Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Former 'Cocaine Quarterback' says Trump First Step Act changed his life after cartel-tied conviction

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:11:50 -0400

Former USC football player Owen Hanson, once dubbed the "Cocaine Quarterback" for his role as a logistics coordinator for a Mexican drug cartel, credited President Donald Trump's First Step Act for giving him a second chance after he earned years off his federal prison sentence.

"I remember when the counselor called me in his office," Hanson recalled Saturday.

"He said, 'Owen, you've earned three years off your sentence for going back to school and getting your degree.' He said, 'You also earned another two years of halfway house.' And I was like, 'Wow, you have hope.'"

FEDERAL INMATES MAY SOON GET TABLETS WITH MESSAGING CAPABILITIES AS BUREAU OF PRISONS MAKES MODERNIZATION PUSH

Speaking to Fox News' Lara Trump, Hanson recounted his journey from playing football for USC and winning national championships to finding himself deep in debt to a Mexican drug cartel.

"They gave me ultimatum. They said, 'We're going to either kill you or you're going work for us and pay it back,' and I became their logistics coordinator, 'the signal caller' for this cartel that I won't name a name, but I had to work for them, and it cost me 10 years of my life in prison," he shared.

Hanson described the First Step Act as fundamentally changing the way incarcerated people like himself viewed rehabilitation by rewarding those who pursued educational opportunities and other programs aimed at reducing recidivism.

The criminal justice reform measure, enacted in 2018, expanded opportunities for eligible federal inmates to reduce their sentences by participating in qualifying programs and productive activities.

Before the law's passage, Hanson said federal inmates largely expected to serve at least 85% of their sentences with little opportunity to shorten their time behind bars. The prospect of earning additional time off through good behavior and education, he said, gave him and others a renewed sense of purpose.

FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION

Hanson ultimately earned a master's degree while incarcerated and credited the law with helping prepare him for life after prison, where he now speaks to student-athletes about the dangers of drugs and crime.

"It's a very humbling experience, and in the beginning when the judge sentenced you to nearly two decades in prison, and they tell you it's time to rehabilitate, you kind of wonder, and you look at yourself in the mirror while you're in your prison cell and maybe the judge is doing me a favor," he said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"And I tell people [that] prison's the best thing that could have happened to me, [it] saved my life. [I was] able to get sober, get my master's degree, come out and help others is like the biggest flex for me."

Insane Clown Posse's Violent J details pro wrestling career as he gears up for Bloodymania 19 at Juggalo event

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:07:12 -0400

Pro wrestling can have the ability to truly reach all corners of the world.

In the U.S., any person could look to their left or their right and find a person who loves the sport. Let’s take Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse for example. Most may know him as one part of the notorious hip-hop group, but others may remember him for pro wrestling.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

The 54-year-old Michigan native in 1983 and started back up in the 1990s, appearing in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) before starting Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) in 1999.

Violent J told Fox News Digital that his pro wrestling fandom goes back to before he was a teenager.

"I've been a wrestling fan my entire life. I had it set as a goal in my life that I would be a wrestler. And if anything, I was learning in school didn't pertain to being a wrestler, I didn't listen. It was all about being a wrestler. And it wasn't something I wanted or I hoped or I dreamed about. It was something I knew absolutely without a shadow of a doubt I was going to be a wrestler and Shaggy (2 Dope) too with no question about it," he said. "But when I turned 19, or probably 17, hip-hop started to overtake that dream, that goal, like hip-hop started to overtake that love and we tried to fight it because for so long we had set our goals that we were going to be wrestlers and we knew we were going to be wrestlers. Failure wasn't an option. But hip-hop started to overtake that love.

"So, we fought it for a long time. But once we decided the love for hip-hop was stronger, there was no turning back. Next thing you know, we knew without a shadow of a doubt we were going to be rappers. You know what I'm saying? But it's funny because from the age of 12 to roughly 17 or 18, we had already applied all that karma toward being wrestlers. We had already applied all that. It manifested on its own."

He said he and Shaggy 2 Dope received a call from the WWF to produce music from a tag team called The Oddities, but it turned into their own run in the company.

"So, when we were 26 and we had our first gold album, the WWF at the time called us and said, ‘Hey man, we want you guys to make the ring music for this team we have called the Oddities.’ And we were like, ‘Do you guys know that we wrestle? We were actually wrestling on the independent scene. And you know, me and Shaggy both were wrestling when we were like 18, 19, we were wrestling around the Midwest even though we knew we were going to be rappers, we were still had a love for it," he said. "So, we were doing it kind of as fun. But when the WWF called all those years later, we were like, ‘Do you guys know that we wrestle?’ And they were like, ‘We had no idea.’

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"So, they flew us out to Stanford, Connecticut, where we had the wrestling match. We wrestled each other. We wrestled Bruce Pritchard or was it Tom Pritchard, one of those guys. So, I mean, like next thing you know, we were debuting at SummerSlam at Madison Square Garden. But yeah, man, it's like that dream came back and manifested itself because we had already applied all that positive energy toward it. It's pretty crazy, man, how that worked."

The love Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope had for pro wrestling manifested into their own promotion – Juggalo Championship Wrestling.

He recalled the first show the two put together and how fans were skeptical that they were going to be in the ring.

"After we went to WWE and we went to WCW, we decided to do it ourselves, too. So, we started our own promotion and actually we were I'm trying to remember if we were running show, we were running shows before we went to WWF," he told Fox News Digital. "We were running our own shows in Detroit. ICP was. I'll never forget the first time ICP wrestled in front of a crowd as Violent Jay and Shaggy. They didn't know we had anything to do with wrestling. The fans didn't know anything that we used to be wrestlers. They had no idea. Back then, there was no internet. They didn't know we used to be wrestlers. They didn't know anything about it.

"We put the flyer out and said, ‘It's going to be Violent J and Shaggy Too Dope, Insane Clown Posse, versus the Chicken Boys,’ these two redneck guys with rebel flags, in a steel cage. And the show is going to be called Strangle Mania Live. Man, that venue sold out. People were like, ‘What are we gonna see? Are they actually gonna wrestle?’ Because they only knew us as musicians. You know what I'm saying? They were like, ‘Are they gonna wrestle? What is this?’ And sure enough, man, we wrestled our a-- off, man. And I'll never forget that show. That was one of the greatest nights of my life. But of course, after ICP stepped into the ring, it was over from there. You know what I mean? We had to go everywhere. We tried to go to every major promotion there was."

The popularity of JCW has only grown from there.

The promotions runs a weekly Thursday night show on YouTube called "Lunacy." It also runs a flagship event at the annual Juggalo carnival called Gathering of the Juggalos called Bloodymania.

Bloodymania 19 will take place on Aug. 20 and 21 at Mother Nature’s Riverfront Retreat in Macks Creek, Missouri.

"Man, the best our promotion can do. JCW, Juggalo Championship Wrestling," he told Fox News Digital. "We're on every Thursday. night at 7 o’clock Eastern on YouTube. We provide something for everybody. I guarantee you who you are, no matter where you're from in life or who you are in life, you're going to find something you like about JCW. That's a fact. I challenge anybody to watch an entire episode of ‘Lunacy,’ the show is called ‘Lunacy,’ and see if there's not something you enjoy greatly, not just something you kind of like. You're going to find something you really like. No matter who you are, all walks of life. We aim to entertain them all.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"And Bloody Mania takes place from The Gathering. It's Bloody Mania 19. It's our 19th time having Bloody Mania. And it's like our WrestleMania obviously. It's like our big deal. Happens at The Gathering of the Juggalos, which is our big fan festival every year. And it's like we're at home. We're bringing the show right at home in the in the thick of things, in the heart of the Juggalo Nation. It's cool. It's a great feeling and you can feel it in the air. Even after 19 times, it's still there. It's thick. You could cut it."

'Jon & Kate Plus 8' reality star's tell-all memoir follows years of abuse allegations

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:52 -0400

Jon and Kate Gosselin have faced public scrutiny for nearly 20 years after starring on a reality show focused on their unique family dynamic with their twin daughters and sextuplets.

TLC aired "Jon & Kate Plus 8" from 2007-09, when the former couple divorced. One year later, the show was rebranded as "Kate Plus 8," which focused on her life following the split, and ran until 2017.

In the years since the show went off the air, the family have faced a number of controversies. Last month, Collin Gosselin announced a tell-all memoir was in the works detailing years of alleged abuse at the hands of his mother.

COLLIN GOSSELIN SENDS CRYPTIC SIGNAL TO MOM KATE AFTER CLAIMS SHE'S 'SPIRALING' OVER HIS UPCOMING MEMOIR

Jon and Kate – who have twins Mady and Cara and sextuplets Hannah, Leah, Alexis, Joel, Aaden and Collin — announced their divorce in a broadcast episode of the show.

"Over the course of this weekend, Jon’s activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children," Kate said in a statement, according to People.

KATE GOSSELIN CALLED A 'MONSTER' IN SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS AFTER SON COLLIN ANNOUNCES MEMOIR

"While there are reasons why it was appropriate and necessary for me to initiate this proceeding, I do not wish to discuss those reasons at this time in the hope that all issues will be resolved amicably between Jon and myself. As always, my first priority remains our children."

In his own statement, Jon said, "This afternoon, Kate filed for divorce. Our kids are still my No. 1 priority. I love them and want to make sure they stay happy, healthy and safe. My job is being the best, most supportive and loving father that I can be to my kids, and not being married to Kate doesn’t change that."

Years later, Collin, 22, admitted he was estranged from his mother, a relationship which was severed after he was allegedly diagnosed with a behavioral disorder and, at 12 years old, Kate sent him to the Fairmount Behavioral Health System — a psychiatric hospital located in Philadelphia.

KATE GOSSELIN ADMITS TO UNHEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS AFTER HER KIDS LEFT FOR COLLEGE

"I was not able, with my own resources here, to meet his needs," Kate said during an episode of "Kate Plus 8." Meanwhile, "Kate Plus 8" continued to air with the seven other children. Jon claimed he didn't know that Collin had been sent to a behavioral institute until he was eating lunch with the kids one day and Collin was absent.

At the time, Kate had full custody of the children and insisted she didn't have to tell Jon where Collin was because of a court order.

Collin claimed that his mother institutionalized him in order to "protect her reputation."

"I didn’t know what was going on," he told Entertainment Tonight about being sent away when he was 12 years old. "I didn’t know where I was going. I told all my family this … That was the most scared I’ve probably ever been in my life."

Collin added, "After being there, I didn't have a relationship with her. Even before [being] there, I don't think we had much of a relationship, and I think that just kept tearing it even more down."

He said that the pressure of his family being on reality television impacted his estrangement from his mother and siblings.

"I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family. I think it tore us apart," he told the outlet. "It gave us less time to actually be together as a family [and] more time to be in the public eye."

Collin and Hannah began living with Jon in 2018, where Jon admitted that while Collin went "no contact" with his siblings, Hannah was still speaking with her mother.

"There’s no contact between Collin and his other siblings," he said on the "First Class Fatherhood" podcast. "There’s contact between Hannah and the other siblings. So the problem right now is we have parent alienation and sibling alienation."

Two years ago, Collin told The Sun that his mother had placed him in a "room multiple times" when he was a child and "zip-tied my hands and feet together and bolt locked the door, turned the lights off and had cameras there just watching me."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Kate's attorney previously denied the abuse allegations against the former reality star.

"She never wants to comment because she always knows that this gets taken out of context," Richard Puleo told Fox News Digital at the time. "She doesn't want to comment. Doesn’t need to. The record speaks for itself."

"The facts belie the truth," he continued. "Whatever took place, the ones that are truthful are the ones that took place … She has no comment because it’s not going to change the past. And I don’t believe she intentionally harmed any of her children in any way, shape or form."

Collin recently revealed his tell-all was set for an October release, and featured an image from his childhood with his mother covering his mouth with her hand.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"For a long time, I wasn’t sure I’d ever tell this story. Growing up, millions of people watched my life on television," he wrote.

"People felt like they knew me. They knew my family. They watched me grow up. But there was so much they never saw. For years, I kept those experiences to myself. Some because I was afraid. Some because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. And some because I just wasn’t ready."

Collin added, "Writing this book forced me to revisit some of the hardest moments of my life, but it also gave me something I’ve been searching for for a long time: my voice. This isn’t the story people think they know. It’s the story I’ve lived."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

TNA Wrestling's KC Navarro 'got back in record time' after knee injury, highlights upcoming Lockdown event

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:46:52 -0400

KC Navarro is among the rising talents on the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) roster and has been in the championship conversation since he returned from a serious knee injury.

Navarro was out for several months recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last year. He told Fox News Digital in a recent interview he was feeling good and that his match against A.J. Francis was the first time he felt back to his true self.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

"I'm doing great. If you were to ask me when I first came back, I was definitely a little nervous, which everybody kind of told me, hey, when you come back from an ACL your first year, you're going to kind of be like, ‘ah.’ But I think by the time I wrestled A.J. Francis in the street fight was the first time I really felt like myself," he said. "And then when I wrestled (Mustafa) Ali for the international title, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah. I'm definitely back.’ So, the confidence is back. I'm feeling great. I'm doing good.

"Shout out to Hospital for Special Surgery over in New York City. They took care of me. They got me back really quick. I got back in a record time of like eight months or so. Actually, I really got cleared in seven, but I returned to TV in eight. But I'm feeling really good. I'm feeling stronger, and I'm ready to do some amazing things now."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Navarro has recently challenged for the X Division Championship and the International Championship and while both were in losing efforts, his prowess in the ring has pushed him forward toward a possible TNA World Championship shot against Nic Nemeth.

Nemeth defeated Mike Santana for the TNA world title at Slammiversary. Nemeth has seemingly ended his friendship with Navarro has he took his place at the top of TNA.

A possible match could be on the horizon when Lockdown takes place on Aug. 23 at the Credit Union Arena in Chicago. It will be the first Lockdown in more than 10 years.

"A lot of cage matches," he told Fox News Digital when asked what fans can expect from Lockdown. "It's going to be nuts. I think it's also going to be really cool because it was such a historic match in TNA.

"So, for it to be back, I think is very special and I think it's going to be a lot of people's first time in a cage. I know it's going to be my first time in a cage. I've never been in a cage. I think all the titles are going to be on the line as well, which is also really, really cool. And it's in Chicago, which is such a phenomenal wrestling city. So, I think the place is going to be loud. It's going to be jam-packed and it's going to be definitely must see for sure."

For now, Navarro continues to emerge as a main event player on "Impact."

He shared his reasons for why pro wrestling fans should keep tuning into the show on Thursday nights on AMC.

"Well, I think TNA is special because you got so many talents from so many different generations. You got people that are new, people that have been on the rise, that are up and coming that just never got a chance," Navarro said. "People that were at other places that never got a chance that finally be able to showcase who they really are.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"And then you got legends like the Hardys, Nic Nemth, Frankie Kazarian, guys that have done it and been to the top of their game. And we all get to work together to do such an amazing thing on such an amazing platform. And I feel like we don't really miss when it comes to shows and pay-per-views. I feel like we get new stories, something really fresh, that's not seen. And that's why I really think that people should continue to tune in."

Michigan Dem senator throws support behind candidate to replace him in contentious primary

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:44:44 -0400

Retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has abandoned his neutrality in Michigan's high-stakes Democratic Senate primary, backing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens as party leaders rally to stop progressive rival Abdul El-Sayed from winning the nomination.

Peters, who is retiring after two terms in the Senate, announced the endorsement Monday, saying Stevens "will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan." The move reverses his position from late May, when he told The Associated Press he planned to stay neutral in the Aug. 4 primary.

Democrats are eager to keep the Michigan seat as they try to win back the Senate majority, and many party leaders have lined up behind Stevens, a four-term congresswoman they see as a stronger general election candidate.

DEMOCRATS' CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN

Stevens has centered her campaign on manufacturing, jobs and Michigan's auto industry. El-Sayed, a former Michigan health director who has never held elected office, has run on a more progressive platform that includes "Medicare-for-all" and campaign finance reform. He has also made the war in Gaza a central issue in his campaign, highlighting a divide that has surfaced within the Democratic Party.

Peters' endorsement comes weeks after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow ended her campaign, leaving Stevens and El-Sayed as the only major Democratic candidates in the race.

"Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense," Stevens said in a statement. "I am honored to have his support."

Peters has won two Senate elections in Michigan and previously chaired the Senate Democrats' campaign committee during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.

His endorsement follows similar backing for Stevens from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. El-Sayed has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

The campaign has become increasingly personal in recent weeks.

MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL CALLS AIPAC DONATIONS 'LEGALIZED BRIBERY,' REMAINS SILENT ON OTHER DONATIONS

El-Sayed has criticized Stevens over tens of millions of dollars in outside spending supporting her campaign, including money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has accused El-Sayed of refusing to release his personal financial records. During a July 7 debate, both candidates accused the other of running a negative campaign.

The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman who is running unopposed for his party's nomination. It is expected to be among the nation's most expensive and closely watched Senate contests in November.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Michigan has taken on added importance for Democrats after turmoil erupted in another key Senate race in Maine, where Democratic nominee Graham Platner withdrew following a sexual assault allegation. The unexpected vacancy has complicated the party's efforts to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, increasing the pressure to avoid setbacks in other battleground states such as Michigan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sophie Cunningham went from UFC 329 Octagon girl to torching the Las Vegas Aces in under 24 hours

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:30:24 -0400

Sophie Cunningham had never attended a UFC event before Saturday night. By the end of it, she had worked one.

The Indiana Fever guard made a surprise appearance as an Octagon girl at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, carrying the Round 1 card before the co-main event between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint-Denis.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE

Speaking to reporters Sunday, Cunningham explained how the last-minute cameo came together.

"Went to my first live fight last night, which was so cool," Cunningham said. "The whole experience overall was wonderful."

Cunningham said UFC CEO Dana White came over to say hello during the event, and she decided to throw an idea out there.

"Dana came over to say what’s up and I was like, ‘Hey, if you need a ring girl, let me know,’ and he’s like, ‘Alright, first round for the Paddy fight, that’s you,’" she said.

At first, Cunningham thought he was joking.

"I was like, ‘Yeah, hah,’ and he was like, ‘No, seriously,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, God,’" she said. "It was so much fun, though. It was a great environment."

There was no rehearsal, but Cunningham figured the job was simple enough.

"At the end of the day, you pull the card up and you turn left. Hopefully, I could do that," she said. "But the ring girls, actually, the real ones, they were helping me. It was fun. They were like, ‘You have to have a little personality, a little sass to it.’ It was a good time."

CAITLIN CLARK BREAKS WNBA RECORD AS FEVER HUMILIATE DEFENDING CHAMPION ACES IN LAS VEGAS

Personality and sass have never exactly been a problem for Sophie Cunningham.

And White returned the favor Sunday by showing up to the Fever-Aces game wearing a Sophie Cunningham shirt.

He picked a pretty good day to support his newest Octagon girl.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Indiana walloped the defending champion Aces, 109-75, and Cunningham came off the bench to score 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting. She also knocked down six of her seven attempts from beyond the arc, making more 3-pointers by herself than the entire Las Vegas roster.

Not a bad Vegas trip.

AEW star Chris Jericho brings Vietnamese pro wrestling to spotlight, highlighting sport's unifying force

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:25:14 -0400

Chris Jericho has stepped up to many challenges in his professional wrestling career, and, in some situations, had the odds stacked against him and succeeded time and time again.

The All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star recently brought a new set of challengers to the spotlight in a documentary he produced called "Vietslam." The film showcases the rise of Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW) and how pro wrestling fans from the Asian country were able to get their own company started to unify a population that was starved for the sport.

"Vietslam" follows how pro wrestling fans in the country were able to convince the Vietnamese government to allow the sport to be featured in the country, starting from almost nothing to building a rabid audience that only really watched WWE or AEW on TV.

AEW STAR MVP TALKS CHRIS JERICHO'S PLACE AMONG ALL-TIME GREATS IN PRO WRESTLING BEFORE DOUBLE OR NOTHING

"On ‘Talk is Jericho,’ I got a random request through an email from a pro wrestling group in Vietnam," Jericho explained to Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "And I'd done a few episodes about wrestling in different parts of the world, like China and the Inuit in northern, northern Canada areas, so I thought it'd be interesting to talk to the guys and when I talked to them, it was a Vietnamese guy called Rocky and a Canadian guy called Carrie who had moved to Vietnam, and they had kind of, against all odds, started a wrestling company. There wasn't wrestling in Vietnam. There wasn't even a wrestling ring in Vietnam and the government didn't even know what wrestling was because they had to get the permits because obviously it's a very strict government there.

"But they went and followed their dreams and followed the heart and followed the passion and started up a wrestling company in Vietnam that ended up becoming fairly successful. And I just thought, how interesting is this, not just from a humanity standpoint of these guys going and following this crazy dream, but also the fact that pro wrestling connects the cultures of the West and the East. We all love wrestling here. We know what it is. Most of the country, Japan and England and Ireland and Scotland, etc., etc., etc., but Vietnam, what even is Vietnam in 2026, you know, because I think we still equate it with the movies that we see about the war of your ‘Platoon’ and ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and those types of things. So, I thought, how interesting is it that pro wrestling is kind of the common denominator between our cultures. That is something that we can see eye to eye on. And that's kind of where the idea came to do a documentary about them."

Jericho said the formation of Vietnam Pro Wrestling and the hard work coupled with the amount of work that it took to even build a ring showcased the unifying aspect of the sport – something that goes way overlooked if anyone only knew about pro wrestling from seeing clips and talking points being debated on social media.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

While pro wrestling has a tendency to be tribalistic online, logging off for a bit could do a lot of people justice. "Vietslam" showed how the good-willed nature of people can bring people together, capitalizing on a kernel of an idea and turning it into something that everyone can connect with.

"But I kind of find that though, Ryan, is when you get off of social media, you realize that most fans aren't like that. Those are just the vocal minority that want to be tribalistic and want to be negative about everything and you can't really go on that," Jericho said. "So, I mean, yeah, once again, I'm sure there's people in Vietnam that that hate VPW and say, ‘This is nothing like American wrestling, this sucks,’ and it's like they have no idea the amount of hard work these guys put into even putting on a show. And it's the same for anybody. Anybody that's ever stepped in the ring, it's very hard to get in the ring and wrestle. It really is. The other night, once again, never mind the cut, but 102 degrees outside. I mean, anybody that's bitching about anything about wrestling, go do that and see how much you b----ing, right?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"So, I that doesn't bother me. I just think what it really showed me and you know, this is a wrestling story, but it's so much more than that. It's really about the human desire to do great things and the fire that we all have inside to make something happen and going up going up against the government, man. I mean, this is not the United States where you and I can just, hey, let's put on a show tomorrow night. We rent an arena, we do it. It’s not like that there, It's a very strict socialist almost communist government in a lot of ways and you're not allowed to just do whatever you want."

Jericho explained that those involved with Vietnam Pro Wrestling had to convince the Vietnamese government that pro wrestling was more like a dance routine rather than a combat sport like MMA.

"So, they had to convince the government that what they were doing was a show, like a dance routine," he said. "So, if we can go to a dance studio where they do dance routines to put on a show, we should be able to have our own show because we're just doing a performance. And they're like, ‘Oh, OK. So, you're not actually going to, you know, you're not actually going to hurt each other.’ It's like, ‘Well, no, it's a show.’ And once the government understood that, they allowed them to do it.

"But I mean, these are just normal people going up against the government of Vietnam to get a permit to put on a wrestling show. That's pretty intricate, deep stuff that took a lot of time to make happen. So, all of these things was one of the reasons or all contributed to the reasons why I wanted to do this documentary because I just felt it was a great story to tell on so many different aspects."

Jericho added that to have some influence over the pro wrestling scene in the Asian country meant a lot to him and he was able to surprise some of the wrestlers and the fans involved with the promotion for one show.

"Yeah, it means a lot. When you hear World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, and working there for so long, it really does go around the world," he told Fox News Digital. "And now with AEW as well, we're in 100 countries, too. So, you can just see that people watch and especially now, I mean, they can watch you on YouTube, they can watch you on Netflix or on this platform or that platform. It's not as hard to see. You don't have to wait ‘til Sunday night at 8 o’clock on your local channel to watch, but you can do that as well. So, it really, it really was humbling, I guess you'd say, and surreal when I did go to Vietnam and surprise Rocky and the rest of the wrestlers that were there, they went nuts. Like, they literally went nuts. It'd be like if, I don't know, if Mick Jagger walked through the door right now, you'd be like, what? They couldn't believe it because their dream had come true. And that's not just to meet me, but I kind of represented, I think, what WWE meant to them in that here comes Chris Jericho.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"And there were a lot of big Chris Jericho fans, too, but also the dream of pro wrestling. Like, we have now gotten enough of a name to where one of our heroes is here standing in front of us watching us wrestle. And that's a pretty cool feeling. They knew that there was a documentary being made, but they didn't know that I was there. And when we surprised them with that fact and then surprised the fans with that fact later on in the evening, it just kind of showed once again how universal pro wrestling is. It's not about a country. It's about a feeling and about a camaraderie that that we have as wrestling fans. It doesn't matter where you're from, you mentioned earlier what style, doesn't matter what style it is, doesn't matter what country it's in, pro wrestling is pro wrestling. And you can do it in a field in Africa, which we've seen. You can do it on dance mats in Vietnam, or you can do it in a stadium in the United States. But it all equates to the same thing of just loving the business and having this passion for it."

"Vietslam" will be released on Tuesday on Prime Video, Fandango, Hoopla and Local Now and Aug. 6 on Tubi.

What to know about the heart condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death and more top headlines

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:07:09 -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. What to know about the condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death

2. Trump orders additional US strikes on Iran near Strait of Hormuz

3. Sam Neill, star of Jurassic Park, dies at age 78

MAJOR HEADLINES

HELL ON WHEELS — State trooper killed as fatal truck crashes expose licensing system concerns. Continue reading …

HEROIC CROWD — Naked man tried to kidnap 7-year-old from mother, stopped by bystanders during delayed police response: cops. Continue reading …

ON THE MEND — McConnell finally breaks silence and reveals what really put him in the hospital. Continue reading …

'HELD ME DOWN' — SJSU sends shocking response to request for docs on trans scandal coach's allegations. Continue reading …

CULTURE DIVIDE — Caitlin Clark controversy gets new layer as other White player faces different standard. Continue reading …

POLITICS

NO 'MINOR THING' — Exposed docs reveal why Tim Walz board awarded repeat child rapist pardon: ‘No future’. Continue reading …

LEFTIST INSURRECTION — Meet the far-left insurgents waging war on the Democratic establishment in 2026 midterms. Continue reading …

ECONOMIC ALARM — Steve Forbes backs Trump's Mt. Rushmore warning on communism: 'He's right'. Continue reading …

POLITICAL BONDS — From 'disgrace' to 'family': Trump's remarkable journey with Lindsey Graham. Continue reading …

Click here for more cartoons…

MEDIA

ON THE RECORD — Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed fires back at CNN choosing to 'fixate' on 'defund the police' comments. Continue reading …

MEA CULPA — Ro Khanna regrets his past support of Graham Platner after latest sexual assault allegation. Continue reading …

ACCESS GRANTED — Trump accepts Jake Tapper interview invite, tells anchor he's trying to move CNN onto a ‘normal path’. Continue reading …

IDENTITY CRISIS — Dana White lights up UFC production staff for misidentifying boxing star Shakur Stevenson as an NBA player. Continue reading …

OPINION

LISA DAFTARI — Lindsey Graham understood America's role in the world — and why it matters. Continue reading …

JONATHAN TURLEY — James Talarico cites 'well regulated' to defend gun control but leaves out a key word. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

MANNERS MATTER — Restaurant owner says dining room is 'not a playground' as etiquette experts weigh in on viral debate. Continue reading …

'YOU DON'T DO THAT' — Joe Rogan on Conor McGregor's kick that led to ACL tear. Continue reading …

INDY HEATS UP — Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA record as Fever humiliate defending champion Aces in Las Vegas. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on World Cup wins and burger breakthroughs. Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in as Washington mourns the sudden passing of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. Check it out ...

FOX WEATHER

What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…

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

Ancient gold ring unearthed at grave carries 2,000-year-old secret message

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:45 -0400

Archaeologists recently uncovered two gold rings at an ancient burial site in Thailand — one of them engraved with an intriguing message that dates back 2,000 years.

The rings were found at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in the Phetchaburi Province in late June, The Associated Press reported.

Thailand's Fine Arts Department said the rings were buried alongside human bones.

CAVE DISCOVERY PUSHES BACK EVIDENCE OF HUMAN ANCESTORS USING FIRE TO 1.79M YEARS AGO

Located in western Thailand, Don Yai Thong is about 80 miles southwest of Bangkok and was only recently identified as an archaeological site.

Residents found fragments of ancient bronze drums in a rice field earlier this year, prompting archaeologists to excavate the site.

A picture of one ring shows a short inscription etched into its oval face, which experts believe is written in the ancient Indian Brahmi script.

Experts believe the script reads "pusarakhitasa," meaning "the one protected by Pushya."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Pushya is a lunar constellation in ancient Indian astronomy long associated with good fortune and protection, suggesting the inscription may have been intended as a blessing.

The other gold ring is similarly well-preserved, but does not have any pattern.

Experts believe the rings' owner may have belonged to the Vaishya class, which was traditionally associated with merchants and traders in ancient India's caste system.

The rings are among a host of discoveries at the site, including eight human skeletons, bronze and gold jewelry, pottery and other artifacts.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

The grave goods suggest the deceased were members of society's upper class.

Research at the archaeological site will continue, officials said, and the excavation is expected to wrap up some time in July.

Eventually, the artifacts will be put on public display, the AP reported.

The discovery follows other archaeological excavations that have uncovered ancient gold treasures across the world.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

In February, Panamanian officials announced archaeologists had unearthed a more than 1,000-year-old tomb filled with gold artifacts, finely crafted ceramics and other funerary offerings at the El Caño archaeological site.

In May, Egyptian archaeologists uncovered a cache of ancient artifacts at the biblical city of Heliopolis, also known as On.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Senate returns to packed agenda after Graham's death shrinks GOP margin

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:53 -0400

Nominations, renewed fighting in Iran, government funding and President Donald Trump's flagship election bill await the Senate as it returns this week.

The upper chamber is coming back after a more than two-week hiatus to sprint through the remainder of July and march into the first week of August. And priorities have piled up, be it over divisions between the aisles or within the Senate GOP.

Adding to the uphill climb is the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., meaning that Republicans will be down one key vote in their push to move Trump's agenda.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., will be put to the task of keeping his conference together, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats are likely to look for any fractures they can in the GOP’s unity to slow down Trump’s agenda.

TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL

But Trump has done his part to derail some aspects of his own agenda, much of it over his determination to force Republicans to pass his flagship election integrity legislation, the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.

He already refused to sign a massive, bipartisan housing package in protest of the stalled legislation and now wants the GOP to attach the SAVE America Act to the perennial, must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which needs Democratic votes to pass. Adding the voter bill to the military funding authorization package would all but guarantee no Democrats would support it.

Republicans hope to begin the process on the NDAA in July and fear that trying to attach the SAVE America Act would just hand Schumer and Democrats leverage.

"We really empower the Democrats to have a reason to be able to stop stuff that otherwise they would probably have to vote for, whether it's the NDAA, whether it's an appropriations bill or whatever," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP REFUSES TO SIGN BIPARTISAN HOUSING BILL IN PROTEST OVER SAVE ACT

"They found that this can be an Achilles heel for Republicans because, as soon as we attach it to any kind of bill, they know the votes aren't there because, at a 60-vote margin, they'll never get us the votes because they know how important it is to us," he continued.

One key priority left over from before Republicans left town is replacing acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte, whose appointment by Trump in June blew up Congress’ push to reauthorize one of the nation’s key anti-terrorism tools over calls from both sides of the aisle that he was unqualified for the position.

His replacement, Jay Clayton, will appear for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, weeks after Trump yanked his initial hearing and further threw into doubt lawmakers’ ability to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Another Trump pick, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, will also have his confirmation hearing this week. Blanche, like any nominee, made the rounds with lawmakers before the recess explaining his role in the president’s now-defunct anti-weaponization fund. Whether he survives the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing remains in the air, given some Republicans are skeptical of him. Among those is Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who, for now, appears willing to support Blanche.

SENATE PUSH TO REAUTHORIZE NATION’S SPY POWERS STUMBLES OVER CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP DECISION

"I’m going to go through the nomination process. I have got a positive predisposition toward Blanche," Tillis told CNN.

Republicans are also eager to begin the government funding process and put to the test their fears that Democrats will again shut down the government for a political edge.

Rounds, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told Fox News Digital that he expected a handful of spending bills to make their way to the Senate floor during the July sprint.

Senate Democrats have told him they want to fund the government through appropriations, but fear that the Trump administration may withhold funding on some of their priorities. Whether they actually give Republicans the votes to pass the funding bills remains in the air.

"If they don't do that, then we'll know pretty well that the political side of the discussion is taking a priority for them," Rounds said. "And then we just as well start negotiating for a continuing resolution to get through the election and let the chips fall."

Another issue that could cause Democratic support for legislation to evaporate is the administration’s renewed strikes in Iran, which began last week over frustrations with ships being stymied by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

Several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle disliked Trump’s temporary agreement with Iran to continue negotiating a longer-lasting peace over the next two months, but welcomed the pause in fighting that came with it.

Trump nixed that last week.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks,’" he said on Truth Social. "We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!"

That will likely once again stoke Democrats’ continued push to rein in his war authorities in the region with even more votes on war powers resolutions in the coming weeks.

Lawmakers successfully passed a non-binding resolution to curb his authority in Iran, but fell short of pushing a full-blown war powers resolution to Trump’s desk.

"Congress voted against more war with Iran," Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The U.S. should not be launching new strikes without congressional authorization and restarting a war that has raised gas prices, killed Americans, and hurt the economy. The U.S. and Iran must return to a ceasefire."

Forget politics. This is what I found helping Venezuelan quake victims

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:50 -0400

Before I traveled to Venezuela to help with earthquake relief, I carried certain expectations with me. I went to help with Operation Blessing, the humanitarian organization I'm privileged to lead. Like a lot of Americans, most of what I knew about Venezuela came from headlines.

Years of stories about political turmoil, economic collapse and government dysfunction had quietly shaped the picture in my mind. I expected to find a country running on "empty." I expected suspicion and a harsh welcome. What I actually found was something else entirely.

I found one of the most beautiful countries I've ever set foot in. And more than that, I found some of the most resilient, generous people I've ever had the privilege of meeting. In community after community, I watched neighbors care for neighbors while having almost nothing themselves.

US MILITARY DEPLOYS MTVRS, AIRLIFTS AID TO VENEZUELA FOLLOWING DEADLY EARTHQUAKES

Taxi drivers drove 10 hours just to volunteer on search-and-rescue teams at ground zero. Families who had lost their own homes showed up to help clear the rubble from someone else's. Churches threw open their doors, and their volunteers worked until 2 a.m. to hand out emergency supplies and tens of thousands of hot meals that we prepared in an industrial kitchen that we’d taken ownership over.

The first responders there weren't all outsiders; the vast majority were Venezuelans.

Watching all of this unfold forced me to sit with something harder. Before our team ever deployed, I heard from people who questioned whether Americans should help Venezuela at all, given its politics.

US UPDATES TRAVEL WARNING FOR QUAKE-HIT NATION, CITING DISASTER RISKS AND VIOLENT CRIME

Some suggested the government had brought these troubles on itself. Others simply couldn't untangle the humanitarian crisis from the political headlines. I understand those concerns, I do. But having stood among families who had lost everything, I can tell you with certainty that we have to separate politics from people.

The children sleeping outside because their homes collapsed didn't create their country's political problems. The parents combing through debris for family photographs aren't responsible for government policy. The volunteers giving up their own time to help strangers aren't asking anyone to endorse a political system. They're simply asking for compassion.

History is full of moments when Americans have extended a hand to people living under governments very different from our own. We've fed the hungry, cared for the sick and answered the call after disaster, because that's who we are, not because we approved of every government involved. Humanitarian aid has always been about people first. That's exactly what I witnessed in Venezuela.

What surprised me most wasn't the destruction, or even the resilience. It was the warmth. Everywhere we went, people thanked us for coming. They expressed a genuine affection for Americans. They had no interest in politics. They were simply grateful that someone cared enough to stand beside them in one of the darkest moments of their lives.

BOY, 2, PULLED ALIVE FROM RUBBLE SIX DAYS AFTER VENEZUELA'S DEVASTATING TWIN EARTHQUAKES

It reminded me that ordinary people around the world have far more in common than the nightly news would ever suggest. They love their children. They worry about their families. They celebrate with neighbors. They grieve together after tragedy. And when disaster strikes, so many of them instinctively reach out to help one another, even when they've suffered tremendous loss themselves.

I left Venezuela with a very different perspective than the one I brought with me. The headlines had prepared me to see a political story. What I found instead was a human one.

One conversation has stayed with me since I came home. I learned that some Venezuelans are still displaced from the 1999 Vargas tragedy, one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country's history. More than a quarter-century later, the effects of that catastrophe are still shaping lives today.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

It was a sobering reminder that while disasters make headlines for a few days or weeks, recovery is measured in years, sometimes in generations. The families hit by this latest earthquake are staring down that same long road. Once the cameras leave and the world's attention moves on, they'll still need safe places to live, schools to reopen, jobs to return and communities to rebuild.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

We can't solve every challenge facing Venezuela. But we can decide not to forget its people. Whether you choose to volunteer, support your church's relief efforts, or give to a trusted humanitarian organization, your compassion can help make sure this tragedy doesn't become another forgotten chapter in a family's story.

Governments may divide us. Human suffering shouldn't. The people I met in Venezuela reminded me that hope is built one act of kindness at a time. And it's my prayer that we'll keep showing up for them long after the headlines fade.

Apple and Google suppressed negative Graham Platner stories for months on their news platform, study finds

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:29 -0400

FIRST ON FOX — Apple and Google spent months suppressing negative news stories about the scandal-plagued Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner prior to his recent downfall, according to a new study obtained by Fox News Digital.

The Media Research Center (MRC), a conservative watchdog group, found that Apple News and Google News published zero stories between November of last year and May of this year about the various controversies that muddied Platner's Senate bid, including headlines about his Nazi tattoo and his offensive Reddit posts.

The MRC study said the blackout in coverage began after a poll released in late October suggested Platner was the most formidable Democrat to unseat Maine's incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and that the blackout ended following The New York Times' May 30 report about Platner's sexting controversy.

PLATNER ACCUSER RECALLS 'GASLIGHTING,' 'BETRAYAL' FROM NY TIMES AS SHE CAME FORWARD WITH HER ALLEGATIONS

According to the study, Apple News and Google News failed to promote "at least 112" news stories published by conservative-leaning outlets that scrutinized Platner during that November-May period.

MRC President David Bozell accused the tech platforms of having run a "protection racket" for Platner.

"For months, while Platner looked like the one Democrat who could beat Susan Collins, the two most powerful news apps in America buried scandal after scandal," Bozell said. "Then the polls turned, Platner became a liability, and suddenly the blackout ended. News judgment had nothing to do with it."

"Millions of smartphone users were denied the truth while Platner was politically useful and finally allowed to see it once he wasn’t," Bozell added.

NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER

Google firmly pushed back, suggesting the study "mistakes volume of news for bias" while dismissing the methodology and providing a link to "facts" about Google News.

"These claims are totally false and based on a completely flawed methodology. The study checked Google News once a day from a single account, ignoring the fact that Google News automatically updates throughout the day, and shows news personalized to your interests and location. You can also easily select sources you want to see more often in News and Search," a Google spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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

Platner officially withdrew from the race on Friday after two of his exes came forward with sexual misconduct allegations against him, all of which he has firmly denied.

GRAHAM PLATNER'S MOST PROMINENT PRESS ALLIES ABANDON HIM AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS MAINE SENATE RACE

Jennifer Racicot alleged in an interview with Politico that in 2021, Platner drunkenly entered her home uninvited and sexually assaulted her. Lyndsey Fifield claimed in an interview with The Washington Post that during her relationship with Platner between 2013–2015, he repeatedly removed his condom during sex without her knowledge nor consent, an action known as stealthing, which has been made illegal in multiple states.

Fifield previously alleged physical abuse from Platner, including an instance where he once "twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out," according to an interview with the Times.

Despite all the controversies that have mounted over the past several months, it wasn't until after Racicot's interview with Politico that Democrats began pulling their support from Platner.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Platner, who overwhelmingly won the Democratic primary last month, said he plans to formally withdraw his name from the ballot on Monday, giving Maine Democrats a chance to replace him in hopes of defeating Collins in November.

Cam Jordan credits annual 'Sack Summit' with sharpening his pass rush skills before final year with Saints

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:04 -0400

Cam Jordan is returning to the New Orleans Saints for a 16th year, which he expects to be his last.

Before he heads to training camp for what’s likely to be a farewell tour, and what he hopes ends with his first career Super Bowl, Jordan participated in an event he loves to attend each year.

The annual Sack Summit in Las Vegas, which was started by All-Pro edge rusher Von Miller in 2017 before Jordan and Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby joined in to help organize, is a three-day, knowledge-gathering, chemistry-building extravaganza where the superstars, veterans, budding phenoms and more collectively grow the position through drills, talks and film study.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

It’s an event that Jordan told Fox News Digital he was at from the beginning when it was just Miller’s brainchild. Now, it’s something that’s evolved into a must-have on your calendar if you want to grow as a defensive lineman in the NFL — at least in Jordan’s eyes.

"I’ve been a part of those camps way back when," he told Fox News Digital, while also discussing how impactful Raising Cane’s has been throughout the last three years as the camp’s sponsor. "So, the fact that we can all team up, call our friends around the league, and come in and talk ball. It’s that mentality.

"You’re talking to [New York Giants star] Brian Burns about how he likes to get after the pass rush. You talk about the likes of Chandler Jones back in the day of how he liked to switch up his timing with pass rushes, how he rushed the edge. You see big [Tennessee Titans star] Jeff Simmons come through at D-tackle, and talk about what he likes."

SAINTS' CAM JORDAN EYES SUPER BOWL GLORY IN WHAT HE EXPECTS TO BE FINAL NFL SEASON

And even legends of the game come through to the Sack Summit to share their thoughts, stories and wise advice, including Giants legend Lawrence Taylor, who spoke to the group this year.

"Whether it’s Warren Sapp, John Randle, or whoever walks through just talking about how the game has changed, which pass rushes stayed the same. What they see, the influx. It’s all about the progressive mentality of pass rushers," Jordan added.

Considering how long Jordan has been in the league, and the Hall of Fame-worthy career he’s put into the stat sheets and record books, picking his brain is a must for the next generation. But, as he said, he’s seen so many different generations come through the Sack Summit, all of them hungry to learn.

"For the last 12 years, you’ve seen the next generation, right? The NFL average of contracts is three and change, so you figure after your first four years, it’s really the next generation already if you look at it that way," he said. "I’ve seen multiple ages come through where it’s now more along the lines of not being afraid to give the information at hand. I tell guys all the time, for whatever I give you, take all of it. Be able to use all of it because I’m going to take something back. The best part of the craft is you can always evolve."

Even though he might hope the door is shut on his career when the 2026 season is over, Jordan is going to give it his all for the Saints before the final whistle blows. Perhaps, as he’s chasing the names above him on the all-time sack leaders list, he gets to the quarterback using something he learned from his peers in Sin City. Or vice versa.

"You’re very prideful of the people you have an imprint on," he said, candidly.

The Sack Summit is also about impacting communities, as every player can also learn how they can help those who cheer for them in the stands when they’re off the field.

Jordan, as well as Miller and Crosby, have collaborated with Raising Cane’s and owner Todd Graves to make a difference. For Jordan, he and Graves share a love for the New Orleans community, which is where Raising Cane’s began. Graves has supported The Cam Jordan Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program through a donation to award four exceptional high school seniors with full tuition coverage for four years in January 2025.

And during the holidays, Jordan, as well as his Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, were among many NFL players gifting Raising Cane’s branded bicycles and helmets to children to the Boys and Girls Clubs around the country.

"Todd Graves with Cane’s, the ‘One Love,’ [slogan], he makes it felt every time in any circumstance," Jordan said. "I’ve been able to lean on him a couple times over the last few years to get things done, not only with my foundation, but Sack Summit as well as the activations he partakes in with Cane’s. He’s such a stand-up, great guy. It’s easy to want to be around him. It’s easy to realize, yeah, he has Louisiana ties, which for me is day one, easy to lay into. But it’s more along the lines of he’s great at giving advice.

"He also understands these kids coming up, he really just wants to help steer them the right way as well. He has a great ideology on mentorship, just trying to talk to the next generation because he understands the mistakes he made growing up. It’s like the uncle that’s always trying to impart knowledge, you know?"

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The "One Love" slogan at Raising Cane’s, which also fed the players during the event, is truly what the Sack Summit is all about, too. While some of these players will be rivals come Week 1, it’s the art of one of the hardest position groups on the field that bonds them together.

The best of the best, learning from the best of the best. For Jordan, and the many others who travel out to the desert each year, it doesn’t get any better than that.

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

Why careful people still end up on data broker sites

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:56:25 -0400

Your data broker profile can expose more than most of us realize. It may include your current address, old addresses, relatives, phone numbers and public records that were never tied to a phishing link or hacked password. That is what makes this so frustrating. Strong passwords, two-factor authentication and smart online habits all help protect your accounts. However, they do not stop data brokers from collecting public records and commercial sign-up data.

Those details can then show up on people-search sites. Even worse, scammers can use them to make a fake call, text or email sound personal and believable. Here is where data broker profiles get their information, why careful online behavior alone falls short and what steps can help reduce what strangers can find about you.

Free live CyberGuy class: Sick of Spam? Join us July 22

Join us Wednesday, July 22, at 1 PM ET for a free CyberGuy Live class that will help you cut down on robocalls, spam texts, junk email and other unwanted messages. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will walk you step by step through simple ways to filter spam, clean up your inbox and recognize the messages that could put your personal information at risk. No technical experience is needed. You’ll also receive our spam-stopping checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward.

Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com.

FAKE VA SHOE OFFER TARGETS VETERANS

Where data broker profiles get your information

Most people assume data brokers get information the same way hackers do, through breaches, weak passwords or phishing links. That can happen. However, a lot of personal information comes from public records and commercial lists.

Data brokers can build profiles from records that may exist even when someone barely uses the internet, including:

Property deeds and real estate filings
Voter registration rolls
Civil and criminal court filings
Marriage and divorce records
Bankruptcy filings
Business registration filings
Professional license databases

In many U.S. states, these records are public under state or local rules. Data brokers do not need to hack anything to collect them. They can buy, scrape or license the information on an ongoing basis. A home purchase, marriage, divorce or voter registration can create a public record. That record may include a name and address. Once filed, it can become raw material for a data broker profile.

How everyday sign-ups feed data broker profiles

Government records are only one part of the problem. Everyday consumer activity can also feed data broker databases, including:

Loyalty program sign-ups
Warranty registrations
Magazine subscriptions
Contest and sweepstakes entries
Real estate transaction data

Commercial aggregators can combine those details with public records to build an enriched consumer profile. Registering the warranty on a dishwasher does not make anyone reckless. Entering a magazine sweepstakes does not make anyone careless. However, both can put personal information into a pipeline built to package and resell it.

How data broker lists can fuel real-world scams

This can sound abstract until a list gets used against real people.

Data broker InfoUSA reportedly sold a list of 19,000 verified elderly sweepstakes players to experienced scam artists. The scammers stole more than $100 million by calling people on the list and pretending to be government or insurance workers. Then they claimed they needed bank account information.

Another case shows the same risk on a larger scale. The Justice Department said Epsilon Data Management sold consumer data to fraud schemes and agreed to pay $150 million to resolve a criminal charge tied to elder fraud. DOJ later said two former Epsilon employees were sentenced after evidence showed they sold targeted lists to a fraudster client who used the data to defraud more than 218,000 victims out of more than $23.7 million.

That should stop you cold. The victims did ordinary things. Their names ended up in marketing databases and lead lists they may never have known existed. Then scammers used those lists to make fraud more targeted, more personal and much harder to spot.

Curious how exposed you already are?

Run a free scan to see where your information is showing up online-results usually land within an hour. Run your free exposure scan. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

SELLING YOUR HOME THIS SUMMER? YOUR DATA IS ALREADY MOVING

Why good online habits do not erase public records

This is the part that can catch a lot of you off guard, especially if you are already careful online. You may skip loyalty cards, avoid sweepstakes and toss warranty cards straight into the trash.

Even so, your information can still show up online because some details come from public records. Property records, vehicle registrations, voter rolls, professional licenses and court filings can all leave a trail with your name attached. In some cases, your profile may also connect you to relatives through someone else's record.

That means online safety only solves part of the problem. Strong passwords, a password manager and two-factor authentication (2FA) help protect your accounts. However, they do not remove public records that data brokers collect, package and resell.

5 ways to protect your data broker profile now

A few smart moves can help reduce what is already exposed and limit how much new information flows into data broker databases.

1) Search your name on people-search sites

Start by checking what is already public. Search your name on sites like Spokeo, Whitepages and BeenVerified. Look for your address, phone number, relatives and previous locations. This gives you a clearer sense of what scammers, strangers or aggressive marketers may already be able to find.

2) Replace easy-to-guess security answers

If a bank, email account or financial app asks for your mother's maiden name, birth city, first school or old street name, assume that answer may already appear in a data broker profile. Replace it with a made-up answer and store it in a password manager. The answer does not have to be true. It just has to be consistent and hard for someone else to guess.

3) Limit what you give away going forward

Be more selective with loyalty programs, warranty cards, sweepstakes and online forms. Use only the required fields when possible. Consider using a separate or alias email address for sign-ups, and avoid handing over your phone number unless it is truly needed. Small choices like this can reduce the amount of new data flowing into broker databases.

4) Talk to older relatives before a scammer does

Older relatives are often the final target, reached through a profile built from public records, family connections or past sign-ups. Set a family code word for emergency calls or texts. If someone claims there is an accident, arrest, hospital bill or urgent money problem, the code word gives your family a fast way to know whether the call is real.

5) Use a data removal service for ongoing cleanup

A data removal service can help remove your personal information from data broker and people-search sites without forcing you to chase every listing yourself. These services contact data brokers on your behalf, request removal of your information and keep checking when your data reappears.

That ongoing follow-up is important because data broker profiles can come back when databases refresh or when your information gets pulled from another source. Look for a service that covers hundreds of data broker and people-search sites, offers recurring removals and lets you request cleanup from specific sites where your personal information appears.

I also recommend considering coverage for your whole household. Family members can be linked together in data broker profiles, so removing only one person’s information may leave other exposed details behind. A family plan can help protect addresses, relatives, phone numbers and other personal information across everyone in your home.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

FTC CHIEF ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF 'TRYING TO PROTECT THE FRAUDSTERS' BY WITHHOLDING DATA FROM TRUMP ADMIN

Kurt's key takeaways

What concerns me most about data broker profiles is how little of this comes from a mistake you made online. You can use strong passwords, avoid phishing emails and turn on two-factor authentication, yet your address, old addresses and family connections may still appear on people-search sites. That gives scammers a head start. A fake call or text sounds more believable when it includes real details about you or someone you love. The best move is to treat data broker cleanup as part of your regular privacy routine. Search your own name, change easy-to-guess security answers, limit what you share on forms and consider using a data removal service that keeps checking when your information comes back.

What personal detail would worry you most if it showed up on a people-search site: your address, phone number, relatives or something else? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com - trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Sports cartoons of the day

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

SJSU refuses to provide public records related to investigation of allegations against volleyball coach

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:00:44 -0400

San Jose State University says it won't disclose any emails related to an investigation into graphic allegations against volleyball coach Todd Kress that the university was informed of in October 2024. The university has not issued any public statement addressing the allegations at the time of publication.

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to SJSU seeking emails related to an investigation of those allegations, but the request was denied.

"SJSU has conducted a reasonable search for these records under California Government Code §7922.535 and has determined the requested records are not disclosable under the Public Records Act," SJSU attorney Laurette Hanna wrote in a response to Fox News Digital, citing privacy exemptions and attorney-client privilege.

The university's refusal to fulfill a request for the documents comes after Fox News Digital reported last Tuesday on a letter containing allegations against Kress from one of his former players at Fairfield University in 1998, that was sent to SJSU on Oct. 24, 2024, while the volleyball team was embroiled in a season overshadowed by national controversy over the presence of a trans athlete on the team.

The letter's contents included the allegations that Kress "forcibly threw me on the bed" then "pulled his pants down and put his back side in my face," and then "picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down and threatened to turn on the shower with me laying there."

SJSU WAS TOLD OF DECADES-OLD ALLEGATIONS AGAINST VOLLEYBALL COACH DURING CONTROVERSIAL 2024 SEASON

"First, the request seeks documents exempt under attorney-client privilege. Additionally, the requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests. Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Specifically, these records are being withheld subject to the following exemptions," the response added.

"Attorney-Client Privilege. Records subject to the attorney-client privilege and/or attorney work product doctrine. Cal. Govt. Code §7927.705; Cal. Evid. Code §950, et seq., Cal. Code Civ. Pro. §2018.030(a).

"Personnel Records/Privacy. Employee records that include personal information, the release of which would constitute an invasion of personal privacy. Cal. Govt. Code §§7927.700, 7928.300, 7922.000.

"General Privacy Rights. Cal. Govt. Code §7927.705; Cal. Const. Art. 1, §1.

"Balancing Test. Records where the public interest against disclosure outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Cal. Govt. Code §7922.000. Here, the public interest served by disclosure is minimal and is outweighed by the public interest served against disclosure in protecting substantial and significant privacy rights.

"The decision that certain records are exempt and will not be disclosed was made by J. Leah Castella."

Fox News Digital specifically sought any emails sent or received by former SJSU interim Title IX and Gender Equity Officer Peter Lim, "regarding a letter with a complaint against SJSU volleyball coach Todd Kress from his former Fairfield player [name redacted], and any subsequent investigation of the allegations in the complaint."

Fox News Digital has since reached back out to SJSU admins, Kress, Lim, Hanna and Castella asking "Why does the university deem the privacy disclosure outweighs the public interest when Kress currently has overseen multiple rosters of young women dating back to the moment the complaint was sent to the University in Oct. 24, and that the university has employed him to actively recruit high school athletes in that time as well?"

But Fox News Digital has not received a response at the time of publication.

Fox News Digital was given copies of emails exchanged between SJSU and the former Fairfield player, from an independently verified source. Fox News Digital has independently verified she played at Fairfield under Kress in the 1998 season, but is not disclosing her name.

The original letter was written by a woman that played for Kress at Fairfield University in the late '90s, and sent to SJSU on Oct. 24, 2024.

That first email she sent to SJSU contained the letter with the written allegations against Kress, that was originally sent to Fairfield University. The alleged incident occurred in a hotel after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament in December of that year. She wrote that a teammate asked her to bring her a shirt to Kress’ room.

INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’

"I told her I wanted no part of his insanity. I was distraught about the loss and wasn’t interested in his drunken insanity, which was commonplace on trips."

The former player added that her teammate "promised Todd would not throw water at me or do something juvenile so I reluctantly agreed to bring her the shirt."

"I knocked on the door and Todd answered. He immediately took caramel from a plastic container and smeared it all over my face and hair. He then forcibly threw me on the bed and held me down. I was in shock. He let go of me and then pulled his pants down and put his back side in my face.

"Astonished... that is the only word I can think of to describe how I felt in that moment... Todd was drunk. I got up and went for the door.

"Todd again grabbed me, picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down and threatened to turn on the shower with me laying there to ‘clean the caramel off of my face.’ At this point I was fighting back to get away from him.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"Todd let me get out of the tub, laughing, and then he stood in front of the door blocking my exit. Todd told me he would only let me leave if I took a shot of liquor, which I did only to get him to move away from the door. Once he did, I ran for it. He chased me. I got into my room and although he seemed to be in a rage, he turned and calmly walked out," the letter alleges.

The former player goes on to allege her teammates "had been drinking with Todd underage." She also claimed she did not report the incident at the time because she "was scared of losing my scholarship and being the reason my teammates lost theirs."

When that letter was sent to SJSU, Kress was in the middle of leading a Spartans team that was near the top of the Mountain West Conference standings.

They got there through a few wins and a lot of forfeits from other teams, as SJSU was at the center of a national media controversy over a transgender player. A female teammate had joined a lawsuit claiming she hadn’t been told of that player’s birth sex before joining the team and living together.

Later that day on Oct. 24, 2024, SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya responded to the former Fairfield player in an email.

"I want to acknowledge that I am in receipt of your correspondence and will share it with the proper authorities on the SJSU campus for additional review," Konya wrote.

More than a week later, on Nov. 4, former SJSU interim Title IX and Gender Equity Officer Peter Lim reached out to set up a meeting with the former player and her attorney.

"Thank you for sharing your concerns about Coach Todd Kress. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. I have reviewed your letter and would like to meet with you to better understand your experiences with Coach Kress. The purpose of the meeting would be to help me assess potential next steps, which may or may not include an investigation into the reported conduct," Lim wrote.

Three days after that, on Nov. 7, Lim sent another email to the former Fairfield player, thanking her and her attorney for meeting with them.

"I am so sorry about your prior experiences with Todd Kress at Fairfield University. I appreciate the time you took to describe those experiences, the impact those experiences continue to have on you, and the safety threat that you believe he presents to SJSU’s volleyball team," Lim wrote.

"We are evaluating the information you provided and determining appropriate next steps. If it is okay with the two of you, I would appreciate staying in touch."

There was no further correspondence between the two parties after that exchange, Fox News Digital has learned.

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request seeking copies of documents with criteria that match the emails exchanged between SJSU and Kress’ former player, but the university formally declined the that one too, stating "the requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests."

"The requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests," the university's response stated.

"Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Specifically, these records are being withheld subject to the following exemptions: Personnel Records/Privacy... General Privacy Rights... [and the] Balancing Test. Here, the public interest served by disclosure is minimal and is outweighed by the public interest served against disclosure in protecting substantial and significant privacy rights."

The university is currently engaged in a Title IX legal battle on multiple fronts, for issues entirely unrelated to the allegations against Kress, over the trans athlete scandal that played out from 2022-24 under the leadership of Kress and former SJSU head volleyball coach Trent Kersten.

SJSU and the California State University system (CSU) are also suing President Donald Trump's administration after the U.S. Department of Education (ED) determined SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of the trans athlete, challenging the department's findings.

CSU was granted a court order that states that CSU and ED must file joint status reports every 60 days until the federal defendants decide whether to withhold, pause, terminate, freeze, block, or otherwise refuse funding to SJSU or CSU, or take related action.

If ED decides to withhold funds or take other action, the parties must submit a proposed expedited briefing and hearing schedule within two business days. The schedule is intended to allow CSU to file a motion and have briefing and a hearing completed within 45 days of the government’s decision.

Until that process occurs, ED's findings will have no effect on SJSU or CSU’s eligibility for federal funds. The Department of Education may not withhold, suspend, or disrupt federal funds based on that letter, proposed agreement, related findings, or the facts under investigation until 30 days after the court hearing, assuming the briefing and hearing happen within 60 days of the government’s decisio

ED's findings, which were provided by SJSU to Fox News Digital in response to a public records request, suggest the school allegedly considered potential media attention that would arise from taking any disciplinary action against Kress, and the affect it would have on the team.

The findings do not mention the coach by name, but Fox News Digital reasonably believes the figure titled "Coach 2" in the findings to be current SJSU volleyball head coach Todd Kress. The findings specify Coach 2 as the current head coach of the SJSU volleyball team who began his tenure in the 2023, which was the year Kress took over his current position.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Additional notes indicate the decision to not suspend Coach 2 also included the improper consideration: 'If we relieve him… [w]e could also spark more media attention…. ' University records indicate University officials, including the President of the University, agreed to not suspend Coach 2 because they felt his suspension would unduly disrupt the team," the findings state.

Former SJSU volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser also leads a lawsuit against SJSU and the CSU for Title IX violations after she shared living spaces and changing spaces with transgender former teammate Blaire Fleming, without being told Fleming was a biological male.

Restaurant owner says dining room is 'not a playground' as etiquette experts weigh in on viral debate

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:00:29 -0400

A California restaurant owner went viral for asking parents to control their children while dining and warning that they will be responsible for any damage their kids cause to the restaurant's property.

Chez Xue, located in Foster City in the San Francisco Bay Area, posted the notice more than a year ago, but it only recently went viral after a picture of it was posted on social media.

"Please control your children," the notice reads. "Chez Xue is a family-friendly restaurant. However, we are not a playground. Please ensure children REMAIN SEATED at all times and respectful of fellow guests and the dining environment. Running around, shouting, making noise with utensils, etc. WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! Guests not respecting this policy may be asked to leave. We will hold parents financially liable for all damage caused by their children to restaurant property."

'MASTERCHEF' FINALIST SAYS BUSY FAMILIES ARE LOSING SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOME-COOKED MEALS

The post drew about 1.7 million views and a flood of reactions.

"Our intention was not to start some sort of debate," Chez Xue owner You You Xue told Fox News Digital.

Rather, the policy is about keeping order in the restaurant, he said.

"The policy is common sense, and the reaction is a little bit confusing," Xue said.

Still, Xue said "the vast majority" of customers and the public have been supportive.

FED UP WITH SCREAMING KIDS AT DINNER? MORE AMERICANS SUPPORT ADULTS-ONLY DINING

Children's behavior at his restaurant has deteriorated over the past year, Xue said, prompting him to post the notice. Parents increasingly seem to be "abdicating personal responsibility" when it comes to raising their children, he said.

He recalled children running through the restaurant "like it's a racetrack" while servers carried large bowls of hot soup, flaming clay pots and sharp knives. Other children have climbed on outdoor umbrellas or carved designs onto custom wooden tables while parents watched without intervening, he said.

Xue also recalled seeing a parent change a child's diaper on a dining table next to other customers.

In another instance, a parent handed a standalone credit card machine to a child, who dropped it and shattered the screen. Xue said the parents ultimately paid $327 to replace it after initially trying to negotiate a lower amount because the machine had already been used.

"We've had to twist parents' arms a few times or threaten legal action," Xue said. "Most parents would prefer to just avoid this to begin with."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, founder of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio, said businesses have every right to establish expectations for customer behavior.

"No customer wants to eat off the table from another customer who just changed a diaper on the table, regardless of whether or not it was previously cleaned," Gottsman told Fox News Digital. "It's simply unhygienic, unappetizing and can hurt business."

Restaurants also provide an opportunity for parents to teach children patience, manners and consideration for others, Texas-based professional development expert Jan Goss told Fox News Digital.

"Children need these opportunities to learn how to function in public spaces," said Goss, who raised three biological children, has eight grandchildren and has reared more than 50 foster children.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

She acknowledged it can be difficult for toddlers to sit still for long periods, but allowing them to run around a restaurant creates a safety risk for everyone.

"It's all about respect," she said. "It's not restrictive. Respect allows everyone to be able to enjoy the same space."

Some news outlets have reported that Chez Xue is fining parents.

"This is not a fine," Xue clarified. "This is about basic respect."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Xue's restaurant remains "family-forward," and he noted that about 98% of children who dine there are well-behaved. Xue said he has no plans to ban kids.

"It really is the parents who aren't doing their jobs," he said. "We're not going to allow the few to ruin it for the many."

He encouraged parents to treat dining out as a privilege and teach children to respect a restaurant as they would someone else's home.

"I'm not trying to be condescending," Xue said. "I'm really just trying to be transparent with my customers."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Kids are not born knowing restaurant etiquette, Goss added, but the restaurant environment can be "a great teachable moment that benefits children for the rest of their [lives]."

Meet the far-left insurgents waging war on the Democratic establishment in 2026 midterms

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:00:22 -0400

The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party is moving to a much larger stage.

After victories by far-left and socialist candidates in dark blue congressional districts in New York City and Colorado the past couple of weeks drew plenty of national attention, the spotlight now shifts to Midwestern battlegrounds.

Hours after Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed challenger and first-time candidate Melat Kiros toppled 15-term Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in last week's primary in Denver's deep blue 1st Congressional District, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri predicted on social media: "On August 4th, St. Louis will do the same."

A trio of far-left congressional candidates' victories heavily supported by socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have emboldened progressives as they try to turn their upsets into a far-left national pressure campaign against the Democratic Party.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY CIVIL WAR HITS DEBATE STAGE IN CRUCIAL PRIMARY SHOWDOWN

"Only socialism can solve decades of capitalist mismanagement in the US. Our newly elected leaders will fight for the working class — not for crumbs," the DSA proclaimed in a social media post celebrating the string of primary election victories.

DSA-backed Bush is running to win back her seat in the Missouri's St. Louis-anchored 1st Congressional District. The far left is also training its firepower on Michigan, which holds its primary on the same day as Missouri on Aug. 4.

One week later, on Aug. 11, Wisconsin will hold its primary elections. That's where DSA-backed state Rep. Francesca Hong is on the rise among a crowded field of candidates in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

"It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist," Hong posted on X last month after the progressive victories in New York City, in which two Democratic congressional incumbents lost renomination. "Wisconsin is next!"

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

It's undeniable that progressives are gaining momentum and attention, but the real test will come in November when they face off with Republicans and find out if their message on "Medicare-for-all," the Green New Deal, higher taxes on the rich and abolishing ICE will resonate when the stakes are higher.

Ahead of the upcoming primaries, Fox News Digital takes a look at the 19 Democratic incumbents and 20 candidates who have won nomination so far this year who are backed by either the DSA or two other far-left groups, Justice Democrats (JD) and the Working Families Party (WFP).

Charles Booker - Kentucky Senate

WFP-backed Charles Booker is making his third bid for the Senate in red-leaning Kentucky.

A former state representative, Booker lost in the 2020 Senate primary but won the nomination two years later before losing by over 23 points to Republican Sen. Rand Paul.

This time around, Booker defeated Amy McGrath, the 2020 Senate nominee, in Kentucky's May primary and is the underdog in the general election against GOP Rep. Andy Barr.

The winner will succeed former Republican Senate Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is in the throes of a health scare and retiring this year after four decades in the chamber.

Bob Brooks - Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District

Brooks, a retired firefighter and president of the Pennsylvania Fire Fighters Association, was handpicked by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro to run for Congress.

The WFP-backed Brooks won the May Democratic primary in a swing district in northeast Pennsylvania, and is challenging incumbent GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in a midterm race that's among two or three dozen that will determine if Republicans hold their razor-thin House majority.

Connie Chan - California 11th Congressional District

Chan, born in Hong Kong and endorsed by the WFP, serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She is running to succeed retiring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Fellow Democrat Scott Wiener, a state senator, will face off with Chan in the general election in November in the heavily blue district that sits entirely within San Francisco's city limits.

Darializa Avila Chevalier - New York 13th Congressional District

Chevalier, a DSA member who was also backed by the Justice Democrats, stunned political circles from coast to coast in the June New York primary by ousting incumbent Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

The far-left Chevalier, a community organizer who has created controversy with past comments and anti-Israel rhetoric, is considered the overwhelming general election favorite in the Democrat-dominated district located in northern Manhattan and the Bronx.

Alissa Ellman - New York 24th Congressional District

Ellman, a U.S. Army veteran who later served as a military contractor in Afghanistan, won the June Democratic primary in the upstate New York congressional district.

The WFP-backed Ellman, who worked at the Veterans Administration before being let go amid the DOGE cuts, faces an uphill climb to victory in November in the solidly red district against Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney.

Chris Galant - New York 1st Congressional District

Galant, an air traffic controller backed by the WFP, cruised to the Democratic nomination in New York's June primary.

But he'll be the underdog against GOP Rep. Nick LaLota in the right-leaning district on the eastern end and north shore of Long Island.

Aaron Gies - New York 23rd Congressional District

A college professor, Geis is another candidate supported by the WFP that won hs Democratic primary election in New York in a landslide.

But the candidate faces a steep uphill climb in the general election against incumbent Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy in the solidly red district based in western New York and in the state's southern tier.

Angela Gonzales-Torres - California 34th Congressional District

Gonzales-Torres, a former neighborhood council president who also worked in the Los Angeles mayor's office, advanced to the general election in last month's California primary.

Backed by the JD and the WFP, Gonzales-Torres is facing off in the autumn against incumbent Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez in the solidly blue congressional district anchored in Los Angeles.

Deb Haaland - New Mexico governor

Haaland, a former congresswoman who made history as the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary during her tenure running the Interior Department in then-President Joe Biden's administration, is the Democratic nominee for New Mexico governor.

The WFP-backed Haaland is considered the favorite as she faces off in the general election against Republican Gregg Hull in the left-leaning southwestern state.

Pat Halpin - New York 2nd Congressional District

Halpin, a former Suffolk County executive, is the Democratic congressional nominee for a seat that covers the central portions of Long Island's South Shore.

The WFP-endorsed Halpin is the underdog against incumbent GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino in the general election.

Adam Hamawy - New Jersey 12th Congressional District

Hamawy, a plastic surgeon and former U.S. Army combat surgeon, grabbed national attention in 2024 as part of a volunteer team of American doctors in Gaza who were unable to leave after Israel closed border crossings during its war with Hamas.

The JD-backed Hamawy topped a crowded field of candidates to win the party's congressional primary in the solidly blue district in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.

During the primary campaign, Hamawy's past ties to a convicted terrorist who was convicted of seditious conspiracy linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing resurfaced.

Frederick Douglass Haynes III - Texas 30th Congressional District

Haynes, the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, won the March Democratic primary in a landslide in the race to succeed Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate instead of seeking re-election.

The JD-backed Haynes is considered the overwhelming favorite against Republican nominee Everett Jackson in the Democrat-dominated district located in the southern portions of Dallas.

Melat Kiros - Colorado 1st Congressional District

The DSA-endorsed Kiros drew plenty of national attention in Colorado's June primary when she toppled Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette, who has served in Congress for 30 years representing the Denver seat.

The 29-year-old first-time candidate and attorney, who is also backed by the JD and WFP, is now on a glide path to Washington in the Democrat-dominated district.

Past comments by Kiros that American foreign policy had made the 9/11 terror attacks "inevitable" were spotlighted during her primary clash with DeGette.

Brad Lander - New York 10th Congressional District

Supported by Mamdani and WFP, Lander ousted incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in New York's June primary. The former New York City comptroller ran against Mamdani in last year's mayoral primary before becoming one of his top allies in the general election.

Lander is the clear favorite in the general election in the deep blue district which covers lower Manhattan and the northwestern neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

Brian Poindexter - Ohio 7th Congressional District

Poindexter, an iron worker and a councilman in a small city in suburban Cleveland, is backed by the WFP.

He'll take on GOP Rep. Max Miller in the right-leaning district in the general election.

Chris Rabb - Pennsylvania 3rd Congressional District

The DSA, WFP and JD all support Rabb, who won the June Pennsylvania primary in the Philadelphia anchored district in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans.

Rabb, a leftist supported by the Squad, is the overwhelming favorite in the dark blue district.

Claire Valdez - New York 7th Congressional District

Valdez, a state lawmaker endorsed by the DSA, won New York's June congressional primary to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez in a district that includes parts of Brooklyn and Queens.

Valez, who topped Velázquez-backed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso for the Democratic nomination, is the clear favorite to win in November in the Democrat-dominated district.

Mai Vang - California 7th Congressional District

Vang, a Sacramento city councilor, slightly edged Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui in the state's June nonpartisan primary.

The WFP and JD-endorsed Vang and Matsui will face off again in November's general election for the solidly blue seat, which includes downtown Sacramento and suburban areas.

Randy Villegas - California 22nd Congressional District

Villegas, a school board trustee in the San Joaquin Valley city of Visalia, came in second to Republican Rep. David Valadao in California's June primary.

The WFP-backed Villegas, a Democrat, topped fellow Democrat Jasmeet Bains to advance to the general election against Valadao in the crucial swing district race.

Aisha Wahab - California 14th Congressional District

Wahab, who is supported by the WFP, came in first in California's primary, and will face off with fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez in the general election in the solidly blue district south and southwest of Oakland.

The winner in November will fill the seat left vacant when then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was running for governor, ended his campaign and resigned from Congress in April amid scandal involving sexual misconduct allegations.

Rep. Alma Adams - North Carolina 12th Congressional District

Adams has represented a bright blue district anchored in Charlotte and surrounding Mecklenburg County for nearly a dozen years. Known for wearing distinctive hats in Congress, Adams is backed by the WFP.

She cruised to renomination in the early March primary and is considered the clear frontrunner against GOP challenger Jack Codiga, a finance professional.

Rep. Greg Cesar - Texas 37th Congressional District

Cesar, a former Austin city councilman, currently represents the state's 35th district, but is running for re-election in the recently redrawn 37th District.

The chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus is backed by the WFP.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal - Washington 7th Congressional District

Jayapal, the first Indian American woman elected to Congress, for a decade has represented a Seattle-based district.

The JD-backed Jayapal, who served as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for four years earlier this decade, is on a glide path to re-election in the bluest district in the Pacific Northwest.

Rep. Tim Kennedy - New York 26th Congressional District

Kennedy represents a western New York district that stretches from Buffalo to Niagara Falls.

The WFP-endorsed Kennedy is the favorite for re-election this autumn in the left-leaning district.

Rep. Ro Khanna - California 17th Congressional District

Khanna, one of the most visible progressive lawmakers in the House, was first elected to Congress a decade ago by ousting Democratic incumbent Rep. Mike Honda.

The JD and WFP-backed Khanna, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is on a glide path to re-election in the left-leaning district located in the South Bay and East Bay portions of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rep. Summer Lee - Pennsylvania 12th Congressional District

Lee, the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, is a former DSA member and part of the Squad.

The JD and WFP-backed Lee is expected to cruise to re-election this autumn in a left-leaning district that includes much of Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs.

Rep. John Mannion - New York 22nd Congressional District

A former high school biology teacher, Mannion served as a state lawmaker before winning election to Congress in 2024.

The WFP-backed Mannion is favored to win re-election in the solidly Democratic upstate New York district that includes Syracuse and Utica.

Rep. LaMonica McIver - New Jersey 10th Congressional District

McIver, a former Newark municipal council member, represents an urban and suburban district in northern New Jersey.

The WFP-backed lawmaker drew national attention last year when she was among a group of Democrats attempting to make a congressional oversight visit to an ICE facility in Newark.

McIver was later indicted by a grand jury for "forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers" during the visit. She has disputed the charges as political in nature.

Rep. Analilia Mejia - New Jersey 11th Congressional District

Mejia, the co-director of the nonprofit progressive advocacy group, won a special election in April in the race to succeed now Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who stepped down from Congress after winning last November's gubernatorial election.

The WFP-backed Mejia, who represents a northern New Jersey seat west of New York City, is favored in November to secure a full term in the left-leaning district.

Rep. Joe Morelle - New York 25th Congressional District

A former New York state Assembly majority leader, Morelle was elected to Congress in 2018.

The WFP-endorsed Morelle is on a glide path to re-election in the Democratic-dominated upstate New York district anchored in Rochester.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - New York 14th Congressional District

Eight years after bursting onto the national stage by ousting then-House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in a shocking primary upset, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's political options look brighter than ever.

The four-term progressive firebrand from New York City is eyeing a potential 2028 bid for the White House or a possible challenge to longtime Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer.

Ocasio-Cortez, best known by her acronym AOC, is the most visible member of the Squad.

She is backed by the DSA, JD and the WFP as she's expected to cruise to re-election this autumn in a dark blue district that covers parts of the Bronx and Queens.

Rep. Ilhan Omar - Minnesota 5th Congressional District

Omar, the fist Somali American elected to Congress and the first woman of color to represent Minnesota, is also a member of the Squad. Omar is one of the first two Muslim women elected to U.S. Congress.

Backed by JD and a frequent target of President Donald Trump, Omar represents a Democrat-dominated district that includes the entire city of Minneapolis and some of its inner suburbs.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley - Massachusetts 7th Congressional District

Pressley, a former Boston city councilor, won election to Congress in 2018 by ousting longtime Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano in the Democratic primary.

The first Black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts, Pressley is another well-known member of the Squad.

The JD-backed Pressley is an overwhelming favorite for re-election in a Democrat-dominated district that includes much of Boston and some of the city's suburbs.

Rep. Delia Ramirez - Illinois 3rd Congressional District

The daughter of undocumented immigrants, Ramirez served as a state lawmaker before winning election to Congress in 2022.

The JD-backed Ramirez is all but certain to win re-election this fall in her dark blue district that includes neighborhoods in northwestern Chicago and the city's western suburbs.

Rep. Josh Riley - New York 19th Congressional District

Riley, a lawyer who worked as a Department of Labor policy analyst and a counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is seeking a second term in a competitive and large district located in New York's Catskills, Hudson Valley, greater Capital District, Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions.

The WFP-backed Riley will face off this autumn against Republican state Sen. Peter Oberacker.

Rep. Pat Ryan - New York 18th Congressional District

Ryan, a West Point graduate who served two tours of duty in the Iraq war and was awarded two Bronze Stars, co-founded a software company following his military career and later served as Ulster County executive.

The WFP-backed Ryan is likely to win re-election this autumn in a left-leaning district that includes some of New York City's northern suburbs and exurbs, as well as the Hudson Valley cities of Newburg, Kingston, and Poughkeepsie.

Rep. Lateefah Simon - California 12th Congressional District

Simon, who served on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board of directors and as a California University System trustee, was elected to Congress in 2024, succeeding longtime Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee.

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

Simon is the first member of Congress known to be born legally blind in both eyes, and the first Muslim member from California.

The WFP-backed Simon is on a glide path for re-election in a dark blue district that includes Oakland and surrounding Alameda County.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib - Michigan 12th Congressional District

First elected to the House in 2018, Tliab, along with Ilhan Omar, is one of the first two Muslim women in Congress.

A former state lawmaker, Tlaib and fellow Squad member Ocasio-Cortez are the first female DSA members to serve in Congress. She is also backed by the JD and WFP.

Tlaib is expected to easily secure re-election. During her tenure, the Palestinian-born congresswoman has been a vocal critic of both the Trump and Biden administrations, is sharply critical of Israel, and calls for abolishing ICE.

Rep. Paul Tonko - New York 20th Congressional District

A longtime former state lawmaker, Tonko was first elected to Congress in 2008.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Known as a staunch progressive, the WFP-backed Tonko is heavily favored to win re-election in a left-leaning seat that includes New York's Capital District as well as Saratoga.

Illegal immigrant truckers accused of mowing down Americans ignite fury over loopholes unleashing deadly roads

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:00:18 -0400

A commercial truck driver charged in the death of a Pennsylvania State Police trooper is the latest in a string of illegal immigrant truck drivers accused in deadly crashes, a series of cases that have intensified scrutiny of commercial driver's licenses issued to noncitizens and prompted a federal trucking crackdown.

Authorities allege Michael Bon, a Haitian national living in Brockton, Massachusetts, left Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County on July 1 and struck a marked Pennsylvania State Police patrol vehicle during a roadside commercial vehicle inspection before hitting Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael E. Pahira Jr., 44.

Bon's semi-truck and the truck being inspected both caught fire, and Pahira later died at a local hospital. Bon was charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving and six additional lesser charges.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED IN DEATH OF TROOPER WHO MOVED HOME TO CARE FOR MOM WITH CANCER

Fox News Digital previously reported Bon entered the U.S. under the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program in July 2024. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) terminated his parole and ordered him removed in June 2025 after denying his application for Temporary Protected Status, but he remained in the country.

While living in Massachusetts, Bon obtained a non-domiciled commercial driver's license that was renewed before the Trump administration barred states from issuing or renewing those licenses for ineligible drivers.

The Pennsylvania crash is part of a string of fatal crashes Fox News Digital has reported on involving illegal immigrant commercial truck drivers.

The crashes have claimed the lives of a Pennsylvania state trooper, a college soccer player, a longtime high school basketball coach and his wife, members of an Amish community and other motorists while prompting calls for stricter oversight of commercial driver's licenses issued to noncitizen truck drivers.

Florida: Basketball coach, wife among three killed

In July 2025, investigators alleged Harjinder Singh attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida's Turnpike, triggering a fatal crash that killed three people. Florida authorities later charged Singh with three counts of vehicular homicide, and the case became a catalyst for several Trump administration trucking policy changes.

OUT OF CONTROL, UNQUALIFIED ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKERS ENDANGERING KIDS ON US ROADS, INSIDER WARNS: ‘JUST MADNESS’

Two of the victims were identified as Clarence Nelson, 76, an assistant basketball coach at Pomona High School, and his wife, Lisa Nelson, 69, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

The Florida Attorney General's Office later learned Singh failed the commercial driver's license knowledge exam 10 times and the air brakes knowledge exam twice before Washington state issued him a CDL. A senior official at the attorney general's office said the Washington trucking company that trained Singh also certified he could speak English despite his struggles communicating proficiently, and California later issued him another CDL.

Body camera footage later showed Singh struggling to communicate with a New Mexico State Police trooper after he was pulled over for allegedly driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. He also failed post-crash English-language and road sign proficiency tests.

Washington: 29-year-old killed in rear-end crash

In December 2025, investigators alleged truck driver Kamalpreet Singh rear-ended a stopped vehicle in Washington, crushing it between two trucks and killing 29-year-old Robert B. Pearson.

Singh, an Indian national, crossed into the U.S. illegally in December 2023 before Border Patrol agents apprehended and released him into the country, an ICE source told Fox News Digital.

VIRGINIA BUS CRASH THAT KILLED FIVE INVOLVED DRIVER WHO DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH, SEAN DUFFY SAYS

Singh was later charged with vehicular homicide and released on a $100,000 bond while awaiting trial.

Indiana: Two fatal crashes under investigation

In February 2026, Indiana authorities charged Singh Sukhdeep after investigators accused him of running a red light and killing 64-year-old Terry Schultz. Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital at the time that Sukhdeep, an Indian national, was in the country illegally and had received an Indiana commercial driver's license in May 2025.

Also that month, Bekzhan Beishekeev, a Kyrgyzstani national, was taken into ICE custody after investigators alleged his semi-truck crossed the center line in Jay County, Indiana, and collided head-on with a passenger van, killing four people, including members of an Amish community.

California: Licensing failures spotlighted

California has also seen multiple high-profile cases. In May 2026, federal officials accused Manvir Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, of causing a deadly multi-vehicle hit-and-run crash near Lodi that killed two people before allegedly fleeing on foot.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAUGHT DRIVING COMMERCIAL TRUCK WITH VALID NEW YORK CDL AT CALIFORNIA CHECKPOINT

The following month, Fox News Digital reported a Department of Transportation review concluded Jashanpreet Singh never should have been issued a California commercial driver's license before a crash that killed three people because of failures in the state's licensing system.

Ohio: College goalkeeper killed

The latest fatal crash unfolded Sunday, July 5, in Ohio, where authorities arrested Bekhzod Asrarov, a 42-year-old Uzbek national, after investigators alleged his semi-truck rear-ended a vehicle in Madison County, killing 21-year-old UMass Lowell soccer player Tobias "Toby" Forsythe.

An economics major and goalkeeper at UMass Lowell, Forsythe transferred to the River Hawks after playing at Ashland University and Shawnee State.

Federal sources told Fox News Digital Asrarov entered the U.S. legally during the Biden administration on a visa and holds an Ohio CDL. The sources said Asrarov was unable to communicate with Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers in English, requiring Google Translate at the crash scene.

The sources also said Asrarov attempted to remove and conceal his truck's dashboard camera after the crash before trying to destroy it, along with three cellphones and his electronic logging device.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER ACCUSED IN FATAL WASHINGTON CRASH RELEASED ON $100,000 BOND

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Asrarov also failed an English-language proficiency test administered after the crash.

'We've lowered the standards'

Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), said the recent crashes reflect broader safety issues that have been building within the trucking industry for years.

"We've lowered and lowered and lowered the standards in trucking over the last 40 years because of a false narrative about a driver shortage," Pugh told Fox News Digital. "We've dumbed down trucking to put profits over people and profits over highway safety."

Pugh said OOIDA has spent decades pushing for higher training standards, arguing some commercial driving schools operate like "CDL mills" that can turn out newly licensed drivers in as little as 24 hours. He said the association also supports legislation introduced by Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., that would establish a federal minimum behind-the-wheel training requirement for commercial drivers.

Pugh also backs legislation that would codify the Trump administration's restrictions on non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses, arguing Congress should make the changes permanent rather than relying on agency regulations that could be reversed by future administrations. He said the previous policy allowed non-English-speaking drivers to rely on translation services during roadside inspections.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER ACCUSED OF KILLING INDIANA MAN AFTER RUNNING RED LIGHT

"When you're on the highway in an emergency, you don't have time to be using a translation service," he said. "You need to be able to tell law enforcement or first responders what's going on."

Federal response

The succession of crashes prompted a series of federal actions aimed at tightening commercial trucking regulations.

The Department of Transportation closed what officials described as a major loophole involving non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses, restored enforcement of federal English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers and tightened eligibility rules for foreign truckers seeking commercial driving credentials.

The administration also increased roadside enforcement. According to Florida officials, inspectors have documented commercial drivers who were unable to read highway signs or communicate with troopers during inspections.

Congress has also taken up the issue. Senate Republicans introduced legislation to strengthen English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, while Duffy said the administration's reforms are intended to improve highway safety by ensuring truck drivers can communicate with law enforcement, emergency responders and highway officials.

Pugh said the recent cases should not overshadow the millions of professional truck drivers who safely share the road with motorists every day.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"There is no one out here on America's highways that cares more about highway safety than the American trucker," Pugh said. "Nobody wants to die behind the wheel or hurt anybody. We just want to deliver our freight and get back home with our families."

Exposed docs reveal why Tim Walz board awarded repeat child rapist pardon: ‘No future’

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 06:00:13 -0400

A 42-year-old illegal immigrant convicted of repeatedly raping a child was awarded a pardon by Gov. Tim Walz’s board of pardons after the state’s clemency commission recommended it be granted to him due to "immigration concerns."

Fox News Digital reviewed documents from the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission, which voted 4-2 to grant a pardon to Laotian national Tue Lue Vang following his conviction for criminal sexual conduct. Vang admitted to repeatedly raping a girl over a multi-year period beginning when she was 10 years old. While the two board members who voted against granting a pardon noted the serious nature of Vang’s offenses, the four members recommending a pardon each listed concern about him being deported.

One commissioner, Zach Linstrom, who voted in favor of granting the pardon, wrote in his recommendation, "Very tough case but the kids not having a father is not in the best interest of society," referring to Vang’s six children. Artika Roller, another commissioner who voted in favor of the pardon, wrote, "The applicant stated the need for clemency related to immigration issues."

Following the commission’s recommendation, the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which consists of Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, awarded Vang a full pardon on June 10, essentially giving him a clean slate as he was set to be deported.

DOJ ACCUSES MARYLAND OF 'ACTIVE AND DELIBERATE EFFORT' TO PREVENT DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: LAWSUIT

At the time of the pardon, Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis remarked that "Governor Tim Walz's decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting."

"These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting," she said.

Vang entered the U.S. through California in 1994 and was granted legal status by the Clinton administration. Between 2002 and 2004, when Vang was between 18 and 20 years old, he had sexual intercourse with the victim four to six times. The abuse took place in St. Paul, Minnesota, in Ramsey County. The first rape took place when the victim was in fourth grade.

Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital reveal that the victim "did not understand what Vang was doing, so she let him." As time went on, the document notes that the victim began to tell her friends about the abuse, who testified that she was "angry and sad" about it. At one time, the document said that Vang offered the victim $10 to keep quiet about the abuse.

While Ramsey County District Court Judge Sara Grewing did not take a position on Vang’s pardon, Ramsey County Assistant Attorney Tami McConkey recommended against granting it.

WATCH: ANGEL MOM TURNS TABLES ON SANCTUARY POLITICIANS WITH BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES

In her formal opposition statement, McConkey noted that her office had offered a dispositional departure to Vang because the then-12-year-old victim experienced pressure from her family not to cooperate with law enforcement after his arrest.

Vang was sentenced to 12 years in prison following his conviction. However, the sentence was stayed in favor of 30 years of supervised probation, which included one year of local confinement. Ultimately, he served eight months at the county correctional workhouse. He was discharged from probation early in 2019.

McConkey noted that there were several additional aggravating factors in the case, including Vang abusing the victim over an extended period of time, in one instance even driving her to his home to abuse her, and not using sexual protection.

A criminal complaint shared with Fox News Digital states that upon his arrest, Vang told police, "I made a mistake, but this is a minor thing. It is a cultural thing in Thailand to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12." The complaint also notes that "Vang stated [the victim] should be arrested also because she was as much at fault."

McConkey noted that "while Mr. Vang expresses shame and regret about what his children experience when then [sic] learn of the offense, he does not share any thoughts or insight about what the victim must have gone through."

Despite this, several commissioners noted that the victim supported a pardon for Vang in their reasons for their recommendation.

Commissioner Nadine Graves wrote, "The victim supports this pardon. His [Vang’s] wife stayed and has forgiven. He also [has] immigration concerns. He has remorse and was discharged from probation."

Graves noted Vang’s early discharge from probation and wrote that "he retracted his prior statement about this being a result of culture. He admits this was wrong then and will always be wrong."

Lindstrom likewise noted, "applicant’s wife supports" and "victim supports" a pardon.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SOCCER COACH WHO USED ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO SEXUALLY ABUSE KIDS LEARNS FATE

Commissioner Perry Moriearty wrote, "Despite the extraordinary severity of the underlying offense, there is substantial evidence of rehabilitation, remorse and acceptance of responsibility." He also noted in his reasons that Vang "is facing deportation" and "victim supports."

In his application for a pardon, Vang wrote, "I carry deep shame and regret for the harm I caused." He noted that he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in December and was facing a final order of removal. He expressed worry that, because he arrived in the U.S. as a child, if he were deported he "would be sent to a place entirely unfamiliar to me, with no family, no home, and no future."

Vang wrote, "My fear is that, if deported, my children will grow up without a father, like I did" and "I will do all that I can to be here and to protect them from the outcomes of my deportation."

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

None of this stopped the Trump administration from taking action against Vang. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that he had stepped in to terminate Vang's legal status in the U.S. and that he had been removed to his home country of Laos.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rubio told Fox News Digital, "Americans should never have to live in fear that foreign sex predators — shielded from deportation by their own elected officials — could endanger them or their children."

"That's why I terminated his legal status in the United States," he continued. "Vang has now been removed from our country and will never pose a threat to any American ever again."

SEN RICK SCOTT: Americans work five days a week, why can’t the Senate?

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:56 -0400

Did you know the U.S. Senate has only been in session 79 days (about 40% of the time) so far this year? And so far, we haven’t passed anything to secure our elections, reduce inflation, cut spending or prevent another Democrat shutdown.

Well, what isn’t shocking is the fact nothing has gotten done while we only work 2.5 days out of the week. It is crazy. At the slow rate we are getting stuff done, we should be working seven days.

Let’s just take a status update: The Senate has yet to deliver on several of our key promises to the American people this year, including securing our elections through the SAVE America Act.

TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL

As I noted in a recent letter to my Senate colleagues. Republicans, Democrats and Independents overwhelmingly want voter ID for elections and only Americans to be able to register for elections, the main components of the SAVE America Act.

Yet the Senate still hasn’t passed it — or even agreed on how to proceed on it. To fix this, we need to change how we do business.

The job of a senator used to be to arrive in Washington to debate, vote on and accomplish all our agenda items before we allowed ourselves to go home.

Sadly, that’s no longer the case. In recent decades, under the leadership of both Democrats and Republicans, the Senate has worked less and less, and Americans felt the consequences of the legislature’s lack of urgency.

Right now, we take fewer than 10 votes a week. We arrive late Monday to vote and leave as soon as possible on Thursday afternoon. The Senate is rarely in session on Fridays and almost never works over the weekend — even when pressing deadlines approach on issues critical to the safety, security and stability of the American people.

And it’s not just election security that is at stake. We still need to fund the government to prevent another open-borders Democrat shutdown. We need to cut spending to reduce interest rates and inflation that are wreaking havoc on American budgets.

America is the greatest country in the world. We have the strongest economy because of the workers who bust their butts every day to do their jobs, provide for their families and achieve the American Dream.

I think the Senate should demonstrate the kind of work ethic we depend on from the American people to keep our economy running. We have so many policies to enact before election day this November. If we still have work to do, then why do we only show up 2.5 days a week?

Our situation is not a failure by any one party or individual, it’s a problem that’s been getting progressively worse for decades. Congress is decreasingly productive every year because we leave to go home on Thursday when there is still work to do.

I’m sure we would all love to be home with our families as much as possible — every American probably feels that way — but that’s not the job we all asked our constituents to elect us to do. It’s certainly not the job that I promised the people of Florida. I told them I’d work as hard as I can to help them achieve the American Dream, stay safe and live free.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Time is short. Getting all of this done before November would mean staying in Washington until we figure out how to deliver it. It would mean sitting down and working together to find solutions, instead of throwing up our hands and going home.

We can’t take "no" for an answer, and we can’t stop just because it’s hard.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

To that end, I will be going directly to the Senate floor over the coming weeks to bring up policies that I ran on when I asked Floridians to vote for me.

Let’s fix the problem. Let’s stop flying home on Thursday after lunch, start voting more and make good on our promises. That’s what the American people deserve.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN. RICK SCOTT

Flying sneaker gets Liberty star ejected in bizarre finish that leaves WNBA fans in disbelief

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:50 -0400

You don't see many games swing because of a flying sneaker, but that's exactly what happened in the WNBA on Sunday.

New York Liberty guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was tossed from a tight 93-91 loss to the Toronto Tempo after pegging opponent Marina Mabrey in the back with a stray shoe.

The flying sneaker couldn't have come at a worse time, derailing New York's furious comeback after the Liberty entered the fourth quarter down 16.

HOST CLAIMS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT CANCELED INTERVIEW AS CAITLIN CLARK CONTROVERSY MOUNTS

The chaos started late in the fourth when Jonquel Jones lost her sneaker. Laney-Hamilton tried to throw it back to her teammate, but it instead smacked an unsuspecting Mabrey in the back.

WATCH:

Laney-Hamilton had already been mixing it up with Mabrey earlier in the game, including one exchange that earned her a Flagrant 1 foul.

When the shoe struck Mabrey, officials hit Laney-Hamilton with a technical foul and ejected her.

Laney-Hamilton defended herself after the final buzzer, insisting it was nothing more than a terrible throw.

"I would never intentionally try to hit someone with a shoe, especially while they're not looking," Laney-Hamilton said.

"Teammate was without a shoe, so I did my best to try and get it to her. Unfortunately, it did hit someone. I know just by the way that things were going throughout the game that it can look a certain way, but that's just not something that I would personally do, especially in a moment like that where the game is on the line."

CAITLIN CLARK VS. PAIGE BUECKERS HOW TWO WHITE WNBA STARS ENDED UP WITH VERY DIFFERENT CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS

Mabrey took the high road after the win, laughing off the fact that she got drilled by a flying sneaker.

"I had to take a couple breaths," Mabrey said. "But I think she was really just trying to get the shoe back to JJ. But I'll take the free throw. I'm working on not being rage-baited."

While the players kept it cool, Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco absolutely lost his mind over the game-altering whistle.

WATCH:

"I've never seen anything like that," DeMarco said. "We had all the momentum in the world. A shoe hit somebody. Ejected, free throws. I've also never seen a ref make such an atrocious call when he's on the other side of the floor. She was trying to get the shoe back to Jones; it hit somebody. I think we're just making stuff up. I have no idea. You're asking the wrong person, okay? It was just an atrocious, atrocious end of that game from the officials."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Forget the game ball. Somebody needs to preserve that sneaker.

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

I know how important Main Street grocery stores are to America, because I grew up in one

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:30 -0400

I come from a family of grocers. For generations, my family ran a neighborhood grocery store in New Orleans, the kind of place where you knew your customers by name, where the produce came in fresh that morning, and where the store was as much a part of the community as the church down the street or the school around the corner. That store didn't survive Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But what it stood for never left me. A grocery store isn't just a place to buy food. It's a cornerstone of the community it serves.

Today, I have the privilege of standing alongside independent grocers in every corner of the country: in big-city neighborhoods, in the suburbs and in small, rural towns where the local grocer is one of the last anchors keeping Main Street alive. In too many of those communities, the nearest alternative is an hour away. When that store closes, a town loses far more than a place to buy groceries.

So, as our nation just celebrated our 250th birthday, it is worth asking a bigger question: What kind of America do we want? I believe we want an America of opportunity, a country where a family can build a business, pass it down and compete on the strength of its service, its quality and its price. That is the American Dream, which looks a little different in every town, and it is something worth protecting.

WALMART, SAM'S CLUB SLASH PRICES ON THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS AS TRUMP SAYS MOVE CAME AT HIS REQUEST

On July 8, Walmart announced price cuts on thousands of grocery and household items, and President Donald Trump praised the move as coming at his administration's request to mark America's 250th birthday, encouraging other retailers to follow suit. Independent grocers welcome the president's efforts, because lowering the cost of feeding a family is a goal we share.

However, I believe free, open and truly competitive markets are the key to driving efficiency throughout the food supply chain and, ultimately, driving down prices for consumers. Free and competitive markets are a cornerstone of the American economy. Even President Theodore Roosevelt recognized that when too much market power is concentrated in the hands of a few, competition suffers — as do consumers, workers and communities.

Independent grocers prove every day that competition works. They deliver exceptional value, fresh produce, quality meat and deli offerings, personalized service and a shopping experience rooted in relationships. They invest in local farmers and suppliers, support schools and charities and reinvest in the communities where they live and work. And a level playing field isn't just good policy, it's critical to ensuring America's Main Street businesses can continue to innovate and thrive. A strong Main Street is good for consumers, good for communities, and good for America.

But markets only stay free and fair when the basic rules of competition are respected. When a handful of dominant players grow large enough to tilt the field in their favor, securing pricing and terms no one else can get, not because they are more efficient or better operators but simply because of their size, competition stops working the way it should.

They use that leverage to squeeze suppliers for better terms even though, at the end of the day, independents are buying in truckload quantities. And when the guardrails meant to keep the marketplace fair go unenforced, as they too often have over the years, it is Main Street that pays the price.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Independent grocers are not asking for special treatment, and we are not looking for a handout. We are asking for a fair fight, the same shot at success this country has always promised to anyone willing to work for it.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Give independent grocers that fair shot, and they will keep doing what they have always done: serve their neighbors, create good jobs and pour themselves back into the towns they call home. We stand ready to work with the administration and policymakers to strengthen competition, expand consumer choice and keep food affordable for families across the country.

The store my family ran in New Orleans is gone, but what it stood for lives on in thousands of grocers still behind their counters today. Washington must protect their right to compete, and we can protect something larger: an America where Main Street still has a fighting chance.

Heart condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death can strike without warning — what to know

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:18 -0400

New details surrounding Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death have drawn attention to a cardiovascular emergency that can become fatal within minutes.

A statement released by Graham's office on Sunday cited preliminary findings from the District of Columbia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, identifying the cause of death as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Authorities said Graham, 71, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m. Saturday. An autopsy was completed Sunday.

MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM'S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING

"The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized, and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death," the statement said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Graham's office requesting comment.

What is an aortic dissection?

An aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical emergency in which a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta — the body's largest artery, according to Mayo Clinic.

"It occurs when the layers of the aorta come apart and the inner one tears," Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not treat Graham, told Fox News Digital.

YOUR RESTING HEART RATE COULD REVEAL MORE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH THAN YOU THINK, DOCTORS SAY

Blood rushes through the tear and causes the layers of the aortic wall to separate, which can disrupt blood flow to vital organs or lead to a fatal rupture if not treated immediately.

"It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize," added Siegel, noting that while dissections can evolve over time, symptoms often appear suddenly.

Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency physician based in South Carolina, said the best way to visualize the condition is to think of the aorta as a hose.

"The wall of the hose has multiple layers to it, and if the layers separate, the water can no longer pass down the regular opening in the tube," Perry, who also was not involved in Graham's care, told Fox News Digital. "Often, this starts as a very small tear that keeps progressing because of the water pressure."

DIABETES DRUG COULD SLASH RISK OF FATAL HEART CONDITION IN ONE GROUP, SCIENTISTS REVEAL

"The same thing is happening in the aorta," he went on. "The small tear in the wall of the aorta continues to progress, usually from severely elevated blood pressure."

As the tear continues past the smaller arteries coming from the aorta, blood can no longer flow from the heart to the other organs.

"This causes the organs that need that blood to die from lack of oxygen," Perry said. "The only way to survive such a diagnosis is very early identification and strict blood pressure control with emergent operative management."

Aortic dissection is relatively rare, affecting an estimated three to four people per 100,000 each year, according to Cleveland Clinic.

What causes an aortic dissection?

In Graham's case, the preliminary findings cited arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This condition is most commonly associated with atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

Over time, this process can weaken the wall of the aorta, increasing the risk of an aortic dissection.

High-risk groups

Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease can develop over time and is driven by several factors, according to the American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic.

Some of the groups at highest risk include the following.

People with uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), which places constant stress on the aortic wall
Older adults, particularly those in their 60s and 70s
Men, who are diagnosed more often than women
People with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or other cardiovascular disease
Those with an aortic aneurysm, which weakens the wall of the aorta
People born with certain heart defects, such as a bicuspid aortic valve
Those with inherited connective tissue disorders, including Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Smokers and people with longstanding high cholesterol, both of which contribute to artery damage
People with diabetes and obesity
Those who are physically inactive and/or eat an unhealthy diet

Warning signs you should never ignore

Symptoms of an aortic dissection can come on suddenly and often mimic those of a heart attack or stroke, experts say.

Anyone experiencing any of the below warning signs should call 911 for immediate emergency medical care, according to Siegel and other health experts.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Sudden, severe chest or upper back pain, often described as tearing, ripping or stabbing, which may spread to the neck or back
Shortness of breath
Sudden, severe abdominal pain
Loss of consciousness (fainting)
Stroke-like symptoms, such as sudden vision changes, difficulty speaking, weakness or numbness on one side of the body
Leg pain or difficulty walking

"Aortic dissection is one of the diseases that emergency physicians think of often when someone presents with chest pain — specifically pain described as a tearing sensation, with elevated blood pressure," Perry told Fox News Digital.

"We often describe the aortic dissection patient as appearing to have a ‘kidney stone of the chest,’ — meaning they have severe pain and cannot get comfortable, similar to kidney stone patients."

Diagnosis and treatment

Early diagnosis and treatment greatly improve the chances of survival for those who have suffered an aortic dissection.

Doctors typically diagnose an aortic dissection using imaging tests, including a CT scan, transesophageal echocardiogram (ultrasound), magnetic resonance angiography (MRI-based scan) and chest X-ray, per Mayo Clinic.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

The condition requires immediate medical treatment, which will depend on which part of the aorta is affected.

Type A dissections involve the ascending (upper) aorta near the heart, which typically require emergency surgery.

Type B dissections affect the descending (lower) aorta farther from the heart, according to Mayo Clinic. These may be treated with medications to lower blood pressure and heart rate, although some may also require surgery or a stent.

Those who survive the event will generally need lifelong blood pressure management and regular imaging to monitor the aorta, per the above source.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"This condition has a high mortality rate," Siegel said.

According to the American Heart Association, an untreated acute aortic dissection is one of the deadliest cardiovascular emergencies.

For untreated dissections involving the ascending aorta, the risk of death increases by approximately 1% to 2% for every hour treatment is delayed after symptoms begin, according to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.

Without treatment, more than half of people with a Type A aortic dissection die within one month. About 20% of Type A patients will die in the hospital, compared to 10% for treated Type B dissections.

Can it be prevented?

While not all aortic dissections can be prevented, people can reduce their risk by controlling certain lifestyle factors.

"You need to make sure your blood pressure is well-controlled, your cholesterol is low and that you are seen regularly by a doctor," Siegel advised.

Smokers should kick the habit, he said, as they are at a highly increased risk.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Maintaining a healthy weight and following treatment plans for underlying heart or vascular conditions can also reduce the risk, according to Mayo Clinic.

People with a family history of aortic disease or inherited connective tissue disorders should discuss screening with their healthcare provider, doctors advise.

America’s retirement system is broken. Trump may have found a bold fix

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:15 -0400

When President Donald Trump told reporters last week that he was looking "very strongly" at Australia's retirement system, most Americans probably shrugged and thought, "Great — another retirement plan."

They shouldn't.

If this idea becomes legislation, it could represent the biggest shift in American retirement policy since Social Security was signed into law in 1935. Don’t be surprised if the Trump name is on the retirement account if it happens.

TRUMP LOOKING 'VERY STRONGLY' AT AUSTRALIA-STYLE RETIREMENT SYSTEM: 'TAKING THAT, MAKING IT SHARPER'

The important thing to understand is this main point: Trump isn't talking about copying Australia. He's talking about taking what works and making it "sharper" for America.

So what exactly is he trying to accomplish?

America has a retirement problem

Our retirement system was built for an economy that barely exists anymore.

People used to work for one employer for 30 years, receive a pension, collect Social Security and retire. Social Security was built for people to claim it at 65 and live to about 70. That’s gone. People are lucky if they work at the same company for five years, let alone 30, and pensions are nearly gone. And we know the savings rate in America is an abysmal 2.6%.

US HURTLING TOWARD POPULATION DECLINE EVEN AS AMERICANS SAY THEY WANT BIGGER FAMILIES, NEW REPORT WARNS

Today, Americans change jobs every few years. Millions work as freelancers, independent contractors, Uber drivers or for employers that don't even offer a 401(k).

Meanwhile, too many workers have little or nothing saved for retirement. That's the backdrop for Trump's comments.

What Australia does differently

Australia requires employers to contribute a percentage of an employee's wages into an individual retirement account known as a "Super."

The worker owns the account. The investments stay invested. The account follows the employee from job to job.

The result?

Australia has built one of the world's largest retirement savings pools relative to the size of its population. There is a constant flow of capital into the markets. Trump likes that thought.

That isn't an accident. It's the result of automatic, long-term investing.

What an American version could look like

If I were advising the administration, I wouldn't simply copy Australia. I'd build an American version around three principles.

First, keep Social Security as the foundation. Second, create a portable retirement account that belongs to the worker, not the employer. Third, require or strongly encourage automatic retirement contributions into privately managed investment accounts.

'THE VIEW' CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN PRAISES TRUMP FOR 'GOOD POLICIES' ON FERTILITY CARE AND CHILD SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

Instead of relying almost entirely on future government benefits, Americans would retire with assets they actually own. That is the three-legged stool of retirement. That is a fundamentally different philosophy.

Why Trump may be interested

This isn't just about retirement. It's about ownership. America faces three long-term challenges simultaneously.

Social Security's long-term financing pressures. Will we really run out of money in 2034?

A retirement savings gap that leaves millions financially vulnerable.

An economy increasingly built around workers who don't fit neatly into traditional employer-sponsored retirement plans. An Australia-style system attempts to address all three.

Rather than expanding government retirement programs, it encourages Americans to accumulate private wealth through decades of investing in the capital markets.

That's a distinctly pro-market approach.

There is one huge problem

Mandatory employer contributions aren't free. Businesses ultimately pay those costs.

You could argue that a mandatory employer contribution effectively functions like a hidden payroll tax because employers will eventually recover those costs through slower wage growth, reduced hiring, higher prices or lower profits.

TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION

That's a legitimate concern, particularly for small businesses already operating on thin margins. If Washington simply mandates a 12% employer contribution overnight, as Australia has, it could create real economic disruption.

Here's how I'd make it work

If the administration wants bipartisan support, it should avoid a one-size-fits-all mandate. Here’s one way to install this massive change.

• Phase in employer contributions gradually over several years. Start at 1% and gradually grow that number.

• Offer meaningful tax credits for small businesses.

• Allow limited access to retirement funds for major life events, like purchasing a first home.

• Coordinate the system with the new Trump Accounts so every American begins adulthood with investment assets already working for them.

• Keep investment management private rather than creating another government-controlled investment fund.

That would preserve market competition while dramatically increasing retirement participation.

The retirement revolution

America has done an excellent job creating opportunities to save. We haven't done a very good job making sure people actually do it.

Behavioral economics tells us something simple about psychology, and that is automatic saving works. But we also shouldn't ignore the cost to employers or pretend mandatory contributions come without tradeoffs.

The smartest version of this policy isn't Australia. It's an American system that expands ownership without crushing small businesses.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

If done correctly, this wouldn't just change retirement. It would change who owns America's future.

Instead of producing another generation dependent primarily on government checks, we could produce millions more Americans who retire owning meaningful stakes in the companies, markets and economy they spent a lifetime helping build.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That's not just retirement reform.

That's an ownership revolution.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TED JENKIN

Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Former 'Cocaine Quarterback' says Trump First Step Act changed his life after cartel-tied conviction

Insane Clown Posse's Violent J details pro wrestling career as he gears up for Bloodymania 19 at Juggalo event

'Jon & Kate Plus 8' reality star's tell-all memoir follows years of abuse allegations

TNA Wrestling's KC Navarro 'got back in record time' after knee injury, highlights upcoming Lockdown event

Michigan Dem senator throws support behind candidate to replace him in contentious primary

Sophie Cunningham went from UFC 329 Octagon girl to torching the Las Vegas Aces in under 24 hours

AEW star Chris Jericho brings Vietnamese pro wrestling to spotlight, highlighting sport's unifying force

What to know about the heart condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death and more top headlines

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

MAJOR HEADLINES

POLITICS

MEDIA

OPINION

IN OTHER NEWS

LISTEN

FOX WEATHER

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Ancient gold ring unearthed at grave carries 2,000-year-old secret message

Senate returns to packed agenda after Graham's death shrinks GOP margin

Forget politics. This is what I found helping Venezuelan quake victims

Apple and Google suppressed negative Graham Platner stories for months on their news platform, study finds

Cam Jordan credits annual 'Sack Summit' with sharpening his pass rush skills before final year with Saints

Why careful people still end up on data broker sites

Where data broker profiles get your information

How everyday sign-ups feed data broker profiles

How data broker lists can fuel real-world scams

Curious how exposed you already are?

Why good online habits do not erase public records

5 ways to protect your data broker profile now

1) Search your name on people-search sites

2) Replace easy-to-guess security answers

3) Limit what you give away going forward

4) Talk to older relatives before a scammer does

5) Use a data removal service for ongoing cleanup

Kurt's key takeaways

Sports cartoons of the day

SJSU refuses to provide public records related to investigation of allegations against volleyball coach

Restaurant owner says dining room is 'not a playground' as etiquette experts weigh in on viral debate

Meet the far-left insurgents waging war on the Democratic establishment in 2026 midterms

Illegal immigrant truckers accused of mowing down Americans ignite fury over loopholes unleashing deadly roads

Florida: Basketball coach, wife among three killed

Washington: 29-year-old killed in rear-end crash

Indiana: Two fatal crashes under investigation

California: Licensing failures spotlighted

Ohio: College goalkeeper killed

'We've lowered the standards'

Federal response

Exposed docs reveal why Tim Walz board awarded repeat child rapist pardon: ‘No future’

SEN RICK SCOTT: Americans work five days a week, why can’t the Senate?

Flying sneaker gets Liberty star ejected in bizarre finish that leaves WNBA fans in disbelief

I know how important Main Street grocery stores are to America, because I grew up in one

Heart condition tied to Lindsey Graham's death can strike without warning — what to know

What is an aortic dissection?

What causes an aortic dissection?

High-risk groups

Warning signs you should never ignore

Diagnosis and treatment

Can it be prevented?

America’s retirement system is broken. Trump may have found a bold fix

America has a retirement problem

What Australia does differently

What an American version could look like

Why Trump may be interested

There is one huge problem

Here's how I'd make it work

The retirement revolution