Congress investigates betting scandals rocking NBA and Major League Baseball following federal charges
Odds are that most Thanksgiving dinners will include a heaping helping of Packers-Lions. A side of Chiefs-Cowboys. A run back out to the fridge for a plate of stuffing alongside the nightcap game of Bengals-Ravens. A veritable football smorgasbord paired with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a slab of pumpkin pie. But the real side dish to go with the games may be your wagers. Drop the dark meat. Put your money where your mouth is. More and more Americans are placing wagers on practically anything related to sports. You can take the over-under on individual games or see if the Lions cover the point spread. But many fans are now lured by very specific bets. You can wager money on how many passing attempts Lamar Jackson has or how many penalties the Lions will commit. Maybe bet how many times they’ll show Taylor Swift on the screen during the Chiefs contest. The American Gaming Association says sportsbooks scored a staggering $13.71 billion in revenue last year. Heightened gambling interest is what worries lawmakers. Astonishing betting scandals recently rocked the NBA and Major League Baseball. FORMER COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER GIVES REASON FOR POINT-SHAVING THAT LED TO NCAA BAN: ‘I WAS MONEY-HUNGRY’ Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty earlier this week to charges of taking part in an illegal poker scheme with possible ties to organized crime. Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat is due for arraignment on Dec. 8. Prosecutors accuse Rozier of yanking himself out of a game two years ago because of a foot injury. But bettors placed hundreds of thousands of dollars in wagers on how many points Rozier might score, as well as rebounds and assists. The feds allege that Rozier benched himself to help a gambling ring that bet on the paucity of his performance that night. And the feds busted Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase for allegedly conspiring with bettors to throw specific pitches at specific times during the games. It’s believed this resulted in bettors pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars. So there’s the gaming of the games. That’s why lawmakers question whether fans can trust what they see on the field or the court. “People have to have faith in the product, and they have to have the belief that the players are playing, and the coaches are on the up and up and the refs are on the up and up,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. UFC CUTS FIGHTER AFTER SPORTSBOOKS FLAG ‘UNUSUAL’ BETTING ACTIVITY ON HIS FIRST-ROUND LOSS “You may not be able to throw a strike 10% of the time. But even a lousy pitcher as I am could throw a ball 100% of the time,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas. “These cheating scandals threaten to undermine the integrity of sports.” That’s why Cruz and the top Democrat on the panel, Sen. Maria Cantwell, of Washington state, wrote to Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. They want answers on suspicious wagers and whether there are any other instances of alleged rigging. Cruz and Cantwell fired off a letter to the NBA as well. “We need these organizations to make sure that there’s rules and regulations in place that are followed,” said Cantwell. “What you should do to make sure that people are complying.” “If you’re watching a game and you think, ‘Is this the glorious uncertainty of sport, or is this some theater designed by gambling mobsters and their addicted athletes?’ then the joy of sport is dead, ladies and gentlemen,” said University of New Haven professor Declan Hill after a meeting with lawmakers. The latest line is on the emerging phenomenon of prop bets. People don’t wager on overall outcomes of games or who might win the division or conference, but instead place their money on individual events during the game. “We are a long way from the Black Sox scandal,” said John Affleck, Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society at Penn State. NBA MEMO SHEDS LIGHT ON LEAGUE’S INTEGRITY CONCERNS AFTER GAMBLING-RELATED ARRESTS That’s where eight members of the Chicago White Sox allegedly took money to throw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds – although the evidence of what the White Sox players may have done is mixed at best. “We’re now in a place where the first corner kick or the number of points you score in the first half can be manipulated if you have a willing athlete,” said Affleck. Sports leagues have all cozied up to commercial gambling operations over the past few years. Many established partnerships. Some lawmakers believe betting scandals were inevitable once the leagues and the gaming industry parlayed their fortunes together. “These growing scandals simply highlight the need for national standards that stop the sports betting industry from exploiting vulnerable gamblers and the potential corruption among the players themselves,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “The sports betting industry has grown huge without any kind of safeguards against the use of algorithms and micro bets to target individuals, whether they are gamblers or players in sports.” Congress hasn’t passed a gambling law since 2006. Lawmakers say the leagues should tread carefully with gambling. Fans could lose interest if they think the sports are rigged. OKLAHOMA QB JOHN MATEER DENIES SPORTS BETTING ALLEGATIONS AFTER VENMO SCREENSHOTS GO VIRAL “All these scandals,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. “People are going to get tired of it and move on. I mean, my God, football, basketball, baseball should all be worried now that watching people play video games is a spectator sport.” And we reside in a period when people routinely take to social media to claim that the leagues only want certain teams to succeed or that the refs or umpires are biased against their club. “I think of the proclivity of conspiracy theories in our modern world. It just sort of fits that as soon as you get a bad call as a fan, you go
Alleged National Guard shooter worked with US government entities in Afghanistan, including CIA: Ratcliffe
EXCLUSIVE: The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members blocks from the White House worked with various United States government entities, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Afghanistan, Fox News Digital has learned. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States on the heels of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 under the Biden administration. Lakanwal arrived in the U.S. a month later under “Operation Allies Welcome.” TWO NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SHOT NEAR WHITE HOUSE, AFGHAN NATIONAL SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: ‘ACT OF EVIL’ Intelligence sources told Fox News Digital that Lakanwal had a prior relationship with various entities in the U.S. government, including the CIA, due to his work as a member of a partner force in Kandahar. “In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital. “The individual—and so many others—should have never been allowed to come here,” Ratcliffe continued. “Our citizens and service members deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures.” Ratcliffe added: “God bless our brave troops.” Fox News Digital has learned that the FBI is taking the lead on the investigation. 2 NATIONAL GUARDSMEN CRITICALLY WOUNDED IN ‘TARGETED SHOOTING’ BLOCKS FROM WHITE HOUSE Multiple high level intelligence sources told Fox News Digital that the shooting is being investigated as a possible act of international terrorism. FBI officials confirmed the two West Virginia National Guardsmen remain in critical condition. In an online address to the nation late Wednesday, President Donald Trump called the shooting a “savage attack” and described how one of the Guardsmen “was shot at point-blank range in a monstrous ambush-style attack just steps away from the White House.” Trump added that the “heinous assault” was an “act of evil and act of hatred and an act of terror. It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity.” “The hearts of all Americans tonight are with those two members of the West Virginia National Guard and their families,” he added. “The love of our entire country is pouring out for them, and we are lifting them up in our prayers as we are filled with anguish and grief for those who were shot, we’re also filled with righteous anger and ferocious resolve. As President of the United States, I am determined to ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price.” “This is a targeted shooting,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser explained during a news conference Wednesday afternoon following the shooting. “One individual appeared to target these guardsmen. That individual has been taken into custody.”
Alleged DC shooter entered US under Afghan resettlement push Mayorkas vowed would be done ‘swiftly and safely’
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under former-President Joe Biden promised to “swiftly and safely” resettle Afghan allies into the United States, but multiple sources have confirmed the D.C. National Guard shooter came in under that same Biden-era program in 2021. Biden responded to the “targeted” attack in D.C. just before news broke of how the alleged shooter, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States under humanitarian parole via Operation Allies Welcome, per DHS and FBI sources, giving him permission to be in country legally. In 2021, amid the Afghan withdrawal debacle, Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas promised to “swiftly and safely” resettle thousands of Afghan allies into the United States and confirmed that DHS had denied evacuees from entering the U.S. due to “derogatory” information obtained during the vetting process. After the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan that was followed by a Taliban takeover of the country, the Biden administration launched a large operation to support and resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those that had helped U.S. troops in the past. TWO NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SHOT NEAR WHITE HOUSE, AFGHAN NATIONAL SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: ‘TARGETED’ Due to the rushed nature of the evacuation, plus broader concerns over immigration and parole-release policies, fears arose over whom the country may have been letting in. Mayorkas said during a September 2021 press conference that 120,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan since the beginning of the U.S. withdrawal, just months earlier. The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center found that nearly 800 aircraft evacuated thousands of people over just a 17-day period in August 2021. At the time, Mayorkas touted the robust biometric screening and vetting process in place — in both the U.S. and transit countries — in order to make sure every individual entering the country was properly screened. In response to a question at the time from Fox News’ Jake Gibson, Mayorkas confirmed that there already had been individuals flagged with “derogatory information” during the vetting process, but did not specify the number of people flagged. Mayorkas assured that 400 U.S. Customs and Border Patrol employees and the Transportation Security Administration would be brought up to assist. Part of the effort included moving refugees from military bases designated by the Pentagon to house and vet refugees before they enter the United States. Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in September 2021 after America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, had his permission to stay in the U.S. granted under Operation Allies Welcome, sources said. Authorities are investigating the shooting as a possible act of international terrorism. FBI officials confirmed two West Virginia National Guardsmen remain in critical condition after being shot in the head during an apparent targeted attack just a few blocks from the White House. During comments Wednesday night, President Donald Trump called Biden “a disastrous president” and “the worst in the history of our country.” WHITE HOUSE BLASTS MS NOW CORRESPONDENT’S ‘BEYOND SICK’ REACTION TO DC SHOOTING OF NATIONAL GUARDSMEN He also ridiculed the former president for flying Lakanwal “on those infamous flights that everybody was talking about.” “Nobody knew who was coming in, nobody knew anything about it,” Trump pointed out about the Afghan evacuation process under Biden. He also slammed broader parole and immigration policies under Biden, claiming Lakanwal’s “status was extended under legislation signed under President Biden. “ “This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation,” Trump added, announcing that the government “must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country under Biden.” Trump also appeared to suggest the death penalty for Lakanwal, stating toward the end of his address that “we will bring the perpetrator of this barbaric attack to swift and certain justice – if the bullet’s going in the opposite direction – (unintelligible).” Meanwhile, former President Biden did respond to the tragic D.C. attack, but his comments came before news of how the shooter entered the United States. “Jill and I are heartbroken that two members of the National Guard were shot outside the White House,” Biden posted on X, just before news broke that the shooter entered the country under his administration’s rapid resettlement program. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable, and we must all stand united against it. We are praying for the service members and their families.” Fox News Digital Reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the news that Lakanwal came into the United States under the Biden-era program, but did not receive a response. Attempts to reach former DHS Secretary Mayorkas also were unsuccessful in time for publication.
Bipartisan support, outrage pour in after ‘targeted’ DC shooting of National Guardsmen: ‘Horrific’
Lawmakers from across the political spectrum began expressing support amid news that two West Virginia National Guard members were shot blocks away from the White House Wednesday afternoon. After news of the shooting, members of the West Virginia delegation were quick to respond, as was Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump, who referred to the suspected shooter as an “animal.” “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform as details of the shooting emerged. “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!” SHOOTING OF TWO NATIONAL GUARDSMEN IN DC ‘ABSOLUTELY REPREHENSIBLE,’ FORMER FBI AGENT FUMES West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, said he and his wife were “devastated” to hear the news. FBI Director Kash Patel said the two West Virginia National Guardsmen remain in critical condition, correcting an earlier report from Morrisey that the pair had died. Both of West Virginia’s two Republican senators also chimed in, offering thoughts and prayers but did not shed any additional details. Democrats from the state expressed messages of support as well. “Tonight, our hearts are heavy for the two members of the West Virginia National Guard shot in Washington, D.C.,” Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, the West Virginia Democratic Party chairman, told Fox News. “This cowardly and tragic act of violence should never happen in this country, and our hearts grieve for the families who are dealing with this senseless tragedy. “This tragedy transcends party lines. Two families will now have to spend Thanksgiving in agony for their loved ones, who did nothing wrong and answered their call of duty. We honor these soldiers’ service, sacrifice and courage. We hope and pray for the best. These young men and their brothers and sisters in uniform represent the very best of us and the very best of West Virginia.” Democrats outside West Virginia spoke up as well, including some of the party’s top national leaders, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who slammed “political violence” in his response despite no confirmed reports about a motive. VANCE SAYS HE IS PRAYING FOR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS SHOT IN DC “There must be zero tolerance for violence — of any kind — against the brave men and women in uniform who selflessly serve our communities and our country,” Newsom said of the shooting. “The shooting of National Guard members in Washington, D.C. is horrific and unacceptable. Jen and I are praying for the service members, their families, and the entire National Guard community.” Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore reached across the aisle as well to offer assistance to Morrisey. “We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and we are holding the Guard, their families, and their loved ones close in our hearts,” Moore said. “I have reached out to [Morrisey] and [Capito] to offer any support. We are closely monitoring the situation for updates.” Metropolitan Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said Wednesday the lone gunman allegedly “came around the corner” in an “ambush” style attack and opened fire on the two National Guardsmen. Other members of the National Guard nearby reportedly heard the gunfire and intervened, restraining the suspect after he had been shot, Carroll said. It remains unclear who fired the shot that wounded the suspect, and suspect individual has not yet been identified. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: US envoy gave Russian aide tips on selling Ukraine deal
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… –Noem greenlit deportation flights after judge’s emergency order, DOJ reveals — fueling contempt fight -Universities, school districts nationwide call for ‘decolonizing’ Thanksgiving: ‘Day of mourning’ -Judge dismisses 2020 election interference case against Trump, granting Georgia’s request U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff gave a senior Kremlin official tips on how to sell a Ukraine peace deal to President Donald Trump, a report said. Witkoff spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov on Oct. 14, advising him on how Putin should bring up the topic with the U.S. president, according to Bloomberg. “We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace, and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” Witkoff was quoted by Bloomberg as saying, in reference to the Trump administration’s Gaza peace deal…READ MORE. NEXT IN LINE: Bessent wraps up Fed chair interviews as Trump’s decision expected before Christmas TRADE RIFF: Trump’s record tariff haul meets Supreme Court review as White House braces for a ruling LEGAL LOSS: Appeals court upholds $1 million penalty against Trump over ‘frivolous’ Clinton, Comey lawsuit ‘DANGEROUS’: Muslim groups, other leaders demand Abbott rescind CAIR’s ‘terrorist’ designation: ‘Defamatory’ ‘REALLY IMPORTANT’: Mike Johnson: US-Israel alliance is ‘really important’ for multiple reasons, antisemitism ‘must be called out’ TEACHER’S PLOT: DHS brass slam Virginia Beach principal accused in ‘chilling’ plot to lure, ambush ICE agents PAST HAUNTS RACE: Texas Democrat — a Latin Grammy winner and party recruit — caught defacing Trump’s Hollywood star NEW PLAYBOOK: Former Democratic presidential candidate talks about the future of his party after off-year election success FEELIN THE PINCH: Weakening incomes add new strain to households already hit by high prices VIDEO SUPPORT: “Unlawful orders” Dem sounds off after slew of vets leave voicemails defending her against ‘treason’ Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump ‘took notes from the Grinch’: States sue over SNAP program changes
A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration Wednesday to block new U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance that they argue illegally lists thousands of immigrants — including refugees and asylum seekers — as being “permanently” ineligible for anti-hunger benefits. The lawsuit, filed by the attorneys general Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon, seeks to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new, more narrow eligibility criteria for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which the agency published in a memo late last month. They argued that the new USDA guidance, intended to comply with a provision under the GOP-led Big Beautiful Bill tax and spending legislation, goes beyond what lawmakers intended by incorrectly classifying certain individuals — including refugees and asylum seekers who have been granted lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. — as “permanently ineligible” for SNAP. Rather, they said, the guidance “threatens to destabilize SNAP nationwide,” and risks jeopardizing food access for families who “have done everything right.” TRUMP, STATES BACK IN COURT OVER SNAP AS BENEFITS REMAIN IN LEGAL LIMBO The attorneys general said Wednesday that the new USDA guidance in question makes clear that “refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, individuals whose deportation has been withheld, and other humanitarian entrants become eligible for SNAP once they obtain their green cards and meet standard program requirements.” California Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters on a call Wednesday that the USDA guidance “blatantly misapplies the agency’s own regulations” for SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program that provides food aid to some 40 million Americans each month. While it is unclear how many individuals in each state would be affected, the attorneys general estimated the number would be well into the thousands, including more than 30,000 residents in New York alone. The new guidance “misclassifies entire groups of lawfully present immigrants as ‘not eligible’ when the law says they are eligible once they become lawful permanent residents,” Bonta said Wednesday, describing the guidance as reading “like someone took notes from the Grinch.” STATES SUE TRUMP ADMIN OVER BILLIONS IN LOOMING CUTS TO SNAP, FOOD STAMPS The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Oregon to grant emergency relief and issue an order blocking the USDA guidance. It also warned that the patchwork system of benefits created as a result of the guidance “threatens to destabilize SNAP nationwide,” and risks financial harm, including penalties issued to states who do not comply with the guidance. The new USDA memo “attempts to rewrite those rules, ignoring Congress and threatening to cut off food assistance for people who are fully eligible under the law,” the attorneys general said Wednesday. States also took aim at the USDA’s decision to publish the narrower guidance on Oct. 31, four months after the spending bill was signed into law. States had just one day to comply with the narrower guidance, they noted on the call. The guidance “imposes these errors on states with virtually zero time to implement them,” Bonta said.
Weakening incomes add new strain to households already hit by high prices
For months, Americans have voiced frustration over the stubbornly high cost of living. But economists say a more troubling shift is emerging. Consumers are increasingly reporting that their incomes aren’t keeping up with the financial pressures they face. Joanne Hsu, director and chief economist of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, says the change is showing up more clearly in recent readings. “Consumers have been expressing frustration from high prices consistently for the past several years. What makes this season different is that consumers are also increasingly mentioning weakening incomes as well,” Hsu told Fox News Digital. AS THE HOLIDAYS APPROACH, THANKSGIVING BECOMES TRUMP’S ECONOMIC TEST “This year, they are reporting pressures on their pocketbooks from multiple sources.” That sense of mounting pressure is backed up by recent analysis. According to the Bank of America Institute, inflation has risen faster than middle- and lower-income households’ after-tax wages since January 2025. As a result, nearly one in four U.S. households is now living paycheck to paycheck, a number that has grown during the past year. NEARLY 1 IN 4 AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, REPORT REVEALS What that means is that the erosion of purchasing power is pushing more Americans to the edge of their budgets, making it harder to keep up, let alone get ahead. That growing strain presents a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House on promises of greater affordability. He is now confronting voter doubts about whether he can deliver. A Fox News national survey shows 76% of voters now rate the economy negatively, up sharply from 67% in July and 70% at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term. Trump’s economic approval has also slipped to a new low, and his overall job approval has climbed to record levels of disapproval, even among voters who have historically backed him. For now, the daily reality for many Americans remains the same: Prices feel too high, paychecks feel too thin and confidence in the future is fragile. How quickly that changes and whether voters give Trump credit for it may determine the tone of the country’s economic and political debate in the months ahead.
Trump blocks South Africa from 2026 G20 summit for alleged ‘horrific human rights abuses’
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would not invite South Africa to the 2026 G-20 summit in Florida, citing alleged “horrific human rights abuses.” “To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them,” Trump alleged in a Truth Social post. “At my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G-20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year,” he added. TRUMP PICKS HIS MIAMI DORAL RESORT TO HOST 2026 G20 SUMMIT IN FLORIDA DURING NATION’S ANNIVERSARY YEAR The Embassy of South Africa did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Clayson Monyela, head of diplomacy for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, dismissed the notion that South Africa could be shut out. “South Africa is a founding member of the G-20. We don’t get invited to G-20 meetings and leaders summit. Those are gatherings of members. If other members allow this then the G-20 will die,” Monyela told Fox News Digital. “Other countries have already told us that they too will boycott the U.S. G-20 if South Africa is excluded,” Monyela added. If carried out, the move would break with more than two decades of precedent and mark the first time a member has been formally excluded from the gathering of the world’s major economies. The G-20, which brings together major advanced and emerging economies and accounts for roughly 80% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population, has historically operated on the principle of inclusion. That tradition already was strained after the U.S. boycott of the 2025 meeting held in Johannesburg earlier in November. The Trump administration argued that the country’s government had failed to address violence and discrimination it claimed was occurring in rural farming communities. Additionally, the U.S. objected to the meeting’s focus on climate and development issues rather than core economic priorities. TRUMP ADMIN SLAMS SOUTH AFRICA FOR ‘WEAPONIZED’ G-20 PRESIDENCY AS SUMMIT IGNORES CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION The boycott marked a notable break from past U.S. engagement, leaving the world’s largest economy missing from a key forum for global economic policymaking. Trump also said in the same Truth Social post that he would halt U.S. payments to South Africa. “South Africa has demonstrated to the world they are not a country worthy of membership anywhere and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately,” Trump wrote. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for further details. It remains unclear how the move will affect the country’s standing within the G-20 or broader U.S.–South Africa relations ahead of the 2026 summit in Florida. Relations between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have steadily deteriorated in recent months. In February, Trump suspended U.S. aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against White farmers. Tensions escalated again in March when the State Department expelled the South African ambassador, labeling him “persona non grata.” In May, the two leaders clashed in the Oval Office when Trump pressed Ramaphosa over allegations that White Afrikaners were being targeted and killed in South Africa. Ramaphosa pushed back, telling Trump he had seen no evidence to support those claims. Paul Tilsley contributed to this report from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Veterans flood Democrat’s office with supportive calls as backlash grows over ‘illegal orders’ video
A Democratic congresswoman and former Air Force captain who joined five other lawmakers in a viral video advising service members they could refuse illegal orders from a president shared a slew of voicemails backing her stance. The video released by six Democrat lawmakers who are veterans drew sharp rebuke from President Donald Trump, who called them “traitors,” and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asked Navy Secretary John Phelan to formally review one senator’s comments in the clip. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, who represents Chester County and Reading, shared a mashup of numerous messages praising her and her colleagues for “standing up” for military members at what the lawmakers involved said was a tenuous time to be serving the public. DEM SENATOR WHO BASHED HEGSETH’S QUALIFICATIONS STANDS BY DOD SEC WHO OVERSAW BOTCHED AFGHAN WITHDRAWAL Several callers were not constituents, including veterans from as far away as Fairbanks, Alaska. Others said they hailed from Philadelphia, Reading, West Chester, Phoenixville and Berwyn, Pennsylvania, along with Baltimore, Maryland; Carlsbad, California; and beyond. They identified themselves by their military record as well, including Marine vets, infantry vets, a wounded warrior, a Gulf War vet and descendants of World War I, World War II, Vietnam and Korea. “I am not a constituent,” one said. “I am a veteran.” CALIFORNIA DEM TELLS HEGSETH HE’S AN ‘EMBARRASSMENT’ TO THE US, SHOULD ‘GET THE HELL OUT’ OF THE DOD “Thank you for standing firmly with our service members,” another said. “I just want to tell her I appreciate her comments, and they’re right,” a third caller said. Addressing the video’s quotes directly, another veteran expressed gratitude that Houlahan was “letting them know it’s OK to question orders that seem wrong or illegal.” JEFFRIES BECOMES HIGHEST-RANKING DEM TO CALL FOR HEGSETH TO RESIGN “I’m with you. I’m behind you.” “You have support and gratitude from citizens across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thank you. That’s all I can tell you. Thank you very much. You’re making the commonwealth very proud. I am so proud of all six of you for making that video,” several callers added in an edited, composite excerpt. “I will continue to speak up for you because you continue to speak up to me,” another told Houlahan. SEN. TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS In response, the White House said Democrats like Houlahan were unable to list any examples of unlawful orders given by Trump or the Pentagon when they were asked. “Because there have been none,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “It should deeply concern all Americans that elected Democrats are publicly urging the military to openly defy the chain-of-command and the commander in chief’s lawful orders to subvert the will of the American people,” she said. On Tuesday, Houlahan said the FBI reached out to the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms, who maintain order in the Capitol galleries, requesting interviews with lawmakers in the video. “President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass members of Congress,” Houlahan said. “No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution.” REPUBLICAN MILITARY VETS IN CONGRESS ARE ON A MISSION TO GET HEGSETH CONFIRMED “We will never be bullied. We will never give up the ship,” she said, quoting a line from the video spoken by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. The most prominent lawmaker in the video, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., has since been subject to an impending investigation by the Pentagon, according to documents. Kelly, a retired Navy combat pilot and astronaut, is in the distinct category of “retired” — requiring 20 years of service — rather than “former,” a status that allows the Pentagon to recall him for disciplinary action that could include loss of rank or other penalties. FOX NEWS POLITICS NEWSLETTER: FORMER ARMY CAPTAIN WARNS DEMS’ ‘UNPATRIOTIC’ VIDEO COULD SPARK CHAOS Hegseth branded Houlahan, Kelly and the others the “Seditious Six,” and his office released a statement saying that all “service members are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful.” “A service member’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order,” the War Department said. Houlahan spent two years on active duty in the Air Force from 1989-1991 and the rest of her career in the Reserves until separating in 2004. Her father was a Naval aviator and she was born at the Naval Air Station Patuxent base in St. Mary’s, Maryland. Five of the six lawmakers in the video also reportedly received bomb threats to their offices since the release of the video. Slotkin, Houlahan and Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., received threats to their Capitol Hill offices, while Rep. Maggie Goodlander, the wife of Obama National Security Adviser Jacob Sullivan, was subject to a bomb threat at her local office in Concord, New Hampshire, according to Newsweek.
Dem House hopeful getting yanked from governor’s office during attempted sit-in goes viral ahead of election
The Democratic Party hopeful in Tennessee’s upcoming special election, Aftyn Behn, is going viral due to a 2019 incident when she was working as a political organizer and was forcibly removed from Democrat Gov. Bill Lee’s office during an attempted sit-in. The 2019 incident came before Behn entered elected office in 2023 by winning a special election to take over the state’s District 51 seat. Prior to her entrance into the Tennessee state legislature, Behn worked as a political organizer for numerous far-left activist groups, such as “No Kings” protests co-organizer Indivisible, Enough Is Enough Tennessee and the Tennessee Justice Center. During her work with Enough Is Enough, which the conservative Capital Research Center says was established to target Tennessee lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct, Behn participated in a sit-in in Lee’s office, which resulted in a video recording of her skating past officers to get inside before they ran after her and yanked her out of the office. TENNESSEE CANDIDATE BLASTS DEM OPPONENT’S ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ TWEETS CALLING TO DISSOLVE NASHVILLE POLICE The sit-in was aimed at pressuring the governor to demand the resignation of a state representative who had been accused of, but not charged with, sexual assault allegations, according to News Channel 5 Nashville. Behn appears to be heard wailing in the video as she gets yanked out of the governor’s office after reportedly being told she could face arrest. A subsequent social media post by local news outlet The Tennessee Holler showed Behn on day two of the attempted sit-in, lying with a blanket and pillow in front of the governor’s office weeping. “HAPPENING NOW: Aftyn Behn Of Enough Is Enough Tennessee weeps after being roughly tossed out of Governor Bill Lee’s office by troopers,” the post says. Fox News Digital reached out to the Behn campaign for comment on the viral video but did not receive a response. Republican National Committee spokesperson Delanie Bomar pointed out that Behn “is the same woman who says she hates Nashville and wants to burn down police stations,” arguing she is “wildly unfit for office, and this video is further proof of that.” With the Tuesday special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District looming, Behn has been the brunt of numerous attacks for her radical past. ‘FULL-BLOWN BATTLE’ BREWING IN DEM PARTY AS MAMDANI-STYLE CANDIDATES RISE IN KEY RACES One of those attacks stemmed from past comments Behn made on a podcast, claiming she “hated” the city she is trying to represent, Nashville. Others include radical calls to “dissolve” police departments and previous justification for violent riots and burning down police stations. When pressed over the weekend about her anti-police positions in the past, Behn dodged the question three different times. She claimed the attacks on her comments about hating Nashville were “obviously taken out of context” and are just part of an attack campaign against her because Republicans are scared. “I do not hate country music. I was conceived after a George Strait concert,” Behn quipped during an interview on the “Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar” podcast. “It just shows — The New York Times reporter — that there’s a 48-page dossier of me, which includes clips,” she said. “I had a podcast back in the day called G.R.I.T.S. – Girls Raised In The South – and I was lamenting about, you know, the things that are wrong with our city. Obviously taken out of context, obviously hyperbolic, and I don’t feel that way at all.” Behn added that she thinks the attack ultimately backfired, and shows her opponent is “digging deep.” During the “Breaking Points” interview, Behn tried to dispel the criticism that she hates the district she is trying to represent by arguing that she has spent “the past decade” of her life “pouring blood, sweat and tears into my city and my state to make it better for working people.” However, that working-class campaign message also has been challenged by Behn’s past ahead of the special election. The state representative, for example, voted no in 2024 on a bill that would have resulted in a $400 million tax cut for certain Tennessee small businesses, including potential refunds of up to $1.5 billion. Among her other anti-tax cutting actions, Behn rallied against Republicans’ H.R. 1, the so-called “big, beautiful bill.” The bill, which extended President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, could have meant a nearly $4,000 increase for taxpayers in her district if it had not passed based on economic analyses. Lee called the move the “single largest tax cut” in the state’s history. Behn also voted against a statewide budget bill earlier in 2025 that would have added tens of millions to the state’s rainy day fund, which would have effectively padded the state’s coffers so that, in times of low revenue, taxes won’t need to be increased so much. That same budget bill would have also allocated millions for volunteer fire departments, senior centers, emergency medical services, teacher bonuses and other public safety funding.