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Power ranking the most patriotic fans at the USMNT's World Cup opener against Paraguay
The U.S. Men's National Team's 2026 World Cup run is underway, and boy, does it already feel like the entire nation has caught a case of World Cup fever.
Trust the science.
That's the beauty of international sports, though. Any other time, we're all divided and cheering for our respective pro or collegiate teams, but now?
We're all in on Team USA, baby.
WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE
And there was some serious patriotism at the U.S.'s first game of the tournament against Paraguay, and here is the definitive power ranking of the top 5 patriotic fans spotted in and around Los Angeles Stadium (or as it's known during non-World Cup times, SoFi Stadium).
There are no rules with patriotism — other than, well, be patriotic — but I love seeing some creativity infused with it.
I feel like we got that from these fellas who went all out with Uncle Sam hats, Apollo Creed "Rocky IV" robes, boxing gloves and all kinds of USMNT paraphernalia.
This is what I call "patriotic maximalism," and I'm all about it.
Just drench everything in red, white, and blue and stars and stripes.
That's what this is all about.
No notes. Well done, fellas.
FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE
I know I said we were going to look at fans in and around LA, but I had to throw a bone to these folks in Minnesota, because they are hardcore.
There were many of them outside.
TRACKING AMERICA'S WORLD CUP JOURNEY: HOW AND WHEN TO WATCH THE US MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM
Anyone can watch soccer in perfect conditions, but it takes a special kind of fan to stand there in the miserable rain to cheer on the Stars and Stripes.
A lesser fan would've said, "I'm gonna go find a Chili's and post up there," the second their socks could get a tad soggy, but not these folks. They were gutting it out in a veritable monsoon.
I love the commitment, and that's why they're on this list.
Hey, he's United States Navy (USN) Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.
He's making the list.
Thank you for your service to U.S. soccer fandom, Mav.
Can't wait for "Top Gun 3."
You may be catching on to the fact that I put a lot of value in how much you inconvenience yourself to cheer on a team. I'm all about sticking it out through bad weather and uncomfortable costumes, and the Founding Fathers fit the bill.
Sure, the match is at a stadium with a roof on it, but it's still Los Angeles in June.
That's usually shorts-and-T-shirt weather, but these literal patriots said, "No, give us the wool getups and powdered wigs for the boys.
You love to see it.
Was there any other option?
The OGs of the OGs, the biggest ride-or-die US soccer fans, were out in full force.
While most of the country checks out the USMNT every four years, these are the men and women who have helped grow the sport of soccer among fans here in the States.
The World Cup is off to a hot start, and I get the sense it's only going to heat up as the group stage progresses.
BROADCAST BIAS: Platner’s nomination exposes media double standards … again
Radical leftist Graham Platner easily seized the Democrat nomination for the U.S. Senate in Maine on Tuesday, despite a semi-truckload of scandal baggage. It began last year with the revelation that Platner had a Nazi tattoo on his chest, and it was not a swastika – it was a "Totenkopf," the symbol of the S.S. troops that guarded the death camps in the Holocaust.
The broadcast networks avoided the subject of Platner and his tattoo for months. On April 22, a National Public Radio story skipped over it. So much for the show being titled "All Things Considered." Steve Mistler of Maine Public Radio reported: "Platner's well-documented controversies — including past offensive social media posts about sexual assault, rural white voters and the tipping habits of black people — haven't scared off high-profile endorsements," like those of Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others. Platner was painted as having populist momentum.
The TV networks arrived when a new scandal emerged on May 31: Platner had engaged in sexting with a number of women while he was newly married. We learned this because his embarrassed wife Amy warned campaign officials that it might become a problem, and someone leaked it to The Wall Street Journal.
The network Sunday hosts asked Democrats questions that were comically open-ended. On CBS, Margaret Brennan tried: "Does he pass the character test?" No. NBC's Kristen Welker threw one softly: "Does Graham Platner pose a headache for Democrats?" Duh. ABC's Jonathan Karl worried for his party: "Do you have concerns with the weight of all these controversies that it may jeopardize Democratic hopes to get that Senate seat in Maine?"
WATCH: MAINE VOTERS DIVIDED ON PLATNER AS SCANDALS SHADOW DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
Typically, in midterm election years, the broadcast networks largely avoid covering individual candidates with one typical exception: a Republican candidate or two who can be exploited as an embarrassment, as they did with Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell in 2010, Missouri’s Todd Akin in 2012, and Georgia’s Herschel Walker in 2022. Platner doesn’t fit that mold, although he would — if he were a Republican.
On June 5, the latest shoe dropped at the networks. The New York Times reported that several ex-girlfriends of Platner identified toxic and even allegedly abusive behavior toward them.
CBS evening anchor Tony Dokoupil, who the left claims is some kind of pro-Trump prop, served up a DNC spin: "Graham Platner, if you don’t know, is an oyster farmer and the centerpiece of the Democrats’ plans to retake the U.S. Senate. He is also a changed man, he says, full of regret about his past. The trouble is that past keeps coming up."
BROADCAST BIAS: NETWORKS LAMENT END OF COLBERT SHOW; THEY LOVE HIS ANTI-TRUMP ANTICS
On ABC, reporter Selina Wang repeated the accusations of violent behavior – grabbing shoulders and leaving marks, twisting arms – and Platner denied any violence. Wang went soft on the Nazi tattoo: it was just "a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol," and "Platner insists he only recently became aware of the Nazi connection." Would anyone suggest a swastika "resembled" a Nazi symbol?
NBC was slow on the claims of domestic violence. On June 6, reporter Monica Alba concluded with the candidate’s flat denial: "Platner, while saying in the past he was not a perfect boyfriend, denies ‘anything alleging physicality.’ And, come Tuesday, is likely to become a key part of Democrats’ hopes to win back the Senate."
The toughest network pundit was David Brooks on the "PBS NewsHour" on June 5. "The guy is a moral degenerate. The abuse of women, the sexting, the Nazi tattoo, I don't even need to say anything beyond his Reddit posts … a pathetic empty guy who postures in a way that's kind of repulsive." But his counterpart Jonathan Capehart insisted Democrats needed to keep him to beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins and make life difficult for President Donald Trump.
WATCH: SHAHEEN DODGES REPORTER'S PLATNER QUESTIONS AS AIDE CREATES DONUT DISTRACTION
On Monday’s "News Hour," NPR reporter Tamara Keith tried to spin away the scandals: "Democrats have the front-runner that they have. And I think that there are lots of nuances here." Nuances, like a Nazi tattoo.
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On the morning of the primary on Tuesday, "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King announced Maine voters have "heard a lot of negative stories about Platner’s relationship with women" and reporter Caitlin Huey-Burns framed a Platner win as a "test" of "just how much voters are willing to tolerate to ensure success for their party." Broadcast networks will heavily imply that winning a Democrat primary means the scandals have been overcome, and become tired "old news."
After Platner won his primary, NBC’s Ryan Nobles touted Platner: "Those scandals, in many ways, seem to strengthen his bond with a Democratic base, and now he’s prepared to take his progressive message into November. … The oyster man and Marine vet has energized progressives despite facing multiple scandals."
ABC late-night "comedian" Jimmy Kimmel offered his own take on Platner-Trump moral equivalence. Platner won the primary handily despite "a number of embarrassing scandals, including revelations of a Nazi-esque tattoo on his body, sexting with women while he's married, and allegations of abuse. If Democrats cannot get him into the Senate, word is the Republicans are planning to nominate him for president in 2028."
This is the first Kimmel joke about Platner, and it’s more of a Trump joke. But broadcast comedians can always be counted on to underline the broadcast-news spin of the day.
Menendez brothers eyed $20M insurance payout after parents' murders, Jose's ex-business partner claims
Thirty years after Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, Jose's former business partner still questions what led to the killings.
In his new memoir, "Karmic Winds: Reflections from the 'Smartest Guy in Hollywood,'" Peter M. Hoffman recounts his rise in the entertainment industry, including his tenure as president and CEO of Carolco Pictures, the studio behind hits such as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Basic Instinct" and the "Rambo" franchise.
Hoffman later served a federal prison sentence in connection with his convictions in a Louisiana film tax credit fraud case. He has continued to maintain his innocence and challenge those convictions. He was portrayed in Netflix's "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story."
"To me, the devil came to Los Angeles in 1989," Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "Nobody came out unaffected by this terrible act."
Hoffman met Jose when the no-nonsense patriarch was an executive at RCA, which brought the boy band Menudo to English-speaking audiences. Years later, the group helped catapult Ricky Martin to global fame.
By the time Jose left RCA, Hoffman was running Carolco Pictures and looking for someone to lead the studio's video business. At the recommendation of entertainment attorney John Mason, he hired Jose. They worked closely together from 1986 until Jose's murder.
WATCH: Second Menendez brother denied parole
"Jose was one tough character," Hoffman admitted. "He was very focused on his Cuban ancestry, very conservative. He had bought a house in Florida and was expecting to go back to Florida and run for the Senate. He had big dreams. He wanted to make a lot of money and then have a life in politics. That was his goal."
"He could be difficult because he had his way of doing everything, and he felt like he knew better than everybody," Hoffman shared. "It wasn’t always an easy ride. But I also had a high opinion of Jose and all his dealings. And of course, we didn’t really know about all the problems he had with his family until after the horrible murders."
Looking back, Hoffman believes there were early signs of trouble.
"I got a call sometime in 1988," Hoffman recalled. "It was Jose. He said, ‘I need to draw a couple of million dollars out of my deferred comp plan. I want to move from Calabasas to Beverly Hills so I can be closer to the office.’ I just said, ‘That’s all right with me.’ That’s when he bought the house on Elm Drive."
"It turned out he hadn’t been completely honest with me," said Hoffman.
"The real reason he had to do that was that Erik and Lyle had been caught breaking into their friends’ houses and stealing things," he said. "They had been caught by the police. Jose had to pay everybody off and get the hell out of dodge."
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On Aug. 20, 1989, Jose and his wife were gunned down with shotguns inside their home. Their sons called 911 and said their parents were killed by intruders.
"I remember waking up the next morning, and I got a call," said Hoffman. "It was grotesque. You have to understand that at the time, nobody knew it was the kids. The immediate suspicion was on Mario Kassar, chairman of Carolco Pictures, and me, that we were somehow behind this. All of a sudden, the suspicion is somehow this murder is connected to those bad guys at Carolco."
In the months following the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez were not initially considered prime suspects. Instead, speculation centered on the possibility of a mob-style hit, fueled by Jose's connections in the entertainment industry and the execution-style nature of the killings. Rumors circulated that he had made enemies through business dealings, though investigators found no evidence linking him to organized crime.
In the book, Hoffman wrote that he felt "a cold chill run down my spine" after receiving a phone call following Jose’s murder. Lyle had asked when he and his brother could expect payment on his father’s $20 million life insurance policy. Hoffman told Fox News Digital that Jose didn’t complete a physical for the death benefit under the terms of his contract. Therefore, his beneficiaries weren’t entitled to a payout.
Hoffman said he later learned investigators discovered that Lyle had searched his father's computer and had seen the contract, along with the $20 million death benefit it appeared to promise.
"I’m not inside the head of Lyle Menendez," said Hoffman. "But he wanted that money. He was all over us about that money, and that was literally days after the murder. So to me, the story is a very simple one."
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"Their father was a disciplinarian," said Hoffman. "I don’t think he ever abused these kids. I’ll never believe that to the day I die that Jose Menendez did anything to those kids other than be a very tough Cuban disciplinarian, very tough on them in tennis, very tough on them about the way they were. He was a tough guy on himself. But whatever it was, they decided they had had enough."
Hoffman worked with Jose professionally but did not have firsthand knowledge of what occurred inside the family's home. His views are based on his personal experiences with Jose and his observations of the family from the outside. The brothers have long maintained that they acted after years of abuse.
In 1989, Erik confessed the killings to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. The sessions with the brothers were later tape-recorded. Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smyth, learned about the confessions and informed the police. The recordings and related evidence led to the 1990 arrest of Lyle, then 22, and Erik, 19. They were charged with first-degree murder.
In 1993, the brothers went to trial, each with a separate jury. Prosecutors argued that they killed their parents for financial gain. The brothers' attorneys did not dispute that the pair killed their parents but argued they acted in self-defense after years of alleged emotional and sexual abuse by their father.
During the trials, relatives and other witnesses testified about behavior they believed was consistent with abuse, while prosecutors argued the allegations were fabricated after the killings to avoid harsher punishment. The claims have remained one of the most contested aspects of the case.
Hoffman repeatedly said he does not believe the allegations.
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"I don’t care how many Kardashians talk about it, people write about it, or whatever is the current phase," Hoffman said. "[I believe] Jose Menendez never abused those kids. But Jose was tough on those kids. I’m sure they had plenty of complaints about Jose, but none of them justified this horrible crime."
"I haven’t seen his sons in years, but I always saw Lyle as really the driving force," Hoffman continued. "He was the guy who just knew what to do. With Erik, there was a weakness to him. Lyle came across as the perfect son who was always polite. But I came to believe that that was all a front. I didn’t know him. I’m not sure Jose even knew him."
In 1994, both juries deadlocked. The deadlock reflected significant disagreement among jurors over the brothers' motives and the credibility of their abuse claims. Some jurors later said they found portions of the defense case persuasive, while prosecutors maintained the killings were motivated by greed.
In 1995, the brothers’ retrial began, this time with a single jury. Much of the defense evidence about alleged sexual abuse was excluded during the second trial. In 1996, jurors convicted both brothers of first-degree murder. That year, they were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. For years, the brothers filed petitions for appeals that were denied.
Then in May 2025, the brothers became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. It marked the closest they have come to freedom since their convictions.
Supporters of the brothers have argued that changing views about sexual abuse, trauma and juvenile offenders warranted a fresh review of their sentences. Others have maintained that the murders were primarily motivated by financial gain and that the convictions should stand.
In August 2025, the brothers were denied parole for three years, after which they will be eligible again.
"I completely agree with this new DA out here," said Hoffman. "He said he’s not against them being paroled, but they’ve got to come clean about what happened. And again, I don’t know these boys today. If they really had gone through a transformation, then that’s fine with me.
"They were kids. If they have gone through a transformation, truly, then great. But they’ve got to tell the truth about what happened."
Hoffman’s view remains one side of a debate that has continued for decades, with legal observers, family members and supporters of the brothers sharply divided over whether the abuse allegations were credible.
"I suppose maybe I should have known more about what was going on between Jose and his sons," said Hoffman. "I believe God exists, and I also believe the devil exists. And I believe there was this terrible evil that existed in that house that decided to act at that moment."
Platner's 'deranged' response to Musk becoming a trillionaire sparks online outrage: 'Loserthink'
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner was widely mocked by conservatives on social media over a post lamenting Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk being labeled the world’s first trillionaire.
"Elon Musk just became the world’s first trillionaire," Platner posted on X on Friday.
"Let’s make sure he’s also the last."
Platner’s post, which was seen over 2 million times as of Friday evening, was referring to news that Musk’s SpaceX began trading at $150 a share on Friday, above its listing price of $135 a share, making him the world's first-ever trillionaire following the initial public offering.
THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER'S MAINE SENATE BID
The post received heavy criticism from conservatives on social media, with many bringing up the various controversies surrounding Platner's campaign, including reports of infidelity, a Nazi tattoo, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend and social media posts criticizing the military and rural America.
"Communists can never quite grasp that if you make Musk poorer, you make millions of others poorer in the process because unlike them, he actually creates value for others in society," Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. "It's deranged."
""Pick your fighter," Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee posted on X. "Guy who innovates constantly, has built phenomenally successful businesses, and now reaps the rewards.
Guy who thought it wise to permanently stain his chest with a Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo."
"Worth reminding everyone that in addition to being a pathological liar Graham Platner also has the economic views of third world resentment socialists," Charlie Kirk show producer Blake Neff posted on X.
"This is loserthink," California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak posted on X. "Musk's IPO is making millions of Americans wealthier. And his success is inspiring others: ‘If it can happen for an immigrant kid -- why not me?’ The winning way to think -- the AMERICAN way to think -- is: Let's make some more trillionaires! "
"I hope @elonmusk is the first of many trillionaires," Actor Dean Cain posted on X. " Pray for others to have his success and continue to change the world for the better, for EVERYONE!!"
Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign for comment.
Platner has faced widespread criticism since launching his campaign for overplaying his blue collar record and embracing the economic policies of progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has emphatically endorsed him.
Musk's rocket and satellite company raised a record $75 billion, valuing the company at about $1.8 trillion, pushing the value of Musk's stake in SpaceX to an estimated $690 billion. The company is trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker "SPCX" after pricing its IPO on Thursday.
Combined with his holdings in electric vehicle maker Tesla, as well as other investments and assets, Musk's net worth is now estimated at about $1.1 trillion.
SpaceX stock jumped after it began trading, rising to $168.75 a share before paring some of those gains to trade around $158 a share. It subsequently rebounded and reached a new high of $176.52, and closed at $160.95 per share.
Investor demand for SpaceX has been intense. Reuters reported this week that the company attracted more than $250 billion in orders, while Bloomberg News reported Thursday that retail investors alone submitted more than $70 billion in requests for shares.
The company is expected to allocate at least 20% of the offering to retail investors, according to Bloomberg — an unusually large portion for individual investors in a deal of this size.
Fox News Digital's Eric Revell and Bradford Betz contributed to this report
MIKE DAVIS: Congress must finally kill the hidden tax in your online shopping cart
Every time you buy something online, you pay a toll. You just never see it.
It doesn't show up on your receipt. No politician voted for it. But it's baked into the price of nearly everything you buy, and it flows straight into the pockets of the most powerful corporations on earth.
That's the racket Amazon built. The Senate finally has a chance to break it by passing the bipartisan American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA).
When Amazon first opened its marketplace, it took roughly 19 cents of every dollar an independent seller earned. Today it takes close to half. Listing fees. Advertising fees. Fulfillment fees. Penalties for sellers who dare to offer a better price somewhere else. A small business owner in Ohio or Arizona forks over 45 to 50 cents on the dollar just for the privilege of reaching customers Amazon already cornered.
BIPARTISAN LAWMAKERS WANT TO STRIP BIG TECH'S LEGAL IMMUNITY THAT CAN SHIELD SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES
Sellers can't eat those costs. So they raise prices. And Amazon punishes any seller who charges less on another website. List your product cheaper on your own store, and Amazon buries you in their search results. So prices climb everywhere, on every site, whether you shop at Amazon or not. This tollbooth taxes the entire internet. Groceries, gadgets, the everyday basics in every family budget all carry the same invisible markup.
It gets worse. Amazon's marketplace is flooded with sellers shipping cheap goods straight from China, dodging the safety rules, tariffs, and taxes that American businesses can't escape. The family shop on Main Street follows every rule and still loses shelf space to faceless overseas operations that follow none. Amazon's own search results often push shoppers toward those listings, because cheap goods move fast and the fees roll in no matter who pockets the sale. Amazon profits either way. American families don't.
Conservatives know this company from the other side, too. This is the same Amazon that yanked books off its virtual shelves when the content offended the leftist sensibilities of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Pull a title here, throttle a seller there–all by whatever standard the elite invented that week. A company with this much control over what Americans can buy, read, and sell isn't a neutral marketplace. It's a gatekeeper with an agenda.
REP RO KHANNA: WE NEED A NEW TECH SOCIAL CONTRACT TO RECLAIM AI FROM BILLIONAIRES
This week, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa reintroduced AICOA. The idea is simple enough that a fifth grader gets it. If you own the marketplace, you shouldn't get to rig it in your own favor. AICOA stops Big Tech's dominant platforms from burying competitors, strong-arming sellers into pricing nobody wanted, and using their size to crush everyone beneath them. Competition returns. Prices come down. The little guy gets a fair shot.
AICOA is one piece of the puzzle. Two more bills sit before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and they belong together.
The Open App Markets Act takes on Apple and Google, which pocket up to 30 percent of every app, subscription, and purchase Americans make on their phones. Picture a landlord who skims a third of every sale in every store he owns, then forbids you from shopping anywhere else. That's the app economy under Big Tech right now.
WHY META AND GOOGLE ARE LOSING COURT BATTLES FOR DAMAGING KIDS BY TRYING TO GET THEM ADDICTED
The AMERICA Act targets Google's chokehold on digital advertising. Google runs the auction, owns the exchange, and represents the buyer and the seller at the same time. Small businesses pay more to advertise, and you pay more for everything they sell. End that conflict of interest and you put money back in Main Street's pocket.
Three bills. One goal. Stop the gatekeepers from taxing the whole economy.
AICOA has previously cleared the Judiciary Committee once on a lopsided bipartisan vote. More than 100 groups have backed it, free-market conservatives and consumer advocates alike. Affordability is the rare issue that unites a furious country.
GRAHAM LEADS BIPARTISAN DEMAND FOR TECH REFORM VOTE TO 'BRING SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES TO HEEL'
The lobbyists will swarm. They always do. They'll warn that reining in these companies hands a gift to China, kills innovation, breaks the internet you love. Save it. We've heard this script before. Every monopoly in American history swore that competition would wreck everything, right up until competition proved them wrong.
Big Tech's oligarchs are trying to do the same because they built their fortunes by crushing competition, then dressed up the wreckage as progress. A market with real rivals innovates circles around a monopoly that answers to no one. China wins when America shields its monopolies. America wins when it unleashes its entrepreneurs.
The Senate Judiciary Committee should advance all three bills. No delay. No watering them down. Americans are sick of paying a toll to corporations that answer to no voter and serve no master but their own bottom line.
Cut the tollbooth. Open the markets. Let Americans compete again.
Convicted killer Karmelo Anthony sentenced to 35 years after yearlong legal battle: Timeline
More than a year after Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a Texas high school track meet, a jury convicted Karmelo Anthony of murder and sentenced him to 35 years behind bars.
The case, which began with a confrontation between two teenagers under a team tent, quickly grew into a national flashpoint that drew intense public scrutiny and competing claims of self-defense.
As Anthony begins serving his sentence and prepares an appeal, here's a look back at the moments that defined the case.
Metcalf, 17, was participating in a track championship event at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco when he was fatally stabbed during a confrontation beneath a Memorial High School team tent.
LISTEN: Austin Metcalf family facing threats, financial strain as Karmelo Anthony fundraising draws scrutiny
Anthony, then 17, was taken into custody at the scene and charged with murder. His bail was set at $1 million.
The killing immediately shocked the North Texas community and drew national attention. Metcalf died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter.
LISTEN: Austin Metcalf’s father wants stabbing video released
Appearing on Fox News' "America Reports," Jeff Metcalf mourned the loss of his son and described the bond Austin shared with his twin brother.
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"My son is gone, and he'll never come home again," he said. "Austin was the light of my life."
"They were so tight. They had the best bond. They were best friends."
GRIEVING TEXAS FATHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER SON WAS STABBED TO DEATH AT HIGH SCHOOL TRACK MEET
During an appearance on Fox News' "The Will Cain Show," Hunter Metcalf described the moments after his twin brother was stabbed.
Hunter recalled rushing to Austin's side and trying to stop the bleeding.
LISTEN: Austin Metcalf's father speaks out on death threats, backlash after trial
"I put my hand on there, tried to make it stop, and I grabbed his head and I looked in his eyes," Hunter said.
"I just saw his soul leave, and it took my soul, too."
TEXAS TRACK MEET STABBING SUSPECT TOLD RESPONDING OFFICER HE 'DID IT': DOCS
Fox News Digital obtained Anthony's arrest report, which detailed the moments after the stabbing.
According to the report, Anthony told a responding officer, "I was protecting myself" before being questioned and claimed Metcalf had "put his hands on" him.
When an officer referred to him as the alleged suspect, according to the report, Anthony replied: "I'm not alleged. I did it."
The report also stated Anthony asked officers whether Metcalf would be OK and whether the stabbing could be considered self-defense.
KARMELO ANTHONY TRIAL CONSUMED BY RACE AND SELF-DEFENSE, BUT HIDDEN HURDLE COULD BE KEY: EXPERT
A GiveSendGo fundraiser established by Anthony's family quickly became a source of national debate, eventually growing to more than $633,000.
At the same time, Anthony's attorneys sought a reduction of his $1 million bail, arguing it was excessive.
ONLINE FUNDRAISER FOR TEXAS TRACK MEET STABBING SUSPECT NEARS $150K
The fundraising campaign and bond fight became early flashpoints in a case that was increasingly being debated far beyond Texas.
A Collin County judge reduced Anthony's bail from $1 million to $250,000.
Anthony was released from jail and placed on house arrest with an ankle monitor while awaiting trial.
TEXAS TRACK MEET STABBING SUSPECT’S LAWYER PLANS TO ASK FOR $1M BOND TO BE LOWERED: REPORT
Defense attorney Mike Howard urged the public not to rush to judgment and argued there were "two sides to every story."
As national attention intensified, public tensions surrounding the case spilled into press conferences, social media and public events.
A news conference organized by Dominique Alexander and the Next Generation Action Network drew national attention after Jeff Metcalf appeared at the event and was later escorted out by police.
SLAIN TEXAS TEEN AUSTIN METCALF’S HOME SWATTED HOURS AFTER TENSE PRESS CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN
Days later, representatives for Anthony's family said they had relocated after reporting harassment, unwanted deliveries and safety concerns at their home.
The controversy continued when personal information belonging to Judge Angela Tucker, who reduced Anthony's bail, circulated online.
Frisco ISD announced Anthony would receive his diploma but would not be allowed to attend graduation ceremonies.
The decision generated another round of public debate as the criminal case continued to unfold.
A Collin County grand jury indicted Anthony on a first-degree murder charge in Metcalf's death.
District Attorney Greg Willis announced the indictment after presenting evidence to the grand jury.
AUSTIN METCALF’S SUSPECTED KILLER INDICTED ON FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CHARGE IN TRACK MEET STABBING
Jeff Metcalf told Fox News Digital he was pleased the case was moving forward but acknowledged that "it will never bring my son back."
AMERICA STILL CAN'T PUT DOWN THE RACE CARD. AND IT'S THE SHAME OF OUR NATION
A judge scheduled Anthony's murder trial for June 1, 2026.
Judge John Roach issued a gag order restricting public comments from attorneys, witnesses, law enforcement officials and others connected to the case, citing concerns that extensive publicity could affect Anthony's right to a fair trial.
Jury selection began June 1, 2026, as supporters of both Anthony and Metcalf gathered outside the courthouse.
Members of the New Black Panther Party and other activists appeared outside during the proceedings as one of Texas' most closely watched murder trials got underway.
Jurors heard testimony from students who witnessed the confrontation beneath the Memorial High School team tent.
One witness testified Anthony was asked to leave roughly 15 times before the encounter escalated.
TRAIN ATTACK VIDEO REIGNITES FURY OVER WITHHELD FOOTAGE OF AUSTIN METCALF KILLING
Another recalled hearing Metcalf say, "I'm not going to fight you at a track meet."
Witnesses also described Anthony becoming increasingly confrontational before the stabbing.
Anthony admitted stabbing Metcalf but maintained he acted in self-defense.
Defense attorney Mark Howard argued Anthony feared for his safety after being confronted by a larger student.
Prosecutors countered that Anthony escalated a verbal dispute into a deadly encounter.
"You don't get to meet a shove with a stab," prosecutor Bill Wirskye told jurors. "That equals murder plain and simple. Unjustified murder."
CARDI B'S REACTION TO KARMELO ANTHONY VERDICT DRAWS MILLIONS OF VIEWS AND FIERCE CRITICISM
After roughly three hours of deliberations, jurors found Anthony guilty of murder.
Anthony broke down in tears as the verdict was read and was immediately taken into custody.
The verdict represented a decisive rejection of Anthony's self-defense claim.
During victim impact statements, Metcalf's family addressed Anthony directly.
"We were robbed," Jeff Metcalf said.
"This was never about race or politics. We all bleed the same color."
Hunter Metcalf also addressed Anthony directly, telling him, "I want you to realize how much pain you caused me and my family."
"You let the devil take over you in the moment," he added.
Metcalf's mother, Meghan Metcalf, delivered one of the most memorable statements of the hearing.
"You may have been sentenced to 35 years behind bars. You should feel lucky," she said. "I've been sentenced to a lifetime without my son."
Jurors sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison after rejecting a finding that he acted in "sudden passion," which could have reduced his punishment.
Anthony was immediately taken into custody and later transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Pack Unit near Navasota to begin serving his sentence.
He will be eligible for parole after serving half of his 35-year term.
Anthony filed a notice of appeal, officially launching the next phase of a case that has remained in the national spotlight since April 2025. His attorneys are expected to ask a higher court to review both the conviction and his 35-year prison sentence.
Fox News' Peter D'Abrosca, Brooke Taylor, Peter Cuddihy, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Julia Bonavita, Kelsie Cairns and Lindsey Reese contributed to this report.
Socialist-run California city takes on Chevron while residents worry about long-term consequences
Politics in Richmond, Calif., have revolved around one company for decades: Chevron. The oil giant operates a massive refinery in the city, creating jobs and contributing millions of dollars in tax revenue that helps fund local government. Despite its outsized economic role, Chevron has remained the primary political target of Richmond's democratic socialist leaders, particularly the influential Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA).
The relationship between Richmond and Chevron has evolved from one of corporate dominance and influence to one of persistent conflict as the city's leadership moves further to the left.
"I think it's pretty much a fact that for 100 years Chevron pretty much controlled the city of Richmond," former Richmond Mayor Tom Butt told Fox News Digital.
"When I first got elected, the politics in Richmond were — the power in Richmond resided in big developers, industries, particularly Chevron, and lobbyists, that sort of thing. And so that was what I was fighting," Butt said. He added that the turning point came in the mid-2000s as the RPA began gaining influence. According to Butt, while he was skeptical of the RPA, the coalition was helpful in the city's fight against Chevron.
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The Chevron refinery, which is still operational, was completed in July 1902, according to the company's website, around three years before Richmond was incorporated as a city in 1905. Chevron noted that in 2002, as the refinery marked its 100th anniversary, it had over 1,300 employees and spanned 2,900 acres.
Current Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, a member of the RPA and a democratic socialist, told Fox News Digital that he does not believe there are any communities hosting major oil companies that have achieved a balanced relationship between residents and industry.
"The imbalance we see today stems from a lack of accountability and compassion among multibillion-dollar corporations whose operations can affect the health and safety of surrounding communities. True balance will be achieved only when corporations operate responsibly and give equal consideration to the needs of the communities they impact, not solely to the interests of shareholders," he said.
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The city's frustrations with Chevron go beyond local politics. Over the years, refinery incidents have raised concerns among residents about safety, pollution and corporate accountability.
In March 1999, an explosion and fire at the Chevron refinery released toxic fumes and prompted a shelter-in-place warning. SFGate reported at the time that three Chevron emergency response team workers were injured, and multiple workers were seen coughing. A spokesperson for the company told SFGate in 1999 that an explosion led to "a very hot fire, and when you have burning liquid it's unpredictable. We're throwing everything we have at it."
A defining moment in Chevron's relationship with Richmond came in August 2012, when a ruptured pipe released flammable, high-temperature light gas oil that partially vaporized into a large opaque cloud. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) found that the vapor cloud ignited approximately two minutes after the release, triggering a massive fire.
While no one was killed, approximately 15,000 people sought medical treatment in the weeks that followed for ailments including breathing problems, chest pain, shortness of breath, sore throats and headaches. The CSB ultimately concluded that the rupture resulted from severe corrosion and found that Chevron had failed to effectively implement internal recommendations to inspect or replace vulnerable piping before the accident.
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The refinery incidents fueled longstanding skepticism toward Chevron among many Richmond residents and activists, creating political momentum for leaders who argued the company should face greater oversight and contribute more to the economy.
Politics in Richmond became increasingly focused on Chevron after the 2012 fire, with activists and city leaders pushing the company to contribute more to the community. The tension culminated in 2024, when the Richmond City Council approved a deal in which Chevron agreed to pay $550 million in exchange for the removal of a proposed refinery tax measure from the ballot.
Chevron told local news outlet Richmondside that the "agreement ensures Chevron Richmond can continue to provide Northern California with the affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy the region’s economy needs."
While Richmond leaders celebrated the deal as a victory, some residents questioned whether continued pressure on Chevron could push the company to leave, potentially triggering major economic consequences.
Butt argued that Chevron became an issue that helped the RPA go from a fringe movement to a major force in Richmond politics.
"I think the secret to the RPA's initial success has to do with Chevron," he said. "They identified an issue in Richmond that had enough sympathy that they could win an election on it."
Butt said that Chevron's waning influence in Richmond was evident in a 2014 municipal election. Chevron shelled out approximately $3 million to back a slate of preferred candidates, all of whom were defeated.
"They put $3 million, which is a lot of money in Richmond, into backing a slate of candidates and all their candidates lost. And that was kind of the turning point for them where they went from owning Richmond to not owning Richmond," Butt told Fox News Digital.
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Even some of Chevron's critics acknowledge that Richmond faces a difficult balancing act between trying to hold the oil giant accountable without completely pushing it out. However, Butt believes that the RPA is hoping Chevron will close its doors.
"The RPA basically would love to see Chevron closed down tomorrow, and then you know what they would do at that point for jet fuel and for gasoline for their cars and that sort of thing, I don't think they think that far ahead. That's just not it, it doesn't mean anything to them," he said.
The risk of Chevron scaling back its presence in California is not entirely hypothetical, as the company has already relocated its headquarters from San Ramon, Calif., to Houston, Texas. For some Richmond residents, the move reinforced concerns about the city's approach to the company.
"Chevron built Richmond because, you know, back in the day everybody used to live two blocks away from Chevron," Mark Wassberg, a Richmond resident and former Chevron worker, told Fox News Digital.
Wassberg argued that the refinery jobs are difficult to replace with newer positions in green-energy, saying that he was making $1,400 weekly and had no overtime limits.
Not all Richmond residents who expressed concern about Chevron's future were completely against the city working to hold the company accountable. Richmond resident Stephen London said pollution concerns are common in the area and praised city leaders for extracting concessions from Chevron.
"The city's on an upswing and, you know, we got a lot of money out of Chevron for their pollution. I think they get some of the credit for that from what I understand," London said.
However, London acknowledged that there were risks if the accountability push were to go too far.
"You don't really want to kill the golden goose, you just want to squeeze a bunch of eggs out of them," he later said.
For London and other Richmond residents, the challenge facing city leadership is to find a way to hold Chevron accountable while preserving the jobs and tax revenue that the company has provided for generations.
Fox News Digital reached out to Chevron for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Woman airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after shark attack at popular Sydney beach
A 30-year-old woman was rushed to a hospital Saturday with serious injuries after being attacked by a shark at a Sydney beach, the latest in a string of recent shark attacks off Australia's coast.
Officials said emergency crews responded to Coogee Beach on Saturday morning following reports that a swimmer had been bitten.
The woman was airlifted to a hospital for treatment, police said in a statement.
"The woman was pulled from the water by members of the public who commenced first aid," police said.
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Authorities said she suffered serious injuries to her arm and leg.
Coogee Beach and two nearby beaches were closed following the attack.
The incident comes amid a recent series of fatal shark attacks across Australia.
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Last week, officials said a 35-year-old fisherman was killed by a suspected shark measuring nearly 15 feet long off the coast of Western Australia.
The man was spearfishing near Michaelmas Island, a protected sand cay near Albany.
On May 24, 39-year-old Michael Jensz was killed after suffering fatal injuries during a suspected bull shark attack while spearfishing along the Great Barrier Reef.
Just days earlier, on May 16, 38-year-old Steve Mattabonni was killed in a suspected great white shark attack near Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination off Western Australia.
Earlier this year, a 12-year-old also died following a shark attack in Sydney Harbour.
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast were temporarily closed in January after four shark attacks were reported over a two-day period.
Officials said heavy rain had created murky water conditions that may have attracted sharks while reducing visibility.
Australia averages about 20 shark attacks each year, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson and Reuters contributed to this report.
Elon Musk sent Gad Saad a cryptic late night text that led to a secret canyon rendezvous
Behavioral scientist and author Gad Saad revealed a previously untold story about a late-night meeting with billionaire Elon Musk, describing a series of security checkpoints and mysterious escorts that made him feel like "James Bond."
Speaking on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast, Saad said Musk sent him a text with an address in Austin, Texas, that led him to transportation for what became a secretive meeting.
"I receive a one-line text from Elon at around 9:30 at night, the address of his house in Austin," Saad said. "Driver comes, picks me up. I go through these canyons and he goes, ‘We're here, sir.’ I'm like, ‘We’re here where?’ It's like in the middle of a canyon. I can't see anything."
He said after he was dropped off in the canyon around 10 p.m., he saw a black van and walked toward it.
"I said, ‘Well maybe that's my only shot here.’ I walk up to the van. It's completely different. The door, the window goes down. ‘Name, sir?' Gad Saad. 'OK, keep walking up and then there'll be a gate that opens.’ I keep walking, the gate opens, a guy kind of materializes," he said, describing the man as coming "out of the trees."
The story offered a rare glimpse into Musk's private world and security operation before the two men finally met face to face for the first time. Saad said after meeting this final person, he was told to "follow" him.
"10 seconds later, I'm hugging it out with Elon," Saad said, describing how he later told the story to his wife. "So, I tell her the story, and I said to her, ‘I think I'm James Bond.’ She goes, ‘I think you're James Bond also.’"
GAD SAAD WARNS ‘SUICIDAL EMPATHY’ IS PUSHING THE WEST TOWARD COLLAPSE
Musk has repeatedly shared Saad’s posts on X, including commentary on suicidal empathy. Saad has described suicidal empathy as the idea that excessive compassion is currently undermining Western countries’ survival instincts, including the United States.
Earlier this month, Musk reposted a message from Saad that read, "Every action that I partake is animated by two ideals: Truth and freedom. Seeing the endless attacks on both ideals throughout the West is soul-crushing."
"We did not lose a war of aggression. We decided that giving up our women, our children, our heritage, our society, our religions, our culture, our safety, our liberties, and our freedoms was LESS important than protecting the honour of those who wish to enslave us, kill us, vanquish us," he wrote.
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"It was all self-inflicted via parasitic suicidal empathy. Remember my words. We have signed up for endless strife and conflict."
Speaking with Hannity, Saad went deeper on his theory about suicidal empathy, saying decades of research show conservatives consistently report higher levels of happiness than their counterparts on the left, arguing the difference stems from how each side views society.
"I offer a speculative explanation, but I think it makes sense," he said in Tuesday's episode.
"The conservative wakes up in the morning with a sense of existential comfort. It may not be a perfect society, but we have freedom, we have liberties, we have all sorts of foundational values that are worth conserving, and it's conservative."
"On the other hand," he continued, "the progressive wakes up with existential angst. We live in a transphobic, Islamophobic, misogynistic, racist, bigoted [society]."
Because of that contrast, he suggests conservatives are more likely to feel content and optimistic about their lives, while progressives' focus on societal problems can contribute to dissatisfaction and anxiety.
Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
WATCH: House Dems blame racism, 'all-White' jury for Karmelo Anthony's guilty verdict
House Democrats are raising concerns about how race and jury selection may have impacted the guilty verdict in the Karmelo Anthony case, with several arguing the verdict highlights the racism they believe exists in the criminal justice system.
"A travesty, two lives ruined, and what struck me most is that you had an all-White jury," Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, said when asked his thoughts on the guilty verdict. "You had preemptive strikes that were used in order to achieve an all-White jury."
After Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday for the stabbing and killing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track event, many activists and Democratic lawmakers have claimed the trial to be unfair and racist.
Many are claiming the jurors were all White, and that this contributed to the rejection of Anthony's self-defense claim.
"Juries should represent the diversity of this country, and if a White kid was convicted of murder and it was an all-Black jury that did the conviction, people would say this is patently unfair," Menefee said. "So why should it be fair if it's the other way around?"
But sources close to the trial told Fox News Digital that there were three jurors who were racial minorities. They said that of the 18 total jurors, including alternates, six were minorities. Additionally, four Black men testified in defense of Metcalf, saying Anthony was not provoked in any way to justify stabbing the 17-year-old.
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Supporters of Anthony claim that he stabbed Metcalf as an act of self defense, arguing he did not receive a fair trial. Some activists and Democratic lawmakers have called for further review of the case and urged Anthony to pursue an appeal.
"Here is a case where a young man certainly appears to have been being attacked and defended himself," Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., said about the case.
"It does bring in light the imbalance in our judicial system, as it relates to African Americans and people of color" Carter continued. "And that's a shame. So hopefully, there'll be an opportunity for some appeal and some further discussion."
"Case after case, after case you see that if it is a young Black person, they're not allowed to be fearful, they're not allowed self-defense, they don't get the same standard ground opportunities that other people get," Menefee said. "But then other races do."
Some lawmakers were less likely to directly blame the trial as unfair due to race, but were still sympathetic toward Anthony and were not blatantly opposed to the idea of looking further into the evidence in the case despite a verdict already being made.
"We've got to stop this loss and the killing of these young children, number one," Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said. "First of all, they need to reopen it and all the evidence needs to come forward."
"I think it's an unfortunate circumstance all the way around," Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., said.
He continued, "You have one young man who was killed. His family will never get to be with him again. You have another young man who, for all intents and purposes, thrown a lot of years of his life. A lot of the years of this life. If he does 35 years, he’ll be 50 — in his 50s — when he gets out. And it's just totally unfortunate."
Throughout their criticism of the verdict, several lawmakers framed the case as part of a larger debate over race, self-defense claims and equal treatment for minorities under the law.
"The American justice system does not work equally for everybody," Menefee said.