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Cave discovery pushes back evidence of human ancestors using fire to 1.79M years ago

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:53 -0400

Researchers believe they've uncovered ancient evidence that early human ancestors used fire in an African cave — pushing back the timeline by hundreds of thousands of years.

The discovery, made at a cave in South Africa called Wonderwerk Cave, was announced in a June 24 press release from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Wonderwerk Cave is located in South Africa's Kalahari Desert, roughly 90 miles from the Botswana border.

ANCIENT HANDPRINTS SUGGEST HUMANS WERE THINKING SYMBOLICALLY THOUSANDS OF YEARS EARLIER THAN SCIENCE TAUGHT

At the site, researchers found evidence that early human ancestors used fire in the cave as many as 1.79 million years ago — pushing back the timeline for one of the earliest known records of fire use by hominins.

In 2012, researchers at Wonderwerk Cave reported what was then considered the world's oldest known evidence of intentional fire use, dating to about 1 million years ago.

In a study published recently in the journal PLOS One, researchers described using a new technique to identify evidence of burning in fossilized bones.

At the site, researchers also found evidence of owl pellets being used as fuel, as well as burned animal bones nearly 100 feet inside the cave.

WORLD'S OLDEST POISONED ARROWHEADS WERE COATED WITH TOXINS FROM DEADLY ONION-LIKE PLANT, RESEARCHERS SAY

"Using a newly developed technique that can detect signs of burning in fossilized bones, researchers identified repeated evidence of fire deep inside the cave," the university said in a statement.

"Because these traces were found far beyond the reach of natural wildfires, the findings suggest that early humans were deliberately bringing naturally occurring fire into the cave and keeping it burning."

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

The university noted that fire gave early humans several survival advantages.

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"Fire offered many advantages, including warmth, protection from predators, light after dark, and eventually the ability to cook food," the release added.

"Even so, determining when humans first began using fire has remained one of archaeology's most difficult questions."

Though it appears early humans were capable of transporting and maintaining fire inside caves, researchers cautioned that this does not mean they could create fire whenever they wanted.

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"Instead, the findings indicate that they likely collected fire from natural sources, such as lightning strikes or wildfires on the African savanna," the release says.

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"According to the researchers, these ancient humans brought fire into the cave on multiple occasions and maintained it for a period before it eventually went out."

Liora Kolska Horwitz, a researcher with the National Natural History Collections at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and co-director of the Wonderwerk Cave project, said that evidence of ancient fires is typically "subtle and difficult to detect."

"Our study provides new tools for identifying traces of ancient burning and reveals that fire was repeatedly present deep inside Wonderwerk Cave," she said.

Kolska Horwitz added, "These discoveries show that early humans were not simply passive observers of natural fires. They were actively engaging with fire and incorporating it into their lives."

The discovery follows a similar breakthrough in Barnham, England, reported in 2025.

There, researchers uncovered what they said was the earliest evidence of humans deliberately making fire, dating to about 400,000 years ago.

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Before the Barnham discovery, the earliest known evidence of deliberate fire-making dated to about 50,000 years ago in northern France.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding leaks snowball as guests reveal inside details

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:00:12 -0400

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding guests can't stop spilling details from the couple's star-studded celebration.

The loose-lipped guests have revealed everything from Adam Sandler's marriage advice to the couple as their officiant to Swift's personal touches and emotional moments. Swift and Kelce married on July 3 in front of 1,000 guests at Madison Square Garden, a representative for the pop star told Fox News Digital. The two opted not to have a traditional wedding party, instead choosing to have Swift's brother as her "Man of Honor" and Kelce's brother as his "Best Man."

Swift's rep revealed the couple's wedding ceremony looks were designed by Jonathan Anderson of Christian Dior Haute Couture. The "Life of a Showgirl" singer accessorized with Cartier.

While Swift and Kelce kept much of their wedding under wraps, guests have gradually offered fans a glimpse inside the celebration through interviews and social media posts.

TAYLOR SWIFT MARRIES TRAVIS KELCE

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shared some of the biggest revelations, calling the wedding "spectacular" and praising Swift for orchestrating the celebration.

"The wedding was spectacular," he told KSL News. "I know how weddings go, it’s normally not the groom doing the planning. So I give Taylor a lot of credit for putting together just a beautiful venue and wedding and so on. Well planned out."

Reid also shared Sandler's memorable marriage advice.

"Adam Sandler did the ceremony there, and he mentioned, ‘Kiss her every chance you have.’ In its own simple way, that’s a pretty good message. Kiss her before bed, kiss her before you go to work. It’s hard to argue when you’re kissing somebody. He even mentioned, if you have a small argument, finish it with a kiss and make sure that you work it out."

TAYLOR SWIFT'S EMPIRE TOPS $2 BILLION AS WEDDING FRENZY FUELS GLOBAL OBSESSION

Swift and Kelce put a personal stamp on their wedding ceremony by writing their own vows, according to "Good Morning America" anchors who attended the star-studded celebration. Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos gushed about the couple's "intimate" secret garden wedding.

"They wrote their own vows," Roberts said.

"In little books!" Stephanopoulos added.

Filmmaker Joseph Kahn offered one of the most detailed firsthand accounts.

"Had a wonderful time at Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce’s wedding last night," he wrote on Instagram. "I got to meet Steven Spielberg and the lovely Kate Capshaw and talk filmmaking with the GOAT (lifelong dream achieved)."

"What I will say about the wedding was it was so much funnier and emotional than expected, and as big as it was, it also felt very intimate," Kahn added. "And yes, literally everyone was there. I told Lotte many times it was like living in the internet, and AI would crack if it tried to render it. Anyway congratulations Taylor and Travis! Wishing your beautiful family and future family endless happiness!"

As guests continued to reveal behind-the-scenes details of the celebration, another closely guarded piece of the wedding also surfaced online: the couple's invitation.

TAYLOR SWIFT SHUTS DOWN 'OFFENSIVE' FAN THEORY ABOUT HER CAREER AFTER SHE MARRIES TRAVIS KELCE

A photo of the invitation was seemingly shared by Ashish Ferguson — the brother of Kelce’s childhood friend and former personal chef, Kumar Ferguson — in a handful of photos from the July 4 weekend. The photo of the invitation has since been deleted, but not before users grabbed a screenshot.

"You’re invited. July 3rd, 2026. Manhattan. Love, Taylor & Travis," the invitation, which was watermarked with Ferguson's name, read.

Commenters were quick to point out his mistake.

"I guess we forgot about the NDA? You sure they wanted their save the date card out there?" one user wrote.

"IS THAT THE INVITATION??? IT'S BEAUTIFUL WTF," another added.

"Did Taylor like her leaks? That's a death sentence," one said.

Reception details also emerged through guests and attendees.

Ashley Smith, sister of Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith, caught Swift's bouquet. The small bouquet featured Sweet Pea and Queen Anne’s Lace along with light pink flowers.

"Celebrated an Enchanting Love S(T&T)ory And somehow…I ended up catching Tay Tay’s bouquet," Ashley wrote on Instagram. "So here’s to believing it’s bringing a lifetime of love, luck, and laughter my way."

"Congratulations, Taylor & Travis! Cheers to forever T&T!"

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Country star Maren Morris shared one of the celebration's personalized keepsakes, posting a photo of a white handkerchief.

"So it's gonna be forever..." was embroidered onto the white fabric, a nod to Swift's 2014 hit single "Blank Space."

Beyond the firsthand social media posts, attendees also shared additional behind-the-scenes details with NBC News, offering a closer look at the couple's reception and entertainment. Guests played games to win raffle tickets, two guests told NBC News. They could use the raffle tickets they won to try to win different prizes — including designer handbags and a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, similar to the car the two rode in for their first public date in 2023.

The two guests confirmed to the outlet that there were performances by Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks. McCartney played The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand," according to People magazine.

"After the ceremony, Taylor’s mom Andrea invited everyone into the reception room where the stage was set up," a source told the outlet.

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In a since-deleted post viewed by Fox News Digital, AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron wrote extensively about the wedding, saying, "It did not look like Madison Square Garden."

"Immediately upon entry, everything… floors, walls, ceilings… was draped in peach and white," he wrote. "Large blown up pictures of Taylor and Travis at each age, year by year from one year-old to late teenager-hood, were on display."

He explained that "a small portion of MSG was cordoned off, devoid of any notion that a basketball or hockey game ever shared that space," and "somehow magically, someone created an outdoor garden at a lush countryside retreat. Everything draped off this time in green and white. Real flowers and I think artificial trees welcomed fifteen rows of maybe 75 or so chairs.

"They say there were around one thousand attendees, but surprisingly, it all felt intimate and small. Everything was close."

Aron recounted that "relaxing and mellow romantic songs" were played before the ceremony began, when "a few violins and cello ushered in the wedding party."

According to the CEO, Kelce wore a white tux, while Swift wore "a stunning white wedding dress with a long veiled train."

"Then the vows," he continued. "Long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing explorations by each as to how they met, why they want to be with each other for all eternity, the promises they made in joining their much-beloved two whole families (Kelce’s and Swift’s) as one, and committing to their new mutual life together."

He also said Swift and Kelce's "profound love" for each other was clear throughout the ceremony. He called their first kiss a "sweep you off your feet kiss."

Beyond the surprise performances, personalized touches and reception festivities, the wedding left a lasting impression on Swift and Kelce's loved ones.

"They cried, and they laughed, and they danced, and they hugged, and they kissed," Swift's Aunt Robin told LBC News.

Even Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, couldn't hide her excitement about the celebration, though she stopped short of revealing too much.

"I really can’t say a heck of a lot except it was magical, man, magical," she said at Macy's Fourth of July celebration.

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Fox News Digital's Emily Trainham contributed to this report.

Stephen King hopes Platner doesn't drop out of Senate race following explosive sexual assault allegation

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:41:55 -0400

Liberal author and famed Maine writer Stephen King is rallying behind embattled Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday amid growing calls for him to drop out of the race.

The political landscape was rocked Monday after a sexual assault allegation surfaced against Platner. Jenny Racicot, one of Platner's exes, claimed to Politico he drunkenly entered her home in 2021 and raped her. Platner denied the accusations.

While Platner's future in the Maine Senate race hangs in the balance, the iconic creator of "The Shining" and "It" is hoping he doesn't throw in the towel.

EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE

"Graham Platner may drop out. (I hope he doesn't, but.) Meanwhile, the Abuser in Chief just keeps on keepin' on," King wrote on X. The author, an outspoken Trump critic, was alluding to the various sexual misconduct allegations leveled against the president, which he has long denied.

In a follow-up X post, King added, "Tell you what--if you knew the whole truth about everyone in the Senate and House of Reps, those chambers would be dead empty. Jesus said, ‘Let him without sin cast the first stone.’"

HASAN PIKER TURNS ON PLATNER, SAYS HE BELIEVES SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSER AND PREDICTS 'CURTAINS' FOR CAMPAIGN

Conservative critics railed against King's hot take.

"You hope he doesn’t?? WTH is wrong with you?" Washington Post columnist and Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen wrote in response to King.

TOP PLATNER ALLY TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS CAMPAIGN: 'RED LINE'

"We all hope he doesn't!" New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz wrote on X.

"I absolutely love it when people show you who they are," conservative personality Fusilli Spock wrote.

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Many are speculating that Platner's exit from the Senate race is imminent, though he did not commit to withdrawing in a video address responding to the allegation.

"So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner said in the video. "Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today."

Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign about King's comments.

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Belgium embarrasses Team USA before breaking out Trump's signature dance celebration after fourth goal

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:36:41 -0400

Well, that was a brutal ending.

Team USA's World Cup run came to an emphatic close Monday night in a 4-1 loss to Belgium. But the lasting image wasn't the scoreline. It was Romelu Lukaku breaking out the Trump dance after Belgium's fourth goal.

Surrounded by teammates, Lukaku celebrated as Belgium put the finishing touches on Team USA's elimination, right here on American soil.

TEAM USA'S WORLD CUP RUN ENDS AS BELGIUM WINS ROUND OF 16 MATCHUP TO ADVANCE

OutKick founder Clay Travis told the hard truth about Belgium's well-timed celebration.

"Belgium did the Trump dance after their fourth goal against us. I can’t help but respect this trash talk. They whipped us, they get to dance."

He's right.

If you don't want a European striker clowning you with your own President's signature celebration, don't give up four goals in a knockout match.

So, Belgium earned the right to talk trash.

USA COACH MAURICIO POCHETTINO KICKS POWERADE BOTTLES IN FRUSTRATION AS TEAM'S FIRST HALF DEFENSE LOOKS SHAKY

Team USA had all the momentum coming into the Round of 16 matchup against Belgium.

President Donald Trump dominated the conversation before kickoff. His influence over FIFA's decision to rescind Folarin Balogun's suspension was hard to overlook, giving the Americans their leading scorer amid critical stakes.

It was a win for the Americans and ammunition for everyone else.

Belgium rolled Team USA 4-1, and Malik Tillman looked like the only American ready for the moment.

Matt Freese struggled mightily in goal, but no disappointment loomed larger than Christian Pulisic. Team USA's captain disappeared when it mattered most, repeatedly giving away possession and failing to provide the spark his team desperately needed.

With Pulisic neutralized and Balogun largely held in check, the Americans had no answers.

Team USA folded after a hopeful climb to the Round of 16.

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If Team USA hoped to establish itself among soccer's elite, it came up well short.

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

Operation Epic Fury fallout looms over Trump’s private talks with NATO allies and more top headlines

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:31:46 -0400

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

TOP 3

1. Operation Epic Fury fallout looms over Trump’s private talks with NATO allies

2. Democrats abandon embattled candidate Graham Platner after rape allegation implodes Senate bid

3. Team USA falls to Belgium in World Cup Round of 16

MAJOR HEADLINES

MOMENT OF RECKONING — Judge recoils, accused Charlie Kirk assassin sits still as fatal gunshot rings out in court. Continue reading …

REGIME PRAISE — Ex-Warren campaign volunteer spotted praising murderous ex-Iranian leader. Continue reading ...

CAROLINA CHAOS — Nine shot as 10,000 teens swarm NC city in social media-fueled ‘takeover.’ Continue reading ...

CRASHING DOWN — Big-box roof buckles as shoppers browse aisles in alarming collapse video. Continue reading …

HEROIC EFFORT — Faint cries from the woods led a passerby to a scene nobody could have anticipated. Continue reading …

POLITICS

SWITCHING SIDES — Legal war on Trump’s agenda gains firepower as federal lawyers defect to Democrats. Continue reading …

CRUCIAL CONTESTS — Four months to midterms: 12 races that will determine the Senate majority. Continue reading …

NUCLEAR RIVALRY — Beijing's underwater nuke test rattles Indo-Pacific allies on eve of NATO summit. Continue reading …

‘HAD ENOUGH’ — Seattle residents pull red card on socialist mayor as street becomes ‘dumping ground.’ Continue reading …

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MEDIA

TEMPERS FLARE — Mamdani aide reportedly unleashed on execs after 'The View' co-host's antisemite remark. Continue reading …

COALITION FRACTURE — Rep Jasmine Crockett unloads on 'White leftists' in fiery party critique. Continue reading …

HIGHER LEARNING — NYT calls University of California's 'test-blind' admissions policy a 'terrible' mistake. Continue reading …

'COULD CARE LESS' — Mario Lopez reportedly fires back after Instagram video brands him a MAGA supporter. Continue reading …

OPINION

HUGH HEWITT — Morning Glory: The Supreme Court officially closes the books on another term. Continue reading …

SEN DAVE McCORMICK — Trump Accounts give all Americans a stake in prosperity. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

VALUE BOOST — Major retailers unveil price cuts nationwide as Trump reveals move came at his request. Continue reading …

EMERGING EVIDENCE — Common gym supplement could help fight depression, new research suggests. Continue reading …

PROTECTIVE EDGE — Experimental vaccine shows promise against deadly intestinal illness. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on Founding Fathers and vaccine victories. Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in as we examine the renewed push for proof of citizenship in voting and what it could mean for Republicans heading into the midterms. Check it out ...

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Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Wednesday.

CM Punk wins Undisputed WWE Championship in WWE return

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:22:30 -0400

It was supposed to be Sami Zayn defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on "Monday Night Raw."

But an attack from Gunther to start the show forced Rhodes off the card as he was left bloodied. WWE officials ruled Rhodes out. Zayn thought he was in a clear, but Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made clear to him that he would still be defending the title.

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The fans waited with bated breath to see who would walk to the ring to take on Zayn. The crowd hoping, guessing, it would be CM Punk. Lo and behold, the garage door opened up, and Punk walked through it.

It had been months since the pro wrestling world saw him. He had just lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns, and he reminded Rhodes to "stay ready because you never know when a championship opportunity is just gonna fall out of the sky." The sky must have been falling in Chicago, and Punk walked in as an automatic challenger.

Punk took off his shirt and the match was on. There were questions about how Punk was going to fare against Zayn after having nearly three months off. But he took advantage of the momentum that the crowd gave him.

Zayn, however, was showing why he was a champion. Even though he was tossed out of the ring, he got back the advantage in the match with a series of stomps and a double axe handle from the top rope. Both competitors were giving it their all in the main event of the show. Zayn hit Punk with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Punk wouldn’t stay down.

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Punk came back with a bulldog and an elbow drop from the top rope. He then tried to make Zayn tap out with an Anaconda Vice in the middle of the ring. Zayn showed his ring awareness and slipped out of it. Zayn rolled up Punk and nearly pinned him clean.

Punk had Zayn on his shoulders for the Go to Sleep. However, Zayn reversed it and hit Punk with his own finisher. But Punk just wouldn’t stay down. Punk avoided a Helluva Kick and hit the exploder suplex into the corner, pulling a move out of Zayn’s playbook.

Zayn again hit a Go to Sleep and coupled it with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Still, Punk kicked out of a pin. "CM Punk" chants erupted after the latest kick-out. An exasperated Zayn told Punk he was the champion now as he continued to clobber him.

Punk, with his lip busted open, hit Zayn with the Helluva Kick and then the Go to Sleep. He pinned Zayn to become the undisputed WWE champion. Zayn’s reign lasted all of nine days.

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For now, Punk is set to walk into SummerSlam as the champion. His opponent is still yet to be determined.

WWE's Maxxine Dupri helps Austin Theory and Bron Breakker win World Tag Team Championship, seals win with kiss

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:14:39 -0400

Paul Heyman put The Vision on notice ahead of their World Tag Team Championship match against Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins on "Monday Night Raw."

The Vision, specifically Austin Theory and Bron Breakker, needed a plan to pick up the big win against The Street Profits (Ford and Dawkins). While it may not have been Theory’s plan, Maxxine Dupri saw an opportunity to show him what she had.

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Logan Paul interfered in the match, trying to give Theory and Breakker each an opportunity to use brass knuckles. However, Dawkins got a hold of one set and was staring down Theory as if he was going to use them. Paul tried to get the referee to turn his attention to Dawkins. Instead, the referee was distracted long enough to allow Dupri to get into the ring and give Dawkins a low blow.

Theory rolled up Dawkins and pinned him for the win.

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Theory, Breakker and Paul started to walk up the entrance ramp to celebrate. Dupri came around the ring and looked at Theory. The two stared each other down before Dupri jumped into Theory’s arms and sealed the victory with a kiss.

Heyman called the win a "first step."

Dupri has been hanging around Theory for several weeks, even defending Theory to her former team members Otis and Akira Tozawa. Otis and Tozawa looked on as Dupri drove off with The Vision.

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The Vision are back on top of the tag team division on Raw.

Common gym supplement could help fight depression, new research suggests

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:00:58 -0400

Creatine, the common muscle-building supplement, may help improve depression symptoms, new research suggests.

A systematic review, published in Genomic Press’ Brain Medicine, found that creatine monohydrate may be beneficial as an add-on treatment for major depressive disorder, although the evidence remains preliminary.

The Canada-based researchers analyzed data from five randomized controlled trials, evaluating the impact of creatine monohydrate intake on mental health.

AMERICANS ARE GIVING UP MULTIVITAMINS FOR A DIFFERENT DAILY HEALTH HABIT, STUDY FINDS

Four of the trials studied major depressive disorder, and another looked at bipolar disorder with a current depressive episode.

In one trial of women with depression who took 5 grams of creatine per day, plus the antidepressant escitalopram, there was greater improvement after eight weeks. Another study revealed benefit when creatine was added to cognitive behavioral therapy.

Other studies involving teen girls found no benefit from a variety of creatine dosages after eight weeks. The bipolar depression study also found no significant improvements when 6 grams of creatine was added to medication after six weeks.

COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN'T EXPECT

In a press release, the researchers said previous studies have found that people with mood disorders process creatine differently in the brain. Because creatine helps produce energy, some scientists believe disruptions in this process may contribute to depression.

Although creatine has also been associated with boosting dopamine and serotonin, which most antidepressants target, the authors stressed that the link between brain creatine and mood "remains correlational," as depression has "many moving parts."

FINDING THE SLEEP 'SWEET SPOT' COULD HELP YOU LIVE LONGER, STUDY SUGGESTS

Lead study author Bassam Jeryous Fares, a student in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, commented in a statement that the signal is "interesting, but not a verdict."

"Two trials pointed one way and three pointed another," he said. "That is not the kind of evidence on which you change clinical practice. It is the kind that tells you the question is worth further exploration."

Nicholas Fabiano, corresponding author and a psychiatry resident at the University of Ottawa, added in the same press release that creatine "appears to be a safe intervention," noting that side effects were limited to mild stomach pain.

"We cannot yet reliably say that creatine helps with depressive symptoms or if the findings are generalizable to everyone," he added as a caveat.

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Dr. Thea Gallagher, psychologist and director of wellness programs at NYU Langone, said that although creatine is best known for supporting muscle performance, it also helps the brain produce and use energy.

"Researchers believe that some people with depression may have alterations in brain energy metabolism, and creatine could help support these energy-producing pathways," Gallagher, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "There is also emerging evidence that it may influence neurotransmitters and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, although these mechanisms are still being investigated."

The research suggests that creatine may be most helpful when combined with established depression treatments rather than as a replacement, Gallagher emphasized.

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"This research is encouraging because it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that supporting brain energy metabolism may be another pathway for improving depression symptoms," she said.

"It's exciting whenever we identify another potential tool that could complement existing treatments, particularly one that is relatively inexpensive and widely available."

Limitations and caveats

The new study is a review of prior research rather than a new clinical trial, which can pose a limitation, the researchers acknowledged, adding that "larger, well-controlled trials are still needed."

Gallagher noted that creatine should be considered as a potentially promising addition to treatment, rather than a substitute for psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, regular exercise or healthy sleep habits.

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"While creatine has a strong safety profile for most healthy adults, it's still important to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement — particularly if you have kidney disease, are pregnant or have other medical conditions," she advised.

For those experiencing signs of depression, Gallagher recommends seeking evidence-based mental healthcare.

The doctor noted that depression is a "highly heterogeneous condition, so we still don't know which patients are most likely to benefit or what the optimal treatment approach looks like."

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Gallagher also cautioned that supplements have been known to generate "early enthusiasm" before larger studies have revealed "more modest effects."

"Right now, I'd describe creatine as promising but not definitive," she concluded. "It's an area that deserves continued research, but it's not something people should view as a standalone treatment for depression."

Florida influencer and husband charged after deputies say they left young children alone while drinking

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:00:35 -0400

A Florida real estate investor and influencer and her husband were arrested over the Fourth of July weekend after deputies said they left two young children alone in a Key Largo resort hotel room for up to an hour while they drank alcohol at the pool, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Allison Sirica Cannella, 40, and Brian Nicholas Cannella, 43, both of Delray Beach, were each charged with two felony counts of child neglect, jail records show.

Deputies responded to the Reefhouse Resort & Marina in Key Largo at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday after hotel employees reported entering a guest room because an unattended baby had been crying for an extended period.

TODDLER DECLARED DEAD AFTER NEAR-DROWNING WAS FOUND ALIVE IN HOSPITAL MORGUE HOURS LATER, POLICE SAY

Inside, deputies found two young children alone in nursery beds. Investigators said resort employees eventually located the Cannellas at the property's pool, where they had been drinking alcoholic beverages.

Security camera footage, witness statements and other evidence indicated the children had been left unattended for approximately 40 minutes to one hour, investigators said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified, and the children were released into the custody of a family friend until child welfare officials arrived. Authorities said neither child suffered serious injuries.

INFLUENCER AND HER LAWYER FATHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT INVOLVING HER BABY DADDY

Both Cannellas were arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail. Their first court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 1.

The arrest stands in stark contrast to Allison Cannella's public image, which centers on luxury real estate investing, home renovation and social media.

RALEIGH MAYOR CONSIDERS YOUTH CURFEW FOLLOWING TEEN TAKEOVER, VIOLENT JULY 4TH WEEKEND

Her private Instagram account highlights luxury real estate, renovation projects and Florida lifestyle content while identifying her as a lawyer and real estate investor. The profile also links to Exhale Vacation Rentals and an online storefront featuring products from her renovation and design projects.

Cannella also was featured in "Atlantic Ave Magazine," which highlighted her renovation of luxury Florida vacation rental properties. The publication detailed one waterfront investment project that more than doubled its annual rental revenue after an extensive redesign.

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Her employer's online biography says Cannella has more than 15 years of real estate and legal experience and has worked on more than $25 billion in real estate and corporate transactions. She serves as senior vice president and general counsel and previously practiced commercial real estate law.

Fox News Digital reached out to Allison Cannella, the company where she is employed, Exhale Vacation Rentals and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office for additional comment but did not immediately receive responses.

JOHN YOO: The left's Supreme Court panic collapses under the weight of the facts

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:00:01 -0400

The Supreme Court’s rush of decisions last week belies several myths concocted by its leftist critics. Listen to Democratic politicians or read liberal legal commentators, and you would believe that a conservative Supreme Court is marching in lockstep with Donald Trump to impose an extremist agenda on an unwilling American people.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for example, often criticizes what he dubs "the MAGA Supreme Court" for transforming government agencies into "members-only clubs for his golf buddies and cronies." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries decries "the corrupt conservative majority on the Supreme Court appointed by Donald Trump" for taking "a blowtorch" to civil rights laws. Almost every Democratic leader, especially those jockeying for position in the 2028 presidential race, demands that Congress pack the Court in order to correct this alleged bias of the conservative justices. "We [should] talk about the idea of Supreme Court reform, which includes expanding the Supreme Court," 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris said last week.

The Supreme Court term that just ended, however, proves the exact opposite. It shows a Court that takes its bearings more from the original understanding of the Constitution, and from an interest in maintaining economic and political stability, than from Donald Trump.

GORSUCH SAYS IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDES ON SUPREME COURT COME DOWN TO ‘HOW YOU READ LAW,’ NOT POLITICS

In one of the most significant Supreme Court terms this century, Trump may have gained more than he lost. But he has won only when his constitutional positions coincided with the longer-term agenda of the Roberts Court: restoring the separation of powers and federalism, containing the administrative state, ending the use of race by government and expanding neglected First and Second Amendment rights. But when Trump has sought approval for his more aggressive political policies, he has lost to shifting majorities of conservative and liberal justices.

Three of last week’s biggest conservative wins for the Trump administration came because they sailed along the course already set by the Roberts Court. In Trump v. Slaughter, Chief Justice John Roberts declared for a 6-3 majority that the president had the constitutional right to fire, at will, any officer who executes federal law. Quoting the Federalist Papers, the chief justice wrote that the Framers sought "to establish a hierarchy — a ‘Chief Magistrate’ with whom the buck stops, and below him various ‘assistants or deputies’ who ‘derive their offices from his appointment’ and remain ‘subject to his superintendence.’" The power to fire implies the power to command, because the former allows the president to remove any subordinate who refuses to obey instructions.

Slaughter ended the independence of administrative agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission at issue, that have wielded vast, virtually unchecked powers for a century. But the justices did not end independent agencies and overrule the 90-year-old precedent of Humphrey’s Executor v. United States to help President Trump.

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The Roberts Court had started striking down newer, smaller independent agencies more than 15 years ago. Only in 2026 were the justices finally confident enough to eliminate all of them (except for the Federal Reserve Board — more on that later). President Trump was the immediate beneficiary of Slaughter, but the Roberts Court would have decided the case the same way if Kamala Harris had won in 2024.

The same dynamic explains another major conservative victory, this one on transgender sports. Trump made a campaign issue out of limiting transgender participation and issued an executive order on "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" upon taking office.

In West Virginia v. B.P.J., the Court agreed that transgender athletes did not have a constitutional right to play in sports other than those based on their biological sex at birth.

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Trump may have been on the winning side, but the Court’s attitude toward transgender rights followed its approach to abortion. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022), the Court overruled Roe v. Wade and returned abortion policy to the states. The conservative justices realized that premature entry into the abortion wars had politicized the judiciary and the Constitution. With the new issue of transgender rights, the majority led by Justice Brett Kavanaugh decided to respect the Constitution’s reservation of most domestic policy to the states.

Another issue where Trump benefited from the existing direction of the Roberts Court was race. In Louisiana v. Callais, the Court struck down the use of race in congressional redistricting (except in some very limited circumstances). Even though it was outside the normal decennial redistricting period following the census, President Trump pressured friendly states to redraw congressional maps to maximize the number of Republican seats.

Lifting the states from the obligation to create districts for minority groups would help Republicans meet that goal. But the Court did not decide Callais to help Republicans or Democrats. Instead, it continued to withdraw the judiciary from the redistricting game — it had forbidden the lower courts from reviewing maps for partisan bias in 2019’s Rucho v. Common Cause. And the Court had barred states from considering race in university admissions in 2023’s Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. Ordering the judiciary to allow states to draw districts as they wished, without regard to race, naturally followed these earlier trends in the Roberts Court’s thinking.

This dynamic has repeated itself on other issues as well, ranging from campaign finance to gun rights. But when Trump has advanced weak positions for political advantage, he has lost. In Learning Resources, the Court struck down the administration’s worldwide tariffs because they exceeded the power delegated by Congress during international emergencies.

Trump failed to respect the Roberts Court’s larger campaign to limit the delegated power exercised by the administrative state. In Trump v. Barbara, a majority of the justices reaffirmed the birthright citizenship rule that has governed in the United States from colonial times to the present — marred only by the Supreme Court’s own disastrous decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford, denying citizenship to freed and enslaved African Americans.

Here, Trump’s radical effort ran headfirst into Chief Justice Roberts’ effort to respect two centuries of constitutional practice and understanding. The same can be said about Trump v. Cook, which rejected Trump’s exercise of the removal power over the Federal Reserve Board. While inconsistent with the logic of Slaughter, the Court announced that it would still preserve the independence of the single agency that needed political independence more than any other and that could trace its historical roots back to the first Bank of the United States, established in 1791.

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Trump attacked the Court as harshly as the Democrats did for these decisions. Remarkably, he attacked conservative justices by name after they struck down his worldwide tariffs. Trump called them a "disgrace to our nation" and "disloyal." But the better lesson for Trump is that the Court is neither a partisan ally nor a partisan enemy.

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Rather, it is pursuing its own ideological course to restore the structural guardrails on federal power, end the government’s use of race and expand core political liberties. Instead of expecting more partisanship from the Court, Trump would do better to accept more conservative ideas from the Court.

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Kaillie Humphries: Identity is not the same as biology. The Supreme Court agrees

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:54:03 -0400

As a three-time Olympic gold medalist , five-time world champion and a proud competitor who has dedicated my life to bobsledding, I’ve had the privilege of competing at the highest levels of sport.

Representing both Canada and the United States on the world’s biggest stage, I became the first woman to ever win gold medals for two different countries. Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of women’s sports to create opportunities, build confidence, and change lives.

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As a professional athlete, my path has been, and will be, written for me. I’ve already experienced immense opportunities that few have — all carried to fruition on the backs of women who came long before me.

The Olympics is a world-renowned event. People from all over the world are drawn in to watch the culmination of years—sometimes a lifetime—of work come to life. The world sees the medals around our necks and podium celebrations, but what they don’t see is the moment before the race, knowing that years of preparation will soon come down to a matter of seconds. It’s in those moments I’m reminded how fortunate I am to be there.

I didn’t achieve those milestones alone. Every opportunity I’ve had exists because generations of women fought for the chance to compete in their own category. Last week, the Supreme Court upheld that Title IX means exactly what it says: to uphold an exclusive category meant for biological women.

Women’s sports were established to exclude men. The exclusivity is what allows girls to earn roster spots, chase championships, secure scholarships, attract sponsorships, and pursue the dreams that girls before Title IX didn’t always get.

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Sports aren't only measured by gold medals. Even the 10th place spot can determine someone’s future. Even Justice Kavanaugh acknowledged that sports are a zero sum game.

Every opportunity won by one competitor is an opportunity another loses. For a lot of girls across the country, their spot was bumped because a man came through and took it away from them — and it’s astonishing that this was allowed to happen in the first place.

As athletes, we have a responsibility to protect the legacy of women’s and girls’ sports. Fairness does not mean that there are no boundaries. Fairness means that objectively there is a line that should not be crossed. Equality doesn’t mean that we are all the same in height and speed. It means that women and girls should have equal opportunities within the female category, not a free for all. Sports should never be based on someone's self-proclaimed "gender identity." It should always be based on biology. People have tried to blur the line between the two, but the Supreme Court rightly recognized that they are separate concepts, and that Title IX protects girls because of their biological sex, not because of how someone identifies.

That’s why, when the transgender sports issue began, I didn’t sit on the sidelines—I knew that I had to do something.

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This victory was a race of its own. We gathered, we rallied, and we did not stop in the face of the insults and heinous accusations that came our way. Instead, we fought for our rights, just like women did all those years ago.

Someday, another little girl will stand at the starting line that she has dreamed of her entire life. She won’t be thinking about the Supreme Court or the legal parameters of Title IX. She’ll be thinking about the race ahead of her.

My hope is that that little girl who has a dream to compete—from high school to the Olympic stage—will continue to have the chance to compete in a category created for women—biological females—to test the limits of her own ability, and to discover just how far hard work pays off.

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Last week’s decision preserves the opportunities that came before me, and if my activism had even a small part in moving the needle on this, that’s a legacy worth leaving.

Kaillie Humphries is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and an Independent Women sports ambassador.

Sports cartoons of the day

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

Extremist streamer declares NYC an Islamic republic with popular terror chant: ‘Mamdani’s New York’

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:30:41 -0400

A streamer who broadcasts to more than 1 million followers on a popular online platform set off a viral firestorm after invoking Mayor Zohran Mamdani's name as he declared Islam would take over New York City.

"Allahu Akbar!" the extremist internet personality Sneako yelled amidst a group of Egypt soccer fans while drums were banged and horns were blown. Egyptian flags waved among the crowd as they chanted along.

Sneako, whose real name is Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy, has been described as a provocateur and palled around with the online antisemitic far-right during his rise to social media stardom. Before that, he was all-in on his support for the political far-left and supported the presidential campaign of socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in 2016. He reportedly converted to Islam in 2023.

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But Friday night, after Egypt dethroned Australia in the World Cup, he may have made his most controversial splash yet while live broadcasting on the streets of New York City on the video streaming platform Kick.

Mockingly wiping tears from his eyes, Sneako said, "Oh no, oh no. F--- you!"

"This is the Islamic Republic of New York-istan," he continued. "Islam will be in every household. Inshallah the whole world will be Muslim."

"Welcome to Mamdani's New York. You see this city? You see how it looks? Inshallah, your city looks just like this too," he shouted among the crowd.

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"Inshallah" is Arabic for "God willing," and "Allahu Akbar" is Arabic for "God is great."

Mamdani is the first Muslim mayor of New York.

The clip of Sneako quickly circulated on the web, garnering tens of millions of views across platforms including Instagram and X, while thousands of people slammed him for the pronouncement.

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One of the sharpest replies came from Rob O'Neill, the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden in an early morning raid on the terrorist's compound in 2011.

"These guys sound WAY different when you wake them up at 2am," he said.

A pair of massive personalities on X, who have a history of bad blood, even teamed up to demand a harsh punishment for the streamer.

"Deport him NOW!!!" conspiracy theorist Alex Jones said in reply to the clip, which elicited a response from X owner and former Jones opponent Elon Musk.

"Yes," Musk simply replied.

When Musk purchased X — then Twitter — and vowed the return of free speech to the platform, Jones had been permanently suspended. At first, Musk was hesitant to reinstate Jones given the Sandy Hook controversy that surrounded the radio show host. Eventually, however, Musk relented.

One X user labeled the streamer as a "Disgusting creature."

"Send this dude to Iran if he hates America so much," said another.

Sneako appeared to cryptically address the controversy in a post of his own on X Sunday night.

"Every knee will bow," he posted. "Every tongue confess."

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On Monday, he took a shot at Musk for echoing Jones' deportation post.

"Go back to Africa," he told Musk, who is native to South Africa. "This is my country."

Mamdani's office did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment on Sneako's comments.

Dem senator accused of being 'nowhere to be found' on crucial issue impacting kids in swing state

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:48 -0400

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is being accused by Georgia’s top child welfare official of using vulnerable children and the state's embattled foster care system for campaign credit after releasing a new ad touting his work on the state’s troubled system.

Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) Director Candice Broce criticized the new foster care-focused ad released last week as the Georgia Democrat seeks re-election in one of the nation’s most closely watched races. In the ad, titled "Our Kids," Ossoff highlights "a scathing report" and "yearlong bipartisan investigation" alongside Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., into the Georgia foster care system.

Ossoff presents his probe and new legislation as part of his record protecting children and holding the system accountable. However, Broce says the Democrat is overstating his role and turning a serious child welfare issue into a political victory lap.

"For five years, I’ve been in the trenches fighting for vulnerable children and foster care reform alongside thousands of DFCS workers. Trust us when we say Jon Ossoff is nowhere to be found," Broce said in a post on X. "Ossoff didn’t get more funding for DFCS after calling us incompetent and resource-strapped. He didn’t secure more federal support for child advocacy centers despite the State’s requests."

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"He didn’t fix federal law putting group homes out of business," she continued. "He hasn’t streamlined adoptions for kids placed with loving families. Jon’s ad sounds great, but his words are meaningless to the men and women in the arena."

Ossoff's team fired back, however, calling Broce an "unqualified partisan political hack" and accusing her of "dangerous incompetence." They pointed to Ossoff's oversight work highlighted in the advertisement that Broce criticizes, which the spokesperson said found children in Georgia’s foster care system were likely sex trafficked while in state care, among other issues.

"The Office of the Child Advocate, juvenile court judges, former foster children, nonpartisan advocates, investigative reporting, and Senator Ossoff’s yearlong investigation have laid bare the deep and dangerous dysfunction at DFCS," an Ossoff campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The campaign also cited testimony from juvenile court judges who accused Broce of suggesting that children with special needs be held in juvenile detention while DFCS searched for placements. Broce has denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and arguing they distort a broader discussion about how to keep foster youth with complex behavioral issues, runaway histories and trafficking risks safe amid placement shortages.

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"Candice Broce is a partisan political hack irresponsibly placed in charge of care for the state’s most vulnerable kids," the Ossoff spokesperson said. "Instead of whining that her dangerous incompetence was made public, she should fix her broken agency."

Broce rejected the attacks on her qualifications, pointing to her background as a health care attorney, former chief deputy executive counsel and chief operating officer to Gov. Brian Kemp and saying roughly 40 state agencies, including DFCS, reported to her in that role.

At the same time, she did not dispute that Georgia’s foster care system has faced serious challenges, but argued Ossoff used those problems for hearings, reports and campaign messaging without delivering meaningful help to fix them.

"If you’re going to beat us down, show up with something to make it better," Broce said. "He didn’t do that."

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Broce said Ossoff could have used his federal role to pursue resources on Medicaid, behavioral health access and placement capacity, rather than simply spotlighting DFCS failures.

"What’s actually bipartisan is the over $100 million in state funds we’ve gotten from Republican and Democrat legislators who support the issues we’re tackling and believe we deserve more resources," Broce said. "If he decides today that he actually wants to help us and vulnerable Georgia kids, we’d welcome him with open arms."

However, Ossoff's team contests it is not even "Senator Ossoff's job to fix the state agency [Broce] leads" in the first place, and said Broce was whining that "it’s Senator Ossoff’s job to fix the state agency she leads."

"While Sen. Ossoff led oversight, passed an anti-trafficking law, and helped save foster care funding President Trump cut, unqualified partisan hack Broce whines it’s Senator Ossoff’s job to fix the state agency she leads," Ossoff's representatives told Fox News Digital.

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Broce's criticism of Ossoff included a contrast between his record and that of Georgia’s other U.S. Senator, Democrat Raphael Warnock. Broce called the difference "stark," pointing to Warnock’s community events for vulnerable mothers and children and adoption-related measures as examples of practical support she says Ossoff has not delivered.

"Compare his child welfare record to Warnock’s. It’s crystal clear which U.S. Senator from Georgia cares about vulnerable families and kids, and it’s not Jon," Broce said in her X post.

Ossoff, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination, is seeking a second term in November against Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who won the Republican nomination after defeating former football coach Derek Dooley in a mid-June GOP runoff election. Warnock will not face reelection again until 2028.

Legal war on Trump’s agenda gains firepower as federal lawyers defect to Democrats

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:41 -0400

Federal lawyers are leaving the Trump administration and landing in Democratic state attorneys general’s offices in large numbers as blue states ramp up their legal fight against the president's second-term agenda, a Fox News Digital review found.

Employment data analyzed by the New York Times indicates that more than 10,000 federal attorneys — approximately one-fifth of all lawyers employed by the federal government — have left their posts since 2025 began. Of these, a Fox News Digital review identified well over 100 who have since begun working for Democratic attorneys general’s offices, with legal filings showing that some of those lawyers are now involved in cases challenging the Trump administration.

Fox News Digital reviewed public LinkedIn profiles, state staff directories, statements from public officials and court filings to identify attorneys who left federal service after January 2025 and later appeared in Democratic attorneys general's offices or relevant litigation records. The review does not establish why any individual attorney left federal service or joined a state office.

The true number of federal attorneys who have moved to Democratic attorneys general offices under the second Trump administration is likely higher, given that public LinkedIn accounts are not ubiquitous among federal workers.

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"Oregon DOJ is a destination for some of the most talented public servants in the country, including experienced lawyers from the U.S. Department of Justice who are choosing to bring their skills to serve Oregonians at the state level," Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, told Fox News Digital. "They’re already making a difference — on consumer protection, federal overreach cases, criminal justice, environmental protection and on litigation like our National Guard case."

As Rayfield alluded to, many of the attorneys who left federal service after January 2025 have since worked directly on cases aimed at combating the Trump administration. Court filings reviewed by Fox News Digital uncovered scores of individuals who previously worked as lawyers under the Trump administration whose names now appear on legal actions taken against it.

These include a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict transgender healthcare for minors, a suit filed by California challenging its termination of research grants, an amicus brief filed by Democratic attorneys general in a case seeking to stop Trump from firing FTC commissioners, and multiple cases seeking to rein in the president’s National Guard deployments, among others.

Even those whose names don't directly appear on filings can help Democratic attorneys general challenge major pieces of Trump’s agenda and defend state-level policies contrary to the president's interests.

Many of these lawsuits featured multiple teams of lawyers representing a host of different Democratic states. Democratic attorneys general have publicly disclosed that close cooperation between fellow blue states is a key part of their strategy to resist the Trump administration.

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Speaking to The Guardian in March, Democratic attorneys general disclosed that they have been meeting regularly since 2024 to discuss how they can best resist the Trump administration through joint lawsuits and public engagement. Staff from Democratic attorneys general's offices reportedly communicate daily regarding how they can hold the federal government to account, discussing items such as which state should lead a given case.

"I’m really proud to be part of this [attorney general] — and, of course, Democratic [attorney general] — coalition that is doing the work every single day to protect our rights, and most importantly, the rule of law," Massachusetts state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said at a press conference in June 2025. "We can’t take our sight off of that."

California’s attorney general, meanwhile, called the cross-state collaboration "critical."

Federal lawyers working in the areas of civil rights, immigration, environmental law, public corruption and antitrust were overrepresented among those who left to work for Democratic attorneys general.

Government employees generally fall into two camps: career civil servants who are intended to carry out nonpartisan work on behalf of the government and political appointees who are granted greater leeway to work on explicitly political projects. The attorneys identified in Fox News Digital’s review overwhelmingly appear to have held career, rather than political, federal roles before joining Democratic-led state offices.

Many of the lawyers leaving federal service are taking one, or even two, decades of service with them, constituting a significant transfer of legal talent from the national government to Democratic states.

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One such lawyer worked in the Justice Department for roughly 20 years, beginning as a legal intern and ultimately rising to the position of assistant general counsel, leading multiple teams of attorneys. Now, after leaving the DOJ in August 2025, the lawyer works as a senior assistant attorney general in Colorado, helping the state fight the Trump administration in disputes over federal grants.

They were far from the only high-profile departure under the second Trump administration.

Others who jumped ship included, but were not limited to, the assistant chief counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services, the director of transparency at the Department of Homeland Security, multiple U.S. attorneys’ office division chiefs and another near-20-year veteran of the DOJ who now leads the Maryland attorney general’s efforts to hold the Trump administration accountable.

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"Experienced federal prosecutors and lawyers from the U.S. Department of Justice are choosing state service, choosing Oregon, and choosing to fight for the people here," Rayfield added. "We’re fortunate to have them joining the already incredibly talented, proven team here at the Oregon Department of Justice."

A spokeswoman for New Jersey’s attorney general, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital that it recently added multiple members to its leadership team, including its new insurance fraud head, by recruiting federal lawyers.

The timing marks a notable change from the first Trump administration, when some of the same attorneys who have since left then remained in federal service, though the reasons for individual departures vary and are not always publicly known.

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"In the Trump era, the conservative movement has become much less able to attract competent elites. Education polarization is a long-term phenomenon, but Trump's populist style and policy platform has supercharged it, given his disproportionate appeal to the less educated," political commentator Richard Hanania told Fox News Digital. "This matters, because intelligence and experience are important for any administration trying to achieve its goals."

"Simply having people who agree with you isn't enough," he added.

Bloomberg Law reported in May that the exodus of federal attorneys was seriously harming the Trump administration’s ability to defend its immigration policies, with roughly a third of those in the Office of Immigration Litigation — including many in senior roles with critical expertise — having left since January 2025.

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The Trump administration, however, denies that its efficiency has been rocked by the mass exit of lawyers.

"Even with a thousand fewer prosecutors than the previous administration, this Department has indicted nearly 50,000 more criminals than the previous administration had in the same timeframe," a DOJ spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. "Our country has the lowest murder rate in 125 years, we’ve arrested more than 90 key cartel leaders, captured eight on the FBI’s Top 10 most wanted list, and removed millions of deadly doses of fentanyl from our streets — all on top of achieving a record 24 victories on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket."

"These achievements are nothing short of astonishing, and they have all been accomplished even with the supposed ‘exodus’ of anti-Trump prosecutors the media idolize," she added.

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While more than 10,000 federal attorneys have left government since January 2025, agencies have also hired roughly 3,200 attorneys during that period and the Trump administration has made multiple public pushes to encourage or recruit ideologically aligned lawyers to apply for roles.

The bulk of the lawyers who have left federal service since Trump took office for a second time were at agencies such as the DOJ, the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. California, Maryland, New York and Colorado were some of their most common destinations after leaving the Trump administration.

"Those who were fired from the Department were fired for a reason. Those who resigned or took the fork in the road option likely aligned more with the priorities of President Biden and would naturally leave, which is common during transitions," the DOJ spokeswoman continued. "The Administration gave career employees the fork in the road option to intentionally reduce the size of the government and eliminate unnecessary layers of staff who don’t effectively contribute to the mission of aggressively tackling crime."

The White House referred Fox News Digital to a Truth Social post written by President Donald Trump where he claims that many of the lawyers who have departed from his administration were "Radical Left Deep State Lunatics, who are destroying our Country, and Weaponizing Government."

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"This has allowed DOJ to run more efficiently and hire talented attorneys who wholeheartedly believe in our mission to keep the American people safe," the spokeswoman said.

Fox News Digital reached out to every Democratic state attorney general's office for comment.

Palace aides 'don't trust' Prince Harry alone with King Charles, experts say

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:39 -0400

If Prince Harry gets face time with King Charles during his latest drama-filled U.K. trip, don't expect a warm family reunion — palace aides are reportedly expected to tightly script every second to shield the monarch and the crown.

"Every interaction will need to be managed, even to the minute, by courtiers and those whose job it is to protect the monarchy," British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "Merely polite meetings are more plausible."

"They are far more concerned with the overall institution and continuity than the feelings of any one family member," Fordwich said. "This has been the case for generations. Harry should know better."

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Fordwich's comments came after Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Page Six that palace aides must follow a strict protocol if Harry visits his father.

"The king's private secretaries are also known to remain on standby, ready to step in if a conversation becomes uncomfortable or a difficult request is made, ending the meeting by reminding the king that his next engagement requires additional travel time and that he needs to leave," Schofield told the outlet.

"During meetings, a housemaid or butler serving tea may intentionally linger rather than immediately leave the room," she explained. "It is the king and his courtiers who have carefully strategized how to engage with Prince Harry, often ensuring there are subtle witnesses in the room."

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Harry's trip to his home country sparked controversy before it even began.

On July 6, Harry's spokesperson told People magazine that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it.

However, palace sources disputed that account, saying Harry failed to respond by the deadline and that his later acceptance came only after arrangements could no longer be made.

Harry had also hoped to bring his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two young children to Britain for the first time since 2022. But after learning the family would receive police protection only while on royal property — and not throughout the visit — it was reported on July 4 that Harry decided they would not accompany him.

For more than a week, there were questions about whether Harry would accept his father's invitation to stay at a royal residence during his visit to London.

Harry arrived back in his home country on July 6, People reported. He is expected to be there through July 11. It's unclear whether he will meet with his father or whether his family will join him later in the week.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which oversees the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Buckingham Palace for comment.

Schofield told Fox News Digital that palace aides would be on site if the king chooses to meet with his estranged son.

"At this point, every meeting between King Charles and Prince Harry carries constitutional implications, not just emotional ones," Schofield told Fox News Digital.

"The palace isn't treating these meetings like ordinary family reunions because experience has taught officials that private conversations can quickly become headlines or public relations spin. Ultimately, I believe this is about protecting the institution."

"Six years ago, this was a family dispute — today it's an institutional risk assessment," Schofield said. "Once trust is lost, every interaction becomes carefully choreographed because the stakes extend far beyond a father and son. I think Prince Harry has totally blown it this trip, and I'm hearing that the king will not make time for him if he does not bring the children."

"The back-and-forth. It tells the royal family that Harry has learned nothing over the last several years," Schofield added.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing what they described as unbearable intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace.

Harry has also been denied restoration of taxpayer-funded security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC).

People magazine reported that Harry's team spent several days exploring ways to make the visit safe through enhanced private security arrangements. Palace sources claimed Harry initially declined the invitation to stay at a royal residence before accepting it on Saturday.

"Following RAVEC's decision not to provide security for his family, the duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements," Harry's spokesperson told the outlet. "Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend."

"It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday's judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason. Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment."

Fordwich told Fox News Digital that reconciliation between father and son has become difficult because palace aides and other senior royals "don't trust Harry."

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Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams agreed.

"The king would like to see his grandchildren and have a relationship with his son," he told Fox News Digital. "However, the contradictory public briefings between the palace and the Sussexes, which are currently making headlines, underline the deep mistrust."

Schofield said lingering trust concerns continue to shape how the palace handles any potential meeting between Charles and Harry, with aides concerned that private conversations could become public.

"This didn't happen overnight," she said. "The late queen gradually introduced safeguards after concerns that private conversations were finding their way into the public domain. King Charles inherited those protocols because the underlying trust issues never disappeared."

"The monarchy operates on discretion," she said. "When that discretion is questioned, the palace responds by creating structure. I'd argue that what we're seeing is not a punishment but the consequence of a relationship in which confidence has been repeatedly tested, especially with the Buckingham Palace back-and-forth."

"The presence of aides shouldn't be viewed as palace paranoia," Schofield continued. "When the head of state is meeting with someone whose private conversations have repeatedly become public, witnesses become a sensible precaution."

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People magazine reported that the situation has become more complicated because a judgment in Harry's case against the publishers of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday was expected July 7. Palace sources told the outlet the king can't "appear to be compromised" while the legal case is ongoing.

"The fear is that the Sussexes want media coverage," Fitzwilliams claimed. "No one has forgotten the Oprah interview, the Netflix series and Harry’s memoir ‘Spare.’"

"I also wouldn't underestimate the influence of experienced palace advisors," Schofield said. "Many of them have served through multiple reigns. They aren't making emotional decisions. They're applying lessons learned from decades of constitutional crises."

Schofield said that even with palace aides present, she wouldn't rule out Charles and Harry meeting during his visit. She said it will take much more to restore trust on all sides.

"The relationship may improve personally over time, but institutionally, I think the safeguards are here to stay," she said. "Trust can be rebuilt, but the palace rarely forgets the lessons that forced it to develop those protocols in the first place."

"The saddest reality is that father and son may eventually find peace, but the monarchy is unlikely to return to the level of openness that existed before the breakdown. Some doors reopen. Others simply never swing quite as wide again. And the palace is safer that way."

Why homemade prime rib can be 'even better' than at a steakhouse, experts say

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:25 -0400

As more Americans look to increase their protein intake, picking up a prime rib roast at the grocery store may seem like an appealing option.

The varying sizes of this cut of meat make it notoriously tricky to cook, however. Some experts, though, say home chefs can master the process and produce great prime rib.

"There is absolutely no reason prime rib cooked at home can't be as good, even better, than anything you can get at a restaurant," Chicago-based chef "Meathead" Goldwyn, author of "Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling" and a member of the Barbecue Hall of Fame, told Fox News Digital.

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Professionally prepared prime rib tastes better than homemade for many reasons, according to Tasting Table.

Restaurants typically have more access to higher-end equipment and higher-quality meat, Tasting Table reported.

But Jess Pryles, the Texas-based creator of the Hardcore Carnivore line of meat seasonings and tools and a judge on Food Network's forthcoming series, "Pitmasters," told Fox News Digital that USDA Prime cuts are "readily accessible to the public."

A 2025 Beef Magazine article reported that the availability of higher-grade meats has increased. USDA Prime, the top grade of beef, which shows "an abundance of marbling — the amount of fat interspersed in the lean meat," is up from 3 to 4% in the early 2000s to 10 to 12% in recent years.

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"It all starts with the quality of the meat," Goldwyn said, adding that top-quality beef can be found at the grocery store.

"Most [grocers] don't stock top-quality prime rib because it is expensive, and it doesn't sell rapidly," he added. "But most [grocery stores] can special order anything you want and have it in for you in a few days. You can also order top-quality [beef] online from many suppliers."

Restaurants also often cook a whole roast and serve it in slices, whereas a home cook is more likely to opt for buying less-expensive individual steaks, which are technically rib-eyes, not prime rib, Tasting Table reported.

Restaurants also usually use more seasonings, dry-aging and prep time than the average home cook, Tasting Table reported.

"If you submerge your beef in a wet brine, you're making corned beef," Pryles countered. "And your meat is going to turn pale and unappealing in shade."

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Once someone chooses a superior cut of meat, everything that comes after is "a matter of technique," Goldwyn said.

"We are specialists in barbecue and grilling, but the methods we recommend work perfectly in indoor ovens," Goldwyn said. "Grills are just outdoor ovens with lousy thermostats."

Pryles' advice for nailing prime rib at home includes buying the best quality meat you can afford and seasoning it well in advance.

"Season it well in advance, ideally the day before, and let it sit uncovered in the fridge so the surface dries out," she said. "That helps you get better browning."

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She also recommends cooking the roast on a rack, "so the airflow can surround the entire piece."

"Start things at a lower temp for more even doneness edge to edge, then [finish with] a hot blast at the end if you want to build a crust," she said.

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"And, most importantly, pull it before it hits your final temperature, because carryover cooking is real, especially on a large roast. A thermometer is your best friend."

Four months to midterms: 12 races that will determine the Senate majority

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:04 -0400

With just under four months to go until this year's midterm elections, a top Senate Republican remains confident of the GOP's chances.

Sen. Tim Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, recently told Fox News Digital this spring that he's "incredibly optimistic" the GOP can not only hold but expand its current 53–47 majority in the upper chamber.

But his counterpart at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, is equally confident her party can flip control of the Senate, telling Fox News Digital earlier this year she sees "all the makings of a blue wave" heading into November.

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Republicans — as the party currently in power — were already up against traditional political headwinds that led to a loss of congressional seats during midterm election years. Add to that the challenging climate fueled by persistent inflation, high gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump's underwater approval ratings. It's all a perfect storm that spells unfavorable outcomes for the GOP.

But Democrats have problems of their own as they try to win back control of the Senate, including a party brand that public opinion polling indicates is extremely unpopular.

Add to that high-profile victories this spring and summer by left-wing and socialist candidates over establishment rivals in Democratic primaries that are giving Republicans extra ammunition to portray all Democrats as extremists, or as Trump calls them, "communists."

Here's a look at a dozen competitive Senate seats in play that could potentially flip the balance of power in the chamber.

North Carolina

Republicans are defending an open seat in the southeast battleground state, with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis retiring at the end of this year.

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The GOP is rallying around former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley, who has Trump's backing after serving alongside the president's daughter-in-law and Fox News host Lara Trump in the lead up to the 2024 election.

Democrats, meanwhile, landed their top recruit when former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper launched a Senate campaign last summer. Cooper enjoys tons of name recognition in North Carolina and is 6-0 when it comes to running statewide races.

North Carolina voted for Trump for his second term, but the top nonpartisan political handicapper, Cook Political Report, rates the race Lean Democrat, with Inside Elections ranking it as a toss up.

Maine

Moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins is running for re-election for a sixth six-year term in blue-leaning Maine.

Collins is the only Republican senator running for re-election this year in a state that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in her 2024 presidential election bid against Trump. And Collins has seen a deterioration of her poll numbers among Mainers from her last re-election six years ago.

But the longtime senator, who has been a top DSCC target for multiple election cycles, has proven tough to beat.

And she could prevail again as her Democratic challenger, nominee Graham Platner, is facing calls from top Democrats in his home state and in Washington to immediately end his campaign, in the wake of an explosive report on Monday afternoon that contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated.

The Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer who had been backed by top progressive champions, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, had already been facing for weeks GOP attacks over controversial comments he made over a decade ago on a now-deleted Reddit account, a well-publicized Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest, infidelity and allegations of sexual misconduct.

But hours after a report from Politico on the latest allegations went viral, longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer called them "incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable."

In a statement with Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Schumer emphasized, "Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins. The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot."

If Platner quits the race by next Monday, July 13 at 5pm local time, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.

Michigan

The GOP is also aiming to flip an open seat in the battleground state of Michigan, where Democrat Sen. Gary Peters is retiring.

Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who won the 2024 GOP Senate nomination in Michigan but narrowly lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin, is making a second straight bid and is the all-but-certain Republican nominee.

Democrats are dealing with a titanic two-way fight between center-left Rep. Haley Stevens, who is backed by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed, a left-wing candidate endorsed by Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

The primary battle, which until Sunday also included progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, has already exposed numerous Democratic Party divisions and provided Rogers, who is backed by Trump, with plenty of ammunition.

Michigan's primary will be held on August 4.

Ohio

Democrats scored a major recruiting victory last year when former Sen. Sherrod Brown announced he would challenge Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

A former lieutenant governor, Husted was appointed to the Senate a year ago after then-Sen. JD Vance stepped down to serve as vice president to Trump.

Ohio, once a premier general election battleground, has turned solidly red over the past decade, and Democrats view Brown as their only competitive candidate in the race to serve the remaining two years of Vance's term.

Brown lost re-election in 2024 by roughly four points while Trump carried Ohio by 11 points.

The Cook Report and fellow nonpartisan ranker Sabato's Crystal Ball rate the race as a toss-up, with Inside Elections ranking it as tilt Republican.

New Hampshire

Republicans see another flip opportunity in New Hampshire, where a long-held Democratic Senate seat in New England's only swing state is opening thanks to the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is the first woman in U.S. history to be elected governor and senator.

Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is expected to capture the Democratic Senate nomination in the state's early September primary.

There's a primary race on the Republican side between two former senators seeking a return to Capitol Hill.

Former Sen. John E. Sununu, an older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, has the backing of the president and has a double-digit lead in public polling. But Trump's first-term ambassador to New Zealand, former Sen. Scott Brown, remains in the race.

Alaska

Democrats were given a big boost in the red-leaning state when former Rep. Mary Peltola announced in February that she would challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Peltola lost re-election in 2024 in the at-large district that covers the entire state by three points, while Trump carried Alaska by 11 points.

Meanwhile, there's a court battle ongoing over the Senate bid by another Dan Sullivan, a former teacher who announced his campaign in May and recently registered as a Republican.

Georgia

Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in 2026.

The Peach State is a true battleground swing state.

Georgians voted for Joe Biden to be president in the 2020 elections, but then swung red to vote for Trump for a second term in 2024. From 2005 until 2020, the state had two Republicans representing them in the U.S. Senate before electing two Democrats to go to Washington, D.C. when Trump's first term ended.

Ossoff, first elected in that 2020 race, built a massive war chest while the GOP faced a nasty three-way primary battle for its nomination in the crucial sunbelt battleground state.

In November's midterms, Ossoff will face Republican Rep. Mike Collins, who was backed by Trump days ahead of last month's GOP primary runoff election.

While a recent Fox News poll indicated Ossoff holding a double-digit lead, Republicans plan to run an aggressive campaign against the senator.

Iowa

Republicans are defending an open seat in Iowa, a onetime swing state that's shifted to the right over the past decade.

But the GOP rallied around Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is backed by Trump, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

Hinson, a former local TV news anchor who flipped a Democratic-held seat in 2020, is seen as a rising star in the party.

State Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian, won a contested and expensive Democratic primary over more progressive state Sen. Zach Wahls.

Texas

State Rep. James Talarico is hoping to become the first Democrat since 1988 to win a U.S. Senate election in right-leaning Texas.

Talarico, who hauled in an eye-popping $27 million in fundraising the first three months of this year, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March primary to secure the Democratic nomination.

The Democrat will face off in November against Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The MAGA firebrand, carrying plenty of political baggage, ousted longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas in an expensive and combustible GOP nomination battle that went into overtime.

Minnesota

The retirement of Democratic Sen. Tina Smith is giving the GOP hopes they can flip the seat in the blue-leaning state.

And Republicans landed what they say is a top-tier recruit in former NBC sports reporter turned conservative pundit and activist Michele Tafoya, who is part of a crowded GOP field in next month's primary.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a progressive, is facing off against more moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig in the race for their party’s nomination.

Florida

Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who as Florida's attorney general was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year to fill the seat once held by now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is on a glide path to the GOP nomination in next month's primary.

Moody will likely face off in November against Democratic challenger Alex Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, whistleblower in the 2019 Trump-Ukraine controversy and brother of Rep. Eugene Vindman.

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Polling in recent months suggests a competitive race between Moody and Vindman in right-leaning Florida.

Nebraska

Republican incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former governor, is seeking a full six-year term in the Senate representing red-leaning Nebraska.

He'll face off in the midterms with former union leader Dan Osborn, an independent candidate who is making his second straight run for the Senate.

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Democratic nominee and former pharmacy technician Cindy Burbank is likely to drop out of the race and support Osborn in the general election.

Democrats abandon embattled candidate Graham Platner after rape allegation implodes Senate bid

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:47 -0400

Democrats swiftly turned on Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday after a rape allegation triggered a full-on revolt among his most prominent supporters, with calls pouring in from across the party for him to suspend his campaign.

The mounting defections came after Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, accused Platner of rape in interviews with Politico and CNN, alleging the Senate hopeful entered her home uninvited while intoxicated nearly five years ago and forced himself on her despite repeated attempts to get him to stop.

Racicot, who was seeing Platner on and off at the time, told Politico she immediately cut ties with him after he forced her to engage in unprotected sex, saying, "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’"

She also told CNN that the alleged encounter was the "dictionary definition" of rape.

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Platner immediately issued a statement denying Racicot’s account and said he was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" for his imploding campaign.

The vast majority of Democrats signaled Monday they were unwilling to give Platner that opportunity, with many lawmakers racing to issue statements calling on the Senate hopeful to immediately end his campaign.

The pleas stretched from Platner's most fervent progressive champions to the party’s establishment wing, most of whom had only recently rallied behind Platner after he won the Democratic primary nomination in June.

"There can be no tolerance for sexual assault," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of Platner’s most prominent supporters, said in a statement rescinding her endorsement. "With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race."

Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who had closely aligned himself with Platner, also withdrew his endorsement and called on him to exit the race after news of the rape allegation circulated.

Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., also pulled their support Monday, with Gallego stopping short of calling on Platner to suspend his campaign.

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The progressive lawmakers continued to support Platner after Lyndsey Fifield, a former Platner girlfriend, accused the Maine Democrat of abuse in June — an allegation Platner has repeatedly denied as false and politically motivated.

Khanna notably traveled to Maine to campaign with Platner the following day after The New York Times first reported Fifield’s accusation.

Khanna previously said in multiple interviews that he would disavow Platner if a sexual assault allegation emerged, but told Fox News Digital that the Senate hopeful was "taking accountability" for his past and argued Platner was deserving of redemption.

The reaction among establishment Democrats was equally swift, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., publicly demanding that Platner "immediately" suspend his campaign to give the party time to put forward a new nominee.

The senior Democrats had only recently endorsed Platner following his June primary win after their preferred pick, Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, ended her campaign amid fundraising struggles.

"The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot," the pair wrote in a joint statement Monday.

The Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC, a top outside spending group focused on electing Democrats to the Senate, also said Monday that it would redirect resources away from Maine as long as Platner remained in the race.

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The warning comes as Democrats are up against a fast-approaching deadline to replace Platner as the party's nominee. Under Maine law, Platner can be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by 5 p.m. on July 13, with the state party allowed to put forward a replacement by July 27.

Democrats view Maine as a top flip opportunity to retake Senate control during November's midterm elections, but Platner's rapidly unraveling campaign could derail those plans.

His plethora of scandals — from a former Nazi-linked tattoo to infidelity during his marriage — has sharply divided Democrats as the party seeks to unseat longtime Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Collins on Monday issued a statement calling the rape accusation "appalling" but declined to weigh in on whether Platner should continue in the race.

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Other lawmakers hailing from the party’s centrist flank, including Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., also publicly urged Platner to end his campaign. Neither had formally endorsed Platner before Monday’s rape allegation broke.

Many prominent Maine Democrats also called on Platner to drop his Senate bid on Monday, including Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and her daughter, former State House Speaker Hannah Pingree, D-Maine, who is the Democratic gubernatorial nominee to succeed Mills.

Former Maine public health official Nirav Shah and State Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Maine, who both ran for the open gubernatorial seat and have been floated as potential Platner replacements, also said Monday that he should withdraw his candidacy. Jackson, who campaigned with Platner, was among the candidates that the Senate hopeful endorsed to succeed Mills.

A vast swath of left-wing organizations also pulled their support of Platner on Monday.

"The allegations reported today are profoundly disturbing and disqualifying," Tiffany Muller, president of the Democratic-affiliated group End Citizen United, said in a statement. "The conduct described is fundamentally inconsistent with the standards we expect from the candidates we support."

VoteVets, an organization that works to elect Democratic veterans, also withdrew its endorsement of Platner, who served in multiple overseas deployments. Meanwhile, Our Revolution, a leftist organization founded by former Sanders campaign staffers, called on Platner to leave the race while demanding that his successor share his far-left policy views.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., one of Platner’s few remaining progressive supporters, had not weighed in on the sexual assault allegation as of late Monday evening.

A spokesperson for Sanders did not respond to a request for comment.

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Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker also broke with Platner on Monday, saying "the accusations — they are as credible as it is going to get."

"This is beyond red flags. This is irredeemable," Piker added during his livestream.

Fox News' Jessica Sonkin contributed to this report.

MORNING GLORY: The Supreme Court officially closes the books on another term

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:31 -0400

Teaching Constitutional Law is a joy, not a job — except for the 11th Amendment and the "Dormant Commerce Clause" cases and materials. The law school classroom is also a great vantage point from which to recognize that American constitutional law moves at a very gradual pace — and that this pace is a very good thing for the enduring "rule of law" that Americans enjoy.

Every semester since 1996, my students hear that Con Law ought to be their most interesting class of their three years of law school. Every law student is different, of course, and the "Uniform Commercial Code might float some boats and ‘Trusts and Estates’ can be pretty shocking — people do in fact "throw grandma from the train" — but Con Law impacts every citizen’s life and thus law students ought to care about it as citizens if not as lawyers. In fact, only a relatively small percentage of lawyers will run into issues that relate to the Constitution in the course of their careers. Fewer still will "practice" in the field and only a handful will argue a case involving the country’s highest law before even its lowest courts, much less before the United States Supreme Court.

Still, there are many reasons why, come every June or at latest early July, most of the nation’s news media focuses on the decisions flowing out of One First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. As a republic of laws, the nation’s highest court makes decisions impacting every American as we are equal before the law. The most difficult cases it accepts and decides matter to our 330 million. The news media — legacy and "new" alike — love the storylines.

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"SCOTUSblog" has thus become an extremely useful gathering place for Court watchers of all sorts, but especially for non-lawyers trying to make sense of the end-of-term rush of decisions. That goes double for laymen trying to figure out if the Court is shifting hard-right or hard-left on many issues or even some.

"By several measures, this term was more ideologically divided than the last one," Jake Truscott and Adam Feldman wrote for the SCOTUSblog platform on the first day of this month. "Last term, 15.2% of the court’s decisions were decided by a 6-3 vote, and 9% of all decisions were 6-3 ideological splits. This term, those figures rose significantly, to 28.8% and 22.7%, respectively."

So the Court has shifted "rightward" a bit, but of all of its cases resulting in opinions, only a little more than a fifth are decided along the divide of "originalists" v. "living Constitutionalists." (The "originalists" are Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Of those six, Roberts, Barrett and Kavanaugh are often grouped together as "moderates." The "liberal" justices are Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.)

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The Court issued 67 majority opinions this term, though it actually makes hundreds of smaller decisions throughout the Court year that begins in October and ends (usually) as June closes.

"The justice-level data reinforces this picture of a court still organized around a conservative center, but not operating in a purely ideological pattern in every major case," Truscott and Feldman wrote. "Roberts and Kavanaugh were in the majority most often this term, each at 95%. Barrett followed at 92%."

"[Justice] Jackson remained the justice least often in the majority," they continued. "She was in the majority 67% of the time overall this term and 41% of the time in non-unanimous cases."

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So the justice widely regarded as the most ideological and the most left-wing was still in the majority in two out of three major cases. That should reassure the non-lawyer that there is no revolution by the robes underway. Because quite a few district court judges issue bolts-from-out-of-the-blue on a regular basis, there is a growing perception of a judiciary that is politicized and highly ideological. That is true of some lower courts. Our highest court, however, is an enormous force for stability in the country that just turned 250 years old.

Con Law students learn that the Court generally moves slowly and when it doesn’t — as with the radical Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 which declared unconstitutional every anti-abortion law in the land — it cannot expect the country as a whole to shrug and follow along. The Court will sometimes be a bit ahead of public opinion, but rarely, if ever, can it change the course of politics. When it tries, it opens and/or exacerbates rather than closes deep divisions among the citizenry.

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This year’s most controversial decisions are not actually anywhere near as divisive as Roe or the "Obamacare" decision (2012’s National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius) or Bush v. Gore which effectively decided that election by ending the (seemingly) endless recounting —correctly, by the way, as post-election "audit" after post-election "audit" showed. The most significant of this term’s cases may turn out to be National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, which held that the provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act restricting the amount of money a party can spend in direct coordination with a candidate’s campaign were unconstitutional, thus breathing much-needed life into the two major political parties which need the lift.

The "birthright citizenship" case, Trump v. Barbara, drew lots of attention but very little genuine surprise among the population at large. Find me anyone outside of academia and a few think tanks who even knew there was a question about the citizenship of any baby born in America before the abandonment of border enforcement in the Biden years, and I'd be surprised if that person knew the underlying text, history and tradition of the arguments. Like most "big cases," the "importance" of the case will fade even as policy arguments about the actual issue of rational immigration policy continues.

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Which is itself a triumph for the rule of law. Americans generally accept the Court’s rulings and move on. Contrary to the overheated and indeed absurd "Trump is a fascist" rhetoric, President Trump has always complied with every court decision, even those with which he deeply and loudly disagrees. Such is the authority of the Supreme Court. The Court gets the final say on the "cases and controversies" that divide the country. It has been that way since the Civil War, and we will all be blessed if it stays that way.

So push away the alarmists. Ignore the doomsayers. The Supreme Court has gone about its work successfully — again — and will be back at it in October (or earlier if need be.) The "republic of laws not men" carries on. Con Law is still the most interesting course in law school, but its textbooks change very little from year to year. And that is a very, very good thing.

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

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SEN DAVE McCORMICK: Trump Accounts give all Americans a stake in prosperity

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:26 -0400

Last week, my friend Senator John Fetterman and I stood on a court at the 6th Man Center — a Philadelphia Youth Basketball facility in North Philly — watching dozens of children crowd around their phones grinning. They weren’t watching a video or playing a game. They were looking for investment accounts in their own names — accounts that give them a real stake in America’s future and become available on July 4.

Parents can celebrate Independence Day knowing that their children are eligible for a Trump Account: a $1,000 Treasury seed for every child born between 2025 and 2028, and another $250 for children ten and under in lower-income communities, funded not by Washington but by philanthropy.

These accounts were created a year ago as part of President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act, for which I cast the deciding vote in the Senate. Alongside no tax on tips or overtime and new tax credits for school choice and childcare, these measures are a down payment on the American Dream. They are also proof that we can share American prosperity without sacrificing the free markets and individual liberty on which this country was founded.

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Capitalism is the greatest engine of prosperity and human flourishing the world has ever known. No economic system has lifted more people out of poverty, rewarded more work and innovation, or created more opportunity for ordinary people to build better lives. But to preserve that system — and the prosperity it makes possible — more Americans must have a real stake in its success.

Today, too many Americans are helping build this country’s future without sharing meaningfully in its upside. Since the global financial crisis, the top one percent’s share of the nation’s wealth has climbed from about 27% to 32%. That same 1% now owns roughly half of all the stock in America; the bottom half of households owns about 1%. As artificial intelligence and other new technologies transform our economy, this trend will only worsen — it’s both indefensible and politically unsustainable.

For decades, Washington’s answer to this dilemma was always the same: stand up a new agency, build a bureaucracy to run it, and redistribute hard-earned money through a system riddled with waste and fraud. It deepened dependence on government, and still the American Dream slipped further out of reach.

The Working Families Tax Cuts Act — signed into law last July 4 — chose another road: not redistribution from above, but incentives for Americans to invest directly in one another. A $1,000 seed fund is the first rung of a ladder every American child can climb — and gives parents, family and friends, employers and philanthropists a vehicle to invest directly in the next generation.

That is the magic of tax-advantaged compounding: a $1,000 investment at birth, combined with just $10 added to the account each week, could grow to nearly $400,000 by the time that child reaches my age of 60.

Michael and Susan Dell have shown what private investment in the next generation can look like. Their $6.25 billion pledge — enough to seed accounts for 25 million children — is patriotism made concrete: private generosity expanding ownership, opportunity and a stake in America’s future for millions of children. Many wealthy and patriotic Americans are following suit.

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Across the country, 6 million children have been signed up, but more must follow, including the 1.4 million eligible kids in Pennsylvania.

But Trump Accounts are only one part of a larger effort to revitalize the American Dream on our nation’s 250th birthday. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act is also bringing more jobs, more investment and more opportunity to families across the country. The school-choice scholarship credit, for example, lets Americans direct their own dollars to a child’s education, so families can choose the school that best fits their child’s needs.

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Abraham Lincoln called us to be dedicated to the unfinished work of liberty. That work continues in every generation. On July 4, as Trump Accounts launch nationwide, we will help make the American Dream more than just an inheritance of words for the next generation, but also a concrete stake in America’s promise. And they give the rest of us a chance to invest in the future of America’s next generation.

More will need to be done. But programs such as these — voluntary, guided by incentives, circumventing government bureaucracy and which provide opportunity, not entitlement — are an excellent starting point.

WATCH: Ex-Warren campaign volunteer spotted praising murderous ex-Iranian leader

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:25 -0400

A far-left activist who previously helped organize youth support for Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and volunteered for Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s, D-Mass., presidential campaign appeared in an Iranian state media interview praising the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling him the "greatest anti-imperialist leader" of her lifetime.

Calla Walsh, who describes herself as a journalist from the U.S. working in Lebanon, made the remarks in an interview aired by Iranian state media PressTV during the outlet's coverage of Khamenei’s funeral. Walsh was previously profiled by Boston Magazine as a young organizer who helped form Students for Markey and "played a pivotal role" in Sen. Markey’s 2020 primary win over then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III, after first volunteering for Sen. Warren’s presidential campaign.

"He was a leader to all people in the world who struggled against imperialism, against arrogance, against Zionism, against genocide," Walsh said in the interview. "To me, he was the greatest anti-imperialist leader to live during my lifetime."

During Khamenei’s 37 years in power, multiple reports cited his regime killing thousands of citizens, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

IRANIANS CHANT ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ AMID FUNERAL FOR LATE AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI

Her comments came with an Iranian flag seen in the backdrop.

Public profiles have traced Walsh’s political work through several Massachusetts progressive campaigns. Boston Magazine reported that Walsh later served as communications director for Jordan Meehan, a left-wing Massachusetts state House candidate, and was organizing with Act on Mass while doing digital media work for Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia’s re-election campaign in 2021.

The conservative Capital Research Center's InfluenceWatch, citing Walsh’s LinkedIn, also reported that Walsh was a regional organizer and strategist for Act on Mass from November 2020 to September 2021 and worked as digital director for Mejia in 2021.

Walsh has been tied to Michelle Wu’s Boston mayoral bid as well. A New York Times profile identified Walsh as part of the "Markeyverse" network and showed her canvassing for then-Boston mayoral candidate Wu.

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Meanwhile, Walsh has previously appeared in Fox News Digital reporting on far-left protest networks. In January, Fox News Digital reported that Walsh shared video of unrest in Minneapolis after the fatal Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti and bragged that protesters had trapped "ICE Gestapo" at the scene.

The same report noted that Walsh had previously been filmed in Iran shouting, "Death to America! Death to Israel!"

The interview from Iran's state media about the supreme leader's funeral was published under the headline, "Ayatollah Khamenei’s message of resistance was truly universal: American activist." Press TV summarized Walsh’s remarks as arguing that Khamenei’s legacy extended beyond Iran and the Muslim world and that the massive funeral crowds represented "not only grief but a march of victory."

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Walsh also framed the recent conflict as a defeat for the United States, saying, "It’s still fair to say that the U.S. has been more humiliated than it has ever been before in its history and has signed away huge concessions to Iran."

Fox News Digital reached out to Walsh, as well as to the high-profile Democrats she has worked or campaigned for, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

LIZ PEEK: July Fourth exposed Democrats' big problem with America's silent majority

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:11 -0400

July Fourth was a bad day for Democrats.

Americans turned out in force to celebrate the birthday of the country they love, applauding the virtues and values that have made the United States an exceptional nation for 250 years. The silent majority, the folks who believe in the essential promise and goodness of this beautiful land, made their voices heard.

A recent Cato poll confirmed that sentiment, showing that 86% of respondents are grateful and 79% are proud to be Americans. Moreover, "most also believe America is a land of opportunity (61%), and even more believe the American Dream (74%) is available to them personally." Cato reports that three-quarters of Americans feel positive about the nation’s founding, and 70% believe its founding principles remain relevant today. "In particular, overwhelming majorities believe the U.S. Constitution is important for protecting our rights and freedoms (86%) and for enabling America’s prosperity (82%)."

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That sure isn’t what we’ve been hearing from democratic socialist darling Zohran Mamdani, who has, incredibly, become the voice of the Democratic Party. In his Fourth of July speech, the New York City mayor lambasted our "nativist" country as one characterized by "monopolies that dominate every industry," "oligarchs who buy elections" and a "health insurance industry that exploits the sick."

Mamdani’s false and cliché-ridden diatribe doesn’t even make sense. In one breath, he excoriates the U.S. as dominated by an exclusive wealthy elite, but in the next, he exults in the "power each of us holds to bring America ever closer to the greatness so many have seen when they looked upon these shores." How can both those things be true? In an "authoritarian" regime, what power?

MAMDANI RIPPED FOR CLAIMING VICTORY OVER CAPITALISM AFTER NYC'S MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR TAXPAYER FUNDED BAILOUT

The democratic socialist surge, newly led by Mamdani, is real and is terrifying the party establishment. Party leaders New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are running scared as the DSA threatens their political lives. Fifteen House moderates — the kind being wiped out by insurgent leftist newcomers — penned an open letter declaring, "We are capitalist, not socialist," and "We are mainstream, not extreme." They also proclaimed, "We are proud, not ashamed of America." Imagine elected politicians having to make that pronouncement.

It’s about time they did.

Democrats have only themselves to blame for the rise of the socialist left. They have offered the country nothing but hatred of Donald Trump for over a decade. They have opposed even the most popular policies proposed by the president, like deporting criminals and reducing taxes. They have absurdly blocked investigating and eliminating hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars lost to fraud every year — a problem that even Joe Biden’s administration said required urgent action. They have become the party that champions boys competing in girls’ sports and resists voter ID laws. They have fawned over European governments that have approval ratings below 30% and especially applauded those nations’ green energy policies that have stifled their economies and left them unable to compete for emerging industries like AI.

JOSH SHAPIRO WARNS DEMOCRATS FACE ‘BATTLE OVER WHAT WE BELIEVE IN’ AFTER SOCIALIST’S UPSET PRIMARY VICTORIES

Democrats’ consistent and mindless opposition to President Trump created a policy vacuum, giving democratic socialists an opportunity to fill that hole with outlandish policies like abolishing prisons and eliminating private property rights. Those are policies the silent majority will not accept, no more than they accepted the woke excesses of the George Floyd and #MeToo protests.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) first showed up as supporters of Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders when he ran for president in 2016. The DSA's membership increased from 6,500 to 8,500 during his campaign; another 13,000 people signed up in the eight months following the election.

Democrats should have disavowed the socialist Sanders then, when the DSA movement was tiny, but instead they played to the so-called Bernie Bros, who some thought denied Hillary Clinton the Oval Office by sitting out the election. In 2020, the corrupt hierarchy in charge of the party, along with a compliant media, promoted the big lie that Joe Biden was fit to serve as president. They engineered the defeat of Sanders, who led the early primaries, and forced the nomination of Biden. In recompense, they gave Bernie a seat at the table, allowing him to co-write the party’s platform and thus legitimizing his influence.

Riding that newfound acceptance, Sanders’ signature issues, like Medicare for All and taxing the rich, took on new weight, attracting the likes of New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who became one of two democratic socialists elected to the House of Representatives in 2019.

After the bruising defeat in 2024, the party scurried to find a new message and adopted "affordability" as its issue. Democrats crusading to bring down the cost of living is laughable, given that the most expensive places to live in the U.S. are all run by Democrats. What drives costs higher? Burdensome regulations, pro-union labor policies and high taxes, all signature attributes of Democrat-run governments.

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Massive government spending — pushing too many dollars into the economy — also drives up inflation. It is no coincidence that during Joe Biden’s presidency, when government spending hit the highest levels relative to the economy since World War II, inflation soared to above 9%.

DSA candidates are also running on affordability, but with socialist solutions like providing free buses as well as government-subsidized groceries and child care. So far, they have succeeded mainly in deep-blue districts and with low voter turnout. Ultimately, Mamdani and his ilk will fail, as socialism always has, because it denies the driving human force of self-interest and the wisdom and adaptability of free markets.

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But Democrats need to take a stand against the noisy radical leftists who will ultimately cost them voters. The movement is driven not only by socialist economic policies, but also by opposition to Israel and by antisemitism. Black Americans and Jews are important Democratic voting blocs; both are already speaking out against DSA candidates.

America’s silent majority has rallied to defend our nation in the past; if socialism gains ground, those quiet patriots will do so again. Count on it.

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Trump arrives at NATO summit as Iran rift looms above alliance talks

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0400

President Donald Trump is arriving at the Turkey-held NATO summit with fresh frustration toward several European allies over their responses to the U.S.-led operations against Iran, opening a new front in his long-running campaign to pressure the alliance over burden-sharing.

The summit, which takes place Tuesday and Wednesday in Ankara, Turkey, is expected to focus on defense spending, Ukraine and NATO's long-term strategy toward Russia.

But it will bring Trump face to face with some of his biggest foes in NATO, including Spain, whose Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called the U.S. war in Iran "illegal, absurd and cruel."

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Wednesday that Trump remains "disappointed" by allies that declined to allow U.S. forces to use military bases or overflight rights during the operation, as well as by political statements criticizing the strikes.

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"The president has expressed disappointment in both a couple of our allies' unwillingness to support us using our bases in their countries," Whitaker said. "And, as importantly, he's also incredibly disappointed in the political statements that came out around the time of the launch of Epic Fury."

The disagreements are expected to loom over a summit where Trump will once again press allies to increase defense spending, while also raising broader questions about whether NATO members are prepared to back the United States during conflicts beyond the alliance's traditional focus on Europe.

Trump's frustration has been evident publicly as well.

Ahead of the summit, he said he was attending largely because of his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while again criticizing some NATO allies over defense spending and questioning their commitment to the alliance.

"Except for the fact that it was being held in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don't think I would have gone to it," Trump told reporters at the White House on June 24.

During the same appearance, he renewed criticism of Spain and other NATO allies over their refusal to support U.S. operations against Iran, declaring, "There's a problem with Spain."

Whitaker said the operation also highlighted disparities in military capabilities across the alliance, noting that while some NATO members possess "exquisite capabilities," others lack the capacity to contribute meaningfully to a large-scale U.S.-led military operation.

The administration's frustration stems from a series of decisions by European allies during Operation Epic Fury.

The United Kingdom initially declined to allow U.S. forces to launch strikes against Iran from British bases before later reversing course after Iranian attacks escalated. Spain denied the use of its territory and airspace for combat operations while Sánchez publicly criticized the U.S.-led campaign.

Italy also sought to distance itself from the operation, insisting U.S. flights from bases on Italian soil were limited to logistical support rather than combat missions, while Germany served as a key logistics hub but stopped short of publicly endorsing the military campaign.

European governments defended their positions by citing domestic legal constraints and concerns about being drawn into a wider Middle East conflict. Britain later allowed U.S. strikes after initially withholding approval, while Spain continued opposing the campaign, Italy restricted its support to noncombat operations and Germany limited its role to logistics.

EUROPE'S $116B FIGHTER JET 'FAILURE' RAISES FRESH DOUBTS ABOUT ABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF WITHOUT US

Several allies later agreed to support maritime security operations aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but administration officials say the initial reluctance to back the U.S. campaign continues to shape Trump's view heading into the summit.

While the Middle East is not expected to dominate the formal agenda, it underscores broader questions Trump is bringing to Turkey about burden-sharing and whether NATO allies are prepared to back the United States beyond the alliance's traditional focus on Europe.

The tensions over Iran build on years of Trump's criticism of NATO, which he has repeatedly accused of relying too heavily on the U.S. During both his first and second terms, Trump has questioned whether Washington should continue defending allies that fail to meet spending commitments and has at times floated withdrawing from the alliance altogether.

"If they don't pay, I'm not going to defend them," Trump said March 6. "If the United States was in trouble, and we called them ... you think they're going to come and protect us? They're supposed to. I'm not so sure."

Trump is expected to use the summit to press allies to meet NATO's new benchmark of spending 5% of GDP on defense.

"The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing," he wrote on Truth Social Thursday.

Whitaker suggested the administration increasingly views burden-sharing as extending beyond defense budgets alone.

"We believe that those that are doing more should get benefits from doing more," he said.

Whitaker confirmed the administration was considering countermeasures for allies that don’t meet defense spending goals. He added that countries contributing more could receive advantages ranging from priority in defense procurement to greater engagement with U.S. leaders.

While the summit is expected to focus publicly on defense spending, Ukraine and NATO's long-term strategy toward Russia, analysts say the fallout from Operation Epic Fury is likely to shape private conversations between Trump and several European leaders.

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Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Ian Brzezinski said during a press briefing the recent conflict has created "two scorecards on the table" for the summit — NATO's traditional priorities of strengthening deterrence against Russia and Trump's assessment of which allies proved most supportive of the United States during the Iran conflict.

"We have low expectations because of the issues not on the agenda, but that are driving the atmospherics," Torey Taussig, director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said.

Charlie Kirk's family comes face to face with accused assassin for first time

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 23:41:42 -0400

PROVO, Utah — The family of Charlie Kirk came face to face with his accused assassin for the first time in a Utah courtroom Monday — the first day of what is expected to be a weeklong preliminary hearing.

Tyler Robinson, 23, was already in the room before members of the media were allowed in at around 8:55 a.m. He was wearing a gray suit, pink shirt and black tie, with his wrists and ankles cuffed. Later in the hearing, when videos of Kirk's shooting death were played for the sides and the judge, he showed no visible response when the sound of the fatal gunshot rang out.

Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent David Hull was on the stand to introduce several videos, including images of Kirk’s death that were not shown publicly in court but were shown to the judge and attorneys for both sides. Two of them were described as showing the moment a sniper’s bullet struck Kirk in the neck, and they included audio that reporters could hear.

CHARLIE KIRK'S PARENTS, WIDOW TO ATTEND TYLER ROBINSON'S PRELIMINARY HEARING NEXT WEEK

While Judge Tony Graf Jr. flinched and leaned away from the screen when the shot rang out in one of the videos, Robinson remained still during both.

Kirk’s family had already left the courtroom before they were played. They were expected to receive warnings before graphic evidence would be introduced and left twice ahead of mentions of the assassination itself.

For much of the rest of the hearing, Erika Kirk and her in-laws, Rob and Kathy Kirk, sat next to one another watching the proceedings closely, occasionally exchanging looks or glancing down. Other relatives present included Erika's sister, Tonya, and niece and nephew.

ACCUSED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON FIGHTS BACK AS PROSECUTORS' SPRAWLING CASE COMES INTO FOCUS

At another point, with Kirk's family out of the courtroom, Hull also testified about the autopsy report, which listed Kirk's death as a homicide by a gunshot wound to the neck. During that testimony, Robinson’s mother leaned over to her husband and held her hand on his shoulder.

The Kirks also had some high-profile supporters join them near the front — including Donald Trump Jr., his wife Bettina and conservative commentators Jack Posobiec and Brandon Tatum.

Robinson’s parents, who usually sit in the front row, were in the fourth row Monday with other relatives.

ALLEGED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON'S ROOMMATE AND LOVER RECEIVED LIMITED IMMUNITY: PROSECUTORS

The first witness of the day was Officer Christopher Bagley, now a member of the Spanish Fork Police Department. He was working at Utah Valley University when Kirk was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event there on Sept. 10, 2025.

He testified that he believed he heard a rifle shot — not a pistol shot — from the direction of the Losee Center. He said he reached that conclusion after seeing an empty handgun holster on the ground amid the early chaos and looking up to find that the Losee Center rooftop had a clear line of sight to where Kirk was speaking.

He went to the Losee rooftop, where he found a black and red screwdriver and impressions in the gravel that he described as what looked like a "sniper’s pad."

He also said he reviewed surveillance video showing the suspect on top of the roof, and he found footprints in the grass where the suspect dropped down and scuff marks on the roof above them. Defense attorney Kathy Nester only got in about 10 minutes of cross-examination before the recess for lunch, but she asked Bagley if his police report from the day mentioned a direction the shot came from.

It didn’t, he said. He also didn't know what happened to the handgun holster.

As prosecutors planned to show some UVU surveillance video, Robinson’s defense objected. While Graf had overruled most of their objections throughout the day, he sustained this one on the grounds that the video, due to edits including face blurs, zooms and red circles, had not been properly authenticated and could not be played.

The video is expected to be introduced later after prosecutors said they planned to provide an unedited version.

Hull was the second of four witnesses prosecutors said they planned to call to the stand Monday. He is expected to resume testimony Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. MT.

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Other video shown Monday included a vehicle alleged to be Robinson’s coming and going from a house near the UVU campus after midnight on Sept. 11 — about 12 hours after Charlie Kirk’s murder on Sept. 10.

As Fox News Digital previously reported, Robinson also allegedly had an encounter with law enforcement in the area hours after the shooting.

At some point during the week, the court is expected to hear a previously recorded statement from Robinson's former lover Lance Twiggs, who prosecutors allege received a written confession after the crime.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea. He could face the death penalty if convicted of the top charge against him, aggravated murder.

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