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Law firm that worked to keep SJSU trans player eligible also cleared athlete of conspiring to harm teammate
EXCLUSIVE: Back in November, attorney Tim Heaphy of the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher led a third-party investigation into allegations against San Jose State's transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming of conspiring with an opponent to harm a teammate. Heaphy carried this out in the same month that other partners in his firm worked to protect Fleming's eligibility to compete in women's college volleyball. Heaphy later offered the school legal counsel to help it navigate a federal Title IX investigation over the same situation. The offer was declined.
Fleming, the trans athlete at the center of a national controversy last fall, was accused in a Title IX complaint and a separate lawsuit of discussing plans to have teammate Brooke Slusser spiked in the face during a game against Colorado State on Oct. 3.
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Slusser told Fox News Digital she previously had a concussion her junior year in 2023. She claims she has since made conscious efforts to avoid blows to the head out of fear of potential long-term brain damage from a second concussion.
"It could have possibly ended my career or really affected me long term," Slusser said. "Because my first concussion was so bad, sometimes just getting bonked in the head by a serve, which is not even that bad, would make me a little dizzy sometimes. So it did scare me, if I did even get another little minor concussion, how it would affect me."
Slusser was never spiked in the face during the Oct. 3 game. However, allegations brought by an SJSU teammate who claimed she witnessed Fleming conspiring with an opposing player still prompted the Mountain West Conference to launch an official investigation.
The Mountain West Conference hired Willkie Farr & Gallagher to lead the investigation, and Heaphy was assigned to lead it. Heaphy corresponded with Dustin May, University Counsel for California State University and San José State University, to coordinate interviews, as seen in public records obtained by Fox News Digital.
"The Mountain West has hired the law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher to conduct a review of the allegations. Attorney Timothy Heaphy is taking the lead on this investigation and is copied here," read Nov. 12 emails sent by San Jose State athletics director Jeff Konya to SJSU head volleyball coach Todd Kress and former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose.
Heaphy previously served as the chief investigative counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives select committee to investigate the January 6 capitol protests.
In the same month of Heaphy's investigation into allegations against Fleming, partners at Willkie Farr & Gallagher represented the Mountain West in a request for a preliminary injunction filed by Slusser, Batie-Smoose and 10 other Mountain West women's volleyball players seeking to keep the trans athlete out of the conference tournament.
That request for a preliminary injunction was filed on Nov. 13, at which time Heaphy and May were in the process of coordinating interviews with witnesses for the investigation.
The firm's legal battle to keep the trans athlete in the women's tournament was successful, as federal judge Kato Crews, appointed by former President Joe Biden in January 2024, ruled in favor of Fleming's eligibility on Nov. 25.
Two days later, after a failed appeal by the plaintiffs, the firm posted an online press release announcing the legal victory to keep Fleming eligible to play.
But that webpage has since been deleted. Fox News Digital asked why the page no longer exists, but Willkie Farr & Gallagher did not respond to the inquiry.
Archived data shows the original press release stating, "Willkie secured a high-profile win for collegiate athletic conference Mountain West Conference in a suit brought by members of San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team and other Mountain West teams that played against SJSU."
It later added, "The Willkie team was led by partners Wesley R. Powell, Matt D. Basil and Jared Bartie, and included counsel Emerson Girardeau, and associates Autumn Adams-Jack, Jacey Norris, Emma Rosen, Chloe Smeltzer and William Weber." None of the firm's attorneys have been accused of violating any applicable rules of professional conduct.
Meanwhile, Heaphy's investigation into Fleming's misconduct allegations closed just three days after Konya's Nov. 12 email to Batie-Smoose, on Nov. 15. Heaphy and May corresponded via email with at least five other witnesses, as seen in public records.
California State University redacted the identities of those five witnesses that corresponded with Heaphy and May during the investigation in the public records provided to Fox News Digital. Slusser and Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital that they each declined to interview with investigators.
Email correspondence between Heaphy, May, Konya and Willkie Farr & Gallagher associate Fiona Carrol repeatedly incorrectly dated the SJSU vs. Colorado State game as taking place Oct. 2, as seen in public records. The game was played Oct. 3.
A Nov. 15 letter obtained by Fox News Digital, sent by the Mountain West to both universities announcing the investigation closed without finding "sufficient evidence," also incorrectly dated the game as Oct. 2.
In the Mountain West's letter announcing the investigation closed, the conference stated "there is insufficient evidence to corroborate the allegations of misconduct," later adding, "the Conference office has determined no disciplinary action is warranted and considers this matter closed."
Slusser's attorney, William Bock of the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), responded to the conference closing the investigation in a Nov. 17 statement, calling the investigation "inadequate, and anything but thorough."
"All such evidence should be immediately and publicly disclosed along with the full written investigative report of the MWC’s investigator," the statement added.
No evidence was ever disclosed by the conference, as Fleming went on to finish out the season, earn all-conference honors and even led SJSU all the way to the Mountain West championship game. The trans athlete traveled and roomed alongside female teammates to Las Vegas in the final week of November for the tournament.
Slusser previously told Fox News Digital that she and her family even had to share the same dining room with Fleming for Thanksgiving in a Las Vegas hotel on Nov. 28. That morning, the team had just learned it would advance to the conference tournament after Boise State announced it would forfeit the conference semifinal game to Fleming's Spartans, after forfeiting twice in the regular season. Boise State did not give a reason for those forfeits, but it is widely believed the players were protesting being forced to play against a trans athlete.
Fleming's collegiate career then came to a close that Saturday, Nov. 30, in a conference championship game loss to Colorado State — the same opponent the athlete was accused of conspiring with to harm Slusser, which Heaphy's investigation cleared.
Heaphy reached back out to May on Feb. 6 of this year with an offer. President Donald Trump, who had just returned to office partially based on a vow to "keep men out of women's sports," signed an executive order to try and enforce that mandate just weeks into his presidency on Feb. 5. And just one day after that, Trump's administration launched an investigation into SJSU over the Fleming situation.
"I saw an ESPN report that the Department of Education has opened an investigation of San Jose State University regarding the participation of a transgender volleyball player. I am familiar with those facts from my work for you and the Mountain West conference last fall," Heaphy wrote to May in a Feb. 6 email.
"I also do a lot of work on OCR investigations with the Dept of Ed — including a large resolution of a Title VI matter that I recently resolved with that office for the University of Washington. If you're looking for outside counsel to engage with the Dept on this matter, I'd be glad to help."
May responded on Feb. 18, declining Heaphy's offer.
Heaphy responded the next day, writing, "Please let me know if we can help in any way on this or other issues."
The DOE's investigation into SJSU's handling of the situation involving Fleming is ongoing.
The allegations involving Fleming first came to light in a Title IX complaint filed by Batie-Smoose on Oct. 29 and were reiterated in Slusser's lawsuit against SJSU and the Mountain West.
Both documents allege Fleming and two other San Jose State players snuck out of the team hotel in Colorado the night before the Oct. 3 match, and went to the dorm room of Colorado State player Malaya Jones. Fleming is alleged to have discussed plans with Jones there to have Slusser spiked in the face during the game.
Slusser has told Fox News Digital and alleged in her lawsuit against the Mountain West and SJSU that the night before the game, one of her teammates approached her with a warning after the teammate received a text message.
"One of my teammates got a DM, basically saying that she, and then my team, needed to keep my distance from me on gameday against Colorado State, because it wasn’t going to be a good situation for me to be in and that my team needed to keep their distance," Slusser previously said.
It is unclear whether the warning stemmed from Fleming's alleged plan to have Slusser spiked in the face.
When players arrived at Moby Arena for that game, there was a notable police presence, with several officers stationed throughout the venue.
And while the spike to Slusser's face never came during that Oct. 3 game, Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital that she had suspicions about Fleming's intentions during play, before the assistant coach was ever even informed about the allegations.
Fleming led the game with 10 errors as San Jose State lost in straight sets.
"In set one, I call blocking, Blaire was not looking at me, would not even give me eye contact when [Fleming] kept setting up the block wrong, didn't follow the game plan," Batie-Smoose said.
"[Fleming] wouldn't look at me, wouldn't acknowledge me, so then I told [Kress] 'I know this is crazy, but I think that she's throwing the match and she's definitely not listening to a word I'm saying about blocking.'"
Batie-Smoose said she recalls an alleged moment at the end of the first set that prompted further concern.
"Close to the end of that set was when [Fleming] overpassed a serve right on top of the net for Malayla to hit toward Brooke Slusser, and then those two were kind of always doing eye contact and making smirks up to that point. But then when that happened, they both laughed and [Fleming] said, ‘Thank you,’ and that's when Blaire blew her a kiss," Batie-Smoose alleged.
"And then I turned to [Kress] and I said, ‘don’t you see this interaction, this s--- that's going on?'"
By the third set, Batie-Smoose said she was so unnerved by Fleming's disobedience that she felt compelled to ask Kress when he would be taking the trans player out of the game.
"I was like, ‘You would take anybody else out for a third of those errors'… but then he is literally behind my back on purpose telling [assistant volleyball coach] Julian [Abreu], ‘Oh my God, this is so horrible for Blaire, all this stuff is taking such a toll on Blaire, I feel for her!’ and I was just like, ‘This is crazy,’" Batie-Smoose said.
Batie-Smoose claimed she then learned about the misconduct allegations against Fleming from another player on the team when the team returned to San Jose after the game.
After Batie-Smoose filed the Title IX complaint, which first publicized the allegations against Fleming, the coach was suspended from the team on Nov. 2 and did not return. She was informed on Jan. 31 that her contract would not be renewed.
Batie-Smoose's home was then vandalized with a pellet gun on the night of Feb. 10, Scotts Valley Police Department Captain Scott Garner previously confirmed to Fox News Digital. No motivation was determined.
Around the same time, Slusser fled the SJSU campus. It was shortly after the start of the spring 2025 semester, due to receiving alleged threats and harassment from other students for her stance in opposing trans inclusion in women's sports. She finished her degree from her family home in Texas.
Slusser has become a recurring speaker in her home state's legislature, advocating on behalf of bills that would grant protections for women and women's spaces from biologically male transgender people.
Meanwhile, Fleming celebrated graduation from San Jose State in a social media post in May.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Mountain West, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, San Jose State University, Kress, Colorado State University and Jones' current school, Southern Methodist University (SMU), for a response. Jones transferred to SMU after the end of last season. No response has been provided by those parties.
May's office initially responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment after providing the public records, requesting a list of questions and background information be provided before speaking. Fox News Digital did not provide the information or list of comments, and requested a virtual or phone interview.
May's office then responded with the statement, "Any speculation that the firm or attorney mentioned in your inquiry represented SJSU or the CSU is unfounded." Fox News Digital had not posed that question or any other stipulation, only an interview request, at that point.
Fox News Digital later followed up with May's office requesting an interview to address other questions, and fulfilled his office's request to provide background information on what would be discussed.
May's office responded saying, "He will not be available," and has not responded to request for further comment.
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Trump heads to NATO summit as Europe agrees to heed his defense spending demands
President Donald Trump, fresh off announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, is off to The Hague, Netherlands for the yearly summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a conference where he's hoping to drum up another foreign policy win by pushing European leaders to increase defense spending.
The president is expected to land in the Netherlands on Tuesday and return to the White House on Wednesday.
It’s Trump’s first NATO summit since becoming president for a second term. In the past, he’s railed against NATO members for "freeloading" off U.S. military protection. This time, European allies are eager to prove him wrong.
NATO reached an agreement for all nations to boost their defense spending to five percent of their gross domestic product, except Spain.
Trump initially made the demand, which is expected to be finalized at the summit.
"This summit is really about NATO’s credibility, and we are urging all of our Allies to step up to the plate and pay their fair share for transatlantic security," U.S. NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker said.
Spain complicated the consensus when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez demanded an exemption from the new spending target – which would be a sharp increase from the 2 percent target Spain has had trouble meeting.
"We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, but we are not going to do it," Sanchez said.
Trump is expected to meet with Rutte and other world leaders and hold a press conference. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected to attend, continuing his push for Ukraine's admission into the alliance and its collective defense pact.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte boasted that allies were "stepping up to equal sharing of responsibility for our shared security."
Trump has said he does not think the U.S. needs to hit the 5% target. "I don’t think we should, but I think they should," he told reporters last week.
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The President's time at the summit will be brief, spending approximately 24 hours on the ground. His meetings "will focus on issues of shared concern and reaffirm the United States strong ties with our allies and partners," according to an administration official.
But they come after Trump can boast of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
"It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Rutte has suggested NATO would stand behind the U.S. after Iran launched a counterstrike on its air base in Qatar, following American attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites.
"My biggest fear would be for Iran to own and be able to use a nuclear weapon," Rutte told reporters ahead of the summit.
He defended the U.S. strikes on Iran after being asked about parallels between the U.S. and Russia when it invaded Ukraine in 2022.
"This is a consistent position of NATO: Iran should not have its hands on a nuclear weapon," he said. "I would not agree that this is against international law — what the U.S. did."
Rutte had wanted the summit to be a show of NATO unity to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. But conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran makes the conference less predictable.
The Iraq War in 2003 deeply divided NATO: France and Germany were opposed to the invasion while Britain and Spain joined the coalition forces.
Humanoid robots handle quality checks and assembly at auto plant
Kepler Robotics has officially introduced its Forerunner K2 "Bumblebee" humanoid robot at the SAIC-GM automotive plant in Shanghai, marking a significant moment in the real-world deployment of advanced robotics. In a recently released video, the K2 is seen moving confidently through the plant, performing detailed quality checks, and handling assembly operations that demand both strength and precision. This debut signals the beginning of scenario-based testing for Kepler's humanoid robots across a variety of industrial settings, where their capabilities can be evaluated in live production environments.
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The K2 "Bumblebee" robot is built for the demands of modern factories. At SAIC-GM, it has already demonstrated its ability to perform intricate inspections, navigate complex factory layouts, and manage heavy automotive components with impressive autonomy. The robot can load stamped parts, manipulate mechanical fixtures, and adapt to new tasks using a combination of imitation and reinforcement learning. Its presence in the factory highlights a shift toward smarter, more efficient production lines, where robots and humans work side by side to achieve higher standards of quality and safety.
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Kepler's Forerunner K2 is a notable step up from its predecessor, the K1, thanks to extensive improvements in both hardware and software. The K2 features a reinforced limb structure for greater durability and easier maintenance, tactile manipulators with an impressive 11 degrees of freedom per hand, and flexible fingertip sensors that boost its dexterity. Its integrated battery allows for up to eight hours of continuous operation, supporting the long shifts required in industrial settings.
On the intelligence side, the K2 leverages a cloud-based cognitive system that enables it to learn new tasks quickly and coordinate its movements with full-body awareness. Enhanced perception, task planning, and improved human-robot interaction algorithms allow the K2 to operate independently while collaborating smoothly with human coworkers.
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Kepler's ambitions for its humanoid robots extend far beyond automotive manufacturing. The company envisions these robots playing active roles in education, research, security, logistics, and hazardous outdoor operations. In classrooms, the K2 can support interactive learning and real-time coaching, while in research labs, it can help with data gathering and experimental tasks.
For security applications, the robot's advanced sensors enable it to patrol complex areas, detect emergencies, and assist in rescue operations. In logistics, the K2 is designed to automate goods handling and warehouse management, increasing both accuracy and efficiency.
Its robust design, waterproofing, and resistance to extreme temperatures make it suitable for challenging environments, including areas with radiation or explosive hazards. The K2's autonomous navigation and real-time monitoring capabilities help reduce risks and boost productivity, especially in high-risk conditions.
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The Forerunner K2 stands out for its precision, endurance, and adaptability. With advanced manipulators and flexible sensors, the robot can handle delicate and complex tasks that require a human-like touch. Its eight-hour battery life supports continuous operation during long industrial shifts, and its learning algorithms enable it to adapt to new tasks and environments with minimal retraining.
Kepler also emphasizes the cost efficiency of the K2, stating that it can match or exceed the workload of multiple human workers in certain scenarios, making it a practical addition to high-demand workplaces. The company has set the base price for the Forerunner K2 at around $30,000, positioning it as an accessible option for manufacturers seeking to boost productivity and efficiency with intelligent robotics.
The introduction of advanced humanoid robots like Kepler's K2 naturally raises questions about the future of human employment in manufacturing and other industries. It's true that automation and robotics have the potential to change the way work is organized on the factory floor. Some worry that robots could replace jobs traditionally held by people, especially in roles that involve repetitive or physically demanding tasks.
However, experts and industry leaders point out that the story is more nuanced. While certain jobs may be automated, new opportunities often emerge alongside technological advancements. For example, the rise of robotics is expected to create roles in robot maintenance, programming, AI training, and oversight, jobs that require different skills but are essential to supporting and managing these new systems. Many analysts believe that robots like the K2 are likely to complement human workers by taking over monotonous or hazardous duties, which allows people to focus on more complex, creative, or supervisory tasks.
Collaborative robots, or "cobots," are specifically designed to work alongside humans, enhancing productivity and safety rather than simply replacing labor. This collaborative approach can lead to new forms of teamwork and innovation on the factory floor, making work environments safer and more efficient. Ultimately, the integration of humanoid robots is expected to shift the workforce rather than eliminate it, opening up new possibilities for both businesses and employees as they adapt to a more automated future.
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Kepler's K2 humanoid robot making its debut at SAIC-GM is a big step forward for robotics in real-world workplaces. Watching these robots take on challenging tasks alongside people shows just how much potential there is for collaboration between humans and machines. As more companies explore what humanoid robots can do, it's going to be fascinating to see how these partnerships shape the future of work and industry.
Despite what experts and industry leaders say, does it concern you that as robots like Kepler’s K2 take on more tasks, human workers will be replaced? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Church attacks can be stopped with three-step training strategy, security expert says
In the wake of the attempted mass shooting at the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan on Sunday, one security expert offered a unique tip that could stop churches from becoming targets.
Ken Alexandrow spent 26 years as a police officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department, many of them as a training officer in confrontation management. He was also a member of the FBI joint terrorism task force for several years.
After retiring, Alexandrow founded AGAPE Tactical, a company that provides security training to churches, schools, businesses and individuals.
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Alexandrow told Fox News Digital that churches can implement a simple tactic right away to harden themselves against would-be bad actors.
"If you did nothing else but create a ‘first impressions ministry,’ or a ‘parking lot ministry,’ have people greeting and welcoming your visitors and guests and looking for an anomaly, you win," he said. "You've already started."
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Alexandrow teaches a "deter, detect and deny" method, and says the key to protecting a church from violence begins with simple observation.
"Deterrence is the psychological defeat before they even try," he said. "I've mentioned many times about having people in the parking lot. Everyone has seen both men and women that by looking at that person, you say, ‘oh, I don’t want to try that person, they'd be too much of a fight.' You've just won. You've psychologically defeated them before they even attempted, and that's a victory. That's deterrence. Avoiding bad."
Detection, Alexandrow said, relates to security cameras and human surveillance.
"Do I have cameras? Do I have a camera operator? Are my people trained observers? Do they understand what to look for? That's the detection part."
Denying has two meanings, according to Alexandrow. First, it means not denying that bad things could happen, then understanding what lengths church leaders are willing to go to deny bad actors from wreaking havoc.
Not all churchgoers have to be armed to help secure their place of worship, but rather, they just need "the heart to serve," he said, and they can do that through a specific church ministry meant to protect their church.
"When I started training these churches and saying, ‘let’s start a safety ministry, which includes the parking lot, which includes medical, which includes an armed responder,' now men and woman say, ‘wait a minute, you mean there’s a place where I can serve, where I can get trained, the church pays for it, it makes me a better man, woman, husband, wife and citizen, [and] makes me safer at home and at church?'" Alexandrow said.
Training is also key.
"When you're setting up these ministries, and you're setting up your deterrence and your denial and your detection strategies, just remember: it's great to have volunteers, but you have to equip them with the tools to do the job, or else you're putting them in danger," Alexandrow said.
The bottom line is trusting your gut.
"Listen to your intuition," he said. "If there's a reason you paid attention to it and a reason you noted it, guess what? That's an anomaly. And if you're not comfortable investigating it further, make sure you tell somebody who is, and you can't just let it go."
Alexandrow praised the vigilance of the members of CrossPointe Community Church, who killed 31-year-old gunman Brian Anthony Browning before he could enter the place of worship.
Police said church security guards neutralized Browning after he arrived on church property, driving erratically, and then opened fire.
"Several staff members from the church approached the gunman. A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly," Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said.
"The church security team was alerted by the [gunfire] and reacted quickly to engage the suspect outside the main entrance doors of the church. The security team locked the front doors and exchanged [gunfire] with the suspect, who was shot and killed by a member of the security team."
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun makes bold move to help college students with rising debt
EXCLUSIVE - Indiana will freeze tuition across the state in order to help make higher education affordable to college students.
Governor Mike Braun, R., announced in a press release exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital that Indiana’s public colleges and universities have committed to maintaining a flat tuition fee for in-state undergraduate students for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years.
"According to state records, this is the first time since at least 2010 that more than two campuses have simultaneously held tuition flat. Over the next two years, the Boards of Trustees at the following campuses have announced their commitment to holding tuition and fees flat for in-state undergraduate students," the press release states.
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The Indiana Commission for Higher Education voted to freeze tuition increases for the next two years to fulfill Braun's request. This policy was the first time in Indiana’s history that the Commission unanimously voted in support of Braun’s recommendation to hold tuition and mandatory fees flat.
"Keeping tuition flat keeps the door open for students of all backgrounds, all ZIP codes, and all walks of life," Samantha Fleischaker, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education's student member, said. "It sends the message that education is not just for one demographic - it’s for all people. It’s not just a number. It’s the difference between opportunity and what feels impossible."
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"A month ago, we challenged our state’s public higher education institutions to find efficiencies, eliminate redundancies and identify ways to streamline services without compromising quality," Braun said. "The commitment made by all of Indiana's public colleges and universities puts students and parents first and demonstrates to the rest of the country that Indiana is a leader in providing a high-quality education at an affordable price."
College tuition has increased tremendously over the years and forced students into debt. During the fourth quarter of 2023, student loan balances stood at $1.6 trillion, according to data from the New York Federal Reserve.
Trump front-and-center as nation's biggest city holds primary election for mayor
He's not on the ballot, but President Donald Trump is front-and-center in the city where he was born and made his fame, as heavily blue New York City holds its Democratic Party primary for mayor.
And in the nation's most populous city, where Democrats for generations have dominated the political landscape, Trump has been the boogeyman on the mayoral campaign trail.
"LA’s in chaos. Imagine it’s Times Square. Trump’s coming for New York. Who do you think can stop him?" said the narrator in an ad earlier this month by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.
"Trump’s at the city gates," the narrator in Cuomo's ad warned. "We need someone experienced to slam them shut."
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Cuomo was spotlighting the recent protests in Los Angeles, sparked by immigration raids carried out by ICE at the Trump administration's direction, to raise warnings about Trump and showcase his own experience.
The former three-term governor of New York, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals and is now working to pull off a political comeback, was arguing that the president had "declared war" on the Big Apple and other cities across the country and suggested Trump may eventually send troops into New York City.
Cuomo, who said recently that, as mayor, he'd mount a national campaign to try and thwart Trump's agenda, vows to protect New York City from what he suggests is a possible future federal crackdown against immigration protests.
And on the eve of the primary, Cuomo told a large crowd of supporters at a union hall that Democrats need to "stand strong, stand united, stand tall" against Trump.
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It's not just Cuomo.
Most of the other candidates in the 11-candidate Democratic mayoral field have also taken aim at Trump and showcased the steps they'd take to push back against the president. And Trump was a top topic at the final primary debate earlier this month.
And that was before Trump further dominated headlines this past weekend by launching military strikes against Iran.
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While national and at times even international events and figures often impact the campaign trail in New York City, Marist University Institute for Public Opinion director Lee M. Miringoff noted that "the fact that Trump is so front-and-center is so unusual."
Cuomo's commercial, part of what his campaign said was major ad buy, came as progressive Zohran Mamdani was surging in the latest public opinion polls, closing the gap with the more moderate former governor.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens, is a democratic socialist originally from Uganda. His primary bid was boosted earlier this month after he landed an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive rock star and New York City's most prominent leader on the left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up.
With multiple candidates on the left running in the primary, the endorsements by Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders aimed to consolidate the support of progressive voters behind Mamdani.
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The 67-year-old Cuomo, for weeks, has been questioning Mamdani's experience leading New York City.
Cuomo's campaign has criticized Mamdani as a "dangerously inexperienced legislator" while touting that the former governor "managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump."
Mamdani is also spotlighting the president, as he aims to tie Cuomo to Trump by pointing out that many of the former governor's donors had backed Trump in last year's presidential election.
"Oligarchy is on the ballot. Andrew Cuomo is the candidate of a billionaire class that is suffocating our democracy and forcing the working class out of our city," Mamdani’s campaign argued in an email to supporters.
Trump and his administration were also in the New York City mayoral campaign spotlight last week when New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is in a distant third place in the most recent polls, was arrested in Manhattan by Department of Homeland Security agents.
Lander was detained for allegedly assaulting a federal officer as he tried to escort a defendant out of an immigration court.
Temperatures are forecast to reach 100 degrees in New York on Tuesday as the city holds its primary. The dangerously high temperatures may keep some older voters from heading to the polls. Because of that possibility, the heatwave could affect turnout in a race that may come down to Cuomo's union support and campaign structure versus Mandani's volunteer forces.
New York City election officials said that more than 384,000 Democrats cast ballots in early voting, which ended on Sunday.
The election is being conducted using a ranked-choice voting system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest vote-getter is dropped, with that candidate’s votes reallocated to voters’ next-highest choices. The process is repeated until one candidate cracks 50%. Mamdani is hoping that the ranked-choice process boosts his chances against Cuomo.
New York City's primary comes as the Democratic Party works to escape from the political wilderness, following last year's elections, when the party lost control of the White House, the Senate majority and failed to win back control of the House from the GOP.
And it comes as the party works to resist Trump's sweeping and controversial second-term agenda.
Miringoff said the results of the primary will be seen as a barometer of which way the Democratic Party is headed, towards the center if Cuomo wins and towards the left if Mamdani is victorious.
"Because it’s New York and it’s a very blue city and everything that happens is magnified, I think we’re going to be hearing a lot about the future of the Democratic Party and which way it should define itself, going towards the midterms," Miringoff said.
The center-left Democrat-aligned group the Third Way said in a memo they were "deeply alarmed" over the prospect of a Mamdani victory.
"A Mamdani win for such a high-profile office would be a devastating blow in the fight to defeat Trumpism," the group argued.
The winner of the Democratic Party primary is traditionally seen as the overwhelming frontrunner in the November general election in the Democrat-dominated city.
However, this year, the general election campaign may be a bit more unpredictable.
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a moderate Democrat elected in 2021, is running for re-election as an independent. Adams earlier this year dropped his Democratic primary bid as his approval ratings sank to historic lows.
Adams' poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged "long-running" scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials.
The mayor made repeated overtures to President Donald Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, so Adams could seemingly work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown.
Diddy defense's courtroom strategy is a 'calculated risk': expert
The decision by Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyers to not call any witnesses to testify in his federal trial for sex crimes comes down to the prosecution's burden of reasonable doubt, according to legal experts.
Diddy's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, indicated Monday in court that the defense plans to review evidence with the jury, and won't require witnesses to testify on the rapper's behalf. The rapper's legal team expects to rest its case Wednesday, with closing arguments expected to begin the following day.
"The decision whether or not to call witnesses during the defense case is a calculated risk," criminal defense and civil attorney Adanté Pointer of Lawyers for the People LLC told Fox News Digital.
DIDDY DEFENSE NOT EXPECTED TO CALL ANY WITNESSES IN SEX TRAFFICKING TRIAL
"Not calling any witnesses means the defense is essentially telling the jury there is no one they know in the whole universe who can speak on Diddy's behalf to aid his defense. On the other hand, calling a witness can open that person up to questioning and perhaps elicit damaging testimony against Diddy, depending upon their interactions with him and their knowledge of these women."
Pointer likened the defense's decision not to call any witnesses to a "Pandora's box."
"Given the defense is signaling they do not intend to call a single witness, they do not think any potential defense-friendly witnesses will result in a net gain for Diddy. His lawyers have essentially determined the juice is not worth the squeeze."
MISSING WITNESSES AND LINGERING QUESTIONS PLAGUE PROSECUTION AS DIDDY TRIAL NEARS CONCLUSION: EXPERT
Judge Arun Subramanian will likely ask Diddy to confirm his decision not to take the stand.
"Diddy testifying would just allow the prosecution to retell their case and put the previous items of evidence in front of the jury for a second or third time," Pointer explained. "The prosecution would have a field day going through each and every video, text and witness statement made at trial against him and force Diddy to admit the authenticity of the videos, the receipts and invoices, items recovered at his homes and hotel rooms, and that he was present during the events described in prior testimony.
"In light of the evidence already presented at trial, this would most likely be an excoriating and humiliating cross-examination, the kind prosecutors wait their whole career to conduct."
Closing arguments for the trial, which began May 5 with jury selection, are expected to begin Thursday after Diddy's lawyers explained they would only need two days to defend their client.
Trial attorney Tre Lovell told Fox News Digital that the defense likely wants to double down on reasonable doubt, and that Diddy's "exotic lifestyle" does not equal what the prosecution has proposed, which is that "Diddy formed a criminal enterprise to pleasure himself, the Tony Soprano of baby oil."
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"The only reason to not call witnesses in your defense is if you absolutely believe there is reasonable doubt, and you don’t want to do anything to take away from this, including calling your own witnesses," Lovell said. "It would make sense to call a psychiatrist to explain that the behavior of Cassie and Jane is more reflective of a consensual relationship, based upon the autonomy each woman had, the benefits they received and the love they had for Diddy.
"Further, calling executives at Bad Boy Entertainment would be helpful to distance the corporations from Diddy’s more personal behavior, to dispel the criminal enterprise element. Finally, possibly an industry or legal expert to distinguish the aspects of ‘sex workers’ versus ‘prostitution,’ to counter the prostitution charge."
Lovell added, "However, the defense felt even calling witnesses such as these would have the potential of adversely affecting reasonable doubt, and chose not to."
Mark Chutkow, who previously led the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit, believed Diddy's decision not to testify was "a smart one."
"It's a real big gamble to testify in a case like this where the prosecution has brought racketeering charges, which allows them to bring this wealth of bad acts evidence there," Chutkow said. "By taking the stand, he would just subject himself to even more bad acts that were prohibited by the court. And so that was probably the right call."
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"Diddy's decision not to testify can also be considered savvy, as well, because he can say in closing, ‘Look, to the jury, the prosecution had six weeks of time to show you, to try and prove their case.’ The defense lawyers are going to say this: 'We showed the reasonable doubt through our cross-examination, and we don't want to waste any more of your time. You have enough now to know that there's reasonable doubt in this case, and that's why we didn't bring a case.' And to remind the jury that the presumption of innocence always goes to Diddy as the defendant in this case."
Chutkow noted how the burden of proof is on the government, not on the Bad Boy Records founder or his team.
"When you present a case, if you're on the defense side, you better be good, because if it falls flat, then you kind of move back the marker, and you might be in a worse position," the lawyer said. "So sometimes less is more. I know that some people are suggesting that, 'Well, wow, doesn't he have something he could put on?' It may be in some ways an opportunity for the defense to say, 'No, we didn't need to.'"
WATCH: LEGAL EXPERT EXPLAINS DIDDY'S DEFENSE MOVES
With the case nearing its close more than seven weeks after it began, and nine months after Diddy was arrested and charged, Chutkow thought both sides did "what they sought to accomplish."
"The prosecution has put in all the evidence. It wasn't excluded. The defense, though, has done a nice job in the cross-examinations," he said. "They've brought in a lot of additional communications between Diddy and these other women to show that the relationship is a lot more complex.
"One of the things I think the prosecution is going to have to do at the closing argument is to basically say, 'Look, this is not like a trafficking case that you would see on television. It's not, you don't have a situation of someone being kidnapped and chained on a basement radiator. It's, in essence, it's a golden cage. It is one with luxury and glamor, but it's still a cage.'"
Chutkow added, "The other area that I think that they would want to emphasize is the blackmail in this case. That the use of the tapes and threat of exposure of those tapes to get the women to comply with what Diddy wanted to do is an element of coercion in and of itself. And if I was on the prosecution side, I would look to that as compelling evidence."
Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17. He faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted. Diddy has maintained his innocence throughout.
Morning Glory: Trump's signature quote on Iran cements a decisive success
There are a handful of phrases from national security crises of the past 50 years that stand out.
President Donald Trump has now added his signature line to that list.
On May 22, 1977 President Carter declared to the graduates of Notre Dame University that "we are now free of that inordinate fear of communism which once led us to embrace any dictator who joined us in that fear."
On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood near the Brandenburg Gate and declared: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
"This will not stand," President George H.W. Bush said on August 5, 1990 of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait three days earlier.
"I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon," declared President George W. Bush declared on September 14 from amid the rubble where the World Trade Centers had fallen on 9/11.
Then Senator Barack Obama in Berlin on July 22, 2008: "I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen -- a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world."
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Another comes from President Obama on August 20, 2012: "We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus. That would change my equation."
President Biden’s entry comes from his first year in office, on July 8, 2021: "There's going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the—of the United States from Afghanistan."
Now President Trump has his quote:
"They should have done the deal."
That’s what President Trump told reporters on Air Force One on June 17, 2025.
INSIDE THE SITUATION ROOM WHERE TRUMP MONITORED ‘SPECTACULAR’ SUCCESS ON IRAN
The president has repeated that phrase in the last week almost as much as he said "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon" in the years before the actual American strikes on at least three sites in Iran’s nuclear weapons chain-of-production.
Note that the list doesn’t include anything positive from Presidents Carter, Obama and Biden. Rather, they are remembered already and will be forever as failures on the world stage and as failures as Commanders-in-Chief of the greatest military in the history of the world. The single significant achievement of 16 years of Democrat presidential governance that covers the Carter, Obama, and Biden years was the Camp David Accords over which President Carter presided, but those breakthrough agreements rest on the shoulders of Menacham Begin and Anwar Sadat.
President Clinton presided over America’s "holiday from history" after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and thus over the "peace dividend," the hollowing out of our military, the failure to take out Osama bin Laden when it was possible, and the breakout to nuclear power status of North Korea (in which then former President Carter also had a hand.) But President Clinton doesn’t have an entry in the notable presidential quotations about national security.
Clinton boosters might point to Operation Allied Force, was a NATO military operation conducted from March 24 to June 10, 1999, during the Kosovo War, but few people are going to hold that up as a memorable moment, much less President Obama’s "leading from behind" strategy in the air strikes he ordered on Libya in March of 2011 or the subsequent developments there.
If we focus on just this century, the Obama-Biden record of 12 years in office is a record of national security malpractice unrivaled by any other 12 years, including the eight years which span the Kennedy-Johnson initiation and escalation of the Vietnam War and Carter’s four awful years.
President Trump’s long-standing policy towards, and now attack on Iran seems likely to me to be going into the column of decisive successes of the employment of American political force. Indeed it may end up completing the mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom launched by President George W. Bush as a neutered Iran could well spell long-lasting stability for an Iraq free of the malign machinations of the mullahs.
"Trump has always been committed to addressing the weaknessess of the JCPOA, either by strengthening it or undoing it," Omri Ceran posted on X Sunday. Ceran is the national security advisor for U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and one of Beltway’s leading authorities on the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Iran keep[ing] Fordow open was one of the foundational weaknesses."
"In 2017, [Trump] tried to negotiate a stronger deal but couldn't find partners, so he withdrew and imposed maximum pressure," Ceran continued:
President Trump already looked to cement a large part of the true, central narrative of American history for having won the biggest upset in presidential campaign annals in 2016 and then the greatest comeback in American political history in 2024.
President Trump has now indelibly impacted America’s national security in the same, deep, impossible-to-miss way as he did American Constitutional law with three Supreme Court appointments in his first term and in American public health history with Operation Warp Speed which Trump created to discover the vaccine for Covid, an unprecedented success for the U.S. and the world.
Even if Trump had not returned to the Oval Office in 2025, the Abraham Accords from his first term would have matched any diplomatic achievement of the post World War II era.
Now, though, there is a "Trump Doctrine" and it cannot be missed: An American president can and should use overwhelming military force to prevent rogue states from producing nuclear weapons.
The corollary to the Trump Doctrine is also clear: "Regime change" need not be a focus of the use of overwhelming American military might. The Trump Doctrine repudiates the "Powell Doctrine" of "So if you break it, you own it."
That "break/own" formula need not dictate American national security policy. The United States military can be tasked with destroying nuclear weapons production facilities and not buy a reconstruction plan or an open-ended effort to overthrow a regime. The Trump Doctrine proves again that American military force can be applied surgically.
The devastation of Iran’s nuclear weapons production facilities has changed not just American history but quite obviously world history too.
Single dose of 'magic mushrooms' provides 5 years of depression relief, researchers find
Psilocybin, the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, could alleviate depression for at least five years after just one dose, according to a new study.
The research, presented June 18 at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, followed up with patients who had been diagnosed with clinical depression — also known as major depressive disorder (MDD) — and had participated in a previous psilocybin treatment study in 2020.
"Most people who participated in our trial reported improvements in depression symptom intensity or in the ways in which they experienced depression in their life, lasting up to five years after the trial," study co-author Alan Davis, director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital.
PSYCHEDELICS AS POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT ARE EXPLORED BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Doug Drysdale, CEO of the Canadian pharmaceutical company Cybin in Toronto, Ontario, told Fox News Digital that the outcome speaks to the "exciting" potential of psilocybin and other psychedelic-based treatments in treating MDD and other mental health conditions.
"The results of the study are certainly very encouraging," said Drysdale, who was not involved in the study.
Earlier studies pointed toward the possibility of psilocybin as a potential antidepressant, prompting researchers to conduct the first-ever randomized clinical trial.
The initial 2020 trial, published in JAMA Psychiatry, included 24 patients with major depressive disorder. Half received psilocybin at the beginning of the trial, and the other half received the treatment eight weeks later.
Each patient also underwent 11 hours of psychotherapy.
WHAT IS KETAMINE THERAPY? MORMON REALITY STARS TOUT CONTROVERSIAL TREATMENT
One month after treatment, 17 patients reported experiencing symptom relief. Fourteen of those reported full remission from depression, according to the published study.
"The effectiveness of psilocybin therapy after a single or only a few administrations represents another substantial advantage over commonly used antidepressants that require daily administration," the researchers wrote.
The new study aimed to explore the longer-term effects of this treatment on 21 of the original trial participants.
Sixty-seven percent reported being in remission from depression five years after treatment, and they also had less anxiety and easier daily functioning.
For those whose depression came back, many still reported lasting benefits in their attitudes, perspectives and ability to pursue things that were meaningful to them, Davis told Fox News Digital.
"Certainly, more controlled and rigorous study is required, but at least anecdotally, these findings are very interesting, and I am cautiously optimistic about the potential for extended efficacy provided by these types of treatments," Drysdale added.
Other factors may have also played a role in the participants' long-term mental health benefits, such as psychotherapy sessions or other antidepressants, experts agreed.
"The study doesn't account for naturalistic changes that could have affected their depression in the five years since the main trial, and the sample is not representative of the population of people suffering with depression," Davis told Fox News Digital.
PARKINSON'S PATIENTS WHO TAKE 'MAGIC MUSHROOMS' SEE KEY BENEFITS, STUDY FINDS
Psilocybin has also been explored as a potential treatment for post-partum depression (PPD), which affects as many as one in seven new mothers.
A 2022 study outlined the potential role of psychedelics in PPD cases, finding that psilocybin has been shown to catalyze a sense of "reconnection" in new mothers.
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"This effect in PPD, by fostering a sense of 'reconnection' for the mother, may allow for improved mood and maternal sensitivity toward the infant, which can positively impact maternal role gratification and the mother-infant relationship," the researchers stated.
In February, Cleveland Clinic reported on an upcoming study that explores single-dosing psilocybin as a way to treat PPD.
The trial, now in its second phase, focuses on RE104, a proprietary drug similar to psilocybin.
Study participants will undergo multiple physical and mental health tests.
Ryan Moss, chief science officer at Filament Health, a clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company in Canada, has emphasized the importance of administering psychedelics in a safe setting when treating mental health conditions.
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"Psychedelic experiences can sometimes feature anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia," Moss previously told Fox News Digital.
"Some patients using traditional psychedelics have reported experiencing adverse cardiovascular events during clinical trials."
To mitigate these risks, Moss recommended clinical trial participants receive thorough preparation and monitoring by trained professionals during sessions.
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News' senior medical analyst, previously interviewed two of the country's top researchers on psychedelics: Dr. Rachel Yehuda, founder and director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at Mt. Sinai in New York, and Dr. Charles Marmar, director of the PTSD research program at NYU Langone.
"They agree there is therapeutic potential if very carefully studied under very strict medical guidance, but there is a huge downside in terms of unregulated recreational uses," Siegel told Fox News Digital at the time.
"Both doctors see likely therapeutic value to psychedelics if carefully managed by medical experts," Siegel added.
Melissa Rudy and Angelica Stabile, both of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.
Exclusive: Red state updating education standards to address rise in antisemitism in schools
EXCLUSIVE: In light of the surge in conflicts in the Middle East and rising tension within the U.S., the Oklahoma Department of Education has sent a memo to all public schools within the state guiding them to "safeguard students from woke, radicalized, terrorist-sympathizing rhetoric pushed by leftist educators."
In the memo, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said, "Oklahoma kids will be taught facts, not indoctrination."
The memo issues new guidance to Oklahoma public schools to ensure that social studies courses present instruction on Israel that is "historically grounded and balanced," requiring instruction using primary sources, historical evidence and "guarding against antisemitic or politicized narratives."
Its new guidance instructs Oklahoma public educators to present the history of Israel and its "fight to rightly exist in the world, including the atrocities of the Holocaust and the current struggle with Iran, in a way that is historically grounded, intellectually honest, and free from antisemitic bias."
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF HAMAS' WAR ON ISRAEL FOR THE US AND GLOBAL SECURITY
"These standards provide essential context for understanding modern threats to Jewish communities and democratic nations and require students to think critically while ensuring the instruction of Israel is historically grounded and balanced," the memo states.
This comes as antisemitic incidents have risen across the country since 2020. Tensions have risen even further following Israel's launch of strikes against Iran and the U.S. joining in by launching strikes on three Iranian nuclear development sites on Saturday.
Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the memo being sent to schools. In the memo, the Oklahoma State Department of Education points to the recent controversy in New York in which they said a state standardized exam study guide "described Zionism as a ‘colonial’ movement and included misleading references to terrorism."
The memo said that New York "serves as a staunch reminder that there exists ideology and educational materials not only distort historical fact but risk promoting ideologies that are inconsistent with Oklahoma values."
EXPERT CALLS CONTROVERSIAL UN REPORT 'A FRIGHTENING INDICATION OF ANTISEMITISM'
"Oklahoma’s standards are designed to prevent this by setting clear expectations for content accuracy and instructional integrity," says the memo.
"The tragic events of October 7, 2023 — when Hamas militants launched a brutal surprise attack on Israeli civilians, killing over 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage — marked a turning point in modern Middle Eastern history," the memo states. "These developments are not just headlines, they are history in the making and highlight the urgent need for educators to present global conflicts with clarity, accuracy, and moral responsibility."
In a statement emailed to Fox News Digital, Walters touted Oklahoma’s history standards, saying they are "the best in the country" because "they are based on facts and safeguard students from woke, radicalized, terrorist-sympathizing rhetoric pushed by Leftist educators."
IRAN STRIKE ‘WORTHY’ OF NOBEL PRIZE IF SUCCESSFUL, FORMER DEMOCRATIC COUNSEL SAYS
This comes amid heightened tensions in the U.S. due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel and President Donald Trump’s decision to launch U.S. military strikes on three Iranian nuclear development sites. Iran has vowed to retaliate and on Monday launched missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.