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MORNING GLORY: I asked Trump if he was prepared to remove Iran’s new leaders
"Can you or the American military or the Israeli military get to what’s left of their third string and their fourth string and their fifth string? Do you know where they are? Can you kill them?"
I posed those questions to President Donald Trump Monday, July 13.
"Yeah, I do, but we don’t want to talk about that," the president replied.
TRUMP SAYS HE LEFT INSTRUCTIONS TO 'BOMB' IRAN 'AT LEVELS' NEVER SEEN IF HE IS ASSASSINATED
"But we certainly are watching, yeah," he added. "I know a lot about that subject. I know a lot, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about it right now."
Trump’s restraint about clearing the bench of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is interesting.
The public faces of the rump regime in Iran — President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — don’t have any authority over the killers with the guns. (Trump puts the number of Iranians massacred by the regime over two days in January at 52,000, so we know the ruthlessness of the men in charge.) When the campaign against Iran by the U.S. and Israel opened on February 28, those strikes devastated the first and second tiers of "leadership" in Iran. Pezeshkian and Araghchi were not important enough to be in the command bunkers.
TRUMP CALLS TERRORIST IRANIAN A ‘CANCER.’ IS HE FINALLY THE ONE TO REMOVE IT?
Sixty-eight-year-old Ahmad Vahidi emerged from the wreckage and his "retirement" after the wipeout of the senior leadership of the Islamic Republic to take command of the IRGC. Imagine how utterly ruthless a benched and passed-over killer must be, and how many grudges he must hold against those who put him out to pasture in the first place.
Eli Lake is among the most respected national security reporters in the U.S. On Tuesday, July 14, Lake wholly agreed with what Trump told me Monday: It is unrealistic to expect the Iranian people to rise up only months after such a traumatic mass murder.
Instead, Lake explained, students of the history of regime collapses tell us we ought to be watching for splits within the ranks of the men with guns. That’s how revolutions against dictators and their henchmen at the top begin and then gain momentum. The lower levels of security services or a cadre within the military become unwilling to join in the killing anymore. They see the end game and they don’t want to be around or on the wrong side when everything falls apart. Sometimes they flee. Sometimes they turn the weapons on the top men. When that begins, Lake added, it can accelerate quickly.
US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
With the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) torn up by the IRGC, all bets were off. I’ve called the MOU the equivalent of "halftime" in the battle with Iran since it was inked, but was surprised when the rump regime came out of its locker room first and began shooting at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran received a thin lifeline of oil revenue from the MOU when we lifted the blockade. The blockade is back, as are the bombings. If the president does indeed ratchet up the air campaign, the already tattered Iranian economy will struggle to meet basic needs.
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The suffering of the population doesn’t matter to Vahidi et al. They can loot the country (and will) and assign whatever imports are getting in to themselves, just as the Hamas terrorists did in Gaza. They may be living underground, but the IRGC bosses won’t be hungry.
The vast masses of Iranians know the truth — though they dare not speak it. But if even a handful of colonels or even junior officers decide the time has come for them to rule and save the country (and themselves), they can act. If they succeed, they can shrug off the awful burden of "Twelver" theology and rule as normal juntas rule: with absolute power but without making war on the world.
It only takes a few people to crack the whole of the IRGC tyranny. Trump says to the public that he isn’t going to rush that takeover. But who knows what he and the Israelis see and hear courtesy of their intelligence communities. The allies certainly had all the information they needed on February 28. Don’t doubt that they have more and add to their collection every day.
Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.
CHAD WOLF: Canada can't expect free trade while leaving our northern border vulnerable
The longest international border in the world has a security problem, and Canada is not treating it with the urgency it deserves.
Recently, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin laid out a sobering picture of how people from 78 nations have been apprehended crossing the northern border. U.S. agents are now arresting a terrorist on the watch list nearly every week at the northern border, and over the past year alone, enough fentanyl to kill 17 million Americans has been seized coming through Canada. Cartel organizations, squeezed by the intensified enforcement operations and physical infrastructure along our southern border, are pivoting north.
Federal prosecutors have unsealed a string of recent cases documenting organized smuggling networks operating directly through the northern border. They are the front edge of a corridor that cartels and transnational criminal organizations are actively developing.
CANADA'S PRIME MINISTER REFERS TO US ECONOMIC TIES AS A WEAKNESS
Congressional Republicans are rightly raising the alarm, holding hearings and pressing Canada for action. And the Trump administration is recognizing exactly what leverage it holds.
On July 1, the United States declined to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in its current form, opting instead for annual reviews until the agreement expires in 2036. Ottawa and Mexico City wanted the 16-year extension. Washington said no. Canada's economy is deeply woven into American markets. Roughly $900 billion in trade moves across this border every year. Canada wants predictability and a long-term framework. The Trump administration holds the pen.
Canada has long been a country that enjoys open access to American markets while keeping its own rigorously walled off. Canada’s bad trade behavior must be called out.
ALBERTA SEPARATISTS SAY THEY HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES FOR REFERENDUM ON LEAVING CANADA
Canada's dairy supply management system often functions as a government-sanctioned cartel, setting production quotas, controlling prices and throttling foreign competition behind tariff walls that can exceed 200%. U.S. dairy producers have filed repeated USMCA dispute complaints over Canada's manipulation of tariff-rate quotas, arguing that Ottawa deliberately underfills import access in ways that violate the agreement's terms.
Canada's illicit cigarette market is one of the most sophisticated contraband networks in North America, and it runs directly through the same corridors being used to move hard drugs and people. When law enforcement executed Manitoba's largest drug bust in history in May 2026, police found 1.35 million contraband cigarettes sitting in the same evidence locker.
Investigators with decades of experience tracing illicit tobacco networks have noted that contraband cigarette revenues are a consistent funding stream for the same organized crime networks moving fentanyl south. Ottawa has known for years that the illicit tobacco pipeline and the drug pipeline share infrastructure, financing and personnel. The enforcement response has not matched the scale of the problem.
In telecommunications, Canada has maintained legislative restrictions on foreign ownership for its Big Three carriers since 1993. Bell, Telus and Rogers operate in a market legally shielded from American or other foreign competition, producing some of the highest wireless prices in the developed world for Canadian consumers. American telecom companies cannot meaningfully compete in Canada. That door swings in only one direction.
The same dynamic governs Canadian aviation. Roughly 78% of domestic Canadian flights are operated by Air Canada or WestJet, with foreign carriers locked out by restrictions that prevent American airlines from serving routes within Canada. Canada's own Competition Bureau has recommended opening the market. Ottawa has not acted.
This is the pattern: Canada extracts the benefits of a rules-based trade relationship with the United States while maintaining sector-by-sector protections that no serious economic partner would defend.
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The northern border is becoming a genuine national security concern, and Canada has neither the resources nor the political urgency to treat it as one on its own. The Trump administration is direct about the trajectory. What happened on the southern border, where cartels have immense power and control nearly every crossing point, will come north unless the cooperation deepens and hardens fast.
The Trump administration has made it plain that a new USMCA framework, and the trade certainty Canada badly wants, is available. The price is serious border enforcement, real resources, closed loopholes on small-package drug shipments and accelerated passage of the legal tools Canadian law enforcement needs. Trade sectors that have operated as protected monopolies for decades should be on the table too.
Canada is a close ally and the relationship is worth protecting. But close allies do not get permanent exemptions from accountability, especially when fentanyl is flowing, cartels are scouting, and the border remains vulnerable. The United States has leverage. The question is, will Canada finally take action.
SEN ELIZABETH WARREN: The housing bill is law without Trump. Families need Congress to keep sprinting
The biggest housing bill in more than 30 years is finally law. For more than two weeks, President Donald Trump refused to sign the bill — not because he had a problem with it, but because he cared so little about the squeeze families are facing that he sat on the bill for so long, it became law without him.
President Trump calls the affordability crisis a "hoax" and has called this landmark legislation "minor." But overwhelming numbers of Americans understand that the affordability and housing crises are anything but minor. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is an important step toward doing something about it.
This new law establishes powerful federal incentives to get communities across the country to build more housing. It removes outdated rules, so that housing can be built more quickly. It makes it cheaper to build manufactured housing.
CONGRESS EYES RARE BIPARTISAN HOUSING WIN WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP'S HELP
The bill also stops private equity from buying up single-family homes. For years, I’ve been raising the alarm about private equity taking over industries, stripping them for parts, and running businesses into the ground. Congress had never before held private equity accountable for anything. That changed with the passage of this major bipartisan bill. Nearly 90% of voters support this law, and it wouldn’t have happened without the leadership of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., mayors across the country, and everyone who helped push it across the finish line.
There is much more we need to do to lower housing prices. I’ve proposed dozens of additional ideas, from ending tax benefits for private equity landlords to making more investments to build housing, and we should start moving forward on them. This legislation is proof that when faced with a crisis this severe, even with a disinterested president, Congress can act. But the affordability crisis doesn’t end with housing. So rather than pat ourselves on the back, it’s time to start sprinting.
Let’s start by capping credit card interest rates at 10% — something President Trump promised to do last January. Nearly two-thirds of Americans across party lines support this. Families have already paid $368 million every single day for Trump’s broken promise. They cannot afford to wait a day longer.
STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES
Let’s tackle grocery costs — the No. 1, week after week, financial pressure for families. Dominant corporations across the highly consolidated food industry, from beef to eggs, have been caught engaging in anticompetitive tactics that are driving up grocery prices. Democrats and Republicans support cracking down on grocery store price gouging. Congress can give antitrust regulators more tools to crack down on unfair pricing by major food corporations. And my Price Gouging Prevention Act, which builds on price gouging laws in dozens of red and blue states, would do just that.
Let’s take on the crushing burden of health care costs. Trump and Republicans have ripped health care away from millions, and Democrats will keep fighting to reverse those devastating cuts. But voters want more.
President Trump and Health Secretary Kennedy say they don’t want Americans paying more than the rest of the world for prescription drugs? Let’s pass legislation to get it done. Another area of bipartisan agreement? Cracking down on giant corporations that gobble up every part of our health care system — from insurers to pharmacy benefit managers to your doctor’s office — and then jack up prices. My bipartisan Break Up Big Medicine Act would address rampant consolidation and help make health care more affordable.
Another idea that is popular with the vast majority of Americans is lifting the Social Security payroll tax cap to save Social Security for the next generation. With prices skyrocketing, the last thing seniors need is their benefits slashed in 2032 if Congress fails to act. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents favor eliminating the payroll tax cap so the wealthiest Americans contribute the same percentage of their income as a factory worker or a firefighter. I am working on bipartisan legislation to get this done.
We should also act to increase wages — starting with raising the minimum wage. Under President Trump, inflation is at its highest level in three years, which means more and more families who work full-time jobs earning the minimum wage still live in poverty. Meanwhile, Congress has sat on its hands for almost 20 years. Across the country, more than 80% of Democrats, independents, and Republicans think the current federal minimum wage is too low. They’re right. It’s decades past time for Congress to act.
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The skyrocketing cost of child care is another concern for Americans across party lines. A whopping 82% of voters say federal child care funding would help lower costs. We should cap the cost of child care at no more than 7% of income, expand child care supply, and boost wages for child care workers.
There are so many more ideas to address the affordability crisis that Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters support — like investing in domestic drug manufacturing, stopping data centers from driving up electricity bills, and taking on corporate profiteering across the economy. With ROAD to Housing, we’ve proven that Congress can act to lower costs. Now it’s time to build on the housing law’s momentum and make life more affordable for all Americans.
BRET BAIER: Lindsey Graham was a true defender of America and a bridge builder
Lindsey Graham was a consequential senator. If there was an important issue, he was right there on top of it. But that’s not the whole story. The essence of his character, the shaping of his background, the joy he found in people and in the political process, and the joy he brought to those around him, is the big story.
Over the years I had an opportunity to see Lindsey at work on many occasions, and to hear his passion for the issues. He could be the most entertaining person at any dinner table, but his wit was matched by a razor-sharp mind that was always considering how to solve the next problem. He never stopped working. The night he died he’d just returned from Kyiv, Ukraine where he’d met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Lindsey’s love for people shined through. He had a special appeal and was socially gifted. Maybe that came from his early years hanging out in the back room of his parents’ bar, where he learned the fine art of schmoozing. People from every walk of life crossed his path, and he was interested in them all.
Lindsey also learned early in life the meaning of commitment. His mother died when he was 20, followed by his father months later. Lindsey became the legal guardian for his 13-year-old sister Darline, who once called him "a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one." He raised her to adulthood, and they have always been extremely close. With Lindsey’s death, Darline has been appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to finish her brother’s term, which expires at the beginning of 2027.
Lindsey’s death on July 11 at the age of 71 capped a Congressional career that began in 1992 in the South Carolina House, then the U.S. House for eight years, and the U.S. Senate since 2003. From 1995-2015 he simultaneously served in the Air Force Reserves. His passing brought a flood of tributes, including tearful memories from his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Their disputes melted away as they recalled their friend. What struck me most was how so many of them had stories about Lindsey’s passion for finding common ground so he could get things done.
I often observed that Lindsey loved to make a deal. He could work with anybody and threw himself into the most challenging public issues, laboring alongside people with whom he differed on other issues. He never let the differences get in the way—although he never pulled his punches when he disagreed, and he did passionately disagree with the left on many occasions.
Yet those same people summoned up sincere praise for him in the days following his death. Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin spoke with obvious fondness when he recalled emotionally, "Lindsey, for many years, was the only Republican willing to co-sponsor the Dream Act, a bill that I introduced over 20 years ago and reintroduced in successive Congresses, providing protection to undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children, his support took guts. At a time when issues surrounding immigration were becoming politically toxic, Lindsey stuck his neck out for me and for these young people. I will never ever forget."
New Jersey Democrat Corey Booker shared a similar experience, recounting their collaboration on important legislation. He admired Lindsey and appreciated his uniqueness. Booker recounted how a White House negotiator had once told him that "Lindsey Graham was like an unguided missile. That God, he never knew which way he was going to go, whether he would come back and hit you, but when he was aligned, when he would be in the right place at the right time, man, he could get things done that other people couldn't, and bring a lot of light and new possibilities to the efforts."
The day after Lindsey’s death, Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke in the senate. With tears in his eyes he said, "I come to the floor today with a heavy heart. I look to my right, and I see a desk which we in the Senate refer to and know as the John Calhoun desk is covered with a black shroud, and on top of that shroud is a bowl of white roses. That is present as Lindsey Graham's desk. It's difficult to believe that Lindsey Graham is no longer here with us. That we won't run into him at a media day or share a joke with him at this afternoon's vote. The halls of the Senate already feel empty without him, and I know I'm not alone in that feeling. He was a friend to so many of us on both sides of the aisle."
KAGAN RECALLS LINDSEY GRAHAM'S VOTE THAT HELPED SEAL HER SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION
One of my favorite interactions with Lindsey came in 2022 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston, where an exact replica of the U.S. Senate chamber had been erected. There I hosted a debate between Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Graham, who were fierce ideological rivals, but who shared that common chord of civility and respect.
I remember well Lindsey’s opening remarks: "This place is awesome!" he declared, looking around the senate chamber replica. He explained, "We’re here to honor Ted and Orrin—Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch, who were great friends. They fought like tigers, but they could work together. And I have a different take on things than Bernie, but I like Bernie." I was struck by Lindsey’s reference to Kennedy and Hatch. They were lions in the senate, and Lindsey was too, all belonging to an era when legislative disputes did not carry over into personal grudge matches.
People like Lindsey were working toward a return to that idea, and the debate with Sanders was a step in that direction. The debate displayed their differences, but also surprising areas of commonality, such as on gun control. At the end, they were both smiling, and they agreed that the debate had been fun.
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Lindsey was a big believer in getting along, no matter what it took. During his short-lived campaign for president in 2015, he noted approvingly how Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill met together regularly for drinks at the White House, even though they were on opposite sides. "That’s the first thing I’m going to do as president," he promised. "We’re going to drink more."
Those who knew Lindsey understood that one of his great loves was golf. I played with him many times.
Was he a good golfer? Not particularly. But he was extremely fun to play with. He recognized the importance of the game as a social bonding activity. He’d make you feel good to be with him. Which is one of the most important qualities of a golf partner, a friend, and a statesman.
It’s a big reason we’ll miss having him in our lives.
Two families sue North Dakota hospital on allegations babies were switched at birth
Two families are suing a North Dakota hospital, alleging hospital staff mistakenly switched two baby boys at birth more than 36 years ago.
Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison were the only two babies born at Unity Medical Center in Grafton, North Dakota, on Jan. 26, 1988, the men and their families said in the lawsuit, according to KVLY. Christian Unity Hospital Corporation, doing business as Unity Medical Center, was named as the defendant.
The plaintiffs allege hospital staff switched the infants and sent them home with the other child’s biological parents, the outlet reported. The two men were then raised by each other’s biological families, allegedly without anyone's knowledge.
The lawsuit says the switch was not discovered for more than 36 years.
FAMILY OF TODDLER FOUND ALIVE IN MORGUE AFTER BEING DECLARED DEAD PLANS LEGAL ACTION
Two years ago, Morrison, who now lives in Colorado, took a DNA test and learned the parents who raised him were not his biological parents. Morrison told KKTV that his aunt provided DNA, and Bylin matched as her nephew. Morrison said he does not have any cousins.
Morrison told the outlet that he always felt different from the family he grew up with.
"I didn't have anyone that looked like me in my family," Morrison said. "I was that blonde-haired kid that stood out in a family full of brown-haired people."
"I know I definitely wouldn't be here in Colorado today if I went home with the right parents," he said. "I would have been working the farm with my older brother that I never knew I had."
Both sets of parents have met their biological sons, but the two men have not met each other, according to KKTV.
DNA FROM SODA BOTTLE ALLEGEDLY LINKS MASSACHUSETTS WOMAN TO 1985 MURDER OF 'BABY BOY DOE'
Unity Medical Center denied the allegations and asked the court to dismiss the case with prejudice.
Attorneys for the hospital argued that its staff "possessed and exercised the appropriate degree of skill and learning" and "at all times used reasonable care, judgment, and diligence," according to KVLY.
The hospital also claims the lawsuit may be prohibited by the statute of limitations, pointing to "the length of time that has passed between the alleged incident and the service of this lawsuit."
The plaintiffs are seeking more than $50,000 in damages and have asked for a jury trial.
The hospital also raised comparative fault as a defense, arguing that damages, if any, could be attributable to parties other than the hospital.
The hospital has also demanded a jury trial.
Unity Medical Center said in a statement to KKTV that it is "currently working to better understand a highly unusual situation involving two men who apparently were separated from their biological parents at some point during their lives," adding: "Both men were born at our hospital on the same day in 1988, and we recognize the profound impact this discovery has had on them and their families."
"Unfortunately, because of the passage of nearly four decades, the medical and staffing records that might have provided additional clarity no longer exist, and no members of the delivery team from that time are still employed by the hospital," the statement continued. "While we deeply sympathize with the men and their families, we have found no evidence to support claims that Unity Medical Center or its staff were responsible for what occurred."
ICE arrests record 238 illegal immigrants in one day during South Texas enforcement operation
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Tuesday that its Harlingen, Texas, field office, working with law enforcement partners, arrested 238 illegal immigrants in a single-day operation that the agency said set a record for targeted arrests in the Rio Grande Valley.
ICE said the arrests marked the highest number of targeted arrests in a single day for Enforcement and
Removal Operations Harlingen.
The June 18 operation resulted in the arrests of illegal immigrants with convictions including attempted kidnapping, sexual battery and drug possession, according to the agency.
BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY
"The ICE mission continues to focus on enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to our nation’s immigration system," ICE Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo said in a statement.
"We will stop at nothing to keep our American communities safe by removing one criminal illegal alien at a time," he added.
The arrests come as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on illegal immigration and seeks to remove criminal illegal immigrants from communities across the country.
Among those arrested was Manuel Morales-Geronimo, a Mexican national whom authorities identified as a Paisas gang member.
Morales-Geronimo was previously convicted of assault causing bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated, illegal entry into the United States and three counts of illegal reentry, according to ICE.
Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza, also a Mexican national, was arrested during the operation. According to ICE, he was previously convicted of attempted kidnapping, sexual battery and illegal reentry.
ICE AGENTS INSTRUCTED TO END MOST VEHICLE STOPS IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT
The announcement came the same day President Donald Trump pushed back on a reported DHS move to pause most ICE traffic stops, calling them "one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools."
The reported pause followed scrutiny over recent fatal encounters involving immigration enforcement traffic stops.
In a social media post, Trump wrote, "We CANNOT give up one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!"
The president added that the DHS policy shift would be "playing right into the criminal’s [sic] hands."
Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Marcello Hernández roasts Jake Paul, Tiger Woods and Bill Belichick in ESPYS monologue
The ESPYS brought some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to New York City on Wednesday night, a day that typically ranks among the slowest on the sports calendar.
But this year’s ceremony was preceded by a World Cup semifinal match in Atlanta that was already being described as an instant classic. Lionel Messi and Argentina punched their ticket to a second straight World Cup final with a win over England. The defending champions will meet Spain on Saturday in nearby New Jersey, just a short trip across the Hudson River from where comedian Marcello Hernández opened the ESPYS.
The "Saturday Night Live" star wasted little time taking a few jabs at Jake Paul, Tiger Woods and other sports figures.
ESPN'S JOHN BUCCIGROSS NAMES HIS MOUNT RUSHMORE OF ALL-TIME SPORTSCENTER ANCHORS
"Mike Tyson ripped my watch off. Welcome to the ESPYS!" Hernández joked after making a boxing-style entrance in a robe with Tyson as part of his entourage.
"I must say, it's an honor to be here among so many great athletes, and Jake Paul," Hernández began in his roughly 10-minute monologue.
Paul appeared to take the joke in stride, laughing and applauding as cameras cut to him in the crowd. Hernández then stayed on the YouTube star-turned-boxer, needling him over his history of fighting older opponents.
"Jake, that's just a joke. Don't fight me," Hernández continued. "My dad and my stepdad are both here. They're over 50, and I know that's how you like them. So, fight them instead."
Paul kept laughing as Hernández’s bit played out, eventually closing with the comedian shifting attention to his father and stepfather, who were shown in the audience.
Hernández later used Caleb Williams’ "Madden 27" cover as a lead into Woods.
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"I want to congratulate Caleb Williams, the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, who will be on the cover of the new Madden video game. Congratulations to Caleb," Hernández said, before adding, "And Tiger Woods will be on the cover of Grand Theft Auto."
Woods was arrested in Florida in March on charges of DUI after a car crash. The arrest report said a deputy found pain pills in his pocket and observed signs of impairment at the scene. Woods later announced he would take time away from golf to seek treatment.
Hernández also worked North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick into the monologue, using the 74-year-old’s relationship with Jordon Hudson as part of a joke about the New York Knicks’ title drought.
"The Knicks won their first championship since 1973. And to put into perceptive how long ago that was, in 1973 hockey players didn't wear helmets, basketball had no three point line. And in 1973, Bill Belichick was the age his girlfriend is now."
The Knicks later took home the ESPY for Best Team.
Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and other members of the 2025-26 Knicks championship team took the stage to accept the award, but Josh Hart was noticeably absent. Brunson drew laughs when he joked, "I want to say thank you to the ESPYS for pulling Josh Hart’s invite."
Earlier in the night Brunson also received the "Best Championship Performance" award.
Former NBA player Jason Collins, who died in May at age 47 following a battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma, posthumously received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Former MLB pitcher Jim Abbott received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, while Scott Ruskan was honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The ESPYS are held every summer, bringing together top athletes and other stars to celebrate the best moments from the past year in sports while honoring figures recognized for courage, service and impact. In past years, the ceremony has been held in Los Angeles, but shifted to New York this year.
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Lindsey Graham’s final act reverberates in Senate as sister is urged to “keep pedaling"
It was 2:35 am et Sunday.
The phone rang, yanking me out of deep slumber.
Calls like these are never good.
In the split second before I answered the phone, my mind traveled to the obvious place for any journalist who covers Capitol Hill and gets a call at that hour.
Surely it was about former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
McConnell has been out of service and nowhere to be found for weeks — after being hospitalized with an unspecified illness. The internet was rife with conspiracy theories and conjecture. And, considering the dearth of information, I suspected the worst.
My longtime colleague Jodie Curtis was on the line when I picked up. Jodie is a senior figure at Fox, forced into weekend overnight assignment editor duty because of an illness. Jodie calling to tell me that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was dead.
"Graham?" I asked incredulously. "Not McConnell?"
Emerging from my stupor, I instinctively presumed this might be about the infirm, Kentucky Republican. You’d have better odds presuming that overnight call was about McConnell than hitting an exacta wheel at Churchill Downs.
My instincts immediately kicked in.
What if this was psy-ops by the Russians, Chinese or Iranians. A rouse. A hoax. A hack.
I told my colleague to just wait a moment while we confirmed. It would be easy to get this wrong.
Back in the 1990s, lawmakers "killed" comedian Bob Hope on the House floor, prematurely announcing his death during special orders speeches. Yours truly – and everyone else in Washington – prematurely reported the death of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH). She suffered from a catastrophic brain aneurism. Yet after they removed the Congresswoman from life support, she continued to live for a few hours before dying.
However, it became clear that Lindsey Graham was indeed dead. I was quickly on the air. When asked about the shock of Graham passing, I invoked a Native American adage: Death comes. And it’s always out of season.
Lindsey Graham was gone. But who would succeed him on Capitol Hill?
Think all in the family. At least for now.
Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) both implored the late senator’s kid sister Darline Graham to follow her brother. President Trump believed it would be a fitting tribute to the senator. So did South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) – who was in charge the appointment.
"It’s my honor to ask his sister to finish his work now," said McMaster.
Darline Graham is a political neophyte. Lindsey Graham adopted his sister after their parents died – and Darline was a teenager.
"Lindsey has always been there for me. And now I will be there for him," said now Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC).
Lindsey Graham was his sister’s caretaker. Now she’s the caretaker of his Senate seat until January.
But who’s next?
South Carolina has a small Congressional delegation. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) quickly excluded himself from the immediate running, noting the importance of remaining in the House. Plucking one of South Carolina’s House GOP members and appointing them to the Senate is a problem for the narrow Republican majority. The Constitution bars appointments to the House. So McMaster would have diminished the GOP’s slim majority had he picked a House member to fill in for Lindsey Graham. It would take months to conduct a special election to fill the vacant House seat.
Appointing Darline Graham solves that problem.
Reps. Russell Fry (R-SC), Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) are all interested in running for the full term. South Carolina will hold a snap primary in mid August. The winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. Lindsey Graham had just secured the Republican nomination for a fifth term last month.
President Trump’s influence will play an outsized role in who gets the nod. He’s already singled out Fry.
But the election will look a little different this fall. November will mark the first time since the mid-1950s that either Lindsey Graham or late, legendary Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC) isn’t on the ballot in the Palmetto State.
The Senate met for the first time Monday afternoon since Graham’s passing.
"Lord, we remember with gratitude his commitment to the responsibilities entrusted to him and the many ways he sought to serve the people of this country. Give comfort, strength and peace to his family, friends, colleagues and all who mourn his passing," prayed Senate Chaplain Barry Black.
The Senate shrouded Graham’s desk with a black cloak. A bouquet of white roses rested on the desk, signifying a new beginning without a Senate titan.
"The halls of the Senate already feel empty without him," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).
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Well wishers left notecards and flowers outside Graham’s office in the Russell Senate Office Building.
Senators praised Graham’s tenacity.
"He didn't want to just argue about things. He wanted to actually solve things," said Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) on Fox.
Even until the end.
Over the weekend, Graham appeared to forge a deal on a Russia sanctions measure.
"This could be well, this could well be the end of the war in Ukraine. It could put all the pressure on Russia to finally end their illegal war of aggression," predicted Sen. Angus King (I-ME).
Lindsey Graham first won a seat in Congress in 1994 as part of the "Republican Revolution." That’s the historic class which flipped control of the House for the first time in 40 years. Graham and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) are the only members from that 1994 class still serving in Congress.
Graham earned a national profile barely four years after arriving in Washington. House GOP leaders tapped Graham to serve as one of the House "managers," prosecuting articles of impeachment for President Clinton in the Senate.
"Impeachment is not about punishment," argued Graham before the Senate in January, 1999. "Impeachment is about cleansing the office."
Three years after that, Graham left the House. He became one of 100 in the Senate. But his colleagues conceded that the institution felt hollow at just 99.
"I am comforted by the knowledge that in the end, he has just changed his address. And that one day, Mr. President…." said Thune on the floor, pausing for ten seconds. "We will laugh together again."
The Leader’s voice then cracked as he fought back tears.
"Mr. President, I yield the floor," Thune whispered.
By Tuesday afternoon, Darline Graham became the 2,022nd senator in American history. But the first to immediately succeed her brother.
"He always said that his greatest accomplishment was the way that Darline turned out," said Britt.
"I'm glad that there will be another Sen. Graham and that Darline will serve with us," said
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). "That'll allow for some continuity."
Graham’s passing leaves a Congressional chasm.
"It will be difficult to pass anything without Sen. Graham because he's been such a significant voice in the Senate," said Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).
It’s unclear if any of that will fall to the Senate’s newest member.
Darline Graham joined her brother’s side when he briefly ran for President in 2015. She says Lindsey taught her how to ride a bike while growing up.
"He would hold on to the bicycle as I pedaled. And he'd run along beside of me. Give me a big push and shout ‘Keep pedaling! Keep pedaling!’ said the new senator. " And then he was the one who comforted me when I stopped pedaling and fell off the bicycle."
Today, Darline Graham is again hopping onto that bicycle to finish Lindsey Graham’s term.
You can almost hear the late senator, in his "upstate" twang shouting to his sister "Keep pedaling! Keep pedaling!"
Louisiana man accused of killing deputy US marshal faces possible death penalty
A Louisiana man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing a deputy U.S. marshal who was shot while serving an arrest warrant, federal officials announced Tuesday.
Multiple law enforcement officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant related to a prior sexual battery charge when Clarence A. Frazier Jr., 48, of Alexandria, allegedly barricaded himself inside his home and opened fire, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Frazier is charged with the murder of a federal officer and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
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Authorities identified the slain deputy U.S. marshal as Drew Hanson, whom officials described as a devoted husband, father and son.
"Tragically, the defendant's alleged actions claimed the life of a dedicated law enforcement officer who was simply doing his duty," Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. "The alleged perpetrator is now in custody and will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
According to officials, the shooting occurred July 13, after members of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office located Frazier at his residence and obtained a search warrant for the property.
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According to the federal criminal complaint, Frazier had failed to appear in state court to face trial on a charge of sexual battery of a person with infirmities.
After announcing their presence, law enforcement officers forced entry into the home, authorities said.
Frazier allegedly barricaded himself inside a bedroom and opened fire on the officers, striking Hanson.
Following a standoff inside the bedroom, Frazier was taken into custody.
Hanson later died from the gunshot wounds he sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Trump says Iran released American woman held since 2024 in 'gesture of goodwill'
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran has released an American woman who he said was "wrongfully detained" in the country for the past year and a half.
She was identified as Iranian-American citizen Dena Karari by her attorney Jared Genser, who confirmed her release to Fox News. She was reportedly accused of espionage over her work with an American nonprofit helping impoverished children.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the woman was detained in December 2024, during the Biden administration and was recently allowed to leave Iran.
"Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the ‘presidency’ of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country," Trump wrote.
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Karari is reportedly now safely outside Iran and in good condition following her release, according to Trump.
Her release marks the first time an American has been freed from Iranian custody since 2023, and represents a notable development amid ongoing military confrontations between Washington and Tehran.
Following her release, Trump thanked Iran for what he described as a "gesture of goodwill."
"The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran!" he wrote.
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Gesner released a statement shortly after Trump’s announcement, saying she had been "trapped in Iran on bogus charges of collaboration with a hostile state and espionage" but is now on her way back to the United States.
According to Genser, Karari was targeted after Iranian authorities linked her to the Children of Mehr Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit that provides books, literacy programs and other humanitarian assistance to impoverished children in rural Iran.
Under the regime, affiliations with U.S.-based organizations operating inside Iran are often viewed with heightened suspicion and can lead to accusations of security-related offenses.
Genser clarified that Karari was never formally imprisoned but was effectively held in Iran through a "coercive exit ban." She was reportedly interrogated dozens of times by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and "suffered enormous physical and psychological hardship."
"We urge Iran to drop all the remaining charges against those who worked locally in support of the Children of Mehr Foundation, who are innocent and committed no crimes," Genser said. "And I personally call on Iran to release both all wrongly imprisoned Americans and those subjected to coercive exit bans and all Iranian political prisoners."
Sources previously told Fox News Digital in January 2026 that Iran may have been holding more than eight American citizens and residents in custody, exceeding publicly available data that listed five American hostages in Iran.
Two of the current hostages include Kamran Hekmati, a 61-year-old Jewish man held since May 2025, and Reza Valizadeh, a 49-year-old journalist and dual Iranian-American national held since March 2024.
A U.S. State Department official previously told Fox News Digital that "President Trump is working to secure the release of detained Americans around the world."
"The Iranian regime has a long history of unjustly and wrongfully detaining other countries’ citizens as hostages for use as political leverage. Iran should release these individuals immediately," the official said.
According to United Against Nuclear Iran, Tehran detains foreign nationals on vague charges and uses them as "bargaining chips" to extract concessions from other countries, such as securing the release of frozen financial assets locked up by international sanctions.
Iran has frequently targeted individuals who hold both American and Iranian citizenship, as Tehran does not recognize dual nationality and often treats dual citizens solely as Iranian nationals, limiting their access to U.S. consular assistance, United Against Nuclear Iran said.
During the most recent major prisoner exchange in September 2023, the U.S. secured the release of five Americans who had been detained in Iran for years. In exchange, the U.S. approved the transfer of $6 billion in frozen funds.
Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.