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Patriots owner Robert Kraft says Bill Belichick 'unequivocally deserves' to be first-ballot Hall of Famer
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s relationship with Bill Belichick may have deteriorated toward the end of the coach’s 23-year tenure, but the longtime owner is with the masses who feel he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Shock is an understatement for how the football world reacted to reports that Belichick didn’t get the necessary votes to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try.
Kraft was among those, saying Belichick "unequivocally" should be heading to Canton.
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"Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves," Kraft said in a statement.
"As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of The National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer."
Prominent figures in football, including Kraft’s and Belichick’s crowned jewel, quarterback Tom Brady, had something to say about the coach with the second-most wins all-time and six Super Bowl rings not being elected in.
TOM BRADY PERPLEXED OVER BILL BELICHICK FAILING TO MAKE HALL OF FAME ON FIRST BALLOT
"I don’t understand it," Brady said on Seattle Sports 710-AM. "If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Fame, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Fame, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it."
Kansas City Chiefs great Patrick Mahomes, who went against Belichick’s Patriots in his career, added it was "insane" to see the news.
"Don’t even understand how this could be possible," Mahomes responded on X to ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s post about the news that Belichick fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed for induction in his first year of eligibility.
ESPN reported that Belichick, who received the news last Friday that he didn’t make the cut, asked an associate, "Six Super Bowls isn’t enough," talking about the championships won in New England.
"What does a guy have to do?" he reportedly added.
ESPN added that Belichick, who also won two Super Bowls during his time as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, was "puzzled" and "disappointed" that he didn’t secure at least 80% of votes from the Hall’s committee members.
"Politics kept him out. He doesn't believe this is a reflection on his accomplishments," a source told the outlet.
Belichick owns the second-most wins by a head coach in NFL history, going 333-178, including the playoffs. He is second only to the great Don Shula, the Hall of Famer who has 347 victories.
It is Belichick’s track record leading a dynasty in New England that had many believe there was no way he would make it past a first ballot.
ESPN reported that the infamous Spygate and Deflategate scandals involving the Patriots during Belichick’s time in charge did come up during deliberations about whether to vote him into Canton.
Kraft is also a finalist for the Hall of Fame as a contributor, and he’s considered a strong candidate to enter immortality in Canton. However, some speculate, if Belichick isn’t in, will Kraft also not make it?
The relationship between owner and head coach soured toward the end of what was a dynasty-filled tenure with Belichick at the helm. The handling of Brady’s exit, where he ultimately chose the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl in his first season outside of Foxborough, as well as public statements about credit for success, led to big headlines on Belichick’s way out before the 2024 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Turning Point USA backs Trump Accounts program with 'dollar-for-dollar match' for eligible employee newborns
Turning Point USA and another nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk will match the federal government's $1,000 contribution to Trump Accounts, a program created with the intention of giving newborns a financial head start in life, for its employees.
Erika Kirk, the CEO who leads the nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes, said Wednesday that TPUSA and Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group, would honor her late husband "through a company-sponsored dollar-for-dollar" match of the federal government's $1,000 contribution established for every eligible employee's newborn baby.
"Charlie spoke so often about the importance of young families and having children, and his face would light up every time he learned about a Turning Point employee welcoming a newborn into their family," she wrote on X. "We're proud to stand with @POTUS in supporting families and investing in the future of America."
DELL FOUNDER SAYS $6.25B 'TRUMP ACCOUNTS' DONATION IS 'SMARTEST INVESTMENT’ IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES
Trump Accounts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are slated to launch on July 4. Under the terms of the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury.
That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18.
"For the first time ever, we're going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American dream," President Donald Trump said Wednesday at a Treasury Department event.
TRUMP SAYS TARIFF-FUNDED DIVIDEND PAYMENTS FOR AMERICANS WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR
The accounts can be established by an authorized adult, who can be a parent, guardian, adult sibling or grandparent, as long as they have a valid Social Security number. However, a Social Security number is not required to make contributions of up to $5,000 annually.
The accounts are an opportunity to give the next generation of Americans a nest egg and the proper financial footing once they grow into adulthood.
He also called on employers to match Trump Account contributions.
"Every president in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt," Trump said. "But under this administration, we’re going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
American extremist admits bankrolling ISIS terrorists, plotting US violence with homemade bomb: feds
A Southern California man who funneled money to ISIS fighters and stockpiled a homemade bomb pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges Tuesday, according to the Justice Department.
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of being a felon in possession of a gun. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in August 2025.
According to his plea agreement, Villanueva began communicating in February 2025 on social media with an individual who claimed to be an ISIS fighter living in Syria and provided instructions on how to send money overseas.
Federal prosecutors say Villanueva sent more than $1,600 over several months with the understanding the funds would be used to purchase weapons, ammunition and other supplies to support ISIS operations. He also discussed carrying out operations for ISIS inside the United States.
HABBA: DOJ MOVED ‘SWIFTLY AND DECISIVELY’ TO STOP ISIS-LINKED HALLOWEEN TERROR PLOT TARGETING JEWS
"Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world," Acting FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director Patrick Grandy said in a previous statement, crediting the Joint Terrorism Task Force with preventing further support for ISIS.
Court records show Villanueva communicated with two individuals who self-identified as ISIS fighters, repeatedly expressing his desire to fight for the terrorist group himself.
"It’s an honor to fight and die for our faith. It’s the best way to go to heaven," Villanueva allegedly wrote. "Someday soon, I’ll be joining."
Villanueva also told one of the ISIS contacts that he possessed a bomb and knives. When FBI agents searched his Long Beach home in August 2025, they recovered a homemade explosive packed with ball bearings, nails, screws and other metal fragments from his bedroom.
Prosecutors said Villanueva knew the device qualified as a firearm and destructive device under federal law and that it was not registered. At the time, he was legally prohibited from possessing guns due to a prior felony stalking conviction in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2017.
Western Union records show Villanueva sent 12 payments totaling $1,615 to overseas intermediaries over a five-month period.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ISIS-INSPIRED NEW YEAR’S EVE TERROR SUSPECT
Villanueva faces up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and up to 15 years for the gun charge. U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang scheduled his sentencing for June 17.
"Supporting a terrorist group, whether at home or abroad, is a serious risk to our national security," acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. "We will aggressively hunt down and prosecute anyone who provides support or comfort to our enemies."
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case.
Fox News' Matt Finn and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Video captures emergency crews rescuing dog trapped in icy lake during single-digit temperatures
A dog that plunged into an icy lake amid near-zero temperatures was successfully rescued by the fire department in Missouri, according to footage that captured the dramatic mission.
The St. Louis Fire Department (STLFD) released the video of the operation on its Facebook page Monday and said its Marine Rescue Task Force led the operation.
"In the grip of single-digit temperatures, a dog wandered onto the ice and suddenly found itself in a life-threatening situation," STLFD said.
"The ice gave way, leaving the dog trapped in frigid water, unable to swim to safety as the cold quickly took its toll."
DRAMATIC VIDEO SHOWS FIREFIGHTERS RACING ACROSS FROZEN POND TO SAVE DOG THAT FELL THROUGH ICE
Video of the incident shows a rescue boat approaching a large dog clinging to the ice to stay afloat.
As rescue personnel pulled the dog from the frozen water, it appeared stiff and numb from the cold. It remains unclear how long the dog had been stranded before the rescue.
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering.
The dog then slumped into the boat, with one crew member gently patting it in comfort.
The fire department noted that the task force responded just in time after receiving a call reporting the incident.
"Crews launched, navigated the frozen conditions, and reached the dog just in time, carefully pulling it from the icy water and bringing it to safety," the department said.
STLFD added that the dog is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.
Fox News Digital reached out to the St. Louis Fire Department for more information.
Gulf shipping operations grind to halt near Iran; US quietly prepares for possible strike: 'Heightened risk'
Shipping in the Persian Gulf dipped sharply Wednesday as tensions with Iran intensified amid signs the U.S. was positioning military forces for a potential strike, according to maritime intelligence assessments.
The U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Monday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital, as President Donald Trump continued to keep military options on the table.
"At this stage, it remains ambiguous, and probably intentionally ambiguous, what the objectives and desired outcomes are of any U.S. military action," Ambrey Intelligence's Robert Peters told Fox News Digital.
"This means that there are a wider range of possibilities and retaliatory scenarios under consideration.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'FINAL' 25% TARIFF ON COUNTRIES DOING BUSINESS WITH IRAN REGIME
"That said, there are five U.S.-flagged merchant vessels, tankers and cargo ships in the Gulf today — two transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier without any apparent issues — but those already in the Gulf and destined for the U.S. are at heightened risk," he added.
Trump, who earlier this week indicated "numerous" calls were received from Iran, also posted about the situation on Truth Social Wednesday morning.
"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela," he wrote.
IRAN POSES A FAR MORE DANGEROUS MILITARY TEST FOR THE US THAN VENEZUELA, EXPERTS WARN
"Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!"
The post came as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported the death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 6,200 since the outset Dec. 28.
The organization said nearly 17,100 more were under investigation with "a continuation of both scattered and mass arrests" as internet restrictions continue.
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN WITH CRUSHING RESPONSE AS TEHRAN DENIES HALTING PROTEST EXECUTIONS
Peters meanwhile, claimed that "shipping companies have been advised to reduce aggregate risk when operating in the Arabian/Persian Gulf.
"This means limiting the number of ships that could be exposed to retaliatory action, and sometimes ships will await further instructions closer to their next port in the Gulf," he said. "At this point, it is more appropriate to wait further away in case of an escalation."
Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that any military action by the U.S. from any origin and at any level "will be regarded as the start of a war, and the response will be immediate, all-out, and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all those who support the aggressor," according to Iran International.
IRAN STRIKES COULD SIGNAL LIMITS OF BEIJING, MOSCOW’S POWER AS US FLEXES STRENGTH
"Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea," Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
With tensions rising in the region, Peters described how shipowners may be approached by cargo charterers to load cargo in the Gulf.
"Then they will make the decision to avoid the Gulf for the time being until the tensions reduce," Peters added. "Interestingly, last year the Iranians did not take retaliatory action in the maritime sphere. Israeli shipping was already avoiding the Gulf, and the U.S. military action was highly targeted at the nuclear capabilities."
But Peters warned that the situation "may see something similar again. If there is a much broader, regime-destabilizing operation, the effects could be considerable for wider shipping.
"During periods like this, we tend to see greater risk aversion and inquiries from those asked to pick up cargo for U.S. charterers and destined for the U.S.," he added.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to federal pay dates to watch if there’s a partial government shutdown
There is an old trick which may help you divine the length of a prospective government shutdown.
The signpost to watch is the pay schedule for federal workers.
Let’s start with the basics. This potential partial shutdown would impact six areas of the government and hits 78 percent of all federal spending. It’s set to begin at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, January 31.
But since it’s over the weekend, some call this a "lapse in appropriations."
DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP'S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING
For starters, that technicality of a "lapse in appropriations" is a shutdown by another name. But it does give lawmakers wiggle room to resolve the issue before 9 am ET on Monday, February 2. That’s when most federal workers return to the job.
But the real barometer to watch is the federal paycheck schedule.
The government last paid many federal workers on January 21. That was one day later than usual because of the Martin Luther King federal holiday.
However, the next batch of checks is due to go out on Monday, February 2. This paycheck covers the work period running through Thursday, February 5. But the government cuts the checks on Monday, ahead of the completion of the pay period.
CONGRESS ROLLS OUT $80B SPENDING BILL AS DEMS THREATEN DHS FUNDING AMID SHUTDOWN FEARS
But, Fox is told that workers would at least receive a partial paycheck for work completed through Friday, January 30. That’s the last day that the government is funded. So those checks still go out on February 2. But they don’t cover work for next Monday through Thursday if there’s a lapse in appropriations.
Any money dealing with expenditures beginning on January 31 is illegal. It’s a violation of the Antideficiency Act. The executive branch is spending money not appropriated by Congress.
So the weekend gives lawmakers a bit of a breather to figure things out. And the next day to cut many federal checks doesn’t fall until Tuesday, February 17. That is one day later than usual because of Presidents' Day on Monday, February 16.
Missing any portion of a paycheck is not optimal. But the upside is that Congress and the executive branch have nearly three weeks to solve this before most federal workers miss an ENTIRE paycheck.
However, there are some anomalies.
Workers at the FAA (which includes air traffic controllers, but not TSA) are scheduled to be paid on Tuesday, February 3. Fox is told that FAA employees will receive a full paycheck. That’s because the FAA pay period ended on Saturday, January 24. Thus, that work was completed before the shutdown deadline and Congress appropriated money for that pay. Therefore, payment on February 3 is NOT a violation of the Antideficiency Act.
That said, the next FAA pay period ends on February 7. Paychecks are due to be sent on February 17. FAA and air traffic controllers would receive a PARTIAL paycheck at that point. That’s because some work was performed prior to the shutdown. This scenario mirrors what happened during the fall shutdown. Air traffic controllers received some of their paycheck because of the staggered pay schedule.
But that doesn’t diminish the paycheck PTSD from which many air traffic controllers and TSA employees suffer. They were asked to report to work during the last shutdown, doing stressful work for six weeks without getting paid.
One wonders if there’s any goodwill left among those workers to show up on the job gratis since Congress and the executive branch still can’t get their acts together.
SENATE DEMS REVOLT AGAINST DHS FUNDING BILL AMID MINNEAPOLIS CHAOS, HIKING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RISK
Lawmakers will watch these pay calendars closely if this gets to be a drawn-out fight. However, a minimal "partial" shutdown over the weekend provides lawmakers with a bit of cushion to find a solution.
Fox is told that it’s unlikely that Republicans and Democrats achieve some sort of "breakthrough" on government funding before a likely failed test vote on the original spending bill tomorrow. Senate Democrats have now laid down their demands to rein in ICE. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says Democrats insist on an end to roving patrols. They want a uniform code of conduct for ICE officers which is similar to local and state police. Finally, Democrats want masks off and body cameras on.
After the prospective failed vote, things suddenly get real for everyone. The deadline looms and they don’t have a fix. However, the test vote gives Democrats the opportunity to put a "nay" vote on the scoreboard and show the other side – plus their progressive base – that they mean business when it comes to ICE.
Congress only seems to work on a deadline. Finding an off-ramp before that 11:59:59 pm et deadline on Friday is tough. But the Senate often conducts some of its most productive business on Thursdays and Fridays – especially when staring at the specter of a weekend session.
But the weekend – and the special payment schedules – give lawmakers some agility. In fact, one Democratic source told Fox that a weekend "lapse in appropriations" may help the party politically if they score the ICE reforms that Democrats want. Then they can demonstrate to their base just how far they are willing to push – again. Especially if they extract concessions from the White House.
Schumer still wants Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to rip apart the six-bill spending package and treat DHS funding as a separate animal. Thune didn’t rule that out. But Thune made it clear that the "best path forward is to keep the package intact." Thune noted that splitting the bill was challenging in the Senate. But even if the Senate is successful, the measure must return to the House – after the funding deadline.
"Who knows what happens with it over there," said Thune.
Meantime, Lisa Desjardins of the PBS NewsHour asked Schumer if he was willing to "accept a separate bill outside of the appropriations bills that would contain some of your demands?"
Schumer was vague in his response, saying he needed to hear "concrete ideas" from the White House.
It’s unknown if the sides could even avoid a shutdown with a handshake agreement.
But either way, there’s not much time to figure this out. Either the Senate whirls like a dervish during the day Friday. Or there’s a lot of scrambling over the weekend to avoid a shutdown before the reality of Monday morning sets in.
Bruce Willis' wife Emma says he has condition that prevents him from understanding his dementia
Emma Heming Willis is sharing new details about husband Bruce Willis' frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.
During Wednesday's episode of the "Conversations with Cam" podcast, the 47-year-old opened up about a condition of FTD that affects a person’s ability to recognize his own illness.
"I think they think this is their normal, and it's not for everybody," she said. "There's this neurological condition that sort of comes with FTD and other types of dementia as well called anosognosia, where your brain can't identify what is happening to it," Heming Willis said.
"So, where people think this might be denial, they don't want to go to the doctor, like, 'I'm fine, I'm fine.' Actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play. It's not denial. It's just that their brain is changing. This is a part of the disease."
BRUCE WILLIS' WIFE FELT 'LOST AND ISOLATED' CARING FOR HIM AFTER DEVASTATING DEMENTIA DIAGNOSIS
"I think that's like the blessing and the curse of this is that [Bruce] never connected the dots that he had this disease, and I'm really happy that he doesn't know about it," she added.
Emma said Bruce is "still very much present in his body" and explained that his family has "adapted" with him.
"He's still very much present in his body," she said. "His disease has, these diseases are, for the most part, usually a slow progression. So, we have progressed along with him. We have adapted along with him. So, when someone says to me, ‘Does Bruce still know who you are?’ Yes, he does. Because he doesn't have Alzheimer's, he has FTD. So, we have a way, he has a way of connecting with me, our children that might not be the same as you would connect with your loved one, but it's still very beautiful. It's still very meaningful. It's just different."
In March 2022, it was announced that Willis would be "stepping away" from his acting career due to an aphasia diagnosis. It was later announced that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, also known as FTD.
FTD is "the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain," according to the National Institute on Aging. "Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work or difficulty with walking."
Last year, during the ABC special "Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey," Emma sat down with Diane Sawyer to detail Bruce's last few years since he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Emma told Sawyer that remembering Bruce's initial diagnosis has been hard for her.
"It’s really gray for me where Bruce’s disease started to come in. He always loved taking the girls to school, and then those school runs just started to not happen as much, and I thought that is so weird," she said.
Emma wouldn’t say anything to her husband and opted to "just step in and do it" instead.
BRUCE WILLIS' WIFE SAYS CHRISTMAS JOY CAN FEEL ‘TANGLED IN A WEB OF GRIEF' AMID HIS DEMENTIA BATTLE
The actor's wife first noticed signs of his health decline long before his diagnosis. Emma noticed the "alarming" warning signs when Bruce's "warm" personality began to change, and he started skipping family events.
"For someone who is very talkative and very engaged, he was just a little more quiet. When the family would get together, he would kind of just melt a little bit," she told Sawyer.
"It felt a little removed, very cold, not like Bruce, who was very warm and affectionate," she continued. "To [go] the complete opposite of that was alarming and scary."
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Emma shared that in the early stages of Bruce's disease, she "didn’t understand what was happening" and wondered how she could "remain in a marriage that doesn’t feel like what we had. It doesn’t feel like a marriage anymore."
She said she had those conversations with him, asking him, "Are you OK?" and he dismissed it. "It just got very bumpy and very confusing," Emma told Sawyer.
When Sawyer asked if there were days when she sees him as he used to be, she said, "We get moments. It's his laugh, right? Like, he has such, like, a hearty laugh. And, you know, sometimes you'll see that twinkle in his eye, or that smirk, and, you know, I just get, like, transported. And it's just hard to see, because as quickly as those moments appear, then it goes. It's hard. But I'm grateful. I'm grateful that my husband is still very much here."
Conservative icon rips teachers' unions as schools turn into 'propaganda agencies'
Conservative icon and academic Thomas Sowell unleashed on the current state of the education system, warning it has become a massive arm of "propaganda" with little incentive to improve as union power and friendly Democratic politics shield schools from accountability.
"It’s failing to teach students how to think," the 95-year-old economist and historian said in a podcast interview published Tuesday. "It’s failing to give them a background of knowledge of history. And it’s failing to allow them to express views that are different from what is being propagandized."
"These have become propaganda agencies, more so than educational institutions," he added.
Sowell joined the Hoover Institution's podcast "Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson" in a more than hourlong interview that notably did not focus on Sowell's economic expertise. Instead, it offered a sharp critique of the current education system, including reflecting on his own struggles as a youth in New York City schools before becoming one of the nation's most treasured conservative minds.
Sowell’s core argument was that the education system is insulated from the kind of consequences that force correction in other arenas, such as private businesses facing punishment for poor performance with monetary losses.
"Public school education, you have the almost inexhaustible amount of money from the taxpayers," he said as to why school systems have failed students. "Private schools are becoming private more in name than in reality. They're getting billions of dollars of taxpayers' money and there's very little following of what happens. So that they can keep on doing things that are wrong for generation after generation."
Basic math and reading scores among American students have been on a downward trajectory for years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning worsening the trends.
Nearly half of high school seniors, for example, scored below basic in math and reading, according to the Nation's Report Card data published in 2025. An EdChoice’s 2025 Schooling in America Survey found that 68% of Americans and 60% of parents believe K–12 education was on the wrong path.
HOUSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TRYING TO WOO PARENTS WHILE LOSING STUDENTS AMID SCHOOL CHOICE COMPETITION
Sowell pointed to teachers' unions as a major player keeping families trapped in a cycle of a failing education system.
"Teachers’ unions collect billions of dollars in dues and then invest millions of dollars around the country to politicians who will protect the teachers’ unions from competition," he said, agreeing with Robinson that the set-up is a "straightforward racket."
"We think of (schools) as noble places. Their goals are noble, but it's amazing how many people will sell that down the river," he said of unions.
In Sowell's 2020 book "Charter Schools and Their Enemies," he found that charter schools are the clearest proof that the same kids, from the same neighborhoods, who are even taught in the same building, can post dramatically better results than students from traditional public schools. A charter school is a publicly funded institution that operates under a performance contract, giving it more independence over curricula and operations than traditional schools.
Some Democrats, however, have stood in the way of promoting charter schools, which he said continues the cycle of promoting a failing U.S. school sytem beholden to the teachers' unions.
Sowell cited California as an example, pointing to a law he described as limiting charter schools’ ability to suspend or expel disruptive students.
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"That law can’t even offer a pretense of doing something that is educationally worthwhile," he said. "It is doing something worthwhile to keep the charter schools from attracting more people out of the teachers' union."
Democrats who oppose charter expansion often say charters pull students and funding from traditional district schools, weaken unionized teacher protections and raise alarms that they can operate with uneven oversight.
Sowell's critiques come as the nation celebrates National School Choice week.
MAJOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOSING STUDENTS AS PARENTS SEEK BETTER OPTIONS
The Trump administration is currently pushing states to "opt in" to a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit created under the Working Families Tax Cut Act, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, warning families could miss out if their governors don’t take action. The tax credit is set to begin at the start of 2027.
Taxpayers can get up to $1,700 back as a federal tax credit by donating that money to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) instead of sending it to Washington in income taxes. Those SGOs then turn the donations into K-12 scholarships and other education help families can use for a broad range of costs tied to public, private or charter schools.
The Department of Education celebrated Monday that 23 states have so far opted in to a program the department called the "largest national expansion of education freedom in history and provides families with more affordable education options."
Career criminal accused of killing elderly woman in violent home invasion after skipping court days earlier
A Texas man with three prior convictions is back behind bars after allegedly gunning down an elderly woman during a home invasion earlier this week, just days after authorities signed a warrant for his arrest after reportedly failing to appear in court.
Richard Mouton, 34, and Tajuana Thomas, 38, are charged with capital murder after allegedly shooting a 72-year-old woman to death at her home in Houston’s Kashmere Gardens neighborhood on Monday, the Houston Police Department said in a statement.
The identity of the victim has not yet been released by authorities.
Witnesses told authorities that Thomas had been angry with the victim after she previously refused to bail Thomas out of jail, while adding the two "argued about it all the time," Click2Houston reported.
FAMILY WARNED NONPROFIT NOT TO FREE REPEAT OFFENDER WHO ALLEGEDLY KILLED MAN DAYS LATER
The incident unfolded around 1:50 a.m. on Monday, when both masked suspects allegedly entered through an unlocked backdoor of the victim’s residence – where Thomas previously lived – and found the victim asleep on a couch, according to the outlet.
The pair reportedly demanded jewelry from the victim and pointed an AR-style rifle at her, leading to a shootout between both suspects and the 72-year-old woman.
The victim shot Thomas in the hip and Mouton in the face with a revolver, before being killed by gunfire, the outlet reported.
CALIFORNIA DRIVER ALLEGEDLY KILLS 2 MORE PEOPLE WHILE OUT ON BAIL FOR PREVIOUS FATAL CRASH
Both suspects were subsequently transported to a local hospital, while the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
The alleged deadly home invasion is reportedly not the first time either suspect has had a run-in with the law.
At the time of the shooting, Thomas was out on bond stemming from a misdemeanor terroristic threat charge, Click2Houston reported.
BALTIMORE KILLER COMMITS THIRD MURDER AFTER BEING PAROLED TWICE FOR PRIOR SLAYINGS
Court records reportedly show in 2022, a victim told authorities that Thomas had been fired from her job before returning to her former place of employment and telling the victim she was going to "beat his a--."
Meanwhile, Mouton was handed down a 60-day jail sentence in 2023 after being convicted of felony evading arrest while he was out on parole, according to FOX 26.
Mouton’s parole later ended in 2024, Click2Houston reported.
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In July 2025, Mouton was reportedly arrested and charged with felon in possession of a weapon, evading arrest and drug possession.
Court records reportedly indicate he allegedly ran 1,500 feet from a traffic stop while carrying more than 100 grams of marijuana, nearly 12 grams of Xanax, 5 grams of ecstasy, 3.4 grams of cocaine, over 24 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm.
While Mouton had been out on bond since about a week after his arrest, records show he failed to appear in court on Jan. 22, the outlet reported.
His failure to appear reportedly resulted in authorities issuing a warrant for his arrest just two days before the alleged deadly home invasion.
"It's always disturbing that you could be on parole, get a felony conviction, and still be on parole and not have your parole revoked," Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers told FOX 26.
The Harris County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s comment regarding both Mouton and Thomas’ previous parole decisions prior to the alleged murder.
Substance sprayed on Rep Ilhan Omar reportedly identified as apple cider vinegar; FBI investigating
A man accused of attacking Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a town hall event on Tuesday reportedly sprayed what is believed to be apple cider vinegar on the congresswoman.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was seen on video lunging at Omar while spraying an unknown substance on her shirt.
Right before the attack, Omar called for the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, following multiple fatal shootings involving federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis.
MAN ACCUSED OF SPRAYING OMAR HAS CRIMINAL RECORD AS CONGRESSWOMAN VOWS 'A--HOLES' WON'T WIN
Witnesses could be heard commenting on the foul odor of the substance, which was later identified by a hazmat team as apple cider vinegar, Alpha News reported.
Omar's office issued a statement after the attack, noting the substance was sprayed with a syringe.
ABBY PHILLIP SAYS TRUMP IS 'RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VITRIOL' BEHIND ILHAN OMAR TOWN HALL ATTACKSHO
"Unacceptable. Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in a statement. "We can disagree without putting people at risk. I’m relieved Rep. Ilhan Omar is okay and appreciate MPD for responding quickly. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city."
Kazmierczak, who was previously convicted of two DUIs, is charged with third-degree assault and was booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
The Minneapolis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that the FBI is leading the investigation.
The FBI and Omar's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.