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Pro Bowl player requests trade from Tampa Bay Buccaneers on eve of training camp amid contract dispute

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:22:32 -0400

As negotiation tactics go, asking for a trade the day before training camp opens is the NFL equivalent of reaching for the nuclear codes before deciding to type them in. But that's exactly what Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea has done.

The two-time Pro Bowl player has grown so frustrated with contract discussions this offseason that he's decided he doesn't see a future with the team, and has asked to be traded, a league source confirmed to Fox News Digital.

That doesn't mean a trade will happen. Vea is under contract for the 2026 season and is scheduled to make up to $18 million if he can play all 17 games in the final year of his current contract.

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The Bucs aren't simply going to hold a fire sale to avoid the trade talk distraction, per a source.

Vea wants more money and points to the fact he is currently the 19th-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the league. And he believes he is much better than the 19th-best defensive lineman in the league.

Vea is, for all intents and purposes, the structural centerpiece of the Tampa Bay defense. He is arguably the team's best run defender and, as all NFL defensive coordinators often note, if a defense cannot stop the run it is unable to do much of anything else.

Vea provides a rare combination of size, power to movement to control the middle of the formation from his nose tackle spot. At 6-foot-4 and 347 pounds, Vea has anchored against double-teams for much of his recent years.

Despite this attention, he is able to clog interior rushing lanes and prevent offensive linemen from climbing cleanly to the second level of Tampa Bay’s defense. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, he has helped the Buccaneers establish one of the NFL’s most consistently productive run defenses.

From 2019 through most of the 2024 season, Tampa Bay ranked first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game at 94.1, first in yards allowed per carry at 4.0 and finished in the top five against the run in five of six seasons, including No. 1 finishes in 2019 and 2020.

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Vea played only five games in 2020 due to a fractured ankle, but he's proven durable ever since. He has started 78 games in the past five seasons.

Vea’s individual production shows he is more than a traditional space-eating nose tackle but he set a career high with seven sacks in 2024, then added 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits in 2025.

His 2024 pass-rush production made Tampa Bay one of only three teams that season with two defensive tackles recording at least seven sacks, as Vea and Calijah Kancey both reached that mark.

Vea was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2021 and 2024 seasons, earned a place on the NFL Players Association’s Top 100 list entering 2025 and was a key member of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV championship team.

This trade request creates issues for the Bucs.

It's possible Vea, who reported but did not take part in the teams mandatory minicamp and missed the rest of the offseason program, might decide to simply hold in to start training camp – that is to say, he shows up but doesn't practice.

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No coach likes that. No team wants that.

The Buccaneers are already managing the high-stakes contract negotiations with quarterback Baker Mayfield as their top contract issue. So dealing with a very large star defender who has publicly let it be known he wants out is not great for the team.

WNBA love feud explodes as NaLyssa Smith fires back at DiJonai Carrington's cheating claims

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:11:00 -0400

Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith went live on Twitch to respond after ex-girlfriend DiJonai Carrington accused her of a multi-player cheating scandal.

During a livestream, Smith refused to confirm or deny the allegations, instead questioning why the Chicago Sky guard chose to air their private history a year after their breakup.

Carrington launched the feud on Threads by alleging Smith cheated on her with Aces teammate Deja Kelly, Atlanta Dream guard Aaliyah Nye and others.

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"Whether she cheated on me and I cheated on her, why are we bringing that to the internet a year later when nobody did anything to anybody? Whether she cheated on me or I cheated on her, that has nothing to do with anybody," Smith said. "Like what? That don't even make sense. And to bring it to the internet a year later, is crazy. Just for fun? That's ridiculous, especially when you're in a happy, healthy relationship."

Smith also criticized Carrington for dragging Kelly and Nye into the public dispute.

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"Then, to bring up folks name that has nothing to do with anything. These folks is minding their business. These folks woke up to this s**t on a random Sunday night of these type of allegations," Smith said. "I think that's very weird."

Detailing the in-person confrontation that preceded Carrington's social media outburst, Smith claimed Carrington started an argument that ended with security stepping in.

"Here goes DiJonai. 'You talkin to that b*tch. You talkin to that b*tch.' B*tch this. B*tch that. I'm like 'Why I gotta be a b*tch?' Literally on my grandmother's grave, I'm like 'Damn why I gotta be a b*tch.' That's how the whole thing started," Smith said. "I'm literally like 'Who's a b*tch?' So, then it causes commotion and I'm just like 'Damn now what?' I look like the problem. So, then security come and he's like 'Alright y'all gonna have to leave.' Mind y'all, I'm the victim."

Smith also denied online claims that she showed up uninvited to keep tabs on Carrington.

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"I didn't do 'none.' I'm sitting on the couch posting, minding my business. I didn't do nothing to nobody," Smith said. "So, the fact that people are trying to create this narrative of 'Lyss came somewhere uninvited and she came here just to spy on folks. Y'all gotta stop all that lying."

Smith suggested alcohol contributed to Carrington's outburst.

"I guess the liquor, the cameras, her crowd, I guess she got some type of, somebody boosted her up to gain some confidence," Smith said. "But at the end of the day, that was some bulls–t. We came to the spot. Folks was chilling. Nobody did nothing to nobody."

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The former Baylor teammates will meet on the court Aug. 1, when Carrington's Sky host Smith and the Aces in Chicago.

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

Biden's classified docs narrative crumbles amid release of ghostwriter tapes: 'Be careful'

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:00:35 -0400

Former President Joe Biden's recordings from interviews with his memoir ghostwriter — obtained during special counsel Robert Hur's classified documents investigation — have been released to the public.

After a months-long fight from Biden’s attorneys to block the release of the tape, they abandoned their lawsuit calling for dismal Friday in which a judge accepted Monday.

The plaintiff, Mike Howell formerly with conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and now at Oversight Project, has fought for more than two years to obtain the materials through FOIA requests, arguing that the public has an interest in reviewing the recordings and transcripts on which Hur based his decision.

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The Oversight Project published more than 70 hours of recordings from Biden's 2016 and 2017 conversations with his "Promise Me, Dad" ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer, in which the then-former vice president frequently pauses, speaks haltingly and struggles to recall events — reinforcing Special Counsel Robert Hur's characterization in his report.

"Joe Biden didn’t want these tapes to come out. But now they have — after two years of painful delay. There is no joy in Bidenville today. Robert Hur’s and Merrick Garland’s decision to give Biden a free pass for keeping and disclosing classified information must now be reexamined from top to bottom," Oversight Project Vice President of Litigation Jeff Clark exclusively told Fox News Digital.

Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents dating from his time as vice president in the Obama administration and as a U.S. senator from Delaware. He declined to pursue criminal charges because he concluded prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Biden willfully retained or disclosed the material.

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In his report, Hur wrote that Biden’s conversations were "painfully slow" and said Biden was "struggling to remember events and straining at times to read and relay his own notebook entries."

"Mr. Biden's memory was significantly limited, both during his recorded interviews with the ghostwriter in 2017 and in his interview with our office in 2023," wrote Hur.

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He also said, in shocking reasoning for the lack of prosecution, that Biden could appear to a jury as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" rather than an intentional violator of classified document laws.

Netflix exec claims ketamine confession in ‘trust exercise’ cost him $1.1M job: lawsuit

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:00:39 -0400

Former Netflix executive Kevin Baillie has sued the streaming giant, according to court papers reported by The New York Post Sunday, after he said he was fired in April from its Eyeline Studios division because he disclosed medically supervised ketamine treatment for depression during a workplace retreat.

"The ketamine therapy issue has factored into the termination," the attorney said, according to the lawsuit.

Baillie, who served as vice president and head of creative at the visual effects division, earned about $1.1 million annually. The complaint said Netflix also denied him as much as one year of severance pay following his dismissal stemming from his comments in January at Netlix-owned Sendero Ranch in Northern California, according to the suit.

He said he underwent ketamine therapy at a Santa Barbara clinic in 2022 while experiencing clinical depression following his mother's death. He said the drug was prescribed and administered under medical supervision, according to the report.

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The executive disclosed the treatment during a vulnerability-trust exercise that encouraged employees to share personal experiences. When a Netflix investigator questioned him March 18, the complaint said the therapy was presented as potential recreational drug use.

The investigator raised the treatment "in a manner suggesting suspicion of recreational drug use," the complaint said, according to the Post.

Baillie said the company’s investigation also examined allegations that he used profanity and consumed alcohol. His previous performance review had addressed his language but did not direct him to stop swearing entirely.

"Drop one or two less f-bombs but don’t stop entirely," the performance review said, according to the complaint.

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The lawsuit said Baillie also told colleagues during the retreat that his former father-in-law had taught him to drink a Guinness while standing on his head. A colleague then asked Baillie to demonstrate the trick.

"His colleague immediately asked for a demonstration," the complaint said. "Rather than withhold the openness that the session had encouraged, he performed the trick."

Netflix’s public culture memo promotes vulnerability and candor while describing the company as a professional sports team rather than a family. Managers apply a "keeper test" when deciding whether to retain employees, although the memo also said workers should receive regular feedback and be evaluated on their entire record.

"If the answer is no, we believe it’s fairer to everyone to part ways quickly," Netflix said of the "keeper test," which entails candidly assessing if one would fight to keep a worker if they wanted to leave, or if they would hire the person again if they knew everything they do now.

"You willingly receive and give feedback; you are open about what’s working and what needs to improve; you admit mistakes openly and share learnings widely," the site states.

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Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance that is federally approved as an anesthetic and is also prescribed off-label for depression. The FDA has separately approved the ketamine-derived nasal spray Spravato for treatment-resistant depression under medical supervision.

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Baillie is seeking a jury trial, lost wages, compensatory and punitive damages and damages for emotional distress. He previously worked on visual effects for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Harry Potter" franchises.

Netflix had not publicly responded to his allegations as of Monday. Fox News Digital reached out to Baillie and Netflix for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Fishing content creator who filmed himself being bitten by a shark while spearfishing lucky he still has leg

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:39:09 -0400

A fishing content creator from New Zealand is lucky to still have his leg after going for a dive in Fiji. Henry Gibbs was spearfishing earlier this month in the water near the South Pacific island when he was bitten by a grey reef shark.

The damage from the bite to his right leg required four surgeries and a skin graft, but didn’t cause him to lose any ability to use his foot.

"No hard feelings towards the shark. I was in its environment hunting its food," Gibbs wrote in an Instagram post a few days ago that included pictures of him in a hospital bed.

"Wrong place, wrong time, and there are definitely a few lessons I'll share when I post the footage in the hope it helps someone avoid ending up in the same situation and a bit on how to respond to it."

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On Sunday, the fishing influencer followed through on that and shared the footage of the shark circling below before racing toward him and taking a bite out of his lower leg.

Gibbs explained that they had been diving in the reef for an hour or two before making their way to clearer blue water. They were trying to do some spearfishing and had a "handful of grey reef sharks" hanging out near them.

One of the sharks in particular hung around longer than the others. He doesn’t know if it was the commotion coming from the boat, the speargun sounds or the general activity in the water that made the shark excited.

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"I'll never know exactly what caused the change, but eventually it started making tight semicircles beneath us, became increasingly agitated and even sprinted at the boat," Gibbs wrote in the caption of the shark attack footage.

"Looking back, that should've been enough of a sign to call the dive. I never thought a shark of that size posed much of a threat, and that was a mistake."

He added that most of his encounters with sharks have come in New Zealand, where he says the sharks are less aggressive. A big mistake on his part was expecting this shark to act in the same manner.

Having been bitten by a shark, Gibbs has some takeaways he'd like to pass along. The first is to end the dive and move on if a shark's behavior changes. He also suggests sticking to plain black wetsuits in the tropics.

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He's heard of several incidents now that he's been attacked of grey reef sharks going after divers in camouflage wetsuits. His last two takeaways are to not ignore an agitated shark and to not judge the risk by the shark's size.

Gibbs teased that there's more footage that's more graphic than what he already shared. He also thanked those who reached out and who have cared for him since the bite.

"I'm still deciding whether to share the rest of the footage as it becomes very graphic, but I do want to share more about carrying proper trauma gear, knowing how to use it, and diving with people you trust," he wrote.

"A huge thank you to everyone who's reached out, and to all the doctors, nurses and hospital staff, family and friends who've looked after me."

You can add spearfishing in Fiji near grey reef sharks to the list of activities you're not going to find me attempting.

Store clerk foiled ex-Navy SEAL's explosives plot targeting police at No Kings protest, feds say

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:29:49 -0400

A former U.S. Navy SEAL was convicted in a foiled plot to attack law enforcement officers with explosives during a "No Kings" protest in California after a store clerk's tip led federal investigators to him.

Gregory Vandenberg, 49, was found guilty after a five-day federal trial of transportation of explosives with intent to kill, injure or intimidate and attempted transportation of prohibited fireworks into California, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours before returning the guilty verdict.

Prosecutors said Vandenberg was driving from El Paso, Texas, to San Diego ahead of the June 14, 2025, demonstrations when he stopped at a travel center near Lordsburg, New Mexico, and purchased six mortar-style fireworks and 72 M-150 firecrackers.

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While making the purchase, Vandenberg told a store clerk he intended to throw the explosives at law enforcement officers during the protests, federal authorities said.

He repeatedly asked about the amount of gunpowder in the fireworks, whether taping multiple mortars together would increase their explosive force and said he was interested only in their ability to injure officers, prosecutors said.

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Vandenberg also encouraged the clerk to attend the protests and hand out fireworks to others, telling the employee he would not get hurt because of his military experience, according to trial testimony.

The conversation alarmed employees enough that they wrote down Vandenberg's license plate and contacted law enforcement before he reached California.

Federal agents tracked Vandenberg to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where he was arrested the following morning while sleeping inside his vehicle.

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Prosecutors said he falsely claimed he was traveling for work despite being unemployed and later told investigators he was visiting friends in Phoenix.

A search of Vandenberg's vehicle uncovered the fireworks along with clothing displaying antisemitic, anti-Israel and extremist imagery, according to prosecutors.

Among the items recovered were shirts bearing an Al-Qaeda flag, a shirt calling for the destruction of Judea, a hat featuring the Al-Qaeda flag and apparel displaying a variation of the Black Sun, a symbol associated with neo-Nazi ideology.

Jurors were also shown photographs of Vandenberg wearing a custom-made T-shirt bearing the word "AMALEK" while inside the travel center. Prosecutors said Vandenberg told investigators the word meant "destroyer of Jews."

Investigators also discovered Vandenberg's cellphone home screen displayed a Taliban flag. A forensic review of the phone uncovered what prosecutors described as violent extremist content, including antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-U.S. material, as well as messages discussing the upcoming protests.

According to prosecutors, those messages suggested Vandenberg believed the U.S. government, including President Donald Trump, was controlled by Israel and Jewish people, evidence they argued helped establish his motive for targeting law enforcement officers.

"People in this country are free to hold their own beliefs and to express them peacefully," Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said in a statement. "What they are not free to do is use explosives to threaten or terrorize others."

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Ellison added that Vandenberg "intended to turn explosives into a tool of intimidation," and said the verdict "sends the message that attempts to substitute violence for expressing one's opinion has no place in our communities and will be met with federal consequences."

Vandenberg was later sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, where he remains in custody. Upon his release, he will serve one year of supervised release.

Kyle Shanahan 'this close' to losing his right eye in horrible car crash, NFL analyst reveals

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:26:17 -0400

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms revealed that his close friend, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, almost lost an eye during a horrible car crash he was involved in earlier this month.

Simms, who is a current NFL analyst, made an appearance on "PFT Live" where he explained pictures he received from Shanahan’s wife, Mandy, after the July 14 accident occurred.

"When you first see it, and it’s fresh, and some of the cuts are still wide open, I mean, it’s jarring," Simms explained. "It’s jarring.

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"He was this close to maybe losing his right eye."

The injuries were quite significant for Shanahan, who is limited to starting training camp with the 49ers, the team announced.

Shanahan suffered a broken nose, three broken ribs and a broken hand. He also needed over 40 stitches in his face and had a severe concussion after colliding with another SUV by his home in Northern California, per ESPN.

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"San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident last week when he suffered non-life threatening injuries. Coach Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp while he recovers," the team said in its statement.

"Coach Shanahan and the 49ers organization would like to sincerely thank all first responders involved for their efforts and care."

Simms pointed to his forehead when he said, "The scar is so big right here."

"So, all that stuff was just crazy to see," he added.

While Shanahan has yet to speak on the crash, Simms did reveal some of what he is feeling at the moment.

"He was emotional about it because he realized how close it was to being just a complete, you know, utter disaster," Simms, who mentioned the other driver was a woman, said. "Like, really, it was a disaster anyways. But, when you’re a part of that accident, like I said, he could have lost his right eye. It could have been a lot worse. You know, he’s very concerned about the woman he got in the accident with and how she is and handling that situation. So there’s just a lot there. And I think it was a lot for him to process."

Shanahan was spotted at 49ers training camp on Sunday, where his face was masked by a baseball hat and sunglasses.

GM John Lynch also noted that, "Kyle basically is going to be like in the protocol," in reference to his concussion. Simms said it is giving him "some issues" he must deal with through the healing process.

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While Shanahan serves his team on a limited basis, Chris Foerster, the 49ers’ assistant head coach, is acting in his place.

The 49ers open the season against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in the first-ever game played in Australia.

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

Senate clears way for Trump's top spy as key anti-terror program remains in limbo

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:24:16 -0400

President Donald Trump’s pick to run the nation’s intelligence agencies is one step closer to clinching the job, and puts the Senate ever-closer to jump-starting a key counter-terrorism tool in the process.

The Senate advanced Jay Clayton through a key hurdle Monday night to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). It comes after former DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s sudden exit from the position to care for her cancer-stricken husband.

The largely partisan 51-43 vote to move Clayton, who formerly chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump’s first term, comes after he narrowly squeaked out the Senate Intelligence Committee on a 9 to 8 vote.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., challenged Democrats to support Clayton during the broader, final vote, but expected them to resist as they have with several other Trump nominees through his second term.

"One might think that we'd be seeing some bipartisanship from Democrats on this nominee," Thune said. "But Democrats are playing the same partisan games with this qualified nominee as they have for so many of President Trump's picks."

"It's a funny thing because Democrats have made no secret of their disdain for the current acting Director of … National intelligence," he continued. "In fact, Democrats were so worked up over the president's temporary choice for this position, they allowed our nation's most important counterterrorism tool to go dark for the first time ever."

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The Senate will now vote on confirmation Tuesday, putting an end cap on an arduous process to replace Gabbard. When she announced her exit from the position, Trump hastily installed Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte to lead the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies in the interim.

That came as the Senate was nearing a vote on a bipartisan deal to keep the nation’s top counter-terrorism tool, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), running ahead of its expiration.

But Democrats, who railed against Pulte and accused him of being an unqualified loyalist who would weaponize the intelligence community against the president’s enemies and try to dismantle it, walked away from the deal after Trump torpedoed Clayton’s previously scheduled confirmation hearing.

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Less than 24 hours before Clayton's penultimate test, Pulte announced on X that he had completed his fourth round of layoffs as DNI.

"Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI, re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute," Pulte said. "As of this evening, we just finished a 4th round of thoughtful, measured layoffs. Thank you!"

The Section 702 program has since been steadily going dark, with new authorizations caught in a legal void until lawmakers reauthorize the program that has been used to thwart deadly terror attacks, including halting a mass-casualty terror plot at a Taylor Swift show in Vienna, Austria.

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Last week, only Republicans on the panel voted Clayton out of committee after he failed to satisfy Senate Democrats’ questioning on who won the 2020 election, his knowledge of Gabbard’s raid on the Fulton County, Georgia election offices, and subpoenas against New York Times reporters that his were submitted by him in his role as the top prosecutor in New York’s Southern District.

Those subpoenas were voluntarily withdrawn by the Department of Justice last week, two days after Clayton was confirmed by the panel.

Summer School: Republicans' crusade to teach voters the 'New Math' on the 'commie caucus'

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:17:11 -0400

The House is gone. But the campaign is on.

"We're going to have a lot to talk about during this break," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. "The contrast on the ballot this November between communism and freedom."

School is out for the summer in the House until August 31. But Republicans envision a version of summer school for the voters. They intend to educate people about Democratic candidates who are veering to the left.

"The reality is that the communist caucus, the commie caucus is coming to Congress," claimed Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y.

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Republicans hope to cling to their narrow House majority by distinguishing themselves from Democrats – and noting how Democrats tapped far-left candidates in New York City and even Colorado. These "Democratic Socialists of America" candidates will undoubtedly prevail in their districts. But Republicans believe that left-wing Democrats freak out independents and mainstream Democrats. The GOP is banking on that as an insurance policy to maintain control of the House.

House Republicans also enjoyed some relative success last week for the first time in months. The GOP advanced a host of bills important to them. And, simultaneously got Democrats on the record about bills which Republicans think they can boomerang against their adversaries this fall.

"They have to answer for why they voted against funding our troops, against funding the government, against common sense policies like voter ID and proof of citizenship," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

The House approved a plan barring stock trades by Members, 232-198. Only 13 Democrats voted yes compared to all Republicans. But the GOP tacked on a voter ID mandate. Democrats argue that provision transformed a once bipartisan issue into a GOP political wedge.

"I proudly voted no because we are not going to sabotage mail-in voting in this country. And we're not going to fall for that kind of bait-and-switch tactic here," fumed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Democrats have long campaigned on affordability.

"Today, prices are up over 25 cents a gallon above $4 a gallon in my region," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa.

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President Donald Trump has now paused the air campaign against Iran after two weeks of consecutive bombing. But the war in Iran presents Democrats with a political opening.

"Will Democrats recalibrate their message on Iran? Will we see ads on Iran going into the midterms?" yours truly asked House Minority Leader Jeffries, D-N.Y.

"We don't have to recalibrate our message. We've been opposed to Donald Trump's reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East from the very beginning," replied Jeffries.

There was a split decision on Capitol Hill last week. The House voted to shackle the president on Iran war powers. Four Republicans defected and sided with Democrats.

"He ran on no new wars," said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt. "He's making the case for us. He hit voters over and over and over with this promise. And then he did the exact opposite."

Still, the president’s allies claimed that the vote undercuts American forces in harm’s way.

"To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members who gave their lives," said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla.

A couple of hours later, the Senate rejected the House’s rebuke of the President.

"I think Democrats have taken that tack from the start," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., of the Democrats hoping to cut off the Iran operation.

"It wouldn't have passed if it wasn't for Republicans in the House," yours truly pointed out.

"A few Republicans," conceded Hoeven. "But I think there's strong support in our party (for the President)."

That’s ultimately why the Senate defeated its Iran measure. Some GOPers argued that the U.S. has Iran on the ropes.

"Last time I checked, we've wiped these b------s out. An occasional missile strike and boats in the Strait (of Hormuz). That's not military strength. Those are the flailings of a failing empire," declared Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.

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But Senate Democrats chided Republicans for not intervening in the conflict.

"Every time Republicans oppose our war powers resolution and vote against ending this war, they lose the faith of the American people," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "Senate Republicans need to wake up. Not next week. Not next month. Now."

Top Congressional GOP leaders say it’s not necessary for Congress to flex its war powers muscles.

"I don't think an AUMF (authorization for use of military force) is in order right now. I think we need to bring this to a resolution," said Johnson.

However, some Republicans demand answers about the endgame.

"I think we need greater clarity there. I think Congress needs to exercise more of its powers here," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

Democrats may believe they have an advantage on Iran. But like Roy, they demand a plan.

"This whiplash policy in Iran is not good," said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. "You can't run a war at 2:00 in the morning on Twitter."

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Despite their criticism, Democrats are vague about how they'd go about ending the war.

"We've got to figure that out. But Donald Trump got us into this mess," said Jeffries.

"But won't voters demand you guys to have a plan if you're going to win the majority, Mr. Leader?" I asked as Jeffries walked away.

I posed a similar question to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., one of the most thoughtful Democrats on foreign policy and national security issues.

"We didn't start it," replied Coons.

"But don’t you have to have a plan if you're going to criticize the president on this?" I asked.

"I wouldn't have gotten into this war," said Coons.

The Pentagon is now running short on cash since the defense policy bill is stalled. That’s to say nothing of the budget resolution which could provide $95 billion to the Pentagon. Congressional approval to pay for the war could take months. Perhaps until December. That’s after the election. Democrats may want to see how they fare in the midterms before coughing up money for the military.

Midterm elections are often a referendum on the president.

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In 2006, Democrats flipped the House and Senate by campaigning on ending the unpopular war in Iraq. They had a plan to wind down the conflict. Eighteen years later, Democrats want to run on Iran in this fall’s midterms. But unlike 2006, they don’t seem to have a clear plan on how to end the conflict.

But they know who to blame: President Trump.

Fox News Poll: Cool your servers! Voters reject data centers

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:00:03 -0400

While U.S. tech companies race for AI dominance, the latest Fox News nationwide survey finds voters hitting the brakes on data centers, as more prefer taking time to address local concerns than rushing expansion to maintain a competitive global edge.

By a 40-point margin, voters oppose building data centers in their area to support artificial intelligence (30% favor, 70% oppose).

MAGA supporters (46% favor) and Republican men (45%) are the groups most likely to favor data centers, while White women with a college degree (84% oppose) and liberal voters (80%) are the most opposed.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS WANT MAJOR CHANGE AMID ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DISCONTENT

Among those favoring data centers, 60% cite economic benefits, including jobs, economic growth, community investment, and tax revenue as the reason for their support. Another 21% point to technological benefits, saying the centers are useful, necessary, or important for future progress. Just 2% say staying ahead of competitors is the primary reason for their support.

Those opposing data centers emphasize a different set of considerations. Half (50%) say environmental issues are their main concern, including energy and water use, pollution, noise, and overall environmental impact, while far fewer mention quality-of-life concerns (14%), economic effects (11%), or simply having a negative view of AI (11%).

FOX NEWS POLL: SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR BOTH VOTER ID LAWS AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS

While data centers are broadly unpopular, views of artificial intelligence technology itself are somewhat less negative. Overall, 45% view AI favorably versus 54% unfavorably, underwater by 9 points. In April, it was -11 points.

Positive views of AI are higher among MAGA Republicans (55% favorable), voters with graduate degrees (52%), conservatives (50%), and men (49%) than among Democrats (41%), those without a college degree (43%), liberals (37%), and women (40%).

Nearly 8 in 10 voters prefer slower data center construction to address environmental and community concerns, while 2 in 10 favor building them as quickly as possible to maintain a competitive advantage over China and other countries.

While majorities across the board prefer the slow adoption of the centers, MAGA Republicans (36%) and very conservatives (35%) are the most likely to prioritize rapid expansion to maintain international competitiveness.

AI won’t find an ally in the under 30 crowd

Although younger voters are often viewed as more tech-savvy, that does not translate into warm views of artificial intelligence.

Voters under age 30 are the least likely to view AI favorably, at 38%, compared with 48% of those ages 30-44 and 44% of those 45 and over.

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Regardless of differences in views of AI, attitudes toward data centers are pretty consistent across generations. Roughly 7 in 10 in every age group oppose building data centers, and about 8 in 10 prefer slowing construction to address environmental and local concerns.

Conducted July 17–20, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (70) and cellphones (681) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (252). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. The survey includes an oversample of 200 voters aged 18–29, bringing the sample size for that subgroup to 350 (±5). Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling errors, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Woman wins massive settlement after bladder mistakenly removed during surgery for benign cyst

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:53:06 -0400

A Maine woman has been awarded $17 million after a catastrophic surgical error resulted in the removal of her bladder during a procedure intended to address a benign ovarian cyst.

The damages were awarded to Emily Mitchell last Thursday by a Kennebec County jury following a two-week medical malpractice trial against Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Health, according to her attorneys on Friday. The verdict is reportedly the largest medical malpractice award in Kennebec County.

The devastating procedure occurred on March 1, 2023, and resulted in what Mitchell’s attorneys described as an irreversible injury with extreme health repercussions that are still ongoing.

"According to evidence presented at trial, what began as a routine gynecologic surgery resulted in one of the most devastating surgical errors imaginable," Berman & Simmons said in a statement.

FORMER UCLA GYNECOLOGIST SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO SEXUALLY ASSAULTING PATIENTS AT SCHOOL

Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville officially closed in May 2025 after serving the community for more than 80 years, according to the state.

The healthcare system cited "immense pressure of higher operational costs, unsustainably low reimbursement rates, and a tight labor market" as factors behind the closure in a statement issued that month.

According to the attorneys, Michell scheduled the surgery after imaging showed that a benign ovarian cyst had significantly increased in size.

'I THOUGHT I HAD THE FLU': MOM NEARLY DIED AFTER DISMISSING DEADLY SEPSIS SYMPTOMS

Following the procedure, Mitchell’s condition worsened, and she was transferred to another hospital for emergency surgery.

Surgeons later discovered that her bladder had been removed during the original operation, and pathology confirmed the tissue taken during the procedure was "full-thickness bladder tissue," according to her attorneys.

The damage appeared irreversible, as "surgeons determined there was insufficient healthy bladder tissue remaining to reconstruct or repair the organ," according to Berman & Simmons.

For the next eight months, Mitchell relied on bilateral nephrostomy tubes to drain urine directly from her kidneys. The treatment involves thin plastic tubes surgically placed through the skin of the lower back and into both kidneys, allowing urine to flow into external bags attached to the exposed ends of the tubes.

During that time, Mitchell reportedly experienced recurring urinary tract infections, kidney infections, multiple medical procedures and ongoing complications.

OHIO APPROVES NEARLY BILLION-DOLLAR PAYMENT AFTER COURT RULED STATE SHORTCHANGED NURSING HOMES

She was eventually referred to Massachusetts for complex reconstructive surgery, where surgeons used a portion of her small intestine to create a new bladder, known as a neobladder.

Mitchell’s attorneys said she "continues to live with the permanent effects of those injuries" nearly three years after the original operation.

She must insert a catheter multiple times a day to drain the neobladder and requires ongoing medical treatment from specialists related to the loss of her bladder.

After hearing the evidence, the jury found Northern Light Inland Hospital and Northern Light Health liable and awarded Mitchell damages covering past and future medical expenses, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and permanent impairment.

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"For our clients, this isn't just a legal victory—it's the closure they've needed for a long time," attorney Susan A. Faunce said in a statement.

"They can finally begin to move forward, knowing that what happened to them was seen, heard, and acknowledged. This verdict won't undo the pain our clients have endured, but it does offer something they haven't had in a long time: closure. They can finally put this chapter behind them."

Tony Romo allegedly refused intoxication test after OWI arrest following Milwaukee golf event: report

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:45:42 -0400

Details of Tony Romo’s arrest on charges of alleged operating while intoxicated emerged, with the ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback being allegedly uncooperative with law enforcement during the incident.

Records obtained by The California Post showed Romo was issued a citation for "refusing to take test for intoxication after arrest" during the July 23 incident with police following his appearance at a Milwaukee golf event.

Romo was stopped on an interstate following his round at the Wisconsin Amateur Championship and he performed poorly during field sobriety tests, FOX6 in Milwaukee reported. He was released and is due in court on Sept. 21.

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The California Post added that the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office said that, since Romo’s situation is allegations, the case is considered a traffic violation and not a criminal charge in Wisconsin.

Other information regarding the arrest was not immediately available. Neither the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office nor CBS immediately responded to emails from Fox News Digital.

TONY ROMO'S BRUTAL GOLF SCORE BEFORE GETTING ARRESTED PAINTS A NIGHTMARISH PICTURE

Romo was set to appear at another golf tournament, the M&P Group Texas State Open, but he withdrew over the weekend.

Romo retired from football in 2017 and soon joined CBS as a color commentator.

He was the Cowboys' starter from 2006 to 2015, but an injury cost him his spot in 2016 to Dak Prescott. The Cowboys released him after the season, and he eventually hung up the cleats.

Romo threw for 34,183 yards, 248 touchdowns, and 117 interceptions, completing 65.3% of his passes.

He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and finished tied for third in the MVP vote in 2014 behind Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt — he was tied with DeMarcio Murray.

Romo went 2-4 in the playoffs, famously dropping a snap for a potential game-winning field goal in his first against the Seattle Seahawks. Romo then picked up the ball and tried to run for a touchdown but was stopped short, giving Seattle the win.

Since retiring, Romo and Jim Nantz have been the main tandem for CBS, calling three Super Bowls, including the Kansas City Chiefs' overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

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Romo has yet to comment on his arrest.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Chuck Todd suggests DNC primary calendar intended to thwart potential progressive insurgent candidate in 2028

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:45:14 -0400

Former NBC News host Chuck Todd said Monday that the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) primary calendar looked as though the national Democratic Party was trying to thwart a progressive insurgent candidate from breaking through in 2028.

During his podcast, "The Chuck ToddCast," the ex-NBC host said the schedule looked like it was made to make life harder for a progressive candidate.

"The more I study this map, the more I think, whether intentionally or simply by consequence — though I don't think there's any accidents in presidential politics — this calendar is intended to make life harder for an insurgent progressive. That's its intent," he said.

"The sequence itself is the story, right?" he continued. "Opening with South Carolina and closing with Virginia, a state that has been very friendly to Democrats, but not very friendly to progressive Democrats, right? But the sequence here does tell you something: South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, Virginia — not a place that's home to many super progressive electorates, right?"

KAMALA HARRIS IS THE 'FAIRLY OBVIOUS' 2028 PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER, DEMOCRATIC INSIDERS SAY

Todd said if Wisconsin or Iowa were included in the early primary window, progressives would be happier.

The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) voted to keep South Carolina as the first-in-the-nation primary on Friday. The panel also voted to allow Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan, Virginia and New Mexico to hold primaries in the early voting window, before the rest of the states hold nominating contests starting ahead of Super Tuesday.

Axios reported Sunday that progressives were frustrated by the South Carolina decision.

A member of the RBC told the outlet, "the public is swinging left, and the establishment is trying to fight the winds of change."

The member said putting South Carolina first could "shut down" a progressive candidate early, according to Axios.

BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS

The RBC member also said it was "not a strategy for winning the electorate," per Axios.

However, the report included some pushback from South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain.

"I hate that the narrative kind of seems like 'Well, a progressive can't win in the South,'" Spain, who also worked for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign, told Axios. "The work that you have to do in the South is retail politics."

Spain also said that a candidate such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could "absolutely" win in South Carolina.

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

Todd said during his podcast, "If I were to create a calendar that was going to do two things — make it much harder for a progressive to get the nominee and much harder for progressives to say the calendar was designed to stop a progressive from getting the nomination — this is the calendar I would come up with."

He added that Virginia, the final state in the early primary window, would become "the last stand for the establishment to stop a progressive if indeed a progressive has the momentum."

STATES MAY DEFY DNC PRIMARY CALENDAR AS 'NOBODY IS SCARED' OF KEN MARTIN, CNN REPORTER SAYS

The ex-NBC moderator said that South Carolina has not been "very open" to progressive socialist campaigns. However, he said in a crowded race, 20% of the vote might be enough to get second place, citing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and his previous percentage of votes when he ran for president, 26% in 2016 and almost 20% in 2020, finishing in second in South Carolina both times.

Todd said that it was also possible the situation could benefit a progressive, as there might be multiple moderates trying to secure the moderate vote.

"There might be multiple candidates trying to win over the more moderate vote, it splinters and a progressive consolidating the progressive support in the state — well, guess what? Twenty percent is a terrible number in a two-way race. Twenty percent might be a great number in a six-way race," he said.

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New Hampshire's National Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley spoke out against the South Carolina pick in a statement on Friday.

"Today’s vote shows that many party insiders have learned nothing from 2024. New Hampshire has a proven track record of testing our candidates with a rigorous, fair, and efficient process, yet those qualities did not prevail. This committee’s vote does not change the realities governing New Hampshire’s primary, which are beyond the control of both this committee and our state party," Buckley said.

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"Democrats’ guiding North Star should be winning general elections, and New Hampshire Democrats will get back to work focusing on the 2026 elections and addressing the significant challenges facing America’s overwhelmed working class," he continued. "Today’s vote moves the party further away from that objective."

Anthony Fauci's private diary and emails show he knew lockdowns failed and pushed masks without evidence

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:32:17 -0400

Sometimes, people are exactly who you think they are. And that may never apply more accurately and comprehensively than it does with Anthony Fauci.

Fauci was portrayed, starting in early 2020, as an objective, brilliant, virtually infallible God-like figure. He was the voice of opposition to President Donald Trump, a clear-eyed force of evidence-driven policy, contrasting with the evil Trump who didn't "listen to the science."

That's not an exaggeration; there were Christmas tree ornaments made up of Fauci dressed as a Pope, shrines put up in people's houses, and he was given a parade of endless, relentlessly glowing media appearances from his fawning, adoring fans. Fans like CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

FAUCI'S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

For most critics, it was clear almost immediately that these portrayals and friendly media appearances were the exact opposite of reality. Fauci was a narcissist. Someone who enjoyed the attention, power, and influence he now unexpectedly wielded. He was unimaginably arrogant, unwilling to listen to new evidence if it contradicted what he wanted to believe. And someone who bought into himself as that virtually infallible, God-like figure.

Well, Sen. Rand Paul over the weekend released a series of diary entries, emails, and inside information from Fauci himself and it turns out that the critics were more right than they could have ever imagined.

There are so many humiliating, embarrassing, discrediting revelations from the emails and diary entries that many are still compiling them. Combing through the list of statements that he made privately, in direct contradiction to his public pronouncements, could be a full-time job. For weeks.

But let's highlight a few, revisit what he said, and explain what it all means.

One of Fauci's most heinous legacies was the push for lockdowns, school closures and mask mandates. Those three policies were and are significant contributors to many of the negative outcomes from our response to the COVID pandemic.

School closures set back an entire generation of children. Lockdowns led to governments printing money to allow people to stay home, setting off a spiral of runaway inflation that is still not under control. And masks permanently damaged millions of people, from school children forced to wear them, to hospital workers who are now indefinitely required to mask in healthcare settings unnecessarily, or for those who continue to mask out of irrational fear and effective propaganda.

DID THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PURPOSEFULLY IGNORE COVID VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS?

Many of these policies can be traced directly back to Anthony Fauci. And now we have proof of just how inept and incompetent his recommendations were, and how dishonest he was as it became clear he'd failed.

Here's one example. In an email to Deborah Birx, another key architect of our failed response, Fauci unwittingly admitted that he was aware lockdowns and closures did not impact the spread of COVID.

"I have been obsessing about the increases in cases that do not seem to be related to openings or closings or massive crowds,"he wrote. "I believe that ultimately we will see increases related to all of the above; however, right now we may be looking for the lost keys under the light of the lamppost. There is something inherent here that we are missing and that is insidiously keeping the outbreak alive in the USA, and that is more concerning than anticipated spikes associated with identifiable events."

Surely, this email was written in 2021 or 2022, right? After closures and lockdowns became less common?

Nope. June 18, 2020. That's just a few months after the initial shutdowns. He knew in June 2020 that closures did not lead to increases in cases, and for quite literally years afterward, he demanded closures and shutdowns continue. He criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for reopening his state, months later. In September, for example, he said Florida was "asking for trouble" by opening. Three months after he knew, and admitted privately, that closures were not impacting the spread of the virus. Indefensible.

What about masks? Here's another email from April 15, 2020, less than two weeks after the CDC abandoned science and recommended public masking out of panic. Apparently the White House, or then-Vice President Mike Pence did not fully support masks, and Fauci and Birx once again got involved.

"We should push back a bit on the masks. I think that it is important. Since when do comms people dictate public health suggestions? Walk out of the streets and people are wearing them anyway," Fauci wrote. "We should be on board with them. I would be happy to do that tomorrow. We are meeting with the VP tomorrow morning. Can you arrange for you and I to meet with the relevant person so I can give it a pitch?"

No new evidence. No studies to reference. No peer-review. No data. Just, "people are wearing them anyway" and "we should be on board" with the CDC. That's how Fauci decided to push one of the most important and harmful "interventions" of the pandemic. Because everyone else was doing it too.

Then there's the lab leak. By now it's widely accepted that the lab leak is the most likely explanation for the origin of COVID. The Wuhan Institute of Virology proposed doing exactly the type of gain-of-function research that could have led to the creation of an enhanced virus, and did not have proper safety protocols for the work they were doing. As just one example.

Early on in the pandemic, however, the forces of institutional science came together to tell the public that a lab leak was a conspiracy theory. The Wuhan wet market was the source, they said, of a naturally occurring virus. They had no evidence for this suggestion, only speculation and hope to avoid scrutiny of their profession and hopes of avoiding a decrease in funding.

One pivotal moment in the early weeks of the pandemic was a phone call with 12 subject matter experts where they discussed their opinions on a natural vs lab origin. For years, the contents of this call were mostly hidden. Not anymore.

"There was not total agreement about the likelihood of deliberate insertion," Fauci's dairy entry from 2020 explained. "Ron Fouchier said he was sure that this could occur naturally and we should not waste our time and divert effort to pursue this. This is expected of him since he was the original GOF person with Yoshi Kawaoka. Also, Christian Drosten was with Ron; the rest felt that deliberate insertion was possible and given the fact that Dr. Zheng-Li Shi at the University of Wuhan has been working for years in GOF in coronaviruses to allow adaptation of the spike protein to bind to the human ACE2 receptor..."

So a prominent gain-of-function advocate believed it was natural, of course, along with one other scientist. The other 10? They believed that "deliberate insertion was possible" and potentially even likely, given they knew that scientists in Wuhan had long been doing this exact type of work. Surely, then, those scientists came forward to say a lab leak was possible...right?

Of course not. They did the opposite, to avoid scrutiny, criticism, and funding loss, then misled the public for years afterwards to cover it up. Fantastic.

Fauci's diary entries are littered with descriptions of his media appearances, excitement and joy that his fame and public profile had risen. He realized quickly that the mortality rate from COVID was significantly lower than most public estimates, then said the opposite weeks later.

In one diary entry, he believed the mortality rate was "more like 0.2-0.3%." Then said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity shortly afterward, "The mortality for this is about 2-2.5%. It's probably lower than that, closer to 1%. But even if it's 1%, it's 10x more lethal than the seasonal flu."

Wrong.

He admitted in another diary entry that he advised the then mayor of New York City, Bill deBlasio, to shut down schools and other business, then did the same with the chief of staff for California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yet in a 2023 interview with the New York Times, "Show me a school that I shut down and show me a factory that I shut down. Never. I never did."

Hard to be more dishonest than that.

More emails showed NIH employees working to get Fauci paid awards for his "work." He catalogued media interviews, which ranged from joyful celebration of his work to vomit-inducing fan service.

And why was the media so bad? Not just because of their obvious political ideology, but because they were friends with him. There are multiple emails and diary entries from Fauci discussing his dinner plans with CNN's Jake Tapper. Fauci goes so far as to call it building a "friendship." No wonder, then, that CNN and Tapper's coverage of Fauci bordered on reverential worship instead of, as the capital J Journalists like to pretend, speaking truth to power or holding those in charge accountable.

OutKick reached out to Jake Tapper's public relations representative at CNN to ask whether their dinner plans involved removing their masks only to take bites of food, or if their "friendship" impacted his coverage. They declined to comment.

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None of this comes as much of a surprise to those who have been following Fauci and the story of COVID since early 2020. This is exactly who he thought he was. A dishonest, narcissistic, egomaniacal, arrogant person who frequently made policy recommendations and proposals without considering or even knowing the evidence behind them. Someone who the media treated with reverence instead of demanding accountability or even asking difficult questions.

He was obsessed with his image and fame, wanted public recognition and salivated at the thought of paid awards for his "success." He misled the public for years about lockdowns, the lab leak, and his political ideology. And he got away with all of it, thanks to the protection of his friends in the media and Joe Biden.

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His critics knew all of it. And now we have proof that we were right.

Luigi Mangione plea talks raise showdown over Brian Thompson murder trial

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:00:23 -0400

Manhattan prosecutors are signaling they could fight a federal plea deal for Luigi Mangione if it threatens to derail his upcoming New York murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In a newly unsealed letter reviewed by Fox News Digital, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said it is aware of reports that Mangione could seek a guilty plea in his separate federal case before the state trial begins.

Prosecutors warned that if such a deal would interfere with New York's prosecution, they could ask the federal judge to take that into account before accepting it.

The filing follows a June hearing in federal court, where U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett pushed Mangione's federal trial to January 2027, clearing the way for his New York murder trial to move forward first.

LUIGI MANGIONE'S FEDERAL TRIAL PUSHED TO NEXT YEAR IN ASSASSINATION OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO

Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty in both the state and federal cases stemming from the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot outside a Manhattan hotel as he headed to a conference.

"If a proposed federal guilty plea would operate to defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution, the People could advise the federal district court of that consequence, and the court should consider that fact in deciding whether to accept the plea," Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in the July 2 letter.

LUIGI MANGIONE'S EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE DEFENSE MAY HAVE HUGE IMPACT IN HIS OTHER CASE: LAWYER

Prosecutors added that the court should also consider any opposition from Thompson's family before accepting such a plea.

The letter marks the clearest sign yet that Manhattan prosecutors are prepared to push back against any deal they believe could keep the state's high-profile murder case from ever reaching a jury.

The DA's office said it has already shared its position with federal prosecutors and Mangione's defense team.

LUIGI MANGIONE OVERRULED HIS OWN LAWYERS WITH A 'CHANGE OF HEART' ON PSYCH DEFENSE, LEGAL EXPERT SAYS

Prosecutors argued that any resolution should reflect "the seriousness of defendant's offenses," "the loss of an innocent life," the impact on Thompson's family and New York's interest in prosecuting the homicide.

The dispute comes after reports surfaced in June that Mangione's legal team and federal prosecutors had discussed a possible plea deal but failed to reach an agreement.

Mangione attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo blasted information attributed to anonymous sources at the time as "a troubling, deliberate pattern by prosecutors and law enforcement to prejudice Luigi."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York previously declined to comment on the reported negotiations.

At a June 29 hearing, Garnett delayed Mangione's federal trial after concluding there was no practical way for his attorneys to prepare for two high-profile trials at the same time.

During that hearing, Agnifilo confirmed Mangione's New York murder trial remained on track to begin Sept. 8 and said the defense had been told there would be no delays.

"We've been told that no requests for adjournments will be granted and to be ready on that date," Agnifilo told the court.

The judge said there was simply no realistic way to move both cases forward at once.

"It's simply impossible for us to be moving through the jury selection process in this case while the defendant and his counsel are fully occupied actually conducting the state trial," the judge said. She rescheduled federal jury selection for Jan. 5, 2027, with opening statements set for Jan. 25.

Under the revised schedule, about 800 prospective jurors will complete written questionnaires in early December before in-person jury selection begins.

Manhattan prosecutors also argued New York should get the first opportunity to try Mangione because he was extradited there on the state case before he was later transferred into federal custody. Prosecutors argued that the transfer did not change New York's priority to prosecute him first.

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Prosecutors allege Mangione fled the city and was arrested five days later at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

9/11 families push to ban Mamdani from 25th anniversary remembrance over 'hostile' record

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:50:24 -0400

Families of 9/11 victims are urging organizers to bar New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending this year's 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony in Lower Manhattan.

Several families of 9/11 victims published a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which organizes the annual remembrance, to reconsider inviting Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing a laundry list of criticisms of the Uganda-born socialist Democrat.

"Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values," a Change.org petition organized by several victims' families states.

"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."

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

Concerns listed include a "perceived reluctance" by Mamdani to unequivocally condemn phrases like "globalize the intifada" — a slogan associated with calls for the eradication of Jews.

They also expressed concern over Mamdani’s alleged support for or association with individuals either dismissive of American institutions or insufficiently critical of extremist ideologies.

A 2025 release by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, outlined one such association with a radical Bed-Stuy imam who hosted the Blind Sheikh, mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and has made controversial statements about jihad.

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

Siraj Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse, hosted Mamdani at his At-Taqwa mosque during the campaign and received criticism at the time from former FBI agents for failing to condemn the cleric.

The victims’ families also called out Mamdani’s father, Columbia government professor Mahmood Mamdani, whom they cite as authoring a book shortly after the attacks in which he argued suicide bombers should be "understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism."

They wrote that Professor Mamdani’s book – "Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror" – also included a passage arguing a moral equivalency between the United States and Al Qaeda.

FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS

When the passage was resurfaced in 2025, prominent New York billionaire Bill Ackman quipped on X that the "apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."

Fox News Digital reached out to both Mamdanis for comment.

While the mayor did not immediately return a request for comment, he told a reporter at an unrelated press conference Monday that he still plans to attend.

"I will proudly honor families the survivors the first resp forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day...," he said.

Victims’ families also excoriated the mayor for supporting and standing with socialist candidates they said hold radically anti-American views, including the DSA-endorsed woman who defeated left-wing Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Washington Heights.

The petition noted Darializa Chevalier once tweeted that she nonchalantly wiped soiled hands on an American flag after running out of napkins.

"For 9/11 families, this is not simply a public ceremony—it is a deeply personal day of mourning. The presence of individuals whose words or associations are perceived as conflicting with the solemn purpose of the event risks detracting from that focus and causing additional pain," the consortium wrote.

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One organizer told the New York Post that mourning dignitaries from both parties will be welcomed, but emphasized they have all been involved in the healing process for years, citing former mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, former Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, D-Upper East Side.

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The memorial museum said it has "intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue," according to a statement to the Post from staffer Julie Wood.

The petition comes amid elevated rhetoric directed at Mamdani as he prepares to take office before his first September 11 commemoration as mayor, as Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., and radio host Sidney Rosenberg both recently declared the mayor a "terrorist."

Monica McNutt is trying to become the female Ryan Clark with latest Caitlin Clark smear

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:34:28 -0400

Chicago Sky's DiJonai Carrington spiraled on social media over the weekend, accusing her ex-girlfriend of cheating on her with multiple women around the WNBA.

"Since mfs wanna be funny today ima be hilarious! yes, nalyssa cheated on me with Deja Kelly and Aaliyah Nye +++ many more," Carrington posted on X.

According to ESPN commentator Monica McNutt's logic, there is one person to blame for this alleged WNBA hit-it-and-quit-it scandal. Caitlin Clark. Who else?

McNutt maintains that Clark has a moral obligation to uplift the WNBA "sisterhood," even when it has nothing to do with her.

On Sunday, McNutt insisted Clark is to blame for the negative headlines surrounding the WNBA because she lacks "accountability" and "self-awareness."

In other words, Clark is the reason USA Today compared her flopping on the court to the lynching of Black people and falsely accused her of skipping an All-Star event to get her hair done. Both of those headlines originated last week.

Apparently, Clark is also to blame for people noticing Black women on the court driving their fists into her throat and raking her eye with their fingernails.

Again, this is all according to the logic of Monica McNutt.

McNutt using her ESPN platform to smear and belittle Clark is hardly new. She previously accused little White girls of favoring Clark because of racism and pretended as if obscure WNBA players are more famous than Clark. However, the fact that she is still doing it is quite telling.

In case you weren't aware — because apparently McNutt isn't — ESPN is done with the racial idolatry, wokeness, and buffoonery that defined much of the network over the past decade. Here are some of the names ESPN has moved on from in recent years: Mark Jones, Bomani Jones, Sarah Spain, Kenny Mayne, Clinton Yates, Jalen Rose, Israel Gutierrez, Michelle Beadle and Katie Nolan.

Add Ryan Clark and Cam Newton to that list. ESPN ended relationships with both of them last week — as OutKick first reported — as part of a round of talent layoffs and nonrenewals.

Chiney Ogwumike, McNutt's fellow Mean Girl and Caitlin Clark adversary, got the hint. Last Friday, she admitted her coverage of Clark went too far and needed to recenter the conversation back to basketball.

"The ESPN Purge (firing of Ryan Clark) is showing initial signs of success. They're already walking back their racial idiocy on air. Amazing. They must've threatened them with bringing me back for a third time," Jason Whitlock joked about Ogwumike's sudden shift.

McNutt didn't get the hint. And for many of the same reasons ESPN parted ways with Ryan Clark, McNutt should be ESPN's next casualty.

We don't say that because of her political views or her opinions. We say it because she is undermining the network's credibility for selfish reasons. We assume those reasons include building her brand on Bluesky and indulging her own personal biases.

RYAN CLARK MADE IT TOO DIFFICULT FOR ESPN TO JUSTIFY KEEPING HIM AFTER YEARS OF CONTROVER

McNutt doesn't just have issues with Clark. She also has issues with Taylor Swift. During the NBA Finals, McNutt was caught on a hot mic sneering at Swift, accusing her of bandwagoning the New York Knicks. In actuality, Swift has been a Knicks fan for years and attended games even during their losing seasons.

Why exactly McNutt has such a snarky view of Swift is unclear. Though perhaps you could take a guess, considering her equally snarky views of Caitlin Clark, little White girls, and Sophie Cunningham.

Hmm.

A tearful Ryan Clark, utterly devoid of accountability, called himself the "best analyst in the world" while addressing his firing last Friday. While that's subjective, we acknowledge Clark was at least capable as a sports analyst. McNutt is not.

Last August, she hosted an NFL preview show with Stephen A. Smith and did not know who Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders was.

Watch below:

Blame Caitlin Clark for that, too.

Let's recall a few paragraphs we wrote last week explaining why ESPN could no longer justify employing Ryan Clark.

We first cited the reasons to cut him: Clark made around $2 million per year, roughly four times what the average NFL analyst earns. He was unpopular with much of the audience. He had a strained reputation with staffers and a mixed one among on-air colleagues. Over the past year alone, he generated a string of negative headlines for ESPN, including shaming Robert Griffin III for marrying a White woman and making dubious claims about police officers involved in what was ultimately ruled a suicide. He also created both on- and off-air tension by belittling Peter Schrager, around whom ESPN is now building a new television show, because Schrager never played football. Clark also had a habit of injecting race into discussions where it simply didn't belong.

And then the reasons to keep him: None.

We then explained why this dynamic is not exclusive to Clark.

As large as their egos may be, the overwhelming majority of employees at ESPN — or any major television network — are simply filling airtime. They are interchangeable. There is no meaningful financial difference between having one analyst instead of another. That's not to say these analysts and reporters aren't good at their jobs. Many are. It's simply that their value above replacement is essentially nonexistent. The same is true across corporate America. The gap between good and indispensable is significant.

Employees are inherently replaceable. Across corporate America, employers replace workers every day without suffering a single quantifiable disadvantage.

Most employees understand this and, accordingly, don't create headaches. When your value is expendable, every problem you create becomes another reason you aren't worth the trouble. Yet so many current and former ESPN employees can't seem to understand that.

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By definition, Monica McNutt provides nothing to ESPN.

More people don't watch the channel because of her. Sponsors don't pay more because she is on the network. She doesn't provide news or insight that is exclusive to her. She doesn't improve the public perception of ESPN.

And like Ryan Clark, she has provided ESPN with a lengthy list of reasons to cut her. McNutt isn't valuable enough to be this reckless, this racial, and this uninformed.

She is also either too arrogant or too naïve to read the room. Look at those thriving at ESPN. They cover sports and do so positively and entertainingly. Meanwhile, McNutt is caterwauling and gaslighting, often by forcing oversized words into sentences.

Note: "matriculate" did not fit her otherwise slang-filled rant about Clark.

OutKick asked McNutt on Monday why she continues to cover Clark so negatively and whether she disagrees with ESPN's new direction. She did not respond as of publication.

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Most likely, she believes the onus falls on Caitlin Clark to defend the Mean Girls in the media who are smearing her.

McNutt's logic. Not ours.

Illegal immigrant accused of murdering college student dials into hearing from hospital bed

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:09:09 -0400

The illegal immigrant accused of gunning down 18-year-old Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman appeared in court Monday from a hospital bed after suffering a reported seizure, according to his defense attorney.

Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national charged with Gorman's murder, did not appear in person for a hearing before a Cook County judge. Instead, he joined the proceedings remotely via Zoom from a local hospital, where his attorney said he was admitted after experiencing a seizure over the weekend.

The judge ordered Medina to appear in person at his next court hearing if he is physically able.

Defense attorneys have repeatedly argued that Medina has suffered seizures and other health issues stemming from a 2018 shooting in Colombia, where they say he was shot in the head.

TEENS SUSPECTED OF MURDERING CONGRESSIONAL INTERN LINKED BY DNA ON SHELL CASINGS, PROSECUTORS SAY

On Monday, Medina's attorney told the judge the defense is still waiting for additional information about his medical condition before deciding which pretrial motions it may file.

Meanwhile, prosecutors said the murder case continues to progress.

They told the court they have turned over several additional pieces of evidence to the defense, including most of the DNA testing completed on the firearm recovered at the scene. Trace evidence testing is still underway, and prosecutors said they may request additional DNA analysis depending on those results.

GIANNO CALDWELL: FOUR YEARS AFTER MY BROTHER’S MURDER, I’M MARCHING FOR JUSTICE

Prosecutors also said they've turned over more evidence in the separate case accusing Medina of possessing a homemade shank while in custody. They are still waiting for subpoenaed body-camera video and hospital surveillance video to be added to the case.

The case was continued until Sept. 3 for another status hearing.

Sheridan Gorman's family did not attend Monday's hearing.

MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER COLLEGE STUDENT FATALLY SHOT CHASING ROBBERS WHO ALLEGEDLY STOLE HIS PHONE

Medina has remained behind bars since his March arrest and has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

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Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University freshman, was fatally shot in March while walking with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. Authorities allege Medina opened fire during the incident, killing the college student.

Fox News' Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.

Nurse impaled by pole during hike forced to trek 10 miles for help: 'A freak thing'

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:02:37 -0400

A wound care clinic nurse survived a freak hiking accident — and impressively hiked 10 miles to safety after suffering a serious injury.

David Cifaldi, who previously worked as an emergency room nurse, was impaled by a trekking pole while climbing Montana's Granite Peak on July 20.

Cifaldi was hiking with two friends before the accident occurred, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help him.

YELLOWSTONE OFFICIALS DECIDE FATE OF BISON THAT LAUNCHED GRANDFATHER 8 FEET IN AIR

At about 11,800 feet, Cifaldi "stepped on a small loose rock, dropped his trekking pole and fell forward," per the GoFundMe set up by a friend.

"The pole went all the way through his lat, sticking out both ends, with roughly 8 inches between the two holes," the page said.

Cifaldi, who works at a local wound care clinic, self-assessed the situation "calmly," his friend wrote.

"No bleeding, full feeling, no lightheadedness, nothing vital hit, and the pole stable in place," said the GoFundMe page.

BLACK BEARS INVADE LAKE TAHOE HOMES AS BREAK-INS SURGE AND LOCALS FORTIFY DEFENSES

"Given his condition, he made the call to self-rescue rather than wait for extraction — hiking 10 miles back to the trailhead with a trekking pole still through his body."

As they descended, Cifaldi also asked one of his friends to go ahead and warn approaching hikers so that no children would unexpectedly encounter his injuries, according to the fundraiser.

After reaching the trailhead, Cifaldi was driven about two hours to an emergency room in Billings, the nearest hospital equipped to remove the pole, according to the GoFundMe page.

URGENT YELLOWSTONE FISHING CLOSURES HIT 3 RIVERS AS WATER TURNS DEADLY

"All told, it was in place for 8–9 hours from the fall to removal," the friend wrote. "David is now receiving ongoing care, with the possibility of surgery still to come."

Cifaldi described the incident to local outlet KTMF as "just kind of a freak thing."

"I think my nurse brain clicked on," said Cifaldi.

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"As soon as I was able to self-assess and establish that this was not life-threatening right now, I was pretty convinced I was going to get off that mountain under my own power."

The healthcare professional added that he feels "very lucky."

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"A couple inches the other way and this would be a different story," he said, per KTMF.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cifaldi for additional comment.

On a Reddit forum dedicated to odd news, users praised Cifaldi's grit and determination.

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"Good job, man!" one person wrote.

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"Yikes!! Glad they made it to treatment," another said.

Trans influencer breaks silence after Trump's comparison to CNN anchor at WHCA Dinner

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:56:03 -0400

A transgender influencer fired back at President Donald Trump after his joke comparing the biological male to CNN's Kaitlan Collins during Friday night's White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner went viral.

"Maybe being publicly mocked and criticized by this administration is actually like the greatest compliment of all," said Dylan Mulvaney in a TikTok post on Sunday. "Because it puts me in the company of some of the most brilliant, empathetic people in our world today."

Mulvaney, once a social media star and one of the most recognizable transgender people in the United States, has maintained a low profile over the past few years since an advertising debacle featuring the influencer tanked the stock of a major beer company.

TRUMP SPARES NO ONE AT WHCA DINNER, TAKING AIM AT DEMS, PRESS AND HIS OWN CABINET

But Mulvaney was thrust back into the spotlight after Trump's WHCA Dinner joke comparing the transgender influencer to Collins, a longtime media foe of the 45th and 47th president.

"I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn't her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney," he said, referencing the beer brand's failed marketing campaign.

In 2023, Bud Light partnered with Mulvaney for a March Madness promotion. On Instagram, Mulvaney posted a video featuring a Bud Light can with their face on it, sparking intense backlash, a prolonged boycott and a more than $27 billion loss in market cap for Anheuser-Busch.

"To the president, thank you for reminding me that I am more powerful than I even knew," Mulvaney said in the Sunday video. "And to quote my favorite recording artist, Shea Diamond, ‘I am America.’"

JOURNALISTS DEMAND WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' ASSOCIATION 'SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER' IN NEW DINNER WITH TRUMP

Trump took his time roasting Collins in his hour-and-four-minute remarks at the WHCA Dinner on Friday.

Besides comparing her to a biological male who transitioned to female in a TikTok series where they would chronicle every day of 'becoming a girl,' Trump also took a swipe at her apparently steely demeanor.

"I want to personally congratulate CNN's Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award. It was all about me. It's a fake. She shouldn't get the award. It was a fake, but I didn't mind. I said, 'Kaitlan, congratulations.' But it was fake. There's no question about it," Trump said.

Collins received the WHCA Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure for broadcast due to her reporting on the contentious Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump in February 2025.

"But she's a young, attractive woman," Trump went on, adding, "She never smiles. I said, 'Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position. You're at CNN — fake news. You should be a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.'"

Collins appeared to respond to Trump's jokes at her expense in an Instagram post over the weekend featuring a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent," the quote said.

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CNN's public relations team also posted a statement on X after Trump's remarks about one of their biggest stars.

"We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fair mindedness with which the CNN team reports the news," the statement, attributed to Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson, said.

"Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the U.S. Constitution. CNN will continue to exercise this right."

Tommy Paul's wife trades her bikini for armor as she takes on Nantucket store for influencers everywhere

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:53:19 -0400

It's official: Tommy Paul and influencer Paige Lorenze have tied the knot. The tennis power couple married earlier this month on Long Island.

It's also official that despite giving up her last name and the handle associated with it, her rebranding doesn't mean she's going anywhere.

The switch to Paige Paul might have mistakenly been taken as a sign that she was headed for the quiet life of a tennis WAG and that her influencing days were behind her. They're not.

She's not even letting what should be a fun time for a couple of newlyweds keep her trading her bikini for armor in order to take on an injustice on behalf of influencers everywhere.

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Paige came across an unthinkable sign at a local Nantucket store called Four Winds Craft Guild. The sign , which is hanging from the ceiling, reads "No Influencers."

This business has been around since 1948 and somehow isn't aware of all the good influencers are responsible for in the world. Mrs. Paul decided to remedy that.

She let the business have it in its comment section, reports Page Six, "If you call yourself a feminist but proudly put up a 'No Influencers' sign, it's worth asking who you are attempting to delegitimize, and why…"

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That's a red-hot start, but there was more where that came from.

"Mocking women when they become powerful in a new industry isn't new. It's just a strange message coming from a store that celebrates a craft with such a rich history of women shaping the island and its economy," Paige continued.

"For those who don't know, the creator economy is overwhelmingly driven by women. Brands have shifted billions of dollars into creator marketing because it consistently delivers something traditional advertising can’t…. trust, community, and measurable sales."

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That part felt personal. She's part of something bigger than herself and doesn't have a choice, but to provide some educational material.

"One woman with a loyal audience can successfully launch a business at a scale that would have once required corporate backing and massive advertising budgets. That’s a win. This sign isn't."

There you have it. Paige Paul isn't turning her back on influencers.

She's still here and willing to trade brilliant bikini marketing for the battlefield when necessary to fight back against injustice wherever it is found, even in a Nantucket store selling baskets and crafts.

Commanders fire tight ends coach Ben Steele following DWI arrest last month

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:52:24 -0400

The Washington Commanders have fired tight ends coach Ben Steele following a DWI arrest last month.

The Commanders confirmed the news, stating they would be "parting ways" with Steele before his first season with the franchise ever begins.

"The team will have no further comment at this time," the Commanders added to its statement on X.

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Steele was arrested on charges of DWI last month, as The Athletic reported,he was placed on administrative leave after the Commanders were informed of the incident.

Steele is also facing charges for refusing a blood/breath test, obstructing or resisting an officer without force and changing course without signaling, per Virginia court records.

ERIC BIENIEMY SON JAILED FOR SHOOTING HIS MOTHER WHILE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS COACH IS AWAY AT TRAINING CAMP

The report also said Steele’s replacement is expected to be named on Tuesday, as the Commanders are set to begin training camp the following day.

Wes Welker, the former New England Patriots and Denver Broncos receiver, was the Commanders’ interim tight ends coach while Steele was on leave during the team’s minicamp this offseason.

Steele is a veteran tight ends coach, having served in the role with the Arizona Cardinals for the past three seasons before joining Dan Quinn’s staff in Washington before the start of this year.

Steele played the position before coaching it, seeing time with the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans from 2004-06, though he was a part of camps with the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings before that.

Steele’s coaching career started not long after his playing days ended, seeing time in college football before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff in 2014 as an offensive quality control coach. He was eventually promoted to tight ends coach in 2017.

He has also seen service with the Atlanta Falcons (2019-2020), Vikings (2021), and Broncos (2022).

It’s worth noting that his time with the Cardinals saw Colorado State product Trey McBride explode into one of the best tight ends in the game.

McBride racked up two Pro Bowls these past two seasons, collecting at least 1,100 yards in each, including a 1,239-yard season in 2025 with 11 touchdowns, which smashed his career high. McBride was a first-team All-Pro this past season.

The Commanders feature a new tight end in their building, signing Chig Okonkwo this offseason to bolster the group. John Bates and Ben Sinnott were featured at the position last season, which was a down year for Washington after reaching the NFC Championship Game the year before.

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Much of the team’s 5-12 record had to do with the injury to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who played just seven games. The Commanders are hoping to replicate the 12-5 season Daniels and company had in 2024, where he won Offensive Rookie of the Year.

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Nancy Guthrie's suspected abduction: Timeline of events in disappearance of 'Today' host's mom

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:03:36 -0500

TUCSON, Ariz. – Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home in Tucson's upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood in the early hours of Feb. 1, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI.

She was last seen there just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, when a relative dropped her off.

In the weeks after her suspected abduction, authorities struggled to publicly identify a person of interest, suspect or any vehicles connected to the crime.

SEARCH FOR NANCY GUTHRIE ENTERS 5TH WEEK, CADAVER DOGS ON HOLD

Here's a timeline of events:

Saturday, Jan. 31 —

5:32 p.m.:

Nancy Guthrie travels to dinner at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.

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9:48 p.m.:

Guthrie is last seen at her residence in the Catalina Foothills Saturday evening, when a relative dropped her off at home, according to Sheriff Chris Nanos. Two minutes later, her garage door closes.

SHERIFF RUNNING NANCY GUTHRIE CASE RESPONDS AFTER REPORT REVEALS UNSEEMLY EXIT FROM 1ST POLICING JOB

Sunday, Feb. 1:

1:47 a.m.:

The doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie's home "disconnects," according to Nanos' timeline. Authorities would later recover video from her missing Nest camera, despite the fact that the device is unaccounted for, and she did not pay for a cloud subscription.

It shows a masked man, wearing long sleeves and gloves, carrying an Ozark Trail backpack and what appears to be a holstered pistol.

WATCH: Nancy Guthrie's Nest doorbell cam records masked suspect

2:12 a.m.:

A security camera detects an unidentified person's presence.

NANCY GUTHRIE'S NEIGHBORS FLAG CAMERA GLITCHING, EXPERTS EXPLAIN WI-FI JAMMING

2:28 a.m.

The last time Guthrie's pacemaker synced with her phone via a Bluetooth connection. It is presumed that this is when she was physically taken out of range.

11:00 a.m.:

Guthrie fails to meet friends to watch a stream of their church service. They alerted relatives, who went to check on her and reported her missing.

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11:56 a.m.:

Relatives arrive at the home to find her missing and blood drops on her front porch. They placed a 911 call 7 minutes later, and deputies arrived at 12:15 p.m.

8:55 p.m.:

PCSD announces a search and rescue effort involving helicopters, infrared cameras and drones. They found no trace of her.

"Guthrie is 84 years old and is not of good physical health, and so naturally that’s a great concern," Nanos said. "This is very concerning to us. We don’t typically get the sheriff out at a scene like this, but it’s very concerning what we’re learning from the house."

NBC'S SAVANNAH GUTHRIE TO PULL OUT AS HOST OF WINTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY AS MOTHER REMAINS MISSING

Monday, Feb. 2:

9:17 a.m.:

Nanos holds the first of three news briefings in the days after Guthrie's suspected abduction.

"We believe now, after we processed that crime scene, that we do, in fact, have a crime scene that we do, in fact, have a crime," he says. "She did not leave on her own. We know that."

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Nanos downplays concerns that Guthrie had become disoriented and wandered off, adding that she has limited mobility and has medication that she needs to take every 24 hours.

"[She's] sharp as a tack," he said.

Investigators were seen in the area where Nancy Guthrie lives, including sheriff's department helicopters.

WATCH: Sheriff's helicopter hovers over missing Nancy Guthrie's neighborhood

Wednesday, Feb. 4:

The FBI is brought into the case.

Savannah Guthrie responds to a purported ransom note, publicly asking anyone who may be holding her mother to provide proof that she is alive.

No proof of life has been publicly confirmed, and the family's offer to pay the ransom did not result in Nancy's return.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

WATCH: Sheriff's office deputies walk up driveway of house in area of Nancy Guthrie's house

Thursday, Feb. 5:

Authorities confirm blood found outside the home belongs to Guthrie through DNA testing.

Her only son, Camron Guthrie, releases a video appeal pleading for contact from his mother’s potential captors.

Authorities also announced an arrest connected to a separate impostor ransom demand, which investigators said is unrelated to Guthrie’s disappearance.

Friday, Feb. 6:

Investigators return to Guthrie's home, clearing the media from the immediate area. They search the property again and are seen on drone video removing home security cameras from the pool house roof.

Authorities later remove a blue SUV from Guthrie's garage and towed it to an impound lot.

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President Donald Trump tells reporters aboard Air Force One that he believes the case could soon be solved.

"I think we're doing very well on that regard," Trump said. "We have some clues, I think, that are very strong. And I think we could have some answers coming up fairly soon."

"I'm talking about a solution. We have some things I think that will maybe come out reasonably soon from DOJ or FBI, or whoever," he continued. "It could be definitive."

Saturday, Feb. 7:

WATCH: Savannah Guthrie releases new video amid search for mother, saying 'We will pay'

About 4:30 p.m.:

Savannah Guthrie shares a new video on her Instagram account telling her mother's potential captors the family received their "message" and "will pay."

The family had previously posted two other videos pleading with the potential captors for her return.

7:10 p.m.:

Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies return again to Guthrie's home.

Sunday, Feb. 8:

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says it will maintain a security presence at Nancy Guthrie’s residence at the request of her family. Deputies remained stationed there for weeks, before the FBI released the home back to Guthrie's family.

Monday, Feb. 9:

3:42 p.m.:

Savannah Guthrie issues another public plea for help bringing her mother home, thanking supporters around the country for their prayers.

"My sister and brother and I and our mom have felt this love, because we believe that somehow, somehow, she is feeling these prayers and that God is lifting her, even in this moment and in this darkest place," she says.

WATCH: Savannah Guthrie pleads for help in new video

5 p.m.:

A second purported ransom deadline passes in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, despite the family's offer to meet the ransom demand.

Tuesday, Feb. 10:

12:52 p.m.:

FBI Director Kash Patel releases images of a suspect at Nancy's front door. The subject appears covered head to toe, wearing a ski mask and gloves, and what appears to be a holstered gun.

Savannah Guthrie later reposts the photos to her Instagram account, and shares a brief message with her followers.

"Someone out there recognizes this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home."

9:18 p.m.:

A delivery driver named Carlos Palazuelos, of Rio Rico, Arizona, is detained and questioned by authorities in relation to the case. An address associated with him, located in a tiny desert town just north of the border with Mexico, is searched.

However, several hours later, he is released without charges.

Wednesday, Feb. 11:

Authorities conducting a canvass of North Campbell Avenue find more than a dozen gloves, including one pair deemed of interest about 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie's home. They are tested for DNA, which ultimately is not a match in the FBI's CODIS database for known offenders and are traced back to a local restaurant worker. Authorities say the worker has no connection to the case.

Thursday, Feb. 12:

10:48 a.m.:

A white tent is erected outside of Nancy Guthrie's home, and investigators shuffle in and out. It is later revealed that the FBI sent experts to the scene to create a physical description of the man seen on her Nest doorbell camera video.

6:04 p.m.:

The FBI raises the reward for information that cracks the case to $100,000.

The agency also provided more descriptors for the man seen on doorbell camera footage outside her home the night of the suspected kidnapping, describing him as between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall.

The FBI also said he was wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.

Friday, Feb. 13:

Nanos confirms investigators recovered DNA from the scene from an unidentified person, calling it a key focus of the investigation. He sends the evidence to a private lab in Florida.

That evening, a major SWAT operation involving officers from local departments and FBI agents targets a local ex-con named Luke Daley, who was pulled over at a Culver's restaurant near Guthrie's home as officers raided his mother's home near Orange Grove Road.

However, hours later, Daley is released without charges.

Sunday, Feb. 15:

The FBI says that gloves found about two miles from Nancy Guthrie's home appear to match that of the suspect seen on Guthrie's doorbell camera. They are sent to CODIS, the bureau's federal database of known offenders, to look for a match. They later came back with no hits and the gloves were ultimately linked to a restaurant worker with no connection to the case, according to authorities.

7:56 p.m.:

Savannah Guthrie pleads on Instagram for the return of her mother in the fourth video posted on her social media since her mother disappeared.

"I wanted to come on, and um, it's been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope, and we still believe," Savannah Guthrie said. "And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it's never too late, and you are not lost or alone."

WATCH: Savannah Guthrie releases new video marking two weeks since mom's disappearance

Monday, Feb. 16:

The Pima County Sheriff's Department issues a statement on X ruling out Guthrie's adult children and their spouses as suspects in the case.

"To be clear…the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses – has been cleared as possible suspects in this case," Nanos says. "The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case."

The family members are victims, too, he adds.

"To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel," he says.

Wednesday, Feb. 18:

Authorities confirm that there is no evidence to suggest that Nancy has been across the southern border into Mexico, adding that they had communicated with Mexican officials about the possibility.

Tuesday, Feb. 24:

Savannah Guthrie announces a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for her disappearance. She urges anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or contact her directly.

She also announces a donation of $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to support other families facing similar circumstances.

Savannah Guthrie releases a new video message pleading for her mother’s safe return and asking the public for help. In the video, she makes an emotional appeal for information as the search continues.

Separately, a neighbor reports seeing a suspicious young man in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood about two weeks before the 84-year-old is believed to have been abducted from her Tucson home.

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Aldine Meister, who told Fox News Digital she has lived in the area for nearly 30 years, described the man as appearing out of place.

"He didn’t have your typical walking gear on, and he had his hat pulled really far over his eyes," Meister said.

Thursday, Feb. 26:

Fox News Digital receives Ring surveillance video from a Catalina Foothills neighborhood resident that shows a dozen vehicles coming and going from Camina Real, a back road in and out of the community, including one that could potentially align with the timing of Guthrie's suspected abduction.

The house is roughly a seven-minute drive from Guthrie's address, according to Google Maps. One of the videos was recorded at around 2:36 a.m. on Feb. 1, which is roughly eight minutes after Guthrie's pacemaker last synced with her iPhone, according to the sheriff's timeline.

The FBI and PCSD were alerted to the video.

The route itself had been flagged to Fox News Digital by another neighbor — who said she also saw a suspicious man walking in the area on Feb. 2, around the corner from what appeared to be an abandoned car. The young mother asked not to be named due to concerns for her children's safety amid the unsolved kidnapping investigation.

Monday, March 2:

Savannah Guthrie, her older sister Annie, and brother-in-law Tommaso Cioni, make a solemn visit to the growing display of yellow flowers at Nancy's mailbox.

Yellow signifies hope for a safe return.

The trio, escorted by private security and local deputies, place flowers of their own. Annie also leaves a card addressed to her mother.

WATCH: Family lays flowers outside Nancy Guthrie's home

Wednesday, March 5:

Savannah is back in New York City, where she's seen visiting "Today" show colleagues at NBC's midtown Manhattan studio.

Friday, March 13:

Law enforcement sources reveal that investigators have uncovered additional images from Guthrie's home security cameras — but nothing new from the night of the abduction and nothing considered a major break in the case.

The images were taken in the days and weeks leading up to her disappearance and were recovered from three separate cameras — at Guthrie's front door, over her driveway and in the backyard, a law enforcement official close to the Guthrie case tells Fox News. There is no new video.

Nancy Guthrie's whereabouts remain unknown. The reward, risen to more than $1.2 million, remains unclaimed.

Monday, April 6:

Savannah Guthrie returned to the "Today" show over two months after her mother first went missing.

"Good morning, welcome to ‘Today’ on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us, and it is good to be home," Savannah Guthrie said.

During her return to NBC's morning show, fans cheered Savannah Guthrie as she walked out to Rockefeller Plaza.

"You guys have been so beautiful," Savannah Guthrie said.

Thursday, July 16

Fellow "Today" co-host Craig Melvin was attacked inside a vestibule near Studio 1A. The NYPD arrested 41-year-old Andrew Truelove on hate crime charges for allegedly hurling a racial slur at Melvin after sneaking into a secure area of NBC's space at Rockefeller Center while allegedly looking for another host, Al Roker.

Monday, July 27

WATCH: Savannah Guthrie pleads with mother’s kidnappers

Savannah Guthrie released her first statement on the case in weeks, pleading with her mother's abductors to help bring the ordeal to a close.

"Do the right thing now," Guthrie urged her mother's unidentified kidnappers. "Make the right choice. Help us find her. Tell us where to look for her."

Anyone with information is asked to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Fox News' Alex Koch, Peter D'Abrosca, Julia Bonavita, Olivia Palombo and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

83-year-old wins settlement after Honolulu slapped her with $590K fine over website glitch

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:50:55 -0400

An 83-year-old widow can keep her Honolulu home after reaching a settlement with the city over nearly $600,000 in fines stemming from what she says was an online rental listing error.

Sandra May, a retiree, rents an attached apartment on her property to supplement her fixed income. After her rental unit was accidentally advertised online as available for short-term stays, the city fined her $10,000 a day for nearly two months.

Because May was hospitalized following a serious car crash, she did not initially see the city's notices, allowing the fines to balloon to $590,000. Under Honolulu ordinances, it is illegal to rent or advertise residential properties for periods of less than 30 days outside designated resort zones.

83-YEAR-OLD WOMAN SUES HONOLULU AFTER WEBSITE ERROR TURNED INTO $590K NIGHTMARE

Attorneys representing May from the Pacific Legal Foundation argued the unit was never actually available for short-term stays and that the listing stemmed from a website glitch on the hosting platform. Despite efforts to resolve the issue, the city placed a lien on May's home, blocked her from renewing her driver's license and vehicle registration and told her to "get an attorney."

May filed a federal lawsuit against the city and recently reached a settlement that reduces her total fine by 95%, allowing her to remain in the home where she has lived for 56 years.

"Winning this case is an enormous relief because it resolves all of the city's violation charges and excessive fines," May told Fox News Digital. "While the case ended in a settlement, I don't personally feel guilty of doing anything wrong."

May said her rental listing included a daily rate alongside a minimum 30-day rental so that if a guest wanted to stay longer than a month, it would be easier to calculate the extra days.

"To me, that was simply common sense," she added. "The city viewed it differently, but I never believed I was violating the law."

May added that she was grateful to God and her legal team at the Pacific Legal Foundation for stepping in at "the lowest point in [her] life."

SUPREME COURT REJECTS MICHIGAN FAMILY'S CLAIM THAT COUNTY COMMITTED 'HOME EQUITY THEFT' OVER $2,200 TAX DEBT

Loren Seehase, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, said the settlement resolves all of May's outstanding charges, including three additional violations the city issued after the organization became involved in her defense.

"Under the Eighth Amendment, fines must be proportionate to the alleged offense, not whatever the government thinks it can get away with demanding," she said in a statement. "This outcome reaffirms that principle and ensures Sandra can keep her home, which the City’s initial demands would have forced her to sell."

Scott Humber, communications director for the City and County of Honolulu, confirmed that May agreed to a reduced penalty of $30,000. Under the terms, the city will record a $30,000 civil fine lien against her home, but will not initiate foreclosure during her lifetime. The fine will be paid through escrow if she sells the property, or through foreclosure following her death.

Humber noted that the settlement factors in May's age, her medical hardships, her decades residing at the home and her "limited personal involvement in creating her advertisement."

As part of the agreement, May dismissed her federal lawsuit and agreed to withdraw her administrative appeals.

ONE SIX-PACK OF BEER COULD SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER HOW THE CONSTITUTION REGULATES LAW ENFORCEMENT

"The Department of Planning and Permitting takes short-term rental violations seriously and imposes significant fines for such violations," Humber said in a statement. "Fines for advertising a property as an unpermitted short-term rental on Oahu are typically $10,000.00 per day."

"However, the Department may not have all of the relevant facts at the time of determining the daily fine rate for a particular violation and may adjust the total daily based on factors that become known to the Department after a fine has been assessed," the statement continued. "After performing this review and learning of Ms. May’s unique circumstances, the Department was able to reach an agreement with Ms. May on the appropriate penalty for her conduct."

May's attorneys said her case highlights a broader issue on Oahu, where the city has issued more than $90 million in fines for similar rental advertising violations.

Seehase told Fox News Digital the settlement "sends a clear message to Honolulu and municipalities across the country" that "governments cannot impose crushing financial penalties without constitutional limits."

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"No homeowner should face losing their home over penalties that are grossly disproportionate to the alleged violation," she said.

WNBA responds to questions about missing USA 250 patch at All-Star Game but dodges key details

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:42:24 -0400

The WNBA finally responded to OutKick's questions about why USA 250 patches didn't appear on the players' uniforms at Saturday’s All-Star Game in Chicago.

It just didn’t actually answer them.

A league spokesperson provided a statement Monday after OutKick and Fox News Digital reported that the WNBA Players Association denied asking the league to abandon the uniform-patch plan.

WNBPA SAYS IT DID NOT ASK WNBA TO DROP USA 250 ALL-STAR PATCH AFTER UNION OFFICER PUBLICLY OBJECTED

"As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the WNBA was proud to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and military families," the statement read.

"Veterans and military families have long been part of the WNBA community—as players, fans, and league, team, and arena staff. Through All-Star Weekend in Chicago, the league recognized their contributions and helped create meaningful experiences in celebration of this historic milestone."

Fair enough. But the statement avoided every question the WNBA was asked.

The league didn't explain why the USA 250 patch that Sportico reported was planned for the All-Star uniforms never appeared. It didn't say whether public criticism from Las Vegas Aces forward and WNBPA treasurer Brianna Turner influenced the decision, whether any player objected to wearing the patch or who made the final call.

Instead, the WNBA highlighted its tribute to veterans and military families, which wasn't in dispute.

The unanswered questions became more significant after the WNBPA provided its own account of the events leading up to All-Star Weekend.

WNBA COMMISSIONER VOWS TO CRACK DOWN ON 'RACISM, MISOGYNY,' DODGES BIG QUESTIONS AT ALL-STAR PRESS CONFERENCE

The union told OutKick and Fox News Digital that members of player leadership contacted the WNBA after seeing reports that the league had decided to place patches commemorating America’s 250th anniversary on the uniforms.

According to the WNBPA, the league told player leaders that no final decision had been made. The WNBA later informed the union that it would instead commemorate the anniversary with "America 250" signage in and around the arenas and by honoring veterans during the All-Star Game.

"The league did not seek union input nor was the matter put before player leadership for action," the WNBPA said.

That statement undercut claims that the union formally demanded that the patches be removed or held a vote opposing them. It also shifted the focus back to the WNBA. The union says the league made the decision without seeking formal input from player leadership.

So why did it make that decision?

The league’s new statement doesn’t say.

The patches are part of a national America250 initiative that has included the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, NASCAR, UFC and WWE. Every player wore one during the Super Bowl, while NBA players wore the patch throughout the Finals.

The WNBA was not included in the initial Fanatics and America250 announcement, but Sportico later reported that the league planned to put the patches on its All-Star uniforms.

That report drew an immediate objection from Turner, an elected member of the WNBPA’s executive leadership.

"Whoever called for the WNBA all star uniforms to have the USA 250 patch should have thought that through considering no WNBA players would have been free 250 years ago," Turner wrote on social media.

She added that the league’s players are among the most elite female athletes in the world but would have been "breeders or in the fields working all day" in 1776.

"Be so serious rn," Turner concluded.

Turner’s public objection was followed by questions from union leaders, and the WNBA ultimately didn't use the patch.

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike confirmed before the All-Star Game that players had raised the matter with league leadership.

"As players, we did ask about it," Ogwumike told reporters. "I think being in a league where you’re able to have that type of conversation with your leadership is important."

Breanna Stewart, another member of the WNBPA executive committee, was then asked whether the patches would appear on the uniforms.

"No, they’re not on the jerseys," Stewart said.

The union’s subsequent statement says those conversations were limited to seeking information and that player leadership neither provided input nor took formal action.

That leaves several possibilities. The WNBA might have independently decided that arena signage and a veterans tribute were more appropriate than a uniform patch. League executives might have been concerned about potential player objections without receiving a formal union request. Or the initial report might have overstated how close the league was to approving the patch.

Another possibility is that the WNBA made the safest public-relations decision available. If league officials believed even a handful of players might refuse to wear the patch, leaving it on the uniforms risked turning All-Star Weekend into a very public fight over patriotism. Removing it beforehand took that decision out of the players’ hands.

But the league cannot easily admit that. Doing so would mean acknowledging that it expected resistance from its own players and effectively throwing them under the bus. The WNBA may have concluded that quietly absorbing criticism for the missing patch was less damaging than risking players publicly rejecting it.

Any of those explanations is possible.

But the WNBA didn't provide one, even when pressed.

OutKick and Fox News Digital followed up after receiving the league’s statement and noted that it didn't address the central questions. The WNBA was again asked why it decided against using the USA 250 patch, whether Turner’s criticism or opposition from any player influenced the decision, and who made the final call.

The league didn't provide an additional response.

It is worth recognizing what the league did during All-Star Weekend. Honoring veterans and military families is admirable, and the WNBA deserves credit for doing it. Using America 250 signage establishes that the league was not refusing to acknowledge the anniversary altogether.

But neither point explains why the league reportedly considered joining other major sports organizations in placing the USA 250 commemoration directly on its uniforms and then chose not to do so.

The patch did not endorse a political candidate or require players to approve of every chapter of American history. It was a basic acknowledgment of the country’s founding and the freedoms that allow women to earn a living playing professional basketball, organize through a powerful labor union and publicly criticize both their employer and their country.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS OUT TO PROTECT GIRLS AS WNBA ALL-STAR INITIATIVE BACKS ‘GENDER-EXPANSIVE’ GROUP

Turner is free to believe that America’s history makes the patch inappropriate. Other players are free to agree with her.

Fans are free to disagree.

What the public still doesn’t know is whether those views had anything to do with the WNBA’s decision.

The WNBPA has answered for itself. It says player leaders sought information, offered no input and were never asked to take action.

The WNBA has now responded, too.

It just hasn’t answered the questions it was asked.

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