Former FBI Agent Tells Fox News That Biden Administration Created 'Factories of Indoctrination' That Killed Charlie Kirk

A former FBI agent told Fox News host Trey Gowdy on Sunday that the Biden administration may be partially responsible for inspiring the assassin of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was participating in a "Prove Me Wrong" event sponsored by TPUSA at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when an assassin fatally shot him, authorities say. Former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan said indicting the accused assassin , 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, would be the easy part.

Let's be honest, the formality of charging Tyler Robinson is going to be easy. There is an old saying, 'You can indict a ham sandwich,'" Kaplan said. "Really, I think the overwhelming concern will be when it comes time to have the rubber meet the road and selecting a qualified pool of jurors and to see 12 people that, quite frankly, will leave out their bias and their notions of what side they sit on. Can we get a fair and impartial jury to just judge this case on what seems to be the overwhelming amount of evidence?

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But, Trey, I also want to address something that I think is much more important and at the forefront of the FBI," Kaplan continued. "I think the FBI is very concerned right now that the previous administration, quite frankly, allowed our classrooms to become factories of indoctrination of extreme ideology, and these kids have been fed nonsense, they're lying in wait in isolation on social media platforms, on video games. And Tyler Robinson is not alone.

Republican Governor Spencer Cox of Utah told "This Week" host Martha Raddatz that Robinson was in romantic relationship with a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman — and Robinson's reported boyfriend is cooperating with authorities, while Robinson is not cooperating.

As this case moves further away from just a few days ago, because this case is not good to be tried in a week, in a month, and probably sometime next year, you're going to get those people who will be empathetic and sympathetic and say, you know, he is a 22-year-old child who was brainwashed or indoctrinated, and quite frankly, there is some truth [to that]," Kaplan said. "The problem in our society is that our politicians, and certainly the former administration, laid the groundwork that we no longer have the standard of what moral fiber should look like.

READ: NY Times Reporter: President Trump and Staff 'Struggling' After Charlie Kirk's Assassination

We've taken faith out of the classroom. We have allowed people to desecrate our country, desecrate our flag," Kaplan continued. "We allowed kids in the highest institutions, Ivy League institutions, to tear them down and destroy them and burn them with anti-Semitic behavior that in my time you could never imagine that that would've ever been condoned and tolerated.

Biden's representatives did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Pro-Hamas demonstrations since October 7, 2023, at multiple universities and colleges attack by the radical Islamic terrorist group that killed over 1,200 people in Israel have seen anti-Israel protesters occupy buildings, chant a slogan that has connotations of wiping out Israel and block Jewish students from parts of campus.

"So we're living in this kind of cesspool, and quite frankly, we need to figure out how we're going to turn the corner and clean this mess up," Kaplan said.

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Commentary: Fox News is going to extremes not to cover Epstein and that alleged Trump doodle

Fox News doesn't want to talk about the crude doodle of a naked woman, with its creepy message printed across her breasts and torso, and a signature — "Donald" — in her pubic area.

And it certainly doesn't want to draw attention to a newly released photo of the convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein holding a oversized check signed "DJTRUMP," with a caption that reads, "Jeffrey showing early talents with money + women! Sells 'fully depreciated [female's name redacted]' to Donald Trump for $22,500."

While just about everyone has had something to say about the most damning documents yet to come out of the so-called Epstein files , America's No. 1 cable news network has chosen to sit this one out.

Questions about President Trump's shared history with the nation's most notorious sex offender rose to the top of news feeds Tuesday after the Republican-led House Oversight Committee released documents to the public that it had subpoenaed from the Epstein estate. The material included notes, drawings and photos from friends and associates to Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003.

The "body art" letter that appears to be written by Trump features this bizarre, imaginary conversation:

Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything.

Donald: Yes, there is, but I won't tell you what it is.

Jeffrey: Nor will I, since I already know what it is.

Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: Yes, we do, come to think of it.

Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?

Jeffrey: As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.

Donald: A friend is a wonderful thing. Happy birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.

Fox News on Tuesday suppressed the sleazy birthday note like a dark family secret and instead focused on safer, more comfortable subject matter, like Bill Clinton. But there wasn't much to say since the birthday greeting that appeared to have been signed by the former president lacked drawings of naked females or implications about buying girls and/or women for sex. The short passage praised Epstein's "childlike curiosity." Fortunately, Fox had other breaking stories to chase.

Host Sean Hannity focused on a deadly North Carolina train stabbing and how it implicated Democrats' "woke" criminal policies. Earlier in the day, Fox News was busy plumbing the depths of the Biden "autopen" scandal after a bombshell report.

Fox News' website was equally as busy avoiding the nation's top story. It led with "Charlotte mayor scores primary re-election victory amid national backlash over gruesome train murder" and another breaking story: "Hellfire missile bounces off mysterious orb in stunning UAP footage shown to Congress."

Its story on the scandalous documents? "Inside Epstein's infamous 'birthday book': Clinton's note, poolside candid photos and bizarre animal pictures." The piece was toward the bottom of the page, tucked away like dirty laundry. It never once mentioned Trump.

Ghislaine Maxwell compiled the birthday book, collecting sentiments from Epstein's friends and then gifting the album to her high-rolling financier bestie. Less than two decades later, the duo would be convicted of sex trafficking, among other charges. Epstein died in jail of a reported suicide In 2019, Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term.

Trump said Tuesday when asked to respond to the birthday letter, "I don't comment on something that's a dead issue. I gave all comments to the staff. It's a dead issue." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday during a briefing that "the president did not write this letter. He didn't sign this letter." She said the administration would be open to a handwriting expert reviewing the signature on the letter.

But several news organizations have beaten them to it and compared the signature on the Epstein letter against Trump's signature on other documents and found them to be similar .

The alleged Trump letter was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, when the president denied writing it and said it was "a fake thing." He filed a lawsuit against the paper's publisher, reporters and executives, including News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch.

The album also contains messages that appear to be from other notable personalities, including the current U.K. ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson; Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, who was part of a legal team representing Trump during his first impeachment trial; and billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner.

The caption under the novelty-check photo appears to be written by Joel Pashcow, a Mar-a-Lago club member and former chairman of a New York real estate company. The woman's name and photo are redacted in the caption and the image. Lawyers for Epstein's estate removed the names and photos of women and minors who appeared in the book so possible victims of Epstein could not be identified.

Other drawings in the book make Trump's alleged contribution look tame. They include a disturbing illustration of Epstein handing out balloons to young girls. Fox did mention the drawings of Epstein being massaged by several topless women around a pool, and the one of a zebra having sex with a lion. How much time until it's suggested that it could be the work of Biden's autopen? 5,4,3...

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

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Shock move from senior ABC correspondent after alleged secret warship trip

• Reporter failed to disclose $16,000 junket

A high-profile ABC journalist has resigned from the public broadcaster, 10 weeks after allegations emerged that he had accepted a paid work trip to Germany and had not disclosed it.

Andrew Greene was the ABC's defense correspondent when he reported on German manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) earlier this year.

Media Watch revealed in June that Mr. Greene had traveled as a guest of the company while telling his bosses he was on annual leave.

The journalist did not inform his bosses about the arrangement, and a segment was broadcast promoting TKMS, which was competing against Japan-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for a contract to build a fleet of Australian warships.

The senior defense correspondent filed a segment for The World Today about TKMS, including quotes from its chief executive Oliver Burkhard.

"We know what we're doing," Mr. Burkhard told Mr. Greene in the report.

I know our competitors, they have never been exported in the past.

The ABC had thought that Mr. Greene had obtained audio of Mr. Burkhard's press conference by email, rather than traveling to Germany in person.

"Across northern Germany, shipyards are at capacity as military orders increase. Rising global strategic tensions mean business is booming," Mr. Greene reported.

After revelations of Greene's alleged junket came to light, the story was removed from the ABC website.

Other media, including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, did disclose the travel arrangements to readers at the time.

Media Watch host Linton Besser exposed the veteran journalist and said he had become "undone by weakness before temptation" and that the scandal would undermine trust in journalistic institutions.

Greene spent 10 weeks on leave while the broadcaster investigated the allegations before he resigned on Monday.

Canberra bureau chief David Lipson advised ABC staff in an email.

"The ABC maintains the importance of upholding its editorial and other policies," Mr. Lipson wrote.

In June, ABC stated that the Media Watch allegations were serious, and if proven, Greene's actions would be "unacceptable and could constitute misconduct."

The junket to Germany on a business-class return ticket was worth around $16,000, which also included hotel stays in Hamburg and Kiel, paid for by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

The ABC confirmed to Daily Mail that Greene had resigned.

"We thank Andrew for the great contribution he has made to the ABC and to audiences, including his excellent reporting as National Security and Defence Reporter, and wish him all the best," a spokesperson said.

The ABC maintains the importance of upholding its editorial and other policies.

Greene joined ABC in 2010 and had been the broadcaster's defense correspondent for the last decade.

Australia's $10 billion warship program has attracted plenty of international competition among global shipbuilders, particularly since Defence Minister Richard Marles' 2023 announcement of an ambitious naval shipbuilding program.

These companies have spared no expense, even hosting foreign journalists on luxurious press trips to showcase their naval technology and promote their bids.

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CU Boulder police investigate report of shots fired as a hoax, shelter-in-place lifted for Norlin Library

DENVER (KDVR) — Police at the University of Colorado Boulder responded on Monday to what is now being investigated as a "potential swatting incident at Norlin Library." Police said there had been reports of shots fired at the library.

Swatting refers to a prank call or message to an official emergency service in an attempt to bring a large number of armed officers to a specific area, which can be dangerous to civilians.

At about 8:20 p.m., the university sent an email about the incident to the campus community, stating that the campus was "the latest in a string of hoaxes directed at campuses around the country with false active-harmer reports."

The CU Boulder Police Department has determined there was and is no threat to campus," the college said in the release. The agency said that it had received a report from someone claiming to be at Sewall Hall who had heard gunshots in the direction of Norlin Library. "There were no findings of injuries or any suspect.

The university said the campus community will see an increase in visible officers at residence halls and the Norlin Library in the coming days.

The CU Boulder Police Department issued a campus-wide shelter-in-place at about 4:54 p.m. and said in a second message to campus that they were evacuating Norlin Library and Sewall Hall after responding to a call near Norlin Library. The police department said Sewall Hall was "cleared."

The campus-wide shelter in place was limited to a main campus shelter in place at about 5:16 p.m., which meant East Campus was no longer subject to the shelter in place order, and at about 5:40 p.m., the shelter-in-place order was further limited to just Norlin Library. The final shelter-in-place order was lifted at about 8:18 p.m.

There was a heavy police presence in the area of the library and the residence hall on Monday evening as police investigated the shots-fired reports and potential swatting.

The police department stated around 5:30 p.m. that it had found no signs of injuries or a suspect.

• 

CU Boulder police said that as of 7:30 p.m., Buff Bus routes were impacted along Colorado and 18th Street through campus while police worked to clear the rest of Norlin Library. The agency said that riders will receive a push notification from the transit app when buses resume their normal schedules.

Additionally, the police department said that anyone who left items inside the library can meet officers at the east side doors of the library to be escorted inside and retrieve belongings between 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Monday night.

FOX31's Shaul Turner spoke to one student who stayed inside an adjacent building until learning it was safe to leave.

"I had to kind of put myself back into that mental space where if I'm on campus, there's a possibility that I'm a target, and that's kind of a bizarre pill to have to swallow," said Patrick Dawson.

Students told FOX31 that those who cause law enforcement resources to be wasted on pranks should think twice about the impact of their actions.

"I think the people that do it are just like kind of messed up," said a student walking near the library.

The incident occurred at the beginning of the school year, disrupting the joy and excitement of those new to the campus.

"I come here to study for my future and it gets interrupted by something like this. I couldn't go to a class today," said one student.

The library will be closed for the night and reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday. Anyone who is unable to retrieve belongings tonight can go to the security office at room M298 on the second floor of the library during normal business hours on Tuesday.

A number of hoax mass shootings have been reported in the past few days. On Monday, the University of South Carolina Police Department said it believes an active shooter alert on Sunday was part of a swatting hoax. There were also false shooting reports at Iowa State University and Villanova University, and on Monday, law enforcement at the University of Arkansas had received multiple reports of active shooters, but had found no threat. A similar incident occurred at Kansas State University on Monday.

CU Boulder's Norlin Library houses collections of humanities, social sciences and life sciences, rare and distinctive collections, and more. The building is located in the 1700 block of Pleasant Street in Boulder.

FOX31's Shaul Turner contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Radio Martí is alive and well and broadcasting to Cuba from Miami. Here's how | Opinion

On March 26, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which oversees Radio and TV Martí reopened its doors amid a sweeping transformation of its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM)

Faced with staffing limitations, we recommitted ourselves to our core mission: delivering timely, accurate, and uncensored information to the Cuban people.

OCB is not just a media organization - it is a lifeline to truth for millions living under authoritarian control. What we achieved in the weeks that followed is a testament to our team's dedication and to the enduring value of public service journalism.

Here's how we did it:

Through careful analysis of audience patterns and programming needs, we realigned our content schedules to focus on high-impact time blocks.

Our review of staff roles allowed us to reassign tasks more efficiently, and we adjusted work shifts to ensure full coverage with fewer hands. We relaunched Radio Martí with a dynamic, 24-hour format featuring original programming, trusted newscasts and curated evergreen content.

Our technical and production teams were restructured and unified under a single editorial and operational vision. Since March, we have done more than resume operations - we have innovated. We launched State Affairs – State Affairs in partnership with the U.S. State Department's Media Hub of the Americas, bringing direct and transparent diplomatic insights to the Cuban public.

Our collaboration with Trinity Audio, an AI-powered text-to-speech tool, exceeded 1.5 million plays in one year - clear proof of growing demand for our content.

On May 20, we marked the 40th anniversary of Radio Martí. The celebration drew broad support: Miami U.S. Rep. Congressman Carlos Giménez submitted the date into the Congressional Record and Miami-Dade County issued an official proclamation delivered by Commissioner Juan Carlos "JC" Bermúdez.

We premiered two short documentaries that reflect the spirit of resistance and the enduring demand for freedom among Cubans. "Ferrer, Portrait of a Dissident" chronicles over 20 years of activism by José Daniel Ferrer, one of the island's most prominent opposition figures.

"Ramón Saúl Sánchez and His Struggle" highlights the tireless work of the well-known Cuban exile leader and advocate for human rights and democratic change. Both films serve not only as tributes to individual courage but also as reminders of a broader movement that continues to push for liberty - on and off the island.

We also resumed shortwave broadcasting to Cuba. On June 27, transmissions from the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station in North Carolina returned broadcasting on three frequencies. This expanded reach is more than a technical achievement - it is a moral obligation to ensure our signal breaks through censorship barriers.

Since the start of FY 2025, OCB has recorded over 622 million video views on Facebook, with 223.7 million meeting the 3-second industry engagement standard, and 65% of those views coming from Cuba.

Our efforts are reaching people inside Cuba. In June alone, Facebook videos reached 100.7 million views, including 35.5 million 3-second views. On YouTube, we recorded 1.6 million views in June, with 51.3% of that audience in Cuba. Overall, YouTube has reached 19.4 million views this fiscal year, with 52% originating from within the island. These figures are verified by Meta Business Suite's Professional Dashboard.

None of this would have been possible without the consistent support of Cuban American elected officials who have fiercely defended OCB's mission.

In President Donald Trump's National Security Memorandum, OCB's role was explicitly reaffirmed as a key component of the renewed Cuba Internet Task Force, charged with expanding online access to the Cuban population. That designation was not symbolic - it was strategic. The ability to inform, connect and empower a society isolated from the world begins with access to truth. OCB remains a vital actor in that effort.

OCB has proven that with purpose, resilience and innovation, we can achieve extraordinary results. Our mission remains clear: to be a trusted source of information for Cubans, a platform for the voiceless and a force against censorship.

Alvaro Alba is the deputy director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. Click here to listen to Radio Marti online.

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Los Angeles Times Owner Reveals He's Taking Newspaper Public

The Los Angeles Times is set to go public, that's according to billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong who made the surprise announcement in an interview with Jon Stewart on Monday's episode of The Daily Show

In a wide-ranging interview, Soon-Shiong spoke about his medical research work as well as his ownership of the Times . After Stewart asked whether there was a conflict of interest in Soon-Shiong seeking FDA approval for some of his businesses as well as owning a major newspaper, the billionaire replied that he would look to "take" L.A. Times public, [for it] to be democratized. And allow the public to have ownership of this paper," to move away from ethical concerns. Soon-Shiong said he hoped the move would take the Times The public would happen over the next year, and he was working with an organization to make it happen.

Soon-Shiong, a South African-American transplant surgeon and medical researcher turned pharmaceuticals billionaire, acquired the Los Angeles Times , as well as the San Diego Tribune and some other assets for $500 million in 2018 . In an interview for PBS at the time of the purchase, Soon-Shiong explained his reasons for buying it Times It's so important for democracy. It's important for education. It's important for this country. And it's an institution that I think we need to protect," Soon-Shiong said. "I grew up in Apartheid South Africa, the only thing that was my respite was the newspaper.

However, under Soon-Shiong, the Times , particularly in the last few years, has been beset with internal problems and external criticism, as the paper faced declining readership and struggled to keep a lid on growing political and ideological differences between staff and ownership. 2024 proved to be something of an annus horribilis for the Times , with the year beginning with the high profile exit of top editor Kevin Merida and reports of a tug-of-war for control over the Times . Last year also saw threats of a newsroom walkout from staff, a round of layoffs , the exit of star critic Justin Chang , and most seismic of all, the decision by the paper not to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election .

The non-endorsement scandal became a national story, and Soon-Shiong faced fierce criticism, with a number of top editors including Robert Greene, Mariel Garza and Karin Klein resigning from the Times . Vice President Kamala Harris called the paper's non-endorsement "disappointing." Post-election, Soon-Shiong has looked to shift the Times ' image as an avowedly liberal paper and done interviews with the likes of Fox News outlining his push to make the Times cover "views both sides."

"We've conflated news and opinion," Soon-Shiong said in the appearance on Fox News @ Night in November 2024. "So, the first thing I want to do is ensure that we explicitly say 'This is news.' And if it's news, it should just be the facts, period. And if it's an opinion, that's maybe an opinion of the news and that's what I call now a 'voice.'"

In March, Soon-Shiong again raised eyebrows among the paper's staff with the introduction of an AI-powered feature that analyzes stories for their political viewpoint . The newspaper's new "Insights" tool, which places stories along the political spectrum, "risks further eroding confidence in the news," said one union leader.

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As Trump targets Murdoch's media, Fox News faces a dilemma

On Fox News, the network's pro-Trump opinion hosts often promote the president's latest attack on the mainstream media. That became a bit more complicated on Friday, when the president sued the Wall Street Journal, another part of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit in federal court in Florida, arguing that he was defamed by a July 17 story in the Wall Street Journal Reporting that he sent a "bawdy" letter to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 to mark his 50th birthday. In the lawsuit, which also named the two reporters on the story as well as other corporate entities and leaders, Trump's lawyers alleged the letter was fake. "Defendants concocted this story to malign President Trump's character and integrity and deceptively portray him in a false light," they wrote.

So far, the lawsuit has only been mentioned twice on Fox, most thoroughly in a segment on the media-focused Sunday show hosted by Howard Kurtz. "By accusing the newspaper of libel in a filing in Miami, the president has drawn extra attention to the Journal's story," the host said. "Whether the accusations in the Wall Street Journal are defamatory will be determined in court."

On Friday, Fox News anchor Bret Baier broke the news to the network's audience that Trump is "taking his own legal action, according to court records, filing a defamation lawsuit pushing back against the Wall Street Journal's story that came out today." Rich Edson, Fox's senior national correspondent, outlined the allegations in the story and said the network had not confirmed the Journal's reporting. He also noted that the Journal "shares ownership with Fox News."

Elsewhere in the Murdoch media universe, his New York Post wrote a straightforward story on Saturday morning about the lawsuit, noting the company's response from high up. Post columnist and Fox News contributor Miranda Devine waded into dicier territory by calling the Journal's piece a "nothingburger" in a column on Sunday , however, she said, "I can't express my own views about the merits or otherwise of the story for legal reasons since The Post and the WSJ are owned by the same parent company." She also described the piece as "mild compared to the lurid rumors and wishful thinking that swept through Washington, DC." (The case was assigned to District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles, who was nominated by President Barack Obama in 2014.)

Outside of Baier's "Special Report," the original Journal story also received little attention on Fox, in contrast with the widespread coverage it received elsewhere.

On the Thursday edition of her 7 p.m. show, Laura Ingraham previewed a segment on "a new report" from the Journal regarding Epstein. But the segment never materialized. The story was briefly mentioned on the network's Saturday afternoon program, "The Journal Editorial Report," hosted by Journal editorial page editor Paul Gigot.

While non-Murdoch networks devoted significant airtime to Epstein and the controversy surrounding the Justice Department's handling of files related to his crimes and possible associates, Fox took a lighter approach. Between July 14 and July 20, the word "Epstein" was used 617 times on CNN and 751 times on MSNBC, but only 160 times on Fox News, according to a Washington Post search using the media monitoring service ShadowTV. Some hosts on Newsmax, Fox's primary competitor in the world of conservative cable news, have even criticized the network for largely avoiding the story.

Fox host Maria Bartiromo opened her "Sunday Morning Futures" program by saying she would start with "the biggest political scandal of all." She was not referring to the Epstein revelations, but to allegations from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about a "treasonous conspiracy" to harm Trump after the 2016 election.

We can't waste our time on Epstein and other things going on here that some people want us to focus on," Fox News host Mark Levin said Sunday, talking about the Republican Party's priorities. "I've had enough of all that stuff.

While it is an uncomfortable position for any television network to cover a corporate relative in the news, the split structure of the Murdoch media empire provides some distance. Journal publisher Dow Jones is part of News Corp., which is a separate company from Fox, even though they share an office building in Manhattan. Murdoch and his family hold a controlling interest in both companies and tried to merge them in 2022, but they abandoned that effort a few months later.

Murdoch himself has been pretty careful to separate the Journal, both in its aggressiveness and its editorial standards, from Fox and also from the New York Post and some of his other properties," said Bill Grueskin, a journalism professor at Columbia University, who once served as managing editor of the Journal's digital arm. "He's smart enough to realize that the Journal's audience isn't really looking for the kinds of things that Maria Bartiromo and Sean Hannity are doing.

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5 Questions for ... NBC News' Here's the Scoop Podcast

The rapid shift of the news cycle from one story to the next has meant that NBC News must keep its audience informed throughout the day about the latest developments, wherever they may be and on any platform.

On June 23, it launched its latest offering, Here's the Scoop. It's a 15-minute weekday afternoon podcast - timed to afternoon commutes - that offers a daily deep dive into one or two of the day's top stories and a rundown of the day's top headlines.

Morgan Chesky , Brian Cheung , and Yasmin Vossoughian are the rotating hosts of the podcast, each bringing their unique style to the streaming show.

In launching Here's The Scoop, Catherine Kim , EVP of Editorial, said in a memo to staff that the podcast "aims to showcase the incredible talent of our journalists, the breadth and depth of our expertise, and our resources."

Future plans for Here's the Scoop, which is typically available at 5 p.m. ET and can be streamed from various platforms, include filming portions of it to publish on YouTube, further expanding its reach.

TVNewser got Shalini Sharma , who oversees the podcast, as well as the three hosts, to give us the, ahem, "scoop" on NBC News' latest venture.

1. What makes a scoop a scoop?

Sharma: Scoop has several meanings for us. A scoop is an exclusive NBC News story, the biggest headlines with context, or the backstory behind today's biggest stories, while always combining them with the expertise and reporting of our correspondents and reporters. We're hoping listeners will come away from our podcast episodes with some insights they didn't have before.

2. What differentiates Here's the Scoop from all the other news-focused podcasts out there?

Our differentiators are our talent, the time Here's the Scoop rolls out, and our format. We lean into using the podcast medium to showcase the expertise of our correspondents and reporters on the biggest stories and their respective beats. We are also targeting the afternoon/evening audience with a daily 5 p.m. ET versus the more crowded morning timeslot. Plus, our format is leading with one or two deeper-dive conversations and closing the show with a few headlines which broke - or ones which have had developments - since the listener’s morning news touchpoint, all in under 15 minutes. Another format choice is to include the voices of the people impacted by the stories we cover to give you a chance to hear from those living these stories and to humanize them. We saw this most recently when one of our hosts, Morgan Chesky, talked to those impacted by the floods in Kerrville, Texas, his hometown.

3. Question for Morgan Chesky: What is the one thing we should know about the impact of the floods in central Texas?

Chesky: These floods didn't just hit close to home for me - it was home. Growing up in Kerrville, you learn early on to respect the power of the Guadalupe River. But this flood wasn't just another chapter - it completely rewrote the story. As my mom shared during my conversation with her on Here's the Scoop, Texans are resilient, and that is never more evident than it is in the aftermath of this tragedy.

NBC News correspondent Morgan Chesky asked his mom what it was like to see the catastrophic flooding that overwhelmed his hometown of Kerrville, Texas, over the weekend. Listen to the full episode of "Here's the Scoop" wherever you get your podcasts. apple.co/4ny9thb [image or embed]

— NBC News ( @nbcnews.com ) July 8, 2025 at 11:02 AM

4. Question for Brian Cheung: Will we really feel the impact of the tariffs?

Cheung: Yes, but it's a matter of "when." We're not seeing massive price spikes in the data right now, but how tariffs work is that when companies have to pay 10%, 20%, or 145% more to bring items in from abroad, they either have to absorb the cost from their profits or pass it on to consumers in the form of higher prices. It's a fascinating story about corporate America's willingness to absorb the shocks coming from Washington, a story we'll continue to follow on the podcast.

5. Question for Yasmin Vossoughian: What was it like reporting from the West Bank and Israel?

Vossoughian: When it comes to international conflicts steeped in history, there is no other way to report on them than from the region. Reporting from Israel and Gaza for me always reminds me why I do what I do: to give voice to the voiceless, tell stories that would have never otherwise been told to an American audience, and tell stories that make a real difference in the way people see the world. That inspires me and makes me want to do more.

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Fox News interrupts show for breaking news alert - as Israel turns back on Rubio

Fox News halted their broadcast to deliver the breaking news that Israel has carried out airstrikes on the Syrian capital following Marco Rubio's pleas for "the fighting to stop."

Fox News Anchors paused their regular programming to announce that the Israeli military has targeted Syria's military headquarters in Damascus. Fox News' Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst reported the violence on Wednesday morning as the network showed shocking footage of smoke pouring out of high-rise buildings.

According to reports by the New York Times , the strikes resulted in "extensive" damage to the region and at least nine injuries to civilians. This update is bad news for the US Secretary of State Rubio, who has expressed his grave concern over the conflict this week. It comes amid alarming fears for Donald Trump's health after shocking new photos of his ankles.

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Violence in Sweida has continued for days, with more than 200 people killed, marking one of the deadliest clashes to impact the area in years. A ceasefire in Sweida was announced on Tuesday, but violence has continued between government forces and Druze fighters since, according to Syrian authorities.

According to reports by Newsweek Rubio told reporters in Washington D.C. that he is "very concerned" about the violence in southern Syria and that he "wants the fighting to stop."

Rubio went on to add, "We're going to be working on that issue as we speak. I just got off the phone with the relevant parties. We're very concerned about it, and hopefully we'll have some updates later today."

The former Senator of Florida is currently serving as Trump's U.S. Secretary of State and has been actively involved in U.S. policy and diplomacy in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Since joining Trump's administration this year, Rubio has expressed a strong pro-Israel stance.

And as Fox News' Yingst continues to cover the growing tensions in the Middle East, he has emphasized the importance of covering the sensitive topic with humanity. In a recent interview with Forbes The journalist said, "I'm often disappointed by the lack of empathy and curiosity that some humans have for one another."

He continued, "With that in mind, I try hard to highlight humanity amid war, to encourage empathy from viewers and to educate our audience in a way that connects, rather than divides."

During his career, the Fox News photojournalist has visited dangerous areas of unrest, including Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Gaza. Speaking on the photos he's captured on his travels, Yingst said, "It's a passion project."

He continued, "I want someone to be able to look at a photo or video I took and say: 'Hey, those people seem just like me.' Most of the time, that's the case. Civilians make up the majority of every conflict we cover around the world."

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1,000 US counties without full-time local journalists: Report

The number of local journalists per capita in the United States has declined by about 75 percent on average since 2002, according to a report by the nonprofit Rebuild Local News and Muck Rack, an aggregator of journalism bylines.

That includes more than 1,000 counties — about 1 in 3 — that do not have the equivalent of a full-time journalist, according to the report, which attempts to quantify the scale of America’s local news shortage.

The report said that fewer local journalists means fewer watchful eyes on school boards, local sports, businesses, town and city government, and other important local institutions, calling the issue "more severe and widespread than previously thought."

"The loss of local news relates to so many other problems plaguing the US: Polarization, radicalization, loneliness, lack of trust in everyone and everything," Brian Stelter, CNN's media reporter, wrote on social media .

Previous reports have attempted To chronicle the loss of local newspapers as long-time owners sell them and more and more outlets are acquired by regional or national chains. The report from Rebuild Local News and Muck Rack, however, may be the first of its kind to attempt to count reporters, not outlets.

The report did so by using byline data from Muck Rack, which it collects from articles published online. Researchers created a process to identify profiles that represented local journalists, and then adjusted for the volume of articles published, freelance work and other factors.

The assessment found a widespread loss of local journalists in counties across the country.

"Thousands of rural, urban and suburban communities are being left without the basic reporting they need to stay informed, connected and civically engaged," said Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News, told CNN's Stelter .

That includes many major metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, which have fewer local journalist equivalents per capita than the national average, the report said. That means some neighborhoods "might be covered if there's a serious crime but not much else."

It said, 'You may get little reliable information on local candidates in many of L.A. County's cities, whether the schools in your neighborhood are improving, whether the hospital nearby has a bad mortality rate, or how inspiring people might be working to repair your playground.'

The report highlighted New York City, San Francisco, and Suffolk County, Mass., which covers Boston, as major metropolitan areas with high numbers of local journalists.

Some states are also performing significantly better than others, the report said. Vermont, for example, has 27.5 local journalist equivalents per 100,000 people, a similar density to New York City. This is due to a combination of existing legacy media and new nonprofit papers that have gained prominence, the report said.

New nonprofit newsrooms have sprung up in cities around the country in recent years, especially as venture capital firms and major publishing companies have looked to acquire legacy metro newspapers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, visit The Hill.

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It's fantastic! GOP Pennsylvania congressman becomes engaged to Fox News reporter in France

A Republican Pennsylvania congressman, in a vulnerable suburban Philadelphia seat repeatedly targeted by Democrats, is engaged to a Fox News reporter.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a 51-year-old Bucks County lawmaker representing the 1st Congressional District, recently proposed to Jacqui Heinrich, a senior White House correspondent, in a lavender field in Provence, France on June 29, according to People magazine , which first reported the story.

It's a memory that will be seared into my brain for life," Heinrich, 36, told People. "It felt like a fairy tale.

Fitzpatrick was not quoted in the People article and has not posted anything on social media regarding the engagement.

Heinrich shared the article on X/Twitter With a photo of the two in a lavender field, adding, "Fact check: true" accompanied by some heart-filled emojis.

The couple has been together since 2021.

Fitzpatrick "paid attention" to comments she made last year about dreaming of a trip to the French Riviera "to eat the baguettes, see the lavender fields, drink the wine and eat the butter," Heinrich told People.

She said Fitzpatrick, who is in his fifth two-year term, booked a trip for her birthday and insisted they were going despite the debate that was raging over the Republicans' controversial tax and spending bill, which Fitzpatrick initially voted for in May.

However, when it came time for final passage and concurring with Senate amendments, Fitzpatrick flipped and was one of just two Republican House members to vote against the bill, saying provisions cutting Medicaid funding "fell short of our standard."

Fitzpatrick's purplish district has made him a perpetual target for Democrats seeking to flip a House seat in Pennsylvania.

In November, Fitzpatrick defeated Democratic challenger Ashley Ehasz by 13 percentage points.

Heinrich said she thought something was wrong when Fitzpatrick dismissed any suggestion that the bill would interfere with their trip.

"He was like, 'We're going. We're going to the lavender fields. All I want is to see the lavender fields at sunrise," said Heinrich. "All the time I've known this man, he has never been desperate to see a field of flowers at dawn. So, I had a feeling that (a proposal) was the goal," she told People.

The two left at 1:30 a.m. to drive over two hours to be in Valensole before dawn. After Fitzpatrick stopped and encouraged her to walk into a lavender field, a photographer and drone appeared to capture the moment, said Heinrich.

Fitzpatrick picked out a ring from the Heinrich family jeweler in Maine, she said. The ring is a "brilliant-cut round diamond solitaire on a six-prong platinum setting with a yellow gold band," reported People.

The newly engaged couple spent time in St. Tropez and Cannes before flying back home.

Heinrich praised Fitzpatrick as "strong and a man of faith, who brings me closer to God. He's sweet and gentle and kind — all of the easy qualities in a person that just make him a joy to be around and life brighter."

No wedding date has been set yet, but Heinrich told People that they will have a Catholic ceremony.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit newsrealtime. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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If You Think Your Friendships Suck, Maybe You're the Problem - Dear Media

Making friends as an adult is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded. You know it's possible in theory, but every attempt feels futile and slightly embarrassing. While headlines obsess over the male loneliness epidemic, make no mistake—women aren't coffee klatching the way they used to, and they’re quietly struggling, too. Juggling careers, overwhelmed by schedules, and feeling exhausted by drama leaves many wondering why maintaining friendships feels harder than maintaining a sourdough starter.

Madi Murphy captures that ache in The Bad Broadcast "Women need women." Her declaration sets the stage for practical, sometimes spicy, lessons on how to be a better friend—and why that effort always starts in the mirror.

Why do adult friendships feel impossible?

While social scientists track men's shrinking circles, Murphy points out that grown-up women often struggle to keep a crew together. Careers scatter college roommates, parenting schedules replace happy-hour hangs, and dating apps steal our limited free time. That's why Murphy urges listeners to treat friendship like any other relationship: define expectations, communicate needs, and protect the bond from rust. "You can't expect a village and not be a villager," she advises.

Friendship boot camp: The 3 pillars of being a better friend

Murphy's blueprint for friendship isn't about being perfect. It's about being intentional. Her approach hinges on three key habits that distinguish casual acquaintances from ride-or-die friends.

Lead with generosity. When you spot a potential pal, resist the hard sell. "Drop a little bread crumb," she suggests. "Compliment them, make a little joke, send them a little meme." The goal is a low-pressure connection that invites equal effort without being overwhelming or "doing too much."

End comparisons before they ruin the mood. Jealous scrolling is friendship cancer: "Jealousy is genuinely the lowest vibrational energy that one can ever have," Murphy says. Celebrate your friend's promotion like it's your own, or hit mute until you can.

Assume the best—always. Murphy maintains a mental safety net. "The baseline is 'we're good,'" she says. If a text goes unanswered, she sends encouragement instead of descending into suspicion.

Murphy adds that the payoff from these principles is massive: "I truly believe [that] my best friends would jump into oncoming traffic for me." That ride-or-die loyalty grows when you invest first and keep investing.

Signs you might not be the friend you think you are

Here's Murphy's big reality check: If you're constantly disappointed by your friendships, the problem might not be everyone else. If you chase more than you listen, it's time to take a step back. "Don't push, don't force it," she advises. Some are going through things you may not see, and some people are introverts who need more space.

Another red flag is treating friendship like a competition. If your group chat feels like a scoreboard, you need new friends—or you need to be a better friend. "You are not meant to be friends with everybody," Murphy notes. Stop clinging to every new contact like Velcro or trying to turn every casual interaction into a deep, meaningful bond. Give people space to breathe and to exist in your life at whatever level feels natural to them. Not everybody is your soul sister!

Perhaps more importantly, real friendship requires showing up for the hard stuff. "If you cannot sit with somebody's venting... then you are not ready to be a friend," Murphy says. Everybody will celebrate at your wedding, but only your friends will cry at your funeral. If you bail when conversations get heavy, you're not a true friend.

Finally, examine your own reciprocity habits. "If you're not ready for the reciprocity, you're not ready for [friendship]," Murphy points out. Along those same lines, stop expecting bestie-level support if you're not prepared to give in return. It's okay to have a casual friend—we all have those—but be honest about what you're actually offering versus what you're hoping to receive.

Be the friend you wish you had

Murphy’s mantra sums it up: "Be the friend you wish to see in the world." Friendships shouldn't drain your battery; they should charge it. Send the meme. Schedule the coffee. Offer the spare couch. When you consciously choose to be a better friend, better friends choose you right back—and suddenly, loneliness has a lot less space to grow.

friendship , Madi Murphy , The Bad Broadcast

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Fox News reacts to Newsom's $787M lawsuit over Trump call coverage

Fox News has vowed to fight a $787 million defamation lawsuit filed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, calling the legal action a publicity stunt.

Newsom is suing Fox News , accusing the broadcaster of saying he lied about a phone call with President Donald Trump earlier this month.

Fox News spokesperson told newsrealtime: "Gov. Newsom's transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him. We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed."

Why It Matters

The damages Newsom is seeking are similar to the $787.5 million Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 to settle a lawsuit that accused the network of publicizing false information about the 2020 election.

Newsom's lawyers claimed that Watters' statement meets the legal standard for defamation and may have harmed Newsom's support among voters in future elections.

What To Know

"If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump's behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case," Newsom said in a statement sent to newsrealtime I believe the American people should be able to trust the information they receive from a major news outlet. Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.

The lawsuit was filed in Delaware Superior Court, where Fox News is incorporated. Newsom is also seeking a court order prohibiting Fox from broadcasting or posting segments that state Newsom lied about his call with Trump.

The lawsuit stems from a call between Newsom and Trump on June 7, one day before Trump deployed California National Guard troops to Los Angeles, said Reuters and other outlets, citing the complaint.

Trump told reporters on June 10 that he had spoken to Newsom "a day ago."

"There was no call. Not even a voicemail. Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn't even know who he's talking to," Newsom wrote on X.

The lawsuit alleges that Watters played an edited clip of Trump's remarks before stating, "Why would Newsom lie and claim Trump never called him?" The segment also allegedly included a graphic stating, "Gavin Lied About Trump's Call."

The lawsuit alleges that the network intentionally misrepresented the discrepancy between the dates to damage Newsom's political career.

Newsom has previously appeared on Fox News and participated in a debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on the network in 2023.

What People Are Saying

Mark Bankson and Michael Teter, attorneys representing Newsom, in a letter to Fox obtained by POLITICO: It is perhaps unsurprising that a near-octogenarian with a history of delusional public statements and unhinged late-night social media rants might confuse the dates. But Fox's decision to cover up for President Trump's mistake cannot be so easily dismissed.

What Happens Next

Newsom's lawyers stated that the lawsuit will be dismissed if Fox News issues a formal retraction and Watters apologizes on air, according to The New York Times .

Do you have a story that NewsRealtime should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsrealtime.

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