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How Graham Platner's campaign unraveled: From Reddit posts to rape allegation

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:45:28 -0400

U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Graham Platner ended his campaign Wednesday evening following a rape allegation by a woman he previously dated, after political allies urged him to exit the race.

"For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," Platner said in a video posted to social media.

Jenny Racicot’s rape allegations against Platner was just the latest scandal to rock Platner's campaign, which has been riddled with controversy since October. From sporting a Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest to being accused by ex-girlfriends of being physically abusive, Platner’s campaign has survived, with many of his supporters doubling down in support.

But Racicot recounted to both Politico and CNN how, in 2021, Platner, with whom she had an on-again, off-again relationship, barged into her home uninvited and intoxicated. Racicot alleged that, despite her protests, Platner had raped her.

The allegations surfaced less than a week before the deadline for Platner to withdraw from the race, after which the Democratic Party would be able to replace him with another nominee.

TOP DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFULS TURN ON PLATNER AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., pulled their support for Platner. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who endorsed Platner just 11 days after he launched his campaign and has stood by him through every major controversy, also called on Platner to end his candidacy Tuesday.

But Republicans have questioned why Democratic leadership took so long to revoke that support despite all the controversies surrounding him.

Here's a timeline of the allegations and controversies surrounding Graham Platner's Senate campaign.

Platner’s Reddit Posts

Platner's first major controversy erupted on Oct. 16, 2025, after CNN uncovered years of deleted Reddit posts he made between 2009 and 2021.

The posts revealed the Democratic Senate candidate once described himself as a "communist," wrote that "all" police were bastards and argued that many rural White Americans "actually are" racist and unintelligent. Other posts reflected how his combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan had reshaped his politics, with Platner writing that America's wars had left him disillusioned and "significantly more left" than when he enlisted.

Days later, additional reporting drew scrutiny to other deleted posts, including one in which Platner appeared to downplay concerns about sexual assault. In one post, Platner wrote that people should "take some responsibility for themselves" and avoid becoming so intoxicated that they end up in compromising situations.

PLATNER IN THE HOT SEAT AS MAINE VOTERS RIP HIS 'HORRIBLE' COMMENTS AMID REDDIT SCANDAL

There are more than 2,000 posts by Platner on Reddit, which The Maine Monitor later compiled into a database.

Platner distanced himself from those posts, telling CNN at the time that he was "f------ around the internet" and that he was struggling in his return to civilian life after serving overseas in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

"I don't want people to see me for who I was in my worst Internet comment — or even, frankly, who I was in my best Internet comment," Platner told CNN. "I don't think any of that is indicative of who I am today, really."

At the time the Reddit posts resurfaced, Sanders and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., stood by Platner. Gallego said Platner had "the right to grow out of his stupidity."

"There's a young man who served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he went through some really difficult experiences seeing friends of his killed or whatever, and in spite of all of that he had the courage to run," Sanders said of Platner, who Sanders endorsed just eleven days after launching his campaign.

The Totenkopf tattoo

Platner faced another controversy after his campaign, seeking to get ahead of opposition research, and he released a video on Oct. 21 during an appearance on Pod Save America showing him dancing shirtless at his brother's wedding. The footage revealed a chest tattoo that critics said resembled the Nazi SS Totenkopf, or "Death's Head," symbol, prompting widespread condemnation and renewed questions about his judgment.

Platner said he got the tattoo while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia in 2007 and believed it was simply a skull-and-crossbones design commemorating surviving combat. He said he was unaware of its association with Nazi Germany until the issue surfaced during his Senate campaign, apologized and initially pledged to have it removed before instead covering it with a Celtic knot tattoo.

SEE IT: MAINE VOTERS SOUND OFF ON PLATNER'S DIVISIVE CAMPAIGN AS CRUCIAL PRIMARY NEARS: 'HE'S A DISGRACE'

The controversy intensified after subsequent reporting questioned Platner's claim that he had been unaware of the symbol's meaning, citing former acquaintances and past online activity suggesting he may have known its meaning years earlier, a claim Platner rejected.

In the aftermath, Sanders brushed off concerns over Platner’s tattoo, arguing there were more important issues.

"I'm not overly impressed by a squad of media running around saying, 'What do you think about the tattoo on Graham Platner's chest?'" Sanders told Axios.

Platner’s sexting scandal

The New York Times reported on May 30 that Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, had privately informed senior campaign officials that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with other women during the early years of their marriage, raising concerns about the political fallout.

Platner was using the app Kik to send messages and photos to women.

Former campaign political director Genevieve McDonald said Gertner told her that her husband had been exchanging sexual messages with as many as a dozen women, while another campaign official said the number was lower and that the conduct had ended before the campaign launched.

The issue surfaced during an internal vetting process ahead of a high-profile Labor Day rally with Sanders.

The discovery prompted outcry from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who called Platner a "creeper."

However, Sanders and Schumer doubled down on their support for Platner, saying they believed he could defeat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Abusive partner allegations

Days after reports about sexually explicit messages surfaced, The New York Times published interviews on June 4, 2026, with six of Platner's former romantic partners, offering sharply different accounts of their relationships with the Democratic Senate candidate.

Three women described him as kind, supportive and someone who never made them feel unsafe, but three others painted a far more troubling picture, alleging volatile relationships marked by heavy drinking, infidelity and behavior they found emotionally damaging.

Former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield said Platner sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks and, during one argument, twisted her arm behind her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she "calmed down." Platner denied allegations of physical intimidation, and the Times wrote that it could not corroborate her allegations.

In a lengthy X post, Fifield took fire at The New York Times for not adequately verifying her story. She claimed that she gave the reporters five phone numbers, but the Times reported it only reached out to two people.

"I actually understand why Democrat leaders didn't take our stories seriously when the Times reported them in June but are taking them seriously now," Fifield wrote on X. "It was by design.

"They called the two who I clarified would not know about the abuse but would be able to affirm our relationship timeline, events, etc.," Fifield continued. "They simply did not call the other three."

Fifield, a longtime GOP operative who dated Platner on and off from 2013 to 2015, faced scrutiny after coming forward with allegations that Platner was abusive. Platner's campaign and Platner himself argued her claims were politically motivated, pointing to her long history of working for Republican causes.

Racicot was also interviewed by the Times, and she alluded to the alleged sexual assault that she said occurred in 2021.

When asked about the allegations against Platner, Sanders said at the National Press Club on June 8 that it's a "political smokescreen."

"Republican super PACS want to defeat him," Sanders said of Platner. "He is going to be a strong voice against oligarchy."

The rape allegation

Racicot said it was the attacks on Fifield that compelled her to step forward and tell Politico the full story of her sexual assault by Graham, which was published on Monday, July 6.

Racicot said she met Platner on Bumble in 2019, and the two were in an on-again, off-again relationship for about two years before she alleged he entered her home uninvited and sexually assaulted her in late 2021.

In interviews with Politico, Racicot alleged that Platner forced her to have sex against her will about five years ago. According to the report, a man she later dated said she had previously disclosed the allegation to him, and emails exchanged with her therapist also referenced the incident. Platner denied the accusation in the Politico report.

"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot said. "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, 'This is no longer my choice.'"

Racicot also appeared in an interview with CNN where she said the assault fit the "dictionary definition" of rape.

"I thought, here's a man who was drunk and who, by dictionary definition, raped me," Racicot said. "And he's blaming drunk women."

Platner has categorically denied the allegations as false.

Sports cartoons of the day

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

Orioles send Trevor Rogers, and we should bet to back his hot streak on the mound

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:48:44 -0400

It was a strong day for those who trailed yesterday.

We bet on the Toronto Blue Jays, and their starting pitcher, Dylan Cease, was throwing a no-hitter for eight innings before he lost it in the top of the ninth. Interestingly enough, I mentioned that both starters could throw a complete-game shutout. Cease would've done it if his pitch count was a bit lower — he had 11 strikeouts. Let's try to get another clean sweep today.

The Chicago Cubs are in one of their better stretches again. I've talked quite a bit about how their season has gone when I've covered them in the past. The Cubs have had two ten-game winning streaks and a ten-game losing streak. That's not common for a team. Offensively, the Cubs are led by Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is quickly becoming one of the most polarizing figures in the game. There really is no denying his talent, but there are also moments where you can see he is 24 years old. That's not a knock; it is the reality of the situation.

If the Cubs want to get where they want to go, they absolutely need to have some pitching added to this team. Their starters have been decimated, with all but one of the five from Opening Day (I believe) spending time on the injured list at this point. The Cubs went out and traded for today's starter, David Peterson.

His first start with the Cubbies did not go well, giving up 10 earned runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings. Perhaps something can be adjusted with his mechanics, because he has been fine in some games and awful in others. The good news is that Orioles hitters have not hit Peterson well, batting just .139 against him in 36 at-bats.

The Baltimore Orioles' season has been a disaster, and they are starting to run out of time to turn it around. This was a year they expected to adjust and return to the success they had found two years ago. Just a few years ago, this was a team that was viewed as one with a bright future because of the young talent. Their pitching hasn't quite aligned with how their hitting has developed, and that certainly is part of the issue. Being in the American League East also doesn't help them, as it is one of the hardest divisions to play in.

Today, they send out Trevor Rogers to the hill in hopes that he can avoid a sweep. For the season, Rogers is 6-7 with a 4.70 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. None of those numbers are very encouraging. He is also the owner of a 5.02 home ERA, which is another reason for concern. There is one positive that can be taken away, though, and that is his current form. Lately, he's been solid on the mound, allowing just seven earned runs over his past 35.2 innings of work. Cubs hitters have had decent success against him with 12 hits in 48 at-bats.

Crow-Armstrong had another strong game yesterday, so it would probably be wise to back him while he continues his hot hitting. However, I'm probably not going to get too deep into player props in this one. I've found lately that they are a bit harder for me to be consistently good at, but I still like mentioning for those that play fantasy or like them.

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Instead, my play is going to be to continue fading Peterson until he proves that he has made the necessary adjustments. I think the Cubs will eventually turn him around, but I'm not comfortable backing him. Give me the birds in this one, as I think Baltimore takes down Chicago and avoids the sweep.

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Air Force rescinding 135 promotions after test scoring error: 'This is going to be hard'

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:39:27 -0400

The Air Force on Monday acknowledged a human error involving an outdated test answer key corrupted this year's technical sergeant selection process, forcing officials to revoke 135 promotions and award those slots to other troops who rightfully earned them.

The error affected only the service's security forces career field, where officials rescored all 2,285 eligible airmen after discovering an outdated scoring key had been used on the Specialty Knowledge Test.

"We owe it to those affected to address it immediately," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David R. Wolfe said in a statement. "This is going to be hard for everyone impacted."

After rescoring all 2,285 eligible airmen, the Air Force determined that 451 previously selected airmen would keep their promotions while 135 others no longer met the cutoff score. Another 135 airmen who were initially passed over will instead receive the promotions after officials rescored every eligible test.

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Air Force officials said the error was discovered after the promotion list was released and an enlisted promotions team member at the Air Force Personnel Center identified the outdated scoring key. Officials described the mistake as an isolated and unprecedented human error, adding that no other Air Force specialty codes were affected.

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Officials said they verified the correct answer key with subject matter experts before rescoring every eligible exam. The total number of promotions did not change, remaining at 586.

"We promote Airmen based on merit, which is established in federal law and policy," Lt. Gen. Jefferson O'Donnell, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said in a statement. "Who we are as an Air Force, defined by our core values, demands integrity in the meritocratic promotion system."

The Air Force Personnel Center plans to announce the 135 newly selected technical sergeants in a supplemental promotion release during the week of July 13. Officials said the new selectees will receive adjusted line numbers that will not affect when they are promoted.

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The Air Force said it has tightened its review process and is examining how the error occurred to prevent a similar mistake in future promotion cycles. Leaders are notifying affected airmen directly and have set up a hotline to answer questions.

Officials said the mistake was caused by human error, not artificial intelligence.

Platner is out — here's who's already scrambling to replace him

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 06:00:51 -0400

Several Democrats have jumped into the Maine Senate race since former Democratic nominee Graham Platner dropped out, while others are considering bids as the state's Democratic Party leaders decide the next steps.

Under Maine law, once Platner formally files the paperwork to withdraw as the Democratic nominee by 5 p.m. on July 13, the Maine Democratic Party will replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.

"Today, the Maine Democratic Party held a meeting with over 100 state committee members who voted to hold a nominating convention to choose a new nominee if there is a vacancy to fill," the Maine Democratic Party said in a statement shortly before Platner announced he was suspending his campaign, following a rape allegation by a former girlfriend.

GRAHAM PLATNER'S CHANCES OF DROPPING OUT SKYROCKET TO 94% AFTER PARTY REVOLT: KALSHI

"We will announce the full timeline, details for how the nomination process will move forward, information about how to participate, and requirements for candidates soon. We will keep the public informed throughout the process — transparency is of the utmost importance."

The convention would include 600 voting delegates, who pick the nominee, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital. Most of those delegates would likely be chosen by country branches of the party.

Several candidates have already announced they are jumping into the race, while others are still being speculated about as possible options to launch campaigns in the coming days.

Troy Jackson

Former state Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson filed the paperwork to run for Senate before Platner exited the race.

"There is a powerful movement of working-class people in the state of Maine, and millions more across America who are ready to send a progressive fighter to the Senate," Jackson said. "I’ve been fighting for that movement my whole life — and I’m sure as hell not backing down now, when this fight is needed most."

"I’m in. And we're going to defeat Susan Collins. Maine deserves a senator that will fight for working families."

Jackson, who, like Platner, is backed by Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, came in third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary last month.

FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES

Nirav Shah

Dr. Nirav Shah, who finished second in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary, has also announced he is entering the race.

"Today I am excited to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate to defeat Susan Collins," Shah said in a statement.

Shah continued, "To the movement that supported Graham Platner, my message is this: you have a place in this campaign. That’s because this campaign represents the Maine values we all care about: building a state and country where everyone can get ahead, not just the privileged few, respecting and loving our neighbors, and holding Donald Trump and Susan Collins accountable. Establishment politicians have failed us. Maine deserves a fighter in this seat, and I will be that fighter."

Shah served as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to early 2023 and steered the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He later served as principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

Angus King III

The 56-year-old son of Sen. Angus King and 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Angus King III, who finished at the bottom of the pack in the single digits in last month’s primary, said in a statement earlier in the week that he was considering a Senate bid.

"Right now, I'm taking time to reflect, spend time with my family, and think carefully about how I can make the greatest contribution to the state I love," King said before Platner dropped out. "I’ve never been motivated by holding office. If I decide to run again in any capacity, it will be because I believe I have something meaningful to offer and because it's the right way to help Maine move forward — not because of the office itself."

Janet Mills

Janet Mills, the state's Democratic governor, whose term expires in January, suspended her Senate campaign in April, citing anemic fundraising after jumping into the race in October 2025, even with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The 78-year-old governor remained on the ballot in the June primary and received 19.2% of the vote compared to Platner’s 72.1%.

Mills has not yet publicly stated her future plans.

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

Shenna Bellows

Attention is also focused on Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who was a leading contender in the gubernatorial primary. The Platner campaign reportedly polled Bellows as a potential candidate who could replace him as they mulled the decision of whether to drop out.

Bellows, the first woman to serve as Maine’s Secretary of State, grabbed national attention during the 2024 election cycle for attempting to remove President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot.

Dan Kleban

Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban announced in a post on X on Thursday that he is throwing his name in the race.

"I’ve been overwhelmed by the countless calls from Mainers encouraging me to consider this race," Kleban wrote. "I love Maine and everything it has given me. It’s where my wife of 22 years and I have raised our teenage twins. And after talking with them, I’m in."

Sara Gideon

Former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon was the Democratic Senate nominee in the 2020 election.

Polls indicated Gideon leading longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins, but Gideon ended up losing to the incumbent by nine points.

Paige Loud

Paige Loud, a social worker, finished fourth out of four candidates in the Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd Congressional District earlier this year, finishing with 10% of the vote. Loud announced earlier this week she is interested in running.

"Paige has filed as a Senate candidate for the 2026 midterm in light of the Platner situation," a spokesperson for Loud said on Tuesday. "In the event Platner drops out, Paige is being proactive in keeping options open for supporters across the state who have voiced a desire for a woman to be considered as the nominee."

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Jordan Wood

Jordan Wood, who served as chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., last year launched a bid for the Senate in Maine. But as Platner’s political star started to rise, Wood switched his bid to the U.S. House in the race in the state’s 2nd Congressional District to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden.

Wood, who vowed to take on the establishment and battle corruption, ended up finishing third in last month’s Democratic primary and announced on Thursday he is jumping into the race.

"I have been told that I am too progressive, that I am too young, that a gay man can’t win," Wood said in a press release. "These cynics are wrong. They have been wrong all of our lives. They remain wrong today. I’m asking for your support to take back control of our party, and our country."

David Costello

Former Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment David Costello was the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine in the 2024 election, coming in a distant third to incumbent independent Sen. Angus King.

Costello ran for a second straight cycle, coming in a distant third to Platner in last month’s Democratic Senate primary.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Costello wrote, "I’m back in, if Graham Platner withdraws," and he touted that he believes he's "the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins."

'Dune: Part Three' trailer ignites fan frenzy ahead of the trilogy-closing December 2026 release

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:06:36 -0400

A new trailer has arrived for "Dune: Part Three."

Basic info:

Plot: Emperor Paul Atreides struggles with the consequences of his holy war, while a conspiracy within his own sphere of influence threatens his reign of the universe.
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin (rumored).
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Release date: December 18, 2026
Source material: The novel series written by Frank Herbert

HOW 'OBSESSION' WENT FROM A SUB-$1M HORROR FILM TO A $371.2M BOX OFFICE PHENOMENON THAT DETHRONED 'SINNERS'

New "Dune: Part Three" trailer released.

The "Dune" film series has become an international phenomenon. The first two films in Frank Herbert's saga directed by Denis Villeneuve earned more than $1.1 billion globally. It's worth noting the first one was also released on streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, impacting its total box office haul.

The science fiction story about Paul Atreides —played by Timothée Chalamet -is legendary, and now there's one film left to close out Villeneuve's trilogy.

To say fans are excited would be an incredible understatement.

"Dune: Part Three" arrives in theaters on December 18th, and a new trailer for the film dropped Wednesday.

It's only going to send excitement further soaring. Give it a watch below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

People were quick to weigh in on the YouTube comments with one writing, "This movie better win all of the awards. Villeneuve deserves it."

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Another added, "Every shot here looks amazing. This was the only film I came into this year hyped for & the trailers have only heightened that."

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A third commented, "Stoked for this one!"

Clearly, people are excited and I'm right there with them. December 18th is going to see a lot of packed theaters in America. Let me know your thoughts on the final "Dune" film in Villeneuve's trilogy at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Parents, fans furious with puzzling decision that could make high school baseball far more dangerous

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:02:54 -0400

High school baseball pitchers better have their heads on a swivel beginning in 2028, because the game is about to change.

On Wednesday, USA Baseball and the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) announced that the NFHS Rules Committee voted to expand permitted bat drop weights in high school baseball to include -4, -5, and -6.

For those who don't know, "bat drop weights" is the difference between a bat's length (in inches) and its weight (in ounces). For example, the current rules say a bat must be -3, or a drop-3. If a bat is 31 inches long, it must be weigh 28 ounces. That's standard practice for bats in high school baseball.

VANDERBILT PITCHER SCREAMS AT BATTER LIKE A MANIAC, GETS HIT WITH INSTANT KARMA ONE PITCH LATER

A 31-28 bat, 32-29, or 33-30. You get the picture.

Starting in 2028, players will be able to legally use a lighter bat, hence the -4, -5, or -6. USA Baseball sold the move as a necessary one to "keeping more athletes in baseball and supporting their long-term development."

I'm not so sure. Neither are fans, parents, or coaches.

"We have seen too many athletes entering high school baseball struggle with the immediate jump to the -3-drop weight and then walk away from the game," USA Baseball President John Gall said in a release. "This rule change creates flexibility for players to continue building strength, refining mechanics, and developing bat speed over time before making the jump to USA BBCOR."

Parents, fans furious with USA baseball's move

I'm just not sure its the best move, I'll be honest here. I played high school baseball. In fact, I played baseball for well over a decade, all the way through college.

I've seen what legit high school prospects can do with a bat. I played before the current BBCOR bat was in place.

For those who haven't brushed up on their high school sports terms in the past decade, BBCOR bats were introduced in 2012 and are basically just a toned-down version of the old aluminum bats we used to use and absolutely annihilate balls with.

They are essentially a bridge to the wood bats they use at the professional level. BBCOR stands for Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution, and basically controls how much energy transfers from a bat to the ball upon impact.

And that's your science lesson for today!

Anyway, high school baseball mandated these bats after the 2011 season at both the college and high school level, and it's been pretty much business as usual ever since. Why USA Baseball decided to allow players to make them lighter all of a sudden is puzzling.

They're billing it as a way to keep players from "walking away from the game," which, again, is puzzling. I've never once seen nor heard of a player walk away from high school baseball because the bat was too heavy. Come on.

Basically, in the name of inclusivity, USA Baseball has now put a lighter bat in the hands of a 220-pound, 5-tool prospect who can already tear the cover off the ball as is.

Parents, coaches and fans were quick to point that out after USA Baseball made the announcement:

I could go on and on. Folks are angry, and I get it.

Personally, this comment from Southwest Tennessee Community College coach Erik Schoenrock really did it for me:

"If you’re not using a -3 bat by the time you’re 14 or 15 years old… don’t worry about college baseball recruiting. You’re not getting prepared," said Schoenrock, a former University of Memphis pitcher who was drafted by the Padres in 2013.

"And personally, I think this is ridiculous… just asking for someone to get hurt. 0 player safety thoughts with this new rule."

To me, this feels like a step backwards in terms of high school baseball development. Right? Again, my final year of high school baseball back in 2011 was the final year of the old bats. The next year, BBCOR's were made mandatory, partly due to safety concerns.

But, they were also a bridge to the wood bats used in professional baseball.

If you really want to develop amateurs, why not just make the move to wood bats entirely and ditch the metal? That's what they did pre-1973(ish). The good 'ol days. The simpler days.

"Back when men were men!" as my grandpa would say.

Instead, we're giving them the option to use ... lighter ... bats? I don't get it. Even more puzzling was the reasoning. Because kids are walking away from the game?

Odd.

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"The adoption of the USA Baseball BBCOR standard and expanding the available drop-weight options provides younger and developing players with additional opportunities to build proper mechanics, confidence, and skills while maintaining the risk minimization and performance standards expected in education-based athletics," said NFHS Director of Sports, Sanctioning, and Student Services Elliot Hopkins.

Risk minimization?

We'll see.

Jeff Foxworthy says Hollywood has not understood regular Americans in a ‘long, long time’

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:00:34 -0400

Jeff Foxworthy is a comedian for the people, but Hollywood, in his estimation, has lost the plot.

"I don't think Hollywood has understood that audience in a long, long time," Foxworthy told Fox News Digital of regular people. "I don’t care where they live or where they stand politically, if you sat people down and said, ‘What do you want out of life?’ I bet we would agree on 85% of the things."

He said everybody wants to love somebody and be loved, be able to take care of their family and have a little entertainment.

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"We want the same things," he argued. "But what happened was, instead of celebrating the 85% that we're all alike, we yell and scream at each other over the 15% that we’re different. Being different is fine. It would be boring as hell if we were all alike and all thought the same way."

Foxworthy loves being able to talk to people about differing points of view.

WATCH HERE: JEFF FOXWORTHY SAYS HOLLYWOOD HASN'T UNDERSTOOD REGULAR AMERICANS IN A LONG TIME

"I think that was the success of the ‘Blue Collar Tour,’ because when the Kings of Comedy came out, Atlanta was one of the first stops, and they had an article about it in the Atlanta paper. And it said it was a show for the urban hip audience. And I'm like, ‘’Well, I've been to all 50 states, and let me tell you, there's 200 million people that aren't urban or hip, so let's do a show for them.’"

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He added, "I just kind of, my comedy comes from this template. I just think if I think something or my wife says something or my family does something, I'm going to assume other people are thinking and saying and doing the same things."

The greatest compliment he gets, Foxworthy said, is when someone tells him after he’s tried a new bit, ‘Oh my God, you've been in our house,’ ‘cause, you know, you've made them kind of laugh at themselves. You've held something up that they've said or thought, and you realize that's — we all want to belong to something bigger than ourselves."

That’s when he realizes, "‘Oh, it's not just me. Other people, other people's families are as screwed up as ours,’ you know?"

JEFF FOXWORTHY SAYS NEW FOX NATION SPECIAL COULD BE HIS LAST, AND HE'S ENDING IT WHERE HE STARTED

Foxworthy’s new comedy special "The Joke's On Me" is streaming now on Fox Nation.

WATCH HERE: JEFF FOXWORTHY DESCRIBES THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS ‘THE JOKE’S ON ME' COMEDY SPECIAL

The special is unique in that it offers a behind-the-scenes look at his family life and his joke-writing process.

The comedian said he was inspired by the Beatles documentary "Get Back," which showed the musicians writing the song.

"They were in the studio, and they were trying to write songs and, you know, playing with lyrics and throwing them out and playing with instruments and throwing them out," Foxworthy said. "And at the end, they all go up on the roof, and they play 'Get Back,' and it was so beautiful. I got teary-eyed. I'm sitting there watching it, and I thought: ‘You know, seeing the process didn't take anything away from the finished product. In fact, it added to it. It made it richer because you saw the struggle that went into creating that."

It made him realize that "Nobody's ever done that with stand-up. People just think stand-ups are funny."

He said people often think stand-ups just grab a microphone and start talking about their day, "And yet to do a 60-minute special, it takes a year of hard work to create an hour worth of material."

That’s why when Fox Nation first approached the comedian about a 60-minute special, he wasn’t interested.

"I said, ‘But if you're willing to try something different, if you will show me note cards in hands, going into a club on a Tuesday night or a Wednesday night and just throwing these thoughts out’ – Because one of the things that still fascinates me after over 40 years about stand-up is I still don't know what people are gonna laugh at."

He laughed, "You would think after 40 years, I would know. Now I'll go in there with an idea, ‘Oh, this is really funny.’ And then nobody laughs, or I'll have a card where I think ‘This is so stupid. I'm embarrassed to say it.’ And you throw it out there and everybody's beating the tables laughing. And you're like, ‘Really?’ And so I wanted to show that. And Fox Nation was the first place that ever said, ‘OK, we'll do it.’"

Friends have told him it’s the best thing he’s ever done and that they’ve never seen anything like it before, he said.

"I love stand-up," he added. "Every special looks the same, and I wanted — I mean they just do. I've seen a thousand of them, and so I'm like, ‘I want this to be different.’ I want something like the Beatles thing. I want someone to watch it and at the end they go, ‘Not only did I laugh, I learned something about the artist in it,’ and I think we pulled it off."

The 67-year-old has also implied that this special might be his last.

"And by that, I don't mean that I would quit doing stand-up," he explained. "I just — at this point in my life, what it takes to create that new linear hour, I'd rather spend that time with my grandkids, or I'd rather spend time on a tractor at the farm."

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He’s said he's also been on the road nonstop his entire career.

"I laugh at my music friends when they say they're on tour. I said, ‘Well, tour implies it stops at some point.’ I said, ‘I've been on tour since 1984, you know? It just never stopped.’ I still love stand-up. I just don't know that I'm willing — and to be honest, I'm not sure I can do anything any better than this, which just feels like a good place to stop."

Vanilla Ice says he nearly joined the ‘27 Club’ before quitting drugs for good

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:00:23 -0400

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Vanilla Ice opened up about one of the darkest chapters of his life, revealing he wrote a suicide note at age 27 during a battle with drug addiction before ultimately quitting drugs for good and rebuilding his life.

In an episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" that was released Thursday, the rapper looked back on how the sudden end of his meteoric rise to fame left him struggling with his identity. He described how drug use spiraled until he reached a breaking point, saying that experience ultimately prompted him to walk away from drugs, cut ties with unhealthy influences and start his life over in Miami.

"Basically, that whole wave I was riding — 'Ice Ice Baby,' 'Ninja Turtles,' 'Cool as Ice,' movies, everything — and then all of a sudden I hit the shore. The wave just crashed," he said.

"I almost joined the 27 Club, and it was right there. Twenty-seven years old. I couldn't figure out what I was doing. I never got to be a kid. I had to be a responsible adult, and I wanted to just enjoy being twenty-something. I never got to enjoy that."

MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY FLED TO PERU TO FIGHT ‘DEMONS’ AFTER EARLY FAME

The singer, known for his 1990 hip-hop hit "Ice Ice Baby," said his friends read his suicide note and came to his aid. After that, he elected to cut "the party guys" out of his life, changing his phone number and moving to Florida.

He reflected on the difficulties facing people in their late twenties.

‘BRADY BUNCH’ STAR SHARES THE SIMPLE WORD THAT SAVED HER FROM HOLLYWOOD TRAPS

"Whether you're famous or not, 27 is a hard age because your twenties are over. You've got the adult thing coming. Being an adult sucks. You've got to accept responsibility and be a lousy adult and wake up, drink coffee and deal with kids," he said.

"You have it really good until you get right there, and that's where the transition happens. The pressure... These kids in their twenties, especially today, they have to process way too many thoughts in their heads. They don't know where their future is going. They try to plan it and figure it out, and they can't."

Although he quit drugs and left that chapter behind, Vanilla Ice said it took years before he fully came to terms with the success that had once nearly consumed him. He recalled that a conversation with evangelist Tammy Faye Messner while filming the reality television series "The Surreal Life" changed his perspective.

BROOKE SHIELDS REFLECTS ON BEING MADE A 'SEX SYMBOL' AT A YOUNG AGE AND HOW SHE TURNED THE PAGE ON FAME

The rapper admitted he didn't like performing "Ice Ice Baby" because the period of his life when it became a phenomenon "almost killed" him.

"I just didn't want to be that person. It wasn't me," he said. But words of wisdom he attributed to Messner and actor Erik Estrada caused him to reconsider.

"[They] both said, 'Listen, you are who you are because of who you were... Accept it. You can't go back and change it. You have to be yourself now. That makes you who you are today.'"

The conversation prompted him to embrace "Ice Ice Baby" as part of his story rather than something to run from. He said he realized fans had attached their own memories to the song, and he didn't want to take that away from them.

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Vanilla Ice also credited his mother with helping him find a healthier outlook after his struggles. He recounted asking her how he was supposed to be happy when he felt miserable.

"She said, 'Exactly. You need to put your dancing shoes on.' And I don't mean literally get up and start dancing. I mean get out there. Whatever problems you've got, dance your way through them because you cannot dance if you're miserable."

A laughably bad American League has allowed one of baseball's worst teams to climb into the playoff race

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:49:40 -0400

The Boston Red Sox are three games out of a postseason spot as the Major League Baseball season nears the All-Star break.

If you've missed the first three months of the season, you're probably confused as to why that's worthy of a story. After all, it's the Red Sox. They made the playoffs last season and were a trendy World Series pick this year.

Of course, they've been, arguably, the most embarrassing team in the league for 90% of the season. It's been a real race between the Red Sox and New York Mets, if we're being honest. At the moment, the Mets are in the lead.

But it hasn't been that way all season.

FIRED RED SOX COACHES ESCORTED FROM TEAM HOTEL IN EMBARRASSING FASHION

The Sox fired manager Alex Cora less than a month into the season after an abysmal start. Star outfielder Roman Anthony has missed most of the year with a finger injury that the team initially said should sideline him for only a few weeks.

Ace Garrett Crochet hasn't made a start in months, and he was recently moved to the 60-day IL.

The team, as of a few weeks ago, was at the bottom of the American League. GM Craig Breslow was about to be fired. The entire roster was set to be sold off at the deadline. Fans at Fenway were chanting "Sell the team" every other game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

And now, because of a well-timed winning streak — and because the American League is laughably bad this season — those same Red Sox are on the cusp of a playoff spot at the halfway point.

Does a down season make a run worth it?

Let's go ahead and dive into the numbers, because they are truly stunning.

Only five of the 15 team in the American League are currently above .500. To compare, nine teams in the NL are above .500.
Only six AL teams have a positive run differential. Six. Five of the six teams ahead of the Red Sox in the standings all have a negative differential. The Red Sox (+17) are one of the few teams in the green.
The Yankees, considered the top team in the league for most of the season, are 2-11 in their last 13 games.
The Seattle Mariners currently lead the AL West with a record of 47-46. They would be four games out of a playoff spot in the National League.
The Red Sox would be a whopping eight games out of a playoff spot in the National League.
The Miami Marlins (51-42) have gone 25-8 since June 1 and have won six straight series. They are currently third in their own division. They'd be the second-best team in the entire American League.

Just a historically bad year for the American League, obviously. And, because of that, teams like the Red Sox (42-48), Tigers (42-50), Orioles (42-51) and A's (41-51) are all within legit striking distance of a playoff spot.

The Red Sox are, perhaps, the most surprising of all. They fired half their coaching staff back in April, including Alex Cora. They've essentially lost their ace and best all-around player for the season. They are 17-27 at Fenway Park this season, which is impossibly bad given that park.

Yet, the team has rallied behind an elite pitching rotation even without Crochet, the best closer in the AL in Aroldis Chapman, and an All-Star season from 34-year-old Willson Contreras.

It also hasn't hurt that Caleb Durbin — the player acquired to replace Alex Bregman last winter — has been among the best third baseman in baseball over the last month after an abysmal start to the season.

Credit to Durbin — and the rest of the roster — for somewhat turning it around.

But is it a mirage? With the trade deadline looming, that's the question the Red Sox — and the rest of the mediocre clubs in the American League — will have to grapple with over the next few weeks.

Does "going for it" because the league is in the midst of an embarrassing season make sense? Some would argue teams, like the Red Sox, would just be delaying the inevitable by doing that.

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Others will counter that by saying you play games to win, and you grind through seasons to play in October.

It's a fascinating debate, and one that is very much alive at the moment only because the American League is laughably mediocre.

Hooters closes operations in multiple LIB states, new footage of Payne Valley golf cart debacle & steak dinner

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:44:53 -0400

It's a beautiful July morning here in NW Ohio where we buckle up for another edition of Thursday Screencaps which includes not-so-shocking news from Hooters.

While we were all focused on the World Cup, America 250 and enjoying our summer breaks, the breastaurant quietly closed a number of stores in LIB states where the purple hairs run pop culture.

According to MassLive, Hooters has now closed its operations in Massachusetts where the final store closed in June. Around the same time, Hooters also closed up its final New York location after closing New York City stores earlier this year.

WORLD CUP FANS ARE BLOWN AWAY BY 'FREE REFILLS' IN THE UNITED STATES, GEN Z HITS MASSIVE VEGAS POT & MEAT!

For those keeping track at home, LIB states that no longer have Hooters include:

• Minnesota

• Connecticut

• Massachusetts

• New York

Meanwhile, in LIB-controlled Michigan, one store remains.

With beer consumption on the decline, to-go sports bar food business models thriving and a pivot to lesbian sports bars being all the rage, Hooters seems to be caught in a nightmare situation, especially in states under full LIB control.

So what's the plan? In April, company leadership indicated there's a Hooters movie coming and possible growth in the West to go along with the strong footprint it has in the free state of Florida.

What's crystal-clear is that Hooters will likely never return to states run by angry members of the Alphabet Mafia. That ship has sailed.

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Cracker Barrel update:

Speaking of brands that were left for dead, let's check in with Cracker Barrel and dummy CEO Julie Masino. It was around this time last year when Masino's team was quietly changing the look of the iconic company. They started by whitewashing stores and ripping out the fabric of what made people fall in love with the brand in the first place.

They made stores look like First Watch. And loyal customers were furious. Masino followed that up with an August media blitz right before the NFL season that turned out to be one of the dumbest marketing moves since Bud Light.

Now? MSNBC is hailing Julie as a hero for helping the company rebound...to nearly where the stock was at before the August mess. You can't make this stuff up.

There's new video from the Payne Valley golf cart incident

I golf with some real degenerates, but none of the guys I know have dunked a golf cart into a pond, especially off a cliff. I need to hear from these guys bad. The golf community is small. One of you has to know the guy who dunked the cart. I'm begging you, send me his phone number.

This is the nonsense you get from social media that people are dumb enough to believe

Ah yes, he just went on a generational run where the dealer pulled all the bust cards in head-to-head blackjack. If you believe this garbage, you deserve to lose your 401k at the casino. The chances of going on this run and pulling two 21s after splitting aces are astronomical.

How many times have you been on a run like this?

Should the United States marketing department reach out to the Euros to have them experience college football Saturdays?

– Alex in NC presents a strong idea: As awesome as it has been that all these fans from other countries have fallen in love with the USA, the fact that they are all going to miss the college football season experience is a true shame. Imagine them ant the Iron Bowl, tailgating at Ole Miss, a white out at penn state, osu vs Michigan Florida vs UGA, The red river shootout with OU and Texas in the cotton bowl. Any rivalry game and the energy around those stadiums would have blown their minds.

Readers continue to react to my athletic achievement

– Savannah Bob says: Probably one of many that are sending this, but that is a PAR 5!! Tap in PAR!!! Take the credit — well played hole.

– Jim Z in East Peoria, IL is back and complimenting my golf game: WOWZA!!!!! Great job there Mr. One-Take Kinsey!!! Very impressive. That 40 foot putt was truly amazing!!! And the shots leading to it were pretty darn good as well!!!

Congrats on the baseball win last night. Sounds like, regardless of what happens, you've ended up in a good place with your group this year.

Completely unhinged nonsense that modern moms post on social media

– Britt emails: My wife showed this post to me from a neighborhood group. I haven't stopped laughing yet, but the truth is this is how many younger people think and live in this country and I hope I'm not around when they get control.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Hey neighbors, I'm looking for a babysitter (for just occasional times here and there) but fair warning: we are veeerry particular My daughter really needs to trust someone before she'll feel comfortable with them, so before any real babysitting happens we'd want to spend real time together first. Playdates, hangouts, getting to know each other.

Our babysitter ends up feeling more like a trusted family friend. I'm looking for an adult with a lot of genuine experience with kids (not just babysitting younger siblings a few times), someone who gets nervous system-aware, connection-based parenting. Montessori, RIE, conscious parenting vibes. Down to play pretend, do crafts, read a million books, follow a child's lead.

Able to stay calm and grounded when things get big: tears, frustration, resistance, without shutting it down or powering through. Someone who works WITH a child rather than over them. My daughter does best with low-pressure, collaborative energy and someone who offers choices rather than commands. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please reach out!

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Kinsey: What are the chances the mom used AI to create that message? 74% chance? More? I'll tell you this, her husband either needs a blowout golf trip BAD or he's a giant pussy who is going to wake up one day and wonder why he let this maniac ruin his life.

Pulse check: Are your kids watching sports on TV?

– Travel Ball Hardo Chris B. in Houston checks in: You've said your baseball boys don't watch MLB baseball games... some probably watch the highlights on social media. Ask them if they watched the USA vs Belgium World Cup game. I suspect many of them did. And one more... talk to them about the MLB all star game next week. Back when my son played most of the boys didn't watch regular season games, but many of them watched the home run derby & the all star game. You might poll yours and see what you get.

Kinsey: My kids watched more World Cup than they have MLB in the last two months because I've had it on more. Granted, they've been outside a ton this summer. YouTube will show them MLB ASG clips that they'll watch, I'm sure. Honestly, I could get rid of our TVs and I'm not sure they'd notice for a few days.

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And with that, I'm out this morning. I have Zooms to hop on, Facebook posts to post and things to get done at this job that I'm incredibly fortunate to have. We're quickly closing in on my 20th anniversary of cashing checks on the Internet. That is bizarre to even think about.

Let's get after it.

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Kenny Omega captures AEW World Championship in epic match over MJF

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:44:26 -0400

Kenny Omega walked into The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday night knowing it could be the final time he could challenge for the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship.

It was the stipulation that Omega agreed to in order to face champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF). It’s a similar stipulation that "Hangman" Adam Page agreed to and lost to MJF earlier this year. Omega and MJF are two of the top stars in all of pro wrestling.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

The Clearwater crowd was seemingly behind Omega. MJF already ruffled the feathers of his potential challenger at All In, Will Ospreay, when he spat in his face in a segment backstage. The tensions were heightened and it marked for a terrific match between the two pro wrestlers.

And the referee let them fight. MJF and Omega brought their brawl into the stands at fight before taking it back into the ring. MJF used his dirty tactics to avoid Omega at first. He put the referee in his way of a V-trigger and then bit into Omega’s face.

"I’m moonwalking to Wembley Stadium whether you like it or not," MJF told the camera during the match.

Omega tried to put some space in between himself and MJF. He walked up the ramp and was able to take some control of the match. He climbed up a lifeguard tower that was set up at the top of the ram and hit a moonsault on MJF. He got MJF back in the ring and hit a dropkick from the top rope to MJF’s back.

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Omega looked as good as ever and it seemed he was going to take control with hopes of becoming the AEW world champion for the third time. MJF had other ideas, taking advantage of Omega’s blinding speed with a drop toehold. But it wasn’t enough to grind Omega’s momentum to a halt.

The two went back and forth as fans waited to see who was going to walk out of Clearwater with the belt.

As the match wore on, MJF attempted to drive Omega from the apron into the announce table with a tombstone. However, Omega got out of it and hit a V-trigger on MJF. The champ was sent flying from the apron and through the announce table.

By the time MJF got back up, the two men were clearly spent. They attempted to get their last licks in. MJF hit Omega with a tombstone piledriver on a chair but seemingly injured his knee with the move. Omega got MJF back in the ring and hit two more nasty V-triggers.

Somehow, MJF was able to counter a One-Winged Angel with a poisonrana. He hit him with a heatseeker but couldn’t get the pinfall.

MJF lined up to hit Omega with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. But Will Ospreay came out to take the ring away. Omega was going to hit MJF with the AEW title belt but didn’t have the heart. MJF hit Omega with a low blow and the title. But Omega kicked out at a one count.

It was Omega’s turn to turn on the heat. He reached deep down inside of him to hit MJF with three more V-triggers and a One-Winged Angel.

Omega pinned MJF to win the AEW World Championship.

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The crowd went wild and it appears Omega will go on to face Ospreay at All In later this summer.

Anti-Trump protester charged after viral video appears to show journalist shoved at Maine protest

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:41:01 -0400

A Maine man is facing charges after a viral video captured him allegedly assaulting a local journalist at an apparent Democratic-led protest.

The undated video posted Tuesday shows The Maine Wire’s Joe Sokol speaking to demonstrators at a protest challenging President Donald Trump — among other political flashpoints — in the city of Bangor.

"When we find out that somebody is not a good person, we don’t vote for them," one woman can be heard telling Sokol, as she carries a sign depicting an upside-down American flag.

TPUSA REPORTER SAVANAH HERNANDEZ ASSAULTED DURING MINNEAPOLIS ICE PROTEST

As Sokol walks away following a brief interview with the woman, a man wearing a white shirt and carrying a sign that reads "Healthcare 4 all" appears to shove the journalist and cameraman.

"Whoa, whoa, that’s assault," Sokol is heard saying as the man walks away.

As the man storms away from Sokol, a woman carrying an American flag can be seen following him with her hand on his shoulder and apologizing profusely.

TPUSA REPORTER SAYS FAMILY CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING HER IS NOW TRYING TO SILENCE HER WITH RESTRAINING ORDERS

Sokol then confronts the man, asking, "Why would you just do that?"

"I didn’t see you," the man replied while walking down a sparse line of fellow demonstrators, each carrying signs that appeared to push anti-Trump rhetoric.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like to tell me why you just assaulted me?" Sokol asked. "Would you like to tell me why you just assaulted me?"

VIDEO SHOWS OFF-DUTY FLORIDA SHERIFF'S SERGEANT ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING ELDERLY COUPLE AT BAR

The man appears to not respond to Sokol, as the unidentified woman offers a string of apologies to the journalist.

"I’m sorry, we don’t do that," the woman can be heard telling Sokol.

In another clip, Sokol can be seen attempting to interview another man at the protest when the same individual appears to back into Sokol before allegedly elbowing him.

The man does not appear to exchange words with Sokol throughout the video and details surrounding any type of confrontation remain unclear.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

The incident was subsequently reported to the Bangor Police Department, who confirmed the man’s identity to Fox News Digital as 78-year-old Ronald Staples, of the nearby city of Holden.

Staples is facing one charge of assault, according to police.

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Authorities have not yet released details surrounding what led up to or transpired immediately after the alleged assault.

Fox News Digital reached out to Staples and the Maine Wire for comment but did not receive a response.

Landon Donovan joins Christian Pulisic criticism following USA's World Cup exit with harsh observation

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:36:24 -0400

Christian Pulisic is not getting the benefit of the doubt from anyone.

In perhaps the most important World Cup in the history of soccer in the United States, Pulisic ultimately did not make an impact.

Pulisic got hurt in the U.S. Men's National Team's opener, causing him to miss its next game before playing limited minutes in the group stage finale.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

But Pulisic, the face of U.S. Soccer, disappointed in both knockout-stage games and left the Round of 16 match against Belgium after an ankle injury. After the loss, Pulisic said he can "rest."

Landon Donovan saw both the highs and lows during his World Cup career, and while he admitted he "want[ed] to be careful" regarding his observation about Pulisic, the USMNT legend did not hold back much about the criticism he "deserves."

"In the end, he’s your best player, he’s your star player, and it just didn’t happen for him..." Donovan said on his "Unfiltered Soccer" podcast with former teammate Tim Howard. "That’s part and parcel with this role. It’s just disappointing, I was waiting for a moment for him… and it just didn’t happen."

TAYLOR TWELLMAN GOES OFF ON TEAM USA AFTER DISASTROUS 4-1 LOSS TO BELGIUM: 'CAN'T MISS FUNDAMENTALS'

"I’m starting to look back, Tim — it’s more than just a trend now. It is," Donovan continued. "Like, when the games are easy, and it’s a home qualifier, and it’s Jamaica, yes. But in the big moments and the big games, he just hasn’t — I’m not criticizing, I’m just saying it factually. He is who he is at this point."

Donovan also was not thrilled that Pulisic left the Belgium game.

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"The reality is, he came out of a World Cup knockout game at home, with his leg still intact. Because you would have had to f---ing drag me off the field," Donovan said. "And I would have punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field.’"

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Howard was cryptic in his not-so-positive Pulisic analysis, saying he is a "nice footballer," but "outside of that, you’d have to ask me very direct questions to which I could give you very direct answers."

Pulisic has just one goal in eight career World Cup games. In Monday's loss, he lost possession 11 times in the first half.

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With US unleashing attacks, Iranian official threatens that the Islamic Republic will deliver a 'hard slap'

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:26:35 -0400

An Iranian official warned that the Islamic Republic will deliver a "hard slap" while another blatantly threatened the U.S. that "if you strike, you'll get hit," according to automatic translations from the two men's Persian-language posts on X.

Ebrahim Rezaei, whose profile on the social media platform indicates that he is a representative in Iran's Parliament and the spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote in a post on X, "The martyred Khamenei taught us not to fear America and showed that 'falsehood will perish.' Await the hard slap from the Iranians."

The speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned, "America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit. Don’t flail around pointlessly, or you’ll sink even deeper: the Strait of Hormuz will only open with 'Iranian arrangements,' not American threats."

Both of the men issued their posts on Wednesday after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced more strikes against Iran.

"At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway," CENTCOM had noted in a post on X.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE DEAL IS 'OVER' AFTER NEW ROUND OF STRIKES

The U.S. military later provided more information about the attacks.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8, to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM noted on Wednesday night.

"U.S. forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before," the announcement noted. "CENTCOM forces hit approximately 80 Iranian military targets July 7, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats, to impose heavy costs for Iran violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz."

TRUMP DEMANDS END TO TRADE WITH KEY US ALLY, CALLS IT A 'WASTED CAUSE'

President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that, as far as he was concerned, the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding ceasefire was "over."

Kuwait and Bahrain have both reported coming under attack.

The Kuwait Army noted in a Thursday post on X, which was written in Arabic, "The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that the armed forces detected, at dawn today, (3) ballistic missiles, (1) cruise missile, and (10) hostile drones within Kuwaiti airspace, which were successfully intercepted and dealt with."

TRUMP SAYS 'IRAN LIES AND CHEATS' AS IRGC EMERGES AS DOMINANT FORCE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH US

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The Bahrain Defense Force noted in a post that was in Arabic, "The General Command clarifies that, with firm resolve and high combat readiness, the Bahrain Defense Force's air defense systems confronted, intercepted, and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks this morning, Thursday, July 9, 2026 CE."

Trump says Democrats replacing Platner is 'very hard for them to do'

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:17:40 -0400

President Donald Trump remarked that congressional Democrats would have a hard time replacing former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after the embattled candidate suspended his campaign Wednesday.

"It's very hard for them to do. It's really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods. It's... he's in a bind. He's in a bind. But, should they be able to do it? Well, I guess he's going to lose. I imagine he's going to lose," Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One before returning to the United States from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday evening after numerous Democrats and liberals who had previously backed him pulled their support and encouraged him to drop out of the race.

PLATNER DROPS OUT OF CRUCIAL SENATE RACE AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION TORPEDOES CAMPAIGN

The calls for his exit came after Politico published a bombshell report detailing rape allegations against Platner. In the story, Platner's ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot alleged he forced his way into her home and sexually assaulted her in 2021.

The Politico report followed a New York Times story that described another physical abuse allegation against Platner, this one from Lyndsey Fifield, a digital strategist for Republican political campaigns and organizations.

Trump alluded to Fifield's allegations, wondering aloud why her allegations weren't a catalyst for outrage in the same manner that Racicot's were.

PLATNER'S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE 'ABSOLUTELY' RAPED HER

"It's very interesting when the Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her... when this woman came out everybody believed her, right?" Trump asked reporters.

Fifield criticized the New York Times' handling of her accusations, spotlighting the paper's focus on her history of working for Republicans.

"I'm out here on my own, I'm the only one photographed and there's 11 paragraphs of my work history. Like, what is this?" Fifield told Fox News Digital in a Wednesday interview.

Platner maintained that his suspension was not an admission of guilt and denied the allegations.

While Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday, he has not officially dropped out to clear a path for a new candidate. Under Maine state law, he would have to drop out by July 13 to allow the Democratic Party to put a new candidate on the ballot in his stead.

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Fox News Digital contacted the Platner campaign for comment.

Fox News Digital's Brian Flood and Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Charlie Kirk family demands judge reveal hidden evidence from accused assassin's hearing

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:15:02 -0400

Charlie Kirk's widow and parents say they were prevented from viewing evidence during the accused assassin's preliminary hearing, arguing in a new court filing that victims have a legal right not only to attend criminal proceedings but to meaningfully observe the evidence presented in open court.

Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk outside a "Prove Me Wrong" event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10, 2025. A preliminary hearing is underway to determine whether the case will move forward to trial.

In a supplemental notice filed Wednesday, Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, asked a Utah judge to require that all evidence admitted during the remainder of Robinson's preliminary hearing be displayed in real time for everyone lawfully present in the courtroom. The filing also asks the court to republish exhibits admitted during the first three days of the hearing that were not shown publicly.

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

"The Victim's Family's position is simple. At a minimum, every exhibit entered into evidence during the preliminary hearing must be visible to every person lawfully present in the courtroom," the court filing read. "To receive evidence in a manner shielded from those seated in the courtroom – as happened today – is not transparency. And in the absence of transparency, speculation and conspiracy theories related to the tragic assassination of Mr. Kirk will continue to proliferate in the public domain, breeding doubt and distrust in the judicial system. This is not what anyone should want."

A representative for the Kirk family told Fox News the request includes a 4K video of Charlie Kirk's shooting that was admitted into evidence during the preliminary hearing. The representative said the filing does not seek to make the evidence available to the media, only to ensure it can be viewed by those lawfully present in the courtroom.

The filing says the Kirk family waited 10 months for the preliminary hearing and traveled to the courthouse to witness the proceedings, only to find themselves unable to view certain evidence admitted during testimony.

TYLER ROBINSON PRELIMINARY HEARING: JUDGE ORDERS REDACTIONS TO EX-LOVER’S VIDEO TESTIMONY

Attorneys wrote the family was "present in body" but denied the ability to "meaningfully observe the preliminary hearing."

The filing also contends that Utah law guarantees crime victims and their representatives the right to be informed of, present at and heard during important criminal justice proceedings, and argues those protections are meaningless if victims cannot see the evidence being presented to the court.

"The right 'to be present' is hollow if the victim or his representative is physically in the room but is prevented from seeing the evidence the Court is receiving," the document reads. "A right to attend that does not include the ability to perceive what is happening is not meaningful presence at all."

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

The filing asks the court to display all previously admitted exhibits that were not shown publicly during proceedings scheduled for July 9 and to require that all future evidence admitted during the preliminary hearing be displayed openly and in real time for everyone lawfully present in the courtroom.

It also asks the judge to prohibit evidence from being received in a manner that conceals it from courtroom observers.

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Robinson's preliminary hearing began Monday and is expected to continue through the week. Prosecutors must establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty.

Transgender fencer held women's scholarship before Trump order and NCAA policy change

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:11:06 -0400

Fencer Stephanie Turner was black-carded last year for refusing to compete against a trans-identifying male opponent in a women’s fencing tournament.

Now, Turner says a new detail proves exactly why she took a knee in the first place.

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Redmond Sullivan, the transgender fencer Turner refused to face at the Cherry Blossom Open in March 2025, previously received a $5,000 athletic scholarship per semester while competing at Wagner College, according to a recent CT Mirror profile.

Sullivan, who previously fenced for Wagner’s men’s team before moving to the women’s team in 2024, lost the scholarship after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at keeping males out of women’s sports and after the NCAA changed its transgender athlete policy.

The CT Mirror profile framed Sullivan’s story as one of loss and rebuilding. Turner sees it very differently.

"It’s funny Redmond let it slip in this sob piece that he’s been earning women’s athletic scholarship money, as if women should feel sorry that he’s been stealing money and opportunities from them," Turner told OutKick.

"It really highlights the obscenity of trans activist claims that ‘transwomen’ just want to be included when in fact they’re earning coveted positions on college sports teams, scholarship money, and awards off the backs of deserving women."

Turner became a viral figure in March 2025 when she took a knee rather than fence Sullivan in the Division 1A women’s foil event at the Cherry Blossom Open, a USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament held at the University of Maryland.

Turner removed her mask, knelt and refused to compete. She was issued a black card and disqualified from the tournament.

At the time, USA Fencing said Turner was not punished for her beliefs, but rather for refusing to fence an eligible competitor. The organization later placed Turner on one year of probation.

The incident quickly became one of the most visible flashpoints in the national debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Turner testified before Congress in May 2025 and said her protest was an act of desperation after years of frustration with USA Fencing’s transgender athlete policy.

Since then, the landscape has shifted dramatically.

USA Fencing later changed its policy to require athletes in domestic competition to compete according to biological sex, following updated guidance from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The NCAA also changed its policy after Trump’s executive order, limiting women’s competition to biological females only.

USA FENCING TRANSGENDER SAGA TAKES IRONIC TWIST AS ORG DEFENDS BANNING TRANS ATHLETE FROM WOMEN'S EVENT

And last week, the Supreme Court handed supporters of women’s sports another major victory, ruling 6-3 against challenges to laws in Idaho and West Virginia that restrict males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

Turner said the ruling was a relief, but she believes the fight is far from over.

"It’s such a relief to see the Supreme Court ruling against men in women’s sports. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment," Turner told OutKick. "However, there’s a lot of work to be done at the state level. Totally ridding women’s sports of men requires states to pass their own bills, and we all know there are Democrat-run state legislatures so deeply wedded to transgender ideology that the idea of passing such bills seems daunting.

"As long as we keep sounding the alarm, waking people up to common sense, and cataloging our grievance, these bills will get passed. It’s only a matter of time."

According to CT Mirror, Sullivan has since transferred to UConn, majors in history and secondary education, practices with the UConn Fencing Club and competes in mixed-gender fencing events when possible. Sullivan told the outlet fencing is no longer the main focus.

"My life is now rotated to focus on different goals, and it’s not fencing," Sullivan said. "Which was going to happen eventually, because it’s something that you can only do for so long. But I would’ve liked to have chased fencing for a little bit longer."

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For Turner, the scholarship detail adds a new layer to a story that was initially framed by critics as one athlete refusing to include another.

Her argument is that the issue was never simply about participation. It was about roster spots, competitive opportunities, awards and now, by Sullivan’s own account, scholarship money.

SCOTT WALKER: Democratic Socialists are coming for my state. This is how we beat them

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:00:53 -0400

Liberals in New York just elected a slate of self-described Democratic Socialists in key blue-district primaries. Battleground Wisconsin is their next target.

Wisconsin State Rep. Francesca Hong is the frontrunner in the crowded Democratic primary for governor this year. Recently, she posted a video of herself and supporters cheering on the New York Knicks winning the NBA championship with the caption, "New York City elected a socialist mayor, and the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years. Imagine what we could do with a socialist governor in Wisconsin."

Research conducted by nationally recognized pollster Charles Franklin shows that voters who identify as Democrats in my state have become significantly more liberal over the past decade, which means Hong may very well be on the path to victory in the primary.

This gives Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany the opportunity to present the campaign as a simple choice: common sense versus crazy.

DEM SOCIALIST RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN GOVERNOR PUSHED 'ABOLISHING THE POLICE'

Tiffany spells out reasonable plans to lower costs in Wisconsin by ending the 400-year property tax increase, greater transparency in healthcare, controlling utility rate increases, freezing college tuition and making government more efficient, effective and accountable. His likely opponent campaigns on a radical agenda.

Hong talks about a world without prisons and abolishing law enforcement, massive tax increases on individuals and job creators, legalizing "sex workers" and supporting sex-change surgeries for children. Unlike candidates in other battleground states, she doesn’t even pretend to sound like a moderate. She is betting that her Democratic Socialist platform will be enough to win the very competitive primary – the same playbook these socialist candidates are running in blue districts nationwide.

Tiffany, on the other hand, has a clear path to the nomination and can focus on the general election. His main opponents in the primary dropped out. Delegates at the recent state convention gave him their official endorsement. He has dominated the airwaves since April, spelling out who he is and what he will do to help people afford to live and thrive in Wisconsin.

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE NO LONGER ON THE FRINGE

Liberals take comfort in having won the last four elections for the state Supreme Court in the Badger State. They overlook the fact that the turnout is much higher in November than in April elections. Over the past decade, Donald Trump has carried the state in two out of three elections, and Ron Johnson has been elected to the Senate twice. Wisconsin is the closest swing state in America.

So far, Tiffany and his campaign team are doing the things necessary to win. They are on target with the three Ms: message, manpower and money. Early ads reinforce his Wisconsin roots and time as a small business owner with his wife, Chris, where they had to count every penny to survive – just like so many families today.

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

Aggressive fundraising encouraged other GOP candidates to exit the race and allowed the campaign to start running ads sooner. That helped motivate small-dollar donors to give and volunteer. The Tiffany campaign now has the most aggressive grassroots effort since the 2012 recall election. They are connecting to voters at their homes on the issues that matter to voters.

Democrats, on the other hand, are doing just about everything to help Tiffany. Gov. Tony Evers has remained popular over the past two terms by at least pretending to sound moderate and by cutting deals with Republican leadership in a divided government. All the remaining Democratic candidates have made it clear they oppose any compromise that doesn't radically increase the size and scope of state government. They are running on increasingly radical ideas.

Each of these radical Democratic candidates has spent very little time campaigning to a general election audience, and most voters don’t know much about them. Tiffany, however, has been on the airwaves for months, building his name ID and selling his vision for a more prosperous Wisconsin. After Democrats elect their nominee in mid-August, Tiffany and his allies can pounce on their opponent and aggressively brand them as a radical.

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The race is all about common sense versus crazy.

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That said, Wisconsin is the most competitive state in the nation right now. Historically, an advantage goes to the party not in the White House. Getting past the war in Iran and seeing lower gas prices will help. On the flip side, no intra-party fight for Tiffany, paired with a boisterous Democrat primary driven by this wave of radical ideas, levels the playing field.

The race will be close. Wisconsin has been the key to victory in the last three presidential elections. It will likely be the same in 2028. Expect both parties to play heavily in my home state this year. Thankfully, Tom Tiffany is doing the right things to win the election for governor. I should know, as we did it three times.

Trump's voter ID bill catches unlikely break as McConnell remains sidelined

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:00:25 -0400

An unlikely reason has chipped away, for now, at Senate Republican resistance against President Donald Trump’s flagship election priority.

The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has hit brick wall after brick wall in the Senate, and has only twice mustered 50 votes. Still, Trump wants Republicans to pass it by any means necessary.

Republicans, however, aren’t unified behind it. One lawmaker, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has routinely voted against the bill in its variety of iterations, earning the personal ire of Trump.

MCCONNELL FACES FRESH CALLS TO COME CLEAN ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES

"Mitch McConnell," Trump told reporters last month. "He's very disloyal to John Thune. You know, John Thune was a very good person for him. I mean, he's a very loyal person, and Mitch McConnell's against him almost all the time because he's angry, I guess. Probably at me."

McConnell has been absent from the Senate, which is currently in recess, for almost three weeks due to health issues. When he will return still remains unclear.

But without his resistance, that’s one less "no" vote that Republicans have to contend with.

REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP'S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY 'DEAD' IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Still, it doesn’t address the broader math problem in the Senate weighing down the chances of the SAVE America Act passing.

Senate Democrats are unified against it, meaning Trump and the SAVE America Act’s biggest proponents can’t break through the 60-vote filibuster, which has, in part, fueled the president’s demands to nuke the filibuster.

Senate Republicans don’t have the votes to do that, either.

"The only way you could get there is to undo or get rid of the legislative filibuster, and there aren't even close to the votes here in the United States Senate in order to achieve that," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said last month.

There is the talking filibuster, which Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has pushed for months, which Republicans have yet to turn to, largely over concerns of floor time being eaten away and fractured unity leading to Democratic wins.

Then there is the budget reconciliation route, which Trump has pushed Congress to consider. While Senate Republicans aren’t leaping at the prospect, the House is moving full steam ahead.

GOP INFIGHTING OVER TRUMP'S VOTER ID BILL ERUPTS AS TOP SENATOR CALLS STRATEGY 'FANTASY'

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream that he would move ahead with the reconciliation plan.

"We passed it three times in the House. We’re going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill, and I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally, to the president’s desk."

Notably, though, House Republicans have not passed the version of the SAVE America Act that Trump desires, which would include a strict crackdown on mail-in balloting, a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports and a ban on transgender surgical procedures for minors.

But even the bill’s biggest backers see reconciliation as a far-fetched option.

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Lee last month told Fox News Digital that the SAVE America Act was "policy, it's non-budgetary. Therefore, SAVE America itself is not eligible for consideration in a third reconciliation."

There could be alterations, like giving states federal funding to start doling out enhanced REAL IDs with citizenship verification in a reconciliation package, while separately passing a voter ID bill.

However, Lee believed that there was "no evidence that there is a viable path to a third reconciliation bill."

"I hope there is. I would love to be wrong on that. I want us to do that. I think we should do that. But the schedule that we've got, to my great disappointment, is not — it doesn't accommodate any of it."

Federal inmates may soon get tablets with messaging capabilities as Bureau of Prisons makes modernization push

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:48:38 -0400

Federal inmates are set to receive their own tablets to use for educational and career advancement, according to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

On Wednesday, the BOP announced that it had inked a tablet services contract that will "dramatically modernize the agency’s approach to communication, education, rehabilitation and daily operations across its facilities nationwide."

The BOP also said inmates will be given access to secure messages and video services to help them "maintain healthy relationships with loved ones, an essential factor proven to reduce recidivism."

WILD VIDEO SHOWS INMATES RIOTING INSIDE JAIL AFTER FRUSTRATIONS OVER ACCESS BOIL OVER

Per the announcement, the tablets will be made available to all inmates in BOP custody. There are more than 138,000 prisoners in federal corrections facilities.

"Our first priority is the safety of our staff and the security of our institutions," said BOP Director William K. Marshall III. "This contract modernizes outdated operations, reduces administrative burdens, and allows staff to focus on the critical work of maintaining safe facilities while expanding opportunities for rehabilitation and successful reentry."

Officials said the tablets will assist inmates with literacy support, evidence-based rehabilitative programs, faith-based materials, health care information and job preparation content.

NEW YORK SHERIFFS 'MAD AS HELL' AS HOCHUL PUSHES TO BAN KEY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP

The tablets will also reduce administrative burden for staff by moving traditionally paper-dependent tasks, such as commissary ordering and program registration, onto a digital platform.

The BOP stressed that the devices will be rolled out in phases across its vast network of prisons, with each implementation being guided by "strict security protocols and oversight."

The timeline for the rollout is not clear. Fox News reached out to the BOP for further comment.

DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CALLED FOR MASS RELEASE OF CRIMINALS DURING PRISON ABOLITION WEBINAR

Virtually every state prison system now has some form of tablet program, though the scope, vendor, features, and rollout model vary widely. In 2019, only a dozen states had tablets in prisons, according to Law360.

Oregon is the most recent state to begin implementing a model where each inmate gets their own tablet.

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In April, the state's Department of Corrections said one of the primary motivations for doing this was to cut down on drugs getting smuggled into prisons through the mail.

Once the program is fully in place, officials will scan inmate's mail and send it to them via their tablet, cutting off any ability for them to receive illicit packages while behind bars, Oregon's DOC said in June.

Minnesota yanks race-based grant after DOJ initiated Civil Rights review, DOJ reveals

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:38:55 -0400

Minnesota's Department of Health (MDH) voluntarily suspended a grant program that was specifically based on race after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a Civil Rights Act compliance review, the DOJ said in a Tuesday announcement.

The Capacity Strengthening Initiative, according to the DOJ, was a grant program which "limited eligible grantees to organizations that worked with 'people of color,' provided 'strategic consideration' and 'gave priority' to proposals from organizations 'led by populations of color.'"

It also, the DOJ alleged, prioritized allocating a higher proportion of grants to "Black or African American" and "nonwhite Latino(a)" communities.

A 2023 summary of the Capacity Strengthening Grant from the third party Grant Portal described it as being designed "To support and strengthen the capacity of metro and rural community-based organizations and faith-based organizations serving people of color, American Indians, LGBTQIA+, and people living with disabilities."

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ZEROES IN ON UCLA FOR ALLEGED ILLEGAL DEI ADMISSIONS AS ELITE SCHOOL CRACKDOWN EXPANDS

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The strict race-based language, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division explained, was a violation of the Civil Rights Act.

"Recipients of federal dollars cannot decide who benefits from those funds on the basis of race, color, or national origin," Dhillon said in a DOJ statement. "The Department appreciates that the State of Minnesota has recognized this foundational principle and has repealed the statute governing the program."

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MDH withdrew the grant program after the DOJ initiated a review based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the DOJ statement claimed. Title VI prohibits any recipient of Federal financial assistance — a group that includes MDH — from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP’S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS

Fox News Digital contacted the DOJ and MDH for further comment and confirmation.

Palm Beach airport's President Donald J Trump International rebrand celebrated as Trump plane touches down

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:37:43 -0400

The Trump name has landed on another marquee landmark.

President Donald J. Trump International Airport officially opened under its new name Thursday, and Eric Trump celebrated the milestone by taking the first flight into the hub.

"There's no way in hell I was letting UPS be the first plane to land, so we got on Trump Force One... we touched down at exactly 5:01 a.m. this morning, and it was a beautiful day," he told "Fox & Friends."

TRUMP TEASES US WILL BE 'TAKING OVER' CUBA 'ALMOST IMMEDIATELY' IN FLORIDA SPEECH

"I don't think there's anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump."

The South Florida hub was formerly known as Palm Beach International Airport for nearly half a century leading up to the change. The rebrand has been linked to the president's deep ties to the area, including his repeated presence at the airport and his Mar-a-Lago estate located a few miles away.

The president's son also said that choosing Trump Force One to usher in the rebrand's debut was no coincidence, tying the plane's significance to seasons of Trump's campaigns and his presidency.

TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE'S FLYING OLD AIR FORCE ONE BACK TO DC

"This is the plane that carried him to victory... It was the backdrop of so many of the presidential campaign stops," he recalled.

"There's so many stops with us as a family, so it was an incredibly special moment for us this morning."

Thursday's inaugural flight marked the ceremonial culmination of a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year, which officially redesignated Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport in recognition of the president's longstanding ties to the area.

Reflecting on the symbolic first landing, Eric Trump said the moment represented more than a new name on the terminal — it was a tribute to his father's legacy.

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"It's just a special moment. He's a man that deserves it. He's the man that's done so much for this country," he said.

"He's fought like hell for all of us and, as a son who worked so hard to make this happen, I couldn't be more proud. Today was a really, really special moment."

Jeb Bush praises Trump for crippling Iran’s military, but warns of ‘threat’ to US from reported drones in Cuba

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:37:35 -0400

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised President Donald Trump for his efforts in crippling the Iranian regime, but warned that Cuba is now believed to have hundreds of explosive drones from Tehran.

Bush made the statement at a United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) event on Wednesday, standing next to an Iranian Shahed-136 drone. The Shahed family of drones are cheap but effective kamikaze weapons that Iran has used extensively in the Middle East, in addition to shipping them to Russia for use against Ukraine.

"We have decimated Iran's capability to make mischief in the region. There's no doubt about it," said Bush, who is UANI's chairman, adding that he applauds the Trump administration for their work.

"I also want to point out that the press reports are that there are 300 of these in Cuba," Bush said, gesturing toward the drone.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE

"We have very good defense capabilities, so this is not a press conference to scare the bejesus out of people. The United States does have capabilities of defending the homeland, for sure," Bush qualified before saying the drones nevertheless pose "a threat."

Bush was joined at the event by Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who warned attendees that while Shahed drones are a "terror weapon," they are also the future of how wars are going to be fought.

CUBA PLUNGES INTO THIRD MAJOR BLACKOUT THIS YEAR AS POWER CRISIS WORSENS

"This is the face of warfare," he said of the drone, noting that AI capabilities were drastically advancing the effectiveness of drones. "This is how war is going to be carried out in the future, and it's being carried out right now."

Gimenez emphasized the effectiveness of drones in the war in Ukraine, where Kyiv's forces have manufactured millions of small explosive drones for their defense, and to great effect.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mark Wallace, now CEO of UANI, also spoke at the event, calling the Shahed drone "the ubiquitous terror weapon of mass destruction in modern warfare."

"This drone has struck our allies across the region, killed American troops, our allies across the region ... and has been raining terror across the Middle East at our bases and the like," Wallace said.

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Wallace told Fox News Digital that the drones in Cuba were transferred years ago, before the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

DHS secretary touts security operation to protect World Cup fans

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:24:14 -0400

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin has hailed the huge security operation surrounding the World Cup, and the cooperation between federal and local law enforcement as "amazing."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Chief Correspondent Jonathan Hunt, Mullin said he won’t get a good night’s sleep until July 20, the day after the World Cup Final, but speaking at the Seattle Stadium, Mullin said he’s delighted the security operation is running smoothly even in blue cities like Seattle and Los Angeles. And he hopes leaders in those cities might learn from that.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

"We may disagree on a lot of stuff when it comes to immigration and maybe some other issues," the secretary said, "but when it comes to protecting the fans and the fans’ experience here, in LA or in other areas around the country, we've all really worked together, and I hope we can carry that on between the state, federal and local partnerships. We can do a good job for our cities when we work together."

Millions of soccer fans from around the world are experiencing the U.S. for the first time and many, given the media coverage of the Trump administration in their home countries, appeared to expect a high-profile militarized security operation. But that is not what they’ve found.

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Much of the work is being done undercover or in the background, a very deliberate choice, Mullin said.

"We want people to enjoy their time," he added. "We don't want to feel like they're walking through a war zone, but we want to let everybody know we're also working very hard to secure the premises. I don't care if you're outside the stadium, or you're inside the stadium, but the amount of officers we have that are dedicated to this from the federal, local to state is absolutely amazing, and we're doing it together."

Mullin also paid tribute to the role of the fans, both from the U.S. and overseas, in making this a safe World Cup, and as many have said, possibly the best World Cup experience ever.

"They're so passionate about it, and they love America," Mullin said. "I mean, we see in the videos, my wife is absolutely infatuated with the amount of videos going on social media, with the fans that are here from around the world that are getting to experience the greatness of America, which is what it's all about. We're like no other nation. I don't care if you drive the country from coast to coast, you see the most beautiful land and the friendliest people. And we get to showcase it because of President Trump's vision back in Trump 45 to bring the World Cup here to celebrate our 250th birthday."

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Mullin admits he didn’t know much about soccer before the World Cup got underway, but like so many across the country, he has embraced the sport and is loving every minute of it even as he and his team work 24/7 to ensure everyone is safe. And he’s looking forward to that good night’s sleep on July 20.