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Convicted gun felon awaiting sentencing earned spot at Rikers World Cup watch party with Mamdani
A Rikers Island inmate convicted by a jury on felony gun charges was among those rewarded with a FIFA World Cup watch party attended by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, court records reviewed by Fox News Digital show.
Thomas McCoy, 52, of Brooklyn, was among the inmates interviewed during Wednesday's England-Argentina semifinal watch party, telling The Associated Press he had been incarcerated for 21 months and that it was the first time in a long while he had enjoyed "real food."
Queens County court records reviewed by Fox News Digital show McCoy was found guilty in May of two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm, as well as misdemeanor counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
MAMDANI SPARKS FIERCE BACKLASH FOR WORLD CUP STUNT 'PALLING AROUND' WITH RIKERS ISLAND CONVICTS
He was remanded without bail following the verdict and is scheduled to be sentenced July 22.
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The World Cup watch party was one of roughly 90 held at Rikers during the tournament. According to the mayor's office, about 4,500 of the jail's roughly 6,600 inmates participated as a reward for good behavior.
More than 100 inmates attended Wednesday's England-Argentina semifinal viewing, where Mamdani greeted inmates and spoke with attendees.
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Video showed Mamdani greeting inmates and speaking with attendees during the watch party.
During the visit, the mayor said those incarcerated remain "New Yorkers" and emphasized the importance of recognizing their humanity.
Another inmate interviewed by The Associated Press, Ralph Veal, is awaiting trial in Manhattan after pleading not guilty to multiple felony counts of third-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
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In a news release recapping the city's World Cup initiatives, the Mayor's Office highlighted the Rikers watch parties alongside free fan festivals, discounted tickets, neighborhood watch parties and other tournament programming for New Yorkers.
"These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers," the mayor said. Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards defended the programming, saying, "Programs like this equal safety in our jail."
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Earlier this year, Mamdani appointed former Rikers inmate Stanley Richards as correction commissioner after pledging to overhaul the city's troubled jail system.
The appointment came as Rikers remained under federal oversight after a judge appointed an independent remediation manager to oversee reforms amid years of violence, staffing shortages and findings that city officials had failed to correct unconstitutional conditions inside the jail.
Fox News Digital has submitted public records requests seeking the identities of inmates selected for the World Cup watch parties, the criteria used to determine eligibility and whether inmates charged with or convicted of violent felonies participated.
Fox News Digital also asked the Mayor's Office whether Mamdani was briefed on the criminal histories of the inmates who attended before his visit.
If air quality is poor, Argentina could be hurt by Spain's style in World Cup Final, FOX analyst says
The World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday between Spain and Argentina has the potential to be played in unhealthy conditions.
Canadian wildfires have caused the air quality in the Northeast and Midwest to range from "unhealthy" to "hazardous."
This would not be the first time wildfire smoke had a presence in a major soccer game - the 2015 Women's World Cup final in Canada was surrounded by nearby wildfire smoke. But with professional games being moved because of the air, the World Cup could potentially be next on the list.
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FOX announcer John Strong, though, is not too concerned just yet.
"I have hope and confidence that the larger forces at play will make sure that this is a good condition to be able to play a wonderful match and a wonderful occasion and, hopefully not altogether, that hot either in looking at the forecast for Sunday," John Strong said.
However, color commentator Stu Holden said the potential conditions could play a major role on the pitch and could actually be a detriment to Argentina.
"It has me leaning and thinking Spain's possession will be as important as ever for them to make another team run, given the way that they wear teams down," Holden said. "So, I do think it's important from an Argentine perspective that they have to find ways to have possession of the ball against this Spanish team, which is so very difficult.
"As we always say, the ball moves faster than you can run, and Spain do that when they get a goal. If they get the first goal, it's almost impossible to come back against them, because they don't stop playing. So, my hope is that the smoke doesn't play a part because that would be a shame, and certainly the conditions, we don't want to take away from the spectacle on the field."
Spain actually practiced in nearby East Hanover on Thursday, while Argentina remained in Atlanta, which has not been nearly as affected.
Officials urged people to stay inside or wear masks outside as air quality reached unhealthy to hazardous levels, meaning it’s unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions. Experts expressed concern over holding practice outdoors.
Smoke from wildfires — which are burning more of North America as the Earth warms — attacks nearly every system in the body, killing tens of thousands of people a year, numerous medical studies show.
It attacks the body immediately, spiking asthma cases with increased ambulance runs within hours. Smoke can trigger inflammation in different parts of the body, often attacking a person’s weakest points, which can then cascade into different effects of an immune system trying to fight a nasty irritant, doctors and scientists said.
A Major League Soccer game was postponed on Thursday in Chicago due to the air quality. The game was slated to be Polish star Robert Lewandowski's MLS debut.
The Philadelphia Phillies also announced roughly three hours before the scheduled first pitch that their game against the New York Mets, originally slated for 7:10 p.m. ET, was moved up an hour. Despite the change, Bryce Harper said it was "not the greatest idea" to play, while other players complained of thick air, tasting metal and burning eyes.
The National Women’s Soccer League played a game at Citi Field on Wednesday in similar conditions that turned into the most-attended women’s sports contest in New York history, with 42,175 people attending Gotham FC’s match against the Washington Spirit at Citi Field. But Washington’s Trinity Rodman wasn’t happy with the game, which included two hydration breaks per half, being played.
"If we have to have a hydration break every 15 minutes, then we shouldn’t be playing the game, and that’s my opinion," Rodman said. "But, at the end of the day, there’s 40,000 people. It’s a whole event, so it’s really tough. It’s just a really hard situation for everyone to work around."
Three MLB games were postponed in 2023 due to air quality concerns in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
The air quality in the tri-state area has been deemed "unhealthy," perhaps putting a wrinkle in Sunday's World Cup final at nearby MetLife Stadium. But it is expected to be better in time with cold fronts and rainstorms coming into the area on Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Socialist-backed Dem who ripped the wealthy cracks state’s top 1%, tax returns show
Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has been intensely critical of the wealthy while on the campaign trail, makes enough money to put him and his wife in the top 1% of households in his state.
El-Sayed and his wife collectively earned $686,069 in 2025, according to recently released tax returns. To make it into the top 1% of earners in Michigan, households need to bring in just over $611,500, according to IRS data analyzed by Axios.
"For people who have accumulated so much wealth that your money makes money, at some point, we’re like, ‘well we can’t possibly tax them,’" El-Sayed said at an August 2025 campaign event. "If I told you how much wealth is held by the 300,000 most wealthy Americans in this country, it would blow your mind … so if we put a tax on wealth it would return a lot of that money back into public use."
DEM SENATE HOPEFUL ABDUL EL-SAYED RECOUNTS SMASHING VODKA BOTTLE AFTER BEARD CRITICISM
The released return also lists $262,299 in capital gains, even as El-Sayed has criticized extreme wealth by arguing that some Americans have so much money that their "money makes money." The Senate hopeful, who reported owning two rental properties worth $750,000 in 2025, has also been critical of "greedy landlords."
El-Sayed, however, has reserved most of his criticism for billionaires, a category that does not encompass his own level of wealth.
"So a lot of folks are like, ‘well, Abdul, you know, you just don’t want people to get rich.’ No! I don’t begrudge anyone their millions," El-Sayed said at a campaign event. "But I do begrudge everyone their billions."
Some of El-Sayed’s biggest supporters in Congress, however, have been directly critical of the 1% that El-Sayed is a part of.
Sanders, a self-described socialist who endorsed El-Sayed on the same day he launched his campaign for Michigan’s Senate seat, has long railed against "the 1%" as a malign influence on American politics. The Vermont senator also endorsed El-Sayed’s 2018 bid for Michigan governor.
"Extreme wealth is an existential threat to our economy and our democracy and it demands a crisis-level response," his campaign website reads. "Abdul supports taxing billionaire wealth akin to policies proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren and will champion proposals that will reduce the wealth and power of the ultra-rich and return it to working people."
DEM SENATE HOPEFUL'S PINK-GLOVED MELTDOWN RESURFACES AFTER VIRAL PEP TALK IGNITED MOCKERY
A portion of El-Sayed’s household income comes from his wife’s psychiatry practice, which attracted criticism after a webpage belonging to the practice reportedly claimed that it did not accept insurance.
His reported household income is far higher than the $237,000 in gross income disclosed during his 2018 gubernatorial run, according to prior reporting. Despite his left-wing rhetoric, El-Sayed spends his sizable income on upscale items, most visibly wristwatches ranging in value from $2,000 to $10,000, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Friday.
Trump says White House searching for 'vandal proof' material after alleged Reflecting Pool attack
President Donald Trump said Friday that the White House is searching for a "vandal proof material" following alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
"The Reflecting Pool, so badly damaged by Deranged Vandals, has been emptied as the massive slash gets repaired. We got it through the great July Fourth Weekend. What kind of animals would do such a thing?" the president wrote on Truth Social.
"We are looking for a Vandal Proof material, but such a thing should not have been necessary. The Scum in Court will hopefully be prosecuted to the MAX," Trump added.
There have been multiple arrests in relation to the alleged vandalism of the basin, with Trump saying in late June that "they took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250-foot-long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete," and that "they also poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the pool."
LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL DRAINED AGAIN AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESUMES REPAIRS
Trump ordered a restoration project for the Reflecting Pool earlier this year as part of his effort to refurbish D.C. landmarks ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary.
The project was later beset by an algae bloom, and sections of the new blue coating began peeling from the bottom of the pool.
FORMER US OLYMPIAN DAVID HEARN INDICTED IN ALLEGED REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM
According to court documents, U.S. Park Police responded to a report of damage at the Reflecting Pool on June 9. Investigators said caulk had been spread over foam sealant that had been cut with a "sharp knife or razor," the newly applied surface coating had been damaged, and roughly 70 fence post caps had been thrown into the pool.
Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn was also indicted on a felony destruction of property charge following his arrest in connection to a June 19 incident at the landmark.
Hearn denied damaging the pool, saying he stopped on a bike ride and touched a loose piece of the peeling blue coating "to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen."
Hearn, 67, has pleaded not guilty in the case.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Canfield, Michael Sinkewicz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Padres vs. Royals pitching matchup favors the under 10.5 as the second-half of the MLB season starts
We started the second half of the MLB season with exactly what I wanted — a win. I didn't take the full game, instead opting for the first five innings moneyline. I was able to cash that ticket with a sweaty 1-0 victory. The final score of 4-1 would've made the full game a bit easier to tolerate, but I'll take the win. Hopefully, this play between the Padres and Royals won't be quite as much of a nailbiter.
The San Diego Padres are doing what they seem to do every season. They are a .500 club, but are filled with talented players on their roster. I've mentioned previously that they might be the most frustrating team in baseball. They try to take big swings to make their team better, they aren't afraid to make trades, and they invest in the club. The reward so far has been mostly lost playoff series and nothing exciting in the regular season. The team is hitting just .226 for the year (dead last in the league) and has 379 runs scored (also the very worst in the league).
Their pitching hasn't been much better, but still certainly better than their offense. The team ERA is 4.23, which is 17th in the league. The collective WHIP comes out to 1.34, which is 20th. Their starter today is Michael King, one of their better arms in the rotation. King is 6-7 for the season with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has been slightly worse on the road than at home based on ERA, but he also has allowed three fewer earned runs in almost 20 fewer innings on the road. That's showing that he really is not pitching all that well on the road. He is coming off of two really nice quality starts against the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks. Royals hitters are batting just .194 against him over 31 at-bats.
The Kansas City Royals are similar to the Padres in that they are one of the more frustrating teams in the game. This was a great opportunity for them to take the division. The Twins and White Sox were supposed to be in down years. The Tigers didn't do much to improve their hitting. The Guardians are seemingly always competitive. The Royals were supposed to take a bit of a step forward, but that hasn't happened. They are 21 games under .500 and probably will look to trade away players, looking forward to next season.
One guy that might get some trade consideration is today's starter, Seth Lugo. This is probably the worst year that Lugo has had in his career with the Royals. He is just 3-6 with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. However, his work over the past few years makes me think that some people will take a shot on him. He has been better at home, throwing to a 3.83 ERA. He has struggled quite a bit over the past two months, going 33.2 innings and allowing 25 earned runs. He had allowed only 28 earned runs before June started. Padres hitters are batting .255 against him, but no one really stands out aside from maybe Miguel Andujar.
There isn't much of a spot here for a player prop in my opinion. I do think both pitchers should be able to navigate their opponent's lineup. The Padres aren't hitting the ball well, and the Royals aren't exactly a scary team to face, either. I don't have a great feel for which team will win this game, I can make a decent case for both.
Instead of taking on the side, I'm going to take on the total. The Padres are last in runs scored, and the Royals are 20th. It isn't like these offenses are great. Both pitchers are in decent situations for their splits. Give me the under 10.5, I think the line on this game is about two runs too high. I'll bet multiple units on this one.
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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
Vicious Vicki eyes the Awesome Championship Wrestling women's title as she gets set for No 1 contender match
Vicious Vicki is once again crossing the Jersey state line in hopes of getting back into the Awesome Championship Wrestling (ACW) Women’s Championship picture on Saturday.
She will be one of 10 women participating in a battle royal to determine who is the No. 1 contender for the title held by Steph De Lander. Vicki was able to get one up on De Lander at Reckoning when she pinned her to win a tag team match. But at Indypendence Day at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, the stakes a just a little bit bigger.
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Vicki told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she’s done being looked over and stepped on by her opponents.
"Look, I've been a part of ACW since its inception. I have been the, yes, self-proclaimed ‘Queen of ACW,’ but at the same time, I have been stepped on, walked all over, just overlooked, overshadowed, and I just feel I have 10 other women who have no business being in that ring," she said. "And I feel like I'm just going to throw them all over and prove yet again why I should be the ACW women's champion.
"Now, I know I have to get the contendership to do that, but there have been multiple times and multiple occasions where I should have been in the title picture or had the title. So, Saturday is going to be a proving ground yet again at why I'm the best in ACW."
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Vicki, a New Jersey native, is passionate about the sport and her craft.
She said she fell in love with pro wrestling watching WWE Hall of Famer Lita and The Hardy Boyz in action during the Attitude Era. Since then, all she could think about was achieving her dream of becoming a pro wrestler.
"I have been a fan for pretty much my entire life. Four years old, I was watching the Attitude Era and just watching these larger-than-life characters and really just fell in love with it," she said. "I always wanted to be like Lita. That was like the initial thing. I wanted to be just like Lita growing up and the Hardy Boyz and what have you. And yeah, it was just one of those things where I loved it and I was an athlete growing up and all I talked about was wrestling.
"All I thought about was wrestling. ‘How am I going to make this a real career?’ Then, I went through some stuff growing up, but it finally happened. In 2018, I finally took the leap and I knew that if I didn't do it or if I didn't try that, I would regret it forever. It was like one of those things where I was like, if I don't live this dream out, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
It was the pageantry of the sport mixed with its athleticism that drew her in.
"I think for me, it was just this perfect blend of acting and athleticism and the outfits and I just think it was just so mesmerizing as a kid," she said. "Then as I got older and started having new interests like being an athlete and doing musical theater and stuff like that, I feel like it was just literally a perfect blend of everything I loved. So, it was like this just like I said larger-than-life, amazing show that I felt like I have to be a part of this. But again, it's deeper than that.
"Us die hard wrestling fans, it's just the stories and being connected to these people and wanting to be like these people and, believing that, hey, I can do this, too. I think for me growing up, it was a matter of like seeing someone like Lita like jumping on the scene and this beautiful girl and doing all these crazy things, it just kind of made me believe in myself that I could do it, too."
On Saturday, she said fans who come out to ACW Indypendence Day will be treated to a one-of-a-kind experience that no other independent promotion has to offer.
"ACW is one of the hottest things going right now," she told Fox News Digital. "It is literally one of the biggest independent companies right now. There's everything. First of all, it's in a historic building. So that's No. 1 right there. The talent on the card is bar none the best in the world. I think what Vik (Dalishus) and Hale (Collins) are doing and whatnot, it's really special. It’s been thriving.
"I think people have a ball. Every single time that I go to a show and whether I'm doing meet and greets or if it's before the show, after the show, everybody's just so happy to be there. They are so excited for the show. It's very family friendly. And it's for the smart marks, too. It’s just a really great company and I don't know one person who has had a bad time at ACW."
Tyler Robinson's father runs thriving hometown business as taxpayers face possible $10M defense bill: report
Tyler Robinson's father was back running his local business days after standing beside his son in court, where prosecutors laid out a mountain of explosive evidence at last week's preliminary hearing, according to a report.
Matthew Robinson has stood by his son through the court proceedings and was the one who helped turn him in to police after he allegedly confessed to killing conservative icon Charlie Kirk. While the father has stood by Tyler Robinson's side, Utah taxpayers are on the hook for his defense, which experts told the New York Post could go beyond $10 million.
Matthew Robinson was seen shuttling between his $600,000 southern Utah home and the masonry business he runs, just days after his son's preliminary hearing, the New York Post reported.
According to sources who spoke with the outlet, the business relies almost entirely on referrals and long-standing client relationships to stay afloat.
After his son was accused of killing Kirk, most of Matthew Robinson's clients have decided to keep doing business with the company. Only on rare occasions does Matthew Robinson mention his son, according to a colleague.
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Matthew Robinson was sued by his brother and a co-founder of the company, claiming $100,000 was embezzled over two years, according to a 2014 lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Matthew Robinson concealed financial records and bartered work in exchange for personal favors.
The brothers would eventually reach a confidential settlement.
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The total cost of prosecuting Tyler Robinson has yet to be finalized, but his defense team has requested an additional $2 million in state funding, a figure experts believe could ultimately balloon past $10 million overall.
During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors played a recorded video interview with the Kirk assassination suspect's ex-roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs, who said Tyler Robinson confessed to the killing.
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"I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet," Robinson allegedly texted Twiggs. "Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you."
"You weren’t the one who did it right????" Twiggs replied.
"I am," Robinson allegedly texted back. "I’m sorry."
Leaked Iran report finds record public anger as regime focuses on holding power
A confidential report prepared for Iran’s presidency is raising a consequential question for Washington and its allies: Do extraordinary levels of public anger and support for systemic change justify reassessing whether the Islamic Republic may be more vulnerable to regime change than previously believed?
The classified document, titled "What Iran Wants," reportedly found that only 9% of respondents supported maintaining the status quo, with 53% calling for fundamental or structural reforms and more than 19% favoring changing the political system outright.
Taken together, nearly three-quarters of those surveyed reportedly supported either deep structural reform or replacement of the existing system — findings that could strengthen arguments that Iran’s political crisis has moved beyond dissatisfaction with individual leaders or policies.
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IranWire reported on July 13 that it had obtained the document, which was compiled by Ali Rabiei, President Masoud Pezeshkian’s social adviser and a former government spokesman. It was based on polling conducted by the Ara Opinion Research Center in May 2026 and circulated among institutions within Iran’s governing structure in June, according to the outlet.
Miad Maleki, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that the report should prompt a fresh assessment of the potential for political upheaval inside Iran.
"If anything, this research understates the depth of Iranians’ rage," Maleki said. "And that is what makes it remarkable: even a survey prepared for the regime’s own president, by its own pollsters, records anger levels above 63%, well beyond the highest rate Gallup has ever recorded anywhere in the world, alongside 81% struggling to put food on the table and a majority expressing hopelessness."
Maleki cautioned that polling conducted under an authoritarian government cannot be treated as precise because respondents may fear the consequences of expressing opposition.
"In a police state where expressing the wrong opinion can cost you your job, your freedom, or your life, respondents self-censor, which means these findings are best read as a floor, not a ceiling," he said.
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The complete survey methodology was not included in the material obtained by IranWire. The report reportedly did not disclose how respondents were selected, who was questioned or whether the sample reflected Iran’s geographic and demographic makeup.
Its findings therefore cannot be independently verified or treated as definitive measurements of Iranian opinion. The report also cannot establish that dissatisfaction will translate into an organized movement capable of removing the government.
Still, its findings portray multiple pressures converging at once.
Approximately 64% of respondents reported persistent anger, up roughly 12% points from a previous government survey conducted in December 2025. Half reported hopelessness, approximately 48% reported sadness or depression and about 45% reported persistent fear or anxiety, according to IranWire.
Economic distress also appears central to the public anger.
More than 81% experienced severe or partial difficulty obtaining enough food, while 75% struggled to cover medical costs, IranWire reported. Fifty-four percent said their income did not cover current household expenses, and only 8% reported earning enough to save.
Respondents blamed domestic governance more frequently than international pressure. 46.9% cited government inefficiency as the cause of Iran’s economic problems, 26.3% blamed corruption and 20.7% cited foreign sanctions.
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That finding could be especially significant to the regime-change debate because it suggests many Iranians do not primarily blame outside powers for their deteriorating living conditions.
The document also points to a crisis of institutional confidence. Roughly 60% reportedly distrusted major government institutions, while 61.2% negatively assessed officials’ ability to solve Iran’s problems. Distrust of the government, parliament, judiciary and state television remained above 50%, IranWire reported.
The report’s recommendations, however, reportedly centered on managing dissatisfaction rather than addressing demands for systemic change.
Rabiei urged state institutions to better explain the impact of sanctions, moderate the rhetoric used by officials and religious platforms, present a more inclusive image through state television and avoid policies that place the government in direct confrontation with society.
IranWire’s follow-up analysis argued that the recommendations treated Iran’s crisis primarily as a communications and public-perception problem. The report offered few concrete proposals involving institutional accountability, political liberalization or fundamental economic reform, according to the outlet.
Maleki said the findings were consistent with the expanding scale of unrest, citing demonstrations that spread from more than 80 cities in 2017 to more than 200 cities across all 31 provinces this year, alongside what he described as a quadrupling of strikes.
"Iranians have moved from being skeptical of what another revolution might bring to concluding there is no alternative to one, because reform has proven impossible," Maleki said.
Yet the report does not resolve one of the largest obstacles to regime change: The Islamic Republic has spent decades building institutions designed to monitor, deter and violently suppress organized opposition.
"This regime was born of revolution, by revolutionaries," Maleki said. "Preventing and crushing the next one is the one thing they genuinely know how to do."
He nevertheless argued that further unrest was inevitable.
"So the discontent will translate into renewed protest," Maleki said. "The question is not if, but when, and whether anyone is prepared to stand with the Iranian people when it does."
Don Lemon reveals he's 'totally serious' about considering a presidential run
Former CNN host Don Lemon revealed he was "totally serious" about considering a presidential run during a podcast on Wednesday and said people kept asking him if he's going to run.
"Can't be Censored" hosts Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong asked Lemon if he had political ambition, to which the ex-CNN host said no, but revealed people had been asking him to and that he was thinking about it.
"I actually think I would be a really good president of the United States," Lemon said.
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"Okay, like you're being serious?" Dhanraj asked.
Lemon said he was being totally serious and was asked what it would take for him to run.
"For the people to want me. What it would take is if I ran a political campaign, a presidential campaign, I would like to run it, and I don't know if this is realistic or not, without having to beg for money. I would like it to be a voter-citizen-driven campaign for as much as it can be. Maybe at some point I might have to take a donation. I would rather not do that, but I would rather the people of the United States to say, 'That's the guy that we want. I'm gonna give him five dollars or $10' or something that doesn't break the bank because I know that the economy is tough," Lemon said.
FOX NEWS POLL: MOST RATE THE ECONOMY NEGATIVELY, INCLUDING HALF OF REPUBLICANS
Lemon criticized President Donald Trump and argued he was "not doing a great job for the working-class people, for the American economy."
The former CNN host said Trump's economic policies only benefited the rich and people who happen to have 401(k)s.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Lemon's statements and his possible plans to run for president.
When pressed on whether he's seriously explored what it would take to run, Lemon said he's dipped his toe into it.
"I've stuck my toe into it, if you want to put it that way, or I've dabbled, I've talked to people about it, people who have been in politics before, what would it take? When would I have to get in to do it? And I'd have to be really serious about it," he said.
He added, "So as we get closer to 2027 or 2028, I'll see. I'll decide. But I have enough on my hands right now."
Lemon previously floated the idea during an episode of "Pod Save America" in March.
"Do I ever think about it? Yes," Lemon said on "Pod Save America" on March 29. "Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself. Look, if I wanted to, I know people are going to think I'm crazy. This is going to be the headline, and people are going to laugh about it. I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump."
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Lemon said at the time that he did not have any interest in running for office, arguing that it could "ruin" his life and pointing out that White male candidates "get away with" far more than female or minority ones. He also argued that he would have to change his party affiliation from independent to Democrat.
However, he pushed back on the idea that it was impossible for him to consider running.
"Am I at that point now? No. And I know people are going to say Don Lemon is crazy. But yeah, that's…look, why can't I think about running for office? Why can't I think about being president of the United States when look at what we have?" Lemon said.
He continued, "Did anybody think Barack Obama, as he says, this guy with a funny name is from a mixed background, did anybody ever think that he would become president, that he had that aspiration? I don't have an aspiration to become president, but I do think that I could run this country a lot better than Donald Trump."
Former WWE star set for huge tag match at Awesome Championship Wrestling, talks importance of Soleil character
Soleil will take to the skies on Saturday night during Awesome Championship Wrestling’s (ACW) Indypendence Day in a tag team match with Dante Casanova as they look to get one over on the duo known as The Righteous.
Sidney Akeem, the former WWE star, is the man behind the mask. It will be his first appearance at ACW since 2025 at Mischief Night when he took on Casanova and AJZ in a triple-threat match. Casanova was the winner of that battle and now gets to team with Soleil.
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He told Fox News Digital he was excited to get an opportunity to take on Vincent and Dutch as they have progressed as one of the top tag teams across pro wrestling, primarily competing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on Thursday nights.
"I'm not going to say there's any nerves. I've been in the ring with a lot of great talent in my career," he said. "This is the first time I get to tangle with The Righteous and I'm excited. Actually, I was talking to the brothers not too long ago, telling them how much I enjoy their work and so getting to share the stage in the ring with them is going to be fun.
"It's going to be different because me and Dante Casanova, you know, this came together unexpectedly, but I think we're two guys that are done proving ourselves that we belong in this wrestling world, the ACW locker room. I think we've more than proved that we belong. I think right now it's about making a statement. Making a statement and making an impact and hope this tag team division."
The ability to wear the mask again is an important part for Soleil.
He said he’s been working on the character for several years and tried to introduce it in WWE but it never took off. He was known as Scrypts and Reggie during his time with the company.
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"Yeah, I mean this is the new me and this is also the real me," he explained to Fox News Digital. "Everyone knows Sidney Akeem, former WWE superstar Reggie, NXT star Scrypts, and you know I never quite found my footing of who I really am when I was in WWE and then when I got to the indies I had a great run as Sidney Akeem, but something was missing. Something was missing not only from myself but that connection with the fans all around the world. And so, I've had this character Soleil. … I've been creating it for almost say six years and it never came together because it was just it wasn't the right time and in NXT this is what I wanted Scrypts to be, but it was too many chefs in the kitchen. I did debut this on Ring of Honor but the real debut for Soleil with the music, the jumbotron everything was on ACW.
"So, the fact that I debuted this character, the real me, and on ACW. I think it's only fitting that moving forward. You may see Sidney Akeem again. But it’s Soleil because it’s what I stand for and what it means to not only myself, but so many people around the world. This is a sign of courage of breaking those barriers of the boxes they tried to keep people in. I grew up in a place where you weren't allowed to be a superhero. You weren't allowed to be your true self and so you put these masks on to be other people. Well, this mask is put on to show you who I really am. And it's Soleil, the dark sun who comes from the circus but now making his statement, his footing in the wrestling world."
Soleil said he wants to express to the audience that it was OK to express who you are as a person. You can be a superhero and fly through the air like he can.
"The wrestling world is big and you can try to target a certain group of people or you can try to target everyone. I found who I want to be a symbol for and it's so many kids around the world that not only look like me, but that go through or went through things that I went through in my life and let them know that it's OK to unlock your inner superhero," he said. "It's OK that you dream big and sometimes a little crazy and outlandish because the world will tell us no. People will tell us no.
"And Soleil is me telling everyone yes. It doesn't matter where you come from or what you've done before or what your reputation might be. There's a superhero inside of everyone. And I want people to understand that I'm not just putting a mask on tas a as a gimmick. I'm putting a mask on because this is truly who I am. I already move like a superhero. And circus people the closest thing to real life superheroes that we have for all of the things that we do. And I said I'm not in the circus anymore, I'm in the wrestling world and wrestling started in the circus. So, this is the story. There's so much deeper than just putting a mask on as a gimmick."
Even as a superhero character, Soleil was not exactly committed to having one tag team’s back who previously had a dangerous experience with The Righteous
At Reckoning in May, The Righteous came out of the back and handcuffed Hale Collins to the cage as Vik Dalishus was getting beat up by Sent 2 Slaughter’s Danny Maff and Shawn Donovan.
The Now and Sent 2 Slaughter will be on opposite sides of the ring again on Saturday as they are participating in a lumberjack match between Tommy Dreamer and Josh Shernoff.
"I'm also on my own journey and I understand that Dante has now entered into my world, into my journey. We just have to see how the cards are dealt because I can't tell you right now that, yes, I will have this person's back or that person's back," Soleil told Fox News Digital. "We, regardless, of how confident we are, we have a tall task in front of us. The Righteous, they aren't walkovers. We are going into this match believing that we can win, but we can't go in it halfcocked and not focused thinking that, oh, this is just cake-work because it's obviously not one of the best tag teams in this business that we have. So, that's a question that we’re going to have to cross once we get there."
Indypendence Day takes place at the MJN Center on Saturday in Poughkeepsie, New York.