After the death of George Floyd in 2020, the slogan and movement to "Defund the Police" swept the country. Yet in the wake of a reported rise in crime in multiple cities across the country, politicians, even in Democratic Party strongholds, have sought to distance themselves from the idea.
Last week, Rob Saka spoke with fellow members of Seattle City Council’s public safety committee about his recently introduced Resolution 32167, to recognize work to improve public safety.
The councilmember said at the time, "This resolution reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past councils to defund or abolish the police. We know that these statements were routinely cited by departing police personnel as a reason for leaving. We also know that they are very divisive."
He made headlines again at the city council meeting this week.
"'Defund' is dead if this passes, that’s the headline!" Saka said at Tuesday’s meeting shortly before the final vote where the bill was passed unanimously by the city council.
Local news outlet, the Everett Post, reported that next, "Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison will submit the last remaining Seattle Police Department policies to a federal monitor for review."
"This legislation allows us to collectively heal from the shameful legacy of ‘Defund’ and, importantly, officially pivot towards a diversified response model that communities so desperately need," Saka added in his speech before the vote.
Saka recalled the irony of how the council that voiced support for the "Defund the Police" movement in 2020 had no Black members at the time.
"Ironically, at the time those ‘Defund’ commitments and pledges were made in the city of Seattle, there were zero, zero Black or African-American, African-descent councilmembers serving in the council at the time," he said mocking the idea that such commitments were made in the best interests of Black Americans like himself.
"I didn’t benefit from that," he said. "No communities that I’m involved with benefited from that. It hurt all communities!"
He reiterated his point and declared, "As a Black man, I’ll say, look, Black and Brown communities, we don’t need White saviors."
After saying that the Black community is both capable of speaking for itself and not a monolith, Saka argued that the commitment to the "Defund the Police" movement had been made after "people cherry-picked specific voices and specific perspectives from our Black community here in Seattle and held it up as ‘the perspective.’"
"It’s not," he said. "Wasn’t then, it’s not true now."
An American Airlines flight from New York City to Tokyo was forced to turn around over the Pacific Ocean on Monday night before flying back to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas after experiencing a "maintenance issue."
American Airlines Flight 167 took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York at about 11 a.m. on Monday and was expected to land at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan at about 2 p.m. the next day.
Flight Aware data shows that the aircraft had crossed the U.S. and was over the Pacific Ocean when nearly seven hours into the flight, it turned around and headed back toward the U.S.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flew over several states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma, before ultimately landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport just before 10:15 p.m. local time on Monday.
An American Airlines plane collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people last month. Less than 48 hours later, a medical ambulance flight crashed in Philadelphia, leaving seven people dead.
Then earlier this month, a Delta Air Lines flight flipped upside down and erupted into flames while landing at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport. Thankfully, everyone survived that terrifying ordeal.
A Texas man was recently arrested after authorities say he made terroristic threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
Robert King allegedly made "alarming" social media posts, according to a statement from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas.
One post noted his intentions to "open fire" if agents are seen in his neighborhood, according to the statement.
Fox News learned some of the alleged posts included comments relating to Noem and others claiming ICE agents are not "real cops" and have "no real authority."
HSI Dallas shared a photo Wednesday of King standing in handcuffs next to a number of federal agents in the city of McKinney.
"Like Secretary Noem said: If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Promises made, promises kept," a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told Fox News Digital following the arrest.
The arrest comes after more than 40 people were taken into custody in Texas as part of a Tren De Aragua (TdA) gang investigation.
The FBI, ICE, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and several other federal, state and local partners spent a year investigating members and associates believed to be part of the Venezuelan transnational gang.
Early Tuesday morning, the Hays County Sheriff's Office and DPS, working with the FBI, ICE, HSI and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), obtained a search warrant for a home in Hays County, which was executed by DPS’ Special Response Team.
More than 40 people, including minors, were taken into custody at or near the home, and narcotics were seized, according to HSI San Antonio.
An ICE spokesperson told Fox News 47 illegal immigrants were apprehended.
Of those 47 people, 25 were adult men, nine were single adult women, four were adult mothers, and nine were non-citizen children, according to the spokesperson.
They were all taken to the Austin Resident Office for processing.
"Everyone whom ICE arrested was found to be illegally present in the U.S. and taken into ICE custody pending immigration proceedings," according to the spokesperson.
The State Department designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20.
The gang has thousands of members who are reportedly undertaking hostile actions against the U.S. in multiple states.
The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, enacted by President Donald Trump to make it easier to detain TdA members, allows the deportation of natives and citizens of an enemy nation without a hearing, and has previously only been invoked during wartime.
DHS and HSI Dallas did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
"The values of diversity and inclusion are central to the culture of the NBA, WNBA, and our other leagues and will remain core to our business and our workplace," the email said.
Other American sports organizations have taken steps to distance themselves from DEI.
MLB has removed "diversity" references from its careers page entirely.
The General Services Administration announced changes in February to the Federal Acquisition Regulations meant to align with the president's executive order aimed at restoring merito and ending discrimination in the public and private sectors. The move reverses previous Biden administration executive orders that made it mandatory to consider DEI when reviewing contract proposals.
Under Trump, language associated with DEI principles was also ordered removed from any federal acquisition, contracting, grant or financial assistance procedures.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered a three-word reply on Wednesday to countries looking to respond to the United States’ broad tariffs: "Do not retaliate."
President Donald Trump announced on his self-proclaimed "Liberation Day" a 10% baseline tariff across the board and retaliatory tariffs on some of the country’s closest allies, who he says are taking advantage of the U.S.
Among some of the notable tariffs are 34% on China, 20% on the European Union, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan.
"My advice to every country right now is do not retaliate. Sit back, take it in, let's see how it goes. Because if you retaliate, there will be escalation," Bessent said Wednesday in an interview on "Special Report" shortly after the announcement. "If you don't retaliate, this is the high-water mark."
Notably absent on the list of countries subject to tariffs were Mexico, Canada, Russia and Belarus.
Bessent said the United States doesn’t trade with Russia or Belarus because they are sanctioned.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, however, found in 2024 that the United States’ total goods trade with Russia was an estimated $3.5 billion.
U.S. goods exports to Russia in 2024 were $526.1 million, down 12.3 percent from 2023 and U.S. goods imports from Russia totaled $3.0 billion in 2024, down 34.2 percent from 2023, according to the government agency.
The White House announced that the 10% baseline tariff will go into effect on Saturday and the individual, reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 9.
"These tariffs will remain in effect until such a time as President Trump determines that the threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated," read a release from the Trump administration in part.
Bessent told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that the goal of the tariffs is to set the stage for long-term economic growth.
"We are putting ourselves back onto a sound trajectory," he said, hitting the Biden administration for "gigantic" government spending.
The Treasury secretary added that Congress is working to pass a tax bill as the administration seeks to make the Trump 2017 tax cuts permanent.
"The sooner we can get certainty on tax, the sooner we can set the stage for the growth to resume," said Bessent.
Experts are speaking out about the potential dangers attached to carbon monoxide, as authorities continue to probe the death of teen Miller Gardner, son of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner.
While the cause of Miller Gardner's death remains unconfirmed, Costa Rican Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ) General Director Randall Zúñiga told reporters at a press conference on Monday that high levels of carbon monoxide contamination were found in the Gardner family's hotel room, and that it might have caused the teen's death.
"Which then leads us towards a line of investigation in which it seems that this person could have died from inhaling these very dangerous gases," Zúñiga said.
Zúñiga said investigators who work on a specialized dangerous atmospheres team detected "high emissions of pollution of…carbon monoxide" in the room at Costa Rica's Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, which is where the Gardners were staying.
Officials at the hotel are denying the carbon monoxide claims.
"The levels in the hotel room were non-existent and non-lethal. There was an error in this initial reporting. As mentioned, we await for conclusive results to confirm the cause of this unfortunate death," a hotel spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The spokesperson also said the room has been "closed off out of an abundance of precaution."
Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor, said no parent should ever have to endure the tragedy of losing a child.
In regard to carbon monoxide, she said the gas is "a silent, deadly threat."
"We often focus on smoke alarms, but carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and can overcome a person before they even realize what's happening," Saphier told Fox News Digital.
Saphier said every household should have multiple functioning carbon monoxide detectors, especially near sleeping areas.
"When we travel — whether staying at a hotel, Airbnb, or even in an RV — it’s worth considering bringing a portable carbon monoxide monitor for added protection," she suggested.
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and a Fox News senior medical analyst, said, "symptoms can come on rapidly within minutes or hours and can include headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and vomiting."
If you experience symptoms that you think could be from carbon monoxide poisoning, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening doors and windows, turning off combustion appliances and leaving the building.
"It is absolutely shocking to me that it took this long to be disclosed as a likely cause of death, when they could have done a test for carbon monoxide in [Miller Gardener's] blood within hours during his autopsy weeks ago," Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Between 2009 and 2019, deaths from non-fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning were on the rise, according to a report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in March 2023.
Fox News Digital reached out to OIJ in Costa Rica for additional comment.
FIRST ON FOX: The White House is taking a top-down approach in making sure Republicans are united on President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs plan.
U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer briefed House Republican staffers on the administration's strategy on Wednesday evening, Fox News Digital was told.
Greer opened the call stressing that Trump was ushering in a magnitude of economic change not seen since the post-World War II era.
He also said the U.S. had been subjected to unfair trade practices for decades since lowering its own tariffs against other countries in a bid to bolster global trade, Fox News Digital was told.
Examples Greer cited for Capitol Hill aides included both Brazil and the European Union, while stressing that exemptions would be made for foreign products already subject to U.S. penalties — rather than double up on the taxes.
While political communications offices often hold coordinated messaging calls on important issues, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that it was the first such communications policy call between this White House and House Republican staff.
It underscores tariffs' importance in the Trump administration's policy platform, as the White House works to ensure the GOP is in lock-step on its messaging.
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a White House official emphasized that the Trump administration has been the most transparent in history, and that the president wants to ensure his allies are armed with the most up-to-date information.
And while the vast majority of Republicans are praising Trump's moves, some GOP lawmakers have conceded to at least some concerns.
"I think tariffs that are equal to what they're charging are defensible. We want a level playing field," Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday evening. "The automobile one can be messy because the parts are from all over."
Meanwhile, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine., spoke out in support of a Democratic bid to exempt Canada from tariffs on the Senate floor Thursday, hours before Trump's formal announcement.
"The price hikes that will happen for Maine families, every time they go to the grocery store, they fill their gas tank, they fill their heating oil tank, if these tariffs go into effect, will be so harmful," Collins said of the Canada tariffs specifically.
"And as price hikes always do, they will hurt those the most who can afford them the least. Therefore, I will support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do so likewise."
Another GOP lawmaker who spoke with Fox News Digital on Thursday, however, downplayed any longstanding concerns.
"I think as long as it's a short-term tool, folks will be OK with it," the GOP lawmaker said.
During the Thursday evening call rallying House GOP aides, first-term Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., sent out a statement backing Trump's move but conceding she understood the concerns.
"The U.S. is taking action to address decades of unfair trade barriers that have put American manufacturers, producers, and businesses at a huge disadvantage. I support President Trump's efforts to create a level playing field and his long-term strategy to strengthen our critical domestic supply chains," Fedorchak said.
"At the same time, I recognize the challenges these tariffs create for North Dakota’s farmers and producers, and I will continue to advocate for expanding market opportunities for our products as well as other policies to help counter the negative impacts tariffs may create for producers."
A number of Republican lawmakers were at the White House in support of the announcement on Thursday, including Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
"President Trump is sending a clear message with Liberation Day: America will not be exploited by unfair trade practices anymore," Johnson said in a public statement. "These tariffs restore fair and reciprocal trade and level the playing field for American workers and innovators. The President understands that FREE trade ONLY works when it’s FAIR!"
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., a close Trump ally, wrote on X, "President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are a brilliant economic strategy. Joe Biden left the United States with a whopping $1.2 trillion trade deficit at the end of his regime."
Fox News Digital also reached out to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Trump's plan involves a 10% blanket tariff on all foreign imports into the U.S., as well as tariffs up to 50% on both adversaries and allies.
It also introduces some level of reciprocal tariffs on countries that tax U.S. exports, though in most cases, the U.S. rate is lower than the foreign country's.
After the New York Yankees set an MLB record with 18 home runs in their first four games, several of which were hit with torpedo bats, one pitcher wants to level the playing field.
"Let them use whatever bat they want. Let’s just allow pitchers to use whatever hitters have in the on deck circle," Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm posted on X this week. "And not check us like we are criminals every time we walk on or off the field. I’m just a pitcher but I’m assuming better grip helps ya swing harder…"
Umpires check pitchers before they enter games and between innings for substances. The inspections have led to several ejections, and, in turn, 10-game suspensions. "Spider Tack" became a popular fad, but pitchers have often used a combination of their own sweat and rosin to create stickiness.
Strahm added that "some of that stuff was a bit much," but added, "just whatever a hitter can use to grip a bat better we can use too."
The torpedo bats have a barrel in a different location. Instead of being at the end of the bat, the barrel is closer to the handle, which gives the bat a bowling pin shape. Some players make contact with the ball more on the label instead of the traditional barrel of the bat. The torpedo bats move the barrel to the label, so when they make contact they barrel up the baseball more.
The uniquely shaped bats dominated conversation among players and fans this weekend after the Yankees’ offensive eruption.
"I think it’s terrible," Brewers relief ace Trevor Megill told the New York Post of the bats, which are legal. "We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slo-pitch softball. It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide."
The Yankees are not the only team using the bats. The MLB social media account posted a brief explainer to X about the torpedo bat and highlighted four players from four teams who use them — Francisco Lindor, Yandy Diaz, Anthony Volpe and Ryan Jeffers.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz decided to try a torpedo bat in the Reds’ game Monday against the Texas Rangers after watching the Yankees' offensive onslaught. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and seven RBIs in the Reds’ 14-3 win over the Rangers.
MLB Rule 3.02 states, "The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood." The rule also says "experimental" bats can’t be used "until the manufacturer has secured approval from Major League Baseball of his design and methods of manufacture."
Fox News' Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
CNN’s Abby Phillip and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker got into a heated argument over her claim Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk talked about cutting Social Security and Medicaid benefits at a recent town hall event.
During a segment on "CNN NewsNight" Tuesday night, Phillip referenced Musk holding an event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, over the weekend ahead of a closely watched state Supreme Court election. She claimed that at the town hall he "talked about cutting Medicaid and Social Security through DOGE."
"Actually, he never talked about that. He explicitly said in Green Bay he would not cut Social Security. That's exactly what he said," Walker pushed back.
"No, no. Other people said that," Walker argued. "But I was there. I watched him. He did not say he was going to cut Medicaid."
The two began speaking over one another after Phillip then claimed people associated with DOGE discussed cutting Social Security and Medicaid at Musk’s rallies. Walker said that was only what protesters at the rally claimed they said.
"Do you think that there are risks here for Republicans in those issues being associated with Musk?" Phillip then asked.
"There are when people believe the lies that people are saying about that," Walker said. "That’s not at all what they said. If people believe that Medicaid and Medicare is going to be touched, that’s a flat outright lie."
He added, "What he talked about was people who are over 120 years old who clearly are not alive, getting Social Security or Medicaid benefits. That’s totally wrong. I think Democrats even believe that."
At the Green Bay event, Musk spoke with DOGE volunteer Antonio Gracias about the widespread fraud they found in the Social Security system. Both Musk and Gracias reiterated that there would be no cuts to legitimate Social Security payments.
"I just stated as crisply and clearly as possible that DOGE will absolutely ensure that people get their Social Security, make sure they get that Social Security, make sure they get their Medicaid and will not be cutting any legitimate payments whatsoever. Crystal clear," Musk said.
Gracias added, "Nothing has happened on the ground that would impact the level of payments going to people that legitimately are owed those payments. Period. A lot is going to happen to people that are stealing from the system. They're not getting the payments."
"There will be no cuts to legitimate payments whatsoever," Musk repeated.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday evening vowed to "fight" the new round of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, and said he would turn to other international partners to get through the rocky times ahead.
"President Trump has just announced a series of measures that are going to fundamentally change the international trading system," Carney told reporters following Trump’s Rose Garden announcement. "We're in a situation where there's going to be an impact on the U.S. economy, which will build with time.
"In our judgment, it will be negative on the U.S. economy that will have an impact on us," he added, noting millions of Canadians will be impacted.
While Trump did not issue any additional tariffs against Canada following the 25% tariffs already in place on all Canadian imports, the 10% tariff on its energy exports and the blanket tariff on all aluminum and steel, he did announce a 25% tariff on all foreign vehicle imports.
He also pointed out that Trump said there could be future targeted tariffs against pharmaceutical companies, lumber and semiconductors — tariffs that will have wide affect on U.S. trading partners beyond Canada and Mexico, but across Europe and Asia.
"In a crisis, it's important to come together," Carney said. "It's essential to act with purpose and with force, and that's what we will do."
Before the tariff announcement, Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said at an election campaign event on Wednesday that he supports "targeted, reciprocal" tariffs on American goods — and if his party wins the general election on April 28 and he becomes prime minister, he would like to sit down with President Donald Trump and create a new trade deal, replacing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which the president signed in 2020.
Poilievre also said that Canada must maintain control of its border and freshwater and protect both its automotive industry and supply-managed farm sectors.
David Adams, president and CEO of Global Automakers of Canada — a national trade association representing the Canadian interests of 16 automakers, including BMW Canada, Inc. and Nissan Canada Inc. — said in a statement, "Tariffs are taxes that hurt consumers by increasing costs, driving up inflation, and unfairly impacting workers on both sides of the border."
"Governments should look to long-term solutions to remove these tariffs, prioritizing the elimination of regulatory barriers to industry competitiveness and providing automakers with flexibilities to respond in these uncertain times."
Reactions from European Union leaders began to emerge following Trump’s announcement that he will hit the EU with 20% tariffs on all imported goods, with disappointment, concern and commitments to continue negotiations with the U.S.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, generally seen as a Trump ally, said Trump's tariffs were "wrong" and warned they would not only harm American and European pocketbooks, but aid Western adversaries.
"We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the goal of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players," Meloni said in a statement on Facebook.
"In any case, as always, we will act in the interest of Italy and its economy, also engaging with other European partners," she added.
Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Simon Harris, said he "deeply regret[s]" the new tariffs but said he is committed to working with Washington to end this tariff war.
"I must be honest tonight that a 20% blanket tariff on goods from all EU countries could have a significant effect on Irish investment and the wider economy," he said, noting the effects would "likely be felt for some time."
Chairman of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee Bernd Lange called for a united response from countries targeted by Trump.
"While President Trump might call today 'Liberation Day,' from an ordinary citizen's point of view this is 'Inflation Day,' he said, reported Reuters. "Because of this decision, U.S. consumers will be forced to carry the heaviest burden in a trade war."
Lange said the EU will respond through "legal, legitimate, proportionate and decisive" measures.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said her government would work to figure out the next steps.
The U.K., along with the president of Mexico ahead of the announcement, said they would continue to work with the U.S. and would not rush to enforce reciprocal tariffs.
Similarly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that while Trump's decision was "not the act of a friend," his country would not impose reciprocal tariffs, reported Reuters.
He reportedly condemned the U.S. tariffs as totally unwarranted and said Australia will continue to negotiate to have the tariffs lifted.
An Israeli child made a discovery of biblical proportions during a family trip last month.
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) reported on Monday that 3-year-old Ziv Nitzan came across a 3,800-year-old Canaanite amulet back in March. The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of the Levant and were descended from Noah's grandson Canaan, according to the Old Testament.
Omer Nitzan, Ziv's sister, told the IAA that her family was walking along Tel Azeka, a hill in the Judaean Foothills, when the 3-year-old spotted the artifact.
The tell, or mound, is the location of the ancient town of Azekah, which is referenced in 1 Samuel 17:1 during a biblical battle between David and Goliath.
"We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down – and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone," the proud sister recounted. "When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw something was different about it. I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone, and we realized we had discovered an archaeological find!"
The find, which dates back to the Middle Bronze Age, was immediately reported to the IAA. The scarab was either used as a seal or amulet, according to Dr. Daphna Ben-Tor.
"[Scarabs] were found in graves, in public buildings and in private homes," the expert was quoted as saying. "Sometimes they bear symbols and messages, that reflect religious beliefs or status."
Pictures show the well-preserved scarab bearing the shape of a dung beetle, which was considered sacred in Ancient Egypt.
"It was a symbol of new life, because of the dung ball it created and then laid its eggs into it, from which new life would hatch," the IAA explained. "Its name in Egyptian derives from the verb ‘to come into being’, or ‘to be created.' This is because the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator."
Ziv Nitzan was awarded a certificate of appreciation for her efforts. Tel Aviv University professor Oded Lipschits expressed gratitude for the find, telling the IAA that he's been excavating Tel Azekah for nearly 15 years.
"The excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, here in Tel Azekah, thrived [as] one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands," Lipschits said. "The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here, which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period."
In a statement, IAA Director Eli Escuido said that the family "deserve[s] praise" for the remarkable find and described plans to showcase the seal to the public.
"Thanks to her, everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it. In honor of Passover, we will present the seal in a special exhibition set up by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, alongside other findings from the Egyptian and Canaanite eras," Escuido said.
"In our public tours we will present impressive items for the first time, including seals of the pharaohs, Egyptian statues, ritual vessels, and evidence of the Egyptian cultural influence in the Land of Israel – and everyone is invited!"
The White House is clapping back against media reports alleging intelligence officials have been using the end-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal to send classified information, describing the allegations as "false" in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The statement from National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Brian Hughes comes after Politico published a report suggesting Trump National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and his team have used the app frequently to discuss sensitive communications on a variety of different issues.
"This is a clear attempt by some in media and the Democrats to obscure the simple truth: The President and his national security team are delivering for the nation by confronting our adversaries and standing with our allies to bring peace through strength," Hughes said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Hughes added that Signal is "an approved" messaging app, particularly as it pertains to unclassified info, "and any claim NSC officials are sending classified information over these channels is false."
Questions have circulated about the Trump administration's use of Signal since The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg released his exposé alleging he was accidentally invited by Waltz to a sensitive group chat on the encrypted messaging app. Critics of the Trump administration have said the messages included "war plans" for an attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
There have also been debates over whether the information discussed in the chat uncovered by Goldberg was classified information or contained "war plans."
Media reports from The Wall Street Journal, Politico and The Washington Post have claimed Waltz and his team have frequently used Signal and other public messaging platforms to discuss sensitive topics and official government business.
"Using Signal to send unclassified information is appropriate, and these same facts have been reported multiple times in the last few days," Hughes said, noting there are federal agencies that "automatically install" Signal on government devices.
"Some in NSC, like those in the media and many areas across the federal government, use the Signal app," Hughes added. "All communications are a reflection of a thoughtful dialog of those committed to the effective implementation of the president’s agenda."
In December, before President Trump took over the White House from Joe Biden, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency called on senior government and political officials to switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms like Signal.
Still, critics of the Trump administration are demanding answers. On Tuesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent letters to "non-principal agency officials" who were part of the original Signal group chat that accidentally included Goldberg.
The letters call for the individuals, who Democrats say may have "firsthand knowledgeconcerning the discussion of sensitive and/or classified national security information on Signal," to appear before Congress for transcribed interviews.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, sent another letter to Waltz Tuesday as well, demanding he and his staff stop using Google's Gmail for official government business after The Washington Post published a report claiming members of the president's National Security Council were using personal Gmail accounts to discuss official business.
The letter to Waltz demanded he turn over all communications relating to official government business that he or his staff sent over Signal or other "unauthorized messaging and email applications and platforms."
Waltz has taken responsibility for the leaked Signal chat that Goldberg accidentally accessed, but he also insisted "no classified information" was ever discussed in the messaging thread.
A Democrat-led resolution undoing President Donald Trump's tariffs against Canada advanced past the Senate on Wednesday after multiple Republicans joined their counterparts in support of it.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky supported the resolution, bucking the president to do so. The final vote was 51 to 48.
"As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most. Tariffs drive up the cost of goods and services," former GOP Senate leader McConnell said in a statement afterward.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso slammed the resolution's passage, saying in a statement, "Senator Kaine’s goal was not to make law. It was simply an effort to undermine President Trump’s successful work to secure the Northern Border."
"Speaker Johnson already declared Senator Kaine’s resolution dead on arrival in the House of Representatives. It will never make it to President Trump’s desk," he explained. "This meaningless messaging resolution will not stop Senate Republicans from making America’s communities safer."
The privileged resolution was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and would end the emergency Trump declared at the northern border on Feb. 1.
In a statement of administrative policy ahead of the vote, Trump's White House said his advisors would urge the president to veto the resolution if it passed the Senate.
"President Trump promised to secure our borders and stop the scourge of fentanyl that’s poisoning our communities, and he’s delivering. Democrat Senator Tim Kaine is trying to undermine the President’s Emergency Declaration at our Northern Borders—a measure that prioritizes our national security—for reasons that defy logic," a White House official told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement on Tuesday.
"Under Joe Biden’s failed leadership, criminal networks, fentanyl, and terrorists ran rampant along the northern border. Today’s stunt by Tim Kaine proves once again how woefully out of touch the Democrat Party is with the American people as they use a matter of national security for political gamesmanship. The stakes are too high to reverse course; the declaration must stay in place," they continued.
Kaine pushed back, telling Fox News Digital in a statement, "The Trump Administration’s own threat assessment report on fentanyl did not mention Canada—not even once. Trump’s order is a blatant abuse of his authority, and it is critical that Congress push back before he inflicts even more damage to our economy and to the relationship with one of our top trading partners and closest allies."
The resolution was required to be brought to the floor for a vote, due to its privileged nature, and it only required a simple majority vote of 51 senators to pass.
Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to call out multiple Republicans he warned against voting in favor of the resolution.
"Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul, also of Kentucky, will hopefully get on the Republican bandwagon, for a change, and fight the Democrats wild and flagrant push to not penalize Canada for the sale, into our Country, of large amounts of Fentanyl, by Tariffing the value of this horrible and deadly drug in order to make it more costly to distribute and buy," he said in a post.
Collins revealed in floor remarks earlier in the day that she would vote in favor of the resolution.
"Mr. President, the price hikes that will happen for Maine families, every time they go to the grocery store, they fill their gas tank, they filled their heating oil tank, if these tariffs go into effect, will be so harmful. And as price hikes always do, they will hurt those the most who can afford them the least. Therefore, I will support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do so likewise," she said.
Paul has been a vocal critic of tariffs during his entire tenure, including during the Trump administration. He is a co-sponsor of the Kaine resolution.
He told reporters before the vote, "I think tariffs on trade between US and Canada will threaten our country with a recession. I think they're a terrible idea economically and will lead to higher prices. Tariffs are simply taxes. Republicans used to be and conservatives, in particular, used to be against new taxes."
"I’m fighting for my life," Mellencamp told the outlet. "But also for my family’s life and all the people I love."
In February, after medication became ineffective for her migraines and Mellencamp began feeling severe pain, she rushed to an emergency room with her estranged husband, Edwin Arroyave.
"The pain had become something I’d never felt before," she said. "They diagnosed me with multiple brain tumors, but the [ER doctor] says he can’t take them out; they’ve got to get me into Cedars-Sinai [hospital].
"And I’m like, ‘Can’t you get me in tonight? I want to go tonight.’ I had six brain tumors and two lung tumors; they all came from melanoma that metastasized into these tumors inside of my body."
Her "RHOBH" co-star, Kyle Richards, made a few phone calls to get her into a hospital immediately.
"Kyle saved the day," Mellencamp said. "I believe it was within 24 hours that an incredible surgeon was able to remove four tumors from my brain. I didn’t know they had been there for six months to a year, and we had no idea."
Mellencamp began radiation and immunotherapy treatment immediately after her surgery, which took a toll on her body.
"I thought I was going to feel like how I felt after my neck lift," she said. "My reaction is always a headache, and I found out that’s good news because it means that the immunotherapy or the radiation is killing your cancer."
Mellencamp said in her Instagram story Wednesday after undergoing both radiation and immunotherapy the day before that she feels "so tired and run down, but I know it's going to get better again."
"Something that everyone can keep in mind … I kind of thought that I'd already beaten it, and then, a couple days later, I found out I had four more tumors. So, there are so many different highs and lows, and yeah, but I've learned a lot."
She said her famous father, musician John Mellencamp, calls to check in on her every day.
"Some days, I’m not in the mood. I don’t want a pep talk," Teddi said. "[I tell him], ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I’ll be more pep talk-ready, but I love you.’"
He's also given some life advice to his daughter as a survivor of a heart attack when he was 36 years old.
"I remember his life completely changing," Teddi said. "And some of the moments [when] I felt really scared, I was like, ‘Hold on. I’m not changing everything about my life. I want more things. I want to keep building.’
"But he’s like, ‘There are moments where you emotionally won’t be able to control how you’re feeling because of a certain medication or a certain whatever. And you have to give yourself some grace and know this isn’t you sometimes. And that’s OK.’"
The NFL could soon launch a professional women's flag football league.
The new league would likely aim to support the sport's long-term growth, and it could also be backed by some high-profile investors. Tennis icon Serena Williams and her husband and tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, via their 776 investment firm, are in talks with the NFL about the venture, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
The NFL is reportedly weighing at least 10 proposals, including TKO Group Holdings, former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry's Avenue Capital Group and partners Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz.
TKO is a conglomerate created by Endeavor, which resulted from the 2023 merger between WWE and UFC.
The Michael Strahan-backed media company SMAC Entertainment, as well as Connect Ventures, have also submitted pitches to the league, per Bloomberg. Connect Ventures was formed via a partnership between talent and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and venture firm New Enterprise Associates.
The NFL has long supported the growth and momentum of flag football, particularly youth participation in the sport. The league's NFL Flag initiative has provided funding for the sport for several years.
Flag football is expected to be featured in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. However, it remains unclear whether active NFL players will be permitted to participate in the Games.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the attention flag football is receiving at this week's annual meetings in Florida.
"It’s clear there’s a lot of interest in a pro flag league," Goodell said during a press conference. Goodell also confirmed the league has received proposals from potential investors.
Goodell also discussed pro flag football during February's Super Bowl in New Orleans.
None of the potential interested parties immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Information regarding the required amount for an investment in the potential new league was not made available.
Flag football is considered a global sport and is played in approximately 100 countries.
There are 14 U.S. states that have sanctioned women's flag football at the high school level, making it a varsity sport. A limited number of colleges have official women's flag football teams.
The second illegal immigrant who allegedly escaped from a Colorado detention center during a power outage last month was captured Tuesday while on a bus, authorities said.
Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, who is accused of having ties to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, was caught while riding a bus in Denver, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
Vido-Romero was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February and was suspected of shoplifting and resisting arrest.
On March 18, he and Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, allegedly escaped from the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora during a power outage.
Assistant Facility Director Mohamed Bennani told Aurora Police power at the detention center went out at around 9:30 p.m., and the back doors of the center opened up to the soccer field.
Gonzalez-Gonzalez was found three days after the escape in nearby Adams County, where he had been previously held in jail.
Court and police documents show Vido-Romero lived at the now-closed apartment complex in Aurora where some armed Tren de Aragua members were seen entering an apartment on a viral video that caught President Donald Trump’s attention during last year’s presidential campaign.
Fox News Digital's Christina Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday a pause and an ongoing review of federal funding to Maine after the state refused to provide equal opportunities to women and girls in educational programs.
The state has refused to comply with President Donald Trump's February executive order to ban trans athletes from girls and women's sports, prompting immense federal pressure. Trump initially vowed to cut federal funding to the state if it refused to comply with the order during a Feb. 20 speech.
USDA secretary Brooks Rollins said the state must agree to protect female athletes from trans inclusion before funding is restored.
"In order to continue to receive taxpayer dollars from USDA, the state of Maine must demonstrate compliance with Title IX which protects female student athletes from having to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males," Rollins wrote in a letter to the state.
"In addition, USDA has launched a full review of grants awarded by the Biden Administration to the Maine Department of Education. Many of these grants appear to be wasteful, redundant, or otherwise against the priorities of the Trump Administration. USDA will not stand for the Biden Administration’s bloated bureaucracy and will instead focus on a Department that is farmer-first and without a leftist social agenda."
Maine GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby was one of the key figures in bringing attention to the state's trans inclusion issue, when she made a social media post identifying a transgender track and field athlete at Greely High School had taken first place at a Maine girls pole vault competition after competing as a boy just one year earlier.
Libby's revelation of the trans athlete ignited national conversation and coverage of the state's policy on trans inclusion. Libby was censured by the Maine House Democrat majority for her post on the premise that she identified a minor, but she has since filed a lawsuit to have the censure lifted.
"Governor Janet Mills and Maine Democrats have chosen to dig their heels in and embrace radical left-wing ideology over the safety and rights of Maine women and girls. Despite repeated warnings from President Trump, Maine Democrats continued to defy federal law, forcing Maine girls to unfairly compete against biological males," Libby told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
"As a result, Maine's Democrat majority has poised Maine students to lose hundreds of millions in federal funding, starting with our USDA funding, instead of championing Maine girls by adhering to federal law. I continue to stand firmly with Maine girls and President Trump in the pursuit of sanity and fairness. I implore Maine Democrats to abandon this incredibly harmful and radical gender ideology for the sake of our students."
More potential sanctions could be coming to the state in the next week.
The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) on Monday advising a final deadline of April 11 to address the issue or risk a second referral to the Department of Justice. The Department of Health and Human Services already referred Maine to the DOJ last week.
Wednesday's announcement is not the first funding freeze USDA announced regarding Maine.
The department paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public universities in the state, on March 11 while it conducted a review of the system's compliance with Title IX.
Funding was restored to UMS just days later and the USDA announced the system was in full compliance.
But the major issue involving trans athlete inclusion in Maine is at the high school level. In addition to the incident involving the pole vaulter at Greely High School, other instances have impacted multiple girls across the state who have had to compete with and share locker rooms with biological males.
Maine teen Cassidy Carlisle previously told Fox News Digital about how she had to share a locker room with a trans student while in middle school, then had to compete with another trans athlete in Nordic skiing last year.
"The defeat that comes with that in that moment is heartbreaking," Carlisle said. "I'm just in shock in a way. I didn't believe it. … I didn't think it was happening to me."
"I stayed silent for a while," Carlisle said. "It's very hard to speak up if you don't have a platform to do it on. … Backlash is a huge thing. I'm a high school student. No high school student wants to be hurt or yelled at or said mean comments by people. And the reality of it, with the state that I live in, that could very much happen."
A survey by the American Parents Coalition found that out of about 600 registered Maine voters, 63% said school sports participation should be based on biological sex, and 66% agreed it’s "only fair to restrict women’s sports to biological women."
The poll also found that 60% of residents would support a ballot measure limiting participationinwomen’s and girls sports tobiological females. This included 64% of independents and 66% of parents with kids under age 18.
Podcaster Joe Rogan and comedian Kurt Metzger roasted Disney’s new adaptation of "Snow White" as it flounders in theaters.
Since it began production in 2022, Disney's live-action remake of "Snow White" has made headlines due to multiple controversies, including a year-long delay, a debate over how to portray the original fairytale’s "seven dwarfs" after scathing commentary from actor Peter Dinklage and an outspoken lead actress who prompted backlash with her public mockery of the original Disney film and later of supporters of President Donald Trump.
Metzger argued that as much as lead actress Rachel Zegler may have been a bad pick for the film, its failure cannot be blamed entirely on her.
"If you notice the spin on it, they're putting it all on her. I mean, I'm sure she sucks, but she is very young. She didn't write that script though, right? And I don't think she made the ‘no dwarves’ decision, that was Sir Peter Dinklage," Metzger said.
The studio’s remake of the 1937 animated classic has bombed at the box office, earning only $43 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada in its opening weekend, then suffering a 66 percent decline the second week with only $14.2 million domestically.
These numbers appeared all the more catastrophic considering the film had a budget of approximately $250 million — making it one of the company's most expensive film productions in the last several years.
As they spoke about the film’s arduous production process, Rogan played footage of the movie to see how the CGI of the dwarves turned out.
"Oh, wow, that does look bad," Rogan said. "Oh, it doesn’t look real at all."
"Wait, how much did this cost?" the host asked, before sparking laughter as he joked, "They should get DOGE to look at this movie. They spent 250 million bucks making that movie?"
"Imagine you spent $250 million, and you get some young girl, and you don't kind of talk to her about like, ‘Hey, you know, don't get political. You're young, and I know you have opinions about things, but this should be just about the movie,’" Rogan said.
Metzger said, to be fair to Zegler, her attitude embodies the film's message. "They wrote a script that's telling girls, 'I don't need nobody to tell me, I'm a 20-year-old girl, so obviously I should run my mouth all the time.'"
He suggested that wading into one particularly contentious issue sealed her fate, however.
"So now, they’ve put it all on her, now it failed. Here’s what happened, she made the cardinal error of saying ‘Free Palestine’ on Twitter," Metzger said. "So she could say all that ‘men are bad’ and it's this and that, but once you do that, now they've put the entire weight of the failure upon her."
The film's producer personally got involved with the backlash surrounding Zegler after she shared an anti-Israel post while promoting the film in August, according to his son.
Jonah Platt, the son of producer Marc Platt, slammed Zegler in a now-deleted Instagram post.
"Yeah, my dad, the producer of [an] enormous piece of Disney IP with hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, had to leave his family to fly across the country to reprimand his 20-year-old employee for dragging her personal politics into the middle of promoting the movie for which she signed a multi-million dollar contract to get paid and do publicity for," the younger Platt wrote.
Questioned by Fox News Digital, "Squad" member and leading Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York refused to answer whether she believes Democrats’ inflammatory rhetoric against Elon Musk has any connection to the violent attacks and vandalism against Tesla owners and dealers across the country.
Ocasio-Cortez also refused to answer whether she still owns a Tesla, citing "security reasons."
Democrats have been critical of Musk for his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with some labeling him a "Nazi" and a "threat to democracy."
The congresswoman has also been critical of the DOGE chief, saying in a March 1 X post, "this guy is a leech on the public."
"No matter how many billions he gets in tax cuts and government contracts, it will never be enough for him. Now he’s going after the elderly, the disabled, and orphaned children so he can pocket it in tax cuts for himself. It’s disgusting," she wrote.
During her "fight oligarchy" rally tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., Cortez claimed "an extreme concentration of power and corruption is taking over this country like never before."
Fox News Digital asked Cortez whether she sees a connection between language against Musk and the violent incidents across the nation.
Cortez began to answer, saying, "Yeah, I mean, again, I’ve seen Republicans call me communist and that I hate this country," before trailing off.
Pressed whether she still owns the Tesla Model 3 she bought in 2020, Cortez declined to answer, saying, "Um, for security reasons, I’m not commenting."
After weeks of Democrats condemning Musk for his role at DOGE, there have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is treating the incidents as "domestic terrorism."
On March 20, the Justice Department charged three people with domestic terrorism after they allegedly used Molotov cocktails to attack Tesla properties around the country.
"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," Bondi said. "Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."
All three face charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison, the department said.
Despite this, few Democrats have spoken out against the vandals, and key leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declined to comment on the issue.
Though she would not comment on the acts of terror against Tesla owners and workers, Ocasio-Cortez, considered one of the country’s leading Democratic voices, has previously accused her Republican opponents of engaging in "stochastic terrorism," using inflammatory language to incite violent action, by criticizing her, which she said prompted her to hire security.
Speaking on CNN in 2023, she said, "It’s uncomfortable serving with people who engage in what many experts deem stochastic terrorism, which is the incitement of violence using digital means and large platforms so that individuals themselves may not be the one that’s wielding a weapon.
"I’ve consistently had to ride in 20,000-pound armored vehicles, engaging in some of the most gruesome threats that you can imagine that were incited by Republican members," she said. "This is not just about a tweet. It's about what life looks like and the marshaling of hundreds, thousands, if not millions of people into doing something."
During the same interview, she also accused President Donald Trump of being aware his rhetoric stokes violence, saying, "He uses and used his rallies very strategically in order to engage in political intimidation that he deems his political enemies."
Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
An Asheville, North Carolina man wielding a machete was arrested for armed robbery after he allegedly stole a cinnamon bun from a grocery store before fleeing on foot, according to police.
The Asheville Police Department said 33-year-old Jeffrey Dewayne Bradburn has been charged with armed robbery, shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The department said in a press release that its officers responded to the grocery store at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday after receiving reports of an armed robbery.
When officers arrived, a store employee alleged that a man had stolen a cinnamon bun and incense. When the man was confronted, the store employee said, he displayed a machete before running away.
Police canvassed the area for the suspect when they found a man, later identified as Bradburn, who matched the description and was eating a cinnamon bun.
Bradburn was arrested at the scene and charged with armed robbery, shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Asheville Police Department encourages anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 828-252-1110, or by sending an anonymous tip by texting TIP2APD, or 847411.
Ron DeSantis intensified his attacks on Randy Fine Wednesday, blaming the representative-elect's "unique problems" for a thin special election victory in a district known as a Republican stronghold.
The Trump-endorsed candidate won Tuesday night's special election to take over former Congressman Mike Waltz's seat by 14 points, the slimmest margin of victory for a Republican in the district since 2018.
DeSantis, who had already been criticizing Fine's ability to pull out a victory, called the representative-elect a "squish" who Republican voters didn't even want to cast their ballots for Tuesday night.
"The president really had to bail him out at the end because this race would have been much closer had the president sat on the sidelines," DeSantis said. "I think these were voters who didn't like Randy Fine but who basically were like, ‘You know what? We’re going to take one for the team.'"
The governor also challenged media reports characterizing the close race as a reflection of President Donald Trump's agenda.
"I don't think that's true at all for this district," DeSantis said at the press conference. "I think you have a candidate in Randy Fine, who, one, he's a squish."
DeSantis added that Fine "repels" people, including his former colleagues in the state legislature. During the press conference Wednesday, the governor recounted how lawmakers in the state requested he nominate Fine to be the president of Florida Atlantic University so he would not have to serve in the legislature anymore.
"I did, and the whole board [at Florida Atlantic] would have resigned rather than make him president," DeSantis said.
DeSantis and Fine have had a contentious relationship for some time, which can be traced back to at least 2023, when Fine was the first Florida Republican to switch his endorsement from DeSantis to Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential nomination battle. Fine articulated his decision to endorse Trump over DeSantis during the 2024 presidential primary in a subsequent op-ed that slammed the Florida governor for failing to tamp down antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on innocent Israelis.
According to DeSantis, Fine has supported restrictions on the Second Amendment, tried to defeat his immigration proposal earlier this year aimed at boosting the enforcement of immigration laws and tried to enact a de facto sanctuary city policy.
In response to DeSantis' criticisms, Fine responded on X alongside video of the governor's remarks at the press conference Wednesday.
"A dying star burns hottest before it fades into oblivion. I’m focused on working with President Donald Trump to stop Democrats from taking this country backwards, not working with them," Fine wrote. "Let’s go."
Allies of Fine have been unhappy about DeSantis' public criticisms of the representative-elect, who will now add another crucial vote to the GOP's narrow House majority that had dwindled as a result of several members going to work in the Trump administration.
"Ron and Casey DeSantis are disloyal and consistently put their agenda ahead of the president’s," a national Republican operative in Trump's orbit told Fox News Digital. "With the congressional majority on the line in their own backyard, Ron and Casey didn’t lift a finger to help President Trump’s endorsed candidates. Worse, Ron undermined President Trump, openly attacked his candidates leading up to the special election, which could have suppressed Republican turnout, and then crowed about it on Fox News.
The New York Mets won’t tolerate players not giving 100% on the field.
Mark Vientos, the Mets’ budding star third baseman, was publicly called out by his manager after not running hard during a ground ball to third base on Tuesday.
During the Mets’ loss to the Marlins, Vientos was jogging to first base when Miami’s Graham Pauley fumbled the ball. Vientos noticed and kicked it into another gear, but it was all for naught as Pauley threw him out on what should’ve been an error.
Vientos told reporters on Wednesday that he wasn’t just reprimanded by his manager, Carlos Mendoza, but also team captain Francisco Lindor and first base coach Antoan Richardson after the game for not running hard on the groundout.
"It’s unacceptable," he told reporters. "It won’t happen again."
Vientos admitted that he wasn’t trying to run his hardest when he saw the ball chop down to third base.
"I hit it to third base and kind of started jogging out of the box, coasting," Vientos explained. "Then, I heard the crowd giving a reaction like he dropped it, but at that point, it was too late. I should have been sprinting from the [start], right when he hit it."
Vientos blossomed for the Mets last season, having a breakout year with a .266/.322/.516 slash line, 27 homers and 71 RBI over 111 regular-season games.
He got hot in the postseason as well, going 18 for 55 with five homers and 14 RBI in the Mets’ run to the NLCS.
It’s been a slow start to the 2025 campaign for the 25-year-old, as he has just two hits over 19 at-bats in five games.
The traveler has looked after dogs, cats, chickens and cows in Brisbane and the Gold Coast Hinterland, living rent-free and saving $15,000 that she would otherwise have spent on accommodations.
The opportunity has given her the chance to explore all the "underrated" places in Australia while saving thousands on rent, nights out and booze, according to SWNS.
Learmonth, a freelance social marketer originally from Canada, said, "Dog-sitting is definitely the way to go if you are trying to save money."
At the start of her journey, Learmonth created a profile on Trusted House Sitters and was matched with paying customers.
"It was a crazy experience. I’ve never lived that rural before, especially not on a farm," she said of one stay.
During her stint on the farm, Learmonth traveled around a 40-acre piece of land with the farm’s dogs. "We’d go to this dam and they’d paddle in the water. The cows would follow us down and everything!"
She even got fresh eggs for breakfast from the farm’s chickens.
While traveling throughout Australia, Learmonth took freelance jobs and had a few stints in coffee shops to keep a steady income stream.
She saved all the money she earned because she didn't need to spend money on rent.
"All in all, I saved around $15,000, and I was able to use the money … to go on road trips that I wouldn't have been able to afford before," Learmonth said, per SWNS.
"I was lucky enough to have my friend visit me toward the end of my time there, so I used the money to stay in nice Airbnbs and go out for nice meals."
While she is back home in Canada now, Learmonth plans to travel again this summer and will use dog-sitting to save money.
"It is always an option, especially as I work remotely — I am still thriving in the area of cheap travel," she said. "It is a really cool way to experience remote-working and explore a new area."
Learmonth shared the following tips for traveling on a budget.
1. Find house-sitting and dog-sitting opportunities via Trusted House Sitters to live for free in exchange for providing services.
2. Travel to new areas with Campervan Relocations, a company that allows travelers to relocate a van from point A to point B for $1 per day. (Be flexible with timelines and open to new destinations, she recommended.)
3. Find work that provides accommodations to save on housing while working remotely.
A Virginia family in Washington, D.C., got an image for the ages when former President Barack Obama accidentally photobombed a shot of their two children next to the area's treasured cherry blossom trees, prompting the former commander-in-chief to apologize on social media.
Obama was seen accidentally strolling into the background of a professional photograph of Belle, 4, and Preston, 1, at the Tidal Basin on Monday, the New York Post reported.
"Preston and Belle, hope you enjoyed peak bloom," Obama wrote on Instagram. "My bad for stepping into the shot."
Millions of tourists from all over flock to the nation's capital each spring to catch a glimpse of the blossom trees.
The photo shows the pair of children smiling under a branch with pretty pink petals with the Washington Monument in the background. Obama is shown walking behind the pair while wearing a cap and sunglasses, with his hands in his pockets.
The children had just finished posing with their parents, Portia Moore and Damien Thomas, when their dad noticed Obama making the unexpected cameo, Moore wrote on Instagram.
"Look who strolled by in our picture for our family Cherry Blossom photo shoot!" she wrote.
"Story time! It’s the kids turn to take a photo together and Damien is saying something to me," she added. "I’m just focused on Preston not running towards the water (peak mom moment). After that shoot was done I pick Preston up and asked Damien ‘what were you saying’? He goes ‘that was President Obama who just walked by’ and looks his direction. I was like whaaaaat?! I ran to the photographer and asked her if she got the picture. She scrolls through and BOOM there is it! The perfect shot!"
Photographer Briana Inell, who was taking pictures of Moore’s young children, told the Washington Post that she's been photographing families and newborns for over a decade.
She said she's used to people walking in the background, mostly tourists.
"I go to the Tidal Basin every single year," Inell said. "I’m very used to people walking in on my pictures. I tell my clients ‘don’t worry they will be Photoshopped out.'"
In addition to his apology, Obama also posted about the day on his own Instagram account.
"It’s fun to be able to play tourist once in a while. The cherry blossoms were beautiful this morning!" he wrote.
In the clip, which has been viewed more than 700,000 times in ten days, Moore beamed while expressing his wish to meet Trump. He was wearing a red "MAGA" hat.
He told the president, "I got to vote for you again, and I hope I get to vote for you some more."
Allison Dudley, a friend of Moore’s family, filmed and uploaded the veteran’s message to the social media platform. Towards the end of the clip, she made her own pitch to Trump, saying, "He’s a World War II veteran – Army Air Corps. You should come and visit him. He wants you here for his birthday."
Moore lives at Danbury Senior Living facility in Massilon, a town just south of Cleveland.
Danbury Senior Living executive director Kelli Beckler spoke highly of Moore, telling local outlet, The Canton Repository, "We all really enjoy having Denver as one of our residents here. We love hearing his stories. He's a great historian and storyteller, and it's a real honor to be able to be a part of this with him."
She added that since his birthday wish gained traction on social media, "We've been having people from all over call the facility wanting to send him cards and different things."
Moore grew up on a farm in Noble County, Ohio, and worked at Hercules Engine Co. before he was drafted into service in 1942, After the war, he became a U.S. Postal Service worker and raised a family, according to The Repository.
His son, Rich, told News 5 Cleveland that he hopes the veteran’s birthday wish comes true. "If this makes him happy, then great. Whatever it takes."
Moore’s wish was inspired by his deep patriotism. "It’s a wonderful country," he said. "I’m glad God gave us the United States."
Moore remarked on the success of the video, telling The Repository, "In my long life, I never dreamed of that happening."
"They have a parade, firetrucks, (and) police cars. ... It'll be over at Canal Fulton at the (Veterans Affairs) club. According to that video, there's thousands of people who know all about it," he added to the outlet.
The White House did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
