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Morgan Wallen gives fans an update on his piano, days after smashing it on stage during Denver show
Morgan Wallen is giving fans an update on his piano after smashing one on stage on Friday.
In a video posted to his Instagram stories on Monday, the 33-year-old country singer addressed the viral moment he broke a piano while performing on stage.
"Hey, I just want you guys to know, that right now this piano is working," he said in the video. "That's what they told me last night too."
The country star is seen in the video standing over a red piano in a blue and orange flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off and a blue baseball cap, with headphones on his ears, seemingly connected to the piano.
MORGAN WALLEN SMASHES PIANO ON STAGE AFTER EQUIPMENT FAILS MID-PERFORMANCE DURING CONCERT
He added a comment beneath the video: ‘Can’t you tell I'm so distraught over my piano.'
Wallen made headlines over the weekend after footage of him shoving over a piano which had malfunctioned during his performance in Denver went viral on social media.
In the fan-captured video obtained by Fox News Digital, Wallen walks over to the piano and pushes it over, breaking it, after wrapping up his performance of his hit song, "Sand In My Boots."
WATCH: Morgan Wallen pushes over a piano after getting frustrated on stage
"While playing 'sand in my boots' Morgan gets off the piano cause it isn’t [working] as it should," the video's caption on TikTok reads. "He finishes acapella then proceeds to push the piano over, breaking it!"
The "7 Summers" singer is currently on his "Still The Problem Tour," which kicked off in April in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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He has collaborated with many high-profile musicians in the past, including Tate McRae, who he worked with on a pop-country duet titled "What I Want," for his 2025 album, "I'm The Problem."
The up-and-coming singer received backlash for her decision to collaborate with the popular country artist, telling Rolling Stone in December 2025 that she doesn't "regret" her decision to partner with the star.
"I don't think you should regret anything in life because it gives you so much clarity," she said.
"I think controversy and criticism is a way of learning and figuring out what you want to move forward with and how that shapes you as a person. I think it's all important."
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Singer Ella Langley also received backlash when she collaborated with him on the song, "I Can't Love You Anymore," which was released in April.
"She's friends with and collabing with Morgan Wallen. A known racist and maga," one social media user commented, while another wrote, "Hitler and Stalin announce collab."
Others came to her defense, saying "Who cares bama girl on top."
Atlanta train stabbing suspect faces new charge as feds weigh death penalty in great-grandmother’s killing
DISTURBING CONTENT WARNING:
A Georgia man accused of fatally stabbing a 66-year-old great-grandmother in an unprovoked attack aboard an Atlanta MARTA train is now facing a federal charge that could make him eligible for life in prison or the death penalty, federal prosecutors said.
John Elijah Matthews, 25, of Decatur, Georgia, was charged in a federal criminal complaint with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with intent to cause death on a mass transportation system, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty if Matthews is convicted, prosecutors said.
The victim, identified by federal officials as Margaret Swan, 66, was described by U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg as a "beloved great-grandmother" who was killed in "an unprovoked act of senseless violence."
The deadly attack unfolded around 11:25 a.m. Saturday, May 30, while Swan was riding a northbound MARTA train from the Lakewood station toward Oakland City Station, according to prosecutors and a Fulton County arrest warrant affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
The affidavit, sworn by MARTA Police Detective Douglas Burn, alleges Matthews boarded Train Car 134 at 11:24:59 a.m., wearing glasses, an orange T-shirt with writing on the front, dark gray pants, white socks and black slides. Swan had boarded the same train car minutes earlier, at 11:21:46 a.m., and was sitting alone, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance video allegedly showed Matthews walk to the side of the train where Swan was seated and stand near her.
At 11:25:18 a.m., he allegedly moved closer and stood just to her right. Eight seconds later, at 11:25:26 a.m., he allegedly reached into his right front pants pocket, pulled out a knife and opened it, the affidavit states.
At 11:25:32 a.m., Matthews allegedly sliced Swan’s throat with his right hand while holding her head, according to the affidavit. Swan screamed and tried to get up from her seat, but Matthews allegedly held onto her right arm and stabbed her approximately 18 to 20 times, the affidavit says.
Federal prosecutors said surveillance video showed Matthews stabbing Swan approximately 18 to 20 times in the chest and neck area as she tried to defend herself.
Other passengers fled and called for help, and at least one passenger confirmed Swan had no interaction with Matthews before the attack, prosecutors said.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED BY BIDEN ADMIN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDER OF GEORGIA GRANDMOTHER
The affidavit says Matthews then threw Swan to the floor and stood near her until the train arrived at Oakland City Station at 11:27:05 a.m.
He then allegedly exited the train with the knife in his right hand and walked toward the north end of the platform.
MARTA police officers arrived moments later and rushed to apprehend him, according to the affidavit.
Officer Bolton, who was patrolling the Oakland City Station concourse, heard a commotion on the platform and saw patrons pointing toward Matthews, according to the affidavit.
Bolton allegedly saw Matthews holding a knife near the north end of the platform and ordered him to turn over. Matthews allegedly did not comply and was taken into custody after another officer arrived, the affidavit says.
CHARLOTTE RESIDENTS SAY THEY FEEL LESS SAFE AS CITY FACES SECOND TRANSIT STABBING
Prosecutors said Matthews was allegedly found with a bloody folding knife and had blood on his clothes. The affidavit says that Matthews "did not have an address currently" and that he advised he did not have a phone number currently.
First responders attempted emergency medical aid, but Swan was pronounced dead at the scene.
The affidavit says the Fulton County Medical Examiner arrived at the scene at 1:45 p.m. and recorded Swan’s time of death as 2 p.m.
WATCH: Atlanta train riders on edge after deadly stabbing
Matthews remains in local custody and will appear in federal court. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Police Department.
"This crime also impacts everyone who relies on mass transportation to move about their daily lives. Using Atlanta’s train system should be safe and free of violence," said Marlo Graham, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta.
He is also charged locally with felony murder, according to Fulton County records. Fox News Digital has reached out to MARTA, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia for additional information.
NHL reveals that a new All-Star format is on the way, and it sounds like it could be a winner
I feel like all sports fans cringe when they hear the word "All-Star Game."
It's often hard to get players to care, and when that happens, good luck getting the fans to care.
But, according to a new report, the NHL is considering a new format that could be very, very interesting.
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The NHL didn't hold an All-Star Game this season because of the Olympics, and didn't hold one last year either because of the Four Nations Face-Off, which proved to be a massive success.
Now, just hours before the puck drops for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes, the NHL and NHLPA announced that the 2027 NHL All-Star Weekend scheduled to take place at Long Island's UBS Arena will have a very different format.
For starters, the skills competition will only be open to players under 25 years old.
This. Is. Brilliant.
The skills competition used to be my favorite part of the weekend, but it has gotten a little stale the last couple of years. Now, the NHL gets a chance to showcase some young stars — and there are many these days — and get more of them involved in the weekend's festivities.
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But the real smart move comes in the All-Star 3-on-3 tournament. The event has been around for years, but switching from division-based teams to country-based teams is a welcome change. The US, Canada, Sweden and Finland — the same four nations from the Four Nations tournament — will field teams, while a fifth team will be composed of players from the rest of the world.
It is also being reported that this fifth team will include Russian players.
It's early, but I'd be putting my money on that team. You've got the best of the Russians, Czechs, Slovaks, Swiss, Norwegians, Danes and more on one team.
Look out.
This tournament will use a round-robin format, with the top two teams from that playing a 10-minute final for a $2 million prize.
If the NHL has been good at anything over the last few years, it has been recognizing that international hockey is very popular.
The Four Nations was a massive success. The Olympics were even bigger, so sticking with an international format — and using it as a bridge to the 2028 World Cup of Hockey — is about the smartest move the NHL could make short of staging another Four Nations tournament.
The All-Star Weekend will take place on Feb. 5 and 6, with the Skills Competition on Feb. 5 and the tournament on Feb. 6.
Here's the team that could pull off a surprise win in this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix
Formula 1 is headed to Monaco this weekend for its crown jewel race, the Monaco Grand Prix, and while the season has been dominated by Mercedes.
However, this race might present a golden opportunity for their closest competitors: Ferrari.
The Silver Arrows have won every race — Grand Prix or Sprint — with the lone exception of the Sprint race in Miami, which was won by McLaren's Lando Norris.
That has put a significant gap in the standings between them and Ferrari; however, Monaco presents an opportunity for the Scuderia to break up Mercedes and championship leader Kimi Antonelli's run of dominance.
That's because Ferrari's car and power unit are expected to be well suited for the notoriously tight and twisty Monaco circuit.
All season long, Ferrari's strength has been under acceleration. This has been most clear on race starts. Go back and look at just about any start this season and the Ferraris look like they've been shot out of a cannon while the Mercedes and others often look pretty sluggish.
With as many slow corners as Monaco — with some like the hotel hairpin and La Rascasse being among the slowest on the entire calendar — getting through them and accelerating out of them is a big deal. You can't rely on straight-line speed like you can on other circuits, and Ferrari, they'll be cool with that as it's not their biggest strength.
F1 DRIVER HAS A HILARIOUS REASON HE KNEW REPORTS ABOUT A TEAM FEUD WERE TOTALLY WRONG
Finding time in these slow corners on Saturday in qualifying could mean a start from pole, and in Monaco, that really gives you an edge on a circuit where overtaking is nearly impossible.
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Even reigning champ Lando Norris expects to see the Prancing Horses start up front.
"Honestly, I think that Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco," Norris said, per Motorsport. "Their low-speed performance is far better than everyone else."
Now, a million things could go wrong, even if either Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton, starts up front. Weather could be a factor; they could clip a wall; they could run into a technical issue.
But the key to winning at Monaco these days is starting with the best track position possible, and Ferrari is looking at its best chance to do that so far this season.
WATCH: Chuck Schumer sidesteps Platner scandals, confirms support for controversial Dem
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., ignored persistent questions about controversies surrounding Democrat Graham Platner and reaffirmed his support for the embattled Senate candidate.
Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, has faced a series of controversies in recent weeks, including criticism over a tattoo with links to Nazi imagery, resurfaced Reddit posts where he made inflammatory comments about veterans and reports about sexually explicit messages exchanged with other women during his marriage.
Speaking with journalists in the Capitol on Tuesday, Schumer was pressed on whether he, as the top Senate Democrat, is satisfied with Platner’s explanations of the scandals dogging his campaign. In response, he said, "I met with Graham Platner today, we're going to beat [Sen.] Susan Collins and take back the Senate."
PLATNER CONTROVERSIES FUEL SPECULATION ABOUT LITTLE-KNOWN MAINE BALLOT REPLACEMENT PROVISION
Schumer was asked several more times whether he still supports Platner in the face of the scandals considering his endorsement came before all the controversy. He was also asked whether Democrats’ backing of Platner undermines the party’s credibility in criticizing Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who has faced some similar scandals.
The New York senator did not respond to these questions directly. Instead, he repeated: "We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate."
Schumer attempted to prompt reporters to ask about other topics.
"Any other subjects you got?" he said. But reporters continued to zero-in on his support for Platner.
After being asked about the candidate for a fifth time, Schumer finally responded, "As I said, I endorsed Graham Platner."
"We're going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate," he reiterated before walking away.
SUNNY HOSTIN SUPPORTS GRAHAM PLATNER DESPITE CALLING HIM 'A LIAR, A RACIST, AN ANTISEMITE'
Platner has run a deeply controversial campaign, in addition to being the subject of various scandals, he faced scrutiny for having a "Totenkopf" Nazi SS tattoo, which he then covered-up with a different tattoo.
The far-left Senate hopeful has most notably ignited backlash after his vulgar messages on a since-deleted Reddit account were uncovered. Under the moniker "P-hustle," Platner joked about masturbating in public portable toilets, among other crude posts.
Platner also called himself a communist, denigrated rural White people as "racist" and "stupid" and singled out Black people for not tipping.
GRAHAM PLATNER PULLED OUT OF MS NOW INTERVIEW IN WAKE OF SCANDAL, HOST CLAIMS
It was also recently uncovered that Platner has an active account on Kik, an anonymous chatting platform notorious for lax identification methods that have enabled the proliferation of child sexual abuse material.
The profile, reviewed by Fox News Digital, contains a sexually suggestive picture of Platner only wearing a towel around his waist. It is unclear when the image was taken, but Platner created the account in 2016.
Schumer previously endorsed Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to challenge Collins. Mills dropped out of the race in April, citing failure to garner the necessary financial backing for her campaign.
Her departure left Platner the frontrunner in the Democratic primary.
Inspection of Delaney Hall ICE facility contradicts claims in New Jersey attorney general's lawsuit
FIRST ON FOX: An inspection of the Delaney Hall ICE facility contradicts some claims made by New Jersey elected officials as the facility’s operator faces a new lawsuit from the state’s attorney general.
Just hours before activists from the Democratic Socialists of America and other far-left organizations held a demonstration in front of her office, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced that the state is suing GEO Group Inc., which the Department of Homeland Security contracted to operate the ICE facility.
The unclassified investigation, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, is the most recent investigative report conducted by the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) at Delaney Hall. The conclusion of the investigation, conducted by six internal OPR officers and four outside contractors, didn’t align with some claims made by the attorney general’s lawsuit.
"During the inspection, [the Office of Detention Oversight] assessed the facility’s compliance with 22 standards… and found the facility in compliance with 17 of those standards," the inspection’s conclusion read.
SOMETHING TO HIDE? ICE UNDER FIRE FOR SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS AT FOR-PROFIT DETENTION CENTER
The report said that it recommends that DHS Enforcement and Removal Operations in Newark "continue to work with the facility to resolve the deficiencies that remain outstanding in accordance with contractual obligations."
The attorney general’s office cited reports of media outlets and Democratic members of Congress as the basis for the lawsuit, claiming that worms were found in food, toilet paper wasn’t being provided, bad or lack of medical care was present, and a report of tuberculosis.
Fox News Digital identified the five standards that weren’t met in the investigation from last August.
DAVID MARCUS: 5 BLATANT LIES DEMOCRATS ARE SPREADING ABOUT DELANEY HALL AND ICE
The investigation found deficiency in food services for ice build-up in the freezers, admission and release deficiency for not fingerprinting detainees upon release, deficiency in holding room facilities for not properly recording checks on hold rooms and custodial information, deficiency in environmental health and safety for not properly labeling cleaning equipment on site and deficiency in suicide and self-harm prevention for not monitoring detainees for the proper amount of time.
DHS punched back at the lawsuit in a post on X shortly after it was issued by the attorney general.
"This is a frivolous lawsuit," the post read. "Just last week on May 28, four representatives of the New Jersey State Health Department arrived at approximately 11:00 AM. They entered the facility and inspected the foodservice department. The inspection of the kitchen was completed and they departed around 12:30 PM."
PROTESTERS CLASH WITH ICE AS NJ DETENTION FACILITY DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE
The attorney general and Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill have faced mounting pressure from far-left and socialist groups over Sherrill’s deploying of state police during riots that took place outside of the facility.
On Monday, Indivisible, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by Democratic billionaire George Soros, protested outside Sherrill’s Trenton office, demanding that the governor stop working with DHS and shut down the Delaney Hall facility, accusing Sherrill of spreading "MAGA propaganda" and criticizing her for working with DHS to secure the facility.
Despite deploying state police who clashed with rioters last Friday night, Sherrill claimed on an X post Saturday morning that local law enforcement was there to protect the agitators from ICE agents.
On Tuesday, Democratic Socialists of America, "Climate Revolution Action Network," "State of Liberation Jersey City" and other groups protested outside of Davenport’s office, saying that "Mikie and her AG" must "meet the demands of the detained Delaney Hall hunger strikers; and stop brutalizing protesters in the name of ‘public safety.’"
A number of nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations have been mobilizing rioters in front of Delaney Hall over the past week, including the brutal clash between New Jersey state police and rioters last Friday night.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin noted that agitators at the facility were "well supplied" and said one agitator flew to New Jersey from Portland just to participate in the unrest.
A number of rioters have been arrested, and during the demonstration in front of Davenport’s office, agitators called for the release of protestors detained during the riots.
"Drop all charges and free protestors who exercised their constitutionally protected rights to protest the deplorable treatment of immigrants in New Jersey," the caption of the flyer for the event read.
MLB's salary cap proposal won't fix the league's non-existent competitive balance problems
After years of decline, Major League Baseball is finally growing in popularity again. Particularly with young fans, drawn to the game with faster pace of play, and a group of compelling, historic stars like Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr., and Aaron Judge.
Ratings are up across the sport. Attendance league-wide has consistently increased, with some teams seeing significant growth already in 2026. All this momentum, however, could be squandered after the 2026 season. How? By an extended lockout.
Negotiations between the league's owners and the MLB Players Association have already started, and predictably, they're already contentious. Players, sensitive to the gap in revenue between big market and small market teams, have proposed increased revenue sharing that would be distributed from richer teams to less successful ones.
Any team that does not reach $150 million in player payroll would be penalized. Local television revenue would be more aggressively redistributed, while a higher percentage of income from home stadiums would remain with the teams. Essentially, the more you win, the more fans buy tickets, the more money you get to keep.
Owners, of course, balked. Their counterproposal set out a $245.3 million salary cap, and a $171.2 million payroll floor. Sounds great, right? The floor is higher than the players' proposed penalty level, and the cap would impact just six teams this year. Fans, especially those of small-market teams, were thrilled. Redistribute television revenues and compress spending. Surely, that will allow teams that spend less money to compete, right?
"Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together," said MLB spokesman Glen Caplin in a statement. "Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts."
Turns out though, that ownership's proposal includes all sorts of ancillary benefits in their "cap," as well as pre-arbitration bonus pools. As MLBPA chief Bruce Meyer explained this week, owners would take "billions of dollars" out of the 50/50 revenue split first, and player salaries would be significantly depressed under this arrangement.
"It's not even a real 50%. It’s taking billions of dollars off the top before they’re proposing to even share any of that," Meyer said. "Players' share under their proposal would go down. Players' share for this season, 2026, is projected to be well over 50%...Had MLB’s proposal been in place in 2026, players would, we estimate — would lose over half a billion dollars."
This is the problem with salary caps, and fans rushing to take the side of ownership, assuming that a cap would "fix" the sport. Owners do not care about competitive balance. Many are using baseball teams as real estate developments, then do not count that ancillary income towards baseball spending. The Atlanta Braves, for example, own The Battery, a shopping and dining development right next to Truist Park. They own it, they bring in the revenue, and then don't count it towards their baseball team's bottom line.
Those developments don't exist without the baseball team there to draw millions of fans, but the revenue would be excluded from the 50/50 split, going entirely to ownership, just because it's outside the stadium gates. That $245 million cap and $171 million floor includes over $23 million in player benefits. And amateur bonus pools that add up to roughly $20 million per team.
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So team payroll caps would actually run around $205 million, and the floor would drop to $128 million. It's a way for owners to limit spending, not to actually compress an imaginary competitive gap. As Meyer explained, the league's current system allows any team to spend whatever they want. When they choose not to, cheap owners and some fans then point to the salary disparity as "proof" of competitive balance issues. Even though that salary disparity is entirely up to them.
"Every team now has the ability to put a competitive team on the field, every single team," he said. "One of the things that I find kind of ironic in a perverse way, if team X decides we’re not going to spend money on players, well that increases the disparity in payroll."
The Miami Marlins are spending $74 million on player payroll this year. The argument from fans and owners is that the Marlins would spend more under a cap system, because of increased revenue sharing. Except the Marlins already receive an estimated $70-75 million in revenue sharing. If a player-led proposal gives them even more money from the Dodgers or Yankees, why could they not just spend up to $125 million on salaries anyway?
Obviously, Marlins ownership doesn't care about winning a few extra games per year. They're not investing in a long-term fan base by showing a commitment to putting a quality product out on the field. They're investing in developing "Miami Live!" That's the new dining and entertainment district going up next door.
Or, as a 2025 press release described it, "...a transformational entertainment development at LoanDepot Park to further enhance the best-in-class ballpark experience. The development will include indoor-outdoor dining and entertainment spaces aimed at fostering community and elevating the fan experience..."
That's the real goal. A way for the Marlins to act as a component of real estate investment based on an "entertainment district." Or, more commonly, a mall. All that Miami Live revenue would go to team ownership, without any requirement it be used to improve the roster. Even though that mall wouldn't exist without the million people per year who somehow pay to watch the Marlins play.
We also have proof that the more teams win, the more attendance grows. The Blue Jays made the World Series in 2025, coming up one cleat short of a title. Their per game attendance thus far is up 12,366 fans per game. Seattle is up over 6,500 fans per game after reaching Game 7 of the ALCS. Milwaukee has added over 3,200 fans per game. Win more, make more. It's that simple.
All of this is to address a nonexistent competitive balance gap that ignores actual reality and historical data. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have spent nearly identical sums of money over the last five seasons, including 2026. $1.752 billion compared to $1.751 billion. Yet the Dodgers have outperformed New York by 67 wins over that time frame. LA's collective winning percentage is .622, compared to the Mets .527. The problem isn't money, it's smart use of it.
The Angels play in the second-largest media market, have spent over a billion dollars on player payroll the last five years, and are collectively around 100 games under .500 in that time frame. Milwaukee had the best record in baseball last year, despite one of the lowest cumulative salaries. The Guardians are routinely one of baseball's cheapest teams, yet they've won three of the last four division titles and are well on their way to a fourth in five years. Yes, the Dodgers have won the World Series in 2024 and 2025, but it was just two years ago that they were derisively referred to as "chokers" because the randomness of baseball's postseason tournament made it so they hadn't won consistently.
The lesson fans have taken from this is that owners should be allowed to spend less money on players in order to close a nonexistent competitive balance gap that won't be fixed anyway. If the cap is $200 million or $250 million, the Dodgers will be at the limit. If the floor is $100 million or $128 million, the Guardians, Marlins, and Pirates will be at the bottom. The best players will gravitate to LA, where they can have a better chance of consistent success and off-field marketing income. The Pirates will still cry poor after reports that they were the most profitable organization in MLB.
Fans should support winning and trying to win, not enhancing franchise valuations. That's what owners are counting on.
WATCH: Scandal-plagued Platner dodges questions before and after DC meeting with Democrats
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner dodged questions from reporters Tuesday before and after a meeting at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee amid an alleged sexting scandal and criticism over resurfaced online posts.
"Mr. Platner, are you here to calm the waters, sir?" Platner was asked by Fox News Digital when confronted as he exited a car to meet with lawmakers, but he did not respond.
He then ignored other questions on whether he deserves to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate, whether he will stay in the race, and controversies from his past.
Platner, who is currently leading in the polls, was attending a planned meeting with Democratic senators in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday as concerns from both sides of the political spectrum have emerged over sexual misconduct and infidelity allegations.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Platner said: "Amy and I went through something hard — because of me."
"We did the work, and I’m grateful for her every hour of every day," he added. "I’ve learned throughout this campaign is that people don’t care about gossip or headlines, they care that you’re fighting for their hospitals, their paycheck, their kids."
The Democratic candidate's wife Amy Gertner, discovered text exchanges between Platner and multiple women just months after they were married in 2024.
Platner’s campaign confirmed the sexually-explicit messages to Politico after The Wall Street Journal reported that Gertner discovered the texts soon after they were wed and warned a campaign aide about potential political liabilities for Platner’s Senate bid.
In a video posted to X on Saturday, Gertner also defended her husband against cheating-related attacks.
"So it makes me really angry — disappointed, and I find it really shameful that there's a group of media outlets and people who are willing to spread gossip instead of talking about real issues that Graham is running on, like healthcare and education and childcare," she said.
It was also discovered that Platner has an active account on Kik, an anonymous messaging app that has drawn criticism from child safety advocates and is widely associated with anonymous encounters. The profile, created in 2016 and reviewed by Fox News Digital, contains a sexually suggestive photo of Platner posing shirtless with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
A campaign official told Fox News Digital that Platner downloaded the app when he was single and claimed it has "long been deleted from his phone."
PLATNER STILL HAS ACTIVE ACCOUNT ON ANONYMOUS APP DUBBED 'PREDATOR'S PARADISE' AMID CHEATING SCANDAL
Deleted online posts and a Nazi-linked tattoo have added to the controversies surrounding Platner and his bid for U.S. Senate.
The Marine Corps veteran who served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan faced backlash for a June 2019 Reddit post he made saying Purple Heart veteran Teddy Daniels, who was shot four times during a 2012 clash with Taliban fighters, "didn't deserve to live."
He declined to apologize for the online comments in a video taken by Fox News Digital last month.
Platner will appear on the ballot alongside David Costello in the Democratic Senate primary in Maine. Voters will decide on June 9 who will face incumbent five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.
Iranians speak out over possible Trump-regime deal
Amid President Donald Trump’s Monday announcement that a deal with Iran’s clerical regime is imminent to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate an end to Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program, Iranians who hoped U.S. pressure would force a decisive outcome now fear it may survive while ordinary people absorb the costs.
"Inside Iran, the mood has shifted from early-war optimism to a kind of exhausted resignation, but there is still some hope that this is the moment President Trump will use his leverage to do the right thing. The Iranian people understand this unusually narrow but strategic window," Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk who keeps in contact with Iranians on the ground, told Fox News Digital.
She continued that ,"The regime is fiscally strained and politically brittle, while the broader population has been disillusioned by years of repression and economic collapse. Iranians do see this as a one‑time opportunity for Washington — and President Trump in particular — to translate military and economic leverage into the potential collapse of an irrefromable regime. If the outcome is a shallow agreement that props up the system without changing its trajectory, that window will likely close for years."
She continued, "If instead, the U.S. holds firm on sanctions and nuclear red lines, it can weaken the regime’s hand without punishing the Iranian people, who have already paid the highest price."
Daftari, the Iran expert, shared recent correspondence from two Iranians from Tabriz and Tehran.
The resident from Tabriz said, "From my perspective, decades of political tension between Iran and the United States have had their greatest impact on ordinary people rather than those in power. Many families feel their voices are not being heard in international discussions about Iran." Adding, "I respectfully ask whether you might consider sharing or highlighting the human side of this situation, so that the experiences of ordinary Iranian families are not overlooked in political discussions and media coverage."
The Tehran resident said, "Today, the people of Iran believe in the future. On days when economic pressure makes the faces of the Iranian people sad, the word ‘unity’ brings a smile to their lips. Our situation is not good, but we are motivated."
Fox News Digital surveyed a few Iranians and agreed to use only their first names because the clerical regime has declared the use of Starlink to bypass the censor a criminal act. A sophisticated clandestine network has managed to smuggle some satellite internet technology into Iran to allow people to communicate with the world outside the Islamist state.
Hassan, who lives in Tehran, pleaded with President Trump to keep strong in his dealings with the regime, saying that "Things have gotten so bad that even if you wanted to give up and leave Iran and just focus on your own life and work, it feels like there’s nowhere left to turn. Mr. Trump, through these deals and arrangements, has left people feeling trapped, with no road left open."
Mehdi, who resides in Tehran, expressed confusion about the existence of an agreement. He said, "So what exactly are they agreeing on? Are they saying they’re close to a deal or are there other discussions too? Every minute there is a new piece of news, everyone has a new analysis, everything changes every minute. It’s strange. This war achieved nothing. We’re the only ones left paying the price," he complained.
Hassan from Tehran said that "Mr. Trump, if until yesterday most Iranians thought they were on the same path as America, you caused them all to become disappointed. "Mr. Trump, if you wanted this government to remain in power, why did you blow up factories? Now workers are being laid off, and inflation is out of control. Even with a salary of 18 million tomans, you cannot feed yourself."
Mahsa, from the Caspian Sea city of Rasht, told Fox News Digital that the system [Islamic Republic of Iran] is still fully intact. They don’t care how many people died. If anything, they seem more emboldened now and even take pride in martyrdom. Yesterday I argued with a regime supporter [who] said: "Our leader didn’t give away a single meter of land, didn’t take a step backward, unlike previous kings who gave away Bahrain, Baku, Nakhchivan, and others."
The concerns among many Iranians revolve around the proposed memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran’s regime. The MOU does not address the overthrow of the clerical regime or human rights violations, according to media reports. Large numbers of Iranians within Iran and among the Iranian diaspora want the Trump administration to topple the Islamist dictatorship in Tehran.
The MOU reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension. Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28. The MOU would also see the reopening the Strait of Hormuz and new talks over Iran's illicit nuclear weapons program.
The leaked elements of the MOU have not been confirmed by the Trump administration.
When asked about the concern among Iranians about a deal with the Islamic Republic, Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the White House, told Fox News Digital that "For 47 years, American Presidents and countless other world leaders talked about the threat posed by Iran, but no one had the courage to address it. President Trump took decisive action to ensure that Iran could never harm our homeland, our troops, or our allies again. Once Iran’s nuclear threat is removed for good, the entire region and its people will be safer and more stable."
IRAN REGIME ESCALATES REPRESSION TOWARD 'NORTH KOREA-STYLE MODEL OF ISOLATION AND CONTROL'
However, Trump said last week during his cabinet meeting, "We didn’t set out for regime change," adding, "But by the fact that we’re dealing with a totally different group of people than we were at the beginning … This is regime change."
Reza Farnood, an Iranian American who supports the Trump administration and is a researcher, writer and activist, urged that President Trump continue with his maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.
Farnood told Fox News Digital, "We welcome the bombing and attacking the regime because we are aiming to overthrow the regime." He urged that Trump continue the blockade of Iran’s vessels and deny money to the regime. He said sanctions relief will be used by Iran "against the U.S. and Israel and their allies and innocent Iranians."
Farnood stressed that the clerical regime is holding the Iranian people "hostage."
Kianoosh, who lives in the northern city of Karaj, the capital of Alborz province, said about Trump’s proposed deal: "You threw six months of our lives into hell. What answer are "you going to give to the mothers of all those children who were killed? Why did you give people false hope? Why did you hand down a death sentence to everything so many people believed in?"
Leading U.S. Senators well-versed in foreign policy have praised Trump’s approach to the Islamic Republic. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., recently told Fox News’ Sean Hannity "On Trump’s watch, they’re [Iran’s regime] becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference."
TRUMP’S 'ECONOMIC FURY' SQUEEZES IRAN — BUT CAN TEHRAN OUTLAST THE PRESSURE?
Graham juxtaposed Trump’s Iran policy with his predecessors. "Obama and Biden screwed Iran up, and Donald Trump is fixing it. On Obama and Biden’s watch, Iran became rich and lethal," he said. "On Trump’s watch, they’re becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference."
Iran is running dangerously low on oil storage capacity and could face a severe economic breaking point if forced to halt production, former U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette recently told Fox News.
Trump has said that Iran’s regime murdered as many as 45,000 Iranian demonstrators in January 2026. He urged just days after the mass murder that protesters keep going and promised them that "help is on its way."
Lawdan Bazargan, a prominent Iranian-American activist who the regime imprisoned in its infamous Evin Prison in Tehran in the 1980s for political dissent, told Fox News Digital that the Iranians she’s spoken with are discouraged by Trump’s dealings. "He was one of the few world leaders who repeatedly spoke about the thousands of Iranians killed in January 2026 and expressed disgust at the sheer brutality of the Islamic Republic. He had promised support for the Iranian people and raised expectations that meaningful change might finally come."
She continued: "Now, 88 days later, many people feel they are left facing the same regime, one that appears more emboldened, more ideological, and still willing to repress, execute, and arrest people. The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.
For years, 90 million Iranians have lived as hostages of the Islamic Republic. Now, many fear that the consequences no longer stop at Iran’s borders, through threats to global energy routes, regional stability, and even digital infrastructure."
According to Bazargan, "The question many ordinary Iranians are asking is simple: How are people expected to fight a system that feels victorious, controls the weapons, controls the narrative through a massive propaganda machine, and possesses countless tools of repression?"
Ali, who is also from the sprawling capital city of Tehran, complained about the spiraling prices and inflation and disappointment that the regime is still in place.
"For a government with state-provided housing and billions in patronage and privileges, what difference did any of this make for its supporters?"
Ali added: "We’re the ones who are paying the price and getting crushed. How are our children ever supposed to afford these housing and car prices, and how are they supposed to get married?"
The U.S. State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House for a comment.
Chicago cop killing suspect sent back to jail by judge who previously freed him under controversial bail law
The accused killer of a Chicago police officer was ordered back into custody Tuesday in a separate carjacking case, after the same judge came under fire for releasing the seven-time convicted felon on electronic monitoring before the alleged murder.
Alphanso Talley, 27, appeared in court Tuesday for a hearing regarding an alleged violation of his release conditions stemming from a 2025 armed robbery and carjacking case.
Talley appeared wearing a green jail jumpsuit and shackles as Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Lyke Jr. granted prosecutors’ request to formally revoke his pretrial release in the carjacking case.
The case drew national scrutiny after Talley allegedly fatally shot a Chicago police officer and wounded another while free on electronic monitoring — a decision made by Lyke ahead of his trial.
Court transcripts obtained by Fox News reveal Lyke referenced Illinois’ SAFE-T Act – a 2021 law that eliminated cash bail – when making the determination to release Talley, a seven-time convicted felon.
"Presumably he would have had a minimum, collectively, of $1 million bail, and he would have needed $100,000 to get out," Lyke told the court. "Our esteem(ed) Legislature says, 'No, we're not going to do that anymore. We're going to make judges take a critical look at it.'"
Authorities said Talley was unaccounted for in the electronic monitoring system when he allegedly gunned down Officer John Bartholomew, 28, and gravely injured another police officer at Swedish Hospital on Saturday, April 25.
CHICAGO HOSPITAL SHOOTING LEAVES 2 OFFICERS INJURED, 1 CRITICALLY; SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: REPORT
Talley was arrested just hours before the shooting in connection with an alleged armed robbery at a nearby Family Dollar, officials previously said. In that incident, he is accused of pistol-whipping a female employee before making off with her keys and wallet.
After being taken into custody, Talley allegedly informed officers he had swallowed narcotics and asked to be taken to the hospital.
While receiving medical treatment, police say Talley retrieved a gun from underneath a blanket and shot both officers before attempting to escape custody.
"He was going to attempt an escape when he pretended to swallow drugs," prosecutors previously told the court while arguing for Talley to remain behind bars in his murder trial. "He knew police would take him to the hospital for his own well-being. He knew he would be uncuffed at that time. He did that to officers who simply took him to the hospital for his own well-being."
He was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery.
The judge handling his first-degree murder case previously ordered Talley to remain in custody ahead of his trial.
"It is clear to this court that you pose a threat to any person you’re around," Judge D’Anthony Thedford said. "If you’re out — you’re dangerous. I cannot trust that you will follow any orders that this court gives. No conditions that I can propose can keep the community safe from you."
At the time of the alleged shooting, Talley already had several prior arrests and convictions spanning the past nine years, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records.
His rap sheet includes a conviction for four counts of aggravated robbery with a firearm in 2017, unlawful use or possession of a firearm by a felon with a prior conviction in 2021, battery on a peace officer in 2023 and possession/aiding and abetting a stolen motor vehicle.
He is scheduled to return to court Wednesday for a hearing regarding the charges stemming from the alleged shooting, with his next court date in the alleged carjacking and armed robbery case set for July 15.
Fox News Digital reached out to Talley’s defense attorney and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for comment.