Skip to content

Latest Headlines

Fox News Latest Headlines

Trump calls Kyle Busch a 'LEGEND' in Truth Social tribute after NASCAR champion's death at 41

The reactions and tributes to the tragic death of NASCAR superstar and two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch have been rolling in, and now there's one coming from the White House.

On Friday, the day after Busch's death at the age of 41 was announced, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share his condolences.

"The LEGENDARY NASCAR Driver Kyle Busch tragically and unexpectedly passed away yesterday," the president wrote. "He was a true talent who loved NASCAR and its fans. Kyle was a WINNER! He was a two time Cup Champion, and holds the All Time Record for WINS in NASCAR’s Top Three series, and even won another just last weekend.

"Kyle’s wife, Samantha, and their two beautiful children are in our thoughts and prayers," he continued. "Samantha was at the White House in October, for IVF. She truly loved Kyle! Rest in Peace Kyle Busch. You will always be a LEGEND! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

TWO-TIME NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPION KYLE BUSCH TRAGICALLY DIES AT 41 AFTER HOSPITALIZATION

As the president alluded to, Busch and his wife, Samantha, have been advocates for IVF and founded the Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund in 2015. According to USA Today, the fund has distributed more than 150 awards totaling over $2 million.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

As for his ties to the White House, Busch visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2016 and met with former President Barack Obama, who honored his 2015 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Busch won his last of 234 wins in NASCAR's top-three series less than a week before his death in a Truck Series race at Dover International Speedway.

On Wednesday, Busch reportedly collapsed while testing in a racing simulator. He was taken to a hospital, and on Thursday, it was announced that he would not take part in any races this weekend, including the Coca-Cola 600, due to a "severe illness."

Just hours after that, it was announced that Busch had died.

Rhode Island teen already out on bail for weapons charge arrested in crowded beach stabbing

A Rhode Island teen who was already out on bail for a weapons offense has been arrested in connection with a stabbing at a crowded beach earlier this week that sent beachgoers fleeing in panic.

Willy Medina, 18, a resident of Pawtucket, was taken into custody Friday by the Rhode Island State Police. He will be turned over to the Narragansett Police Department.

He is charged with one count of felony assault and was arraigned Friday, Narragansett Police Chief Kyle Rekas said.

OUT-OF-CONTROL TEEN MOB IN DC REVEALS FAILURE OF BLUE CITY SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES

Authorities allege Medina was involved in a May 19 stabbing at Narragansett Town Beach as hundreds of teenagers packed the area. Police officers responded to the beach amid reports of a stabbing and found three people with minor stab wounds.

JERSEY SHORE BEACH TOWN UNLEASHES EXTREME TACTICS TO BURY VIRAL TEEN MAYHEM FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

No suspects were identified at the time. Rekas didn't specify how investigators linked Medina to the beach violence.

At the time, authorities said several other disturbances broke out as hundreds of people on the beach attempted to leave simultaneously, officials noted.

Two unidentified adults were arrested and charged with simple assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction of justice. Police noted those arrests did not appear to be related to the stabbings.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the violence.

At the time of the crime, Medina was out on bail for a separate incident in which he was charged with carrying a pistol without a license or permit, firing in a compact area, vandalism, and disorderly conduct.

Miley Cyrus dares to bare in sheer Versace dress as she's honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Miley Cyrus dared to bare while celebrating a major career milestone.

The 33-year-old singer and actress received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday and wore an eye-catching dress to accept the honor.

She posed for photos at the ceremony in a figure-hugging black Versace dress with a halter neckline, sheer cutouts and intricate web-like lace designs strategically placed to cover specific areas on her body.

Cyrus paired the look with minimal accessories, opting for a few bracelets and a ring, wearing her blonde hair straight, and choosing a dark smoky eye makeup look with natural lipstick.

MILEY CYRUS STUNS FANS IN DARING DRESS DURING NEW YORK ALBUM SIGNING

"What feels so special to me about this star is that it's an accumulation of devotion," Cyrus said in her speech, according to E! News. "The star isn't something that you win like a seasonal game. It's not something that you can chase or collect. It's not something you make the next record for and then tote it around like a trophy." 

"My name is laid in gold and pink terrazzo," she added, "and it's fierce, and it's fun, and it's fabulous."

Joining Cyrus at the Walk of Fame ceremony was her fiancé, Maxx Morando, her mom, Tish, her sister, Brandi, designer Donatella Versace and actress Anya Taylor-Joy. Versace and Taylor-Joy spoke in honor of Cyrus during the ceremony.

During her speech, Taylor-Joy said Cyrus not only "outran every expectation" set in front of her by the world but also "challenged the rules, rewrote them and, every once in a while, set them on fire in a teddy bear costume."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Cyrus first gained national attention when she was cast as the lead in the hit Disney Channel show, "Hannah Montana," when she was 13 years old. She went on to play the character for just over four years, even going on tour as the fictional character.

"'Hannah Montana' is the beginning for everything that I’ve been able to become — the person that I’ve been able become," Cyrus said at the Disney Legend Awards Ceremony in 2024. "She is such a part of me and taught me everything that I know."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

After the show came to an end in 2011, Cyrus embarked on a successful music career as Miley Cyrus instead of Hannah Montana, releasing nine studio albums and winning three Grammy Awards.

Cyrus recently celebrated the show on its 20th anniversary, with the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" on Disney Plus.

Russian hockey team wins second-straight championship, goalie immediately drops the trophy

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: Russia's Kontinental Hockey League could not feel more like the bizarro NHL.

Over the years, we've had dogs attacking players after ceremonial faceoffs, dudes dropping cellphones on the ice and coaches with downright absurd haircuts.

Now, they've apparently got the heaviest trophy in all of sports, as evidenced by a goalie who tipped over as soon as he tried to lift it.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Teams in the KHL play for the Gagarin Cup, which is, of course, named after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

CUSTOM TROPHIES CREATED FOR EVERY 2026 WORLD CUP MATCH IN MICHELOB ULTRA FIFA PARTNERSHIP

That's super badass, by the way. Hey, U.S. leagues, you've all missed the boat by not naming a trophy after an astronaut.

Anyway, this year's winner of the Gagarin Cup was Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, who defeated Ak Bars Kazan in Game 6 of the final to win their second straight championship.

Just like in the NHL with the Stanley Cup, players hand off the Gagarin Cup to each other and skate it around a little.

Well, when it was Lokomotiv Neminder Alexei Melnichuk's turn to skate the Gagarin Cup, he had a bit of an issue.

After swinging the Cup above his head, he seemed to underestimate just how heavy the trophy was, and at a certain point, gravity took over.

It was very cool of Melnichuk to use himself to break the Gagarin Cup's fall.

Fortunately, the trophy was still in one piece after that tumble, and I'm sure it was only about 20 minutes from being full of beer.

Or, let's be real, vodka.

Melnichuk played three games with the San Jose Sharks in his career, and the Lokomotiv roster has a few names that will be familiar to NHL fans.

Richard Panik, who played in more than 500 NHL games, is on the team, as is former Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars forward Alexander Radulov, who led the team in points this season.

At least 16 injured, including 13 firefighters in Staten Island shipyard explosion: FDNY

A "major" explosion and fire at a Staten Island shipyard Friday afternoon left at least 16 people injured, including more than a dozen firefighters and first responders.

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed to Fox News Digital that 16 people were taken to area hospitals.

The casualties include one civilian and two firefighters who suffered serious injuries, two firefighters with moderate injuries, and nine firefighters and two EMS workers who sustained minor injuries.

NYC SEWAGE BOAT EXPLOSION IN HUDSON RIVER KILLS 1 CITY WORKER, INJURES 2 OTHERS

The incident unfolded when authorities received a call at 3:27 p.m. local time reporting workers trapped in a confined space at 3075 Richmond Terrace, between Lockman and Andros avenues.

When first responders arrived, they found a fire burning in the basement of a 150-by-150-foot metal building situated at the back of the shipping docks.

A second alarm was transmitted at 4:08 p.m., and just 11 minutes later, a "major explosion" tore through the site at 4:19 p.m.

HISTORIC NYC CHURCH ENGULFED IN 5-ALARM BLAZE AS 6 FIREFIGHTERS INJURED BATTLING STUBBORN FLAMES

The blast triggered a massive emergency response, with the FDNY deploying 68 units and 212 fire and EMS personnel to combat the blaze.

FDNY operations remain ongoing. New York City HazMat teams, the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) were notified.

New York Attorney General Letitia James reacted to the tragedy on X, noting she is praying for everyone injured in the fire.

"I’m praying for the @FDNY firefighters and everyone injured after the explosion in Staten Island today," James wrote in a post. "Thank you to the FDNY for their swift response and for protecting New Yorkers everyday."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

The worst and most cringe-worthy moments from Stephen Colbert’s now-canceled 'Late Show'

Stephen Colbert’s run as host of CBS' "The Late Show" is done, and to that I say, "Good riddance!" Colbert took over a gold mine. A golden ticket. A wealth in terms of platform in late night television that he squandered due to his obsession on politically dividing the audience and eventually turning much of America away from tuning in to his show. 

As Fox News contributor Joe Concha pointed out, CBS reportedly was operating "The Late Show" at a $40 million loss under Colbert. The show also employed 22 writers to craft Colbert’s liberal-leaning monologues, while featuring just one Republican guest over the past six years — and even that appearance came from former Rep. Liz Cheney.

The Media Research Center examined every "Late Show" joke since the start of 2023 and found that 87% targeted conservatives, while nearly every guest leaned liberal. According to the study, Colbert made 3,639 jokes about President Donald Trump from Jan. 3, 2023, through the eve of his final episode. By comparison, former President Joe Biden was the subject of 339 jokes, while former Vice President Kamala Harris was mentioned in just 21 jokes during that same span, according to the study.

If there is any question as to whether Colbert was just another left-wing political news outlet, just look at the farewell messages from The Democrats and many liberal politicians following his last night, which aired Thursday night.

STEPHEN COLBERT'S 'LATE SHOW' JOKES TARGETED CONSERVATIVES 87% OF TIME IN FINAL YEARS, STUDY SAYS

Colbert’s time as host of "The Late Show" was undoubtedly full of political activism, leftist propaganda, and many cringe-inducing and eye roll moments, as Joseph Wulfson also pointed out in his piece.

Here are some of the worst:

Vulgar Trump and Putin Gay Lover Joke

In May of 2017, Colbert’s opening monologue was focused on President Trump. I know, shocker. He mentioned, "It is day 102 of the Trump presidency, 1,358 days to go. But who’s counting?" He also joked about him lotioning up Miss USA Pageant participants, claimed he "attracts more skinheads than free Rogaine," and made a sexually explicit joke about Trump having gay oral sex with Russian President Vladimir Putin

If you can stomach the ability to watch this 12 minutes of vitriol, cloaked as "comedy," you’ll probably leave thinking about this quote from Billy Madison:

"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

USA TODAY CALLS STEPHEN COLBERT, AMERICA'S LEAST FUNNY COMEDIAN, A 'GALLANT COMIC AVENGER'

Vax-Scene

For many, this clip is what led to the complete and utter ruin of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." After previously trying to comically tell his audience to be wary about Big Pharma potentially taking advantage of American citizens during a global pandemic, Colbert changed his tune (pun intended) and rolled out the cringiest piece of late night television propaganda many of us will ever see.

During COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, Colbert introduced a recurring segment called "The Vax-Scene," a broadway musical-esque dance number that included dancers dressed as syringes while parodying the 1958 smash hit "Tequila" by The Champs. Instead of saying "Tequila!" they shouted "Vaccine!"

As Joe Rogan once said about the bit, "Where’s the joke?" Just another unfunny piece of political propaganda devoid of any laughs whatsoever. 

Bless your heart if you can get through this 80-second video. It’s time you’ll never get back, unfortunately.

MARK NORMAND SAYS LATE NIGHT IS 'DYING' — HOW THE STAND-UP COMIC KEEPS UP IN A CHANGING COMEDY SCENE

Pedro Pascal Kiss

Colbert frequently kissed guests on his show, male and female. It was awkward and at times seemed like a humiliation ritual more than some sort of comedy bit. One of those awkward smooches was in May when Pedro Pascal stopped by the show to promote the now abysmally rated Star Wars movie, "The Mandalorian and Grogu."

COLBERT'S FINAL YEAR MARKED BY ATTACKS ON TRUMP, LIBERAL TALKING POINTS AND CELEBS KISSING HIS RING

After Colbert introduced Pascal, the actor pointed to his lips, signaling that he wanted Colbert to kiss him. Colbert hesitated and then leaned in to kiss Pascal. Afterward Colbert shuffled around, unable to look at Pascal, and the crowd cheering, Pascal said, "I got jealous." Colbert responded, "No need. Any time."

Another wildly cringe moment that didn’t garner any real laughter.

Hunter Biden’s Laptop

In a cold open in October of 2020 titled "Rudy, the Russians, and Hunter’s Lappy Top," Colbert satirizes the Hunter Biden laptop story as a "laptop conspiracy" with a parody of "Rocky Top" by the Osborne Brothers. The song poked fun at Trump, his "lappy dog" Rudy Giuliani and musically claimed the whole story was "debunked claims of made-up kompromat."

GREG GUTFELD: LIBERAL MEDIA, COMEDIANS TOLD THE BIGGEST LIE IN THE HISTORY OF PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS

Once again, Colbert claimed a Russian connection between Trump and the Russian government, calling it disinformation, aligning with narratives from multiple liberal media outlets ahead of the 2020 election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

And of course, as explained in the Twitter Files, Twitter prevented users from sharing links to the New York Post article about Hunter Biden's laptop. Meta, which includes Facebook, also throttled the story's reach on their platforms, leading to many conservatives rightfully calling it election interference.

Sorry I wasted your time with another unfunny video, but if I have to relive these awful moments of Colbert’s tenure, I need people to suffer with me.

Colbert tenure wasn’t just disappointing for ratings and revenue, it was a disaster. A complete liberal dumpster fire that exchanged laughs for insults. Comedy for compromise. Satire for political snickering. It was simply left-wing political theater and a liberal vent session rather than late night comedy.

When Johnny Carson left, he was genuinely missed. It was actually an emotional last show, unlike Colbert’s exit. Johnny Carson repeatedly expressed that he believed late-night hosts should primarily entertain people, not preach politics to them. "Why do they think just because you have a 'Tonight Show' that you must deal in serious issues? It’s a danger. It’s a real danger once you start that… You could sway people, and I don’t think you should as an entertainer," Carson said in a 1979 interview on "60 Minutes" with Mike Wallace. 

Carson also intentionally avoided publicly revealing many of his own political views because he thought it would alienate half the audience. Seems prophetic, doesn’t it? According to his longtime friend Howard Smith, "He felt that his job was to entertain people… That’s why he never got into talking about politics at all."

JOHNNY CARSON'S FRIEND SAYS LATE-NIGHT KING WISELY AVOIDED PARTISANSHIP, AS KIMMEL CONTROVERSY GROWS

If Colbert took the Carson route, he’d probably still be on air and the majority of America wouldn’t view him with the disdain they have for him now.

So long Colbert, and don’t you dare bring your political propaganda into your scriptwriting for your new "Lord of the Rings" movie. If you aren’t going to respect conservatives, at least respect J.R.R. Tolkien and his source material.

Way harder than it should be: Why Congress may balk on $1.7B compensation fund

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche had never appeared before a congressional panel asking for money to run his department until Tuesday morning.

And even though cabinet secretaries routinely make their budget requests to Congress, it appears that Blanche apparently didn’t even need to ask lawmakers for the most-controversial batch of federal funds in years. 

It was already approved. Somehow. 

Blanche’s Justice Department announced the creation of a billion compensation fund to pay people who Republicans say are victims of government weaponization. Who gets the money isn’t clear. And what’s murkier still is how the stash of cash came about.

APOLOGIES AND CASH HEADED TO ALLEGED ‘WEAPONIZATION’ VICTIMS IN BILLION-DOLLAR TRUMP SETTLEMENT

In short, President Donald Trump sued his own IRS for leaking his tax returns – along with the filings of several hundred other Americans. Then, Blanche’s own Department of Justice announced that the president essentially settled with himself. 

"Per the settlement, plaintiffs will receive a formal apology but no monetary payment or damages of any kind. They have agreed, in exchange for the creation of this fund, to drop their pending lawsuit with prejudice, and also withdraw two administrative claims, including for damages resulting from the unlawful raid of Mar-a-Lago and the Russia-collusion hoax," read the DoJ statement.

The fund is worth $1.776 billion. Get it? 1776.

REPUBLICANS RECOIL AS TRUMP'S BILLION-DOLLAR DOJ 'SLUSH FUND' FOR ALLIES THREATENS ICE, BORDER PATROL PLAN

So while the president couldn’t receive money from this fund, his political allies and donors could.

All without congressional input. 

"I realize it's a lot of money," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "I want to understand where the money comes from. Do we find it in the budget? Do we have to borrow it? There's just a lot of unanswered questions."

DAVID MARCUS: HE BARELY SURVIVED BIDEN LAWFARE, AND NOW HE DESERVES TO GET PAID

"What I want to know is how the fund is created and what its purpose is," said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

"And (I want to know) the legality of creating a fund that Congress hasn't had anything to say about." 

The government swept up the phone information of multiple Republican lawmakers after the January 6 riot as part of Operation Arctic Frost. That included the records of Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. He defended the fund.

'COMPLETE FAILURE': GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISIS THREATENS CAPITOL HILL AS TRUMP PLANS POLICY OVERHAUL 

"What we ought to be talking about is the reasons for the compensation. Weaponization of government that took place under former President Joe Biden was an absolute disgrace," said Hagerty.

Blanche formerly served as President Trump’s personal legal counsel. Lawmakers argued that Blanche reverted to that role when he created the compensation fund out of the ether. 

"Mr. Attorney General, you are acting today like the president's personal attorney. And that's the whole problem," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS FACE BRUISING BATTLE TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

"You're a very gifted lawyer. But from my perspective, you have very little faith to the Constitution and the people of America. And you're the president's consigliere," piled on Sen. Jack Reed D-R.I.

Lawmakers questioned who qualifies for compensation.

"Will individuals who assaulted Capitol Hill police officers be eligible for this fund?" asked Van Hollen.

DEMS DEMAND TRUMP RESUME CASH FLOW AS THEY FINALLY GET LEVERAGE IN RACE TO PREVENT SHUTDOWN

"Anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they are a victim of weaponization," replied Blanche.

And that’s what concerned bipartisan lawmakers. The compensation conundrum instantly spilled over into a major bill, due to the hit the Senate floor. 

Congressional Republicans were trying to pass a bill to finally address funding for ICE and Border Patrol, once and for all. But they planned to bypass a Democratic filibuster using a special process called budget reconciliation.

SENATE GOP LAUNCHES ALL-NIGHT VOTE-A-RAMA TO FUND ICE, BORDER PATROL THROUGH END OF TRUMP'S TERM

The good thing about reconciliation is that you can pass a bill with 51 yeas and don’t need to clear the filibuster with 60 votes. The bad thing is that the reconciliation process entails what the Senate refers to as a "vote-a-rama." This is where senators can offer practically any amendment on any subject in a drawn-out process which might consume an entire calendar day.

Republicans freaked out that Democrats would force them to take controversial votes on the compensation fund. And frankly, many Republicans intended to author their own amendments to curb the fund – simultaneously inoculating themselves from blowback. 

That political brew was too much for Senate Republicans.

DEMOCRATS' LAST-MINUTE MOVE TO BLOCK GOP FUNDING PLAN SENDS LAWMAKERS HOME EARLY

They summoned Blanche to Capitol Hill Thursday morning to explain the fund. The meeting didn’t go well. Fox is told that Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., were pointed in their comments to Blanche. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., popped into the Capitol’s Ohio Clock Corridor en route to the meeting. Tillis was in mid-conversation. All anyone could hear Tillis say was "And I’m not voting for it!" as he walked by.

By early afternoon, Republican leaders scrapped the bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and sent everyone home for Memorial Day. It was the biggest legislative rebuke of President Trump’s second term.

 "I just don't know how this puppy dog will work," said Kennedy. "I think there were six or seven people who are going to vote no."

SENATE REPUBLICANS RACE TO FUND ICE, CBP WITHOUT DEMOCRATS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS

Yet Republicans were practically on the verge of finally ending the ICE and Border Patrol funding impasse.

"The sole reason we are here today is because Democrats refused to fund law enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The debate over funding for the president’s ballroom wasn’t exactly the foxtrot for Senate Republicans. But the compensation fund converted the reconciliation process into the samba.

CONGRESS MELTS DOWN: MEMBERS UNLEASH PERSONAL ATTACKS AFTER WEEKS OF SHUTDOWN DRAMA

No fancy footwork here. Republicans managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

"There are a lot of questions about it. I have Republican colleagues who have concerns about who can receive funding from that fund," said Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind.

However Banks noted that "every single Republican who was on the ballot like I was in the ‘24 cycle talked about stopping the weaponization of government."

HOUSE GOP TENSIONS ERUPT AS REPUBLICANS TURN ON EACH OTHER HEADING INTO YEAR'S END

Democrats watched as Republicans blanched at what Blanche told them. 

"I think my Republican colleagues have reached their limit," said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.

Thune said the compensation fund "makes everything way harder than it should be." He declared that the White House should should have "consulted" with Congressional Republicans about the fund ahead of time. So deadlocked, Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., dismissed everyone until early June.

OUT OF POWER: DEMOCRATS DISORIENTED IN FIGHT AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA

"Republicans are so divided, so dysfunctional, so disorganized, that they are fleeing Washington. Their majority can't melt down fast enough," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

However, some of the President’s allies defended the compensation fund

"I feel comfortable that whose who have been wronged by their government should have some sort of redress," said Sen. Eric Schmidt, R-Mo.

And even though the president recently steamrolled some GOP foes politically, Republicans blocked him legislatively.

"We should have full review of what we're funding," said Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont. "Congress has our obligation."

So President Trump may get the personnel he wants in Congress next year as Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., go by the wayside. But securing the policies may need to wait until the president’s preferred candidates are in place in 2027.

That’s why some lawmakers are questioning whether Congress can move any more meaningful legislation the rest of this year. Everything else from here on will be "way harder than it should be."

Trump announces highest civilian honor for 9/11 hero remembered as the 'Man in the Red Bandana'

President Donald Trump announced during a rally in New York that he was posthumously awarding the nation’s highest civilian honor to Welles Remy Crowther, the 9/11 hero remembered as the "Man in the Red Bandana" after he repeatedly led victims to safety from the burning South Tower before dying in the terrorist attacks.

Trump revealed the Presidential Medal of Freedom honor during a Rockland County stop on Friday with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who had urged the president to recognize Crowther’s heroism ahead of the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11. Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader who also worked as a volunteer firefighter, became a symbol of American courage after survivors recounted being guided through smoke and wreckage by a man wearing a red bandana over his face.

"At the request of Bruce, and Mike, and some of the political — great political people we have, and we are approaching the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, a dark day that will live in infamy. We are posthumously awarding Welles the Presidential Medal of Freedom," Trump told the Rockland County crowd, earning a resounding applause.

FOX NATION, TUNNELS TO TOWERS EXPLORES HOW AMERICA’S PASTIME HELPED A GRIEVING NEW YORK HEAL AFTER 9/11

"It's the highest award outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor — those are the two biggies and Welles has one of them. I just want to congratulate his great mother in doing a phenomenal job in raising that young man. Boy, what bravery, saved those people and became a legend in a sense, nobody else would have done what he did. So he's going to be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

The president subsequently brought up Welles' mother, Alison Crowther, who addressed the pro-Trump crowd momentarily, describing the award bestowed on her son as a "huge honor." 

"It's such a beautiful thing that even 25 years later, Welles' light still shines brightly," she told the crowd, noting she has traveled the world telling her son's story to places as far away as Jordan. Alison Crowther remarked that in these travels, when she tells children Welles' story, "They're tremendously moved and inspired ... to be better people."

NEW 9/11 MUSEUM EXHIBIT AIMS TO CONNECT YOUNGER AMERICANS TO THE ATTACKS THROUGH POWERFUL ARTIFACTS

Welles, an equities trader who worked on the 104th floor of the South Tower, was in his office when the first aircraft hit the North Tower that morning. He left his mother a voicemail shortly after the towers were struck, letting her know he was okay, but his body was later found amid the rubble.

According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Welles "made three trips to the sky lobby, saving as many people as he could, until the burning building collapsed," with some reports indicating he saved up to 18 lives that day. As he did so, Welles covered his nose and mouth with a red bandana he kept at his desk.

That red bandana is currently displayed at the 9/11 museum in New York City. The Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit that supports first responders and their families, including those who became victims after 9/11, said Welles always kept a red bandana at his desk.

The foundation recounted how, when he was asked why he always carried the red bandana, Welles replied: "With this red bandana, I’m going to change the world." His father, the foundation said, told Welles to always carry a red bandana on him for "messy jobs."

"People can live 100 years and not have the compassion, the wherewithal to do what he did," a survivor rescued by Crowther has said.

MIKE DAVIS: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Democrats' patron saint of human traffick

Kilmar Armando Ábrego García, a Salvadoran alleged criminal, blatantly disregarded our laws by entering the United States illegally. He continued to flaunt our laws by engaging in alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, per an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Nashville. On Friday, Obama-nominated District Judge Waverly Crenshaw stunningly dismissed the charges on the absurd basis of vindictive prosecution. This ruling is outrageous, and the Trump Justice Department must immediately appeal it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Illegal immigration is always unacceptable. Some illegal immigrants, however, represent the worst of the worst. They do not come here to work, for example, in restaurants to make better lives for their families. Instead, they come here to continue their gang activity, engage in drug trafficking, and terrorize communities. Ábrego García, who laughably has been cast by leftists as a "Maryland father," represents one of the worst of the worst. Evidence is strong that he is a member of MS-13, a terrorist gang based in Latin America that is responsible for countless acts of barbarity. His wife sought an order of protection against him in light of his alleged domestic abuse. He allegedly smuggled thousands of illegal immigrants into our nation over hundreds of trips. Now, he is free—thanks to another radical Obama judge.

Ábrego García gained notoriety when news emerged that the federal government mistakenly had deported him to El Salvador after an immigration judge had ruled him ineligible to return there due to alleged danger that he faced from gangs. It later came out that Ábrego García allegedly had murdered a rival gang member‘s mother and the gang that supposedly represented a threat to him is no longer viable in El Salvador—because hero President Nayib Bukele, unlike Obama judges, keeps violent gangbangers behind bars. After protracted litigation and negotiations, the government of El Salvador returned Ábrego García to the United States to face federal charges of alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling last year after the Nashville federal grand jury’s indictment.

The indictment alleged that Ábrego García was part of a large human smuggling ring that, among other horrors, was in charge of a tractor-trailer that overturned, killing approximately 50 illegal immigrants on their way to the United States. Coconspirators alleged, among other things, that Ábrego García was abusive to some women who were being smuggled and that he brought firearms and narcotics along with his human cargo. Ábrego García allegedly had no standards for smuggling. He allegedly would transport women and children with members of gangs like MS-13 and other violent groups, showing no regard for the safety of those women or children—or Americans, upon arrival—who became targets of these monsters.

This evidence, however, did not satisfy Obama Judge Crenshaw. He seemed willing to accept that there was sufficient evidence that Ábrego García had engaged in the illegal conduct; however, he waved a magic wand and decided that the prosecution was somehow vindictive. It is rich to see judges now concerned about vindictive prosecutions. Radical D.C. Chief U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, another Obama judge, raised similar issues over the arrest of someone on charges of setting fire in a public park because that individual had burned a U.S. flag. Boasberg believed the Justice Department only might have prosecuted due to the flag burning, even though setting fires in public parks is a federal crime. No judge expressed concerns about vindictive prosecution when President Trump got indicted four times by Democrat prosecutors on novel (and bogus) legal theories, such as the ridiculous claim that a nondisclosure payment to settle a personal matter somehow must be reported for campaign-finance purposes. That case by Alvin Bragg, the hyper-partisan Democrat Manhattan DA, wound up turning into a 34-count felony indictment against someone (Trump) who had never been prosecuted by any jurisdiction.

By contrast, the federal government prosecutes human smugglers and those who conspire to smuggle aliens all the time. It is true that, under the Biden administration, immigration enforcement became incredibly lax; indeed, millions of illegal immigrants poured across our then-porous border. Executing his electoral mandate from American voters, President Trump and his all-star administration put an end to that horror show, securing the border with remarkable speed and efficiency. Part of enforcing border security is prosecuting those who attempt to breach it by engaging in alien smuggling. This commonsense concept apparently is too complicated for Obama Judge Crenshaw to grasp. This radical judge has freed Ábrego García from conditions of pretrial release. No longer is this illegal thug in the custody of his brother, nor is he on electronic monitoring. He is free to roam the streets and do what he does best: terrorize innocent Americans.

Since President Trump reassumed office, rogue Democrat district judges—largely appointed by Obama and Biden--have done their level best to thwart his agenda and the will of American voters. The Supreme Court has intervened nearly three dozen times to stop this unconscionable and illegal judicial sabotage. Federal courts of appeals have reigned in these radical Democrat district judges in robes many more dozens of times. The Sixth Circuit must join the list and reverse another rogue ruling by another rogue Obama judge by reinstating the Ábrego García indictment. While the appellate process plays out, the appellate court should issue a stay of Obama Judge Crenshaw’s order so that the conditions of release, especially electronic monitoring, can resume. Despite the Democrats’ canonization efforts, Kilmar Armando Ábrego García is no saint. Ábrego García has proven to be a menace, and courts must treat him accordingly.

CLICK FOR MORE FROM MIKE DAVIS

'Virgin River' actor Stewart McLean's disappearance now a homicide investigation, police say

Missing TV actor Stewart McLean's case has now turned into a homicide investigation, according to authorities. 

The Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in British Columbia issued a press release on Thursday saying investigators found evidence that led them to believe that McLean was the victim of a homicide.

"Squamish RCMP initiated an investigation and, through investigative efforts, uncovered evidence that led investigators to believe Mr. McLean was the victim of a homicide," the press release stated.

The statement continued, "On May 20, IHIT (Integrated Homicide Investigation Team) deployed and assumed conduct of the investigation. Squamish RCMP continues to work closely with IHIT and the Integrated Forensic Identification Service (IFIS) to advance the investigation."

On Friday, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team shared a statement with CBC News, stating that McLean's remains were found and identified.

"As the investigation continues to unfold, homicide investigators are working to collect and analyze evidence, review CCTV footage and conduct interviews to build a timeline of Mr. McLean’s activities prior to May 15, 2026," the outlet reported.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

On May 18, McLean was reported missing and the Squamish RCMP launched a missing persons investigation the following day. According to the press release, McLean, 45, was last seen at his home in Lions Bay on May 15.

Jodi Caplan, McLean's agent, shared a statement with CBC News. "We have been proud to represent Stew for over a decade, and he was a well respected and admired member of the film and television community in Vancouver. He will always be remembered for his kindness and humour," the statement stated.

On May 22, the Lions Bay Search and Rescue posted a message on Facebook, offering their condolences to McLean's family.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"Lions Bay Search and Rescue extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, coworkers, and community members impacted by this tragic loss," the post read.

McLean has appeared in popular series including Netflix's "Virgin River," "Arrow," "Happy Face," and "Murder in a Small Town."

In addition to acting, McLean has worked behind the scenes as a producer on projects such as "Travelers" and "Beyond." His career has spanned both dramatic and action-oriented roles, earning him recognition within the Canadian entertainment industry.