Fox News Latest Headlines
Crane arm collapses into Miami condo rooftop pool area as workers cling to dangling structure
Construction workers clung to a malfunctioning crane Friday as its arm collapsed onto the pool deck of a neighboring luxury high-rise in Miami, video shot by a bystander showed.
The video, recorded by Macie Norrod, showed the crane’s arm flying through the air before crashing through palm trees on an elevated pool area at the One Plaza West Brickell condo building.
Norrod saw the incident unfold from her home office, saying she had been "in shock and disbelief," according to a report from Storyful.
OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING AFTER DEADLY CRANE COLLAPSE AT INDUSTRIAL SITE NORTH OF BOSTON
"I thought I was about to watch the workers die from being squashed by the weights of the crane," Norrod said.
Her video showed workers in green vests clinging to the upper portion of the structure during the collapse before eventually climbing down ladders to the ground.
The crane, not yet operational, was being assembled that afternoon when it experienced "some kind of failure," Miami Fire Rescue spokesperson Lt. Pete Sanchez told Fox News Digital.
NEW YORK CITY CONSTRUCTION CRANE CATCHES ON FIRE BEFORE COLLAPSE
After that failure, the arm fell onto the rooftop deck and was partially submerged in the pool, according to a photo shared with Fox News Digital by Miami Fire Rescue.
"Firefighters immediately accessed the pool deck and conducted a thorough search, confirming that no victims were present," Sanchez said. "The pool deck was secured and cordoned off to prevent residents and the public from entering the area while crews ensured the scene remained safe."
The construction crew also told authorities that all workers had been accounted for and none were injured.
Miami’s Building Department and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident, the Miami Herald reported.
Pro-Israel organizations condemn DSA co-chair for saying October 7 attacks were 'inevitable'
The co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) group is receiving sharp backlash for saying on Friday that the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre in Israel was mostly "inevitable."
During an interview with The New Yorker’s David Remnick, DSA co-chair Megan Romer was questioned about democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier, who attended an anti-Israel, pro-Hamas rally the day after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in 2023, and was pressed on whether she would have attended if she were in her position.
"You would have gone to that rally, had you been able?" Remnick asked.
"That’s a good question. I probably would have," Romer replied. "Yeah, yeah. I don’t live in New York City, so I wouldn’t have —"
BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS
Remnick pressed further, asking, "One day after the slaughter of 1,200 people and taking of over 200 hostages, you would have come and rallied behind Hamas?"
"I think that Oct. 7 was largely inevitable," she replied. "If you put people in an open-air concentration camp and you deprive them of rights, of dignity, of food, of the ability to live in safety, you have to expect that they are going to not take that for that long. And that is not defending any harm of civilians or of non-combatants —"
When Remnick accused her remark of being an expression of support for the violence, she pushed back and said "I’m saying that I think it was inevitable."
Pro-Israel groups condemned her comments.
"I agree with DSA Co-chair Megan Romer that the October 7 attacks were in many ways inevitable — but not for the libelous reasons she cited," Zionist Organization of America National President Morton A. Klein told Fox News Digital.
"When Gazans elected Hamas - a terror organization whose charter calls for murdering every Jew and destroying Israel, October 7 was the result," he added. "When Qatar and Iran gave arms and hundreds of millions of dollars to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, gave sanctuary to Hamas leaders, and helped terror groups plan attacks on Israel, October 7 was the result."
COLORADO SOCIALIST CANDIDATE CALLED 9/11 TERROR ATTACKS 'INEVITABLE' DUE TO US FOREIGN POLICY
"When UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) teaches children to hate and murder Jews, employs Hamas terrorists as teachers and principals, stores weapons for Hamas, and provides communications centers for Hamas, October 7 is the result. When Israel, under pressure from the Biden administration, issued thousands of work permits to enter Israel to Hamas terrorists and scouts, October 7 was the result," he continued.
He warned that there may be even more October 7th-style violence in the future.
"And now, when Hamas is refusing to really disarm, and is vowing to commit more and more October 7ths, we must enable Israel to ensure its safety by retaining a buffer zone in Gaza and insisting on Hamas' disarmament prior to any other peace plan steps," he said. "Or else another October 7 will be the result. Regarding Romer's lies, the parties ‘imprisoning’ Gaza are Hamas, PIJ and other terror groups. By contrast, Israel facilitated tons of food, water, medical and other supplies into Gaza — while Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched 30,000 rockets at Israeli civilians."
When contacted by Fox News Digital, the ADL responded by sharing a thread on X of its public condemnation of the co-chair.
"What she said and doubled down on in this interview should concern every American. Because this kind of hateful and demonizing rhetoric against the only Jewish state in the world goes well beyond criticism of a government or its policies, and it puts every Jewish American at risk," the ADL tweeted on its official account.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
The account took issue with her specific statements, replying, "Romer shamelessly said she ‘probably would have’ attended the pro-Hamas rally held in NYC on 10/8/23, just one day after Hamas murdered more than 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages, including babies, children, young women, mothers, and elderly people. She also called the Hamas-led October 7 massacre a mere ‘revolt’ and ‘largely inevitable.’ There is no justification for rape, kidnapping, torture, and slaughter."
At the conclusion of its thread of condemnations, the ADL shared a link to an entry in their database warning about the Democratic Socialists of America as an organization, saying that the "DSA now has over 120,000 members and 250+ elected officials across 40 states in the U.S. Radical groups like DSA are no longer on the fringes of society, they have infiltrated mainstream politics and have the ability to impact laws and policies affecting everyone."
Executive Vice President for Coalition for Jewish Values, Rabbi Yaakov Menken, called the DSA "objectively antisemitic."
"She used a mythological inversion of reality to justify both a murderous pogrom and an ongoing plan of starvation, torture, rape, and murder," Menken said.
The Castellows tease new song 'Way Things Work' featuring Keller Cox on their Instagram
The Castellows are cooking up some new music.
The Castellows are a popular country music trio consisting of the three Balkcom sisters: Eleanor, Lily, and Powell.
They blend extremely old school country music vibes with an Americana spirit.
Their inevitable success was always obvious to anyone paying attention.
Now, the trio is releasing some new music. The group's official Instagram page released a short tease on Monday for the upcoming song "Way Things Work."
The song features Keller Cox.
"This is what we call a feel-good-sad-song," the caption on the video reads.
COUNTRY MUSIC STAR ANNOUNCES MAJOR CAREER NEWS, FIRES UP FANS WITH VIRAL VIDEO FOR NEW ALBUM
Give it a listen below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE
It definitely sounds like it's going to be the next big hit for The Castellows. People in the comments on Instagram seem to agree.
"Oh this is fire," one viewer wrote.
Another commented, "Sometimes you just know it’s a hit. Ya know? I know."
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS
Fact check: true!
It's great to see The Castellows continue to have success as their music career hits new heights. I've never been to a show, but I might need to change that in the near future. What do you think of their music? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.
Largemouth bass explodes from water to eat Charl Schwartzel's golf ball at LIV Golf New York
They say a bass will eat just about anything that fits in its mouth. Turns out, that includes golf balls.
LIV golfer Charl Schwartzel learned that the hard way during LIV Golf New York at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster over the weekend, when his tee shot on the 134-yard, par-3 seventh hole landed on the green before spinning backward and rolling toward the water.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
And somebody was waiting for it.
The instant Schwartzel's ball hit the pond, a fish — seemingly a largemouth bass — exploded from the water and gobbled it up like someone had just tossed a topwater lure directly onto its head.
Lightning fast. No hesitation. What an athlete.
Largemouth bass are ambush predators whose normal menu includes fish, crayfish and frogs. They'll also take live baits including lizards, insects and even small mice when given the opportunity. A Titleist isn't exactly nutritious, but nobody told this guy.
Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion and winner of the first-ever LIV Golf event in 2022, was competing at Bedminster as LIV returned to the New York area Aug. 6-9.
Unfortunately, "a bass ate my ball" does not earn a free mulligan.
Golf's rules generally say there is no penalty when an outside influence — including an animal — moves a ball at rest, and the ball is ordinarily replaced. But Schwartzel's ball had already entered the penalty area, so he ultimately took relief and a one-stroke penalty before making bogey.
Golf courses, of course, produce plenty of wildlife cameos. Alligators, snakes, birds and even bears and moose have all interrupted rounds before.
But a largemouth waiting beside the green to hammer a golf ball the instant it hits the water?
That’s a special one.
Love all things wildlife and outdoors? Follow OutKick Outdoors on Instagram and TikTok!
Commanders offense takes major hit as star offensive tackle suffers major training camp injury
The Washington Commanders offense will be without one of its most integral players for the foreseeable future.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Monday that franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil will be sidelined indefinitely, as he needs surgery on his torn triceps.
"It’s always tough to talk about a player missing time, and especially a great player like LT," Quinn said. "He is an absolutely fantastic teammate, and he’ll be missed. We certainly can’t wait to get him back."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The 32-year-old was injured during an individual drill on Saturday against pass rusher Odafe Oweh. Tunsil immediately went down and took a knee after the play and was quickly ushered to the facility after talking with the training staff.
The Commanders made Tunsil the highest-paid tackle in the NFL with a two-year, $60.2 million contract extension in March. He became the first lineman in NFL history to make $30 million annually.
The five-time Pro Bowler has been one of the best left tackles in the NFL since being drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 13 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in Miami before being traded to the Houston Texans in 2019 and spent the next six seasons in Texas.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
The Commanders acquired Tunsil last season, and he played in 14 games for them.
"He is really on the top of his game right now," Quinn said. "Both in the run and pass, this is an equally strong player, and so it’s a big deal."
With Tunsil out, the Commanders pivoted to Brandon Coleman to fill the void. It’s a natural transition for Coleman, who started 12 games at left tackle as a rookie for Washington in 2024 and played well. He made three starts at left tackle last year.
"He’s played a lot of winning football at left tackle here, and we know that he’s ready for it," Quinn said. "He’s put in an excellent offseason, and the team is very confident in him."
The plan is for the Commanders to give Coleman an extended look in Tunsil's old spot, with veteran Andrew Wylie staying in his backup swing tackle role. Quinn consulted with general manager Adam Peters and said they don’t expect to explore help in free agency right now.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Replacement GOP nominee named after Rep Chuck Edwards drops re-election bid
North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom has been named as the new GOP nominee for the state's 11th Congressional District in the wake of incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards' announcement last week that he was nixing his re-election bid.
The North Carolina Republican Party 11th Congressional District Executive Committee tapped Balkcom on Monday, reports indicate.
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., have both endorsed Balkcom in the race.
GOP REP CHUCK EDWARDS DROPS RE-ELECTION BID AFTER HOUSE ETHICS REPORT RECOMMENDS CENSURE
"I'm blessed to receive the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District," Balkcom said in part of a statement, according to screenshots of the statement that reporters posted on X.
"Like many Americans, the Democrat Party left me behind when they abandoned their values and embraced extremism. We're seeing that extremism play out across the country, as their party nominates radical socialists who want to raise taxes, open our borders, and do away with our way of life. We must prevent that radical agenda from reaching our government, and that starts right here in the Eleventh District," she said in the statement.
Balkcom will face Democratic candidate Jamie Ager in the general election contest.
"We are very pleased with, uh, the selection of Jennifer Balkcom to fill the ballot vacancy for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District," North Carolina Republican Party executive director Zach Almond told Fox News Digital during a Tuesday phone call.
"Jennifer has Western North Carolina values," Almond said, adding that she "has a background" with "ag, banking and finance, and would be a tremendous asset to Western North Carolinians in U.S. Congress."
GOP LAWMAKER'S GIFTS, 'EFFUSIVE AFFECTION' TOWARD YOUNG STAFFERS DETAILED IN EXPLOSIVE ETHICS REPORT
Edwards, who decisively won the U.S. House GOP primary in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District earlier this year, announced last week that he was ending his run for re-election.
"After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America," Edwards said in a post on X last week.
He made the announcement after the House Committee on Ethics issued a report about him that noted that the committee was recommending censuring him.
The report states that the committee found that the congressman "engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers."
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER WELCOMES HOUSE ETHICS PROBE INTO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM
It notes that although "Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together."
‘This Is Us’ star Chrissy Metz says she turned to GLP-1 drug after years of skepticism
Chrissy Metz is opening up about her decision to use a GLP-1 after years of skepticism about the popular weight-loss medications.
During an appearance on the "Today" show on Monday, the "This Is Us" star, 45, explained that she reconsidered the drugs as she entered perimenopause and thought more seriously about her health and her family's history with obesity.
"I was very skeptical about GLP-1s for years," she said. "I had a friend who was like, I don't know, he gave me a thesis, and I was like, 'OK, this might be helpful.'"
After witnessing her father experience complications with his own health, Metz thought, "Maybe I should try and get ahead of it."
"It was something that I thought would be good for me," she said.
Since taking the drug, Metz said she's noticed a difference in her energy level, as well as her "overall health."
Despite the previous skepticism, Metz said the most important thing for her is "longevity."
"Learning what it really was and how it affects everybody differently ... my doctor and my team were like, ‘Yeah, I think this would be beneficial for you,’" said Metz, who admitted she was "nervous" and "scared" to try it.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
"That's what's sort of beautiful, it's a whole lifestyle change," said Metz, who has also incorporated strength training and exercise into her regimen. "It's not just, 'Oh, I'm going to take a medication,' because it's not the easy way out. I think a lot of people think 'Oh, it's a magic wand,' and no, in fact, you have to be more diligent. It's good for me because I'm really putting myself first. It's something I've always wanted to do, but I have to really put into practice now."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
"It's been a really wonderful journey," she added.
Her decision marks another chapter in a yearslong, highly public conversation surrounding Metz's weight and health.
Metz shot to fame playing Kate Pearson on NBC's "This Is Us," where struggles with weight and body image were a major part of the character's storyline.
The actress said in a 2017 interview that "so many people are afraid of fat people," arguing that education and more open conversations about weight could help change those attitudes.
Metz has also spoken candidly about how her complicated relationship with food and weight began long before Hollywood.
In 2024, Metz recalled enduring what she described as mental, physical and emotional abuse from her stepfather while growing up.
"He would weigh me in the kitchen or threaten to lock the cupboards," Metz said during an appearance on "The Jamie Kern Lima Show."
Metz said she believes there is now greater awareness surrounding "food, food issues, food behavior" than there was when she was younger.
"I think I'm trying to heal those wounds slowly but surely," she said at the time. "And it's not easy."
These once-annual college rivalries used to define college football and need to make a comeback ASAP
College football is a rapidly changing sport, and with the recent news that the Save College Sports Act has once again been kicked down the road, it doesn't look like the game will be given some much-needed guardrails any time soon.
You'll hear fans of an older generation (and even some younger ones) lament the fact that college football isn't as good as it was in their youth, and while a lot of that can be chalked up to nebulous concepts like nostalgia, there is one concrete example of the sport being vastly different today: rivalries.
Just taking a surface-level glance at the landscape of modern college football shows us that some of the best rivalries from yesteryear may be a thing of the past.
FLORIDA STATE-GEORGIA SERIES CANCELLATION IS OMINOUS SIGN FOR FUTURE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Some of that is due to conference realignment while other rivalry games have been cut thanks to power conference teams being incentivized to remove harder non-conference games from their schedules.
Either way, I've compiled four great rivalries from the golden age of college football that are either completely dormant or are played sparingly thanks to the new parameters of the sport.
If you pick pretty much any era of college football between the 1970s and early 2000s, at least one team from this annual conference rivalry was firmly entrenched in the national championship conversation.
Although the regular season matchups became quasi-annual after the 1996 merging of the Big 8 and the Southwest Conference to create the Big 12, the two teams still managed to find a way to one up another with some high stakes on the line.
The Sooners and Cornhuskers met nine times as top-five teams and even have the distinction of playing in the first ever BCS 1. vs. 2. matchup in college football history.
No matter how you slice it, the Oklahoma and Nebraska rivalry is college football personified, but the two teams haven't met since 2022, thanks to Nebraska bolting for the Big Ten in the early part of the 2010s and Oklahoma opting to join the SEC a few seasons ago.
A mini revival is set to take place between the two teams in 2029, but as we've established, that game is likely to get canceled so that both teams can pad their schedule with some cannon fodder by then.
While the Backyard Brawl might not have the pop and pizzazz of Oklahoma and Nebraska's rivalry, it was still one of the most vitriolic annual rivalries the sport had to offer.
If you know nothing about the rivalry between Pitt and West Virginia, look no further than their 2007 meeting, when the Mountaineers welcomed the Panthers to Morgantown sporting a shiny number two ranking in the BCS only to have their hopes and dreams of a national title get nuked on their home field by a team that wasn't even heading to a bowl game.
It's such a famous (or infamous) game that Pitt fans will still tease West Virginia fans by only chanting the score at them, "13-9! 13-9! 13-9!"
What made this rivalry so special was the proximity of the two campuses and the fact that they both resided in the now-defunct Big East.
After the resolution of the conference, Pitt joined the ACC and West Virginia became a member of the Big 12, and 2011 was the last time these two met as members of the same conference.
The rivalry would remain dormant for more than a decade, and although they have played each other on an annual basis since 2022, the game isn't set to be played again until 2029 with the long term status of the rivalry in limbo.
Part of what makes college football so special and something that Playoff expansionists fail to realize is that a rivalry game isn't great because of the national championship implications, and nowhere is that more evident than the Border War (or Border Showdown, if you're a snowflake) between Kansas and Missouri.
When these two teams stopped playing their annual matchup after the 2011 season on account of Mizzou leaving for the SEC, the Border War was the second-most-played rivalry in the history of Division I-A/FBS college football.
The rivalry dates all the way back to the 1890s, when proximity and hate fueled one of the coolest regional rivalries in the sport.
It had controversy, it had violence, and it even had a few high-stakes matchups for good measure, like when Kansas ruined Missouri's shot at winning the 1960 national title, or when the two teams randomly met as top-five opponents in Arrowhead Stadium in 2007.
As with most of the other games on this list, the Border War was briefly reanimated in the mid 2020s, as the two teams met last season and are slated to play again this season in a home-and-home to stoke the flames of nostalgia.
Outside of that and a one-off meeting in 2031, though, no one knows what the future holds for this rivalry, making the Border War just another casualty of conference realignment and CFP expansion.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
While the other three games on this list share the distinction of being axed thanks to conference realignment in some way, shape, or form, one of the most classic college football rivalries can't even lean on that excuse thanks to Notre Dame's Independent status.
Much like Oklahoma and Nebraska, Michigan and Notre Dame are two of the bluest bloods in college football history, and from about the late 1970s onward, these two royals were destined to meet on an almost annual basis for bragging rights and national relevance.
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS
It's hard to even imagine college football without the Irish and Wolverines doing battle, and a good chunk of their showdowns from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s are some of the most legendary games that are still talked about to this day.
STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!
The first home night game in Notre Dame's history was played between these two in 1982, and the 1988 matchup came down to the final minute of the game with eventual national champion Notre Dame eeking out a 19-17 victory.
The Irish opted to end the rivalry after the 2014 season, meaning one of the most tradition-rich meetings in all of sports came to an end outside of a home-and-home in 2018 and 2019.
Another one is scheduled in 2033 and 2034, but with the aforementioned incentive to soften schedules thanks to an expanding Playoff and Notre Dame's increasingly guaranteed path to the big dance, we might not even see those games take place.
US Marine veteran released from Russian prison after 1,666 days of detention
United States Marine veteran Robert Gilman was released from Russian custody Tuesday on humanitarian grounds after 1,666 days in prison, Fox News has learned.
Gilman, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on Jan. 17, 2022, in Voronezh, Russia, and sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison. While in custody, he was subject to harsh and abusive treatment, putting him into "a catatonic state," according to Gilman family representative Kieran Ramsey.
In a Friday interview with Fox News, Ramsey detailed the events that led to Gilman's arrest.
"If we back up in November of 2021, he is on his way to Moldova. So he's not even supposed to travel to Russia. But in his travels, he gets violently ill and ends up having to stop in Moscow," Ramsey told Fox News.
AMERICAN EX-MARINE FEARED NEAR DEATH AFTER WEEKS IN CATATONIC STATE IN RUSSIAN PRISON
"He ends up going to a relative's house to recuperate because of this illness. In January of 2022, after what he thought was a full recovery, he goes to the U.S. embassy to renew his passport. But en route he becomes violently ill again. And at that point the Russian police approach him thinking he's drunk, claiming that he assaults them, and then they proceed to assault him and arrest him and charge him. And that nightmare has exponentially expanded since that point," Ramsey said.
The U.S. State Department referred to Gilman as a wrongful detainee and said his release was part of an exchange with Russia, telling Fox News that "no other concessions were provided."
President Donald Trump detailed his role in securing Gilman's release in a post on Truth Social.
"I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME!" the president wrote.
"In a well known Media story, Robert was imprisoned in Russia in 2022, during the Biden Administration. After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a Humanitarian Basis. We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place. Robert will land at Andrews Air Force Base, in Washington, D.C., tonight, where my Representatives, some of whom are on the plane with him, will welcome Robert back to THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands. I will take care of that!" Trump wrote.
"During my Administration, we have prioritized bringing home Americans Detained Abroad, and have done so at a level never seen before, returning hundreds of people to their families. We have also freed many non Americans who were under capture in different countries throughout the World. Robert Gilman has been reunited with his wonderful mother, Nancy, who is also on the plane with him, and will soon get to see all of his loved ones. Thank you to my incredible Team, including Special Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Hostage Response, Adam Boehler, Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Sebastian Gorka, Jared Kushner, and the many others who made this possible. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Trump concluded.
Gilman was seemingly well enough to speak with Trump on his flight home and appeared conscious in a picture Trump shared of him, but his health had been declining over the course of the previous month, Ramsey previously conveyed to Fox News.
"Our main concern is that we think he's dying in a Russian hospital. And the Russians won't let his mother even visit him, let alone embassy staff," he told Fox News.
"Right now, he is in a catatonic state. He's being fed through a tube that goes down his nose into his stomach. And quite honestly, we were afraid he may already be dead or he may not come out of this," Ramsey added.
Gilman was transferred out of prison and into a civilian hospital in Voronezh on June 30.
"Robert's full medical assessment will be done when he gets back to the US and his family will join him at a US military hospital in Texas, as he starts the long road to recovery," Ramsey said in a statement Tuesday.
Robert's sister Lexie Hudson thanked President Donald Trump and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., for their efforts in securing Gilman's release.
"I am so grateful to President Trump for saving my brother’s life. There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action," Hudson said in a statement provided to Fox News through the nonprofit Global Relief.
"I want to thank Senator Ed Markey for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress. He and his staff were personally involved in Robert’s case and we will forever be grateful," Hudson said.
Both Hudson and Ramsey highlighted the severe nature of Gilman's detention. "The Russians treated my brother so badly. They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?" Hudson asked.
"I'll tell you this," Ramsey told Fox News, "I have a lot of experience in the hostage space. Having been the head of the Hostage Recovery Fusion cell at the FBI, and Robert Gilman is by far one of the worst cases I've seen when it comes to how the Russians are treating Americans in prison. The fact that he is in a near catatonic state. And again, we believe he's at risk of death is just frightening for this family. It should be frightening to every American that sees this report," Ramsey said.
Gilman is the third U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner in Russia in the last decade, following Russia's detention of Paul Whelan in 2018 and Trevor Reed in 2019. Both were later released in prisoner swaps.
Global Relief, in a statement provided to Fox News, pointed out that five other wrongfully detained Americans remain in Russian prisons, "each with deteriorating medical issues."
"It is critical that the Administration uses the momentum of Robert’s release to bring home Aleksandr Antonov, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Andre Khachatoorian, and Chuck Zimmerman before it is too late," Global Relief's Chief Strategy Officer Eric Lebson said in a statement.
Dem governor booed at Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was greeted by a chorus of boos at the Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention over the weekend, as the governor faces sagging poll numbers and lingering political fallout from Democrats' failed push to redraw the commonwealth's congressional map.
Spanberger was met with boos after she was introduced and stepped to the microphone at the longtime Galax gathering, where musicians and spectators were marking the convention's 90th year.
Video from the event showed a chilly reception from portions of the crowd as the Democratic governor took the stage for about half of a minute.
Spanberger later highlighted her visit in a social media video but made no mention of the boos.
"I'm in Galax. We just went to the Old Fiddlers' Convention and I joined community members at the Poor Man's Dinner," Spanberger said. "It was an incredible time. There was great food, great music, and great community."
Spanberger's political standing has slipped just months into her first year in office. A July Virginia Commonwealth University poll found 44% of registered voters approved of her job performance while 47% disapproved, an unusually weak showing for a new Virginia governor, according to the university's pollsters.
Spanberger has also emerged from a bruising battle over mid-decade redistricting. The governor backed a Democratic effort that could have dramatically reshaped Virginia's congressional delegation. Voters narrowly approved the proposal in April on the back of a reported $70 million ballot campaign, but the Supreme Court of Virginia later struck down the effort in a 4-3 ruling, finding lawmakers had failed to follow required constitutional procedures. The existing congressional map remained in place.
SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN FIGHT OVER STATE COURT ELECTION MAP RULING
For Spanberger, a former congresswoman who campaigned for governor as a pragmatic moderate focused heavily on affordability, the Galax appearance offered Republicans another opening to argue that her early months in Richmond have alienated some of the voters she pledged to represent.
Republican Del. Tom Garrett, who represents Virginia’s 56th District, said the chilly reception was warranted and pointed back to the wasteful redistricting fight.
"She campaigned, and she was asked about doing a mid-decade redistrict to grab power and take voices away from people outside of Northern Virginia," Garrett told WSET. "She said she wouldn't do it and then she led the charge."
Republican Del. Wren Williams, whose district includes Galax, also praised the crowd for making its displeasure known.
LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS’ AFFORDABILITY SCAM COLLAPSES IN STATES THEY ACTUALLY RUN
"If you think about the affordability agenda that has been run on and that she has championed, where are the results of that?" Williams said. "And we know the millions of dollars spent trying to disenfranchise the exact individuals that she is now trying to come and pander."
The governor’s office struck a far different tone when asked about the visit, saying Spanberger and her husband, Adam, enjoyed their time at both the convention and the Poor Man’s Dinner.
"Governor Spanberger and her husband Adam had a wonderful time at the Old Fiddlers’ Convention and Poor Man’s Dinner in Galax this weekend — talking to many community members, enjoying the music and festivities, and celebrating the convention’s 90th year," her office said in a statement.
"The Governor is grateful to all those who work year after year to make this event a success and a point of pride for all Virginians."
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger's office for a response to the boos, but has not yet heard back.
The Old Fiddlers’ Convention is a longstanding Galax tradition that draws musicians and visitors for bluegrass and old-time music performances and competitions.
The episode also highlighted a geographic challenge for Democrats in Virginia. Spanberger won the governorship by 15 points last November, but the chilly reception in Southwest Virginia offered a vivid reminder of the resistance she continues to face outside the Democratic strongholds of Northern Virginia and other population centers.