decades as the repeated removal of scabs as Laci's friends and family have watched appeals, a resentencing and now another potential avenue that could eventually lead to Peterson's freedom.

"In a world where nothing is guaranteed and in something so big, we are guaranteed to never see Laci and Conner again. That's never going to happen," Juarez said. "The person that took her away — we just want to stick to what was handed down to him. This isn't about punishing him further. It's just about sticking to what was handed down to him."

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Juarez described trauma that extended well outside the courtroom and the legal process. Years after Peterson's conviction, she was pregnant with her own first child. But she found herself gripped by the fear that what happened to her friend could happen to her.

"I was about six months pregnant, and I said, 'If you decide that this isn't the life you want, don't kill me. Just let me go,'" she told her husband, a firefighter she'd met while handing out missing person flyers.

Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant on Christmas Eve in 2002, when she went missing from her Modesto home. Peterson was charged with killing her and their unborn son, Conner, when their bodies washed up months later in the San Francisco Bay.

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"There was life before this happened and there's life after this happened — this will always be a part of our lives," Juarez said. "Every Christmas, my family decorates a miniature Christmas tree for her."

But Juarez said Scott Peterson continues to cast a shadow over those close to Laci.

"She's never forgotten, and we want to make her the focus of all of these memories, but it's like he's the cloud that hangs over it," Juarez said. "The likelihood of him getting out, I don't know what the likelihood is, but the fact that it's on the table, that it is a possibility, is scary in itself."

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The dispute is also playing out against the backdrop of an unsuccessful effort in the California Legislature last year to expand parole eligibility for some younger inmates serving life without parole.

"Last year there was a bill, it was called SB 672, that... tried to achieve a similar goal of letting life without parole out, but they limited that to people under 26," Schubert said. "They could not get that bill through the legislature.... So in lieu of that, they backdoor it, and they go through a bureaucratic process that's not just under 26, it's everybody."

The board, in public filings, countered that there's nothing in existing state law that blocks it from doing so.

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"Penal Code sections 1172.1 and 4801 do not exclude individuals sentenced to life without the possibility of parole from consideration by the Board for recommendation of commutation or resentencing," the board wrote in response to a concerned citizen who protested the new policy on inmates serving life without parole.

"Rather, these statutes grant the Board discretion to evaluate these cases and determine whether referral to the sentencing court or the Governor is appropriate. Had the Legislature intended to bar this population from consideration under either statute, it would have done so."

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Schubert, however, disagreed with that interpretation.

"The law says in California they can write regulations related to parole," she told Fox News Digital. "That's the word, 'parole.' Well, they don't get parole for life without parole."

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Neither the parole board nor the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation responded to a request for comment.

Can you bring a birthday cake to a restaurant? Viral pizzeria dispute reveals the rules

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:21 -0400

A viral confrontation at a New Jersey pizzeria over a child's birthday cake has put a spotlight on the unwritten rules surrounding outside food at restaurants — and what diners and restaurant operators should do when those rules collide.

The controversy began after a family celebrating a 5-year-old's birthday at Joey Tomato's in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, brought a cake into the restaurant and later asked for a knife to cut it. Family members said they had called ahead and received permission, while the owner said Joey Tomato's has a policy prohibiting outside desserts.

A heated exchange with owner Doreen Sullivan-Karcich was captured on video, prompting Joey Tomato's to defend its position and argue that the viral footage lacked the full context of what happened beforehand.

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"We are a pizza restaurant. Not a party venue, not a bakery, not a rental hall," Joey Tomato's said in a social media post responding to the controversy.

The pizzeria said it has policies governing outside food for reasons including "food safety, liability" and keeping operations running smoothly. Joey Tomato's also pushed back against criticism of its stance.

"These policies aren't up for public vote just because one moment enforcing them got recorded," Joey Tomato's said.

It added in jest that it was considering a new tagline: "We don't do cake. We do pizza."

So, what is the proper etiquette?

"In terms of someone bringing in food from another restaurant or even from home, it's always best to ask in advance," according to etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, owner of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio.

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Restaurants that allow outside cakes may charge a cutting fee, Gottsman noted.

"All in all, I think there's nothing wrong with bringing something in as long as you get permission first," she said.

If a customer gets it wrong, however, restaurant employees can enforce the policy without escalating the situation, Gottsman said. She recommended having a manager approach the table rather than putting the responsibility on a server.

"A manager could come up and say, 'If you'd excuse me, I just want to let you know it's our policy not to let outside food come in,'" Gottsman said, noting there could be health or allergy concerns behind such rules.

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The manager can then politely ask that the food not be served while offering an alternative.

"'I apologize. May I get you something? May we bring you something?'" Gottsman said. "All of these kindnesses really go a long way."

Robert Mahon, managing partner of Mahon Hospitality Group in New York City, said his restaurants allow customers to bring birthday cakes, preferably with advance notice.

"Even in cases where they haven't called ahead, we certainly wouldn't want to cause a scene or take away from someone's celebration," Mahon said.

The restaurant owner lost her credibility by reacting the way she did, Gottsman said.

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"You can do it. You can just do it with some decorum," Gottsman said.

"Sometimes we have to set our boundaries, but we set our boundaries with professionalism, with kindness, with compassion and consideration."

For Mahon, whatever pressures a restaurant is facing should remain out of public view.

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"Customers come to enjoy themselves and celebrate special occasions, and whatever is happening behind the scenes shouldn't affect their experience," he said.

The Medicare-for-all trade-offs socialists aren't talking about, according to experts

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:20 -0400

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is one of several socialist candidates making Medicare-for-all a centerpiece of their midterm campaigns, defending the policy even as El-Sayed acknowledged Sunday that it would require Americans to pay more in taxes in exchange for coverage untethered from employment.

The stakes extend beyond who pays the insurance bill. A nationwide single-payer system would substantially change how healthcare is financed, what providers are paid and the role of private insurance, while potentially affecting employment and access to care under a framework radically different from the existing "Medicare" model its name invokes, according to experts.

Cato Institute health policy studies director Michael Cannon and Heritage Foundation health policy expert Ed Haislmaier, who has worked with lawmakers on Obamacare alternatives, argue those trade-offs are often obscured by the "Medicare-for-all" label.

"As the late P. J. O’Rourke liked to say, ‘if your healthcare is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free,'" Cannon said.

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In his NBC interview, El-Sayed defended Medicare-for-all by saying that the average person's second-largest W-2 deduction "is [paid] to your health insurance company."

"So imagine, instead of paying that to your health insurance company, whose CEO makes $20 million a year, instead, you paid a little bit more in taxes for healthcare that you wouldn’t lose if you lost your job or turned 26 or got married or got divorced."

One of the central questions is how much providers would be paid. Medicare currently pays hospitals and physicians substantially less than private insurers for many services, while a single-payer system would dramatically expand the number of patients whose care is financed at government-set rates.

Cannon warned that policymakers could face a choice between raising substantially more federal revenue and holding down payments at the risk of some providers reducing their participation.

Canada and England have long been cited by critics as cautionary tales against implementing socialized medicine because of concerns about long wait times, including waits of weeks for MRIs in Canada, limited access to prompt care and well-to-do Westerners seeking care in the U.S. to avoid waiting at home.

Still, Cannon argued the U.S. system is critically flawed and that market competition, including taking employers and the government out of the equation and putting spending choices in patients' hands, could provide the closest framework to universal healthcare.

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Haislmaier dubbed single-payer Medicare-for-all a "solution in search of a problem."

"[Medicare-for-all proponents] haven't got a solution for the real question, which is not the coverage, but the cost. Are we going to force competition so that people who provide better care at a lower price get more of the business? That's our vision," he said of conservatives.

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Instead of giving the government more authority, President Donald Trump "stumbled onto something that might work," in Haislmaier's words, by proposing a shift away from letting health insurers manage the pool of money for each American and instead depositing funds into a restricted personal account that could be used only to buy or retain insurance.

Meanwhile, several pieces of the current American system can be found within the various "socialized" models that El-Sayed, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and others want to replicate in the U.S. Socialized healthcare also does not describe a single international model.

The Department of Veterans Affairs draws parallels to the British NHS, while employer-sponsored insurance is a key feature of the German system, Cannon noted. And Obamacare's framework for ensuring eligibility for care is similar to systems in Canada and Scandinavia, he said.

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But the U.S. may already have the developed world beat on socialized medicine, the experts said. Cannon argued that the Medicare system for seniors referenced in the left's platform is unique to the U.S.

"When Medicare-for-all supporters say that they want a European-style Medicare system, they're already telling you they don't know what they're talking about because no European nation has something like [our] Medicare Program," he said.

Cannon also resisted labeling Medicare-for-all supporters socialists, arguing the existing U.S. system already contains extensive government intervention through Medicare, Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance tax policy and Obamacare.

In that way, he said, the far-left Medicare-for-all crowd and Republicans appear to be vying for the title of who cares least about healthcare.

"If you think this is a question between should we have a government controlling our healthcare sector or not, you've already missed the boat. The government already controls the U.S. Health sector."

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The Medicare model outlined in the socialists' platform is also not "free" healthcare because beneficiaries face premiums, deductibles and cost-sharing.

Some current Medicare-for-all proposals discourage or appear to prohibit private insurance coverage, which could affect physicians' ability or willingness to provide access to all patients, particularly if demand increases as out-of-pocket costs decline, according in part to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office.

Maintaining such broad access to care while creating a one-size-fits-all model or keeping provider payments near current Medicare rates could cause hospitals to reduce participation, Cannon warned.

Financing is the other side of the equation. Moving most healthcare spending onto the federal government's books would require an enormous increase in federal revenue, even though some of that would replace premiums and other healthcare expenses currently paid by employers and households.

LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS’ AFFORDABILITY SCAM COLLAPSES IN STATES THEY ACTUALLY RUN

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Cannon said that would double or triple federal taxes.

If Medicare-for-all proponents want coverage to be as close to universal as possible, the model should remove, not add, government barriers, Cannon said. He noted that Americans one year away from Medicare eligibility and those in their first year of eligibility each spend twice as much on healthcare as people in other developed countries.

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"Medicare is not the solution here," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Israel vindicated by Gaza nutrition data after ‘blood libel’ starvation claims, UN envoy says

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:15 -0400

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations said new data showing sharply lower child malnutrition in Gaza undermines wartime accusations that Israel deliberately starved Gazans, calling those claims a "blood libel" fueled by Hamas figures.

The remarks by Ambassador Danny Danon follow a newly published U.N.-backed survey showing acute malnutrition among young children in the Gaza Strip has dropped to levels comparable to or below those recorded prior to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

"During the war in Gaza, Israel was accused by many countries and by many U.N. officials that we deliberately starved the population in Gaza. That was a blood libel," Danon told Fox News Digital. "When we actually answered those claims and asked our colleagues where they got the data, the answer was that they relied on Hamas reports."

Danon argued that the latest U.N.-backed figures undermine previous starvation claims and said earlier numbers attributed to Hamas were fabricated.

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"For the future, we shouldn't count on a terrorist organization. We are a reliable country, we share data, we share concerns regarding humanitarian issues, and we should not collaborate with terrorists," he said.

The Gaza SMART nutrition survey — coordinated by the UNICEF-led Nutrition Cluster and presented by the State of Palestine Nutrition Cluster on July 22, 2026 — evaluated 1,335 children under age 5, covering regions home to approximately 83% of Gaza's population.

About 17% of the population could not be surveyed due to security and operational constraints.

The survey found acute malnutrition rates between 0.2% and 0.8% using weight-for-height (WHZ) measurements (estimated globally at 0.5%) and 1.3% using mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC).

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Evaluators concluded there was "no widespread acute malnutrition at population level," noting that rates are significantly lower than those in neighboring countries, though lingering challenges like stunting, poor diet diversity and illness remain.

Danon pointed directly to past statements made by senior international officials, including U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher.

During a 2025 BBC interview about border access, Fletcher said 14,000 babies were at risk of dying within 48 hours without immediate nutritional aid. The figure was later clarified as referring to an 11-month projection involving children at risk of severe malnutrition.

"That was false and did not happen. Using starvation and babies to spread blood libels against Israel is outrageous," Danon said of Fletcher's comments.

"We care about babies in Gaza more than those making these allegations against us."

The ambassador emphasized that Israel kept records of food supplies moving into the enclave throughout the conflict.

"In terms of the food coming into Gaza, that was very easy for us to prove because we control the checkpoints and count the number of trucks coming in," Danon explained.

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"We know what they carry. Thus, we know there is no lack of food entering Gaza, and we always ensure sufficient supplies are brought in. Looking at recent reports, the situation is much better than expected, and we are glad for that. We do not want to see famine anywhere in the world, and certainly not in our backyard."

Danon also accused Hamas of hijacking aid distribution networks for financial gain.

"We know for a fact that Hamas took the aid and sold it in the market, taking advantage of the situation with inflated prices," he said. "That is why we are trying to work with NGOs that are not infiltrated by Hamas. We want NGOs to be able to deliver aid and food without Hamas gaining control over it."

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Israel withdrew its military and civilian presence from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

The war broke out following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on southern Israel and continued for two years until a ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct. 10, 2025.

Now, the region continues to face military strikes as talks over a proposed 15-point U.S. peace and disarmament plan appear stalled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the proposal, saying Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is fully disarmed.

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"Unfortunately, Hamas took over and turned it into a terror state," Danon said.

"Our vision remains unchanged: we have no desire to control Gaza. However, for progress to occur, Hamas must disarm and not move weapons from one warehouse to another."

"Regarding the food situation, we see improvement on the ground," Danon concluded. "The prices in the markets in Gaza have gone down dramatically, which serves as the clearest indicator that there is no food shortage."

Fauci said ‘no red flags’ for pregnant women days after raising theoretical vaccine miscarriage risk: text

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:13 -0400

Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci privately raised a theoretical risk of first-trimester miscarriage tied to reactions from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines — then publicly said thousands of vaccinated pregnant women had shown "no red flags."

Newly released text messages from Fauci’s government-issued phone, made public by Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., show the contrast between his private discussion and later public reassurances.

In a Jan. 25, 2021 exchange with then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Vivek Murthy, Fauci discussed fever and other immune reactions some people had experienced after a second mRNA vaccine dose.

That reaction, Fauci wrote, "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester," according to the messages.

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Walensky responded that it was "definitely a good point, esp after dose two," while Murthy called Fauci’s observation "a really good point."

On Feb. 3, 2021, Fauci said more than 10,000 pregnant women had received COVID-19 vaccines without any concerning safety signals being detected, CNBC reported at the time.

"The FDA … have found, thus far … no red flags about that, about pregnant women," Fauci said during an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association.

One week later, Fauci repeated the reassurance.

During a Feb. 10 White House briefing, Fauci said approximately 20,000 pregnant women had been vaccinated and that officials had seen "no red flags," Politico, The Daily Mail and The New York Post reported at the time.

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"Since the [Emergency Use Authorization] and under the [Emergency Use Authorization], approximately 20,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated with no red flags, as we say, and this is being monitored by the CDC and the FDA," Fauci said.

The public comments came shortly after Fauci had privately raised the theoretical possibility that fever and cytokine-related reactions after a second vaccine dose could be associated with first-trimester miscarriage.

The messages do not show that officials had found an increased miscarriage risk, only that they were discussing a theoretical concern while pregnancy data was still limited.

Months later, Fauci continued to emphasize the lack of adverse safety signals, saying "tens and tens and tens of thousands" of pregnant women had been followed after vaccination and there was "no indication whatsoever" of increased adverse outcomes compared with unvaccinated pregnant women, according to an article published Aug. 30, 2021 by What to Expect.

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The newly released texts show a contrast between officials’ private concerns and public reassurances.

"The text chain released today could have an immediate impact [on] public health and the principle of informed consent," Johnson's press release read.

Fauci, Walensky and Murthy could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

Sports cartoons of the day

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Top Obama ally reveals which far-left candidate needs to lose to help progressives win

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:30:32 -0400

David Axelrod, one of the architects behind President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, believes other progressives might stand a better chance of getting elected if, in his view, one of their more unserious candidates loses an upcoming primary.

"It would be good for Abdul El-Sayed if Francesca Hong loses her bid to become the Democratic nominee in Wisconsin next week," Axelrod wrote in a post to X.

"He is a serious person. She is a font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica. But the [Republicans] … would surely try to link Abdul and Hong as philosophical kin."

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Axelrod’s comments seem to indicate that despite their recent success in the 2026 midterms, not all progressives are viewed equally across the party — that some of them are seen as political liabilities even among themselves.

"This tweet is a perfect example of why the consultant class keeps losing elections. They're totally clueless, and they're hellbent on keeping working-class people out of politics," Hong wrote about Axelrod's X post. "I've spent more time in kitchens than faculty lounges. Perhaps you'd like to come to Wisconsin and work a Friday night dinner rush with me?"

Hong, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly who is running to become the next governor of Wisconsin, has advocated for a wide slew of policies that put her solidly in the progressive camp.

She has called for universal childcare, supports a $20 minimum wage, advocated for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), believes even noncitizens should have access to state-issued ID, has called for publicly run grocery stores and opposes continued U.S. support for Israel.

Hong is also a self-proclaimed socialist with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

WISCONSIN DEM SOCIALIST GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL DODGES WHETHER SHE STILL WANTS TO ‘ABOLISH POLICE’

Apart from policy proposals, Hong has also attracted attention for cultural and social issues that have pushed the rhetorical envelope.

She has recently come under scrutiny for past calls for Americans to cancel Thanksgiving because of the spread of smallpox during the colonial era, defund the police because of their reinforcement of White supremacy and even calls to abolish the Senate after the chamber voted to acquit Trump during a failed impeachment effort in 2021.

Although she has tried to push back on some of those resurfaced comments, Hong has also made little effort to paint herself as a moderate.

"I’m a proud democratic socialist. I’m not advancing a brand. I’m focusing on the policies, the socialist policies that improve lives," Hong told NOTUS last week.

Hong’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment on Axelrod’s post or on whether she believes Republicans will try to discredit other progressives through her positions.

At the outset of the race, Hong was considered a dark horse candidate.

But the race was shaken up last month when Mandela Barnes, the state’s former lieutenant governor, dropped out of the race. Barnes was considered a frontrunner in the race because of his proximity to outgoing Gov. Tony Evers and his name recognition.

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With his departure, Hong, who had already gained sizable momentum, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley were left as the two main contenders.

Evers has endorsed Crowley, citing his tenure as a public servant.

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Hong now faces a primary election next Tuesday, Aug. 11, after which, if she wins, she will go on to the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

LIZ PEEK: A brave Democrat leaves his party as radical socialists take over

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:39 -0400

"This is a party that is jumping off a cliff, and I don’t intend to jump with them."

That was Julian Epstein, long-time Democrat apparatchik, talking recently about his party. He said in a post on X, "I think the Democrats have gone off the deep end… the lunatics are in charge of the asylum."

Epstein, who served as chief counsel to the House Judiciary Committee and worked to elect Hillary Clinton, is disgusted with his party for having "gone too far left" and having "lost its moral center." He announced in an op-ed in the New York Post that he is supporting Mike Rogers, the Republican running for the Senate in Michigan against progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, because Rogers is a "very practical middle-of-the-road normie guy who would’ve been very consistent with where the Democrats were during the Clinton administration."

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Good for Epstein. He says in his broadside that his announcement isn’t about him, but rather an indication of where a lot of Democrats may end up. He declared, "There’s no room in the [Democrat] tent for people who want to destroy our constitution, there’s no room in the tent for people who want to align themselves with radical Islam, there’s no room in the tent for people who align themselves with antisemitism…"

Good for Epstein. My only question is what took him so long? And… where are his Democrat colleagues?

The answer to the first question is simple. The Socialist surge, and more specifically the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America, is fairly recent. Yes, the progressive "Squad" has been a noisy far-left cohort in Congress for several years, and heaven knows Bernie Sanders, the self-described Democratic Socialist, has been spouting the exact same "tax the rich" dogma for decades.

But Democrats’ growing engagement with the progressive Left gained warp speed with the campaign of Zohran Mamdani, who was elected mayor of New York City last year. Since then, membership in the DSA has exploded, attracting the highly educated but profoundly ignorant young (mostly white) liberals who know nothing about the sorry history of Socialism and don’t understand how well off they are.

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Yes, it’s hard to buy a house, and rent is expensive, but so are incomes for those who want to work, and there are millions of job openings. The standard of living in the U.S., where nearly everyone has a cell phone and routinely lines up for $6 lattes, is among the highest of any place on earth. That’s not conjecture; it’s a fact. Americans’ median income is $72.07 per day, 32% above the median Brit’s $54.55, 70% above Japan’s $42.10, and five times China’s $13.36, according to the World Bank.

The answer to the second question — where are other Democrats? — is also simple. The Socialist "movement" has promoted a slew of kooky candidates, some of whom have successfully challenged long-time incumbents, like Adriano Espaillat, head of the Hispanic Caucus, throwing the fear of the Almighty into sitting Democrats.

Not only are embattled legislators lying low. We also have a whole posse of Democrats aiming to run for the Oval Office in 2028 who have abandoned their traditional beliefs, their common sense and the Constitution, pandering to their progressive comrades.

Pete Buttigieg is campaigning for El-Sayed, the far-left newbie who won the Democratic nomination to run for the Senate in Michigan, Gavin Newsom supports a national wealth tax despite earlier opposing it in California and Kamala Harris wants to "revisit" the Electoral College and packing the Supreme Court, as well as statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

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Harris also jumped left in 2020 during her failed attempt to secure the Democrat nod in that cycle, causing the Los Angeles Times to run a scathing story about her bait-and-switch: "Kamala Harris tried being something she wasn’t. Now that liberal makeover is dogging her candidacy." Wait until this round.

Other senior Democrats are also prostrating themselves in front of the progressive surge. Chuck Schumer, a Jew who represents New York’s million-plus Jewish residents, has embraced Abdul El-Sayed and others of his ilk, regardless of their attacks on Israel.

Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, is just as pusillanimous. He talks about welcoming the DSA into his party’s Big Tent, even though that crowd mercilessly booed him at a home state victory party and its candidates won’t commit to electing him House speaker.

Epstein, and a very few others like Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, reveal them all to be the cowards they are. But his most important message is his condemnation of "people that don’t have any interest in building for the next generation but only want to redistribute what others have created and basically tear down the free market that has been the most effective anti-poverty liberation machines that human beings have ever invented."

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Bingo. This is the root cause of Socialism’s failure — the main reason that Cuba, Russia, Venezuela and other collectivist states don’t succeed — and why Democrat-run blue states are getting outgunned by GOP-managed red states.

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Democrats have been hammering away at the inequities of our society and the villainy of the wealthy for so long — echoing Bernie Sanders’ "Tax the Rich" pitch — that they have forgotten what makes our economy work.

It isn’t Big Government that creates jobs and fosters innovation; it’s the competitive free market and the opportunity to create new businesses and — yes — wealth, that has made our economy and our country the envy of the world.

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There’s a reason that people like Sergey Brin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Vinod Khosla and other fabulously successful entrepreneurs brought their skills and ambitions to the U.S. Historically, this country has celebrated those who make, not those who take. Today’s Democrats have lost that thread, but voters have not. Polling by right-leaning pollster John McLaughlin finds "Americans overwhelmingly prefer free-market capitalism over big government socialism."

Let us hope those Americans show up in November and teach Democrats the Epstein lesson.

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Socialist winning streak puts prized Democratic battleground at risk as radical leftists advance

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:26 -0400

MADISON, Wis. - For a second straight week, the Midwest is the key battlefield in the high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party.

After far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed narrowly edged out more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens a week ago in battleground Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, which was the biggest stage to date in the party's ideological civil war, the spotlight now shifts to statewide nomination showdowns Tuesday in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

At stake: a top-tier Senate showdown in Minnesota that's among a dozen races nationwide that will determine if the Democrats can win back control of the chamber from the GOP, and a gubernatorial face-off in crucial swing-state Wisconsin where Republicans are aiming to flip the governor's mansion.

Also on the ballot, as Minnesota and Wisconsin join Connecticut, Vermont, South Carolina, and Alabama in holding primaries: incumbent governors in Connecticut and Vermont are running to extend their tenures, and the power of President Donald Trump's endorsement in a GOP nomination contest is on the line in South Carolina, in the race to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

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"Michigan proved that working people are ready for something different, and Wisconsin is next," Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong wrote following El-Sayed's victory.

Hong, a state representative and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, is the polling frontrunner in a Democratic gubernatorial nomination showdown that's been rocked this summer after two major contenders dropped out, and another candidate re-entered the race.

The primary winner will likely face off in the general election with Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, the overwhelming polling and fundraising frontrunner for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who decided against running for a third term. Tiffany, who is backed by Trump, is a hard-right member of the House Freedom Caucus.

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Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother, is backed by top nationally known progressives, including Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ro Khanna of California, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender. But Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a longtime champion of the left, last week said he didn't plan on endorsing Hong, arguing that he was not familiar enough with her campaign or the race. And Hong also didn't land the backing of another top progressive champion: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Hong is running on a platform that includes guaranteed paid leave, boosting the state's minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 per hour, and a one-year moratorium in Wisconsin on building AI data centers. Hong has faced scrutiny over years-old social media posts calling for defunding and abolishing the police. But she says she no longer supports cutting police budgets or abolishing police departments.

"I'm not defunding the police, not abolishing police. I am serious about public safety," Hong emphasized on Saturday as she took questions from voters.

Hong also made national headlines over the past two weeks for a resurfaced social media post from 2020 where she argued that the country should "cancel Thanksgiving" in order to "stop celebrating colonialism."

Hong walked back her Thanksgiving comments, amid backlash, and now says that Thanksgiving is her "favorite holiday."

On her resurfaced tweets, Hong told reporters on Saturday that she has "evolved" and "learned."

Tiffany, in an interview on the eve of the primary as he teamed up for a couple of campaign events with former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, told Fox News Digital that Wisconsin will be a "firewall… We’ll be the place that stops socialism."

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Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, two of the major contenders for the Democratic nomination, exited the race this summer. And Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who earlier suspended his campaign and backed Rodriguez, re-entered the contest.

Crowley is backed by Evers, who joined him on the campaign trail in the closing stretch leading up to the primary.

There's a growing number of more moderate Democrats concerned that if Hong captures the gubernatorial nomination, as many expect, it will give Tiffany a big boost in his bid to flip the governor's office.

A Wisconsin-based Democratic strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely argued that with Hong at the top of the ticket, "it will hurt Democrats down ballot, in key congressional and legislative races" in the Midwestern battleground.

Meanwhile, pro-GOP super PACs, including one aligned with the Republican Governors Association, have shelled out millions of dollars to boost Hong in the primary, because they view her as the weakest Democratic candidate.

Asked about electability concerns, Hong told Fox News on Sunday that "this election belongs to the voters. We let the voters decide. The candidate that's the most electable is the one that earns the most votes. So we're focused on meeting voters up until Election Day, until the polls close."

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The Democratic Party's civil war is also on display in Minnesota, as progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and more moderate Rep. Angie Craig are the top two contenders battling for the party's nomination. The current senator, Democrat Tina Smith, is retiring at the end of this year.

It's been 24 years since a Republican won a U.S. Senate election in Minnesota. But a primary victory by Flanagan, who is backed by Sanders and another progressive heavyweight, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, may boost the GOP hopes of flipping the seat in a blue-leaning but competitive state.

Former longtime TV sports reporter turned political activist and conservative commentator Michele Tafoya, who is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is the polling and fundraising frontrunner in the GOP Senate nomination race. The field also includes former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, 2024 Senate nominee Royce White, a former NBA basketball player, and retired U.S. Navy officer Tom Weiler.

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Embattled Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, announced at the beginning of the year that he wouldn't seek a third term as governor amid heavy political pressure and national scrutiny over the state's handling of a major child care fraud investigation.

Longtime Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the overwhelming frontrunner for the party's gubernatorial nomination.

Mike Lindell, the My Pillow founder and former CEO who is a close Trump ally who joined the president in denying former President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 White House race, is a leading contender for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, along with Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. The field also includes healthcare technology executive Kendall Qualls.

In South Carolina, Tuesday's special Republican Senate primary is being held one month to the day after Graham's sudden death. At the time of his death, Graham was seeking re-election and had won renomination.

In the showdown for the open nomination, Trump is backing the late senator's younger sister, Sen. Darline Graham, whom GOP Gov. Henry McMaster appointed last month to serve the remainder of the current Senate term. Among the other major contenders in the primary sprint are Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry and Mark Sanford, a former governor and former congressman.

The primary is the latest test of Trump's Republican endorsement clout and his sway over the GOP. But the Trump endorsement hasn't proven to be a sure bet this cycle in solidly-red South Carolina.

Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the GOP gubernatorial nomination — in the race to succeed the term-limited McMaster — ahead of the state's early June primary.

Evette was the top vote-getter in the primary but lost the ensuing runoff election against South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a landslide. And Trump, ever hungry for a victory, endorsed Wilson in addition to Evette days before the runoff.

In deep-blue Connecticut, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is running for renomination for a third term. Lamont is facing a primary challenge from the left, from state Rep. Josh Elliott.

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And in Democrat-dominated Vermont, Republican Gov. Phil Scott is unopposed in the GOP primary, as he seeks a sixth two-year term as governor. Vermont and neighboring New Hampshire are the only two states in the nation to elect governors every two years.

Former lobbying group CEO Aly Richards and economist Amanda Janoo are facing off for the Democratic nomination, with the winner challenging Scott in the general election.

In Alabama, voters in the reliably red state's 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th Congressional Districts go to the polls in special primary elections. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey called for the special contests after a U.S. Supreme Court order allowed Alabama to use a 2023 GOP-drawn congressional district map instead of a court-ordered one that included a second Black-majority seat.

SEC SEAN DUFFY: Freedom Haulers puts veterans in the drivers' seats of new careers

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:12 -0400

America’s trucking industry keeps our economy moving forward. From medicine and fresh produce to fuel and everyday essentials, truckers carry more than 71% of our nation’s freight.

If the trucks stop, America stops.

That is why President Donald Trump and I recently launched Freedom Haulers — a first-of-its-kind interagency hiring campaign to recruit military veterans into the trucking industry and clear the road to get these patriots behind the wheel even faster.

TRUMP PROMOTES FREEDOM HAULERS INITIATIVE TO FAST-TRACK MILITARY VETERANS INTO TRUCKING JOBS

Driving a rig should be a proud, stable career. And for generations of working Americans, it was. Trucking provided a reliable path to the middle class and built communities across the country. But open border policies and widespread fraud turned a proud profession into the Wild West.

Fraudulent driving schools sprouted everywhere, safety rules were ignored and tens of thousands of dangerous foreign drivers were handed the keys to 80,000-pound rigs. The consequence? Innocent families tragically killed in avoidable crashes across the country. Hardworking Americans saw their wages plummet. Family-run American trucking companies were pushed to the edge of bankruptcy.

I have met many of these truckers. They are truly the unsung heroes of our everyday lives–and the way they were treated is unacceptable.

Thankfully, once elected, Trump put his foot down and said enough is enough.

TRUMP ADMIN TRUCKING CRACKDOWN LANDS 51 IMMIGRATION DETENTIONS, 36 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY VIOLATIONS

In the last year, my department has launched a sweeping crackdown to restore law and order on our roads. We’ve shut down 8,000 shady driving schools, knocked 26,000 drivers out of service who could not speak basic English or read road signs and revoked more than 30,000 illegally issued licenses to unvetted foreign drivers.

The result? Fraudsters are on the run. Highway fatalities on American roads hit record lows. Driver earnings are up over 7%. And every time I travel, truckers come up to me and say we’re saving their businesses.

Thanks to Trump, there has never been a better time to become a truck driver.

And when it comes to the vital mission of keeping America’s economy moving, we need men and women who know how to answer the call and understand service — America’s veterans. Veterans are built for this work. They have the grit, perseverance and the discipline to take on trucking. Many are familiar with logistics and have the experience operating large military vehicles.

ARMY VET, TRUCKING EXECUTIVE RAVES OVER TRUMP PLAN TO BOLSTER BLUE COLLAR INDUSTRY BY FAST-TRACKING VETERANS

Today, approximately 25% of truckers have a military background, but we think that number can and should be much higher.

That’s where our new Freedom Haulers campaign comes in. In collaboration with the Department of War, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor, we’ve created a new website listing all the resources veterans have at their fingertips to join this exciting industry.

GI Bill benefits and Veteran Readiness and Employment programs can cover 100% of training costs, while SkillBridge allows active-duty service members to get a head start on training so they can start earning a paycheck on day one. On top of that, federal apprenticeship programs offer housing allowances on top of a driver’s regular pay.

We’re also backing this campaign up with action — expanding the pool of veterans who are eligible for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Military Skills Waiver and the Even Exchange program. This means discharged service members will now have up to two years to apply their military driving experience directly toward a license to drive a big rig.

TRUMP TAPS VETERANS TO FIX ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKING PROBLEM PLAGUING US ROADWAYS

By leveraging their record, service members can cut the licensing process down from months to a few weeks. If Secretary Hegseth trusts you to drive a heavy-duty tactical truck in an active combat zone, the American people trust you behind the wheel of a big rig on America’s roads.

The Even Exchange program, however, only works in states that sign up to participate. Thanks to Trump’s leadership and our new campaign, we’ve already gotten nine additional states to join: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska and Wyoming. The total is now up to 36 states, but there is no reason all 50 and Washington, D.C., shouldn't sign on immediately. To every governor in America, join this cause and help get hardworking patriots on our roads in record time.

American businesses are already answering the president’s call. Industry giant Werner Enterprises has pledged to hire 1,400 military veterans and spouses in the next year, and Troops Into Transportation school has trained over 18,000 veterans on bases nationwide.

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Trump was crystal clear: "The radical Left wants more jobs for illegal aliens and more migrants in 18-Wheelers, and the Trump administration wants safer roads and more jobs for the American veteran."

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That’s what Freedom Haulers is all about. To the incredible men and women who served our country, know that this administration has your back. You sacrificed so much to keep our nation safe. The least we can do is ensure that when you take off the uniform, a great career is waiting for you. If you’re looking for a fulfilling career, a good-paying job and the thrill of the open road, this could be your calling.

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MORNING GLORY: Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary had two winners — but only one was on the ballot

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:01 -0400

Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed is Hasan Doğan Piker and Hasan Doğan Piker is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.

That’s the bottom line for Michigan voters considering the race for an open United States Senate seat as they prepare for that October-November election. (Early voting in Michigan begins on October 24 and ends November 1, 2026. Election Day is November 3, 2026.)

El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open United States Senate seat, and Piker is a progressive Twitch commentator. A particularly vulgar, hate-filled, racist "streamer," an online ranter who hates Blacks, Whites and women of all races with seemingly equal passion. This isn’t a hidden secret. Piker’s calling card is the endless streaming of his unhinged diatribes. I’d recommend searching for his clips on X, formerly known as Twitter, but you don’t really need that sort of unhinged radical ranting in your life. Piker is Robespierre without even a false front of education.

In a major embarrassment for the El-Sayed campaign, the University of Washington was recently forced to step in and cancel a planned, university-hosted lecture featuring Piker, citing flaws in their approval process. Though the school didn't ban him from campus grounds entirely, stripping him of an official institutional platform shows just how toxic his rhetoric is to mainstream institutions.

CONTROVERSIAL STREAMER HASAN PIKER'S LECTURE AXED BY UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AMID FREE SPEECH QUESTIONS

El-Sayed attached himself to Piker’s hip in order to win the Michigan Democratic primary (barely) over liberal Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Piker is now effectively on the general election ballot with El-Sayed. If El-Sayed wins, so does Piker. Piker would then become the new kingmaker of internal Democratic Party politics. Attaching himself to this malign force in American media was a reckless move by El-Sayed, the equivalent of a Republican candidate palling around with white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

But it worked. Sort of. El-Sayed/Piker polled 743,455 votes last Tuesday. His principal opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, tallied 727,758 votes—so El-Sayed’s/Piker’s margin of "victory" was 15,697. As a third candidate, Mallory McMorrow, who dropped out of the race, still polled 61,407 votes, the El-Sayed/Hasan Piker "ticket" didn’t even garner a majority of Democratic primary voters.

EL-SAYED PALS AROUND WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER THE DAY BEFORE CRUCIAL MICHIGAN SENATE ELECTION

And then the defections from the Democrats posting their goodbyes to the Democratic Party online began. They announced their intention to vote for GOP nominee Mike Rogers, a seven-term congressman from Michigan who retired after his tenure as chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rogers is a former FBI special agent and U.S. Army lieutenant. Mike Rogers is the definition of "normal Michigan guy."

Rogers ran against Elissa Slotkin in the 2024 Michigan Senate race and lost in the general election by a truly narrow margin. Rogers polled a bit over 2,694,000 votes, and Slotkin won her seat by just 18,000 votes, about a third of 1%. It won’t take many defections to put Rogers over the top in Michigan this year.

ROGERS OPENS DOOR TO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AFTER EL-SAYED’S PRIMARY VICTORY: ‘THERE IS STILL HOPE’

The stakes for Democrats are off-the-charts. If El-Sayed somehow fools the Michigan electorate into sending him to D.C. in November, Piker will push aside Bernie Sanders or AOC as the key "kingmaker" in the Democratic Party.

El-Sayed’s victory was tainted by many deeply flawed "polls" that showed him beating Stevens by double digits right up to the primary. On Election Day, though, his margin of victory was around 15,000 votes out of 1,500,000 cast.

It was a con job, whether or not the "polls" were intentionally tilted to El-Sayed or just more terrible polls in a decade of terrible polls. El-Sayed did nothing to hide his close association with Piker throughout the campaign. Quite the opposite. In fact, El-Sayed stapled the repulsive radical to himself as he stumped Michigan’s Arab-American community in the campaign’s closing days. Piker wasn’t a warm-up act; he was actually the main attraction for the hard-left fringe of the radical Democrats.

Stevens did not hire the sharpest campaign team because it was only after El-Sayed’s razor-thin primary win was in the books that some of the most vile Piker videos began to surface online, along with El-Sayed gems like his blunt admission that he "hates" Michigan’s beloved Mackinac Island. There’s got to be hours and hours of clips of both men spouting repulsive rhetoric. I have no doubt Mike Rogers’ campaign will find them.

FETTERMAN 'DARES' EL-SAYED TO STICK WITH PIKER, CLAIMS MICHIGAN NOMINEE HAS 'LITTLE MAN SYNDROME ENERGY'

With 84 days to go, expect a steady stream of those El-Sayed/Piker video clips to flood your feeds if you have any interest in American politics.

El-Sayed is easily the most radical major-party candidate for the United States Senate since the Civil War. He’s running in a "normie" Midwestern state, not Vermont or a "deep blue" congressional district.

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Michigan is a friendly place that loves its Wolverines, Spartans, Tigers, Lions, Pistons and Red Wings. It’s not filled to the rim with graduate students. Mike Rogers is a serious man, a national security expert and patriot whose life has been one of service. He’s also a disciplined and effective candidate.

El-Sayed and Piker will raise a staggering sum from the radicals across America. "Center-right" and "center-left" donors need to keep Rogers competitive in the fundraising race, matching the stream of small donations to the radical twins.

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If it’s even close in the funding competition, Rogers should pull this race out.

And working in Rogers’ favor? Michigan doesn’t want to become known for the craziest hater in the Senate since the Civil War.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM HUGH HEWITT

Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests, from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.

Deported child predator who illegally reentered US sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:33:13 -0400

A Mexican national who had been deported from the U.S. multiple times before illegally reentering the country has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting two minors, according to federal officials.

Erik Santana-Garcia, 34, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was sentenced July 30 to 20 years in federal prison without parole, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for interstate transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, possession of child pornography and illegally reentering the US following a prior deportation, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri.

He pleaded guilty March 3, according to court documents.

ICE LINES UP TO BOOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHILD SEX PREDATOR AFTER BOGUS ASYLUM CLAIM, EARLY PRISON RELEASE

Santana-Garcia transported a minor across state lines intending to engage in illegal sexual activity with the child, prosecutors said.

He left Utah with the victim on Nov. 10, 2024, and intended to take the child to New York, but Oak Grove, Missouri, police located the pair two days later. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations later discovered child pornography depicting a second minor on a phone seized from Santana-Garcia at the time of his arrest, prosecutors said.

Santana-Garcia had previously been deported and removed from the U.S. multiple times, most recently on March 6, 2019, according to prosecutors.

"Now, Erik Santana-Garcia’s going to spend the next 20 years in a federal prison because ICE HSI Kansas City, ICE HSI Salt Lake City, ICE HSI Billings and local police from Oak Grove, Missouri, nabbed him," Immigration and Customs Enforcement wrote on X.

MORE THAN 100 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS WITH VIOLENT OFFENSE AND SEX CRIME CONVICTIONS DEPORTED: DHS

ICE said Santana-Garcia will be deported to Mexico after completing his prison sentence.

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"This criminal illegal alien should have stayed in his own nation, because under @POTUS Trump, the United States has ZERO tolerance for child predators or illegal aliens who sneak across our borders," the agency said.

Florida woman accused of faking cancer to scam hundreds out of $40K, police say

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 02:02:18 -0400

A Florida woman was arrested after authorities said she falsely claimed to have cancer and scammed more than 200 people out of more than $40,000 to pay off personal debts.

Maribeth Ellen Jones, 51, of Bonita Springs, has been charged with grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000. She turned herself in at the Naples Jail Center this week after detectives obtained a warrant for her arrest on the second-degree felony charge, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

Jones, who worked as an activities' director in the community, allegedly told residents between 2022 and 2024 that she had cancer and was undergoing treatment, leading more than 200 people to donate to her because they believed she needed help.

OHIO BROTHERS WHO POSED AS MIDDLE EASTERN ROYALTY RECEIVE LENGTHY SENTENCE FOR $21M FRAUD SCHEME

Detectives said she even pretended her condition was worsening and had community members cut her hair to make it appear she was preparing to undergo chemotherapy.

Community members created a GoFundMe page for Jones that was linked to her personal bank account, according to the sheriff's office. They also gave her cash and personal checks.

WHAT SCAMMERS DO THE WEEK YOUR SPOUSE DIES

Jones had been the beneficiary of two previous GoFundMe campaigns in which she also claimed to have cancer, the sheriff's office said.

"GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform and anyone who seeks to take advantage of the generosity of others," a GoFundMe spokesperson told Fox 13.

"We can confirm fundraisers organized on behalf of Maribeth Jones were removed from our platform, and her account was banned for any future fundraising. More than $41,000 was refunded to donors on the platform through GoFundMe’s Giving Guarantee, which offers a full refund in the rare case something isn’t right," the spokesperson continued.

Detectives said their investigation determined Jones did not have cancer and that she used the donated money to pay personal debts.

She is accused of defrauding 238 Naples residents out of more than $40,000.

"This is an appalling case because it exploited the kindness and generosity of people who truly wanted to help someone they believed was fighting for her life," Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a statement. "If you lie to steal from the generosity of others in Collier County, we will arrest you and hold you accountable."

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"This type of scam not only hurts victims financially, it undermines trust in legitimate fundraisers for people who genuinely need help," Rambosk added.

President Trump warns FIFA will pay a massive price if it ousts chief Gianni Infantino

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 23:01:44 -0400

President Donald Trump is handing out a big red card to FIFA’s bosses, warning soccer’s top execs they’d be out of their minds to dump embattled president Gianni Infantino.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump went to bat for Infantino, who faces an all-out revolt from global soccer leaders after a disastrous scheme to sell off a chunk of the men’s World Cup to private equity investors.

"FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino," Trump posted.

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

"He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!"

Trump has is on the money concerning, well, the money.

The 2026 World Cup across America was a total monster as it packed stadiums and smashed revenue records. Say what you want, but nobody puts on a sports spectacle quite like the USA.

Yet the president's defense comes as Infantino’s internal trouble reaches a boiling point.

EUROPEAN SOCCER'S GOVERNING BODY FLIPS SPORT UPSIDE DOWN WITH BOYCOTT OF FIFA, FUTURE WORLD CUPS

The Swiss-Italian soccer boss ignited a firestorm by proposing a commercial entity dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would sell private investors a 20% stake in World Cup commercial rights for a $4.2 billion payday.

For that, Infantino got slammed.

Soccer's power brokers wanted no part of it. Leaders across Europe, Asia and North America rejected the deal, accusing Infantino of trying to quietly sell off the sport's crown jewels. He quickly scrapped the proposal and apologized, but the revolt was already rolling.

UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF then unloaded on the FIFA boss, accusing him of deception and abandoning his duty. European leaders have even floated a boycott of FIFA events, while execs behind closed doors are plotting rival tournaments that could leave Infantino on the outside looking in before the next election cycle.

FIFA REPORTEDLY WILLING TO LET TRUMP HAND WORLD CUP TROPHY TO WINNING CAPTAIN AT METLIFE STADIUM

Then there’s the Trump factor.

Could Infantino’s close relationship with the president be adding even more fuel to the revolt?

Trump, who was firmly in Infantino’s corner throughout the World Cup, clearly sees the fight through a dollars-and-cents lens.

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Whether Infantino survives the red cards flying from every direction remains to be seen.

But Trump has picked his side — and he’s warning FIFA that dumping Infantino could come with one hell of a price tag.

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

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No. 1: Aim for stability first

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SEC SEAN DUFFY: Freedom Haulers puts veterans in the drivers' seats of new careers

MORNING GLORY: Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary had two winners — but only one was on the ballot

Deported child predator who illegally reentered US sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

Florida woman accused of faking cancer to scam hundreds out of $40K, police say

President Trump warns FIFA will pay a massive price if it ousts chief Gianni Infantino