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Deion Sanders wanted more from his son, Shedeur Sanders, but backs development plan after Myles Garrett trade
The Cleveland Browns entered last season with one of the NFL's more crowded quarterback rooms.
Shedeur Sanders took over as starting quarterback in Week 12 last season, and after two more starts, he was named the starter for the remainder of the season. Sanders’ stunning slide to the fifth round of the 2025 draft set the stage for him becoming one of the most scrutinized rookies in recent memory.
Few know Shedeur's game better than Deion Sanders, his father and former college coach. On Wednesday, the two-time Super Bowl champion reflected on his son’s rookie season.
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After Shedeur endured an uneven rookie season for the 5-12 Browns, the Colorado football coach said he hoped for more from his son but also pointed to the support young quarterbacks need early in their development.
"I would have wanted him to perform a little better, but that's not just an individual thing, that's a team thing," Sanders told Covers while speaking on behalf of his partnership with Depend.
"A quarterback needs help tremendously from the offensive line, from the receivers, from the running game, from the coordinators as well. "It's not just a singular thing, like a defensive back. I don't care what the pass rush is, (the DB) has got to do his job. It's a little different with a quarterback. He needs several things to go right for him to be successful."
BROWNS GM ANDREW BERRY WON'T COMMIT TO SHEDEUR SANDERS AS 2026 STARTER DESPITE ROOKIE'S PROGRESS
Sanders also weighed in on Cleveland’s decision to trade the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, a move that underscored the Browns' rebuild.
"I'm happy with Mr. Berry, the GM, and what he's doing, I'm not going to question his direction of what he's bringing to the table," Sanders said of Browns general manager Andrew Berry.
"I'm not there, so I don't know all the intangibles that provoked that trade. I'm happy with what they got, and I can't wait to see how it plays out."
Sanders finished his rookie season 3-4 as a starter, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
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MLB accused of 'double standard' after calling out players' Bible messages despite backing BLM in 2020
Major League Baseball (MLB) is facing mounting backlash over threatening to discipline San Francisco Giants players for inscribing Bible verses on their Pride hats — a move critics say reflects the league’s growing embrace of progressive social causes at odds with its fan base.
MLB said the players' actions violated its uniform policy, which prohibits "writing of any kind" on uniforms, despite the league previously allowing political messages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The league’s warning came after three Giants players — Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker — wrote a passage from Genesis 9 on the franchise’s "Pride Night" caps. The verses in white lettering detailed the Christian understanding of the rainbow as a covenant between God and every living creature after the worldwide flood described in the first book of the Bible.
GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., are demanding answers, citing a "pattern of discrimination" against Christian players in the league.
DAN DAKICH RIPS MLB FOR WARNING GIANTS PLAYERS WHO WROTE BIBLE VERSES ON THEIR PRIDE HATS: 'SHUT UP'
"The freedom to live out one’s faith does not end at the ballpark gate," Hawley wrote in a letter to MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred on Tuesday.
The three Giants players have not yet been fined or punished by the league. But if the league decides to pursue disciplinary action, Hawley said in an interview with "The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show" Wednesday that he would subpoena Manfred to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and examine the league’s antitrust exemption.
Hawley argued that the league’s enforcement of its uniform policy during the "Pride Night" episode stands in sharp contrast to its encouragement of players to embrace the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.
That year, several franchises in the league inscribed pitcher’s mounds and jersey patches with messages stating "Black Lives Matter" and "United For Change."
Hawley also noted the league suspended its own uniform rules, allowing players to write progressive social messages on their cleats.
The league’s account also tweeted a picture of Giants players kneeling for the national anthem and endorsed the move with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.
"While they bent over backwards for BLM messaging in 2020, they’re cracking down on religious freedom in 2026," Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, wrote on social media Wednesday. "This isn’t neutrality, it’s political discrimination against faith."
"Americans see the double standard," he added.
NATIONALS' TREVOR WILLIAMS RECALLS FIGHTING ANTI-CATHOLIC MOCKERY WHEN DODGERS HOSTED DRAG NUN GROUP
In 2021, the league pulled the 2021 All-Star Game and MLB draft out of Atlanta, Ga., in protest of a Republican voting law. The measure enacted new restrictions on mail-in voting, which Democrats argued would make it harder for Black Georgians to vote.
Former President Joe Biden and former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams endorsed the league’s decision.
Hawley also pointed to a recent scandal involving a Washington Nationals executive alleging that anti-Christian discrimination in the league is not an "isolated incident."
Washington Nationals Director of Community Relations Sean Hudson said the franchise did not include pitcher Trevor Williams in certain social media promotions over his religious objections to the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring a drag group that satirizes Christianity at its 2023 "Pride Night."
"That executive has since been fired, but not before the anti-Christian bigotry was exposed," Hawley said, adding that the league "needs to course correct immediately."
"MLB has a sweetheart deal from the federal government," he said. "They play by different rules than any other business in America. But now MLB is using its power to target Christians and trample free speech. It’s anti-American."
MLB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has also warned the league that it risks litigation if it moves to punish outspoken Christian players.
"Time to lawyer up!" she wrote on social media Tuesday.
Fox News' Ian Miller and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Zero sugar, more problems? Study reveals surprising gut health effects
Eliminating sugar from your diet may seem like the key to healthy eating, but research suggests it could have unintended effects on digestive health.
A study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, suggests that a total lack of sucrose, or table sugar, may harm gut health and disrupt the body's natural metabolism.
To explore how the total absence of dietary sugar impacts the body, researchers at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait City conducted a 16-week study on two groups of mice. Both groups were placed on a low-fat diet, but with one critical difference.
COMMON CHEMICALS FROM FOOD ADDITIVES TO PESTICIDES MAY BE WRECKING YOUR GUT HEALTH, STUDY SAYS
One group consumed a low-fat diet that included a standard amount of sucrose, while the other group ate a low-fat diet that was completely sugar-free, according to the study's press release.
Throughout the trial, the scientists monitored a wide variety of physiological factors, including the animals' weight, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, hormone levels, internal inflammation and the specific composition of their gut bacteria.
The study outcome suggested that completely removing sugar caused several unexpected health problems.
"Completely removing sucrose from a low-fat diet may unexpectedly disrupt gut health and promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction," Rasheed Ahmad, principal scientist and head of the Immunology & Microbiology Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, said in the release.
AMERICANS' HIGH SUGAR CONSUMPTION PROMPTS URGENT WARNING FROM HEALTH LEADERS
Even though the mice on the sugar-free diet did not gain any extra weight compared to the control group, their internal health indicators deteriorated.
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The animals that lacked sucrose developed an imbalance in their gut microbes and increased inflammation within the intestines and liver.
They also showed signs of poor glucose regulation, insulin resistance and cellular changes associated with fatty liver disease, according to the research.
"The findings suggest that complete removal of sucrose from a low-fat diet may negatively affect gut microbiota and metabolic health," Ahmad concluded.
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While the risks of high-sugar diets are well-established, the researchers noted that little attention has been given to the effects of completely eliminating sugar from low-fat meals.
Scientists say these new findings highlight that dietary carbohydrates play a valuable role in supporting balance between the immune system and the gut microbiome.
Because this research was conducted on mice over a relatively short 16-week period, further clinical trials are necessary to determine whether a completely sugar-free diet causes the same gut and liver inflammation in humans.
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Additionally, the study focused specifically on removing sucrose from low-fat meals, meaning the results might not apply to people eliminating sugar while following higher-fat or ketogenic eating plans, the researchers noted.
The team believes that future dietary guidelines may shift away from strict, absolute sugar restrictions and instead place a greater emphasis on maintaining a diverse, healthy population of gut bacteria through balanced nutrition.
"In the long term, these findings could help improve strategies for preventing and managing metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions," Ahmad said.
White House UFC terror plot 'ringleader' is a Mexican illegal immigrant, DHS confirms
FIRST ON FOX: Abraham Alvarez, identified in federal documents as the alleged "ringleader" of a plot to carry out a mass casualty event at the UFC White House event on June 14, is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who overstayed his visa, according to Homeland Security information first obtained by Fox News Digital.
Alvarez came to the United States as a child and was granted by the Obama administration in 2014 deportation relief through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program after he failed to leave the country when his B2 visa expired in 2001.
Five co-conspirators were arrested so far this month for allegedly planning with others to use drones equipped with explosives to force an evacuation from the White House event on Sunday and, in the ensuing chaos, a team of snipers was allegedly set to open fire on the crowds. Federal investigators claim Alvarez was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the planned attack.
Court records ousted Alvarez as a foreign national considering he consented to a consular notification after his arrest this weekend, though the documents provided no information on his specific immigration status nor his country of origin.
FROM RALLY GUNFIRE TO WHITE HOUSE SHOOTING, THREATS AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP CONTINUE TO MOUNT
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for Alvarez following the FBI's arrest.
Alvarez was arrested by the FBI on the day of the fight in Omaha, Nebraska.
The White House and FBI declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital about the whereabouts of the other individuals involved in the group chat, with the former directing the inquiry to a DOJ press release.
"This illegal alien from Mexico should never have been allowed in our country," DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to Fox News Digital on the attack. "He was the ringleader of a failed terror attack targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House."
"He will face justice and swiftly be removed from our country," she added of Alvarez.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, each plotter faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Planning to carry out violence on White House grounds carries an additional maximum penalty of five years in prison.
DAN BONGINO REVEALS HOW THE FBI STOPPED AN ALLEGED TERROR PLOT BUILT FOR 'UNIMAGINABLE' CASUALTIES
After plans for the initial attack on Sunday, federal authorities claim the plotters planned a "second wave" where they would storm the White House gate. The co-conspirators purportedly sought to jump-start a revolution in the U.S. with the violence, citing grievances such as government corruption, the handling of the Epstein files, data centers using water and the influence of Israel over domestic politics.
Alvarez allegedly used the name "Shepherd" in a group chat dedicated to planning the attack. He was "responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the planned attack," according to a DOJ press release.
"As many and as deadly as we can get," Alvarez allegedly responded when asked by a fellow plotter when asked about making drones with explosives. Authorities say that he claimed to have had a working drone.
Investigators have identified 23 individuals who were part of the alleged terror planning network, however; as of publishing, only five arrests have been announced in connection with the plot. It is unclear why the UFC event proceeded with many of those involved in the plot still seemingly at large.
Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican illegal alien, was arrested by the FBI on the day of the fight in Omaha, Nebraska.
The White House and FBI declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital about the whereabouts of the other individuals involved in the group chat, with the former directing the inquiry to a DOJ press release.
The State Department did not respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital regarding whether or not it would revoke Alvarez’s DACA immigration status if he is found guilty of involvement in the plot.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, each plotter faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Planning to carry out violence on White House grounds carries an additional maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday that the alleged plans to attack the White House event were "not that advanced," noting that the plot was relatively undeveloped when it was caught and that none of the suspects "weren’t in town" during the event.
"The FBI, our law enforcement partners and our U.S. Attorneys did what they do every day to make America Safe through quick response and vigilance in investigating, disrupting and dismantling this alleged plan before it could be carried out," Acting Attorney General Todd was quoted as saying in a DOJ press release "We will take immediate and aggressive action to identify and prosecute those who incite and plan acts of violence."
UFC CEO Dana White claimed that multiple threats were made against the White House event, noting that "these are the kind of events that bring the nuts out, this is normal stuff,"
President Donald Trump has faced a string of security threats since he was wounded in an attempted assassination during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
These have included a second assassination attempt at his Florida golf club two months later, an alleged Iran-linked murder-for-hire plot, am armed man rushing the White House Correspondents Dinner and a flood of threats made against his life from disgruntled citizens — all of which underscore the persistent threat environment surrounding Trump’s public appearances.
Arizona Republicans give teachers union an education lesson they won’t forget
In the closing hours of the legislative session, Arizona Republicans delivered targeted blows to teachers union power plays. Lawmakers advanced two constitutional amendments to the November ballot that defend parental choice and limit the ability of unions to tap taxpayer resources for their operations.
The Arizona Education Association union is actively circulating petitions for its Protect Education Act, which would impose a host of regulations and restrictions on Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program. All K–12 students in Arizona are currently eligible for a scholarship, but the initiative would impose an income cap so low that it would kick out the children of a typical firefighter married to a registered nurse.
More than 100,000 Arizona students now use ESA scholarships to attend schools that best fit their needs. The income restriction would strip eligibility from tens of thousands of current participants and block future families from the same opportunity.
In public, the union has been bullish about its chances, but behind the scenes, it appears worried. During the last day of the legislative session, the union reportedly explored a legislative compromise with Republican leadership.
Union representatives offered to halt their signature drive if lawmakers agreed to add new regulations to the scholarship program (which originally included mandated standardized testing), a cap on the amount of funds families can roll over from year to year and restrictions on what families can purchase with scholarship funds.
A version of the proposed deal reached the Senate floor, but it failed narrowly. The union’s willingness to cut such a deal points to doubts about reaching the required signatures by the deadline or worries that its initiative could face successful legal challenges even if it qualified. A similar ballot initiative to restrict the scholarship program in 2022 failed to gather enough signatures due to the "decline to sign" campaign waged by school choice supporters.
Late night on June 12, Republicans passed a separate measure that would protect the scholarship program. House Concurrent Resolution 2048 proposes a constitutional amendment for voters to consider on the ballot in November. It passed the Senate 16-13 and the House 31-22 along party lines. Because it is a legislative referral to the voters, it does not require the signature of Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.
NEW YORK JOINS FEDERAL SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVE DESPITE TRADITIONAL DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION
The amendment protects scholarship accounts for children of military families. It prohibits the state from confiscating or redirecting funds from those accounts. It further declares that any ballot measure or law violating this protection is void in its entirety. If voters approve the constitutional amendment in November, the entire Protect Education Act would be invalidated because it would conflict with the new protection for military families.
Lawmakers also passed along party lines a second constitutional amendment to the November ballot. This measure would prohibit the state from using its payroll system to collect dues or other payments for teachers unions.
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The reform treats union financing like any other political or advocacy activity that does not automatically receive state collection assistance. If the union doesn’t like that, it will now need to divide its campaign resources across three separate ballot initiatives.
These two Republican-backed amendments protect Arizona’s universal school-choice program while curbing union access to taxpayer-supported collection tools. These measures prioritize families over union demands.
Arizona families now have clear choices on the November ballot. One path preserves education freedom and choice for all students. The other path returns power to the same organizations that have fought parental empowerment every step of the way. Voters will decide which direction serves children best.
Corey DeAngelis is a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a senior fellow at Americans for Fair Treatment. Jason Bedrick is a senior research fellow at Heritage.
Jason Bedrick is a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
How North Dakota could overtake Texas and Florida as the most tax-friendly state
When Americans think of low-tax policies, states like Florida and Texas usually come to mind. But another Republican-led state has quietly joined the club: North Dakota.
Tax cuts, strong finances and billions in oil revenue have combined to create one of the nation's most competitive tax environments in the Great Plains state while other states across the country grapple with budget shortfalls and debates over tax hikes.
The issue is likely to remain front and center for governors and state lawmakers as they look to attract residents, businesses and investment in the years ahead.
While most states do not sit atop one of the nation's largest oil formations, tax experts say the broader lesson is applicable almost anywhere. Strong revenues can be used to lower tax burdens and strengthen state finances rather than fuel spending increases.
BLUE-STATE TAX BURDEN FUELS AMERICANS FLEEING TO REPUBLICAN-LED SOUTHERN STATES
The payoff for North Dakota has been straightforward — residents keep more of what they earn, businesses face fewer tax burdens and the government remains on solid financial footing.
And while tax policy is only one piece of the equation, Nicole Fox, senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation told Fox News Digital that the group's analysis of IRS migration data points to a clear trend.
"States that have experienced net in-migration are states with more competitive tax structures and lower overall costs of living," Fox said.
While North Dakota ranks second in tax collections per capita, it remains one of the country's more tax-friendly states — a welcome contradiction for the state's government and residents.
Unlike New York and California, blue states that heavily rely on income taxes to fund government operations, North Dakota generates billions of dollars from oil and gas production. That energy wealth has given lawmakers greater flexibility to cut taxes for its residents while maintaining healthy state revenues.
This dichotomy was highlighted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who during a meeting with the Petroleum Club of Houston last week compared California to deep red Texas and praised domestic energy production and dominance.
"In California, I saw firsthand what years of failed governance looks like: a tax system that is hostile to ambition. A regulatory state that smothers enterprise. An economic climate indifferent to consequence," he said in remarks first shared with Fox News Digital.
"Here in Texas, meanwhile, the contrast is so striking that it begins to feel like a tale of two states."
Bessent said: "More than strengthen an economy, energy abundance also secures a nation. Economic security is national security."
TAX FIGHT PUTS CALIFORNIA ON COLLISION COURSE AS BILLIONAIRES LEAVE FOR RED STATES
The numbers help explain how North Dakota has pulled off raking in revenue while keeping taxes low.
According to the latest available U.S. Census Bureau data, North Dakota ranked second in the nation for state and local tax collections per capita in 2023, bringing in $9,834 per resident.
That might sound more like a high-tax state than a tax-friendly one. The difference is where the money comes from.
AMERICA'S NEXT ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE MAY BE RISING IN RED-STATE TERRITORY
North Dakota collects more tax revenue per resident than almost every other state, but much of that money comes from oil and gas production rather than from residents' paychecks.
Of the $7.72 billion collected by state and local governments that year, roughly $3.17 billion came from severance taxes on oil and gas production — accounting for about 41% of total tax revenue.
While North Dakota collects all major tax types, including property, sales and income taxes, it relies far less on income taxes than many other states. Individual income taxes accounted for just 6.4% of total revenue in 2023, while corporate income taxes made up 4.2%.
Put simply, North Dakota collects a lot of revenue without heavily taxing residents' incomes.
That revenue mix allows North Dakota to generate billions for government services while placing a relatively smaller burden on residents and businesses than states that rely more heavily on income taxes.
While few states can replicate North Dakota's oil wealth, advocates argue its success shows that revenue windfalls can be used to lower tax burdens and strengthen state finances rather than expand government spending.
UConn basketball coach floats potential game at White House after UFC event
UConn men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley floated the idea of the team playing a game at the White House given the success of the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn.
Hurley was in Washington, D.C., and approached by TMZ, which asked him if he’d like to see a Huskies basketball game played on the White House lawn next.
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"That would be good," Hurley said. "I think UConn should definitely be in it, UConn-Duke. … Yeah, it’d be pretty cool. I’m definitely down."
The UFC fights coincided with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
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The estimated 4,300 in attendance, which included about 1,200 active-duty service members, greeted the president with loud cheers as the occasional "Happy Birthday" was shouted from the crowd.
The event kicked off with the Marine Band’s performance of the national anthem, sung by Zac Brown, and was capped off with a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds.
"It was beyond anything that anybody's ever seen in sports," the president briefly remarked to reporters as he departed the White House ahead of Monday’s G7 summit in France.
Many of the fighters thanked Trump for having the "courage" to put on the spectacle, while the majority of victors jogged ringside to shake his hand or have a word after their respective bouts. The patriotic atmosphere set the tone for the remaining America 250 celebrations to come in Washington, D.C., later this summer.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Giants' Cam Skattebo vows to maintain violent playing style after gruesome ankle injury
There’s been a lot of chatter around New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and changing his playing style to avoid getting injured in a game.
But it’s been less so for running back Cam Skattebo, who is entering his second season in the NFL after having his rookie year cut short when he suffered a gruesome ankle injury. Skattebo said Wednesday he has no plans to change his playing style either.
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"It ain’t gonna change who I am," he said on NFL Network’s "The Insiders." "I had an injury, it is what it is. I still got plenty of football left, plenty of life left. I’m not going to let this little ankle thing bother me.
"I’m gonna get back (to) running people over. It’s going to be normal Cam Skattebo from here on out."
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Skattebo’s smashmouth style of play earned him praise from Giants fans during the 2025 season. If there was another bright spot outside of Dart’s emergence, it was Skattebo.
He had 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns as well as 24 catches for 207 yards and two receiving touchdowns in eight games for New York.
During his time on the sideline, he did receive criticism for getting mixed up with WWE star JD McDonagh during an episode of "Monday Night Raw."
As time has passed, Skattebo is expected to be on the field and stay on the field to help the Giants get back to glory, well, at least into playoff contention, in 2026.
NYPD deploying 10,000 officers for historic Knicks championship parade
The New York Police Department plans to deploy 10,000 police officers to secure the New York Knicks’ ticker-tape parade on Thursday as the city celebrates the team’s first title in 53 years.
The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture the NBA championship. It will the first parade for the franchise as the city didn’t throw a parade for when the team won twice in the 1970s.
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"There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.
The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. ET near Battery Park and make its way up Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes and end at City Hall. Alicia Keys is set to perform at the event.
"We want people to enjoy this moment," New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. "But public safety comes first."
Knicks fans were already on NJ Transit and PATH trains Thursday morning to get into the city as officials told reveling fans to come early and be prepared.
Officials said all attendees will be screened and pens were set to open at 6 a.m. ET.
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No bags, glass or metal water bottles, bats/batons, bicycles or scooters, chairs or coolers will be allowed in the event. Those working in office buildings along the parade route will be able to enter them with proper identification as well as those who live in the area as well.
The City Hall ceremony will be for ticketed fans only. In addition to the above restrictions, no pets, backpacks, strollers, umbrellas or weapons will be permitted.
Fans and residents were told that Bowling Green, Fulton, Brooklyn Bridge, Chambers and Park Place subway stations will be open while Wall Street and City Hall stops will be closed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From #MeToo to Maine? Dem experts weigh in on how Platner's rise tests party standards: 'Pulling the plug'
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner's scandal-plagued rise is causing rifts within the Democratic Party, and several Democratic strategists who spoke to Fox News Digital warned of the long-term implications of the party embracing him.
"Anyone paying attention to the intersection of culture and politics knows that my party pushed #MeToo well beyond the bounds of common sense long before Graham Platner's rise," Michael LaRosa, former press secretary to first lady Jill Biden, said about whether the #MeToo movement rings hollow within the party now that top Democrats have rallied behind Platner.
"But the reflexive partisan instinct to circle the wagons around him is the political equivalent of pulling the plug on whatever credibility Democrats had left as the self-appointed champions of women."
"If the standards disappear the moment they're politically inconvenient, they were never standards at all."
JONATHAN TURLEY: WHEN JOURNALISTS WHINE ABOUT #METOO, THEY DON’T MEAN PLATNER, TOO
Former adviser to President Bill Clinton and Democratic strategist Doug Schoen argued that Democrats are choosing power and Senate control over serious concerns about Platner's past, and that could hurt them in 2028.
"In the short term, for some Democrats, those on the progressive left, it's the right decision, a practical decision," Schoen said. "To me, it's a very sad one and certainly undermines the moral legitimacy of the Democratic Party as a whole."
"Certainly, I think they've left themselves vulnerable vis-à-vis Platner's extreme left-wing positions, his toxicity as a person, the issues with relationships, arguably lying about his Nazi tattoo," Schoen said. "I certainly think this creates issues for the Democrats where none needed to exist."
Platner has denied allegations from former girlfriends who told The New York Times that he discussed rape fantasies, drank heavily and had violent episodes, while also facing mounting criticism over sexually explicit messages allegedly sent to women shortly after getting married, a Nazi-linked tattoo and online comments mocking a Purple Heart veteran.
Despite new controversies emerging days before Maine’s Democratic Senate primary, Graham Platner won with more primary votes than any Democrat in state history.
Democratic strategist Mally Smith told Fox News Digital he doesn't believe that the Platner campaign is necessarily the "death" of the #MeToo movement, but that Democrats who have "more fully embraced" his campaign are "going to have some trouble when it comes to making the case on the Epstein files or any general claims of believe all women."
"So maybe Democrats don't have the advantage on the issue anymore, but I would say that it's not like Republicans have an advantage either," Smith added. "I think voters are just gonna say, well, both parties are willing to live with the baggage of their candidates."
Looking ahead to 2028, LaRosa said that Democrats could be haunted by their ties to Platner for years.
"If he wins, you'll still have to explain why you stood with him," LaRosa said. "If he loses, you'll have nothing to show for it except the association. Either way, he's someone you'll be answering for."
Smith explained Platner's rise by citing voters that are "unhappy with the status quo" to the point where there's an "element, whether it's Republican voters supporting President Donald Trump or Democratic voters supporting Graham Platner in Maine, where they say these elites attacking him is actually evidence that he's on the right track."
For others, the controversies are still too big for voters to ignore. LaRosa said that voters "reward guts, not willful blindness" when judging a candidate with Nazi imagery tattooed on his chest, adding that the Democratic leaders are lacking that same "courage."
DEMOCRATS BREAK WITH SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER, WARN OF 'CIVIL WAR' IN PARTY
"We look pretty vapid, unprincipled and hypocritical to look the other way when it comes to any candidate accused of any level of violence against women just because it is politically inconvenient," LaRosa said. "Never again should voters trust us or take our moral arguments seriously. Principles only mean something when they're applied across the board, even when it's politically uncomfortable."
For over a decade, Democrats have used the "Nazi" attack line against President Donald Trump, but have nevertheless mostly rallied around Platner, despite the Nazi imagery tattooed on his body for 18 years.
"They’re seeing all of these lunatics, like the guy in Maine...for ten years they’ve been calling me a 'Nazi,' and now they have a Nazi running. He’s got a tattoo on him," President Trump said during a Thursday news conference.
Schoen argued Democrats have now weakened their case against Republican scandals, pointing to Texas Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
"For every criticism that they level at Ken Paxton in Texas, they will be greeted by criticism of Graham Platner in Maine, which to me makes their job more difficult," Schoen said.
Smith made a similar point, saying both parties are dealing with candidates causing "their own version of heartburn" that can be used against them politically.
Trump-backed Paxton prevailed in the primary against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, after he was impeached by the Texas House, a federal investigation into allegations that he abused his office to aid a donor and cheating allegations.
LaRosa said the "uncomfortable truth" is that Democrats have reduced Platner to a simple political equation, viewing him as "just another number, another vote, another seat, another data point on a spreadsheet" instead of focusing on whether he is the right person for the job.
PLATNER CONTROVERSIES FUEL SPECULATION ABOUT LITTLE-KNOWN MAINE BALLOT REPLACEMENT PROVISION
November may provide a clearer test, Schoen said. He said Platner's victory does not mean he shed his political baggage, adding Platner has left the party to grapple with problems "where none needed to exist."
"With Graham Platner, there are literally immediate, multiple sources of concern that are ongoing, and it isn't clear to me that he will necessarily survive and succeed," Schoen said.
Ultimately, Smith said that Maine voters will be focused on the economy and that concerns about Platner will likely only be a major issue within the state rather than nationwide.
"Voters are unhappy with the economy, and I think most people are going to be voting on whether they believe the economy is better than when Trump was inaugurated, and the answer to that is a resounding no," Smith said. "So I think as much as news stations like to talk about Graham Platner and what this means for Democrats overall, or vice versa, Ken Paxton and Republicans overall, most voters are not going to think about Graham Platner's Nazi tattoo outside of Maine. So I think this is more of a localized Maine problem."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.