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Carly Pearce knew her marriage was a mistake on her wedding night and 'blew up my life to get out'
Carly Pearce is opening up about the moment she knew her marriage was over, pretty quickly after saying, "I do."
In a new interview on "The Person Who Believed In Me" podcast, the 36-year-old country singer shared that she knew on her wedding night that getting married was the wrong choice, saying "he made it very clear that I made a very big mistake."
"There's a bit of Jackal and Hyde...that I did not see until it was too late," she explained. "And that's something I'm grateful for my very short marriage, because it taught me a lot about myself. It also gave me the album '29.'"
When pressed further, Pearce said that the marriage and divorce "taught me just how strong I am" in that she very quickly realized, "this was not what I deserved," and did something about it.
KELSEA BALLERINI SAYS DIVORCE SHOULD NOT BE ‘GLAMORIZED’ 3 YEARS AFTER HER MARRIAGE ENDED
"I blew up my life to get out of it," she said. "I didn't stay because society tells you ‘you should.’ I didn't stay because my faith says divorce is bad. I didn't stay because 'oh, it's public. I need to do that.' I was done."
The "Dear Miss Loretta" singer was married to country singer Michael Ray from October 2019 until June 2020.
The relationship and divorce ended up being the inspiration behind her third album, "29," which featured songs such as "What He Didn’t Do" and "Next Girl."
Pearce explained that while she doesn't see herself as a "good communicator," she finds she can better express herself through writing songs, saying, "I need to write it out to process it." This led her to write "six really intense songs" about divorce, which she thought would be too much for the album.
"I thought it was just my story, but I think what I've learned is it was a lot of different people's story," she said.
She ended up winning a Grammy Award for best country duo/group performance for the song, "Never Wanted to be That Girl," from the album, which features Ashley McBryde.
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In 2025, Pearce confirmed she was in a relationship with entrepreneur, Jordan Karcher, with a cozy selfie on Instagram.
While on the "Dumb Blonde" podcast in August 2025, Pearce spoke about her new relationship, saying she's "happier than ever" and revealed that she met him on the dating app Raya.
"I just didn't think you could meet a real person on Raya," she said. "I just felt like how am I going to be able to, like, meet somebody that's aligned with me? He's not in any kind of entertainment, which is the best thing ever. I'm just really happy."
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Pearce recently urged her followers to go get checked by doctors when health issues arise after experiencing a medical nightmare when her pericarditis was initially misdiagnosed.
She recalled feeling dismissed by doctors and encouraged her followers to be persistent when it comes to their health.
WATCH: Carly Pearce pressed doctors about chronic heart condition after repeatedly being ‘dismissed’
"'Oh, you have anxiety. Oh, you have a busy schedule,'" Pearce recalled being told. "And it's like, 'No, something's not right.' And, so, in 2024, I went public with that just because it took me out for a second. But I'm doing really well. And I haven't had any kind of major flair. But I think, again, just trying to be honest with people and use my platform to be like, ‘Please go get checked because there was something wrong.’"
Looksmaxxer Clavicular gets brutally framemogged by unlikely source during court appearance
Internet influencer Clavicular, who gained fame for popularizing the "looksmaxxing" movement (don't ask), has been making quite a name for himself as of late.
Late last year, Clavicular (real name Braden Eric Peters) went viral for claiming "Euphoria" star Sydney Sweeney was "mid" looking while speaking to Daily Wire commentator Michael Knowles.
Since then, it's been a wild six months for the internet's favorite looksmaxxer, including overdosing on a live stream and taking a fateful trip down to the Sunshine State to harass the wildlife of the Florida Everglades.
It was that vacation down to my home state that landed ol' Clavy in some hot water, legally speaking, as he was charged with a misdemeanor after repeatedly shooting an alligator on camera back in March.
The video made the rounds on social media, and the folks at the Florida Wildlife Commission were none too pleased.
The hearing for that case took place on Friday in South Florida, and Clavicular (along with another influencer) rolled into court likely thinking he was going to stunt on everyone with his symmetric features and sharp jawline.
What he likely wasn't expecting was to get brutally framemogged by an absolute CHAD of a judge.
Good Lord! Is someone punking Clavicular?
That judge looks like if Jon Hamm and GigaChad had a baby.
Clavicular's cortisol levels were probably spiking through the roof the minute he saw the judge presiding over his case.
KATIE COURIC ASKS GAVIN NEWSOM IF BEING 'RIDICULOUSLY GOOD-LOOKING' IS A PROBLEM
He likely didn't even hear the verdict. He was probably too focused on the fact that he just got beat at his own game by a guy in a black robe.
The internet absolutely let Clavicular have it, ridiculing the influencer with a barrage of memes.
You absolutely have to feel for the kid in this situation.
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This would be like if a local guitar hero showed up to a gig and Eddie Van Halen was the opening act.
In all seriousness, Clavicular is the gift that keeps on giving.
Everything he does yields unintentional hilarity.
Here's hoping our dear looksmaxxer is around for the long haul. I'll always have something to write about as long as he is on the scene.
Masked suspect charged with using fuel, fireworks in Walmart kids section as cover for massive jewelry heist
A New Jersey man was arrested Thursday after allegedly sparking a massive fire with camping fuel and fireworks inside a Maryland Walmart, creating a terrifying diversion to pull off a $10,000 jewelry heist.
Anthony J. Rhodes, 36, of Berlin, New Jersey, was taken into custody without incident by local police and is currently sitting in a Camden County jail awaiting extradition to Maryland. His charges include first-degree arson and manufacturing an explosive device.
The chaotic scene unfolded on the night of April 29 at a store in Elkton, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.
Security video showed a masked man entering the store with a backpack and loading a grocery cart with camping fuel and several boxes of fireworks, officials said. The suspect then parked the shopping cart next to the children's clothing section and set it ablaze.
As the fire grew and fireworks began exploding inside the store, customers and staff scrambled for the exits.
Authorities said the suspect then smashed into the store's jewelry counter, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise before walking out and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
While firefighters from the Singerly Fire Company quickly extinguished the flames and contained direct fire damage to around $5,000, Walmart said the smoke, soot and subsequent cleanup resulted in $10 million in lost inventory.
2 MORE FIREBUGS CHARGED AS LA'S NEW TOUGH-ON-CRIME DA HEATS UP FIGHT AGAINST LOOTERS AND ARSONISTS
Officials said Rhodes was wearing a Jefferson University Baseball T-shirt during the heist, which investigators used to track him down.
Rhodes did not have a connection to the university or its sports teams, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.
The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Walmart Global Investigations assisted with the investigation.
"Working side-by-side with our ATF partners and Walmart Global Investigations, our team was able to identify a suspect quickly," acting State Fire Marshal Jason Mowbray wrote in a statement after the arrest. "Investigations such as these require an all-hands approach, and I am proud of everyone who was able to bring this case to a close."
A Walmart spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company "appreciate[s] the partnership with law enforcement and their swift action in this investigation."
Former college soccer player killed in boat crash after group allegedly took vessel without authorization
A 24-year-old former student-athlete was killed in a boat crash in Massachusetts after she and her friends allegedly took a vessel without authorization before it crashed into a pier.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dankert, a former soccer player at Union College, was killed after a recreational powerboat crashed into a pier near a runway at Logan International Airport around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Massachusetts State Police.
The fatal crash drew attention after authorities said the group allegedly took the boat without authorization hours after the boating club had closed for the night.
Dankert and her friends were in Boston’s Seaport District that night when they allegedly boarded a Freedom Boat Club vessel after the club had closed, according to Lee Gordon, a spokesperson for Brunswick Corporation, which owns the club, told Fox News Digital.
Freedom Boat Club operates as a membership-based alternative to boat ownership with hundreds of locations worldwide.
SPORT FISHING BOAT VIOLENTLY CRASHES INTO MESCHUTT BEACH JETTY, INJURING FOUR
"The vessel involved in the incident was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the Club, well after the Club had closed for the day," Gordon said. "This activity did not occur within normal Club operations or established protocols governing access to and use of our vessels.
"We are cooperating fully with all relevant authorities as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident," he added.
Boston EMS said in a Facebook post that crews responded to the crash overnight in difficult conditions, including darkness and slippery shoreline rocks near the pier.
EMTs worked with Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) fire crews to extricate four people from the rocks, including one critically injured patient.
CAL STATE FULLERTON SOCCER PLAYER, 19, DEAD FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN ELECTRIC SCOOTER CRASH
Following the crash, the boat’s driver, Lawrence Shieh, 40, and two of Dankert’s 23-year-old friends were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The three suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to WCVB.
"Lizzie was an exceptional student-athlete who had a tremendous impact during her four years at Union College," school spokesperson Phillip Wajda told Boston 25 in a statement.
"Her passing is a profound loss for our campus community," he added.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate the crash.
The attorney's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Wash Post editorial board accuses Maine progressive Graham Platner of offering voters 'fantastical solutions'
The Washington Post editorial board took aim at progressive Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Thursday, accusing the Democratic challenger to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, of offering "fantastical solutions" to voters’ real-world concerns.
"These extreme policy proposals deserve as much scrutiny as his covered-up Nazi tattoo," the board wrote. The subheadline warned, "The Senate hopeful is long on anger and short on real solutions."
"Consider the novice candidate’s new plan to address rising energy prices," it added, arguing his key campaign themes involve "punish[ing] big business" while placing greater control of the economy in the hands of government bureaucrats.
The editorial focused heavily on Platner’s recently unveiled "Take Back American Power" plan, which calls for a four-year freeze on electricity rates, a windfall tax on big oil profits and ending collection of the federal gas tax in an effort to lower consumer costs.
"To encourages [sic] states to go along with this, since they are responsible for regulating the price of power, he’d offer federal financing to build energy infrastructure," the outlet said of proposed rate freezes.
"Artificially putting a ceiling on what people pay will discourage the production of more energy without discouraging its use. In other words, it’s a recipe for shortages."
BIDEN’S GREEN ENERGY FIASCO, NOT TRUMP'S REFORMS, IS JACKING UP YOUR ELECTRIC BILL
To offset supply concerns, the editorial noted, Platner wants to invoke the Defense Production Act to push companies to build "clean" energy technologies while creating a federally backed loan program for energy projects — proposals the board argued would unnecessarily put taxpayers on the hook for ventures unable to attract sufficient private investment.
The board contrasted Platner’s proposals with Texas’ energy policies, pointing to the state’s rise as the nation’s leading producer of utility-scale solar power under an "all-of-the-above energy policy" or, in other words, an approach focusing on energy security through a diverse mix.
"People living in Texas... pay less than half of what Californians do for energy per kilowatt hour," the editorial stated, arguing the real solution to rising energy costs is "making it easier to build" while criticizing Platner for overlooking deregulation.
At large, the editorial board argued Platner’s proposals relied too heavily on government intervention, price controls and federal financing while doing little to address underlying barriers to energy production.
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"Platner’s plan has little chance of becoming reality anytime soon, which is good news for residents already hurting from the anti-growth policies he wants to turbocharge," the board concluded.
Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign for comment on this story but did not immediately hear back.
Platner has received criticism from other Democrats recently, including Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who expressed caution around his progressive ideas.
"He's an avowed communist. He described himself as a communist. Antifa, that's not a slur from me. That's not a GOP kind of hit. That's his own words, how he described that," Fetterman said.
Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
Canadian Police respond to BBQ food theft, culprit found to be fox with mouthful of hot dogs
There's really nothing better than firing up a grill and having a nice barbecue, but few things are as enraging as getting ready to cook and realizing something is missing.
For me, that usually means I totally forgot to check the propane gauge beforehand.
But in one Canadian outdoor cook's case, someone burgled all of his grub... and that someone turned out to have paws... four of them.
According to the Alberta RCMP, officers were alerted to a "theft involving BBQ goods."
Credit to the boys in blue (actually, I think it's red up there) for showing up, because it would've been pretty easy to say, "Just go to the grocery and pick up some new BBQ goods."
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Upon arrival, police realized that they needed to be on the lookout for a suspect described as "having red hair, being short in stature, and wearing a thick coat."
Eventually, they located the culprit in the act.
This is like the animal kingdom's version of the sketch from "I Think You Should Leave," where Tim Robinson is dressed like a hot dog after a wienermobile crashes through the wall of a clothing store.
It doesn't take a grizzled detective to solve this crime. Foxes don't just wind up with hot dogs out in the wild (although I've never been to Canada, so it might be different up there).
That li'l fella wasn't doing fox-kind's reputation any good. I feel like they might be in the running for nature's biggest kleptomaniacs. I think I'd put foxes in second, just ahead of seagulls but behind raccoons.
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You've got to give the edge to raccoon. They're wearing little burglar masks.
The Canadian authorities said that "the suspect was released without conditions — and a full belly," which is very cool of them, but now a fox is prowling the wilds of Alberta with a taste for Nathan's hot dogs.
I wouldn't have let them keep the dogs.
I'm not proud of it, but part of me would want to just rinse off the wieners so I didn't have to make a Walmart run.
'Pawn Stars' icon Rick Harrison says Trump tax policies change everything for small businesses
"Pawn Stars" personality Rick Harrison told Fox News that workers at his Las Vegas businesses are seeing "astronomical" boosts to their tax returns thanks to President Donald Trump’s small business tax policies.
Appearing on "Saturday in America," Harrison told Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany that policies like tax-free overtime and equipment write-offs have injected a major boost into Nevada’s economy.
"I’ve had at least 10 employees tell me that their tax return was kind of, you know, they considered it astronomical. It was, like, twice what it normally is, and it just helps out," Harrison said on Fox News.
Harrison, famous for running the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop featured on the hit television series "Pawn Stars," also owns a restaurant and bar in Las Vegas, employing about 80 workers overall.
MILLIONS TAP TRUMP TAX CUTS THIS FILING SEASON AS REFUNDS TOP $3,400
He noted that things like full equipment depreciation, tax-free overtime and the up to $25,000 exemption on tips have increased employee take-home pay while incentivizing business owners to ramp up spending.
"The full depreciation on equipment is a godsend to so many businesses," Harrison noted.
He stressed the impact of Trump's "No Tax on Tips" policy, describing it as a game-changer for Sin City's service workers.
"There's no tax on the first $25,000 in tips, which is really, really huge," Harrison said. "There is a lot of single moms and things like that that are service workers, and that just — it changes everything — the no tax on tips, especially in Nevada."
The reality star spoke on May 4 at a small business summit at the White House and noted the difference between the Trump and Biden administrations.
"The last guy in office, all we heard was that we were the evil people, we were the bad people, everything else like that, we don't pay our fair share," Harrison said.
It comes as Las Vegas undergoes a shift of its own amid declining tourism.
Despite hardships hitting the popular destination, Harrison previously told Fox News Digital his store experienced record-breaking months in January and February.
"You give customers what they want, and they return," he said in an April interview with Fox News Digital. "A lot of the hotels on the Strip... they're not hospitals where you have to go to them. There's choices out there, so they're changing their pricing around."
"I don't have crazy prices, and that's what [some of the other] casinos need to do," he added. "Some casinos have always been doing that, and that is why they are doing well."
Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.
NASCAR tire carrier saves reporter from runaway pit box before Craftsman Truck Series race
The NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race is on Sunday at Dover International Speedway, but there was a wild scene on Saturday when one pit crew member put his body on the line to save a reporter in the path of a runaway pit box.
Friday night was the Craftsman Truck Series race, and of course, before the race, teams have to set up their pit boxes.
However, as it was being moved into position, Spire Motorsports went rogue and started barreling toward the pit wall.
People could be seen scrambling to get out of the way, but Donovan Williams, tire carrier for Daniel Suarez's No. 7 team in the Cup Series, tried to stop it from hitting Fox pit reporter Amanda Busick.
NASCAR DRIVER JOSH BERRY OBLITERATES BIRD, ACCIDENTALLY HITS TIRE-CHANGER AT TALLADEGA
No one was seriously hurt, but Williams did sustain some minor injuries and was taken to the hospital and released overnight, according to Fox Sports.
Now that is just downright heroic.
Unfortunately, this has ruled Williams out of the pit stop challenge that is part of the All-Star weekend festivities, but hopefully, he's on the mend and will be back in action sooner rather than later.
On Saturday afternoon, Busick sent her thanks to Williams in a post on X.
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This just serves as a reminder of why you've always got to be paying attention and aware of your surroundings when you're in the pits.
I've been lucky enough to hang around the pits at a few different races, and it's one of the most electrifying things you can experience. That said, I'm always kind of in awe of how sideways it could go in an instant if you're not paying attention.
I mean, in this incident at Dover, everyone was paying attention, and it still got dicey.
I'm just glad everyone is going to be okay, and maybe they can throw some brakes on those pit boxes if they don't have them already.
Molly Sims turns heads in orange bikini for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue
Molly Sims showcased her toned body in the pages of the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit sssue.
The 52-year-old actress and model posed for the iconic magazine for the eighth time in her career, wearing a number of two-piece sets in the photos, including an orange string bikini she wore while posing on a cliff along the ocean.
She also shared a slideshow of photos from inside the magazine on her Instagram, in which she can be seen in a number of different bikinis while posing on the beach.
"If only I could tell the 20-something version of me shooting her first @si_swimsuit issue that she’d still be here at 52… feeling more beautiful and confident in her skin than ever before 🥹Thank you @mj_day and my entire SI family!!! ❤️" she wrote in the caption.
MOLLY SIMS STUNS IN PURPLE FLORAL BIKINI DURING WEEKEND BEACH GETAWAY WITH FRIENDS
The carousel of photos featured Sims in various bikinis of different colors, including a pink one, which she paired with suspenders, and a red suit which featured silver shell embellishments.
One of the photos showed her mixing and matching the colors, wearing a green top with blue bottoms, accessorizing with a blue cropped jacket.
Fans could not get enough of the photos, with one writing, "You look amazing MOLLY!!!! Holy smokesssssss 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥."
"GORGEOUS THEN & NOW inside / out👏🥰," another added, while a third wrote, "More beautiful today then yesterday confident, smart, kind the modern day Wonder Woman."
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"This is such a brave thing to do and it just creates a really safe space for many other women to express themselves after 20❤️," another said.
Sims attended the launch of the 2026 edition at the Hard Rock Hotel New York on Thursday, May 14, where she stunned on the red carpet in a figure-hugging sheer black dress which showed off her toned stomach and legs. She paired the look with gold jewelry, a black clutch and natural makeup.
Also at the event was former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue cover girl Brooks Nader, who first applied for the magazine’s 2019 open casting call and won. She was featured in the 2020 issue as a rookie before going on to land the cover spot.
She is currently in the process of filming the first season of the "Baywatch" reboot, which she stars in alongside Shay Mitchell, Stephen Amell, Noah Beck and others.
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"I feel like I kinda manifested this role with my Sports Illustrated cover," she told Extra TV at the 2026 Fox Upfront. "I was wearing the red one piece and I was like ‘This is so 'Baywatch'’ and lo and behold, here we are."
UK defense shortfalls highlighted as Britain avoids Iran offensive role amid Trump criticism
LONDON: The United Kingdom announced Tuesday it will be deploying military assets "as part of a future defensive mission to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
While the move can be seen as a positive step in repairing relations with the U.S., Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reluctance to join the U.S. in "Operation Epic Fury" against Iran has still ruffled feathers in Washington — most notably those of President Donald Trump.
Trump has dismissed Starmer as "no Churchill." In a recent interview with Sky News, the president further complained about the lack of British alignment: "When we asked them for help, they were not there. When we needed them, they were not there... And they still aren't there."
TRUMP SLAMS STARMER AS ‘NOT WINSTON CHURCHILL’ FOR REFUSAL TO BACK IRAN STRIKES
Trump also took aim at the British Navy’s readiness in March, ridiculing the fleet during a White House meeting.
"We had the U.K. say that, 'We'll send'— this is three weeks ago — 'we'll send our aircraft carriers,' which aren't the best aircraft carriers, by the way," Trump said, according to Sky News. "They're toys compared to what we have."
Two recent reports by a leading military expert and a parliamentary committee may, in part, explain why the U.K. didn’t join the war in an offensive measure.
In a report titled, "Iran War Delivers a Tough Lesson in Hard Power to the U.K.," Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), wrote, "The outbreak of a new war in the Middle East has led to questions about the U.K.'s relevance in international affairs. Alongside debates about legality and politics, there are some hard truths about military power and the reality of the readiness of the U.K.'s armed forces."
While the report was written with the war still raging on, Savill stated, "Pressure is growing for the deployment of more U.K. forces to the region and direct involvement in strikes, but the government will need to answer difficult questions about prioritization and the effect that it might be trying to achieve. The consequence is that as much as intent and policy drive U.K. involvement, the practical realities will constrain what the U.K. can do."
Savill added, "On the defensive side, the U.K. has not been idle... [U.K. assets] which also appear to have included some counter-drone units – have been involved in downing Iranian drones while defending Jordan and Iraq."
UK DEPLOYING WARSHIP, HELICOPTERS TO CYPRUS AFTER DRONE STRIKE
Savill wrote that "The challenge for the U.K. is that in the past few years, the commitments and visible presence of U.K. Armed Forces in the region have been shrinking, as a result of the pressure on the military, and a conscious decision to prioritize elsewhere, most recently in the ‘NATO First’ approach of the Strategic Defense Review of 2025."
While the Starmer government has committed to increasing defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, experts warn that this investment may be too late to restore the U.K.’s ability to project power globally in the near term.
John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at Henry Jackson, told Fox News, "The U.K.’s military capabilities have been systematically underfunded over the past 15 years, with the Spending Review and cuts starting in 2009 and 2010 under Prime Minister David Cameron. The Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR) at the time stated that the world was headed in a much more dangerous state, but the fiscal devastation of the 2008 Financial Crisis pushed the Government into a series of cuts that were intended to be short-term. Instead, the Cameron Government sent the U.K.’s armed services into a spiral of terminal decline that has lasted until this day," he said.
TRUMP PRAISED FOR GETTING NATO ALLIES TO BOLSTER DEFENSE SPENDING: 'REALLY STAGGERING'
Hemmings added, "Consider the Royal Navy, the U.K.’s premier service and source of great power reach; only 25 out of 63 commissioned vessels are actual fighting ships. This force size is impossible to service Britain’s overseas responsibilities and has seen cuts of 50% in only 30 years. In 1996, there were 22 frigates, 17 submarines, 15 destroyers, and 3 aircraft carriers. Today’s First Sea Lord must attempt to carry out the same duties with seven frigates, 10 submarines, six destroyers, two aircraft carriers. In addition, the U.K. underfunded new capabilities like domestic air and missile defenses and advanced command and control systems."
A second report released last month, by the House of Lords International Relations and Defense Committee titled: ‘Adjusting to new realities: rebalancing the U.K.-U.S. partnership,' presents several key recommendations where it warned of the over-dependence on the U.S. "Although the U.K. has benefited from closely collaborating with the U.S. on defense, this has fostered a dependency culture leading to a decline in U.K. capabilities and loss of U.K. credibility in Washington. The Government should provide a clear and costed pathway to achieving the commitment to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP."
While the Ministry of Defense did not respond to several requests for comment over the state of forces, Fox News Digital recently reported that the U.K. government said it is reversing an attrition rate in the military, stating that total armed forces strength stood at 182,050 personnel as of Jan. 1, 2026, including 136,960 regular troops, an increase from the previous year.
The government has also pledged what it calls the largest sustained rise in defense spending since the Cold War, with military spending set to reach 2.6% of GDP by 2027, backed by an additional £5 billion (approximately $6.6 billion) this financial year and £270 billion (nearly $360 billion) in defense investment over the course of the current parliament. Britain has also said it aims to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP by the end of the next parliament.
Analysts say while some in the Trump administration see the U.K.’s absence as a betrayal of the special relationship, others may say it is a tough lesson in the limitations of a mid-sized power that has tried to maintain a global footprint on a shrinking budget.