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Hegseth warns Iranian leaders to 'choose wisely' on deal with US: 'We are locked and loaded'
War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iranian leaders to "choose wisely" on whether to accept a peace deal with the U.S. on Thursday.
Hegseth made the comments during a press briefing at the Pentagon, saying the U.S. military is "locked and loaded" and prepared to strike Iran's energy infrastructure.
"We'll start with a message to Iran's military leadership," Hegseth said. "We're watching you. Our capabilities are not the same, our military and yours. Remember, this is not a fair fight, and we know what military assets you are moving and where you are moving them to while you are digging out, which is exactly what you're doing. Digging out of bombed out and devastated facilities."
"We are only getting stronger. You are digging out your remaining launchers and missiles with no ability to replace them. You have no defense industry, no ability to replenish your offensive or defensive capabilities. You only have what you have. You know that. And we know that you can move things around, but you can't actually rebuild. You can dig out for now, but you can't reconstitute. But we can," he said.
TRUMP DETAILS SWEEPING 'ALL OR NOTHING' BLOCKADE OF STRAIT OF HORMUZ AFTER FAILED IRAN TALKS
"If Iran chooses poorly, they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy," Hegseth added.
IRAN THREATENS TO HALT RED SEA TRAFFIC IN RESPONSE TO US MILITARY BLOCKADE OF PORTS
Hegseth was joined at Thursday's briefing by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who recently returned from the front lines.
Hegseth said Cooper is making sure the U.S. military "continues to implement an ironclad blockade and ensures that our forces are maximally postured to restart combat operations should this new Iranian regime choose poorly and not agree to a deal."
"We are reloading with more power than ever before and better intelligence, even more importantly, better intelligence than ever before," he said in his message to Iran.
"As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry. We'd rather not have to do it, but we're ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button," he also said.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Athena Strand's mother reveals final words with slain child as jury weighs death penalty for FedEx driver
The mother of 7-year-old Athena Strand took the stand Wednesday in the second week of the emotional trial of a former FedEx driver who admitted kidnapping and murdering the young girl.
Tanner Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder just moments before his Texas trial was set to begin, with jurors now weighing whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
On Wednesday, jurors heard from Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, as she testified about her final moments with her daughter, according to FOX 4.
"Do you remember the last thing you said to Athena?" a prosecutor asked her, the outlet reported.
"I told her that I loved her and that I would see her on Friday," Gandy replied. "We had a quick drop-off because her daddy was going to take them to the Christmas lights."
Wearing pink, Athena’s favorite color, Gandy recalled how she immediately drove back to Texas from her home in Oklahoma upon learning about her daughter’s disappearance.
"It felt like I was dying," Gandy said, according to FOX 4. "I couldn't breathe, but I knew I had to keep going. I almost tapped on the brakes because I thought I was having a heart attack. But I just told myself that if I kept going, it would be OK, and I would find her."
She then went on to describe how she delivered the news of Athena’s death to her 3-year-old sister.
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"I didn't know how to tell her, and I didn't think I was strong enough to tell her. So I lied to her for a long time. I would tell her that she was just staying with her daddy for a little bit longer. And when she asked to FaceTime or to call her, I would tell her that she was at school or she was sleeping," Gandy said. "Until about a year ago, she didn't know the whole truth."
Upon being asked if she had watched the video of Horner strangling Athena to death, Gandy said she was only able to watch a few minutes of it and apologized to the jurors who were required to see the footage.
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"Not anyone in this room besides Tanner Horner asked for what's on that video, and Athena definitely did not," Gandy said.
Defense attorney Steven Goble did not cross-examine Gandy, instead offering his condolences as the grieving mother took the stand.
"I am very sorry for your loss," Goble said, FOX 4 reported.
Horner admitted to abducting Athena while delivering a package containing a Barbie doll to her father’s home in Paradise in 2022. Her body was found on Dec. 2, two days after she was reported missing.
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Horner initially told investigators that he strangled the young girl after accidentally striking her with his delivery vehicle, adding that she wasn’t seriously injured when he panicked and placed her in his van.
On Monday, medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that Athena’s cause of death was blunt force injuries, smothering and strangulation, adding the young girl likely suffered before she died.
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Following the murder, Horner wrote a letter to Athena's heartbroken family, writing: "To Athena's family. I wanted to start by saying how sorry I am about Athena. The entire time I've known my legal counsel, they continued to tell me how. I don't need to apologize, didn't apologize, and the trial? And frankly, I can't hold it in any longer. I can't tell you how many countless nights I've stayed awake, unable to sleep. I pray for you. For all of you. So many were affected by my breakdown. Not just your family, but my own as well. You'll never get to see your baby girl grow up. And I'm sorry."
Before leaving the stand, Gandy addressed questions from the prosecution regarding why she has been in the courtroom for every day of Horner’s trial.
"There were handprint bruises around my daughter's neck, and because she no longer has a voice," Gandy said. "And I want people to know that she's not just some story, she's not just some number."
"She's not just some picture you see in a headline," Gandy added. "She was loved. She is loved. And she is missed. And she was real. And she had a life, and she wanted to live. And no one can take that from her. Not a single person can take that from her. And I will be her face, and it will be her voice. And I will make sure that every person in this world knows that she was. And we want her in our lives."
Protein boom is threatening to wipe out vegetarian chain as shutdown looms
A popular vegetarian restaurant chain is warning it could close amid financial uncertainty, as an expert points to shifting demand for meat and dairy.
Clover Food Lab, a Boston-area vegetarian fast-casual chain, recently filed a warning that it may close and lay off 182 workers if it's unable to find a new buyer, according to local outlet WBZ-TV.
"Clover is expected to close on May 29, 2026, unless we secure a buyer for the company by that date," the company's filing said.
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Clover Food Lab told Fox News Digital it filed a WARN notice to comply with Massachusetts law in case a sale is not completed.
"We simply want to comply with all regulations in the case of a change of operations," the company said in a statement.
"We are optimistic that Clover will continue to serve our locally sourced farm-to-table fast food in Clover's next chapter."
The chain began as a food truck at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. Eventually, it expanded to multiple locations across Massachusetts serving locally sourced, plant-based food.
The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2023, citing COVID-related financial troubles, before coming back in 2024 with an ambitious plan to expand across the region.
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The developments come as consumers appear to be moving away from the plant-based trends of the 2010s and focusing on high-protein foods, especially meat and dairy.
That shift is reflected in the broader marketplace, where demand for protein-rich foods and beverages continues to grow.
Market research firm IMARC Group recently found that the global dairy-based protein market was valued at about $15 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $22 billion by 2033.
The Trump administration's 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also eased earlier restrictions on red meat and full-fat dairy, allowing them as part of a balanced diet in moderation.
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Meat and dairy are regaining ground with consumers, said Adam Yee, a North Carolina-based food scientist and consultant who studies food trends and develops products.
Yee told Fox News Digital that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics show per capita meat consumption on the rise, and he cited "a lot of factors" behind the shift.
"One is that meat and dairy are perceived as cleaner products with more protein," Yee noted.
Scrutiny over ultra-processed foods is another major factor, he said, as plant-based meat tends to be made with a long list of ingredients.
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Generally, consumers "would rather choose meat and dairy than the alternatives," Yee added, citing both cost and the fact that meat is more satisfying.
"Meat and dairy just have an easier time communicating [their] value and delivering in taste than plant-based products," he said.
He added, "Clover Food Lab is suffering from a general decline in restaurant sales, but the factors that are increasing meat and dairy sales, and decreasing plant-based sales, are definitely crushing them."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Plant Based Foods Association for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
First-ever moratorium on AI data centers passes Maine legislature
Maine is on the verge of becoming the first state in the nation to slam the brakes on energy-hungry AI data centers, as lawmakers push back against tech giants over fears of higher power bills, strained grids and environmental impact.
The measure, now headed to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, would pause approvals for data centers requiring more than 20 megawatts of power until October 2027, while a state-appointed council studies their impact on the power grid, energy bills and the environment.
The legislation passed the state’s Democrat-controlled House 79-62 and Senate 21-13, marking one of the most aggressive moves yet against the rapid expansion of data centers tied to artificial intelligence and Big Tech.
Supporters say the pause is needed to protect residents from the massive energy demands of so-called "hyperscale" facilities, which can consume as much electricity as small cities.
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"It's not that there's no place for data centers in Maine," Democratic Rep. Melanie Sachs, who sponsored the measure, told The Associated Press. "Frankly, the tradeoffs have not been shown to be of benefit to our ratepayers, water usage or community benefit in terms of economic activity."
Opposition to data centers has been building nationwide as communities raise alarms about the strain on power grids, higher electricity bills and heavy water use. Analysts have warned that parts of the U.S. grid could face reliability issues in the coming years if demand continues to surge.
In February, Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a bill aimed at ensuring the electricity costs of data centers are not passed on to American consumers.
At least 11 other states are considering restrictions like Maine’s, but Maine’s bill is the first to pass both legislative chambers, potentially setting a precedent.
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Critics argue the move could drive away investment and jobs.
"We think that these data centers could bring good jobs, good opportunities to these regions," Montana Towers, a policy analyst with the free market Maine Policy Institute, told the AP. "And a lot of these concerns about them are luddite in nature."
The Trump administration has backed data center expansion as critical to competing with China in artificial intelligence, even as it recently pushed tech companies to commit to covering the cost of new power generation needed to run their facilities.
Mills has not said whether she will sign the bill, though she has sought an exemption for a smaller project already underway that would reuse existing infrastructure.
If enacted, Maine’s moratorium would serve as a test case for how states balance economic growth against the mounting energy demands of the AI boom.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Dems block bid to defund Cesar Chavez monument despite child sexual abuse allegations
Senate Democrats blocked an attempt to defund and abolish a monument to a prominent labor union activist who was recently hit with bombshell allegations of being a serial predator.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, tried to pass legislation that would have defunded the monument to Cesar Chavez, who co-founded the United Farm Workers. The monument sits in California on property that was once his home and where his labor movement was born.
Chavez was once a revered figure, particularly among Democrats, until a bombshell New York Times report in March detailed allegations of a pattern of sexual misconduct, including abusing and grooming minors. The alleged victims had stayed silent even after his death.
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"Due to Senator Heinrich’s shameful actions, the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument — a known crime scene where much of Chavez’s abhorrent abuse of women and girls occurred — will continue to operate on the American people’s dime, and it is sickening," Cornyn told Fox News Digital.
But the effort was blocked by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., who acknowledged the alleged abuse on the Senate floor Tuesday and said it "necessarily and profoundly changes Cesar Chavez’s legacy and how he should be remembered."
While he agreed there should not be a monument named after Chavez, Heinrich warned that removing it would erase the stories of farm laborers and sweep his "violence under the rug."
"When we learn shocking or terrible things about our history, the right answer is to tell the truth — never to hide it," Heinrich said. "I’m concerned that what my colleague from Texas is proposing could do just that: Hide the truth about Cesar Chavez and, unfortunately, the incredible farmworker movement with it."
SWALWELL OUT AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AFTER 13 YEARS IN CONGRESS
Heinrich’s move to block the legislation came the same day two members of the House — former Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas — resigned from Congress over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Cornyn’s No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act, which made its way through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee — where Heinrich is the top Democrat — is part of a broader push to erase Chavez’s name from several physical manifestations of his legacy.
"It is mind-boggling that anyone would want to keep Cesar Chavez’s name on a national monument honoring the very spot where he is accused of assaulting women and children," Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee, R-Utah, told Fox News Digital. "Democrats should be ashamed."
GONZALES RESIGNS IN WAKE OF RENEWED EXPULSION THREAT AFTER SCANDAL
The bill would have abolished the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, which was created by former President Barack Obama in 2012 to honor the late labor activist, by requiring Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to sell off the federal land on which it sits.
That would include selling Chavez’s home and the contents of his personal office, where some of the alleged abuse occurred.
The legislation would also require that any federal funds allocated to the monument be redirected to provide law enforcement resources for forensic analysis of crime scenes and untested rape kits — a measure Cornyn worked on with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., to reauthorize in 2024.
Poll finds sharp rise in young men calling religion 'very important'
America's young men are increasingly turning to religion and professing that it is taking a more central role in their lives, according to a new Gallup poll.
The poll released Wednesday found that 42% of men under 30 years old now profess that religion is "very important" to them. That number is up from 28% from a poll conducted in 2023.
The data is also significant in showing a reversal of the traditional gender gap in religiosity. For older age groups, women consistently report higher levels of religiosity than men, but women in the under-30 group have remained with just 30% saying religion is "very important."
"The percentage of young men saying religion is very important to them is now similar to the percentage for men aged 30–49 and only slightly lower than for senior men," Gallup wrote.
TRUMP RETURNS TO NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST AS FAITH TAKES CENTER STAGE IN SECOND TERM
"Young women, by contrast, are now by far the least religious women. At 29% calling religion very important, women aged 18–29 trail the next-least religious group, 30- to 49-year-old women, by 18 points and are less than half as likely as senior women to say religion is very important," Gallup said.
The poll also found a spike in young men saying they attend a religious service on at least a monthly basis, jumping from 33% in 2023 to 40% in 2025.
The growth in church attendance and religiosity is most apparent among young Republicans politically, rising from 40% in 2019 to 52% in 2025. That number is still well below the 60% of Republican men who said they attended church monthly in 2007.
Democratic young men have continuously dropped in church attendance since 2000, according to the polling data. In 2000, 40% of Democratic men reported church attendance, compared to just 26% in the latest poll.
Gallup's data on the importance of religion is based on 4,015 interviews with U.S. adults, including 295 men under 30 and 145 women under 30. The data on church attendance is based on reports from over 26,000 U.S. adults, including 1,905 men under 30 and 832 women under 30.
Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine in hourslong attack, killing at least 16
Russia hammered civilian areas of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in an attack that stretched for hours from daytime into the night, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 80 others as terrified residents cowered in their homes, officials said Thursday.
Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily targeting civilians, in its biggest aerial barrage in almost two weeks, authorities said.
Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old resident of Kyiv, said two missiles hit near her home and she took cover with her dog in the hallway as flashes lit up the night and windows shattered from the blast wave.
"On the third attack, everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog," she told The Associated Press. "I still can’t find the cats in the house, they climbed out somewhere, I don’t even know. No windows, nothing, the dog is still walking around in stress."
RUSSIAN WINTER STRIKE LEAVES NEARLY 800K HOMES WITHOUT POWER AND HEAT IN UKRAINE’S DNIPRO REGION
Moscow's forces have hit civilian areas almost daily since its all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by massive attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have died in the strikes, the United Nations says.
Zelenskyy on a mission to improve air defenses
The latest bombardment came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour trip this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an urgent search for more air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles.
Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, especially in the production of drones and missiles, but it can’t yet match the sophistication of U.S. Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine’s top diplomatic priority is securing allies’ help to buy and build more and better air defenses, Zelenskyy said this week.
Cash-strapped Ukraine also needs the speedy disbursement of a promised loan from the European Union of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) that has been blocked by Hungary.
Ukraine fears the Iran war is burning through stockpiles of the advanced American-made systems it needs, and has argued against a U.S. temporary waiver on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv says is helping finance the Kremlin's war effort.
"Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions," Zelenskyy said on X.
He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for new agreements this week on supporting Ukraine's air defense. Officials are also working with the Netherlands on additional supplies, he said.
At the same time, he noted that some partner countries haven't followed through on pledges of military support.
"I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems," Zelenskyy said.
Other areas of Ukraine and Russia were also hit
The bombardment was the biggest in weeks. Last month, Russia fired 948 drones and 34 missiles in the space of 24 hours in the largest assault of the war on civilian areas.
At least four people were killed overnight in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with more than 50 others injured, according to authorities. Officials said the attack damaged 17 apartment buildings, 10 private homes, as well as a hotel, office center, car dealership, gas station and a shopping mall in the capital.
RUSSIAN DRONE ATTACK ON PASSENGER TRAIN IS AN ‘ACT OF TERRORISM,’ ZELENSKYY SAYS
Nine people were killed and 23 injured in the southern port city of Odesa, three women were killed and around three dozen injured in the central Dnipro region, and one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia in the south.
"Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account," Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.
Ukraine’s air force said air defenses shot down or disabled 667 out of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles.
It said 20 strike drones and 12 missiles hit 26 locations.
Meanwhile, in Russia, Krasnodar regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a 14-year-old girl and a woman were killed in Ukrainian strikes in the Black Sea port of Tuapse.
He said that the attacks damaged six apartment buildings, 24 private houses and three schools. Drone fragments also fell near the port of Tuapse.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses downed 207 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Trump pushed Iran to the brink — but did we win anything that lasts?
After 21 hours of talks in Islamabad last week, Iran walked away without a deal. Trump announced a naval blockade, then said Iran wants peace "very badly" and has "called." Both things are probably true — and together they define the problem.
Wars do not end when the shooting stops. They end when the political objective is secured. That is the standard Carl von Clausewitz set, and it is the standard by which the current conflict with Iran must now be judged. By that measure, as this phase of the war draws to a close, the answer is deeply unsatisfying.
An American man I recently met who had lived inside Iran offered a blunt forecast. China will pressure Iran to accept U.S. terms because Beijing needs Iranian oil. Iran will agree not because it is defeated, but because it wants sanctions relief and breathing room. The regime in Tehran will survive — strong enough to keep ruling, repress its people and wait for a more favorable moment.
PAKISTANI GENERAL SAYS IRAN DIPLOMACY STILL 'ALIVE, DESPITE US BLOCKADE, FAILED TALKS
That is a cynical forecast. It is also a realistic one. In dealing with Iran, survival is victory.
The Islamabad talks confirmed it. Vance emerged after 21 hours to say Iran "chose not to accept our terms." Trump then said Iran wants a deal "very badly" and has already reached out. Both things can be true. Iran wants relief — on its own terms.
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NEGOTIATING TEAM PRAISED BY NUCLEAR EXPERTS FOR WALKING AWAY FROM PAKISTAN TALKS
I have written this before, and it bears repeating: If the Iranian regime remains intact, it wins — not because it defeated the United States militarily, but because it endured. The Islamic Republic does not need to win in the conventional sense. It only needs to outlast its adversaries politically, economically and strategically. History shows it is skilled at exactly that.
Washington assumed sustained air and naval pressure could compel Tehran to yield. That assumption has been tested and has come up short. U.S. and allied strikes degraded Iranian capabilities, imposed real costs and weakened aspects of Iran’s proxy network. But they did not collapse the regime, eliminate its strategic leverage or force Tehran into meaningful concessions. There is a diminishing return to every additional strike. At some point, the bombs become symbolic — signals of resolve rather than instruments of decisive change.
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If there was one defining lesson of this conflict, it was not nuclear weapons. It was energy. The crisis revealed just how vulnerable the United States and the global economy remain to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz — a choke point through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil flows. Chinese-chartered tankers transited the Strait despite U.S. pressure. If Iran’s largest oil customer operates with a degree of freedom, the pressure campaign is not as effective as advertised.
WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEEM LIGHT-YEARS APART ON ANY POSSIBLE DEAL TO END THE WAR
One central justification for this war was fear that Iran was approaching nuclear breakout. Clarity matters. Iran had accumulated stockpiles of uranium enriched to 60% — approaching weapons-grade, but not equivalent to it. Multiple steps remain between enrichment and a deployable weapon. IAEA assessments and U.S. intelligence consistently distinguished between fissile material and a functional bomb — a distinction the war’s opening rationale consistently blurred. Islamabad confirmed the question remains open.
Nuclear enrichment was, in Trump’s own words, "the only point that really mattered" — and neither side moved. Iran’s foreign minister said the delegations came "just inches away" from a memorandum of understanding before the goalposts shifted. The core dispute sits exactly where it did when the first bombs fell.
This is the question Washington must answer honestly. Iran was not about to field a nuclear weapon. The regime was repressing its people before the first strikes. Its proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah and others — had already been weakened. The Strait was open. We fought to prevent a future threat, slow Iran’s nuclear ambitions, degrade its proxy network and demonstrate that energy coercion would not go unanswered — to bloody the nose of a regime testing limits for forty-seven years.
STEVE FORBES: IRAN’S NUCLEAR INSANITY LEAVES AMERICA AND ALLIES NO ROOM TO BLINK
That is not nothing. But it is not decisive.
The regime survives. The nuclear question remains open. The Strait remains vulnerable. The proxy network, though weakened, is not eliminated. And ninety million Iranians remain under a repressive theocracy — their condition unchanged by this conflict.
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The IRGC’s naval force was never designed to fight the U.S. Navy symmetrically. What it built was an asymmetric force to exploit vulnerabilities in confined waters — fast attack craft, swarm tactics, naval mines and unmanned suicide vessels. The logic is brutal: Flood the engagement space with expendable platforms, and only one needs to get through. Think of the USS Cole — one small boat, one well-placed charge. Iran still has hundreds of those boats in the fight.
Despite weeks of strikes, over 60% of the IRGC’s fast-attack fleet remains operational, stored in underground pens that resist air targeting. In the confined waters of the Persian Gulf, swarm tactics can inflict serious damage even against a superior force. That threat will outlast any ceasefire.
STOP CALLING THIS BRINKMANSHIP. TRUMP'S HORMUZ MOVE IS THE REAL PRESSURE
If Iran accepts terms — under Chinese pressure, with an expiring ceasefire bearing down — it may do so tactically, not strategically. The regime can accept conditions, relieve pressure, resume oil exports and then walk away from the agreement at a time of its choosing, perhaps under a future administration more willing to look the other way. That pattern is not hypothetical. It is consistent with forty-seven years of Iranian behavior.
At the end of this conflict, Iran has been weakened but not broken. Its ambitions have been slowed but not stopped. Its regime has been pressured but not replaced. The strategic competition continues.
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Wars like this do not end cleanly. They end with ambiguity. Washington will declare success. Tehran will claim survival. The world will move on — until the next crisis.
But the fundamental reality remains. If the Iranian regime survives, it wins — because it lives to fight another day, to rebuild and to challenge the region and the United States again. This war, however it concludes, is not the end of the Iran problem. It is simply the end of this round.
And perhaps, as my acquaintance who lived in Iran warned, a sad day for all.
FLASHBACK: Swalwell touted Epstein survivor as SOTU guest weeks before sexual assault allegations emerged
Weeks after now-former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., invited an Epstein survivor to attend the State of the Union earlier this year in an attempt to highlight victims of sexual abuse, his political career collapsed after multiple women accused him of sexual assault.
"Like every American, I want the President to do his job. I have always attended the State of the Union, and I will again tonight. I invited Teresa Helm as my guest because she has been waiting for justice for more than two decades," Swalwell said in a press release, referring to Teresa Helm, his guest.
"Teresa’s bravery exposed the Epstein cover-up. The President owes her — and all survivors — answers," Swalwell added.
Weeks later, Swalwell would ultimately suspend his gubernatorial campaign and resign his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives over women who exposed his own improprieties.
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Bombshell reporting from CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle last Friday recounted allegations from several women, providing detailed accounts of how Swalwell had pursued intoxicated women, pressured employees into intimate situations and asked for explicit images from female contacts.
Swalwell’s office did not respond to requests for inquiries from Fox News Digital.
Helm serves as survivor services coordinator at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), where she partners with survivors of abuse to hold corporations and individuals who profited from and facilitated their exploitation accountable.
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Helm, a survivor of Epstein’s sex trafficking, had urged lawmakers to release the Epstein files in the lead-up to the 2026 State of the Union Address.
"At the heart of this matter is HUMAN DIGNITY and JUSTICE FOR ALL," Helm said in a press release ahead of the State of the Union.
Epstein, a financier with a prolific social circle, rubbed shoulders with the rich and powerful, including figures like Bill Gates, former President Bill Clinton, President Donald Trump, billionaire Les Wexner and the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew.
Epstein died while incarcerated in 2019 on charges of sex-trafficking minors, leaving behind questions of whether he used his wide-ranging contacts to facilitate illegal sexual encounters.
Swalwell, like a wide range of lawmakers from both parties, had urged the Justice Department to publicly release documentation on its investigation of Epstein, arguing for public accountability on the matter.
Helm echoed those calls.
"It is crucial to join forces, lead by example and continue lighting the way for generations to come. To me, it is both an assignment and an honor to be a guest here today at the 2026 State of the Union Address," Helm said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Helm for comment.
This could be why your weight-loss medication isn’t delivering results
The skyrocketing popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists has transformed the weight-loss industry, but not all shots are created equal in terms of how they work.
A study published in Nature investigated how genes affect the success of modern weight-loss drugs — specifically, GLP-1s like semaglutide and tirzepatide.
In analyzing genetic data and self-reported weight loss from over 27,000 users, researchers pinpointed a specific variation in the GLP-1 receptor gene (GLP1R) that acts as a "booster" for the drug’s effectiveness.
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Individuals carrying one copy of this variant lost an average of 1.6 pounds more than those without it, according to the findings.
This suggests that genetic testing could eventually help doctors steer sensitive patients toward medications they are more likely to tolerate.
"We believe these reports are a step forward in meeting an unmet need for a more informed and personalized approach to weight management," said study co-author Noura Abul-Husn, chief medical officer at the 23andMe Research Institute in California, in a press release.
While this genetic "boost" is measurable, it remains relatively modest when compared to the total average weight loss of 24 pounds observed across the study population, the researchers noted.
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Beyond genetics, other factors such as age, sex and specific medications remain much stronger predictors of success.
For instance, the study found that women generally saw a higher body mass index (BMI) reduction (12.2%) compared to men (10.0%).
The study may also reveal why certain patients experience stomach issues. Scientists identified a different genetic variant that was linked to increased reports of nausea and vomiting.
The presence of this side effect did not impact the drug's effectiveness, however. Patients with variants in the GLP1R and GIPR genes lost just as much weight as those without it; they simply felt more sick during the process, the study found.
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"GLP-1 treatment decisions are complex, and having access to clinical expertise to help contextualize your genetic results alongside your full health picture is exactly the kind of guidance this report is designed to support," said Abul-Husn.
Dr. Peter Balazs, MD, a hormone and weight-loss specialist serving the New York and New Jersey area, was not involved in the study but reiterated the role of the genetic variants in treatment response and side effects.
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"Notably, there appears to be a drug-specific effect: The GIPR variant associated with these side effects is observed with tirzepatide, but not with semaglutide," he told Fox News Digital.
Balazs said he was surprised by the extremely wide nausea risk range (5%–78%). "Additionally, the drug-specific genetic dissociation was unexpected," he added.
The data relied on participants reporting their own weight, which could be subject to bias.
"The data is self-reported and not medically verified, which may affect its reliability firstly," Balazs told Fox News Digital. "It also does not account for key treatment variables, such as titration, discontinuation or dosing schedules."
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The 23andMe participant pool may not reflect a diverse, real-world population, he added.
"The study also lacks data on important clinical endpoints, such as diabetes progression, and severe adverse effects, such as gastroparesis or pancreatitis," Balazs pointed out. "Many of its findings also have not been supported by more clinically and statistically robust studies."
For example, a sub-study comparing these reports to objective iPhone health data suggested that participants might over-report their progress. While users reported an 11.8% loss, electronic data in that subset showed a 5.8% loss.
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As an observational study rather than a controlled clinical trial, it could not definitively prove that the genetic variants caused the difference in weight loss, only that they are associated with it, the researchers noted.
"I think this article is interesting, raising the possibility of genetic factors, and the use of genetic testing incorporated into further decision-making when picking weight-loss medications," Balazs said. "However, I would be careful to draw conclusions solely based on this study."