NATO defenses shoot down Iranian missile fired toward Turkey, defense ministry says
Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that a ballistic missile launched from Iran towards its airspace was intercepted by NATO defense systems, marking a first in the conflict with Iran. A senior NATO military official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the alliance conducted the interception. Turkey’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran said that the missile was detected after it crossed into Iraqi and Syrian airspace before it was intercepted by NATO units in the eastern Mediterranean. “Turkey’s resolve and capacity to ensure the security of our country and our esteemed nation remain at the highest level. All necessary steps to defend Turkish territory and airspace will be taken without hesitation,” Duran said in a statement posted on X, adding that the country’s response to “any potential hostile acts” would be in accordance with international law. “We reiterate our warning to all parties to refrain from steps that could escalate tensions in the region and lead to the spread of the conflict to a wider area. It is of great importance that all parties act with a sense of responsibility,” Duran added. US SUBMARINE SINKS IRANIAN WARSHIP BY TORPEDO IN A FIRST SINCE WORLD WAR II Turkey’s Defense Ministry issued a similar warning, saying that “Every step taken to defend our territory and airspace will be taken resolutely and without hesitation.” “We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country,” it said. Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan reportedly spoke with Abbas Araghchi after the incident and conveyed his displeasure, according to Reuters, which cited a Turkish diplomatic source. US ‘WINNING DECISIVELY’ AGAINST IRAN, WILL ACHIEVE ‘COMPLETE CONTROL’ OF AIRSPACE WITHIN DAYS, HEGSETH SAYS A NATO spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the alliance condemned the incident and affirmed that it stood by Turkey. “We condemn Iran’s targeting of Turkey. NATO stands firmly with all allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Our deterrence and defense posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defense,” a NATO spokesperson told Fox News Digital. NATO has parts of a broader European ballistic missile defense system on Turkish soil, including an early-warning radar at the Kurecik base that can detect missiles from Iran. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, Iran has carried out a series of retaliatory attacks against U.S.-allied countries in the region. Turkey is the first NATO ally to have an Iranian missile encroach upon its airspace. On March 1, an Iranian retaliatory attack killed six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers supporting Operation Epic Fury in Kuwait. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump brings Big Tech executives to White House to curb power costs for American households amid AI boom
President Donald Trump will host executives of major tech companies at the White House Wednesday afternoon to sign a pledge ensuring the tech giants protect Americans against higher electricity bills tied to data center power demand. Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon are expected to sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge Wednesday afternoon, Fox News Digital learned. The pledge will have the companies agreeing to “build, bring, or buy new generation resources and cover the cost of all power delivery infrastructure upgrades required for data centers,” the White House said. The Trump administration has promoted the proliferation of artificial intelligence to keep the U.S. as the world’s tech leader, which has included the creation of new data centers and mounting concern energy prices could increase for everyday Americans. The pledge works to combat these concerns and protect Americans against spiking electricity bills. SCOOP: TRUMP BRINGS BIG TECH TO WHITE HOUSE TO CURB POWER COSTS AMID AI BOOM The pledge will also have the companies vow against passing expenses to American households. It also commits companies to hiring and training talent from within communities where they build and operate data centers, which will create thousands of jobs and enhance workforce skills. “President Trump’s ratepayer protection pledge will deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and help stop the rising electricity prices that started during the previous administration,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said ahead of the event. “This plan will strengthen American energy dominance, while also ensuring the United States wins the AI race.” Wright added: “We will continue partnering with technology leaders to strengthen America’s competitive edge, while keeping energy costs low for hardworking families.” Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy said Trump “continues to ensure the U.S. leads the world in AI while strengthening the grid and driving down energy costs for American families.” TRUMP TROUNCES BIDEN ENERGY RECORDS IN JUST MONTHS AS ADMIN CELEBRATES 1 YEAR OF ‘HISTORIC GAINS’: DATA As for the tech companies, Matt Garman, chief executive officer of Amazon web services, said they are signing the pledge “to reinforce our commitment to paying our full energy costs and ensuring our data centers do not increase electricity bills for consumers.” “We welcome the Administration’s leadership on this issue and support the pledge’s commitments, which establish a clear baseline to protect ratepayers while enabling responsible, long-term energy partnerships that strengthen the grid and the communities where data centers operate,” he said. Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith also touted the pledge, calling it an “important step,” with Meta president and vice chair Dina Powell McCormick saying the pledge “ensures families aren’t the ones footing the bill for AI’s energy consumption.” McCormick said the pledge “gives companies like Meta the certainty we need to keep up the momentum, ensuring that American AI dominance and the prosperity of American families go hand-in-hand.” And Ruth Porat of Alphabet and Google said the pledge affirms the company’s “long-held commitment to protect energy affordability for American households, accelerate breakthroughs to secure America’s energy future, and deliver energy infrastructure – all of which are critical to maintaining America’s global leadership in this era of innovation.” “Building the infrastructure to advance AI is vital for America’s economic competitiveness and for ensuring the benefits of AI reach everyone,” OpenAI chief operating officer Brad Lightcap said. “As demand for AI continues to grow, we believe the infrastructure that enables AI should benefit the communities that make it possible, and that’s why we’re proud to support the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge.” The White House said the pledge will contribute to “lower electricity costs, stronger grid infrastructure, and enhanced grid resilience during emergencies.” TRUMP’S SCIENCE AND TECH MAN LAYS OUT WHITE HOUSE’S GLOBAL AI STRATEGY The president announced the Ratepayer Protection Pledge during his State of the Union address in February. “Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new ratepayer protection pledge,” he said. “You know what that is? We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs.” “We have an old grid,” he said. “It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that’s needed. So I’m telling them, they can build their own plant. They’re going to produce their own electricity. It will ensure the company’s ability to get electricity, while at the same time, lowering prices of electricity for you.” The AI race has pitted the U.S. against China as tech leader, with the Trump administration amplifying efforts to not cede ground to the Asian nation since January 2025. Texas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania are among states seeing expanded data center campuses and AI growth. A White House official previously told Fox Digital that the president and administration have been working on the initiative for a while, including Trump posting about the issue on Truth Social in January. The pledge comes as affordability concerns continue to be a top issue for voters heading into the midterm election season. Democratic candidates in just a handful of races in the off-year 2025 cycle campaigned on promises of lowering costs for everyday Americans, which proved to be a winning strategy on election night. Trump has consistently pushed back on Democrats promoting affordability, pointing to sky-high inflation under the Biden administration as evidence that liberal policies have left Americans’ pocketbooks with less cash.
Gorsuch name-checks Founding Fathers who were ‘habitual’ drinkers in SCOTUS fight over marijuana users
Justice Neil Gorsuch spent a portion of the Supreme Court’s oral arguments this week exploring what a “habitual drunkard” is as part of a case centered on whether a drug user is allowed to own a gun. Gorsuch questioned a Department of Justice lawyer on how gun restrictions for habitual drunkards in early American history compared to today’s law restricting drug users from owning guns. The DOJ was required to point to a strong historical comparison to prove the modern law was constitutional, and it chose to use the founding-era laws about habitual drunkards. “The American Temperance Society, back in the day, said eight shots of whiskey a day only made you an occasional drunkard,” Gorsuch said. A habitual drunkard, Gorsuch said, had to “double that.” GUN RIGHTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY DEBATED AT SUPREME COURT The conservative justice pointed to the Founding Fathers’ drinking habits to convey his skepticism about the DOJ’s argument that a habitual drunkard was similar to a modern-day drug user and that both were worthy of being disarmed. “John Adams took a tankard of hard cider with his breakfast every day. James Madison reportedly drank a pint of whiskey every day. Thomas Jefferson said he wasn’t much of a user of alcohol. He only had three or four glasses of wine a night,” Gorsuch said. SUPREME COURT RULING ON SECRETIVE CALIFORNIA GENDER POLICY COULD RESHAPE PARENT RIGHTS FIGHTS NATIONWIDE “Are they habitual drunkards who would be properly disarmed for life under your theory?” Gorsuch said. The case, U.S. v. Hemani, centered on a Texas man who had been charged after the FBI discovered he possessed a handgun and smoked marijuana every other day. The law at issue, 922(g)(3), gained national attention after President Joe Biden’s son Hunter was convicted under it for possessing a gun in 2018 while addicted to crack cocaine. “We don’t even know the quantity of how much he uses every other day. What if he took one gummy bear with a medical prescription in Colorado?” Gorsuch asked. “Let’s say he had one to help him sleep every other day. Disarm him for life?” The DOJ argued the man, Ali Hemani, illegally owned the gun while a habitual user of marijuana and that he was rightly charged for it. Second Amendment advocates are closely watching the case. The National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America are supporting Hemani, while several Democratic states are backing the DOJ in the case, setting up strange alliances in a test of what exceptions to gun ownership are allowed by law. An attorney for Hemani argued to the Supreme Court that the DOJ could not adequately define what a habitual drug user was. GUNS AND GANJA: SUPREME COURT SKEPTICAL OF FEDERAL LAW BANNING FIREARM POSSESSION FOR REGULAR MARIJUANA USERS “The only historical tradition it has offered is one of imposing restrictions on habitual drunkards,” the lawyer said. “That entire line of argument rests on a category mistake because the laws to which the government points applied only to habitual drunkards, not to habitual drinkers.” The DOJ, meanwhile, downplayed the implications of the law, saying in court papers that it would impose only a “limited, inherently temporary” restriction on a drug user that the person could remove by curtailing drug use. “This restriction provides a modest, modern analogue of much harsher founding-era restrictions on habitual drunkards, and so it stands solidly within our Nation’s history and tradition of regulation,” DOJ lawyers wrote. “And habitual illegal drug users with firearms present unique dangers to society—especially because they pose a grave risk of armed, hostile encounters with police officers while impaired.” Gorsuch was among several justices to express skepticism of the DOJ’s argument, though the justices could keep their ruling narrow and only address Hemani’s case rather than the broader constitutionality of the law. The high court is expected to issue a decision by the summer. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Cornyn, Paxton ready to go for the throat in 2nd act of brutal primary campaign
DALLAS — The race for the Republican Senate nomination in Texas is heading to a high-stakes runoff, with both sides digging in for a costly, drawn-out fight. Longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are set to continue their bitter duel after neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold in Tuesday’s primary election. That means the race, which has become one of the most expensive primary contests in history, will drag on until May 26. COMBUSTIBLE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY IN TEXAS HEADING INTO OVERTIME Cornyn argues he is the only candidate in the field who can win a general election in the Lone Star State — something he has done four times — especially against rising star state Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, who toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, early Wednesday morning. But for now, his focus is on Paxton. “Just like the primary, we have a plan to win the runoff, and we are in the process of executing it,” Cornyn said Tuesday night. “Judgment day is coming for Ken Paxton.” Paxton has styled himself as the true MAGA candidate in the race, saying he stood with President Donald Trump when others did not, particularly after the 2020 election. He told supporters in Dallas that he felt the same energy behind his campaign as when Trump announced his re-election bid for a second term. JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS GOP RIGGED HER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION: ‘THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS LIKE TO DO’ “Right now, I feel that same momentum, the same sense that history is turning,” Paxton said. “Now let’s talk about what just happened. John Cornyn spent around $100 million trying to buy this seat. We’ve spent around $5 million.” “But we proved something they’ll never understand in Washington — Texas is not for sale,” he continued. Both sides are leaning into their narratives: Cornyn casting himself as a battle-tested incumbent built for a general election fight, while Paxton presents himself as a Trump-aligned conservative who could breathe fresh life into the seat. Cornyn has the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, and along with it, a massive war chest of campaign cash. NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez told Fox News Digital, “John Cornyn remains the only candidate who guarantees state Rep. Talarico never becomes a United States senator and ensures the fight for President Trump’s Senate majority is waged in true battleground states, not Texas.” The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the top super PAC backing Senate Republicans, which spent millions on behalf of Cornyn in the primary campaign, made it clear in a statement early Wednesday that it will continue to support the senator in the runoff. RISING STAR TALARICO TOPPLES PROGRESSIVE FIREBRAND CROCKETT IN HIGH-STAKES TEXAS SENATE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY “SLF and its sister organizations were proud to support Senator Cornyn early, and we look forward to him securing the Republican nomination on May 26,” the group’s executive director, Alex Latcham, said in a statement. But on the Paxton side of the playing field, operatives and donors are confident they can unseat the senator. Dan Eberhart, an oil drilling chief executive officer and prominent Republican donor and bundler who supports Paxton, told Fox News Digital that “this was Cornyn’s shot to fend off his challenger by getting over 50%, and he couldn’t do it. The runoff voters will be even less friendly territory for Cornyn.” Pointing to former longtime Senate GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has often acted as a Trump foil, Eberhart said, “This race is about MAGA vs. McConnell.” Meanwhile, Lone Star Liberty, a pro-Paxton super PAC, circulated a memo ahead of Tuesday’s election that shrugged off threats that Cornyn would succeed in the runoff by continuing to hammer the attorney general over his litany of scandals, arguing there was nothing new to offer. “Cornyn’s talk of ‘unleashing’ new attacks in the runoff is bluster,” the memo states. “The truth is that from day one, his forces fired every bullet they had. There are no new attacks left — only more of the same, at ever-greater cost and with ever-diminishing returns.” But the most consequential variable in the race may not be millions of dollars in advertising spending or stump speeches. It may be whoever Trump decides to endorse. So far, he has stayed out of the race. He signaled last month that he liked both Cornyn and Paxton, along with Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who dropped out of the contest after trailing in third place. Senate Republican leadership continues to believe that a Trump endorsement of Cornyn would effectively put the race to bed and allow the party to focus on the broader Senate battleground map. That endorsement could prove even more important beyond the primary battle. A GOP political operative in Trump’s orbit told Fox News Digital that “Talarico being the nominee makes President Trump’s endorsement of Cornyn more important than ever.”
Texas border district Dem Cuellar beats back primary challengers
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, easily defeated a primary challenger Tuesday in Texas’ 28th Congressional District, securing his party’s renomination in the southern border seat he has long represented. The win sets up a November matchup with President Donald Trump-endorsed South Texas Judge Tano Tijerina. Cuellar, one of the last remaining “blue dog” conservative Democrats in the House, beat challenger Ricardo Villarreal with 58.1% of the vote to 36.9% — a margin of more than 21 percentage points with 97% of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. Andrew Vantine was in third place with 5%. TRUMP’S PARDON OF HOUSE DEM CUELLAR BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS HIS BROTHER FACES INDICTMENT Cuellar’s primary challenge came amid renewed scrutiny over his federal indictment last year and continued tensions within his party over border policy, though he ultimately secured renomination by a comfortable margin. He had been highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of immigration and border security. He was later indicted by the Justice Department on federal bribery charges, which he denied. Cuellar and his allies have characterized the case as politically motivated. He later received an unconditional pardon from Trump, who also said the charges were politically driven. Speculation swirled that Cuellar might switch parties after the pardon, but he dismissed those rumors and said he would remain a Democrat. Cuellar served in the Texas House from 1987 to 2001 and briefly as Texas secretary of state in 2001, making him the most recent Democrat to hold statewide office in Texas. He was first elected to Congress in 2004 after defeating incumbent Ciro Rodriguez in a primary and is known as one of the House’s more conservative Democrats. He has since won re-election comfortably, though he has faced competitive primaries in recent cycles. Trump, meanwhile, endorsed Tijerina in the GOP race and criticized Cuellar ahead of the primary for running. Tijerina went on to win the Republican nomination, setting up a November matchup to represent a district that stretches from San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley. The judge, who switched to the Republican Party in December 2024, saying the Democratic Party no longer aligned with his values, won the GOP primary with 74.3% of the vote to Eileen Day’s 25.7%, according to the AP. Tijerina’s win was decisive, with a margin of nearly 49 percentage points after 91% of ballots were counted. He responded to the outpouring of congratulations on social media shortly after the race was called. “Amen! Let’s work,” he wrote in response to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. In a separate post responding to Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters — who had congratulated him and shared a message from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. — Tijerina wrote: “It’s our win!” Tijerina has promised to buck Democrats and embrace what he calls a “new generation” of political leadership in South Texas. He told Fox News Digital on the campaign trail that, despite the district long being considered a Democratic stronghold, the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border and focus on diversity initiatives shifted voters’ views. HOUSE CANDIDATE PREDICTS HISTORIC RISE OF ‘NEW GENERATION’ IN CONGRESS AS PARTIES TARGET KEY DEMOGRAPHIC “Being a Democrat after so many years, I’m just sick and tired of seeing all the social issues that the Democrats are [promoting]. And I’m not the only one,” Tijerina said. “That’s why Webb County, that’s why South Texas, voted for Trump plus 10 numbers.” “We have always been conservative, everybody knows it,” he continued. “Down here in South Texas, the only thing that we care about is good-paying jobs [and] making sure that we’re getting protected.” Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives and the race is expected to be closely watched. Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Pentagon honors American troops killed in Operation Epic Fury: ‘Never be forgotten’
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine shared the names of four of the six fallen U.S. service members killed in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury. “It is with profound sadness and gratitude that I share the names of four of the six fallen heroes, all from the 103rd Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Reserves, out of Des Moines, Iowa,” Caine said during a press conference Wednesday morning from the Pentagon, alongside Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Caine named several of the fallen American heroes. PENTAGON IDENTIFIES FOUR SOLDIERS KILLED IN MARCH 1 DRONE STRIKE DURING KUWAIT MILITARY OPERATION “Capt. Cody Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor and Sgt. Declan Coady,” Caine said. Khork, 35, was from Lakeland, Florida; Amor, 39, was from White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Tietjens, 42, was from Bellevue, Nebraska; and Coady, 20, was from Des Moines. “To the families of our fallen, we grieve with you today and we look forward to welcoming your family members home at Dover in the coming days,” he continued. Two additional soldiers killed in the attack have not yet been publicly identified. “Out of respect for the other families, we will withhold the release of their names until next of kin notification is complete, and either myself or Adm. Cooper will release those names as soon as we can ensure that all of those families have been properly notified,” he said. “To our Gold Star families, to our wounded warriors and their loved ones — we will never forget your sacrifice,” Caine continued. “Our nation stands with you and we are eternally grateful for your courage, your resiliency, your devotion to this mission and to our nation.” The Department of War on Monday identified four of the six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in a March 1 drone attack in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury, and officials said the incident remains under investigation. US STRIKES MORE THAN 1,700 TARGETS IN IRAN DURING FIRST 72 HOURS OF OPERATION EPIC FURY The soldiers were killed at the Port of Shuaiba during what officials described as an unmanned aircraft system attack. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides logistical and operational support to U.S. forces overseas. Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said the loss is deeply felt across the force. “We honor our fallen heroes who served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation,” Harter said. “Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten.” Officials said the soldiers were supporting operations in the region when the drone strike occurred. Khork enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a multiple launch rocket system/fire direction specialist before commissioning as a military police officer in the Army Reserve in 2014. He went on to deploy to Saudi Arabia, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland. Amor joined the National Guard in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist. She transferred to the Army Reserve the following year, and went on to deploy to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. She earned multiple commendations, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Tietjens entered the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and completed two deployments to Kuwait since 2009 and 2019. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star across his career. The youngest of the four identified soldiers, Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. He was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant and awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Whatley links Cooper to transit killing, accuses Dem of freeing ‘rapists and murderers’
North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley took aim at his top Democratic opponent ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, tying former Gov. Roy Cooper to the conditions he says led to the stabbing death of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s transit system last year. On Aug. 22, 2025, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, is accused of stabbing Zarutska to death near the East West Boulevard light rail station in Mecklenburg County as she rode the train. Critics say Cooper’s 2021 settlement with civil rights groups over COVID-19 prison conditions is connected to Brown being released from custody. However, claims about Brown being released because of this settlement have been fact-checked multiple times as false, according to reports including WRAL — which reported Brown was “allowed to be included on a list of prisoners released early even though the settlement had no bearing on his case.” In a message to the media ahead of Tuesday’s election, Whatley’s campaign titled its victory party press invitation “Deets on where DeCarlos Brown will not be on primary night.” CHARLOTTE MAYOR WINS LANDSLIDE REELECTION DESPITE CONTROVERSY OVER IRYNA ZARUTSKA’S SLAYING “Hint: Not at Michael Whatley’s primary night victory party at Noble Smoke in Charlotte,” the release read. At the bottom, the Whatley campaign launched another broadside, writing that “no, we don’t know for sure if all the child molesters, rapists, and murderers released by Roy Cooper will be at the Cooper party, but we bet those same child molesters, rapists, and murderers are in the Cooper camp.” PAM BONDI TORCHES DEMOCRATS FOR REFUSING TO STAND FOR GRIEVING MOTHER OF MURDERED REFUGEE AT SOTU A Cooper campaign spokesperson fired back at Whatley in comments to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “These Republican attacks are false — Roy Cooper is the only candidate who spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars as attorney general and signing tough-on-crime laws and a stricter pretrial release bail policy as governor,” the spokesperson said. “DC insider lobbyist Michael Whatley is desperate to distract from his support for cuts to law enforcement that make North Carolinians less safe,” they added. Whatley and Cooper won their respective primaries on Tuesday and will face off to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. Earlier Tuesday, Tillis launched his own broadside against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, criticizing her handling of FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated western North Carolina. In the Zarutska case, FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro blamed “systemic failures” within the transit system of the state’s largest city, citing reports showing crime onboard is higher than the national average.
Hegseth says the leader behind effort to assassinate Trump has been ‘hunted down and killed’ in Iran
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that an Iranian leader behind a unit that attempted to assassinate President Trump has been killed in Iran amid Operation Epic Fury. “The leader of the unit that attempted to assassinate Trump has been hunted down and killed,” Hegseth said during a press conference Wednesday morning. “Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth continued. “Now, this is not a ‘mission accomplished’ situation. This is simply a reality check.” FROM HOSTAGE CRISIS TO ASSASSINATION PLOTS: IRAN’S NEAR HALF-CENTURY WAR ON AMERICANS In 2024, Iran-linked actors attempted to arrange an assassination plot to take out the president. Iran has previously threatened to assassinate Trump following the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. In 2022, an Iranian video depicted an assassination attempt on Trump while he played golf. U.S. officials confirmed earlier this week that strikes on Iran, which began Saturday, killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump reflected on Khamenei’s death in a call to ABC News’ Jonathan Karl earlier this week, saying: “I got him before he got me.” “They tried twice,” Trump continued, referring to Iran’s previous attempts on his life. “Well, I got him first.” TRUMP SAYS US SANK 10 SHIPS IN IRAN STRIKE, ‘LAST, BEST CHANCE’ TO ACT Meanwhile, Hegseth, on Wednesday said the combination of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and combat power “will control Iran and will control it soon.” “America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy,” Hegseth said.
Fallen US soldiers in Operation Epic Fury remembered as patriotic, dedicated
The four identified U.S. soldiers killed in a March 1 drone attack in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury were described as a martial arts instructor father who was a proven leader, a “spitfire” mother of two, a patriotic history buff who followed his calling in life, and a 20-year-old whose dedication foretold a bright future. The fallen service members were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Florida; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa. Two additional soldiers killed in the attack have not yet been publicly identified. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides logistical and operational support to U.S. forces overseas. The soldiers were killed at the Port of Shuaiba during what officials described as an unmanned aircraft system attack. Officials said the incident remains under investigation. TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ Tietjens entered the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and completed two deployments to Kuwait in 2009 and 2019. Tietjens’ twin brother, Nicholas, told The New York Times that his brother was a “great leader” who was three months away from finishing his deployment and returning home. Tietjens had taken up martial arts with his wife Shelly and a teenage son, Dylan, according to the newspaper. Tietjens became an instructor, dreaming of opening his own studio. Julius Melegrito, the owner of Martial Arts International, told The Times that Tietjens possessed the qualities of a great teacher: calm, confidence and a soft-spoken demeanor. Melegrito’s wife, Faith, remembered Tietjens having a “commanding presence and friendly aura,” telling the paper she would “always feel more calm when he’s around, because I knew he would look at what’s needed and he would take care of it.” His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star. Amor joined the National Guard in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist and transferred to the Army Reserve the following year. She deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. Amor’s brother, Derek Hoff, told The Times that after 20 years of service, his sister was finally thinking about retirement to spend more time with her kids, an 18-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. US CASUALTIES RISE TO 6 FOLLOWING IRANIAN RETALIATION FOR MASSIVE STRIKES “She just missed them,” Hoff said. “It was a yearning for her kids.” He described his sister as “a spitfire” who “knew what she signed up for, and she did it because she had a job and a duty.” Amor earned multiple commendations throughout her service, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. But her biggest accomplishments, according to Hoff, were becoming a mother and later a surrogate. Khork enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a multiple launch rocket system/fire direction specialist before commissioning as a military police officer in the Army Reserve in 2014. He deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2018; Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, in 2021; and Poland in 2024. TRUMP PLEDGES TO ‘AVENGE’ FALLEN US SERVICE MEMBERS AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN INTENSIFY His family said in a statement on Tuesday that he had always “felt a calling to serve his country,” living a life “defined by devotion, character, and service.” “He was deeply patriotic and took great pride in serving something greater than himself,” the family said. “He lived with purpose, loved deeply, and served honorably,” they continued. “His legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the example he set, and the love of country and family that defined him.” Khork had a passion for history, earning a degree in political science and becoming a leader in the ROTC program at Florida Southern College, according to his family. His awards include the meritorious service medal, Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 10 Year Device and “M” Device. The youngest of the four identified soldiers, Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist and was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant. Coady was a sophomore at Drake University in Des Moines. The school said he was studying information systems, cybersecurity and computer science. The university released a statement describing Coady as “a well-loved and highly dedicated” student who “had an incredibly bright future ahead of him.” His awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Following the loss of the six soldiers, Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said each “served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation.” “Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten,” Harter said. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
US whiskey exports to Canada collapse nearly 70% after Trump tariff fight
EXCLUSIVE: LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A year after Canadian provinces yanked American whiskey from store shelves in a trade clash triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, U.S. spirits exports have collapsed by nearly 70%, gutting what had been one of the industry’s most important overseas markets. In 2025, Canada slid from the second-largest destination for American spirits to sixth, as exports declined two-thirds to $89 million, according to data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Before the dispute, the market had generated roughly $250 million annually for American distillers. The drop was immediate and relentless. From March through December, exports fell from $203 million in 2024 to just $60 million in 2025 — a roughly $143 million wipeout. FROM BOURBON TO BORDEAUX: TRUMP’S TARIFFS SPILL INTO GLOBAL BOOZE MARKETS Despite the lifting of some tariffs, most Canadian provinces continue to shut American alcohol out of retail stores. “Our industry thrives in a zero-for-zero tariff environment,” Chris Swonger, DISCUS president and CEO, told Fox News Digital. The export downturn comes as Trump continues to use tariffs as economic leverage — a strategy his administration argues is designed to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and reduce trade imbalances. While Swonger said the industry recognizes the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce trade imbalances, he noted that the loss of Canadian shelf space has had a significant impact on exports. “Since Liberation Day, it’s unfortunate to report that our industry has lost over 70% of our exports to Canada because many provinces have decided not to carry American spirits,” Swonger said. ‘WE WERE RIGHT’: HE TOOK TRUMP’S TARIFFS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON Nowhere is the fallout felt more acutely than in Kentucky, the epicenter of America’s bourbon business. The Bluegrass State is bourbon’s beating heart, producing 95% of the world’s supply, employing more than 23,000 workers and generating a cool $9 billion annually, according to figures provided by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. RAND PAUL: BOURBON INDUSTRY ‘HATES’ BEING A TARGET IN US TRADE FIGHTS For distillers on the ground, the trade dispute doesn’t end at the border. Owen Martin, master distiller at Angel’s Envy, said the consequences reach into the bourbon-making process itself. “There are the tariffs on finished goods and on us shipping abroad, but I’m even thinking a step below that,” Martin said. KENTUCKY LEADERS TOAST TO RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH IN THE BOURBON INDUSTRY He pointed to barrels as one example. By law, bourbon must be aged in new American oak barrels, which can only be used once for bourbon production. But port casks — used to finish Angel’s Envy bourbon — can be reused multiple times. “Those are the sorts of things, as a maker, that I have to be aware of in any given year,” Martin said. “You have different opportunities and different challenges.” Beyond supply chain pressures, the export downturn is largely tied to provincial retail bans in Canada. The majority of provinces have yet to restore American alcohol to government-run retail stores. Swonger said the dispute has produced a striking irony between two whiskey-loving nations. “American consumers love Canadian whisky, and Canadians love Kentucky bourbon,” he said. “We’re hoping this gets resolved.”