Fox News Latest Headlines
Sam Darnold's fiancée delivers emotional tribute after Seahawks' Super Bowl win
Sam Darnold’s fiancée, Katie Hoofnagle, took to social media to post a heartfelt message about the quarterback after the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl LX victory.
The couple went official with their romance in 2023 and got engaged prior to the 2025 season. Hoofnagle praised Darnold for his humility on his journey.
"And despite everything, you remained kind. In moments where it would’ve been so easy to make excuses or put the blame on somebody else, you never wavered. Your patience, respect, discipline, and humility have continuously shone through, even on the hardest days of the journey," Hoofnagle posted to Instagram.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"It’s an honor and a privilege to share you with the world on Sundays, and I’m so grateful that you finally got your flowers on the biggest stage. As long as I’m alive, you’ll always have someone who is proud of you in everything that you do."
"Earned, not deserved. LFG 14. LFG SEAHAWKS. YOUR SBLX CHAMPIONS, EVERYONE!!!"
Darnold’s journey to stardom has not been linear. After an unsuccessful first three years with the New York Jets, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers.
He spent one season in Carolina and didn’t play well. Following that season, the 28-year-old signed with the San Francisco 49ers as Brock Purdy’s backup.
Darnold then signed with the Minnesota Vikings after one season with the 49ers and thrived after being named the starter. He helped the Vikings to a 14-3 record and finished 10th in MVP voting after completing 66.2% of passes for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
However, Darnold had two of his worst performances in the team’s playoff loss and in Week 18 when the Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions with a chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line.
The Vikings allowed Darnold to test free agency, and he signed with the Seahawks and is now a Super Bowl champion. He helped lead the Seahawks to a 14-3 record in the regular season, completing 67.7% of passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
In three playoff games, Darnold did not turn the ball over once and particularly shone in the Seahawks’ NFC Championship Game victory over the
In that game, Darnold completed 25 of his 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
He played well in the Super Bowl as well, but the numbers are more pedestrian. Darnold completed 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Mike Tyson in the 'fight of my life' as he partners with Trump admin in health initiative to tackle obesity
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson found himself in a new arena on Wednesday as he stood with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, partnering with the Trump administration to fight obesity.
"I had a sister that died at 25 from obesity. And where I come from, Brownsville, Brooklyn, is the most violent, poverty-stricken neighborhood in the city of New York and ultra-processed food was just the norm," Tyson said. "We didn't have much money, but we had food stamps, and food stamps can buy you the candy, the sugar and all that soda and all that rotten stuff."
FOODS THAT AMERICANS WERE TOLD TO AVOID FOR DECADES ARE BACK UNDER TRUMP'S NEW NUTRITION RULES
Kennedy and Rollins were providing updates at the event on the rollout of the government's new dietary guidelines, which were unveiled in January. During the event on Wednesday, several speakers, including Tyson, spoke about the dangers of ultra-processed food and the need to get Americans to shift their diets towards real food.
"We were able to reduce hundreds of pages of dietary guidelines... to about six pages, but it's just three words: Eat real food," Kennedy said to the crowd as he closed the event. "I ask you all to start doing that today if you're not already doing it."
PEOPLE LOST WEIGHT WHILE EATING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FOOD — HERE'S THE SECRET
Tyson said that when he went to learn with a trainer in upstate New York, he was given the tools to keep his health in check. While he admits that he can "fool around" and get "lazy," leading to him gaining 20-40 pounds, he says the tools he gained from the trainer have allowed him to lose weight fast.
"This is the biggest fight of my life," Tyson added. "I want to be a hero in this particular field because it affects my life."
The event comes just days after the airing of an ad during the Super Bowl in which Tyson speaks about the importance of tackling the U.S.'s reliance on processed food. In the ad, Tyson also speaks about his sister, Denise, who died at the age of 25 from an obesity-linked heart attack.
The legendary boxer posted the video on his Facebook page, and said it was "the most important fight of my life."
"The most important fight of my life isn’t in the ring. I’m not fighting for a belt. I’m fighting for our health. Processed foods are killing us. We have been lied to, and we need to eat real food again," Tyson wrote.
Kennedy's focus, even during his own 2024 presidential campaign, has been the rise of chronic illness in the U.S., which he believes is linked to an increased consumption of ultra-processed foods. The guidelines that he and Rollins unveiled in January effectively flip the already outdated food pyramid, moving protein, dairy, health fats, fruits and vegetables to the wide top of the inverted triangle, while relegating whole grains to the narrow bottom.
"Better health begins on your plate — not in your medicine cabinet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 put real, whole, nutrient-dense foods back where they belong: at the center of health," the government website on the guidelines, RealFood.gov, reads.
The protein target in the new guidelines is "1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day." Additionally, the guidance recommends Americans consume three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits every day. Meanwhile, it is recommended that Americans eat two to four servings of whole grains daily, although it specifies that refined carbohydrates are not recommended.
Republican lawmakers' early retirement rumors send shockwaves through House GOP
Rumors of one House GOP lawmaker's potential early retirement are sending shockwaves through Republicans' razor-thin majority in Congress.
Fox News Digital was told on Wednesday that lawmakers believe Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., is considering not serving out the remainder of his term in the House of Representatives before his planned retirement at the end of 2026, and that he was discussing the matter with House leadership.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., deferred to Dunn when asked about his plans but said he urged the Florida Republican to stay in Congress.
"He is a beloved member of Congress and a great man. And, you know, he's informed us he's not going to run for re-election. And what he does from here forward, I'm not sure," Johnson told reporters.
"You need to ask him about it. But I've encouraged him to stay and be part of this, and I think he wants to do that. And so you have to ask him all the circumstances."
Dunn told reporters he had "no comment" on the matter that same day, according to CNN.
Another Republican departure before the March special election to fill the seat abruptly vacated by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., would see the House margin fall to 217 to 214.
JOHNSON WARNS HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO ‘STAY HEALTHY’ AS GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO THE EDGE
It would mean that Johnson would be dealing with a one-seat margin of error likely until August, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom has scheduled the special election to replace late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.
Dunn announced last month that he would not seek re-election after serving in Congress for nearly a decade.
A crowded primary election is forming in his wake, a scramble that could be accelerated by Dunn's possible early retirement.
Special primary elections in Florida generally take place 120 to 130 days after an early departure from the House of Representatives, with a general election likely 70 to 80 days after that.
Fox News Digital was told that House lawmakers are conversing with Gov. Ron DeSantis' office about the timing of a possible special election for Dunn, and whether Florida election law would allow for him to remain in office until after a primary election concludes.
But Fox News Digital was also told that lawmakers do not believe it's likely that Dunn will leave his seat early if that possibility does not pan out.
Both Dunn and DeSantis' offices did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump makes good on troop pullout promise, vows return if Democrat city crime worsens
The Trump administration withdrew all federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities as of earlier in 2026, following through on President Donald Trump's announcement in December 2025 that warned "we will come back" if crime spirals in left-wing cities once again.
U.S. Northern Command — the military command responsible for homeland defense and coordinating defense support during domestic emergencies — states on its website that all Title 10 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon, were demobilized as of Jan. 21.
Trump federalized and deployed National Guard troops under Title 10 in June 2025, citing the need to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal property amid immigration unrest. Troops were sent to cities that also historically have struggled with spiraling crime trends, including during the 2020 era when the nation saw the largest single-year increase in murders since the FBI began tracking such data in the 1960s.
More than 5,000 troops in Los Angeles, approximately 500 in Chicago and 200 in Portland, Oregon, were demobilized, The Washington Post first reported Wednesday.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS MURDER RATE PLUMMETED TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1900 UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
The White House directed Fox News Digital to Trump's announcement on the withdrawal back in December 2025 when approached for comment on the Washington Post's report.
"We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact," Trump wrote Dec. 31, 2025. "Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in."
He added that the troops will return — but likely only when crime spirals in the left-wing cities, adding that he was puzzled by local liberal leaders who would want the troops to leave the city.
"We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!" he wrote. "It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???"
Title 10 troops serve under federal active-duty orders, distinct from Guard forces deployed elsewhere and under different legal authorities.
For example, there is still a National Guard presence in Washington, D.C., as service members there remain on duty under a nonfederal status, while National Guard troops in New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee, also are still on the ground, as they are deployed under separate agreements between their governors and the administration.
The thousands of National Guard troops deployed as Title 10 soldiers to Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon, however, are no longer mobilized, according to Northern Command's website.
Local leaders and Democrat critics in Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago slammed the administration over the move, claiming it was an unnecessary and politically charged escalation that bypassed governors, leading to lawsuits and legal roadblocks. The Supreme Court in December 2025, for example, temporarily blocked a deployment to Chicago, citing the administration failed to "identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois."
"President Trump turned the National Guard against the communities they swore to serve. This is unlawful and immoral," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in October 2025 as the state legally challenged the administration over the federalization. "The National Guard deserves better than being treated like Trump’s toy soldiers — and when they’re returned to California command, we’ll get them back to doing the real work they signed up to do."
The withdrawal of the federalized troops comes as the administration touts cratering violent crime trends across the nation.
The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) reported in February that, based on data from 67 of the nation's biggest police departments, homicides overall fell 19% in U.S. cities, robberies by 20% and aggravated assaults by 10%.
MURDER RATE DROPS TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1900 ACROSS MAJOR US CITIES NATIONWIDE
"This is the direct result of President Trump’s aggressive, no-nonsense approach to public safety," the White House said Wednesday of the data.
"By surging federal resources to Democrat-run cities that had devolved into war zones, removing savage criminal illegals from our streets, supporting police and prosecutors, and rejecting the Radical Left’s weakness, President Trump’s decisive actions have turned the tide, saved countless lives, and restored peace to communities long abandoned by Democrat politicians who prioritized criminals over citizens."
2026 Valentine's romance scams and how to avoid them
Valentine's Day should be about connection. However, every February also becomes the busiest season of the year for romance scammers. In 2026, that risk is higher than ever.
These scams are no longer simple "lonely hearts" schemes. Instead, modern romance fraud relies on artificial intelligence, data brokers and stolen personal profiles. Rather than sending random messages and hoping for a response, scammers carefully pre-select victims using detailed personal data. From there, they use AI to impersonate real people, create convincing conversations and build trust at scale.
As a result, if you are divorced, widowed, or returning to online dating after the holidays, this is often the exact moment scammers target you.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
WHEN DATING APPS GET HACKED, YOUR PRIVATE LIFE GOES PUBLIC
Romance scams are no longer slow, one-on-one cons. They're now high-tech operations designed to target hundreds of people at once. Here's what's changed:
In the past, fake profiles used stolen photos and broken English. Today, scammers use AI-generated faces, voices and videos that don't belong to any real person, making them almost impossible to reverse-search.
You may be interacting with a profile that:
Some scam networks even create entire fake families and friend groups online, so the person appears to have a real life, real friends and real history. To the victim, it feels like a genuine connection because the "person" behaves like one in every way.
Behind the scenes, many scammers now use software platforms that manage dozens of conversations at once. This is known as "scamware" and is incredibly hard to flag.
These systems:
When you mention that you are widowed, the tone quickly becomes more comforting. Meanwhile, if you say you are financially stable, the story shifts toward so-called "business opportunities." And if you hesitate, the system responds by introducing urgency or guilt. It feels personal, but in reality, you're being guided through a pre-written emotional funnel designed to lead to one outcome: money.
One of the fastest-growing versions of romance fraud now blends love and money. A BBC World Service investigation recently revealed that many romance scams are now run by organized criminal networks across Southeast Asia, using what insiders call the "pig butchering" model, where victims are slowly "fattened up" with trust before being financially destroyed.
These operations use call-center style setups, data broker profiles, scripted conversations and AI tools to target thousands of people at once. This is not accidental fraud. It's an industry.
And the reason you were selected is simple: your personal data made you easy to find, easy to profile and easy to target.
After weeks of trust-building, the scammer introduces:
They may show fake dashboards, fake profits and even let you "withdraw" small amounts at first to build trust. But once larger sums are sent, the site disappears, and so does the person. There is no investment. There is no account. And there is no way to recover the funds.
AI DEEPFAKE ROMANCE SCAM STEALS WOMAN'S HOME AND LIFE SAVINGS
The biggest misconception is that romance scams begin on dating apps. They don't. They begin long before that, inside massive databases run by data brokers. These companies collect and sell profiles that include:
Scammers buy this data to build shortlists of ideal victims.
They filter for:
That's how they know who to target-before the first message is ever sent.
Scammers aren't cruel by accident. They target people who are statistically more likely to respond. If you've lost a spouse, moved recently, or re-entered the dating world, your personal data often shows that. That makes you a priority target. And once your name lands on a scammer's list, it can be sold again and again. That's why many victims say: "I blocked them, but new ones keep showing up." It's not a coincidence. It's data recycling.
Most romance scams follow the same pattern:
By the time money is involved, the emotional connection is already strong. Many victims send thousands before realizing it's a scam.
If you want fewer scam messages this year, you need to remove your personal information from the places scammers buy it. That's where a data removal service comes in. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren't cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.
Here's what you can do right now:
When you combine these steps, you remove the access, urgency and leverage scammers rely on.
SUPER BOWL SCAMS SURGE IN FEBRUARY AND TARGET YOUR DATA
Romance scams are no longer random. They are targeted, data-driven and emotionally engineered. This Valentine's Day, the best gift you can give yourself is privacy. By removing your personal data from broker databases, you make it harder for scammers to find you, profile you and exploit your trust. And that's how you protect not just your heart, but your identity, your savings and your peace of mind.
Have you or someone you love been contacted by a Valentine's Day romance scam that felt real or unsettling? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Minnesota police say vehicle believed to be pursued by federal agents crashed downtown, protests ensue
A vehicle that was reportedly being pursued by federal agents crashed in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday, leaving one person with non-life-threatening injuries.
St. Paul Police said on Wednesday that officers were called to the intersection of Western and Selby Avenues at approximately 9:39 a.m. to respond to a vehicle crash. The department added that "it was reported that a large crowd had formed."
"The preliminary information we received was that federal agents were pursuing a person in a vehicle when the vehicle crashed," St. Paul Police said in a statement. "The person that was being pursued sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital by Saint Paul Fire medics."
FEDS SHIFT TO TARGETED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS UNDER HOMAN
A witness who spoke to Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity said there were approximately three or four cars involved in the crash and that there was a "huge protest" happening in the parking lot. Additionally, the person who spoke with Fox News Digital said she knew two of the people whose cars were involved and that one had just gone to grab a coffee at a local spot, while the other worked nearby.
Federal authorities have not confirmed any involvement. Neither U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
DEM SENATOR FUMES THAT GOP'S FOREIGN FUNDING CLAIM 'DELEGITIMIZES' ANGER OF ANTI-ICE AGITATORS IN US
Tensions between federal agents and locals in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area have flared for more than a month following the Jan. 7, 2026, fatal shooting of Renee Good. This was followed by the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, also at the hands of federal agents. Both deaths sparked protests and criticism from Minnesota leadership of the Trump administration's handling of its illegal immigration crackdown in the state.
Border czar Tom Homan, who recently took over operations in the state, was aiming to deescalate the situation and even removed 700 immigration officers from the mission.
Trump meets Netanyahu, says he wants Iran deal but reminds Tehran of ‘Midnight Hammer’ operation
Iran dominated the agenda in Wednesday’s White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with both leaders signaling that diplomacy with Tehran remains uncertain and that coordination will continue if talks fail.
In a post on Truth Social following the meeting, Trump said he pushed for continued negotiations but left open other options.
"There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be… Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them."
Netanyahu’s office said the leaders discussed Iran, Gaza and broader regional developments and agreed to maintain close coordination, adding that the prime minister emphasized Israel’s security needs in the context of negotiations.
FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu formally joined the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, signing onto the initiative ahead of the meeting after weeks of hesitation. The move places Israel inside a forum that includes Western partners as well as Turkey and Qatar, whose involvement in Gaza has drawn criticism in Jerusalem.
Experts say the decision reflects strategic calculations tied to both Gaza and Iran.
Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said Netanyahu’s participation is directly linked to cooperation with Washington and to shaping postwar arrangements in Gaza.
"It is in Israel’s interest for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to join the Board of Peace. He needs a place at that table even alongside adversarial powers such as Muslim Brotherhood-aligned countries Qatar and Turkey. Netanyahu’s membership in the Board of Peace is an important element in his cooperation with President Trump to help implement the 20-point plan, with deradicalization, disarming Hamas and demilitarization as the first three non-negotiable actions."
Diker said the decision is also tied to Iran. "More strategic reason that Netanyahu’s membership on the Board of Peace is important is that it represents an element of cooperation to counter the Iranian regime. Netanyahu is likely counting on action against the Iranian regime from the Iranian people themselves and from the United States in the coming weeks. In exchange, Netanyahu continues to cooperate in implementing the 20-point plan in Gaza as part of a quid pro quo."
Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, described Israel’s move as a pragmatic choice shaped by the incomplete implementation of the Gaza deal and the broader regional threat environment.
"The implementation of the Gaza peace deal leaves much to be desired. Hamas, despite being given 72 hours to release all hostages, took over 100 days to do so; Hamas has still not disarmed; there is neither an International Stabilization Force nor any countries jumping at the chance to join it; and the Board of Peace comprises countries that have shown themselves enemies of peace with Israel."
He said Israel ultimately chose engagement over isolation. "Proceeding with the deal — including joining the Board of Peace — is Israel’s least bad option. Israel has a better chance of countering or balancing Turkish and Qatari influence on the Board of Peace by being in the room with them, rather than outside it."
Misztal also linked the timing to Iran. "With the United States having a real chance to disarm, or even topple, the Iranian regime and the risk that Tehran might yet lash out at Israel, there is no interest in doing anything that would risk restarting the war in Gaza."
Trump Religious Liberty Commission boots member after contentious antisemitism hearing
President Donald Trump's White House Religious Liberty Commission ousted Catholic activist Carrie Prejean Boller from its membership on Wednesday, after her controversial performance at a hearing on antisemitism this week.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who chairs the commission, announced Boller's removal on Wednesday, arguing she had attempted to "hijack" Tuesday's public hearing for a "political agenda." Boller was combative during the hearing and defended commentator Candace Owens, who has been accused of antisemitism over a number of controversial remarks, among others.
"Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission," Patrick wrote in a statement on X. "No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue. This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision."
Prior to her forced removal, Boller issued a series of statements refusing to resign her position on Tuesday and Wednesday.
GABBARD SLAMS DEMOCRATS' 'HOSTILITY TOWARDS GOD,' CONDEMNS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS WHO STORMED CHURCH
"I will never bend the knee to the state of Israel. Ever," Boller, a former Miss California, posted on X. "Christians have been manipulated into believing that God blesses bombing, starvation, and mass killing. That is the opposite of Christ, who came to stand with the suffering and confront power. I reject that lie completely."
CHABAD OFFICIAL SPEAKS OUT AFTER CAR-RAMMING OF JEWISH CENTER, AS NYPD PROBES MOTIVE
Boller got into a heated exchange with Shabbos Kestenbaum, a former Harvard student who sued the university over its response to antisemitism, who testified at the hearing. After Kestenbaum spoke about antisemitism, Boller steered the hearing towards Israel, asking Kestenbaum if he would "condemn what Israel has done in Gaza." While Kestenbaum was ready to respond, Chairman Patrick brought that line of questioning to a halt and said, "This can be another discussion on another day."
Owens came to Boller's defense after Patrick announced her dismissal on Wednesday, claiming the White House commission was pushing a "performative Zionist" message "meant to neuter the Christian faith."
MAMDANI PLEDGED TO FIGHT FOR ALL BUT SCRAPPED ORDER JEWISH STUDENTS SAY PROTECTED THEM
"Carrie didn’t hijack anything," Owens wrote. "Carrie spoke truth, as a Catholic, and Christians, the Truth cannot be defeated. Zionists are naturally hostile to Catholics because we refuse to bend the knee to revisionist history and support the mass slaughter and rape of innocent children for occult Baal worshipers."
"Your decision will only further the Christian enlightenment which is taking place in this country. And for that, we thank you," Owens wrote to Patrick.
Hardline conservatives double down to save the SAVE Act
Senate Republicans face long odds in advancing voter ID legislation, but they’re not backing down.
Huddled behind closed doors on Tuesday, GOP lawmakers attempted to chart a path forward on the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a revamped version of election integrity legislation that has long gathered dust in Congress.
A trio of hardliner conservatives — Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rick Scott of Florida — have championed the legislation and demanded it be considered in the upper chamber.
MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’
Lee gave what lawmakers who attended the meeting described as an impassioned plea to move ahead with the bill, which would require voters to show identification, mandate in-person proof of citizenship when registering and direct states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
"Nothing in the Senate's an easy move," Lee said after the meeting. "This one's certainly not. But if we want to do this, this is how we have to go about it."
Indeed, Senate Democrats won’t support the legislation. That means the 60-vote filibuster threshold is, for now, an impossible barrier to breach.
REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital that Republicans would continue to press the voter ID issue as common sense, given how prevalent identification is across several aspects of daily life.
"To get on an airplane you need a photo ID. You want to buy a beer at a football game? You need a photo ID. Go to the library, you need a photo ID for just about everything," Barrasso said. "And now you see Democrats are demanding photo IDs to go to any meetings that they have, and we just saw that in Georgia."
But Democratic resistance and moderate GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's rejection of the legislation leave two options, which Lee and others pitched to their colleagues — nuke the filibuster or turn to the standing, or talking, filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., immediately threw cold water on the former.
SCHUMER NUKES GOP PUSH FOR 'JIM CROW-ERA' VOTER ID LAWS IN TRUMP-BACKED SHUTDOWN PACKAGE
"It's not just me not being willing to do it. There aren't anywhere close to the votes — not even close — to nuking the filibuster," Thune said. "And so that idea is something, although it continues to be put out there, is something that doesn't have a future.
"So is there another way of getting there? We'll see."
In lieu of nuking the filibuster, which Trump has asked Senate Republicans to do throughout his second term, the GOP is considering turning to the standing filibuster, which existed before the modern 60-vote threshold.
The modern filibuster is less strenuous than the standing filibuster, which requires lawmakers to debate on the floor. That route could paralyze the upper chamber for hundreds of hours.
Scott told Fox News Digital that during the meeting his colleagues were "starting to understand" the standing filibuster but noted that not everyone was on board yet.
"I think we ought to look at all of our options to get it passed, whether it's the talking filibuster or whatever it is, to make sure elections are secure," Scott said. "So, I'm not going to give up."
NPR host compares masked Guthrie suspect to 'federal immigration agent'
NPR "Morning Edition" co-host Steve Inskeep said during an episode of the podcast on Wednesday that the suspect on video at Nancy Guthrie's house was wearing clothing similar to that of a federal immigration agent.
The FBI released previously inaccessible doorbell camera images and videos on Tuesday. The footage shows a masked individual wearing gloves and a backpack tampering with the front door camera at Guthrie's Tucson, Arizona, home around the time she vanished on Feb. 1.
"So, let me think about this: we have this man. He walks up to the porch, he’s armed, and his face is covered, a little like a federal immigration agent — although it’s more covered even than that," Inskeep said while speaking to Mary O'Toole, a former FBI agent and profiler, about the footage. "He’s wearing gloves, his head’s down, other times head up, something in the mouth, looks like a flashlight in the mouth, walks up to the security camera. That’s what I see."
A man was detained in connection with Guthrie's disappearance early Wednesday but was released later without charges.
Carlos Palazuelos told Fox News that he was the person detained for questioning during a traffic stop but said he had nothing to do with the case. He said he makes deliveries in the Tucson area and that investigators asked him about his recent whereabouts. He said authorities showed his in-laws a picture of someone wearing a mask and "they supposedly looked like my eyes."
Inskeep asked O'Toole for her perspective on the video released by the FBI as well.
"I see things a little the same, but also from a different perspective," she said. "I look at, overall, the behavior that he demonstrates while he's on the porch. He's not racing around, he's not jumping up and down, he's not looking over his shoulder."
"He actually seems to be casual," O'Toole continued. "He appears to be somewhat comfortable on a porch to a home where he does not belong. He seems to be used to almost having been there before. I see someone that's walking around in very odd attire, at least from the waist up. He's wrapped up very tight, almost squeezed into his outfit."
41-MINUTE TIMELINE IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE RAISES RED FLAGS FROM EX-HOMICIDE DETECTIVE
O'Toole said that made her question why he chose to dress like that and speculated it could indicate he had done something similar before.
"I look at that behavior, and then based on working other kidnapping cases, especially ones where the offender kidnapped the person from their home, often times — not always, but often times — the kidnapper had been inside other people's homes before doing whatever they do, just looking around or taking things, or they've actually been inside the victim's home before or on the victim's porch before. So that's why they have a comfort level with being there; it's not the first time," she said.
O'Toole said the man in the video had heavy-duty gloves on, and the gloves went into the jacket. She also said the man's face was covered and he appeared "illuminated" in some way
"So, why do you dress like that for an event you've never experienced before?" she said. "Or the reverse is perhaps more likely: you have gone into an event like this before, so you know how to dress. And very likely, the reason for dressing like that is to minimize leaving behind any forensic evidence."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
The FBI announced Wednesday that numerous agents are conducting an "extensive search along multiple roadways in the Catalina Foothills area" of Tucson related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.
"We are asking the media and motorists to follow all traffic laws and to remain especially cautious when passing law enforcement personnel near the roadways," the FBI's Phoenix office said.
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE NANCY GUTHRIE CASE
"We appreciate the assistance and support we have received from the Tucson community. The FBI continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie. You can help by submitting tips to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI," the bureau added.