Fox News Latest Headlines
Air Force Academy’s ‘CULEX’ puts thousands of cadets through realistic 24-hour combat simulation
The U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) held its large-scale annual "CULEX," or culminating training exercise, on Thursday, giving cadets a realistic look at a combat scenario.
The 24-hour-a-day exercise places nearly 4,000 cadets in a mock war setting, where upperclassmen lead complex missions and younger students follow orders. This year, it runs April 15 through April 18.
The Air Force Academy is 18,500 acres, nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, but on Thursday, the culminating exercise scenario transformed USAFA into Hokkaido, a Japanese island under attack by enemy forces.
"We've pretty much taken over the entirety of USAFA, to allow all 4,000 of our cadets to have space to operate throughout the exercise," said CULEX director Col. Jennifer Hall.
'FLY' YOUR OWN AIRCRAFT IN US AIR FORCE ACADEMY HOTEL'S FIRST-EVER FLIGHT SIMULATORS
In the war scenario, Japan has asked the U.S. to come in as a defensive force.
"In this scenario, we have four established airfields," Hall said. "And so that's what's established, the four joint operating areas that we have them in."
Each joint operation area, or JOA, has around 800 cadets, defending an airfield, two high-value assets and a downed airman. Cadets also face real-world issues such as injured officers and invasions by enemy targets deemed the "Red Force."
"We pulled out one squadron to play Red Force," said Hall. "So our cadets are actually playing Red Force, and they're out there in the field right now harassing our cadets. They're doing an amazing job. They're super excited."
Hall explained, "What we're trying to do is have the cadets prioritize through decision-making. And you'll see all across that Red Force is trying to complicate that to the best of their ability."
While the situation may not be real, it definitely looks and feels like it.
AI TEST FLIGHT MOVES AIR FORCE ONE STEP CLOSER TO UNMANNED 'WINGMAN' AIRCRAFT
"You'll see about 15 tents laid down as an austere, expeditionary environment, two of which are tactical operations centers and a medical tent and warming tent," Hall explained. "And then we have sleeping tents for the cadets, because we will be remaining overnight for the first time."
Some cadets fly airplanes while others deploy parachutes in the sky. On the ground, hundreds of cadets equipped with air soft guns defend their camps, taking radio traffic from troops under attack. Meanwhile, students in mission control use drones and mapping technology to solve real-world problems.
AIR FORCE TURNS TO VIDEO GAMES TO HELP PREPARE MEMBERS FOR REAL-LIFE COMBAT
"The only way to prepare for the fight that we're in, or the future fight, is to develop the training necessary where they can experience it real time, in the woods, in the field," said Hall.
Now in its second year, the CULEX focuses on building confidence, teamwork and leadership skills rather than testing cadets with a pass-or-fail system. It's a multi-domain tactical exercise designed to replicate the environments future Space Force and Air Force officers may encounter.
"For our seniors, in 44 days, they're going to graduate, and they're going to go off, and they're going to be officers in our Space Force and Air Force— how much more equipped they're going to be to lead, to face complicated problems, to know that they can do what's difficult," said Hall.
Trades could save NFL draft lacking franchise QBs, polarizing players from being a yawner
The 2026 NFL draft needs some juice because it simply doesn't have the stirring traits that typically turn drafts into memorable moments we recall decades later.
What's missing?
There aren't a lot of big-name quarterbacks on the board. Outside of presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza — and even he's skipping the party in Pittsburgh next Thursday — we aren't having a 2024 redo when a record-tying six quarterbacks were selected in the first round.
There's not enough talent to fill a future Pro Football Hall of Fame induction roster. Well, nobody is predicting this will rival the 1983 draft when seven future Hall of Famers were selected in the first round and eight players from the draft ended up in Canton.
There's also no compelling story that captures the imagination. There is no polarizing Shedeur Sanders in this draft. No enigmatic Randy Moss. And no Laremy Tunsil once he donned his gasmask.
The expectation for multiple trades is so high that even general managers acknowledge it.
"I love how everybody last year thought we weren’t trading down and everybody this year assumes we are," Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Thursday.
Teams always put out feelers to see what may be available, and this year is no different.
"We've gotten a couple calls of teams sniffing around about potentially coming up," said Giants general manager Joe Schoen, whose team has the No. 5 overall selection. "And again, we'll just have to wait and see who's there when we pick. I don't really foresee us moving back before next Thursday night."
The truth is this draft includes factors that might lead to trades.
There are five teams – the Jets, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins and Cowboys – with two first round picks. And, outside the Dolphins, who are likely not going to give up their picks in a trade-up scenario, the other teams might be tempted to use their extra resources to swing trades.
Why would teams move up? Offensive linemen, specifically tackles, is one reason because there are a handful that are viable first-rounders and then the talent pool at the position becomes quite shallow.
So teams needing tackles might move up to get them.
"I think in some of those a couple of linemen creep in, but I do think that if they don’t creep into that first eight, nine, 10 slots, I think you’re going to get a massive run of offensive linemen from 10 to 20, 25," said Veach, who coincidentally might be in the market for a right tackle.
There's also the possibility teams will trade talented veterans during the draft.
And it seems the most likely player to be moved would be Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence because he wants to be traded and the situation has grown uncomfortable in the last week, with Lawrence insisting he doesn't want to be on the team anymore.
But the Giants love Lawrence as a player. And he's got two years remaining on his contract. So they are not gifting him to anyone. It would require at least a first-round pick plus another pick or player to get Lawrence, per a source.
"I'm always going to pick up the phone," Schoen said.
Having said all that, we should not get carried away.
There is so far no intelligence that suggests the Browns are working to trade Myles Garrett.
The Eagles probably will trade A.J. Brown at some point this offseason. But salary cap considerations suggest they won't be doing that until after June 1.
And the Chargers shut down rumors receiver Quentin Johnston is about to be dealt.
"There’s a lot of rumors out there on Twitter," Chargers GM Joe Hortiz told reporters on Thursday, "but I can tell you this: I have made zero calls about Quentin, and I’ve had zero calls regarding Quentin."
Disney tacitly admits it made a multi-billion dollar mistake with 'Star Wars' land
It was just a few short years ago that the Walt Disney Company was proudly announcing and opening their "Star Wars" themed land in multiple parks across the country.
Disney invested billions of dollars in the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge design and construction, based on a fictional world called "Batuu." They hyped up technology and immersive elements meant to enhance the guest experience and allow for fans to spend hours in Galaxy's Edge. And return time and time again to build up experience points by interacting with props and characters.
"Batuu" was purposefully set in the world of the newest trilogy, led by characters like Rey and Kylo Ren. All thanks to advice from then-head of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, to then-Disney CEO Bob Iger.
RELATED: Kathleen Kennedy Blames 'Star Wars' Fans For Not Liking Her Bad Movies
And now, after just a few years in operation, new leadership at the top is completely changing the entire plan behind Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. In the process, admitting they completely missed the mark with their multi-billion dollar project.
Star Wars Lands Bringing Back Original Characters
One former top executive at Walt Disney World once explained in an interview why Galaxy's Edge focused on the new trilogy and not the beloved original movies and characters. Because Kathleen Kennedy gave awful advice to Bob Iger.
"We got a call one day," said former WDW VP Dan Cockerell. "They said, ‘Well, we got some news for you all.’ And the Imagineering guys, they’ve heard this line many, many times during their careers. And I had never been through this." "They said, ‘Well, yesterday Bob Iger met with Kathleen Kennedy, who as a lot people may know was sort of George Lucas’ protégé and headed up Lucasfilm. And they had a conversation. They had a meeting. And Kathleen Kennedy, her point of view was, there are way more Disney Star Wars stories ahead of us than behind us. So we really should think about do we want to build a Tatooine, and build what all the fifty-somethings remember Star Wars is or do we want to build something else which is going to appeal to all the upcoming generations who are going to know the new stories.'"
Don't focus the land on characters people like, focus it instead on the new movies, Kennedy said. And Iger listened. Well, those new movies have come and gone, and "Star Wars" has never meant less in the national conversation. Sure enough, under new CEO Josh D'Amaro, Disney announced this month that they were bringing Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker into Galaxy's Edge, as well as finally incorporating John Williams' beloved score from the original films.
That's how you know they're admitting they made a gigantic mistake listening to Kathleen Kennedy.
Bringing these characters into Galaxy's Edge makes no logical or thematic sense, particularly since they're being portrayed as their younger selves from the original trilogy. But Disney is desperate to make their gigantic investment in Galaxy's Edge worth it, so they're hoping characters people actually like will bring new fans and keep them there longer.
It's a series of unforced errors. They made mediocre movies that have been mostly forgotten, assumed that people cared about Rey and Kylo Ren or Fin or Poe Dameron, and then bet billions of dollars that their newer stories would be more popular moving forward than the old ones. They were wrong about all of it. None of the depth, complexity, charm, or swashbuckling excitement of the original characters is present in the new movies. Because Kathleen Kennedy was involved in creating them. They haven't released a new "main trilogy" Star Wars movie in years, and aren't close to releasing one.
Now they're having to undo these mistakes, without spending billions to reconfigure the land. What a disaster. And even more frustratingly, a predictable and avoidable one.
Trump set to read Scripture from the Oval Office during 'America Reads the Bible' event starting Sunday
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will read from 2 Chronicles 7 during a nationwide Bible-reading event this week, a passage organizers say was deliberately reserved for the president because of its decades-long role as a call to prayer in America.
Trump is set to read 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 from the Oval Office as part of "America Reads the Bible," a weeklong event marking 250 years of the Bible in America and featuring nearly 500 participants reading Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
Organizers said Trump’s section was not assigned at random.
The event’s online schedule shows the 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 reading was reserved as a "special guest" slot during a prime evening hour on Tuesday, alongside figures like former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and members of Congress.
BEN CARSON POINTS TO GEN Z CHURCH REVIVAL AS YOUNG AMERICANS PUSH BACK ON SECULAR CULTURE
"We needed somebody special to read Second Chronicles chapter seven," Bunni Pounds, founder and president of Christians Engaged, told Fox News Digital.
"As my director and I were praying over different sections of scripture, it came to us that this is such a critical passage for the body of Christ," she said.
Pounds said the passage, particularly verse 14, has been central to American prayer life for decades, often invoked during times of national reflection.
WHITE HOUSE MARKS HOLY WEEK, EASTER WITH DAYS OF PRAYER CENTERED ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
"It comes at a time where the Israelites were experiencing hardship and God spoke and said, ‘If my people that are called by my name would humble themselves and pray,’" Pounds said. "We’ve prayed this scripture for at least the last 50 years of American history on National Day of Prayer and other moments in this country."
Verse 14 reads, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
"And so we instantly said — who needs to read that? The President of the United States," she added. "We set it aside for him and have been praying for that for the last year."
TRUMP SAYS ‘AMERICA NEEDS GOD’ IN GOOD FRIDAY MESSAGE AS HE TOUTS ‘RESURGENCE OF RELIGION'
Pounds said Trump’s participation sends a broader message about faith in American life.
"I think he’s sending a message that faith matters in this country, and that it’s important not only personally, but for our nation overall," she said.
She added that the selected Scripture speaks to the country’s current moment.
WHITE HOUSE EGG ROLL FOR EASTER CELEBRATES 'PATRIOTIC SPIRIT,' AMERICA'S FARMERS AND THE USA'
"We're making a statement during this week as America reads the Bible, that there is so much in the Bible that we can gain wisdom and discernment from, there is so much that can heal our families, that can rescue us from depression and anxiety and can heal our inner cities and heal our land... I believe the president's saying that by reading this scripture specifically," Pounds said.
The White House echoed that theme in a presidential message commemorating the event, calling the Bible "indelibly woven into our national identity" and urging Americans to "rediscover" its role in shaping the nation.
The event, held in partnership with the Museum of the Bible, will run from April 19 through April 25, and include nearly 500 Americans participating in a public reading of the entire Bible.
WHITE HOUSE FAITH ADVISOR SAYS AMERICANS ARE LEAVING ORGANIZED RELIGION BUT NOT LOSING FAITH IN GOD
According to Pounds, all participants will read from the King James Version Easy Read edition, which was licensed for the event’s livestream and a later audiobook version from the week's readings.
The event will feature a wide range of participants, including actress Patricia Heaton, Candace Cameron Bure, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and House Speaker Mike Johnson, each reading portions of Genesis during the opening hours.
Readers range from elected officials and pastors to single parents and small business owners, reflecting what Pounds described as a nationwide cross-section of Americans.
Worship music will accompany each hour of the readings, with different ministries and organizations partnering throughout the event.
Pounds said viewers watching Trump’s reading from the Oval Office will notice the weight of the moment.
"They’re going to see how passionate he is about it, how deliberate he was," she said. "It really struck me to see the leader of the free world reading scripture from the Oval Office."
"There’s a humility on him… and I don’t believe that he would have read it if he didn’t believe it," she added.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
"America Reads the Bible" begins 9 a.m. ET Sunday.
Alleged Irish cartel boss arrested in covert operation on organized crime charges after years-long manhunt
An international fugitive was arrested in Dubai this week following a years-long manhunt.
Daniel Kinahan, the alleged leader of one of Ireland’s biggest criminal gangs, the Kinahan cartel, was arrested on organized crime charges on Wednesday in a covert operation involving Irish and United Arab Emirates authorities.
The 48-year-old alleged crime boss is expected to face charges in Ireland related to a gangland feud between the Kinahan cartel and the Hutch gang that has left 18 people dead since 2015.
Dubai police didn’t name Kinahan, saying they had "arrested an Irish fugitive for his alleged role in an organised criminal group involved in international crimes in his home country."
MAN CLAIMING TO BE CARTEL MEMBER ALLEGEDLY THREATENS TO PUT 'GREEN LIGHT' ON COPS AND THEIR FAMILIES
He was identified by Irish media outlets on Friday.
Ireland’s national police force, the Garda Síochána said an Irish man in his 40s was arrested under a warrant from the Irish courts.
"An Garda Síochána has been steadfast in our determination that we would pursue those allegedly involved in serious Organized Criminal activity, wherever they go," the police said in a statement, according to The Irish Star. "Today’s arrest is another extremely important demonstration of the need for international law enforcement co-operation in tackling transnational organized crime."
FBI'S ICONIC MOST WANTED LIST ENTERS NEW ERA WITH UNPRECEDENTED ADDITION
Kinahan fled Ireland for Spain, then the UAE after he was the believed target in an assassination attempt that left an associate of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, dead at a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin.
The U.S. Treasury Department offered a reward of $5 million in 2022 for information leading to the arrest of the Kinahan cartel’s leaders or the organization’s "financial destruction."
The cartel is considered a juggernaut in the European drug trade, and, along with other European crime organizations, has created a "super cartel" that controls around a third of Europe’s cocaine trade.
Kinahan is also affiliated with the boxing world, and was the founder of boxing management company MTK Global.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News Campus Radicals Newsletter: Dem teachers groom 'foot soldiers,' justice served to anti-Israel group
ACTIVISM TAUGHT: Inside teachers' union May Day 'dress rehearsal' critics warn will 'groom' students into Dem 'foot soldiers'
CAMPUS CRACKDOWN: Duke suspends Students for Justice in Palestine following complaints over antisemitic Instagram post
SIGN UP TO GET THE CAMPUS RADICALS NEWSLETTER
LEFTIST RHETORIC: Far-left streamer Hasan Piker warns 'American empire' will inevitably fall, likely in violent fashion
RFK Jr clashes with Dem lawmaker over Trump’s mental fitness in heated exchange
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended comments about President Donald Trump's mental health following a tense exchange during a congressional hearing.
During Friday's hearing, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) addressed Trump's recent social media posts, pointing to an AI-generated image that critics said depicted him as Jesus Christ and his criticism of Pope Leo as evidence he is mentally unwell.
"Millions of Americans are questioning this president’s mental fitness, his emotional stability, and whether he can carry out the duties of his office. Do you share their concerns about his mental health?" Takano asked Kennedy.
Kennedy began to answer, saying, "I call your attention to..." before the representative cut him off and demanded a more direct response.
SEN BERNIE SANDERS CALLS ON RFK JR TO RESIGN FOLLOWING DEPARTURE OF CDC OFFICIALS
"Mr. Secretary, my question was: Do you share their concerns about his mental health?" Takano reiterated. "We need a leader that we know has full command of his mental faculties and is emotionally stable as he sends uniformed American men and women into harm’s way."
"Millions of Americans are now wondering if this president is delusional and thinks he is Jesus Christ," he continued. "Mr. Secretary, given everything that I’ve shown you today, will you insist that President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness and his emotional stability?"
"Absolutely not," Kennedy quickly interjected.
RFK JR AND TOP DEM CLASH DURING HEATED SENATE HEARING: 'THIS IS ABOUT KIDS'
Takano followed up by asking whether Kennedy would support invoking the 25th Amendment, which allows for a transfer of power if the president dies, resigns, or is incapacitated.
"There hasn’t been a president who is more sane or stable …" Kennedy began to answer before the congressman interrupted him again.
"Mr. Secretary, my question is would you vote to invoke the 25th Amendment," Takano said.
TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR. AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE’S DIFFERENT’
The heated exchange came one day after Kennedy engaged in a shouting match with Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., over previous comments he made about Black children.
"Mr. Secretary, you’ve already admitted that you are not a board-certified physician, and you’ve already admitted you did not go to medical school. Have you ever reparented or parented, I should say, a Black child?" Sewell said, referencing his appearance on a 2024 podcast.
As the two argued back and forth, Kennedy claimed he never made those remarks and refused to answer her question.
The exchanges mark a pattern of escalating confrontations as Kennedy faces continued scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers.
Fox News Digital's Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.
Angel Reese opens up on Chicago Sky departure: 'I wanted more'
WNBA star Angel Reese spoke out about her recent departure from the Chicago Sky during her first news conference with the Atlanta Dream on Friday after she was traded from Chicago to Atlanta earlier this month.
"I’m always gonna be grateful for that because I did experience a lot of great things," Reese said Friday of her time in Chicago. "I enjoyed being able to grow within my first two years, but I wanted more. I love to win, I love to compete and I wanted to be surrounded by people that can make me better.
"And I am not satisfied with what I am as a player, and I felt like being around these kinds of players would help me be better. I can help them in different ways to help them win, and that’s all I ever wanted.
"I don’t care about anything else that comes with it. I want to win and being able to come to an organization that really cared about their players."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The Dream acquired Reese from the Sky April 6 in exhange for first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028. Atlanta also received the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.
One of the WNBA’s most recognizable stars, Reese led the league in rebounds in each of her two seasons with the Sky.
Reese is known in mainstream pop culture as one of the WNBA's most polarizing players due to her ongoing rivalry with women's basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.
There has been suspected tension between Clark and Reese dating back to their meeting in the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game.
CAITLIN CLARK'S FEVER MAKE SEVERAL KEY OFFSEASON SIGNINGS IN CHAMPIONSHIP PURSUIT
Reese taunted Clark by pointing to her ring finger during the game, prompting outrage and sparking an ongoing feud between fans.
Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes got revenge on Reese's LSU Tigers a year later in the Elite Eight, but the tension hit a whole new level when the players reached the pros for their rookie WNBA seasons.
In their first WNBA season in 2024, Clark took a series of questionable fouls from Reese's Sky throughout the 2024 season, including one from Reese June 16.
In 2025, the two had a heated exchange after Reese pushed Fever forward Natasha Howard in the back as she grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by teammate Rebecca Allen. Reese brought the ball low, and Clark fouled her before she went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground.
Reese got up from the floor and got into the face of Clark.
Referees reviewed the play and determined Clark used her left hand to shove Reese to the floor. They upgraded the personal foul on Clark to a flagrant foul. And Reese and Aliyah Boston of the Fever were issued technical fouls.
When the two played as teammates at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers qualifiers in March, Clark ignored Reese's gesture for a high-five during a game.
Now with Clark's Indiana Fever contending for a championship in 2026, Reese's Dream could prove to be a legitimate challenger.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Cruise passengers witness terrifying rescue at sea as stranded man and cat pulled from failing sailboat
A Carnival Cruise Line ship came to the rescue of a stranded sailor and his cat on Tuesday, April 14, after crew members spotted distress signals coming from a disabled sailboat in open waters on the ship's path from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico.
The Carnival Legend was sailing a Caribbean itinerary when crew members noticed emergency flares.
They acted swiftly — deploying a small boat to bring the man and his cat, Dahlia, safely onboard, as video captured at the scene shows.
TITANIC SURVIVOR LIFE JACKET SET TO FETCH STAGGERING PRICE AS ANNIVERSARY NEARS
"The sailor and his cat are safe and doing well," Carnival Cruise Line told Fox News Digital in a statement.
The sailor had been drifting for several days after having engine issues.
He lit the flares desperately hoping to be rescued, the company said.
"The sailor is currently being cared for by Legend’s medical team," Carnival also said in its statement.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
It did not release the man's name.
Passengers aboard the ship witnessed the dramatic rescue as it unfolded, with many describing it as a memorable and emotional moment during their trip.
"We've been on probably 30 cruises before and never experienced anything like this," a cruise passenger and his wife told Fox 26 in an interview.
"To be out in the middle of the ocean, and then you look out, and you see a spotlight shining on a sailboat that was just kind of going up and down in the waves … You could tell [the sailboat] was distressed."
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Dahlia the cat quickly became an unexpected guest aboard the ship, drawing attention from travelers and crew alike.
The Carnival Legend is a Spirit-class cruise ship that launched in 2002 after being built in Finland, according to the company.
The ship is about 963 feet long and can accommodate roughly 2,100 passengers, along with a crew of around 900.
Over the years, the Legend has sailed a range of itineraries, including the Caribbean and Alaska, while undergoing updates to add modern amenities.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
It remains an active part of Carnival’s fleet, offering a mix of dining, entertainment and family-friendly features.
Khloe Quill of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Gold Star father says prior Afghanistan review smelled 'like a cover-up' as new look examines millions of docs
Gold Star father Darin Hoover says a new Pentagon review of the deadly Abbey Gate bombing finally feels different after years of what he described as "crickets" from the Biden administration — but he is still asking whether critical information was deliberately kept from military families and the public.
Hoover, whose son, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin "Taylor" Hoover, was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, told Fox News Digital that for years families got little more than a "canned" response.
"For the first three-and-a-half years… we weren’t getting anything from the prior administration. It was crickets," Hoover said. "The only thing we all got was a canned letter saying how sorry they were. There was not anything individual mentioned about any of the kids."
Former President Joe Biden checked his watch during the dignified transfer of U.S. service members lost at Abbey Gate, which included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy sailor.
WATCH: PRESIDENT TRUMP REVEALS FAMILIES OF SLAIN US SERVICE MEMBERS URGED HIM ‘FINISH THE JOB’
His frustration comes as the Pentagon’s Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel says it has completed the substantive phase of interviews with senior military and civilian leaders, and is now preparing findings and recommendations for a final report expected "in the coming months."
The panel reviewed more than nine million documents, according to chairman Sean Parnell. By contrast, a prior Pentagon review examined roughly 3,000 documents.
Parnell said the earlier review was "significantly narrower in scope" and "over-classified at the highest levels, which effectively kept the most critical and relevant information from public scrutiny."
That contrast is exactly what has Hoover demanding answers.
"The 3,000 pages… doesn’t even make a ripple," Hoover said. "Now we’ve got over a million pages being reviewed. Why was everything so top-secret that none of us could see it? They owe us the answers."
OUR FALLEN HEROES' FAMILIES DESERVE MORE THAN OUTDATED SURVIVOR BENEFITS
Asked directly whether he believes key information was withheld, Hoover did not hesitate.
"Yes, absolutely, information was kept from us," he said.
"That smells exactly like a cover-up," he added. "What is it that they saw, or what did they feel needed to be hidden so nobody could know what it was?"
A Pentagon spokesperson referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Parnell when asked for comment.
In that statement, Parnell said the panel was established by War Secretary Pete Hegseth at the direction of President Donald Trump "to conduct the most comprehensive military after action review in modern history."
He said the panel has interviewed key figures involved in the planning and execution of the withdrawal, including retired Gen. Mark Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., among other senior officials.
"This will be the most thorough, transparent, and honest accounting the American people have received of what happened in August 2021," Parnell said. "Our purpose is to identify failures in decision-making, so that we may prevent the United States from ever repeating this tragedy."
Hoover said accountability should mean real consequences for those in command if the new review finds failures.
"If they did something wrong or failed to act, they should no longer be allowed to lead where life and death is at stake," he said.
"I would love to see pensions taken away… and if possible, I’d love to see people go to jail," he added.
TRUMP CALLS FAMILY OF STAFF SGT OLLIS TO CONFIRM MEDAL OF HONOR AWARD
He also argued the bombing exposed a broader system failure between civilian and military agencies.
"The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing," Hoover said. "And it all got stalled somewhere in the middle."
Other official reviews have previously documented breakdowns surrounding the withdrawal. A State Department review found failures in crisis planning and preparation for worst-case scenarios, while Milley later described the evacuation timeline as "too slow and too late."
Hoover said what makes this moment different is President Trump’s engagement with the families and Hegseth’s promise of a broader accounting.
"He spent 45 minutes with us… gave us his full undivided attention," Hoover said.
He added that after years of silence, simply being included now matters. Hoover noted that the trial of the ISIS-K-linked figure accused of giving the final approval for the bomber to detonate is set to begin Monday in Alexandria, and some of the Abbey Gate families plan to attend.
"We’re coming up on Memorial Day," Hoover said. "Please, please, please remember them. Honor them. Don’t forget how we got here, why we got here and live a life worthy of the sacrifices that have been made."