Fox News Latest Headlines
Trump blasts Spain migrant surge as 'catastrophe,' warns US could face worse if Democrats regain power
President Donald Trump said Friday during a Cabinet meeting that scenes of migrants flooding into Spain's enclave of Ceuta from Morocco looked like a "catastrophe," but that the U.S. could see worse in the future if Democrats regain power.
"You know, I saw Spain yesterday, and I watched the catastrophe that took place. It looks like an invasion of a country by hundreds of thousands of people. And that same thing is going to happen to us if the Republicans don't get elected," Trump said Friday at Camp David. "Except worse, much bigger, much easier to get into. Despite the fact that we have built thousands of miles of wall, which I said we were going to do. But if we didn't have that, forget it. But we have the safest border in the world. If we're not in office, our country will be invaded at levels that made Spain look small time."
"And when I watched it, I said, boy, I said, ‘I'm going to say it because I knew you were going to be at Camp David.’ And I say, ‘That's going to be a talking point for the midterms, because when you look at what happened to Spain, they don't know what to do.’ And it's happening again today," the president continued. "They're coming in by the tens of thousands. It’s just invading the country. And what that is weak law, bad management, but very liberal law. They passed a couple of laws and people read, you know, people are smart. They read from other countries, and they swam that three-mile swim or however they got in."
"But nobody's seen anything like it. That will look good compared to what's going to happen to the United States," Trump also said. "The biggest thing, the worst thing that Biden did is allowing 25 million people into our country, because many of those people are criminals. They're murderers," Trump also said. "A lot of them are gone now. We got them out. But they allowed people to come into this country that you can't allow to come into a country."
Trump made similar comments to Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich earlier Friday morning.
"It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in," Trump said.
"If the Democrats get in, you will not live a very good life," he warned.
U.S. border security has remained a key plank of the president's campaign and policy focus throughout his political career.
An English translation of a Friday Spanish-language post on X from Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, "The Government will guarantee the safety of the residents of Ceuta, intensifying the presence of the Security Forces and Corps on the city's streets." The post also included a video of him delivering remarks in Spanish.
Ceuta, which is located along the northwestern African coast and borders Morocco, is not attached to mainland Spain.
"Additionally, we will deploy a physical containment barrier in the sea to facilitate repatriation at the border, in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling. We will expedite the repatriation files of the migrants who arrived irregularly. And we will maintain cooperation with the Moroccan authorities to continue fighting against the mafias that traffic in human beings," the prime minister's post added.
Around 60,000 migrants had ventured from Morocco to Ceuta over the past 24 hours, Cueta President Juan Jesús Vivas said on Friday.
At least 41 migrants lost their lives.
SPAIN DEPLOYS MILITARY AFTER THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS OVERWHELM BORDER ENCLAVE, AT LEAST 18 DEAD
Spain's interior ministry issued its own figures not long after Vivas spoke, estimating that some 50,000 individuals came from Morocco since Thursday, adding that half had already gone back to Morocco.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WATCH: Fauci walks away when pressed on Fifth Amendment, pandemic regrets
Dr. Anthony Fauci declined to answer Fox News Digital's questions outside his home Thursday, walking away when asked whether he regretted pleading the Fifth Amendment during a contentious Senate hearing or his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Do you regret the way you handled the hearing, pleading the Fifth so much?" Fox News Digital asked Fauci.
Fauci’s silence came one day after he declined, on the advice of his attorneys, to answer questions before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FAUCI'S HEARING: PAUL BOOTS LAWYER, MORENO ERUPTS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS
"Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci said in his opening statement.
The former White House COVID adviser was questioned over his response to the pandemic and his policy decisions, and was accused of funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China.
Paul argues Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment was unsupported because Biden pardoned him and said the committee will vote next week on a resolution to hold him in contempt of Congress.
"The Fifth Amendment is to claim immunity from self-incrimination," Paul said on "The Will Cain Show" on Wednesday. "But if you've already been given immunity, you can't self-incriminate unless you lie."
Fauci also stayed silent when asked if he regrets the decisions he made as the public’s health leader during the pandemic.
"Is there anything you would do different on COVID sir?" Fox News Digital asked after Fauci refused to answer questions about his Senate hearing.
FAUCI'S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED
Paul released more than 1,100 pages of Fauci’s pandemic-era diary entries before the hearing, arguing they revealed discrepancies between Fauci’s private notes and public statements.
One entry documented an early discussion in which several scientists considered whether features of the virus could have been deliberately inserted. Fauci subsequently publicly favored a natural origin.
Fauci also said publicly that he was not responsible for rallying schools to shut down during the pandemic. But he wrote in his diary that he influenced both New York and California government officials to lock down their state’s school systems.
Paul, with the support of other GOP senators, has announced that he is seeking contempt charges against Fauci following his refusal to answer questions in Wednesday’s hearing.
Far-left streamer Hasan Piker guarantees Democratic nominee in 2028 will be anti-Israel
Far-left streamer Hasan Piker said there was a 0% chance the Democratic nominee would be pro-Israel in an interview posted Thursday.
CNN's Donie O'Sullivan asked Piker if he would endorse the Democratic candidate in 2028 if they are pro-Israel in a way that he disagrees with, if he's focused on "defeating fascism" in America.
"Surely shouldn't you get on board with whoever the main candidate is?" O'Sullivan asked.
FETTERMAN CALLS ZOHRAN MAMDANI A 'CLOWN' OVER PUSH TO ARREST NETANYAHU IN NEW YORK CITY
"Luckily, I don't think I'll have to make that calculation at all because there is 0% chance that whoever the elected Democrat is that wins the primary will be pro-Israel in any way, shape or form. You'll see," Piker responded.
The far-left streaming personality was recently asked about his preferred candidate for Democrats in 2028.
When asked to choose between Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., as his preferred candidate, Piker immediately selected the New York congresswoman.
Polling has shown support for Israel collapse among Democrats, and far-left candidates have won primaries across the country this year with anti-Israel platforms.
KAMALA HARRIS IS THE 'FAIRLY OBVIOUS' 2028 PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER, DEMOCRATIC INSIDERS SAY
"AOC. It's not even a question," Piker said during a Zeteo interview.
Piker made the choice at the end of a rapid-fire exercise that began with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The list later included former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Khanna.
Piker has come under renewed scrutiny over a recent addition to his visual background during his streams.
Viewers noticed what appeared to be a framed copy of the front page of a newspaper with an image of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.
The earliest livestream reviewed by Fox News Digital showing the newspaper in the background was broadcast on July 13. The front page appears to be The New York Times' Sept. 12, 2001, edition, which was headlined, "U.S. Attacked: Hijacked Jets Destroy Twin Towers and Hit Pentagon in Day of Terror." The X account DSA Watch posted a clip of Piker's stream, where he discussed the newspaper front page framed on the wall behind him.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
"You might have noticed something, some changes behind me. I finally framed the cutie Cinderella newspaper from 9/11, the morning of 9/12… the newspaper that covered 9/11. It's now officially sitting behind me," he told viewers earlier this month.
Piker was widely criticized after saying that "America deserved 9/11" during a stream in 2019. After facing immense backlash, Piker said in an interview that he "obviously" did not mean that America deserved the attacks and accused critics of disregarding "the actual truth of what I was talking about," explaining the viral quote as a critique of U.S. foreign policy.
Fox News' Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Bryan Kohberger claims family joined plea talks as he seeks to withdraw guilty plea: court docs
Bryan Kohberger says his family was involved in plea discussions as he seeks to undo his guilty plea, newly released court documents obtained by Fox News Digital reveal.
The convicted killer, who pleaded guilty to stabbing and killing four University of Idaho students in 2022, recently filed a petition for post-conviction relief seeking to withdraw the guilty plea he entered last year in exchange for prosecutors dropping the death penalty.
In his handwritten petition filed on Monday, he wrote that "members of Kohberger's immediate family" were present during attorney-client discussions.
Kohberger claims that he was "convinced to falsely confess," claiming his high-profile defense team of Anne Taylor, Elisa Massoth and Bicka Barlow didn't tell him about "exculpatory discovery" — evidence mentioned in the recent "Broken Plea" book but never vetted in court.
In a message to the New York Times, Kohberger claimed that "justice was not served" and that it was "circumnavigated by a broken plea."
LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST
"Broken Plea" is the title of a recent book about the case that shed new light on what the defense may have looked like at trial — and his use of the term surprised author Chris Whitcomb, who says he had never spoken to Kohberger.
FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X
Whitcomb told "Crime & Justice" podcast host Donna Rotunno on Thursday he has never communicated with Kohberger or any member of his family, and Whitcomb has no information on whether Kohberger or any of his family members read the book.
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS
As for his petition, Kohberger claims his attorneys misrepresented what Idaho’s death row would be like.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE
He alleges one attorney told an elaborate story about personally "touring an actual 8-foot-by-8-foot death-row cell," which Kohberger said was "fabricated."
He said this information was communicated to him and his family and was used to frighten or pressure him into accepting the plea deal.
On Wednesday, Ada County District Judge Steven Hippler granted Kohberger's request for court-appointed counsel, directing the Idaho State Public Defender to appoint a new attorney to represent him in all post-conviction proceedings.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Kohberger's former defense team.
Trump rejects Iran blame for Minnesota cyberattack, points finger at 'corrupt' political foe
President Donald Trump dismissed speculation that Iran was behind a cyberattack targeting dozens of water systems in Minnesota, blaming instead the state’s "corrupt governor," Tim Walz, and the state he runs.
"I just want to mention that we heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran," he said at the start of a Cabinet meeting Friday at Camp David, Maryland.
"I don't think so. I think I blame it on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent," Trump said. "There was a cyberattack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota. They like to say, oh, is Iran? Iran should be so lucky. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota."
Trump’s dismissal puts him at odds with a preliminary assessment reportedly shared by U.S. and state officials and comes days after federal agencies warned that Iranian-affiliated hackers were targeting the same kinds of systems. Iranian involvement and poor cybersecurity are not mutually exclusive: previous Iranian-linked attacks on U.S. water facilities exploited internet-connected equipment protected by default or nonexistent passwords.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROBES MINNESOTA OVER 'TRANSGENDER DOLLS' IN SCHOOLS, BUT STATE DISPUTES STORY
Trump has repeatedly attacked 2024 vice presidential candidate Walz over widespread fraud in Minnesota’s state-administered social services programs.
Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, abandoned his bid for a third term in January amid mounting scrutiny of his administration’s handling of the schemes. Walz has not been accused of participating in the fraud.
Minnesota IT Services said the "coordinated cyberattack targeted operational technology at more than 30 Minnesota community water systems" Sunday and Monday, but the Minnesota Department of Health is "not aware of any active requests from Minnesota cities to have their residents modify their drinking water usage."
U.S. and state officials and others familiar with the incident told The New York Times that Iranian hackers were likely behind the cyberattack.
Minnesota IT Services said it has not determined yet whether a "specific actor" was responsible for the attack and the probe remains active.
The attacks disrupted automated operations in several communities.
Malicious software temporarily shut down controls for the well and water treatment plant in Braham, while Plymouth and South St. Paul shifted some operations to manual control. Officials reported no known threat to drinking water.
Federal agencies warned just days before the Minnesota attacks that Iranian-affiliated hackers were targeting the computerized controls used by water systems, power facilities and local governments. The agencies said the campaign had already disrupted operations at some facilities and caused financial losses. Investigators assessed that the hackers were seeking to cause disruption inside the U.S.
Iran has targeted American water infrastructure before.
In 2023, hackers affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps breached programmable controllers at several U.S. water and wastewater facilities, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The hackers generally exploited equipment that was exposed to the internet and still used default or nonexistent passwords. The affected utilities moved some operations offline, and no drinking water was compromised.
In an earlier case, the Justice Department charged an Iranian hacker with repeatedly accessing the control system of a small dam in Rye, New York, in 2013. Prosecutors said the intrusion would have allowed him to operate the dam’s sluice gate remotely, but the gate had been manually disconnected for maintenance at the time.
Fox News Digital reached out to Walz's office for comment.
Fox News' Gregory Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
NFL analyst Tony Romo placed on leave by CBS Sports following drunk driving arrest in Wisconsin
Tony Romo, arrested a week ago on charges related to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, has been sidelined from his role as the top NFL analyst at CBS, the network announced Friday morning.
"Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice," CBS Sports said in a statement.
It is unclear to what degree the leave was negotiated with Romo – whether he agreed or even requested it so that he could manage the legal and personal ramifications of his arrest.
TONY ROMO ARRESTED IN MILWAUKEE FOR ALLEGED OWI OFFENSE: REPORT
It is possible Romo wanted this. It is also possible it was foisted upon him by his employer, who saw putting Romo on air during this time as a bad strategy.
The network is replacing Romo with former Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt as its lead analyst. Watt will work with play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on the No. 1 CBS announcing team.
The first CBS game scheduled this NFL season is a preseason matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 28. That primetime game begins at 8 p.m.
NFL EMPLOYEES' TROUBLING DRIVING INCIDENTS MOUNT
CBS is poised for an extended Romo leave, according to an industry source who added that Watt has been told his addition to the No. 1 announcing team is indefinite.
Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office deputies stopped Romo on Interstate 43 after observing what their report described as unsafe passing. Authorities said Romo displayed signs of impairment, performed poorly on field sobriety tests and refused a preliminary breath test.
Deputies also reported finding an open bottle of alcohol inside Romo's vehicle. Romo was cited for first-offense OWI, unsafe passing and having an open intoxicant in a motor vehicle before being booked and later released pending a September court appearance.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Romo, 46, became CBS Sports' lead NFL game analyst on April 4, 2017, the same day he announced his retirement from the NFL after the Dallas Cowboys released him.
CBS immediately announced that Romo would replace Phil Simms, who had served as the network's No. 1 game analyst since 1998. Romo was paired with Nantz and Wolfson on CBS's top NFL broadcast team.
Keep your eyes trained on this Big Ten sleeper to make some conference noise in 2026
With Big Ten Media Days wrapping up on Thursday, talking season is officially in the books, and if I may be so bold, thank GOD!
Now we can finally look ahead to the start of college football season, and with that, the picture of 2026 as a whole starts to come into focus.
Speaking of the Big Ten, after looking through the conference's predicted order of finish, I have zeroed in on one dark horse that my shock a ton of people this coming season.
ONE OF THESE EIGHT COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS WILL BE HOISTING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY IN 2026
I have been seeing the USC Trojans getting a lot of love as a "sleeper" in the Big Ten conference, and while I really like how 2026 is shaping up for Lincoln Riley and the Men of Troy, they were picked to finish fourth by the media.
I wanted something a little more exciting, and after scrolling a little deeper down the list of teams, I think I may have found my Big Ten sleeper.
All the way down at seventh – not a doormat but certainly not a favorite either – you'll find the Washington Huskies, and I absolutely love what they have going on heading into the season.
For Washington, it starts at the top with head coach Jedd Fisch.
This might be my bias showing, but Fisch was my top pick for the Florida Gators when it became obvious that Lane Kiffin was heading elsewhere. I believe he's one hell of a coach, but the numbers back this up, as well.
Fisch's previous stop before arriving in Seattle was with the Arizona Wildcats, and in year one he inherited a mess of a program, bottoming out at 1-11.
INDIANA COACH CURT CIGNETTI BECOMES UNSTOPPABLE THANKS TO LATEST DEVELOPMENT ON RECRUITING TRAIL
Year two was appreciably better at 5-7, but still nothing to write home about.
In year three, however, Fisch and the Wildcats were the talk of college football, shocking everyone with a 10-3 record and putting players like QB Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan on the map.
Surprisingly, Fisch didn't stick around for another year with Fifita and McMillan in Tucson, opting to take over for the newly departed Kalen DeBoer at Washington.
The cupboard was left pretty bare for Fisch when he touched down in the Pacific Northwest, as the new Huskies head coach had to replace 20 of his 22 starters from the team that went to the national championship game just a season prior.
Fisch showed his chops once again, guiding the Huskies to a 6-7 record and a berth in the Sun Bowl despite having to patch together an entire team from scratch.
After a 9-4 season and a bowl win in 2025, it's safe to see why I'm so optimistic about the Huskies given Fisch's track record of ascending each subsequent season.
Washington didn't take a ton of players in the transfer portal, and while some might view that as a negative, I think it's a sign of things stabilizing for the team.
The Huskies rank in the top 15 nationally in returning production at 65%, just a tick under Oregon and UCLA for tops in the Big Ten and certainly a far cry from his first season in Seattle.
The biggest reason for optimism among those returning starters is quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
After spot duty and a few starts in 2024, Williams blossomed into a legitimate threat both through the air and on the ground and was one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal before he opted to return to Washington for his junior year.
Other talented returning starters include offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi and safety Alex McLaughlin, both of whom are generating plenty of buzz in the preseason.
The schedule sets up very nicely for the Huskies, too, as they play five of their first six games within the friendly confines of Husky Stadium and won't leave the Pacific Time Zone until mid-October.
They also avoid Ohio State and Michigan while they get both Indiana and Penn State at home this year.
If you need a Big Ten darkhorse to ride with in 2026, I suggest you look no further than the Washington Huskies.
They have the coaching, the returning production at key positions, and the schedule to be a real threat this coming season.
Buy stock in Fisch and company now, because it won't be getting any cheaper.
Critics rage at rogue red-state senators for blocking Todd Blanche after backing Biden's pick
Republicans online are raging at two turncoat red-state Senators who are obstructing the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to take on the role permanently after just a few years ago endorsing and voting for former President Joe Biden's pick for the same position.
Outgoing Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have both vowed not to confirm Blanche, despite backing former Attorney General Merrick Garland when Biden tapped him for the role. At the time of Garland's confirmation, both Republican senators characterized the polarizing figure as experienced and bipartisan, and swore he would be a responsible leader of Department of Justice (DOJ).
But during Biden's presidency, Garland oversaw a DOJ that twice indicted Trump, prosecuted pro-life activists under an obscure federal law and investigated traditional Catholics as potential violent extremists, all moves that conservative critics argue were politically motivated.
TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS
The perceived hypocrisy in Cornyn and Tillis was not lost on online critics who raged against their move to block Blanche for ascending to the Attorney General post as Trump threatened to pull his nomination until after the two Republicans are out of office in January.
"Both Tillis and Cornyn voted to confirm Garland and then sat back idly as a weaponized DOJ/FBI destroyed lives for purely partisan reasons," said Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project. "The Anti-Weaponization Fund would begin to right the wrongs and that is why they oppose Todd Blanche. Pitiful."
Columnist Mark Davis also recalled the pair voting for Garland.
"As John Cornyn and Thom Tillis high-five each other in their attempt to block Trump’s AG pick Todd Blanche, never forget that they both voted to confirm Merrick Garland," he said.
"Pretty incredible that John Cornyn is proving us exactly correct about him after he lost his primary by close to 30 points. Everything we said about him is being proven 1000 percent correct," said Breitbart's Matthew Boyle.
Prominent commentator Julie Kelly mocked Cornyn for a 2021 speech he made in favor of Garland's confirmation.
"Flashback to when John Cornyn gave a full throated endorsement of Merrick Garland so he could 'depoliticize' the DOJ," she said, adding video of the speech.
A popular commentary account that boasts nearly three million followers posted the same video.
"This is exactly why Texas republicans [sic] fired incumbent Cornyn," the account said. "He votes to approve Garland but refuses to support Todd Blanche. Merrick Garland was the most corrupt lawfare AG is U.S. history."
CORNYN PREDICTS TRUMP MIDTERM 'DISASTER,' THEN 'THE MOST MISERABLE TWO YEARS OF HIS LIFE'
During Garland's confirmation, the Texas senator, who lost his primary election in a runoff landslide in June, raved about Garland whom he painted as an objective, apolitical nominee.
"This morning I had a very good conversation with judge Merrick Garland, who President Biden has nominated for attorney general," Cornyn said at the time. "Judge Garland's extensive legal experience makes him well-suited to lead the Department of Justice, and I appreciated his commitment to keep politics out of the Justice Department."
WATCH: GOP HOLDOUT REJECTS TRUMP THREAT AS AG NOMINEE STANDOFF EXPLODES
Tillis said at the time of Garland's confirmation that Garland, "has an outstanding record serving our country and has a deep understanding of the law," raving about his reputation for "bipartisanship" and later adding that he had "no doubt he will serve with integrity" and "will respect the constitutional rights and liberties of all Americans."
But earlier this month, the North Carolina senator warned Blanche not to make the same "mistakes that the Biden administration did" if confirmed, referring to the politicization that he Garland would avoid.
Tillis decided last year not to run for reelection. Cornyn, meanwhile, lost his Republican primary race against former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was backed by President Trump.
Trump on Thursday blasted the two outgoing Republican senators.
"Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it! He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time," Trump said on TRUTH Social. "However, John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting."
Fox News Digital reached out to Cornyn and Tillis' offices but did not hear back by time of publication.
Stephen A. Smith only speaks up about important societal issues only when it's politically acceptable
Stephen A. Smith is a politician as much as a sports media personality nowadays. There has been talk about him running for president, he’s cozied up to politicians and has made frequent appearances on political news channels. That’s why I believe his recent comments about Dr. Anthony Fauci and Kyrie Irving seem to be more about scoring political points, than an example of actual courage and conviction.
On Thursday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show titled "Did Fauci Lie to Us All?", Smith called out Fauci following him pleading the 5th Amendment over 100 times in front of Congress, as well as offered a public apology to Kyrie Irving, who he called "selfish" for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination shot.
While speaking about Irving, who lost millions because he had to sit out home games in New York during the pandemic, Smith said, "In my opinion, particularly hindsight-wise, it didn't make him stubborn or selfish. It made him brave."
TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FAUCI'S HEARING: PAUL BOOTS LAWYER, MORENO ERUPTS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS
"I watched Dr. Fauci on Capitol Hill yesterday, and the person I thought about most was Kyrie Irving," Smith added.
Then Smith offered his apology.
"There's several people that we all owe apologies to... but none more so than the apology that I owe to Kyrie Irving," Smith stated. "It turns out that, no matter what the truth is behind all of this, Kyrie Irving did nobody wrong. We did him wrong. I did him wrong. And for that, I’m sincerely sorry, Smith stated.
DID THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PURPOSEFULLY IGNORE COVID VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS?
Due to his inaction, and what I believe to be cowardice when faced with opportunities to take a real stand for the truth, and push against the mainstream prescribed narrative over the years, I’m not going to waste my time praising Smith for saying this in 2026.
Yes, I’m thankful he’s apologizing, whether it’s truly sincere or not. But, Stephen A. only goes where the political tide turns. It’s what he’s been doing for years now, especially since his rebrand to cover more specifically political topics and issues.
Only recently has Smith condemned men in women’s sports and now, he’s condemning Fauci.
How convenient.
After Smith spoke with Riley Gaines in 2025, I shot Riley a text after seeing the episode promoted. I asked about whether she asked him about why he was silent when ESPN celebrated Lia Thomas during Women’s History Month. Unfortunately, that conversation didn’t take place in that podcast.
Smith also praised Sophie Cunningham for "saying what others are afraid to say." You were one of those people, Stephen A.
Remember Sam Ponder, Stephen A.? She was vilified and reprimanded for ACTUALLY taking a courageous stance against men in women’s sports and spaces. She’s no longer with the network. Where were you to defend her?
Again, while I see the positive in his apology and promotion of common sense, which he was terrified to admit years ago, don’t fault me for rolling my eyes at the idea that these statements are somewhat courageous in their own right.
Kyrie Irving, Novak Djokovic, Aaron Rodgers, Cole Beasley, Tyler Bertuzzi, and every day Americans were relentlessly vilified for not taking an experimental drug during the pandemic. They were gaslit by people like Stephen A. and others in mainstream sports media. Some were even fired during that awful time, such as Allison Williams, who refused to get the jab because she was pregnant.
We all make mistakes. We all need accountability for being wrong and committing wrongs, at times. If Smith had a backbone, though, he would’ve spoken up when it was uncomfortable to do so.
He sounds like a politician, in my opinion. He’s the king of playing both sides.
Sure, I could be wrong about Smith’s motivations with his recent stances after years of silence and compliance with his liberal overlords at ESPN, but don’t fault me for not wanting to applaud him for saying the obvious and truthful things this late in the game. Far too many people have sacrificed jobs, paychecks, connections, and societal status to take bold stands when it wasn't politically convenient and acceptable to the majority.
While at the same time, I recognize the importance and impact of Smith speaking up and apologizing. That is something we should be hoping for from many sports media members, family, friends, politicians, co-workers, and more, as it pertains to these pressing, and still vitally important issues of our time.
Details on Giants outfielder's scooter crash take bizarre twist as team announces he will miss rest of season
Harrison Bader's late-night scooter ride on Saturday night/early Sunday morning has officially cost him the rest of the season, but new reported details show how bizarre his crash turned out to be.
The San Francisco Giants announced earlier this week that the outfielder, who had been limited to 30 games this year due to plantar fasciitis, had a "scooter accident" which further injured his left foot.
However, local reports say that Bader rode his scooter after bar-hopping and crashed it into a San Francisco Fire Department truck at around 1:50 a.m. local time. KPIX reported that Bader was spotted at multiple bars "in different neighborhoods" across San Francisco.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The truck then ran over Bader's foot, causing major injury, according to SFist.
The San Francisco Chronicle said Bader was hospitalized at around 2 a.m.
Giants manager Tony Vitello said Bader was all but shelved for the season with his plantar fasciitis anyway, but the crash ensured it.
Somehow, this is not the first time Bader got into a crash with a scooter that may or may not have involved alcohol. While playing for the University of Florida in 2014, he was suspended for 19 games for drunkenly crashing a scooter into a parked truck.
SAVANNAH BANANAS STARS TRADE BASEBALL DREAMS FOR KIDS' SMILES: 'EXACTLY WHERE GOD PUT ME'
Bader is in the first year of a two-year pact with the Giants, which is worth north of $20 million. The Giants are his seventh team.
The 2021 Gold Glove Award winner spent nearly six full seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before being traded to the New York Yankees in 2022. He then had a brief stint with the Cincinnati Reds before spending time with the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies.
NEW REPORT SUGGESTS THE NEW YORK METS ARE OPEN TO TRADING FRANCISCO LINDOR AMID DISASTROUS SEASON
In his limited time on the field this season, Bader is just .170 with a .198 on-base percentage and .358 slugging percentage.
San Francisco owns the third-worst record in the National League, as they figure to trade just about anybody they can ahead of Monday's MLB trade deadline.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.