Fox News Latest Headlines
US Soccer officials barred by FIFA from Belgium World Cup match over apparent protocol violations: report
FIFA issued suspensions to at least two key members of the U.S. Soccer Federation ahead of Monday's World Cup matchup with Belgium, according to multiple reports.
ESPN reported that team manager Sam Zapatka and U.S. Soccer Federation Vice President of Security Frank Pannell were the two staff members barred from the match. The U.S. went on to suffer a 4-1 loss to Belgium, ending its 2026 World Cup run.
The tournament's governing body did not provide a reason for the suspensions.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
ESPN, citing sources, also reported that the suspensions were likely tied to incidents that occurred during Team USA's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week in the Round of 32. The alleged violations involved FIFA match protocols and individuals possibly entering restricted areas. There were no known physical altercations.
USA ADVANCES IN WORLD CUP AFTER CONTROVERSIAL RED CARD VS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
After joining the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2015, Zapatka was named team administrative manager in 2020.
While U.S. Soccer did not reveal why the suspensions were imposed, it stressed Tuesday that they were not connected to the appeal process surrounding star striker Folarin Balogun's one-match red-card suspension.
Belgium challenged FIFA's decision to lift Balogun's suspension, but the governing body ultimately stood by its original ruling, allowing Team USA's forward to take the field.
President Donald Trump said Monday that he watched the controversial play and later called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the red card.
"I spoke with Gianni," Trump told reporters at the White House.
"All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul," the president said. "And again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled."
With the victory over the U.S., Belgium advanced to the quarterfinals and will face Spain on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Egyptian players, coaches complain about controversial calls in loss to Argentina: 'Rigged game'
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been a tremendous success, on and off the field. Visiting fans have raved about the experience of coming to the United States and enjoying the country's hospitality. The host venues across the country have been widely praised for exceptional amenities and outstanding atmospheres.
But even the most successful tournament isn't without controversy. The largest, through the first few rounds, was Folarin Balogun's red card. The card shown to Balogun in the US Men's National Team match against Bosnia and Herzegovina was given based on misapplication of VAR rules. Then FIFA postponed his one-game suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16.
European fans, commentators, and their soccer federation, went ballistic. But even they pale in comparison to the allegations being thrown around by players and coaches from the Egyptian team after their shocking 3-2 loss to Argentina and Lionel Messi on Tuesday afternoon.
TOM BRADY COMPARES ARGENTINA'S DRAMATIC WORLD CUP RALLY TO PATRIOTS' SUPER BOWL COMEBACK
Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan spoke to the media after the match, and did not hold back with his criticism of the officiating.
"We haven’t seen respect or fair play," Hassan said. "A penalty was ruled out, and a second [incident] that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed."
"I want to put it in beautiful words and say, ‘Hard luck,’ but we have been treated unfairly, and it has been an injustice," he continued.
Egypt had a 1-0 lead, and seemed to take a 2-0 lead, only for the second goal to be disallowed after a VAR review determined that a foul had occurred around 20 seconds beforehand on the other side of the pitch. Egypt did score again, but the 2-0 scoreline might have instead been 3-0, making the incredible Argentina comeback even more unlikely. Then there were several other questionable calls, including a potential penalty that could have been given after a foul on star Mohamed Salah.
"We looked better than the reigning champions — better in everything — but the result was influenced by internal factors on the pitch and external factors off it," Hassan also told reporters. "Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running.
"In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champion received support at every level."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"There seems to have been pressure on the Argentinian side on the referee that has brought about this outcome," he added. "Life is unfair. The world is unfair. OK, but why isn’t there any fairness in sports? I’m not convinced by this outcome and by the way things unfolded in this match."
Forward Mostafa Ziko said something similar, saying his Egyptian team was "hard done" by the referee.
"We were hard done by [the referee] today, and everyone saw that. I won't talk about something like this. We were winning 2-0. After the 2-0 result, everything went against us and worked against us. I don't even know why the second goal was disallowed, I don't see any reason for it. But we must look for a solution so that a second goal doesn't come. He wanted to disallow the third one too, but thank God, God didn't grant him success."
"It was a rigged game," Ziko said. "It wasn’t our fault. That referee… it seems like this match was rigged. We were winning 2-0, and he kept coming at us. Congratulations to Argentina on another World Cup, it seems."
It's a near-certainty that FIFA is happy that Messi and Argentina are through to the quarterfinals. Messi remains arguably the biggest star on the international stage, and interest and viewership will be higher as long as he and his team are in the tournament. But that doesn't mean the match was "rigged." The VAR review to disallow Egypt's second goal did seem misplaced, though some of the other contentious calls were the type of borderline decisions that could go either way.
The most important variable that none of the Egyptian players or their coach want to acknowledge, though, is that had they wanted to win, they could simply not have allowed three goals in 25 minutes.
Royals implode with 3 errors as Mets' Carson Benge scores Little League home run to open game vs KC
The Kansas City Royals turned an ordinary ground ball into a royal disaster Tuesday night against the New York Mets, producing one of the strangest scoring sequences of the MLB season.
Even the struggling Mets had to be thinking, "We'll take it."
With runners on first and second, Mets outfielder Carson Benge hit a slow chopper back toward the mound and, seconds later, was jogging across home plate after the Royals committed three errors on the same play in a meltdown that gifted New York an early three-run lead.
NEW REPORT SUGGESTS THE NEW YORK METS ARE OPEN TO TRADING FRANCISCO LINDOR AMID DISASTROUS SEASON
Royals pitcher Seth Lugo fielded the ball, but his off-balance throw to first sailed wide of first baseman Jac Caglianone for the game's first error, allowing Benge to reach safely.
There's more ...
WATCH:
Caglianone recovered the ball and tried to throw out Benge as he raced toward third, but his throw sailed past the bag and into foul territory.
And more ...
As Benge rounded third and headed for home, third baseman Nick Loftin's relay throw also got away, allowing him to complete his trip around the bases.
Kansas City committed three errors on one play and spotted the Mets three unearned runs before recording the third out of the inning.
METS FIRE CARLOS MENDOZA AMID NIGHTMARE SEASON DESPITE HAVING BASEBALL'S LARGEST $330M PAYROLL
Instead of making the Mets earn an early lead, the Royals practically handed them one with mistake after mistake.
The Mets gladly accepted the gift, jumping ahead 3-0 before Kansas City ever came to the plate.
You can survive one error. Even two. Most teams lose with these kinds of sequences. But by the fifth, the Royals stormed back, tying the game at 9-9.
Mets gonna Mets.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Noncitizen accused of falsely claiming US citizenship before casting federal ballots
A lawful permanent resident from Australia was arrested after she allegedly illegally voted in federal elections in Louisiana, according to officials.
Denise Nataly Migliore, 51, was charged in a four-count indictment last month with making false statements to register to vote and illegal voting in an election, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana said.
In October 2022 and October 2024, she knowingly made false claims about her U.S. citizenship to register to vote in a federal election, prosecutors said.
DHS DIRECTS ICE TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO VOTE IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS UNDER NEW DIRECTIVE
In November of each of those years, she allegedly cast ballots after falsely certifying that she was a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote.
Migliore was ineligible to vote because she was not a U.S. citizen.
On July 1, Homeland Security Investigations arrested Migliore at the federal courthouse in New Orleans after an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"This alien from Australia now faces federal charges for falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and illegally casting ballots in two elections," acting Assistant DHS Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said in a statement. "Her arrest and charges are the result of the hard work of the men and women of ICE law enforcement and our federal partners.
"Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: We will find you, arrest you and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation. Only Americans should be electing American leaders."
NONCITIZEN EX-KANSAS MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES
If convicted, Migliore faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises 'birth packages' in Mexico: 'Citizenship is not for sale'
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into a Texas hospital Tuesday after it confirmed to Fox News that it advertised Spanish-language "Birth Packages in South Texas" on billboards in Mexico promoting childbirth services to pregnant foreign nationals near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to Fox News that it was responsible for the advertising campaign, which promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section, and directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, which has since been taken offline.
The billboards also displayed a telephone number beginning with "001," the country code used to place calls to the United States from Mexico.
"The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding," a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. "We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations."
The spokesperson said the campaign included two billboards located within approximately 5 miles of the hospital near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The hospital said both billboards and the website were removed Monday after images began circulating on social media. The spokesperson also said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed.
Abbott on Tuesday directed Texas Health and Human Services Commission Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations.
Images of the billboard circulated on social media before the hospital said it removed the advertisements Monday.
"'Birth tourism' is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year," Abbott wrote in a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News. "Unfortunately, thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children."
TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
Abbott directed HHSC to "immediately and thoroughly investigate" the hospital and said any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution.
"American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism," Abbott wrote.
The governor also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature during its next session "to strengthen state law and eliminate birth tourism in Texas."
"Unfortunately, birth tourism operations are not a new phenomenon," Kyle Brosnan, general counsel of the Oversight Project, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The Supreme Court’s egregiously wrong decision in the birthright citizenship case is going to open the floodgates to the birth tourism industry. Our country is much more than a pile of magic dirt. The only answer to these type of practices are criminal investigations and the mass deportation of illegal aliens."
Mission Regional Medical Center also said it intends to cooperate with state officials.
"We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials," the hospital said in a statement obtained by Fox News. "Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services."
The investigation comes as President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to limit automatic birthright citizenship for some children born in the United States remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.
1619 Project creator claims paying reparations would be admission that US existence is a 'crime'
Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of the controversial 1619 Project, recently argued that paying reparations for slavery would serve as an admission that the "entire existence of the United States" is a crime.
"Paying reparations is an admission of the crime," Hannah-Jones stated last week. "But it’s not an admission of the crime of a handful of bad apples or a few years of bad policy. It is the crime of the entire existence of the United States."
Hannah-Jones made the comments during an interview with the left-leaning media outlet The Meteor. The conversation, hosted by Brittany Packnett Cunningham, centered on the legacy of slavery and the push for reparations as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER CLAIMS BLACK AMERICANS WILL STOP VOTING IF THEY DON'T GET REPARATIONS
The journalist, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2020 for her work on the 1619 Project, argued that America’s history is so deeply rooted in slavery that simply removing monuments would not suffice.
"You could never knock down all the statues to enslavers, or you have to remove all the monuments on the Mall in Washington," she said. "Slavery predates the founding of our country by 150 years."
The New York Times' 1619 Project is a long-form collaboration that seeks to "reframe the country's history" by bringing slavery and racism to the forefront of the national narrative. While praised by liberals, the project has faced intense scrutiny and pushback from prominent historians who have publicly disputed its factual accuracy, particularly its claims regarding the motivations behind the American Revolution.
BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO RESTORE SLAVERY, CLIMATE CHANGE REFERENCES AT NATIONAL PARKS
Despite the criticism, the 1619 Project's theories of American history were later developed into an educational curriculum with the help of the Pulitzer Center.
According to the nonprofit, hundreds of schools have received copies of The New York Times Magazine issue, and over 4,000 educators have used its resources, a move that has sparked fierce backlash from parents and conservative lawmakers across the country fighting critical race theory (CRT).
During the interview, the Howard University journalism professor cited the American education system's approach to teaching about slavery as a driving force behind the recent conservative pushback against Juneteenth and CRT.
Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham team up on a California beach for some 'much needed r&r'
Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull, the two self-described Indiana Fever mermaids, teamed up on Monday on a California beach for some "much needed r&r."
If you know ball like I know ball, you know these two aren't going to miss an opportunity for a bikini day off. They're not going to be bullied out of having fun off the court by anyone.
That includes their superstar teammate Caitlin Clark. She tried and she failed to bully them. She would much rather see Sophie and Lexie focus on basketball than on tanning. But that's not how these two roll.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
They have proven they can play their part on the court while enjoying themselves off of it. So they spent one of their days off before taking on the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night at Manhattan Beach.
They got their much-needed rest and relaxation. They got some content for social media. And they worked on their tans, which will pay off in the tunnel pregame.
That's a successful day off in my book. As I said when I questioned Clark going after these two last spring, they can do both. They ball, and they can tan. Love it or hate it, it's part of the game.
Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull get it. They're going to continue to ignore the haters on and off the roster. Why wouldn't they? It's been working.
The brand deals are there. They're growing the game, and they're contributing members of a 12-8 team, which is good enough to be two and a half games back of the top team in the WNBA.
Let's not forget the wise teachings of Deion Sanders, "Look good, feel good. Feel good, play good. Play good, they pay good."
New explosive allegation rocks Platner campaign still reeling from rape accusation
Embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner was hit with a second explosive allegation of sexual impropriety only about 24 hours after he was accused of rape — all while a major campaign decision deadline looms.
In a new report published by The Washington Post, the candidate from Maine was accused of removing condoms during sex with his ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield after she explicitly directed him to wear them.
"He would pull condoms off," she told The Washington Post. "He would do it in a sneaky way. He wouldn’t tell me."
NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER
Fifield, 41, previously accused Platner of physical misconduct during their relationship, saying that he sometimes grabbed her hard enough to leave marks on her body and that one time he twisted her arm around her back, pushed her into a bedroom and held the door shut until she "calmed down."
Those concerns were largely dismissed by Platner's supporters, who characterized Fifield, who used to work at The Heritage Foundation, as being a conservative operative.
"I confronted him both during and after [sex] because he knew that I was not on birth control and how dangerous that was," she told the Post, which said Fifield made the allegations in a previous interview with the outlet but strictly off the record.
‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN
"He would act, like, cute about it, like ‘Oh sneaky me,'" she said, according to the report.
In a statement to The Washington Post, the Platner campaign reportedly said that Fifield's latest allegations were "categorically false and politically motivated."
Platner is running to oust Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins.
Monday, the oyster farmer, whose campaign has been dogged by scandal since last year, was accused of rape by another woman.
PLATNER'S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE 'ABSOLUTELY' RAPED HER
Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico that Platner drunkenly entered her home while they were on-again, off-again romantic partners in 2021 and raped her. She claimed that he ejaculated inside her after she told him to stop multiple times.
"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told the outlet, which she said took place while Platner was "almost blackout drunk" in Washington, D.C. "I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’"
Platner categorically denied those allegations, too, in a video released in the immediate aftermath of the publication of the Politico story.
He said his campaign was taking time to assess possible next steps as a major deadline in the race looms.
Platner must withdraw from the race by 5 p.m. July 13 if another Democratic candidate, who would be chosen by the party, is to replace him before the November general election.
Monday evening into Tuesday, a litany of previous supporters dropped their endorsements of Platner and called for him to drop out of the race, including progressive senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., two of his most ardent backers.
"Now more than ever we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault," Warren said in a statement Monday night.
TOP PLATNER ALLY TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS CAMPAIGN: 'RED LINE'
"Working families are counting on Democrats to win the Senate election in Maine to unrig our economy and hold Donald Trump accountable. With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race."
"I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine," Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. "In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside."
Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign for comment.
Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Donovan Mitchell signs massive $273M Cavaliers extension as LeBron James return speculation grows
Donovan Mitchell got quite a payday from the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday, agreeing to a four-year, $273 million maximum extension, which includes a full trade kicker and player option for the 2030-31 season.
While Mitchell could’ve waited one more year to get a potential five-year, $353 million deal, the 29-year-old wasted no time signing an extension on the first day he was eligible to do so this summer.
It’s hard for Cleveland not to want to build its team around Mitchell now and for the foreseeable future. He has been an All-Star seven straight seasons, which includes three with the Utah Jazz before he was traded to Cleveland during the 2022 offseason.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
He has averaged 26.7 points in four seasons with the Cavaliers, including 27.9 last season, and has made an All-NBA team in three of his four years.
Mitchell also noted having "unfinished business" after the team got swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Mitchell was heading into the 2026-27 season on the last guaranteed season of his previous contract before a 2027 player option kicked in.
CAVS NEED LEBRON JAMES 'TO RETURN HOME TO SAVE THE DAY,' ESPN STAR STEPHEN A SMITH SAYS
Now, the bigger question for the Cavaliers: Does Mitchell’s contract extension hurt or help their chances of yet another reunion with LeBron James?
The 41-year-old has made it clear he will be playing elsewhere for the 2026-27 NBA season, marking the end of his eight years with the Los Angeles Lakers.
James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, hasn’t indicated where he might be heading, but reports have indicated his agent, Rich Paul, is actively looking at specific teams.
Among them is the Cavaliers, as the man from Akron, Ohio, has played a significant role in the franchise’s history, including an NBA title in 2016. If this is James' final NBA run, why not do it where it all began, where he returned after his successful stint with the Miami Heat and where he can close the book on a one-of-a-kind career?
However, other teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors have been rumored and debated about.
Of course, the salary cap and staying within its parameters is a big deal for NBA teams. While a Cavaliers fan could view Mitchell’s max extension as a bad thing for James to land back in Cleveland, it is not believed it will affect their chances at signing him.
As for James’ NBA title chances, the Cavaliers did reach the Eastern Conference finals, and the 41-year-old wouldn’t have to be the center of attention in terms of offensive playmaking. Mitchell and Evan Mobley can lead the way there, while Jarrett Allen protects the rim down low.
The Cavaliers and James Harden, whom they acquired before the trade deadline last season, are reportedly negotiating a team-friendly deal as well to keep their salary cap at bay.
Whether the big fish will be landed, bringing "The Chosen One" back to his roots one last time remains to be seen.
Mitchell has left no doubt, though, where his future lies in the NBA, and he will look to get that unfinished business squared away in Cleveland.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Far-left Platner supporter melts down after new scandal, accuses media of 'politically assassinating' him
A far-left podcaster slammed the mainstream media in an X post on Tuesday, accusing outlets of "politically assassinating" embattled Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Maine Graham Platner.
"The Young Turks" CEO and founder Cenk Uygur, an influential political commentator, posted the accusation one day after Politico published allegations made by Jenny Racicot, who dated Platner. Racicot told Politico that, in 2021, Platner drunkenly entered her home and forced her to have sex with him against her will.
Platner denied the allegations in a video released by his campaign Monday, calling them "troubling, serious and false."
"Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false," Platner said. He added that, in light of what he described as the "inaccuracy of the reporting," his campaign was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward."
HOW GRAHAM PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN UNRAVELED: FROM REDDIT POSTS TO RAPE ALLEGATION
The allegations marked the latest crisis for Platner's campaign, which has faced multiple controversies involving allegations from former partners and scrutiny over other aspects of his past.
Despite Platner's denial, the latest allegations sparked major political backlash as Democrats began rescinding their endorsements of the Maine oysterman, with some calling on him to drop out of the race.
Platner rose to prominence by positioning himself as an anti-establishment progressive, campaigning against corporate PACs and U.S. support for Israel. Uygur, who has long used his platform to champion left-wing insurgent candidates, continued to defend Platner even as the controversies surrounding his campaign mounted.
Uygur went on to warn the Democratic Party against replacing Platner with candidates who are pro-Israel and in favor of corporate PACs.
"If he drops out and Democratic Party tries to give us two candidates who are both for Israel and corporate pacs [SIC], they'll face a revolt like they've never seen. Days of [bulls---] false choices are over," Uygur wrote.
The controversial podcaster said he wants a candidate that is "even more against corporate pacs [SIC], more against Israel, more against the establishment, more against corruption, more against the status quo."
NEW YORK TIMES UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GRAHAM PLATNER COVERAGE AS ACCUSERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST PAPER
In a subsequent post, Uygur warned that those who supported Platner would also face "character assassinations."
"Next the character assassins will move on to smearing anyone who supported Platner. They'll try guilt by association, to eliminate more opponents of the establishment. This is how these thugs operate and pick off outsiders one by one. Meanwhile, no one looks into the insiders," he wrote.
He also predicted that the media's "next target" would likely be an anti-Israel outsider.
Uygur has repeatedly argued that Democrats and the media targeted Platner because of the candidate's opposition to Israel. Since April, he has accused Democrats of targeting Platner over his views on the war in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel.
Last month, he said on X that Platner's critics "work for Israel" and that the Democrats attacking the Maine candidate were "ordered to do so by their handlers."
The post came just one day after The New York Times published allegations by Racicot and other women who previously dated Platner. Although the Times also interviewed women who spoke positively about Platner, the allegations by Racicot and the others became the focus of the scandal.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
One of the women interviewed by the Times, Lyndsey Fifield, shed light on a controversy that plagued Platner's campaign in its early days. Platner had a tattoo of a Nazi symbol known as a "Totenkopf" on his chest, though he claimed that he did not know its origin until it became a campaign issue. However, Fifield told the Times Platner had referred to it as "my Totenkopf," and that he taught her the word for the symbol.
While the allegations reported by the Times last month did not appear to shift support among Platner's backers, the accusations that surfaced Monday prompted several prominent Democrats to distance themselves from him. Among them were Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.
Though he did not explicitly withdraw his endorsement, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a post on X that he had spoken with Platner and "recommended that he step aside."
Platner has not dropped out of the race but said in a video released Monday that his campaign was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward."