Trump’s Army secretary hunt takes shape as insiders float potential picks
The hunt is on for the next secretary of the Army after Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to the White House, opening a key leadership vacancy atop the nation’s largest military branch. Driscoll said Wednesday will be his “last full day” serving as Army secretary, adding that serving in the role under President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been “the honor of a lifetime.” The next Army secretary will inherit a service undergoing a major transformation, with questions over readiness and the Army’s role as the conflict with Iran continues. ARMY CUTS HELICOPTERS, PUSHES ‘AMAZON FOR WAR’ AS DRONE COMBAT RESHAPES MILITARY Army Undersecretary Mike Obadal could serve as acting secretary once Driscoll’s departure is finalized. A former special operations officer and defense industry executive, Obadal has also taken on a more public-facing role, including speaking at conferences. In the Trump administration, deputy officials have repeatedly stepped into top leadership roles after resignations or firings— including then-Navy Under Secretary Hung Cao becoming acting Navy secretary after John Phelan’s departure this year. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman and a senior adviser to Hegseth, has emerged as one potential candidate, according to sources. PENTAGON FIRES BACK AFTER MARK KELLY ACCUSES PETE HEGSETH OF TARGETING WOMEN AND BLACK MILITARY OFFICERS “A lot of people inside [Office of the Secretary of War] want to see Sean Parnell become the next Secretary of the Army because they’ve worked alongside him and know what he brings to the table,” a senior administration official told Fox News Digital. Parnell, who serves as assistant to the secretary of War for Public Affairs, is a former United States Army captain whose platoon killed over 350 enemy fighters at the height of the Afghan War. He unsuccessfully ran for the House in 2020 before launching a 2021 campaign for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat, earning Trump’s endorsement. He later suspended his campaign amid domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife, Laurie Snell, which he denied. HEGSETH TURNS TABLES ON DEMS AS SPARKS FLY DURING HEARING CLASH: ‘I PUT THIS ON YOU’ The senior administration official said Parnell understands the Pentagon and the problems inside from military experience paired with his work at the highest levels of the institution. “He also understands the importance of working alongside General LeNeve, who has been carrying an enormous load to keep the Army moving, and giving the Army Staff the leadership and support they need to get it back on track,” the official said, referring to the acting Army chief of staff. A senior Pentagon official told Fox News Digital Parnell has “proven time and time again” that he is loyal to the president, citing that Parnell was present at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot. After the president was removed from the rally, Parnell stayed behind to help others get out, the senior Pentagon official said. Parnell returned with Trump to Butler three months after the assassination attempt. “Their relationship goes back many, many, years at this point, and it’s not just with the president. It’s also very senior members of the White House that are with the President every single day,” said the senior Pentagon official. REPUBLICANS DEFY JOHNSON TO ADVANCE DEMOCRAT-BACKED UKRAINE AID A third senior administration official told Fox News Digital that “Sean Parnell is 100% focused on the job he was appointed to by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.” Florida Rep. Brian Mast may also be under consideration, a source with knowledge told Fox News Digital. The Trump-endorsed candidate serves as chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and previously served in the Army for 12 years. Driscoll’s exit comes after reportedly butting heads with Hegseth over concerns with the administration about the Army’s transformation and readiness, including his belief that Hegseth had hindered those efforts, Fox News Digital previously reported. Parnell defended Hegseth’s leadership and said the department remains united behind his vision. “Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War and, at President Trump’s direction, has ushered in a new era of Peace Through Strength. Standards and merit are back, our arsenal is stronger than ever before, and morale and recruitment across every service are at all-time highs,” Parnell told Fox News Digital. “Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way.” “The entire Department is unified behind the Secretary’s vision and will continue working to put our warfighters and America first,” he added. Democrats and some Republican lawmakers unloaded on Trump and Hegseth over the changes in the Department of War. North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said Hegseth is “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks” while ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed of Rhode Island said, “Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.” Navy Secretary John Phelan was ousted in April after reportedly clashing with Hegseth over shipbuilding and management. FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP TO OPEN DIRECT LINE WITH MILITARY FAMILIES IN GROUND-UP READINESS PUSH The White House directed Fox News Digital to DOW when asked for comment. Fox News Digital reached out to Parnell, Mast, the Army and DOW for comment.
Gloria Steinem, feminist writer and activist, dead at 92
Feminist writer and activist Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92, according to a statement posted on her Instagram page Thursday. “Yesterday, Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her,” the message read. “Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end.” “Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor,” the statement continued. The statement said Steinem “spent her recent years doing the two things she loved most: being in community with others and writing.” FLASHBACK: GLORIA STEINEM, NOBEL LAUREATES ARRIVE IN NORTH KOREA FOR PEACE MARCH ACROSS DEMILITARIZED ZONE “Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain. Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle,” it added. Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934, Steinem was a “founder of New York and Ms. magazines, and is the author of An Unexpected Life, The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off, My Life on the Road, Moving Beyond Words, Revolution from Within, and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, in addition to many collections and essays,” a biography on her website said. “She co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Free to Be Foundation, and the Women’s Media Center in the United States. As links to other countries, she helped found Equality Now, Donor Direct Action, and Direct Impact Africa,” it added. “Among many tributes and honors for her activism, in 2013 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and in 2019, she received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum,” the biography continued, noting that “Gloria’s home is the heart of Gloria’s Foundation and has become renowned as a magnetic and life-changing center for feminist and activist thinkers from around the world.” Steinem “helped to found the Women’s Action Alliance, a pioneering national information center that specialized in nonsexist, multiracial children’s education, and the National Women’s Political Caucus, a group that continues to work to advance the numbers of pro-equality women in elected and appointed office at a national and state level.” CELEBRITY ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE MADE A GLOBAL IMPACT “She also co-founded the Women’s Media Center in 2004. She was president and co-founder of Voters for Choice, a pro-choice political action committee for twenty-five years, then with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund when it merged with VFC for the 2004 elections,” her website said. Steinem married businessman and animal rights activist David Bale in September 2000. Bale, the father of actor Christian Bale, died three years later from primary brain lymphoma. Steinem began her career as a journalist, notably one who reported, in 1963, on degrading conditions in Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire, an undercover assignment she came to later regret, according to The Associated Press. She credited a meeting six years later, where women spoke out boldly in favor of abortion rights, with changing her career path. “That speak-out was the beginning of activism for me,” Steinem, who had undergone a secret illegal abortion herself at age 22, told the AP in an email in 2022, reflecting on the reversal of Roe v Wade. “Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we’re not living in a democracy.” Well into her 80s, Steinem was traveling the globe and speaking out on issues of importance to her. These included everything from genital mutilation to Korean reconciliation, but it was equality for women that took precedence. “Being a feminist means that you see the world as whole instead of half,” she once said. “It shouldn’t need a name, and one day it won’t.” In 2020, her life was the subject of a feature film, “The Glorias, A Life on The Road,” based on her 2015 memoir and starring Julianne Moore. And at 91, she collaborated on a picture book with Liberian peace activist and Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee aimed at inspiring young people to change the world. “Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All” was published in February 2026. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Himachal Assembly passes University Amendment Bill despite BJP, teachers’ opposition
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, despite opposition from BJP legislators and university teachers over changes to the recruitment system.
Elderly father brutally beaten by sons over land dispute in Maharashtra, video sparks outrage
A 65-year-old man was allegedly beaten by his two sons in Maharashtra’s Indapur over a land dispute, with a video of the incident now going viral on social media.
UP: 25-year-old man dies after falling from hill during picnic in Sonbhadra
A 25-year-old man died after allegedly slipping from a hill while returning from a picnic in Sonbhadra’s Markundi area, police said.
Raghav Chadha claims name ‘shifted’ in Punjab draft electoral rolls, AAP denies role
BJP MP Raghav Chadha accuses AAP-led Punjab govt of political vendetta after name deleted from Punjab draft electoral rolls during Special Intensive Revision SIR. Former AAP Rajya Sabha deputy leader now BJP, voter ID Mohali marked shifted in ASDD absent shifted deceased duplicate list Aug 13.
In a rare move, Gov. Greg Abbott defends Medicaid funding for Texas
Abbott’s spokesman reiterated that Texas is not doing anything wrong that would disqualify hospitals from receiving nearly $10 billion in Medicaid funding annually.
FAA seeks permanent airspace restrictions near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago as expert warns rules are ‘not good enough’
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed permanent flight rules around President Donald J. Trump International Airport in Palm Beach, Florida, to secure the airspace near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate amid heightened concerns over unauthorized aircraft and rogue drones — moves that some say are insufficient to deter dedicated adversaries. The regulatory action was initiated at the request of the U.S. Secret Service, in the “interest of national security,” the agency confirmed to Fox News Digital. “At the request of the U.S. Secret Service in the interest of national security, the FAA is proposing Special Air Traffic Rules for the airspace near Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT),” an FAA spokesperson said. NORAD FIGHTER JETS INTERCEPT 2 AIRCRAFT NEAR TRUMP’S GOLF CLUB, 3RD PLANE DELAYS HIS NJ DEPARTURE Under the proposed mandate, a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) would be established. Aircraft flying below 2,000 feet within one nautical mile of the designated zone would be required to obtain explicit clearance, maintain two-way contact with air traffic control, and continuously transmit an assigned transponder code. Arriving and departing aircraft would also need to meet strict security criteria before entering the airspace. TRUMP HAS BECOME AMERICA’S MOST TARGETED LEADER, FACING THREATS EVERY FEW MONTHS The heightened precautions follow multiple threats against Trump, including a June plot where five suspects attempted to coordinate an ambush using explosive-laden drones aimed at targeting him and other high-profile officials during the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House. However, drone experts argue that regulatory boundaries are “not good enough.” AMERICA’S POWER GRID, FOOD SUPPLY AND MORE ARE UNDER THREAT FROM DRONES “When you look at what happened in Butler [Pennsylvania] it was discovered later on that the shooter had done very basic surveillance with a drone — a Chinese drone that you could buy off Amazon — before he conducted the attack against the president,” Brett Velicovich, a former U.S. Army special operations intelligence analyst and drone expert, told Fox News Digital. Velicovich emphasized that government agencies must move faster to adopt active interdiction capabilities rather than relying solely on airspace designations. “We’re going to have to have more counter-drone systems in place because it is not good enough simply for the FAA to send a message saying this area is a no-drone zone,” he added. “When you’re a bad actor, that doesn’t matter.” The FAA proposal remains open for public comment through Oct. 2. The White House deferred questions regarding the security framework to the U.S. Secret Service, which did not immediately provide additional comment.
The primary is over; now come the primetime mistakes
There’s a reason football great Deion Sanders was known as “Primetime.” Sanders epitomized his sobriquet with electric performances on “Monday Night Football” and in the playoffs. But not every political candidate is ready for primetime. The roadside is littered with political failures from both sides. Candidates are better suited for late-night public access in the suburbs. Consider for a moment someone else who also wasn’t bad in primetime: former football star Herschel Walker. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. But when Walker ran for the Senate in Georgia in 2024, his political acumen could barely qualify him for a political practice squad. UNEARTHED INTERVIEW REVEALS EL-SAYED’S SHARIA ‘OBLIGATION’: ‘NOT BECAUSE OF FEAR’ This year, Democrats trotted out political novice Graham Platner to try to defeat 30-year veteran Sen. Susan Collins, R-Man. But his Nazi-era tattoo and allegations of rape and sexual abuse revealed that Platner was more downtrodden than Down East. So, how will some of this year’s political hopefuls fare? Platner would have been the Democrats’ most controversial candidate of the 2026 Senate election cycle. But Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has eclipsed Platner. El-Sayed is progressive. He holds extreme views and previously associated closely with left-wing influencer Hasan Piker. During an appearance on Fox, El-Sayed compared Sharia law to canon law in the Catholic Church, pitched ditching the Second Amendment and somehow wound up discussing private parts. El-Sayed’s performance scored headlines. But he also created headaches for Democrats. The party needs to hold the Michigan seat to flip the Senate. And El-Sayed is exactly what Republicans were looking for. Since El-Sayed captured the Democratic nomination to face former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., Republicans hope to use him to nationalize the midterms. They want to portray El-Sayed as “what’s wrong” with the Democratic Party and why he’s not aligned with mainstream voters. The GOP believes that message will trickle down to other Democratic candidates around the country. In other words, could El-Sayed’s echo undercut Democratic candidates beyond the Wolverine State? When campaigning, El-Sayed promoted polished policy positions. “You deserve good health care,” said El-Sayed. “You deserve protections at your job.” But when asked on Fox about boys playing sports with girls and sex changes for kids, his rhetoric devolved to this: “Circumcision is surgery on a kid’s ding-a-ling. So, you really want to bring that up? I just think you guys are really selective about how you guys want to talk about things,” El-Sayed told Fox’s Jesse Watters. Political consultants on both sides of the aisle will likely agree. If a candidate finds himself on national television using euphemisms for private parts and not discussing the war in Iran or the cost of groceries, something is wrong. El-Sayed also backs Medicare-for-all and slavery reparations. “I just think it’s past time to have that conversation. That shouldn’t be a crazy thing,” said El-Sayed. Republicans are clamoring to hear more from El-Sayed. “It’s common sense versus communist crazy. And don’t believe my word. Listen to what El-Sayed says,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox Business. DEMOCRATS WHO ‘NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACK ROGERS OVER EL-SAYED IN RAZOR-CLOSE RACE El-Sayed’s association with Piker worries Democrats because Piker espouses antisemitic views. “Those comments were dangerous, malicious and antisemitic and shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone in the public square,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. But now El-Sayed is distancing himself from Piker. “I got so much exposure and empowerment from the Jewish community,” said El-Sayed at a rally. “Jewish people are a light unto the world.” But not everyone is buying it. “His response was pathetic, and it did not answer the call,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., one of the most pro-Israel Democrats in the House, said on Fox. “This is not a guy who any of us should embrace.” In fact, the campaign of Rogers went as far as to say that El-Sayed was making the case for their candidate. President Trump recently escalated the trade war with Canada. He renamed Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” El-Sayed vanquished moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in the primary. With all of this tumult, one wonders if Democrats would feel better wrestling with the president over trade with Stevens as their nominee versus El-Sayed. That said, politics is a funny thing. This doesn’t mean that El-Sayed is unelectable. Progressives throb with energy inside the Democratic Party right now. Someone like El-Sayed could actually bolster turnout among the left. This could work to the Democrats’ advantage if Republicans stay home because they’re disappointed in President Trump. Or, as House Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Ted Lieu, D-Calif., told voters this week, “Just go fu—– vote.” On the Republican side of the aisle, few had heard of Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., until brother Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died unexpectedly. Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster quickly appointed Darline to her brother’s seat and cajoled her to run for the full term. Darline Graham was a political neophyte. And despite President Trump tapping her for the permanent gig, it was far from clear that she was ready for primetime. During a debate in the GOP primary runoff with Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Graham stumbled when asked about U.S. interests regarding Taiwan. “I’m not that informed on national security,” said Graham. “But I do support the military.” Of course, foreign policy was her brother’s forte. He died just after jetting back to Washington after meetings in Turkey and Ukraine. But Darline Graham used the gaffe to pivot. She claimed that voters are more concerned with kitchen table issues. “You know how many (people) brought up Taiwan or national security?” Graham said when stumping. “Not one. They’re talking about the rising cost of health care and affordability.” A reporter pressed Graham for details about harnessing inflation. “Is there something from you, affirmatively (could do like) a piece of legislation, to help drive down the cost of goods?” a scribe asked. “We’ll see when I get there,” Graham replied. Well, Graham is already “here.” She’s been in
Blue state creates six-figure role for trans inmate services amid budget shortfalls
The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) hired a gender-affirming care coordinator last month, and the job will pay between $78,000 and $115,000 annually. The job includes oversight of a program for “managing and monitoring needs and safety risks of transgender, intersex and non-binary adults in custody,” according to the listing. The position also chairs a multidisciplinary team focused on their individualized needs. The role, which comes as the DOC is projected to have a $55 million deficit in 2026, continues gender-related initiatives spearheaded by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a longtime champion of the trans community, as she pursues re-election to a second term. It also highlights the logistical difficulties associated with trans prisoners. BIOLOGICAL MALE KILLER HOUSED IN OREGON WOMEN’S PRISON WINS HIGH-DOLLAR LEGAL SETTLEMENT IN SEX ABUSE SUIT After a 2023 review of Oregon’s only women-only prison, the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Kotek said her administration would look for ways to address what the report called delayed care for its cisgender and trans inmates. “Transgender residents [are] being denied or delayed access to needed care, including hormone replacement therapy. This creates significant medical and mental health issues for some residents, including gender dysphoria,” the report stated. The report included one example of a transgender resident at the Coffee Creek who said her request for continuing her hormone blocker treatment had gone unheeded. “I had been accessing prescriptions at the county. I did not get it when I got here. … I sent several [requests], but they kept bumping me to different places. Now I’ve gotten my period twice. It’s been terrorizing and humiliating,” the resident, a biological woman, said. Kotek promised to address issues raised by the report. “In the wake of national, systemic shortcomings in meeting the needs of women who are incarcerated, I am resolved to confront these issues head-on,” Kotek said in a press release. FORMER TOP OREGON GOP OFFICIAL SECURES NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR AS REPUBLICANS TARGET BLUE-STATE PICKUP “The GIPA report was sobering to read. It is incumbent on Oregon’s corrections system to ensure that the use of carceral settings yield the best possible public safety outcomes and sets people up for successful re-entry.” As a part of the response, her office created the Advisory Panel on Gender Responsive Practices in Corrections. In turn, the panel recommended training staff who make decisions about housing and medical and behavioral care for the needs of transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse inmates. The panel did not specifically recommend the gender-affirming care coordinator position. The role is similar to a position that would have been established through SB 1120, a failed bill. Among other provisions, that law would have created a role tasked to “provide coordination of efforts and training across staff and adults in custody on best practices for supporting transgender, nonbinary or gender-diverse adults in custody.” The hire clashes with Kotek’s instruction to agencies to reduce spending. In 2025, when Republicans in Washington, D.C., passed tax cuts through President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” Oregon’s tax picture also changed. The state’s tax code mirrors many of the definitions of taxable income used by the federal government. When those definitions shrank, so did Oregon’s revenue, leaving the state with a negative general fund balance of $373.7 million, according to state reports. “This is not what we had planned for, but it is what we must do. I am asking you to leave no stone unturned to save tax-payer dollars. This challenge is not unique to Oregon, but how we respond will be. Our resilience, teamwork and determination have carried us through hard times before. They will again,” Kotek wrote in a letter to state department heads. Like other departments, the DOC was also affected, reporting a projected $55 million deficit. To remedy this, the department was instructed to slow operational spending, prepare for operational cost reductions and suspend non-essential out-of-state travel. Even so, Kotek has highlighted trans care as a priority, strongly advocating for a government-led approach to expanding access to trans procedures, calling them part of “health care.” “I want to be very clear. Gender-affirming care is health care. Period, end of story,” Kotek said at a bill signing in 2023 after the legislature passed a reproductive and gender-affirming care package. She has also pushed back against attempts from the Trump administration to limit federal funding for hospitals that provide transgender procedures to minors. TRUMP DIRECTS CMS ADMINISTRATOR MEHMET OZ TO END MEDICAID GENDER TRANSITION FUNDING FOR MINORS “The Trump administration cannot change the rules and restrict funding to hospitals and doctors who provide gender-affirming care to young people. Gender-affirming care is recognized by major medical organizations and plays an important role in helping young people stay safe, healthy and supported for who they are,” Kotek said in a video release. Kotek’s office did not respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital about the new position and additional details about its duties.