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Russia's neighbor reveals personal appeals to Trump as US weighs NATO troop pullback in Europe
NEW YORK — Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda revealed Monday he personally pleaded with President Donald Trump to maintain U.S. forces on NATO’s eastern flank as Washington reviews its military footprint in Europe.
Meanwhile, Russia’s war in Ukraine has raged on for more than four-and-a-half years and raised questions on how far Moscow will push into the continent.
Nausėda said during remarks at a fireside chat moderated by Fox News Digital at the Presidential Business Forum on Resilience on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly New York that Lithuania is prepared to provide "very generous host-nation support" for American forces to remain in the region.
"I personally sent two letters to the president," Nausėda said of the plea to keep an American troops presence.
PENTAGON CUTS BRIGADE COMBAT TEAMS IN EUROPE AS TRUMP PRESSURES NATO ON SPENDING
The Pentagon has already begun scaling back some forces and capabilities in Europe, while reported options under review could remove tens of thousands more troops.
The review is part of a broader Pentagon strategy to shift primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense onto European allies, while reserving a more limited U.S. role. But Washington has also signaled that its retrenchment may not be uniform: Trump said last week that the U.S. was making progress toward a permanent Army base in Poland, one of NATO’s highest-spending members.
That has left frontline allies trying to determine where they fit in with an emerging U.S. strategy that calls for a smaller overall role in Europe while deepening ties with countries Washington views as carrying more of the burden.
The review also comes as Russia’s war with Ukraine has increasingly spilled into NATO territory.
RUSSIA PREPARING HYBRID ATTACKS ON NATO'S EASTERN FLANK, INTELLIGENCE WARNS
Lithuania experienced that threat firsthand last week when NATO fighters shot down a drone that crossed into Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. Nausėda later said the aircraft was likely Russian and intended for an attack on Ukraine before veering off course.
The country's intelligence services warn that Russia is already rebuilding military capabilities near NATO's eastern borders despite its losses in Ukraine.
Lithuania's 2026 National Threat Assessment found that a ceasefire or frozen conflict in Ukraine could accelerate that buildup, allowing Moscow to move more troops and equipment back toward permanent bases near the Baltic states and replenish weapons and ammunition depleted during the war.
In that scenario, Lithuanian intelligence assessed Russia could eventually develop enough capability to launch military action against the Baltics and seek an initial regional advantage before NATO could fully respond.
Asked how much time NATO would have if a ceasefire were reached tomorrow, Nausėda declined to put a timeline on the threat but warned that "a ceasefire for Russia may mean" looking for new targets.
He said whether Moscow ultimately tests NATO would depend largely on the alliance's ability to strengthen its deterrence and demonstrate that it can defend its eastern flank.
Nausėda cast doubt on the prospect of near-term peace talks, saying that "for the time being Russia is not ready to start the peace negotiations."
Instead, he said Moscow appears intent on using the approaching winter to increase pressure on Kyiv by striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and worsening conditions for civilians.
"The winter is coming. Russia knows very well where they should target, and they will target energy infrastructure first of all," Nausėda said, describing the attacks as an effort to make living conditions in Ukraine as difficult as possible and pressure its leadership toward concessions.
"For these negotiations, I don’t see any ground, at least right now," he said, adding that talks could become possible "maybe next year."
The threat to energy infrastructure was particularly resonant for Nausėda, who spoke as Lithuania marked another step in its yearslong effort to insulate itself from energy pressure from Moscow.
Lithuania, marking a new long-term natural gas agreement with U.S. natural gas producer EQT Corp. this wee during the president's trip to New York, began importing U.S. LNG in 2017 and now gets roughly 70% of its LNG from the United States, Nausėda said.
During Monday’s forum, Lithuanian energy company Ignitis signed a new long-term LNG agreement with U.S.-based EQT Corp.
Nausėda said Lithuania’s push for energy independence was shaped by years of experience with Moscow using the country’s dependence on Russian energy as political leverage.
"Our history shows that all the time Russians misused our dependencies for their own benefit," Nausėda said.
Nausėda stressed that Lithuania is also increasing its own defense burden, saying the country is spending 5.4% of GDP on defense while building a national division and preparing to host a full German brigade by the end of 2027.
He said Lithuanian intelligence has periodically warned of a risk that Russia could target critical infrastructure in Lithuania, prompting additional measures to protect energy and other strategic assets.
Why didn't Ryan Clark push back at Colin Kaepernick comparing the NFL to slavery during interview?
Colin Kaepernick doubled down on his comparison of the NFL to the slave trade during a podcast interview with former ESPN commentator Ryan Clark this week.
"When did you truly start to have the realization that [the combine] reminds [you] of the slave trade?" Clark asked.
"You get to the point, where it's like, 'Strip down to your drawers,’" Kaepernick responded. "It feels like a meat market."
5 TOUGH QUESTIONS COLIN KAEPERNICK DIDN'T HEAR DURING HIS MEDIA TOUR | MATT CALKINS
Kaepernick added that he did not have the "historical perspective at the time" in 2011 at the Scouting Combine to understand what he now considers a "parallel" to a slave auction.
The former NFL quarterback first made the comparison during a 2021 Netflix series. His reputation has never been the same since. That is how offensive it is to equate the horrors of bondage with playing in the NFL for millions of dollars a year.
But at this point, similar scrutiny must be applied to Clark.
Consider the wording of Clark's question. He did not challenge Kaepernick's premise or ask him to substantiate it. Instead, he led him toward the desired answer by asking "when" he realized the NFL draft process resembled slavery.
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Clark then nodded along as Kaepernick claimed that the draft and slave auctions are part of the "same process."
OutKick asked Clark on Tuesday about his question to Kaepernick. We also asked whether he agreed with the analogy. Clark did not respond by the time of publication. We will update this story if he does.
At minimum, it is reasonable to conclude that Clark did not find the comparison outrageous. We have seen how he reacts when he disagrees with a statement. Just ask ESPN host Peter Schrager, whom Clark continued to shout at behind the scenes after an on-air disagreement last year.
On the merits, Kaepernick's analogy is indefensible. No serious person could reasonably equate the NFL draft process with an auction block.
As the interviewer, Clark had a responsibility to identify the absurdity of the claim. He owed that to his audience. He did not live up to that responsibility.
RYAN CLARK AGAIN ACCUSES ESPN OF LEAKING HIS FIRING TO OUTKICK: HERE’S THE REAL STORY
By allowing Kaepernick to promote such baseless hysteria, Clark turned his platform into an infomercial for the former quarterback's propaganda campaign.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
And Clark knows better. He participated in the very process Kaepernick characterized as exploitative. Clark played 13 seasons in the NFL, a career he claims to revere.
There is virtually no chance Clark saw his time in the league as comparable to servitude.
That is what makes conversations like this sound dishonest and contrived. Kaepernick and Clark come across as two entitled millionaires attempting to convince average Americans that they are the true victims of American society.
It is deeply distasteful.
Still, we hope Clark responds. We'd like to put on the record his official reaction to Kaepernick comparing the NFL to the slave trade.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes links concerning velocity dip to World Baseball Classic amid tough season
The World Baseball Classic may have only been a couple of weeks long, but its impact was felt all season long.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has not been himself this year. His velocity has dipped, his command has been off, and after posting ERAs of 1.97 and 1.96, respectively, over the last two seasons, he has a 3.91 ERA this season. Why? Skenes said part of it was the World Baseball Classic.
"There are a lot of other factors, so I don’t want to put everything on that," Skenes told the Post-Gazette. "But I feel like that was kind of the root of it a little bit."
The World Baseball Classic ran from March 3 to March 17 this year, and Skenes said at that time of year, pitchers aren’t throwing at max effort.
"Usually, that time of year, you’re kind of ramping up and it’s a little bit slow. You can kind of get onto the slope and find your body," Skenes said. "One live (batting practice), you’re topping at 97 (mph), and then the next you’re 98, 99. And that wasn’t the case this year. ... Looking back, I don’t think that really helped."
Early in the season, Skenes pitched well despite not having his usual 98-mph fastball. In 2024, his rookie season, he averaged 98.8 mph, and last season he averaged 98.1 mph. This year, he is down to 96.8 mph.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
Skenes didn’t have a set number for how hard he wanted to throw; he just wanted to throw harder. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner said he made mechanical adjustments to try to improve his velocity, but nothing came of them.
"Unfortunately, it’s probably going to take an offseason to get it back," Skenes said. "Yeah, it’s just tough."
Skenes didn’t blame all of his struggles on the World Baseball Classic, but he believed it had an impact. He also said he isn’t the only pitcher who was impacted.
"It definitely affected the year," Skenes said. "Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m the only one."
The Pirates hope their ace will have a strong offseason, return to form in 2027 and help the team make a postseason push, assuming there is a season amid the impending lockout.
Amazon's No. 1 bestselling electric blanket is over 40% off right now — just $40
With fall, priorities shift from fun in the sun to creating a warm and cozy haven at home. One of the easiest ways to do that is with an electric blanket, and Amazon's No. 1 bestselling pick is on sale right now. Originally $69, the Bedsure heated throw blanket is marked down to $40 — a 42% discount.
READ MORE: October Prime Day starts soon — here are the dates, tips to shop and what's on sale now
Original price: $68.99
The Bedsure heated throw blanket is currently just $3 above its lowest recorded price, making this an excellent deal. With more than 5,000 sold in the past month, it's been a popular item among Amazon shoppers, and we anticipate demand increasing as we get further into fall and winter. Historically, we've seen fewer discounts on heated blankets, so it's best to buy them when they're on sale ahead of the season.
The blanket has six heat levels and timer settings, preheat settings, plus an automatic shutoff function to help reduce the risk of overheating and give you peace of mind.
Whether you plan to use it while lounging, studying or working in a cold office building, you'll get hours of daily comfort out of it.
READ MORE: This week's best sales: 50% off a Carhartt duck jacket, $28 YETI tumblers and more
With nearly 10,000 global ratings, the Bedsure heated throw blanket boasts a 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Reviewers appreciate its warmth, softness and durability.
One reviewer initially gave a 4-star review, but after two years of daily use, updated it to a 5-star review, mentioning that the highest heat setting is sufficient even when it's freezing and that the blanket heats up fast, helping warm their ice-cold feet. "It’s been working really well for me over what's been now [the blanket's] second cold season… and it’s still keeping me warm at night."
Another 5-star reviewer praised it for its usefulness during illness:
"This was the only blanket I had on all winter… I got COVID-19 a few weeks after buying this blanket and lord, it was a lifesaver," they wrote. "I got the worst chills, but this blanket got me through it. I've had a few other heating blankets, but they never survive a full year. This is the first blanket that is actually holding up… and I've had it consistently on for the past half year."
"The blanket itself is oh so soft," another shopper wrote. "I feel like a little kid when getting under this blanket. It is a joy to drift off to la la land in this. Extremely plush material and soft to the touch. I'm really glad that I bought this blanket. I hope that it lasts for years to come."
For more deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals
Shoppers love the compact 50-by-60-inch size of this blanket, but as it's a throw, it's not large enough to share or completely cover a Queen-size bed. Bedsure does have larger sizes on sale, though the discounts are not as substantial as the throw blanket size.
Heated throw blanket: $33.95 (32% off)
Heated electric blanket with 10 heat settings: $33.99 (15% off)
Westinghouse heated throw blanket: $39.99 (13% off)
Faux rabbit fur electric throw blanket: $51.99
Flannel heated electric throw blanket: $19.99
If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.
House Republicans drop Jack Smith transcripts in explosive Arctic Frost records fight
House Republicans released six closely watched transcripts Tuesday, offering a new-look inside former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s controversial investigation of President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers.
The House Judiciary Committee published testimony from five Smith prosecutors and a former DOJ watchdog agent.
Committee Republicans allege investigators improperly subpoenaed phone records belonging to more than a dozen GOP lawmakers during the Arctic Frost probe, and secured gag orders preventing lawmakers from learning the Biden-Harris Justice Department had obtained their records.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Deion Sanders dismisses multiple players after locker room incident following Colorado's loss to Northwestern
Deion Sanders has obviously not been in the best of moods following Colorado's 41-7 loss to Northwestern this past weekend, and he showed just how upset he was this week with players on his team.
Before Colorado took the field against the Wildcats, multiple players were captured on video talking trash about the size of Northwestern’s crowd. It turned out to be the beginning of an unpleasant day for everyone involved with the Buffaloes.
Not only did the Buffaloes get torched on the field, but there were multiple players who decided that it would be in their best interest to laugh about the loss while entering the postgame locker room.
"I don't understand how in the world you can find joy, or you can find a laughing matter when I'm right behind you walking [the locker room]," Sanders said after the loss. "I don't understand that, and I addressed it, and I'm going to put my foot in it, not on it."
Even though Colorado is 2-1 on the season, what we witnessed on Saturday could turn into a trend for a football team that looked overwhelmed for nearly the entire game against Northwestern.
The last thing Deion Sanders wants is for this to snowball into another horrid season, with a select few players not taking things seriously in the locker room.
So, he decided it was best for the football team to move on from a number of players, who have not been identified as of yet.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
There is also the hangover effect with this bunch from Colorado, seeing how last season turned into a nightmare for the coaching staff in Boulder.
In past years, Deion might have been able to look the other way, but not any longer. The Colorado head coach made it a point to say that it was not just an incident that took place following the Northwestern game, but more so that he felt as though it was not in the best interest of his team to keep a few guys around for the sake of it.
"It's never one," Sanders said on Tuesday. "I'm one the most loving and giving and forgiving men you could ever meet, but when you start [having] conduct detrimental to the team, you don't care about the team, you care about you, I have a problem with that. A year ago, I didn't put my foot down in it enough. It lingered a little bit. Then, it imploded.
"I'm not doing that anymore."
To show that he wasn’t playing around when it came to his team disrespecting others, Sanders had safety Ben Finneseth appear before the head coach took to the podium in order to apologize for their pregame comments that were captured on social media.
"It was childish. It was a stupid thing that I said. It won't happen again," Ben Finneseth said on Tuesday. "The way I handled it was horrible and I promise you guys that it will not happen again."
Colorado will face Baylor this weekend in Waco, with plenty on the line if Deion Sanders hopes to keep his team in the running for a potential shot at a Big 12 title game appearance.
As for the players who were dismissed, we will get a better understanding of who they were once a depth chart is released later in the week.
North Korean defector issues stark warning about America ahead of Christian university's anti-communism event
Cornerstone University, a Christian school in Michigan, is holding an anti-communist event, bringing in scholars and survivors of oppressive regimes.
Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, the president of Cornerstone University, said the school chose the theme months ago, as it saw public opinion across the country sway toward communism and socialism. The Oct. 1 event is titled, "Why Not Communism? A Wisdom Conversation on Freedom, Faith and the Future of America."
"Frankly, we became alarmed and concerned because the history of communism, socialism is a dark one," Moreno-Riaño told Fox News Digital.
OPINION: WANT TO STOP SOCIALISM? A MODERN CIVIC EDUCATION NEEDS A LOT MORE THAN YOU'D THINK
"We thought we need to step up as a university committed to educating men and women for our country and really inform the community, educate the community and our students and the country at large about the moral bankruptcy of communism and socialism," he added.
The university is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which sits in Kent County, an area where Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed won more than 61% of the vote in the primary, according to state records. El-Sayed famously campaigned with controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who defended communism as the "honorable end goal" of socialism, giving the event added relevance.
The event speakers include Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon; Dr. Gary Saul Morson, a scholar of Soviet communism; Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution survivor Xi Van Fleet, and North Korean defector Yeonmi Park.
"Yeonmi Park's story is incredible, as a defector of North Korea. Xi Van Fleet, her time in a labor camp in China. And what they saw, what they experienced, what they witnessed is absolutely essential, because there are certain similarities between what happened in North Korea and is happening there now, what happened in China during Mao Zedong and thereafter, similarities between what happens there in those revolutions and what's happening here has been happening here for several years," Moreno-Riaño said.
HASAN PIKER VOWS NEVER TO CRITICIZE MAO ZEDONG IN RESURFACED VIDEO, HAILS HIM AS ‘GREAT LEADER’
Park told Fox News Digital that communism is on the rise among students who learn about it "in a very nice classroom with the air conditioning running," while she experienced oppressive regimes firsthand.
"I had to live through [a] real socialist government every day until I escaped from North Korea," Park said. "And I know it is not nice when it is actually enforced [in] real life. Many people think it's [an] amazing thing as a theory, and they have no idea if we do bring this policy in our government, what that's going to [do to] our local population."
Growing up in North Korea during the devastating famines of the 1990s, Park experienced hunger, severe poverty and political persecution. At age 13, she escaped with her mother across the frozen border river into China, where they experienced human trafficking. After her mother submitted to sexual assault to protect Yeonmi from smugglers, both were sold into trafficking rings.
After two years of exploitation and hiding from Chinese authorities, Christian activist networks helped them cross from China to Mongolia, where they secured political asylum, and later gained their freedom in South Korea.
BISHOP ROBERT BARRON: THE REAL REASON COMMUNISTS FEAR RELIGION AND WANT BELIEVERS SILENCED
Park told Fox News Digital that while in the U.S. she has had students who are unaware of her background tell her that she does not "understand oppression" because she is Asian. Park added that they refer to her as a "White-passing person."
"They have no idea that I was, at 13 years old, being sold as a sex slave in China for two years of my life. I do understand oppression," she said.
Park insisted that American students often take their freedom for granted and do not have a full understanding of global realities.
"Most people are not free right now in the world. More than 70% of humanity right now live under authoritarian governments," Park told Fox News Digital, likely referencing data from the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute. V-Dem's most recent report estimates that 74% of the world's population lives under autocracies.
She added that having freedom is "a very special thing" and she doesn't "want us to lose this amazing country, because if America falls, we do not have a place to escape to."
"For me, I was fortunate that I had a country to escape to from North Korea to America, but if we lose this country, we are all going to die, actually," she said.
SEN TOM COTTON: DEMOCRATS SAY SOCIALISM WILL HELP. HISTORY SAYS IT WILL HURT
For Moreno-Riaño, the defense of freedom is directly tied to Cornerstone University's Christian identity. He explained to Fox News Digital that the principle of liberty was, in his view, "at the bedrock" of the Christian faith.
"I mean, we believe that the gospel sets us free. So, liberty and freedom are at the core of our Christian faith through the gospel of Jesus Christ," he said.
"We believe this basic Christian principle called the Imago Dei, that we've been created in His image, means that for us to flourish, you have to have a condition of freedom and liberty. It's absolutely essential," he added.
Ultimately, Moreno-Riaño hopes to encourage students to take action and to resist the urge to "sit on the sidelines watching."
"As people of faith, Christians here at Cornerstone University, we want our students to be involved to be great citizens, modeling their faith and modeling what it means to be a great citizen of our great country. That to me is the ultimate outcome for not just the students, but even for the community at large who will come to the event," he said.
RNC sues New Jersey election officials over alleged withheld voter roll records
FIRST ON FOX – The Republican National Committee (RNC) and state GOP leaders filed a lawsuit Tuesday against New Jersey’s top election official and authorities in five counties, alleging they failed to produce federally mandated voter roll maintenance records and aiming to force transparency for the American people.
"The RNC exposed noncitizens on New Jersey's voter rolls," RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Now, election officials are hiding the records that would tell voters how it happened. The RNC won't stand for it."
While officials did produce some documents, Tuesday's new lawsuit alleges that New Jersey’s chief election official and county authorities in Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties have continued to withhold key records that federal law requires to be made public.
RNC THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST NEW JERSEY OFFICIALS OVER NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS: 'ON NOTICE'
"Garden State voters deserve the truth, and we're taking these left-wing officials to court to demand answers," Gruters' statement added.
The legal action follows the RNC's initial discovery of hundreds of noncitizens on the state's voter registries, as first reported by Fox News Digital in early June.
The June report noted that migrants seeking documented naturalization had self-attested to be noncitizens, while being found to have voted in past elections.
Fox News Digital has reached out for comment from the New Jersey Secretary of State's office and the respective five counties named in the filing.
Also, through investigations of jury duty evasion, some New Jersey residents claimed to lack U.S. citizenship only to be ultimately found to be registered voters.
The RNC sued the New Jersey secretary of state in July over nonresidents – and in some case noncitizens – being permitted to vote in state elections.
DEMOCRAT NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SAYS THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS DISCOVERED ON VOTER ROLLS, PURGED
While Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill acknowledged the illegal voter registrations, Republicans argue that state Democrats have spent months dodging accountability and have failed to explain how the noncitizens were added to the rolls in the first place.
Seeking to determine how the registrations occurred and whether ineligible voters were subsequently removed, the RNC sent legal notices demanding answers and requesting voter roll maintenance documents.
The RNC stated the lawsuit aims to force transparency and protect the ballot box. The withheld records are also of interest in Washington, where congressional investigators are currently seeking answers regarding the same voter registration failures.
This legal challenge is part of a broader, nationwide campaign by the RNC's multimillion-dollar election integrity unit ahead of the midterm elections. The committee has sent similar requests for voter roll maintenance records to 48 states to ensure voting registries are being properly maintained across the country.
It also builds on the RNC's prior legal actions in New Jersey to challenge election procedures, which include a previous lawsuit against the New Jersey secretary of state over alleged unlawful voting practices.
Joining the RNC and the New Jersey Republican Party (NJGOP) as plaintiffs in the current lawsuit are Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., and New Jersey Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco.
"New Jerseyans deserve complete transparency following Gov. Sherrill's admission that over 6,600 noncitizens were added to our voter rolls. Fair elections require total public accountability," Kean Jr. said. "Election officials must immediately release these records, so voters get the complete truth."
From campus radicals to Beijing's AI sabotage: Rep Randy Fine says 'US fighting to save Western civilization'
U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., has emerged as one of the most outspoken foreign policy voices in Congress during his short tenure on Capitol Hill.
He frames the modern political battleground not just merely as a domestic election but as an existential struggle to preserve Western civilization.
In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the Florida Republican pulled no punches as he tied anti-Israel sentiment and opposition to domestic AI data centers directly to foreign influence operations by Iran and China, positioning himself as an unapologetic fighter for President Donald Trump’s agenda.
As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has emerged as a political lightning rod, serving as a primary litmus test for the American left, Fine believes foreign money has played a large part in shaping public opinion.
"I think it's a focused effort over many decades to try to pollute our population with these ridiculous ideas," Fine said. "But I think it's accelerated since Oct. 7 as massive amounts of foreign money have come in to try and manipulate public opinion through social media. They lie. And here's how you know they lie. When other countries kill tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of their people, no one seems to be bothered.
"But when Israel defends itself from a terrorist attack, they lose their minds. Iran killed 40,000 of its own people in a couple of days earlier this year. Those same people who are upset with Israel are actually siding with Iran. The good news is the vast majority of the American people understand that the United States and Israel are fighting to save Western civilization, and that's certainly a message that I'm focused on spreading every day."
As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is sweeping through mainstream culture with the recent cancellation of Macklemore's tour dates in football stadiums, Fine is a staunch defender of Robert Kraft's decision and denies it's merely "conservative cancel culture."
"So, first off, they weren't political statements," Fine said. "I mean, is calling for the death of Jews a political statement? I mean it's antisemitism in the same way racism against black people is. And while you're allowed to be an idiot, as this Macklemore guy is, you don't have the right to perform in a stadium that's owned by private citizens.
"He didn't want a guy who puts a prosthetic nose on his face, in order to appear to be a Nazi, performing in his stadium. He has every right to say that is not welcome.
"That doesn't mean Macklemore can't stand on the street corner and preach his views. Cancel culture is when you cannot exist, when you're debanked, when you literally cannot function in society.
"But in the same way, I have the right to say whatever I want, other people have the right to you can't say it in my house. And that's all that's happened here. I think he [Robert Kraft] did the right thing. I think we need more of it."
AOC JOINS MACKLEMORE FUNDRAISING MEMO TARGETING ROBERT KRAFT
Fine has also been at the forefront of condemning the militant pro-Palestinian protesters who have taken over university campuses across the country over the past year.
"I think we draw the line at violence. Every student has the right to get an education," Fine said. "And, so, for example, when Jewish students are not able to come to class, when they're not able to walk across campus, when they're blamed for the actions of a country on the other side of the world, that is where you've crossed a line.
"Look, I had to deal with the ‘free Palestine’ idiots when I was in college, you know, 30 years ago. But they didn't affect my ability to actually exist and to do my job and to be a student. So. I just didn't worry about it."
Fine has described himself as "MAGA through and through" and sees himself as one of the president's staunchest defenders in Congress.
"Well, I believe in making America great again. I've been a huge supporter of the president," Fine said. "I was the first member of the Florida House to support President Trump when he ran for president again in 2024. And I believe that the president is really putting his fingers in the dam of the destruction of Western civilization, which so many are trying to shove down our throats.
"So, I'm here to be a warrior and a soldier for President Trump's agenda, and I've been proud to do it since I got elected on April 1 of last year."
As domestic opposition to data centers has skyrocketed and AI regulation emerges as a major issue heading into the midterms, Fine warns that China is using both issues to win a geopolitical advantage over the United States.
"I think it's largely an op by China. And let's explain why. So, I think the 21st century, who wins the 21st century, will largely be defined by who wins the war over AI. And that fight is on four levels.
"One is hardware. Who has the best hardware? Right now, America is in the lead on that. Who has the best software? Right now, America is on the lead.
"Who has the best energy infrastructure? Unfortunately, China has the lead on that because while the idiots on our side have said let's not have coal-fired power plants … let's not have nuclear, let's get all of our energy from solar and windmills, China, who's selling us all the solar and the windmills, is putting up coal-fired power plants. So, cheap, plentiful energy. China's winning that fight.
"But the fourth front in that fight is what they call compute: data centers. If you want to use Grok, if you want to use ChatGPT, if you want to use Claude and you type that stuff in, something needs to be doing the thinking. It's not happening on your phone. It's happening at a data center. And China has realized that if they can get America to not put data centers in, well then those data centers have to go in China, and China wins on that front of the war.
"Does that mean you should be able to put a data center in a neighborhood? No, it doesn't. But does that mean the data centers are a critical part of re-industrializing the United States to make sure we win the war over AI? It absolutely is."
Finally, Congressman Fine addressed the looming midterm elections as Republicans face headwinds to retain control of both chambers, making a forceful case for the GOP's accomplishments in the 119th Congress.
"Well, I'd say two things. No. 1, look at what we've done. The largest tax cut in American history. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime. Look at President Trump sealing the border. Look at the first net migration out of the country in decades. Look at the stopping of the transgender things. Look at all the extraordinary achievements. Remember how bad things were two years ago?
"But the second thing is understand what we're at risk of if the Democrats win. All of the good things that we have done. Many of the Democrats that I serve with hate America. If you think Ilhan Omar, if you think Rashida Tlaib, if you think Abdulrahman Mohammed El-Sayed, if you think Zohran Mamdani, if you think they think America is good and that they love America, you're out of your mind.
"And the Democratic Party has been poisoned by people who hate America. The barbarians are no longer outside the gates, they're inside and they're running for Congress. And they can never be allowed to have power because they will make it their single-minded mission to destroy the country."
ESPN personality Chris Canty shares wildly inaccurate statement about Ole Miss football on 'First Take'
With Week 3's showdown between LSU and Ole Miss delivering on every single level, talking heads were still reacting to the Rebels' 32-24 win over the Tigers on Tuesday morning. Given that it was one of the most highly anticipated college football games in recent history, taking a few days to dissect it all is well warranted, but if you're going to do so, you have to have the most basic facts correct.
ESPN did not abide by that rule.
'First Take' host Stephen A. Smith was joined by former NFL players Jeff Saturday and Chris Canty to discuss Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and what his future in the league could look like. While Canty dropped compliment after compliment about Chambliss and his abilities, one statement he made about Ole Miss' history as a program was not even close to being accurate.
"Ole Miss has had two wins against AP Top 10-ranked teams in the last 60 years, and that dude has both of them," Canty said while pointing to a graphic of Chambliss.
While we can say that Canty is being a prisoner of the moment and also understand that he was likely fed that 'statistic' about the Rebels by a producer or researcher at ESPN, we can also recognize just how far detached from reality it is.
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As Canty noted, Chambliss led Ole Miss to a win over LSU on Saturday and against Georgia in last year's College Football Playoff, giving him two wins over AP Top 10 teams, but he and the program have accomplished that feat many, many more times than two.
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Just last season, No. 4 LSU visited Ole Miss and Chambliss led the Rebels to a 24-19 win. In 2024, Jaxson Dart pushed the Rebels past No. 3 Georgia. Ten years earlier, Ole Miss beat No. 3 Alabama 23-17 and No. 4 Mississippi State six weeks later, before beating the Crimson Tide on the road the following year when Bama was the No. 2 team in the nation.
Since the turn of the 21st century alone, Ole Miss has beaten 16 teams ranked inside the AP Top 10.
Mistakes happen, but some are far more egregious than others, and Canty's certainly falls into that category.