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Trump lists accomplishments, says 'Radical Left Scum' are 'failing badly' in Christmas message
President Donald Trump used his Christmas Eve Truth Social post to tout his administration's accomplishments and to bash those on the left whom he accused of trying to "destroy" the U.S.
"Merry Christmas to all, including the radical left scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our country, but are failing badly," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "We no longer have open borders, men in women’s sports, transgender for everyone, or weak law enforcement. What we do have is a record stock market and 401K’s, lowest crime numbers in decades, no inflation, and yesterday, a 4.3 GDP, two points better than expected."
"Tariffs have given us trillions of dollars in growth and prosperity, and the strongest national security we have ever had. We are respected again, perhaps like never before. God Bless America!!!," the president added.
In the first year of Trump's second term, the administration launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, introduced controversial tariffs, worked to cut DEI from government programs and took steps toward fulfilling other campaign promises.
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The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday that it had arrested 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants since Trump signed the Laken Riley Act in January 2025. In a separate DHS announcement, the department unveiled the "2025 Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens," saying that 70% of all ICE arrests are of illegal immigrants "convicted or charged with a crime in the U.S."
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on the results of the Laken Riley Act that "President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country."
Trump's Christmas Truth Social post on his administration's accomplishments was also backed up by recent economic data. On Tuesday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its initial estimate of the third-quarter GDP, which showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the three-month period including July, August and September.
OPINION: MELANIA TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS IS A SHINING BEACON OF AMERICA
"Compared to the second quarter, the acceleration in real GDP in the third quarter reflected a smaller decrease in investment, an acceleration in consumer spending, and upturns in exports and government spending. Imports decreased less in the third quarter," the BEA said.
While the president issued a cutting Christmas Eve statement on Truth Social, his official Christmas Day message was softer and more focused on the meaning of the holiday and the season.
In the statement, which was released by the White House on Thursday, Trump and first lady Melania Trump relayed their warm wishes to Americans while emphasizing the religious significance of Christmas.
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"The First Lady and I send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we share in the joy of Christmas Day and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," the message reads.
Trump went on to recount the biblical story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, calling it "the perfect expression of God’s boundless love and His desire to be close to His people." The president then tied the story to the founding principles of the U.S.
"For nearly 250 years, the principles of faith, family, and freedom have remained at the center of our way of life. As President, I will never waver in defending the fundamental values that make America the greatest country in the history of the world—and we will always remain one Nation under God."
The president also paid homage to U.S. servicemembers who are overseas and are unable to be with their families for the holiday. Trump thanked them for their service and sacrifice and their dedication to protecting Americans.
"We are grateful for their devotion, and we keep them and their loved ones close in our hearts."
Trump ended his official message with a prayer for peace in the U.S. and across the globe, extending Christmas wishes to Americans and the world.
"During the Christmas season, we pray for an outpouring of God’s abiding love, divine mercy, and everlasting peace upon our country and the entire world," he said.. "To every American, and to those celebrating around the globe, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!"
Beverly D'Angelo admits to unscripted ‘Christmas Vacation’ moment with Chevy Chase that made movie history
Beverly D’Angelo took matters into her own hands and made movie history.
After "National Lampoon’s Vacation" (1983) and "National Lampoon’s European Vacation" (1985), the Griswolds returned to deliver more chaos in 1989’s "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation." The film starred D’Angelo and Chevy Chase, along with Randy Quaid, Juliette Lewis and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, among others.
D’Angelo is ringing in the new year with plenty in store for fans. She stars alongside Hayden Panettiere in the upcoming 2026 psychological thriller "Sleepwalker." She recently followed it up with "The Heart Brake," in which she turns a property into a Christmas bed-and-breakfast called the Noel Hotel.
But when the holidays roll around, D’Angelo still looks back at the film that keeps on giving — and the moment she made her own.
"It was not in the script for me to guard the family jewels when the police came to stick us up," the actress told Fox News Digital. "I threw that in. That was definitely improvised. That was my little touch. All in one take."
In the film, a police officer orders everyone gathered for the Griswold family Christmas to freeze. A stunned Ellen (D’Angelo) suddenly grabs Clark’s (Chase) crotch and stands still, obeying the command.
WATCH: CHEVY CHASE ON HAND TO SUPPORT SYLVESTER STALLONE
"We had one take left, and it was the end of the day," D’Angelo recalled. "I said, ‘I bet nobody catches this.’ We did the shot, freeze, and I put my hand there. It was like, ‘OK, that’s a wrap. Everybody go home.’ It was subtle. And it had to stay in the film because it was the only shot left! What are they going to do? They didn’t have a choice."
It was a long day of filming, and the star was eager to have some fun. D’Angelo tipped off Chase about what she was going to do. He agreed — before quickly adding, "You can’t do that," convinced she’d never get away with it, Forbes reported.
"I guarantee you no one’s going to be looking at my hand," she told him, as quoted by the outlet. "Everybody’s going to be looking at your face and Randy’s [Quaid] face and the expressions. I’m going to be way down below your waist, and the director’s not even looking at me. He’s just trying to get you guys good, get this take."
It worked — and if you blink, you’ll miss it.
"Well, what would you do in that situation?" D’Angelo told Fox News Digital. "You would guard the family jewels, first and foremost."
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D’Angelo, 74, noted that she and Chase, 82, became fast friends from the moment they met on set. That bond has endured for decades.
"I knew from the beginning I’d have a lifelong friendship with Chevy," D’Angelo explained. "It was just like meeting a brother. We’ve kept that connection all the way, decades later. I just had a feeling when we met that we would be a tribe. I can’t explain it, except there’s just something about when Chevy and I get together."
"There’s a chemistry we can create," she shared. "We have a chemistry, we get each other. And then, we can easily flip into Clark and Ellen. It’s just something. I can’t explain it. It doesn’t happen with anybody else. He makes me Ellen, and I make him Clark when we work together. It’s very natural. We just know."
Despite their instant connection, D’Angelo admitted she didn’t expect them to cross paths again after the first film.
"When we did the first ‘Vacation,’ it was just a summer movie," said D’Angelo. "That concept of a franchise arrived much later. We only made the second one because the first one was such a hit. And then ‘Christmas’ was just as successful as the very first one, which is unusual. So, when I went in to meet Chevy, I just thought I was doing a Chevy Chase comedy that was going to be done after ‘Animal House.’"
"I had some hesitations about it," she noted. "There are these old rules — never work with kids and animals. And there were a lot of kids and animals. Plus, I was the mother of teenagers, and I was 29 when we did that. I was even suggesting actresses to my agent. 'Tell them to meet this person, that person.’ Just actress friends that I thought would be good. But it was my husband at the time — I was married to an Italian duke, actually — and he said, ‘But Beverly, this is hilarious! You must do it.’"
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"That was that," she continued. "I was in Italy when a friend of mine called me, and he said, ‘Do you know you’re in the number one movie this week?’ It was the first ‘Vacation.’ It just kept growing. It seems to be part of our whole culture now. For so many people, it’s part of their Christmas ritual. I don’t know what to say, except to quote myself and say, ‘It’s Christmas. We’re all in misery.’"
Making "Christmas Vacation" wasn’t always easy. It reminded D’Angelo of one of her past rules.
"The squirrel that jumped out of the tree? That squirrel was trained by professional animal trainers," said D’Angelo about the unforgettable scene from "Christmas Vacation."
"It was trained to leap out of the tree and onto Chevy’s shoulder, and onto somebody else’s shoulder. It was trained to do all these tricks. They really, really trained it."
"They did a fantastic job to the point that the squirrel had a heart attack or something," she claimed. "Something happened to the squirrel. So when it came time to shoot, they had to quickly find another squirrel. They got a relatively wild one, certainly not trained to do all the tricks that the original squirrel had been able to do. So they do have a live squirrel leaping out of the tree, but everything else is a stuffed squirrel."
However unruly the making of "Christmas Vacation" may have been, D’Angelo knows it’s become a holiday classic — and she’s grateful.
"Here’s the thing about Christmas," she said. "Of course, when you have children, it becomes important. I was never a big holiday person, per se. I don’t even like to celebrate my birthday, to tell you the truth. I don’t like all the attention. But it’s that spirit of giving, it’s a wonderful thing to always be engaged in."
"I didn’t think that [‘National Lampoon’] was going to turn into a lifelong thing," she reflected. "It’s beautiful."
6 classic Christmas side dishes that have disappeared from American tables
Christmas dinner may revolve around a honey-glazed ham or prime rib today, but for generations of Americans, it was the side dishes that truly defined the holiday table.
Long before trendy TikTok foods, freezer-aisle staples and sheet-pan shortcuts, Christmas spreads featured labor-intensive recipes that were passed down and cooked fresh once a year.
Creamed vegetables, piped potatoes and slow-braised winter produce reflected regional roots and Old World traditions.
AMERICANS TURNED CHRISTMAS DINNER INTO PATRIOTIC DUTY DURING WWI WITH WARTIME RECIPES
As tastes shifted, entertaining grew more casual and time became a luxury, many of these classic sides quietly faded from Christmas menus.
Here's a look at six vintage Christmas side dishes that were once enjoyed by millions — and aren't truly forgotten.
Once a staple of Christmas dinners across the Northeast and Midwest, creamed onions were traditionally served alongside roast beef or ham as a rich, celebratory side, along with their close cousin, creamed celery.
The dish fell out of favor because peeling pearl onions is labor-intensive and American tastes leaned away from boiled vegetables, though home cooks still debate the best version — fresh, canned or frozen — on Reddit's r/Cooking page.
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"Creamed onions were a staple," one user recently recalled. "They were a hit with everyone."
This elegant, piped potato dish originated in 19th-century France and was a popular Christmas showpiece.
Enriched with butter and egg yolks and baked into decorative shapes, duchess potatoes stay fluffy in the center and develop a crisp, golden exterior.
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As holiday entertaining became more casual and convenience foods like instant mashed potatoes took over, duchess potatoes largely vanished from American tables.
Sweet-and-sour red cabbage was brought to the U.S. by German, Scandinavian and Danish immigrants and became a familiar Christmas side in many households, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.
In Denmark, the dish emerged as a Christmas staple in the 1800s during a period of national romanticism, when red cabbage and boiled potatoes were chosen to reflect the red-and-white colors of the Danish flag, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
Spinach soufflés were a mid-century symbol of sophistication for hosts and frequently appeared at Christmas dinners in the 1950s through the 1970s, according to food blogs.
Because they could deflate easily and required careful timing, they gradually fell out of favor as holiday cooking became more focused on easier, less stressful dishes.
This traditional British side is made from a batter of eggs, flour and milk, baked until light and crisp, and historically served with roast beef to soak up drippings.
It appeared on Christmas menus in the 19th century, according to the food site Epicurious — and while it was once common in American households, it gradually faded from many Christmas tables as roast beef gave way to other holiday mains.
Reddit users recently debated whether Yorkshire pudding belongs again on holiday tables, with one commenter arguing that if beef is the main course, it is "surely required."
Parsnips were once a common winter vegetable before potatoes took over American tables.
Parsnip cakes — a humble British staple introduced to Americans in the early 1900s — remained popular through World War II because the hardy vegetable was easy to grow during rationing, with the mixture baked or fried and enriched with butter or gravy rather than tasting strongly of roots, according to Tasting Table.
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Over time, parsnips fell out of favor — they gained a reputation for bitterness if overcooked, and tastes shifted toward milder, more familiar vegetables.
Pope Leo XIV delivers first Christmas message calling for end to violence in Middle East, Russia-Ukraine war
Pope Leo XIV appealed Thursday in his Christmas Day message for peace in conflict-scarred regions, calling for an end to violence in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Speaking to tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his first Christmas "Urbi et Orbi" address, Latin for "to the city and to the world," Pope Leo prayed for "justice, peace and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Syria."
The pontiff then turned to the Russia-Ukraine war, calling on believers to pray for the "tormented people" of Ukraine.
"May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue," he said.
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Pope Leo also remembered civilians caught in other conflicts, including in parts of Africa and Asia, and prayed for peace for people suffering under political instability, religious persecution and terrorism.
He urged world leaders to reject violence and indifference, stressing that peace must be rooted in justice, dialogue and solidarity with the most vulnerable.
"In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent," the pontiff said.
"On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain. In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us," he added.
Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May following the death of Pope Francis and has made appeals for peace a central theme of his early papacy.
He has repeatedly called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his diplomatic outreach.
The Vatican said in July that Pope Leo expressed willingness to host representatives of both Russia and Ukraine for peace negotiations, a position he has maintained.
NFL's Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries
On paper, Netflix had great divisional matchups on Christmas Day for Week 17 when the season began.
Of course, the NFL season never goes as planned, and the three matchups scheduled for the holiday are not what anyone had planned.
The reason? Star quarterbacks won’t be playing in each game.
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Christmas Day’s first kickoff will be an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention.
And while Dak Prescott and company are looking to finish the season strong, the Commanders shut down Jayden Daniels, their second-year quarterback who led them to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season just a year ago, after reaggravating his elbow injury.
In fact, the Commanders won’t even see Marcus Mariota, Daniels’ backup who has had to start eight games this season, as he’s dealing with an injury as well. It will be veteran Josh Johnson making the start in Landover, Maryland, on Christmas Day for a 4-11 Commanders squad that hoped to at least make the playoffs after a fantastic finish in 2024.
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"When you do circle those matchups, that’s exactly what you’re thinking: This is going to be cool. How it’s all laid out — division games right here at the end between two games of Philadelphia with a Dallas game in between," Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said.
"Playing these division games, they still mean a lot."
Unfortunately for both squads, it will only be for bragging rights.
In the 4:30 p.m. ET slate, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, a storied NFC North rivalry, the home team in Minneapolis will be without its own second-year signal caller — J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy suffered an injury in the win over the New York Giants last week, and it will be Max Brosmer having to start again for Kevin O’Connell’s group.
The Minnesota product’s first career start didn’t work out too well in Seattle, as the Seahawks had their way on defense against Brosmer. Perhaps a home crowd will do him and the Vikings’ offense better, but the Lions at least still have something to play for.
Detroit heads into this game following a tough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where a game-winning touchdown was called back after Amon-Ra St. Brown was penalized for offensive pass interference, negating Jared Goff flying into the end zone after a pitch-back from the star receiver.
The Lions need to win their remaining two games, while also needing the Green Bay Packers to lose their last two games to secure the final NFC wild card spot.
Finally, and perhaps the biggest disappointment for Netflix, is the Kansas City Chiefs not having Patrick Mahomes on the field this holiday season.
Mahomes suffered a torn ACL, which he quickly had surgery to repair, following a loss that knocked them out of playoff contention two weeks ago. The Chiefs were hoping that his backup, Gardner Minshew, could finish out the season, but he tore his ACL last week in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.
That leaves USF alum Chris Oladokun, who filled in for Minshew last week, starting against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos — a 12-3 squad who already clinched their playoff berth. Denver will still be playing hard, as they’re competing for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, which would ensure home games throughout the playoffs.
These games were supposed to be potential division/playoff clinching matchups, but the NFL and its fanbase will be hoping these games are not as lopsided as some believe they could turn out to be.
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How US troops celebrate Christmas abroad
As families across the United States gather for the holidays, thousands of U.S. service members are spending the season overseas, marking the occasion far from home while continuing their duties.
American troops remain deployed across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, supporting missions that range from NATO deterrence operations to maritime patrols and humanitarian assistance. While Christmas abroad rarely resembles celebrations back home, service members often find ways to recognize the holiday within the constraints of their mission and location.
Across overseas installations, troops commonly decorate workspaces, living areas and dining facilities with lights, trees or improvised decorations. Many bases organize special holiday meals, often with commanders and senior enlisted leaders serving food.
Chaplains typically hold Christmas services when schedules and security allow, sometimes in chapels, hangars or temporary facilities. For sailors deployed at sea, Christmas is often marked between watches, with decorated mess decks and holiday meals worked around operational demands.
The holiday season also brings outreach from senior leaders. In recent days, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth placed Christmas morale calls from the Pentagon to service members stationed across the globe, including troops in South Korea, Kuwait, Norway, Greenland and aboard a Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific. The calls were intended to thank service members for standing watch away from home and to recognize the range of missions continuing through the holidays.
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In Japan, where thousands of U.S. service members are stationed year-round, bases often emphasize morale and community traditions during the holidays. At Yokota Air Base, leaders delivered baked cookies to airmen living in dorms as part of the installation’s annual "Cookie Crunch," a tradition aimed at supporting those spending the holidays away from family.
Other installations across Japan and the Pacific typically host concerts, meals and volunteer events that sometimes include host-nation communities.
Elsewhere in Japan, the U.S. Band of the Pacific performed holiday music for local audiences, using seasonal concerts as a way to engage surrounding communities during the holiday period.
One of the military’s most visible holiday efforts in the region is Operation Christmas Drop, the Department of War’s longest-running humanitarian airlift mission. Now in its 74th year, the operation recently concluded at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where multinational teams prepared and delivered hundreds of aid bundles by C-130 aircraft to remote Pacific island communities.
The mission combines humanitarian assistance with airlift training and regional cooperation.
Holiday experiences also vary based on assignment type. In places like Japan and parts of Europe, many U.S. troops serve on accompanied tours, meaning spouses and children live with them overseas.
Bases in those regions often host larger holiday events and family-focused activities.
In contrast, deployments to the Middle East and parts of Africa are typically unaccompanied, with service members living on base or at forward locations without family present. In those environments, holiday observances are usually smaller and shaped by operational and security constraints.
That distinction also affects leave. Troops stationed overseas on long-term assignments may be eligible to travel home during the holidays if schedules allow, while service members deployed on rotational or combat deployments generally remain in place, with units maintaining normal staffing and mission requirements throughout the season.
Across Europe, U.S. forces mark the holidays while supporting NATO missions and forward presence efforts. Senior leaders use the season to acknowledge the sacrifices of those stationed abroad. In a holiday message to troops, U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. T.J. Holland encouraged soldiers to spend time embracing local culture and connecting with family when possible.
U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich also thanked service members and their families for their service.
For many deployed troops, the United Service Organizations (USO) plays a key role during the holidays. Across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, USO centers, mobile vehicles and expeditionary teams provide festive meals, seasonal decorations and spaces where service members can rest and connect.
Mobile USO teams often reach personnel stationed at remote or demanding locations, offering brief opportunities to recharge.
For deployed units, the holidays often are marked quietly rather than ceremonially. Traditions differ by location, mission and security environment, but service members continue to find small ways to recognize the season before returning to the routines of deployment.
North Korea releases images of development of nuclear-powered submarine
North Korea showed off its apparent progress in the development of a nuclear-powered submarine. State media released photos of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and his daughter, a potential heir, as they inspected what appears to be a largely completed hull.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's official state media, said Kim and his daughter visited the shipyard to examine the construction of what it describes as an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine, The Associated Press reported. Pyongyang has signaled that it plans to arm the submarine with nuclear weapons, the AP noted. Kim has said the development of the submarine is a crucial step toward the modernization and nuclear armament of his country's navy.
The Christmas Day release of the photos marks the first time North Korean state media has shown an update on the nuclear-powered submarine since March. Earlier images mostly showed the lower sections of the vessel, the AP noted. The KCNA did not say when the photos released on Thursday were taken.
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Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Seoul’s Hanyang University, told the AP that the photos of a largely completed hull indicate that many of the core components are already in place, as submarines are typically built from the inside out. However, it was not immediately clear exactly how much progress Pyongyang had made.
"Showing the entire vessel now seems to indicate that most of the equipment has already been installed and it is just about ready to be launched into the water," Moon, who also served as a submarine officer in the South Korean navy, told the AP. Moon added that North Korea's submarine could be ready for testing at sea within months.
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While at the shipyard, Kim condemned South Korea's efforts to develop its own nuclear-powered submarine as an "offensive act," despite the fact that President Donald Trump has backed Seoul's push toward the technology. Kim said South Korea's efforts violate North Korea's security and maritime sovereignty, according to the AP.
In October, during his tour of Asia aimed at securing investments, Trump said that the U.S. would share technology with South Korea that would allow it to build a nuclear-powered submarine. The president posted on Truth Social that the vessel would be built in Philadelphia.
"South Korea will be building its nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia shipyards, right here in the good ol’ U.S.A. Shipbuilding in our country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK," the president wrote.
The White House underscored the point when it released a fact sheet in November which directly referenced Washington and Seoul's efforts to "further our maritime and nuclear partnership."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
2025 lookback: Quitting or fired liberal journalists opt for the independent route
The media landscape is as fractured and diversified as it's ever been, with the rise of New Media in the form of podcasts, Substacks and other independent journalism platforms giving consumers a huge array of options for news and analysis.
Several prominent journalists who were best-known as the faces of their respective networks went the independent route in 2025, though not all by choice. The ones who did are, in all cases, even more outspoken than before, suggesting the corporate shackles of their former employers were no longer restraining their true opinions.
Here are five figures who decamped from mainstream media this past year.
CNN STAFFERS IN SHOCK ABOUT JIM ACOSTA'S ABRUPT EXIT FROM THE NETWORK
Known for his melodramatic style of reporting as White House correspondent and then news anchor at CNN, Acosta announced in January he was leaving the network after he was offered a midnight time slot instead of a dayside one.
The left-wing anchor, who injected editorializing into his reporting on President Donald Trump and others, started "The Jim Acosta Show" on Substack, where he hosts a liberal podcast and also blogs and reports.
In one of the most bizarre moments of the year in journalism, Acosta in August "interviewed" the artificially animated avatar of deceased teenager Joaquin Oliver, who died in the Parkland massacre, to promote a gun control message.
Although the teenager's father endorsed the stunt, the interview drew significant criticism about the ethics of essentially putting words in the mouth of a deceased person and underscored Acosta's hyperpartisan approach.
JOY REID SAYS MSNBC FIRED HER WITHOUT WARNING, SPECULATES HER COVERAGE OF TRUMP, GAZA LED TO OUSTER
The long-time anchor for MSNBC — now known as MS NOW — was abruptly fired in February from hosting "The ReidOut." Reid has speculated it was because of her outspoken stance on the Gaza war and Trump but said she never received a true reason for the ouster.
Reid started "The Joy Reid Show" in June, where she's brought her far-left commentary and interviews to more than 382,000 subscribers on YouTube and counting.
Among her highlights this year, which included numerous interview appearances on other shows, are sharing a video suggesting the song "Jingle Bells" is racist, mocking Erika Kirk's attire in the wake of her husband Charlie's assassination and suggesting Trump might not have really been shot last year.
The longtime ABC correspondent parted ways with the network in June after being suspended for his social media rant against Trump and policy adviser Stephen Miller, when he referred to each man as a "world-class hater."
Moran, who had just weeks earlier interviewed Trump in the Oval Office, went the Substack route, naming his site "Real Patriotism."
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He also lauded the rise of alternative media that he's now part of with his Substack.
"The new media is messy, chaotic and sometimes misinformed. But it cannot be denied that this new journalism is more democratic, more diverse and less captured by corporate interests pretending that ‘objectivity’ means silence about reality. The future is here," he wrote.
Todd left NBC News in January after an 18-year run at the network and relaunched his "Chuck ToddCast" podcast in April.
He cited a loss of faith in national media when he made the move.
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"The reason why I am ready to move, I think the media has a lot of work to do to win back the trust and I think, frankly, national media isn’t the place that’s going to be able to do it," Todd said.
The former "Meet the Press" moderator doesn't hesitate to ding Democrats on his podcast, but much of his commentary is solidly anti-Trump.
The longtime Washington Post columnist left the paper in January over anger at owner Jeff Bezos, who quashed the paper's endorsement of Kamala Harris for president the previous year.
The stridently anti-Trump writer, who was once the paper's token conservative opinion writer but sharply veered to the left, started "The Contrarian" with Norm Eisen, a "pro-democracy" Substack that would feature "fearless and distinctive reported opinion and cultural commentary without phony balance, euphemisms or gamified political punditry."
"We’ve watched as corporate and billionaire owners of media outlets abused their audiences’ loyalty and undercut journalism’s vital role in a free democracy," Rubin said in a statement at the time. "Instead of safeguarding democratic values, they have enabled the gravest threats to democracy – Donald Trump and his allies – at the very time when a robust and independent press is most essential. We need an alternative, truly independent outlet that is unafraid of the administration and unwilling to equivocate or bend the knee."
Widely prescribed opioid shows minimal pain relief and higher heart risk, study finds
A widely prescribed opioid painkiller showed limited effectiveness and increased risk of negative effects in a new analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
The study examined tramadol, a common prescription opioid used to treat chronic pain.
Tramadol has historically been perceived as a safer or less addictive opioid, which has contributed to its widespread use in chronic pain treatment, the study authors noted.
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"Often, we may use tramadol to avoid more addictive drugs like other opioids, though in fact tramadol is a synthetic opioid. It is much milder," Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital.
In the new analysis, researchers used data from 19 randomized clinical trials involving 6,506 adults with conditions including osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia. All the studies compared tramadol to a placebo treatment.
Overall, tramadol led to a small decrease in pain, but the amount of relief was less than what is usually considered clinically meaningful, the authors reported.
"It is notable how minimal the pain reduction was and how clearly the study highlighted the elevated risk of serious adverse events, even over relatively short trial durations," Alopi M. Patel, M.D., pain medicine physician at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital. (Patel was not involved in the study.)
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Participants receiving tramadol experienced a higher risk of adverse events, both serious and non-serious, compared with those receiving a placebo.
Serious adverse events primarily included cardiovascular events, such as chest pain, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The authors concluded that tramadol likely increases the risk of heart-related issues.
The authors concluded that the benefits of tramadol for chronic pain are small and that the harms likely outweigh the benefits. The findings call into question the use of tramadol for chronic pain conditions, they stated.
Most of the trials included in the analysis were short, with treatment periods ranging from two to 16 weeks and follow-up periods from three to 15 weeks.
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This limited the ability to assess long-term outcomes, the researchers acknowledged.
The authors reported that many outcomes had a high risk of bias, which may have exaggerated the apparent benefits and minimized the reported harms.
The trials involved several different types of chronic pain, but the data were not detailed enough to draw conclusions for any specific condition. This makes it "harder to generalize the findings to specific patient populations," noted Patel.
Though the study has value, Siegel said, "looking at slight increased rates of cancer or heart disease among those on the drug is completely misleading, because it is not controlled for other factors and there is no evidence or hint of causation."
"You would have to first look at underlying characteristics of that group who took the meds."
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The doctor also pointed out that the study "doesn’t compare [tramadol] with full-on opioids like Percocet."
Experts emphasize that patients should not stop taking tramadol abruptly, as doing so can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Those looking to change their medication should consult a doctor.
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"I recommend that clinicians and patients engage in transparent, shared decision-making that considers tramadol’s modest benefits alongside its risks," Patel advised.
Fox News Digital reached out to several manufacturers of tramadol requesting comment.
Amazon adds controversial AI facial recognition to Ring
Amazon's Ring video doorbells are getting a major artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade, and it is already stirring controversy.
The company has started rolling out a new feature called Familiar Faces to Ring owners across the United States. Once enabled, the feature uses AI-powered facial recognition to identify people who regularly appear at your door. Instead of a generic alert saying a person is at your door, you might see something far more personal, like "Mom at Front Door." On the surface, that sounds convenient.
Privacy advocates, however, say this shift comes with real risks.
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Ring says Familiar Faces helps you manage alerts by recognizing people you know. Here is how it works in practice. You can create a catalog of up to 50 faces. These may include family members, friends, neighbors, delivery drivers, household staff or other frequent visitors. After labeling a face in the Ring app, the camera will recognize that person as they approach. Anyone who regularly passes in front of your Ring camera can be labeled by the device owner if they choose to do so, even if that person is unaware they are being identified.
From there, Ring sends personalized notifications tied to that face. You can also fine-tune alerts on a per-face basis, which means fewer pings for your own comings and goings. Importantly, the feature is not enabled by default. You must turn it on manually in the Ring app settings. Faces can be named directly from Event History or from the Familiar Faces library. You can edit names, merge duplicates or delete faces at any time.
Amazon says unnamed faces are automatically removed after 30 days. Once a face is labeled, however, that data remains stored until the user deletes it.
Despite Amazon's assurances, consumer protection groups and lawmakers are raising alarms. Ring has a long history of working with law enforcement. In the past, police and fire departments were able to request footage through the Ring Neighbors app. More recently, Amazon partnered with Flock, a company that makes AI-powered surveillance cameras widely used by police and federal agencies. Ring has also struggled with internal security. In 2023, the FTC fined Ring $5.8 million after finding that employees and contractors had unrestricted access to customer videos for years. The Neighbors app previously exposed precise home locations, and Ring account credentials have repeatedly surfaced online. Because of these issues, critics argue that adding facial recognition expands the risk rather than reducing it.
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) staff attorney Mario Trujillo tells CyberGuy, "When you step in front of one of these cameras, your faceprint is taken and stored on Amazon’s servers, whether you consent or not. Today’s feature to recognize your friend at your front door can easily be repurposed tomorrow for mass surveillance. It is important for state regulators to investigate." The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a well-known nonprofit organization that focuses on digital privacy, civil liberties and consumer rights in the tech space.
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Legal pressure is already limiting where Familiar Faces can launch. According to the EFF, privacy laws are preventing Amazon from offering the feature in Illinois, Texas and Portland, Oregon. These jurisdictions have stricter biometric privacy protections, which suggests regulators see facial recognition in the home as a higher-risk technology. U.S. Senator Ed Markey has also called on Amazon to abandon the feature altogether, citing concerns about surveillance creep and biometric data misuse.
Amazon says biometric data is processed in the cloud and not used to train AI models. The company also claims it cannot identify all locations where a face appears, even if law enforcement asks. Still, critics point out the similarity to Ring's Search Party feature, which already scans neighborhoods to locate lost pets.
We reached out to Amazon for comment but did not receive a response before our deadline.
Not all of Ring's AI updates raise the same level of concern. Ring recently introduced Video Descriptions, a generative AI feature that summarizes motion activity in plain text. Instead of guessing what triggered an alert, you might see messages like "A person is walking up the steps with a black dog" or "Two people are peering into a white car in the driveway."
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This AI focuses on actions rather than identities. It helps you quickly decide whether an alert is urgent or routine. Over time, Ring says the system can recognize activity patterns around a home and only notify you when something unusual happens. However, as with any AI system, accuracy can vary depending on lighting, camera angle, distance and environmental conditions. Video Descriptions is currently rolling out in beta to Ring Home Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. Unlike facial recognition, this feature improves clarity without naming or tracking specific people. That contrast matters.
If you own a Ring doorbell, caution is wise. While Familiar Faces may reduce notification fatigue, labeling people by name creates a detailed record of who comes to your home and when. Given Ring's past security lapses and close ties with law enforcement, many privacy experts recommend keeping the feature disabled. If you do use it, avoid full names and remove faces you no longer need. In many cases, simply checking the live video feed is safer than relying on AI labels. Not every smart home feature needs to know who someone is.
How to turn Familiar Faces on or off in the Ring app
If you want to review or change this setting, you can do so at any time in the Ring mobile app.
To turn Familiar Faces off:
Turning the feature off stops facial recognition and prevents new faces from being identified. Any labeled faces can also be deleted manually from the Familiar Faces library if you want to remove stored data.
Amazon is also rolling out a very different kind of AI feature for Ring doorbells, and it lives inside Alexa+. Called Greetings, this update gives Ring doorbells a conversational AI voice that can interact with people at your door when you are busy or not home. Instead of identifying who someone is, Greetings focuses on what they appear to be doing. Using Ring's video descriptions, the system looks at apparel, actions, and objects to decide how to respond.
For example, if someone in a delivery uniform drops off a package, Alexa can tell them exactly where to leave it based on your instructions. You can even set preferences to guide delivery drivers toward a specific spot, or let them know water or snacks are available. If a delivery requires a signature, Alexa can ask the driver when they plan to return and pass that message along to you. The feature can also handle sales representatives or service vendors. You might set a rule such as politely declining sales pitches without ever coming to the door yourself.
Greetings can also work for friends and family. If someone stops by while you are away, Alexa can greet them and ask them to leave a message for you. That interaction is saved so you can review it later. That said, the system is not perfect. Because it relies on visual context rather than identity, mistakes can happen. A friend who works in logistics could show up wearing a delivery uniform and be treated like a courier instead of being invited to leave a message. Amazon acknowledges that accuracy can vary. Importantly, Amazon says Greetings does not identify who a person is. It uses Ring's video descriptions to determine the main subject in front of the camera and generate responses, without naming or recognizing individuals. That makes it fundamentally different from the Familiar Faces feature, even though both rely on AI.
Greetings is compatible with Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (3rd Gen) and Ring Wired Doorbell Plus (2nd Gen). It is available to Ring Premium Plan subscribers who have video descriptions enabled and is currently rolling out to Alexa+ Early Access users in the United States and Canada.
If you are already in the Ring ecosystem or considering a video doorbell, Ring's lineup includes models with motion alerts, HD video, night vision, and optional AI-powered features such as Video Descriptions. While Familiar Faces remains controversial and can be turned off, many homeowners still use Ring doorbells for basic security awareness and package monitoring.
If you decide Ring is right for your home, you can check out the latest Ring Video Doorbell models or compare features and pricing with other options by visiting Cyberguy.com and searching "Top Video Doorbells."
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Amazon Ring's AI facial recognition feature shows how quickly convenience can collide with privacy. Familiar Faces may offer smarter alerts, but it also expands surveillance into deeply personal spaces. Meanwhile, features like Video Descriptions prove that AI can be useful without identifying people. As smart home tech evolves, the real question is not what AI can do but what it should do.
Would you trade fewer notifications for a system that recognizes and names everyone who comes to your door? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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