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Trump and Putin’s relationship turns sour as president pushes for resolution with Ukraine

While President Donald Trump previously refrained from speaking ill of Russian President Vladimir Putin, those days are over. 

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has changed the nature of their dynamic. Although the two appeared to get along, at least publicly, during Trump’s first administration, their relationship has unraveled as the more recent conflict persists. 

In recent weeks, Trump has refused to mince his words when asked about Putin. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting July 8 he was fed up with Putin and said he was eyeing potentially imposing new sanctions on Russia. 

‘We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,’ Trump said. ‘He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.’ 

John Hardie, Russia program deputy director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Russia started to attract ire from Trump dating back to March after Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. But Russia has failed to get on board with a ceasefire. 

‘Really, since then, I think Trump has come to view the Russians as the main impediment to a deal,’ Hardie told Fox News Digital Thursday. 

Additionally, Hardie said that Trump has also grown frustrated that Russia will launch drone and missile attacks against Ukraine, even after directly speaking with Putin. 

‘What he’s sort of latched on to are these Russian drone and missile barrages,’ Hardie said. ‘That really seems to resonate with him.’  

Tensions only have continued to escalate between the U.S. and Russia since the July Cabinet meeting. 

Trump announced July 14 that he would sign off on ‘severe tariffs’ against Russia if Moscow failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. He then dramatically reduced the deadline to only 10–12 days — which ends Friday. 

The decision to reduce the timeline prompted former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to caution that ‘each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.’ 

In addition to economic sanctions, Trump responded to Medvedev and issued a rare statement disclosing that two U.S. Navy submarines would be moved in response to escalating threats from Russia. 

‘I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,’ Trump said Aug. 1. 

Trump’s disclosure of the submarine presence puts additional pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table, according to Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and director of the Hudson Institute think tank’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology.

‘We have used very sparingly submarines to try to influence adversary behavior before, but this is pretty unusual, to do it against a nuclear-powered adversary like Russia in response to a nuclear threat by Russia,’ Clark told Fox News Digital Monday. ‘So I think this is trying to essentially push back on Russia’s frequent and long-standing threats to use nuclear weapons in part of the Ukraine conflict.’

Momentum is picking up on negotiations though, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin Wednesday. 

Trump said in a post on Truth Social afterward that ‘great progress’ was made during the meeting. And now, Trump and Putin are expected to meet face to face imminently in an attempt to finally advance negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

Still, Hardie said he is skeptical that the meeting between Putin and Trump will result in meaningful progress. 

‘I don’t expect a summit to produce much,’ Hardie said. ‘And I think Putin could try to use the summit to placate Trump and kind of buy more time continues assault on Ukraine, but I think his goal is he’d love to be able to enlist Trump in his effort to impose these harsh terms on Ukraine.’ 

Russia has pushed for concessions in a peace deal that include barring Ukraine from joining NATO, preventing foreign peacekeeper troops from deploying to Ukraine after the conflict, and adjusting some of the borders that previously were Ukraine’s.

It’s unclear if Trump plans to announce any additional economic burdens upon Russia Friday in accordance with the deadline that he imposed demanding that Russia signal willingness to end the conflict. But according to Trump, the ball is in Putin’s court. 

‘It’s going to be up to him,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s going to be up to him. Very disappointed.’

The White House did not disclose any details regarding potential Friday sanctions, but said that Trump wants to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Putin to resolve the conflict. 

‘The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to this meeting,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘President Trump would like to meet with both President Putin and President Zelensky because he wants this brutal war to end. The White House is working through the details of these potential meetings and details will be provided at the appropriate time.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Trump’s deadline on secondary tariffs arrives; US-Russian relations hang in the balance

President Donald Trump is preparing to announce new secondary tariffs Friday on nations who conduct trade with Russia amid its deadly war in Ukraine. 

The White House has remained tight-lipped on what those tariffs will look like after the president first said in July they would amount to ‘100%’ tariffs before causing confusion earlier this week when he told reporters he ‘never said a percentage.’

While the specifics of what tax rates nations that trade with Russia could face remain unclear, Trump’s change in posture toward Russian President Vladimir Putin has become increasingly evident. 

‘Trump’s frustrated that the Russians have not taken advantage of his patience and generous offers, but it’s very interesting that even after Trump announced he was moving submarines, and even after he announced the tough tariffs, the Russians still want to talk to him,’ Fred Fleitz, who served as a deputy assistant to Trump and chief of staff of the National Security Council during the president’s first term, told Fox News Digital.

‘Putin does not want to anger Trump,’ he added. ‘Putin never worried about angering Biden, and I think that this shows a degree of respect. 

‘It shows what Trump has achieved by exercising leadership on the global stage. And we’ll see what happens,’ Fleitz said, adding he hoped it was not merely a stalling tactic by Putin.

Trump’s return to the White House brought with it a sense of shock as he appeared to distance Washington from its top allies in Europe in favor of attempting to improve diplomatic relations with Putin, culminating in the infamous Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. 

While the tussle brought renewed support from his top MAGA base, who favor ending U.S. involvement in foreign wars, it prompted concern among security experts. Ultimately, Trump’s patience with Putin began to shift, with the president consistently expressing his frustration at the Kremlin chief’s continued brutal attacks in Ukraine. 

In mid-July, while sitting next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump announced Putin had 50 days to enter into a ceasefire or face ‘very severe’ tariffs that would affect Moscow’s top commodity, oil. 

‘Tariffs at about 100%, you’d call them secondary tariffs,’ he had said, indicating that nations that trade with Russia will see 100% tariffs slapped on them when trading with the U.S. 

This would most greatly affect China and India, according to data released by the U.S. government Thursday, which showed both nations account for 46% of all Russian oil purchases in 2025.

But the U.S. is also the No. 1 export market for both China and India, which means higher price tags at the checkout line on their products will make Americans think twice before completing those purchases. 

After ongoing trade negotiations with both nations and Putin’s continued war effort in Ukraine, Trump last week pushed up his deadline to within 10 days of July 29, forcing a new deadline of Friday.

But while his promised tariffs were met with applause by some in the GOP, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. — he, along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-N.Y., is pushing the charge for 500% sanctions on Russia — other Republican members have not backed the move. 

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been outspoken against not only Trump’s tariffs but the bipartisan sanction push and argued to Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow this week that Trump’s tariffs on allies and foes alike will amount to $2 trillion in taxes for the American consumer.

But Fleitz pushed back on this argument and said he is not convinced that the tariffs will hurt the U.S. or Chinese economy, though Russia and India are likely to feel the pain. 

‘I think they’re going to hurt the Russian and Indian economies,’ he said, noting that India could recover by buying oil elsewhere. Though some reporting has suggested that India may have saved over $30 billion by increasingly turning to Russian oil during 2022-2024 due to Moscow’s price cuts. 

‘It is going to be another factor that’s going to pressure Putin to agree to a ceasefire. I don’t know if that’s going to happen immediately or in a few months, but I think it is going to put real pressure, inflict real pain on Russia,’ Fleitz said. 

Once a staunch Trump ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R- Ga., took to X this week in response to a post by Trump that he would be enforcing tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil and said, ‘End Indian H1-B visas replacing American jobs instead and stop funding and sending weapons to the Obama/Biden/Neocon Ukraine Russia war.’

Trump’s favorable transition toward Ukraine and European allies has also ruffled some MAGA feathers, though security experts have argued it has given the president better leverage to take on major adversaries like Putin, and by extension, China. 

‘Diplomacy and negotiations are a good thing,’ said Fleitz, who serves as vice chair of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security. ‘Peacemaking takes time, and the U.S.-Russia relationship was in a very bad situation when Trump came to office.

‘I think these sanctions will hurt Russia very badly,’ Fleitz continued. ‘The fact that Trump knows that secondary sanctions on India has, at least temporarily, hurt our relationship is really a remarkable sign of how committed Trump is to these sanctions.

‘There’s not going to be exceptions. It’s not going to be some type of soft strategy with all kinds of loopholes,’ he added. ‘I think it shows to Putin how serious Trump is, and it gives Trump leverage to negotiate with Putin.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Trump’s Senate closer: Republican freshman emerges as key White House ally

Senate Republicans last month were able to advance President Donald Trump’s desire to clawback billions in federal spending, an effort carried to fruition for the first time in nearly three decades by a first-term senator.

While the effort to slash funding to NPR, PBS and foreign aid was born in the White House, it was executed thanks in large part to Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.

Schmitt, who was first elected to the Senate in 2022, has become an envoy of sorts for Trump’s agenda in the upper chamber. He has a strong relationship with the president that dates back to his first campaign, which has developed into a regular invite to join Trump for rounds of golf.

He’s launched probes against former President Joe Biden’s alleged mental decline, helped smooth over concerns during passage of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ and contends that ‘intuitively’ he understands the president’s America First message. 

And his role in bridging the gap between the White House and the Senate, along with negotiating among his conference to get the $9 billion package across the line, has seen his stock rise immensely within the Senate GOP.

But, in an interview with Fox News Digital, he said his entire goal is to just be helpful.

‘I think I approach it with that kind of humility,’ Schmitt said. ‘But I also, I want to be successful, and I want the agenda to move forward. I think it’s really important. Being on the golf course with President Trump is a great honor, and we have a lot of fun. He’s a very good golfer.’

Schmitt, who previously served as Missouri’s attorney general before launching a bid for the Senate, regularly clashed with the Biden administration and said that his role of rebuking lockdowns, vaccine mandates, censorship and mass migration informed how he currently views legislating.

‘My job was to stand in the gap and fight back, with the hopes that President Trump would return,’ he said.

Trump endorsed Schmitt in 2022, and in return the lawmaker became one of the first senators to back his reelection campaign the following year. That turned into Schmitt becoming a mainstay on the campaign trail, jetting across the country in Trump Force One where ‘Big Macs and double cheeseburgers and quarter pounders with cheese’ flowed.

And when Trump won, Schmitt had the opportunity to leave the Senate and join the administration as attorney general, but he opted to stay in the upper chamber.

Had he jumped ship, Trump’s recissions package may not have been able to pass muster with the Senate GOP, where appropriators raised concerns about the impact that clawing back already agreed-upon spending would have on the government funding process and others raised issues with the funding that was targeted.

‘This wouldn’t have happened without Eric Schmitt,’ Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital. 

Britt was part of the same 2022 class of freshman senators as Schmitt, which included other notable Republicans, like Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Vice President J.D. Vance.

She said Schmitt’s leadership on the rescissions package, like listening to lawmakers’ concerns and negotiations with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, to take the lead on the package, led to a final product that could actually pass in the diverse Senate GOP.

Indeed, Schmitt agreed to allow as many amendments to the bill as lawmakers wanted and included his own change to the clawback that would save funding for global AIDS and HIV prevention — a key change that helped bring more Republicans on board.

‘When Eric speaks, people listen,’ Britt said. ‘And he is thoughtful about when he uses his voice, and when he does it most definitely makes an impact.’

Schmitt, however, is more humble in how he views his part in the process.

‘People can label,’ Schmitt said. ‘I don’t get too hung up on any of that. Like for me, honestly, I feel fortunate to be in the position that I’m in. There’s really not a lot of daylight between the President’s agenda and the things that I support.’

Still, he was hopeful that another recissions package would come, describing it as ‘a good exercise for us,’ but noted that the timing for the remaining fiscal year would be tricky given the GOP’s continued push to blast through Democrats’ blockade on nominees and the looming government funding deadline when lawmakers return after Labor Day.

But getting the first one done was key to opening the door for more.

‘I think that was also part of what was on the line,’ he said. ‘When we were, you know, in the middle of the night, trying to make sure we had the votes, was that we have to prove that we have the ability to do it. And once you do it, there’s muscle memory associated with that. There’s a cultural shift in how we view things.’

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has demanded that Republicans commit to a bipartisan appropriations process and eschew further rescissions packages.

Should another come from the White House in the waning days of this fiscal year, it could spell trouble in Congress’ bid to avert a partial government shutdown by Sept. 30.

‘I really think it would be a bad idea for Republicans to alter our course of action based on what Democrat threats are,’ Schmitt said. ‘At the end of the day, they’re an obstructionist party without a message, without a messenger.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Mercury star gets triple-double as Phoenix crushes Fever: Highlights

The Phoenix Mercury overwhelmed the Indiana Fever 95-60 at PHX Arena on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to three straight.

Alyssa Thomas became the first player in WNBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles. She had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory.

Thomas told the Amazon Prime broadcast after the game that she was happy with the victory and wanted to share the credit with her teammates.

‘We are super dangerous,’ Thomas said. ‘We lost to (the Fever) a week ago, but today was about us and our defense.’

The Mercury won the turnover battle 20-13.

DeWanna Bonner made her presence felt throughout the game, giving the home crowd something to cheer about after scoring a game-high 23 points against her former team. Bonner was waived by the Fever earlier this season then rejoined the Mercury. She told reporters that things ‘did not work out’ in Indiana.

There were moments throughout the game where things got a bit chippy between Bonner and former teammate Sophie Cunningham, who previously spent six years in Phoenix.

Cunningham led the Fever with 18 points in the loss.

The Fever have lost back-to-back games after having their five-game winning streak snapped in Los Angeles earlier in the week. The Fever were once again without Caitlin Clark, who missed her ninth consecutive game due to a groin strain.

Here’s what you missed on Thursday night.

Fever vs. Mercury highlights

Final: Mercury 95, Fever 60

Alyssa Thomas produced her third consecutive triple-double in the victory over the Fever. Thomas had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory. Satou Sabally nearly produced a double-double with 15 points and eight rebounds.

3Q: Mercury 73, Fever 47

Sophie Cunningham tried to will the Fever back into the game against the Mercury, but Phoenix proved to be too much and only built upon its lead. The Mercury went on a 19-2 scoring run during the quarter.

Cunningham has a career-high 18 points after shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 5-for-7 from the 3-point line.

Alyssa Thomas leads the Mercury with 18 points through the first three quarters. Satou Sabally has added 16 points and DeWanna Bonner has scored 14 points.

Halftime: Mercury 47, Fever 36

Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have played a big role in the early lead for the Mercury in the first half. Both players have 10 points and six rebounds. DeWanna Bonner has nine points off the bench for Phoenix. Sophie Cunningham led the Fever with 12 points.

1Q: Mercury 26, Fever 16

Satou Sabally had eight points and two rebounds for the Mercury in the first quarter. She made all three of her shot attempts from the field and went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.

Alyssa Thomas added six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for Phoenix in the opening period.

Kelsey Mitchell had a team-high eight points, a rebound and a steal for the Fever.

Sydney Colson suffers injury

Sydney Colson went down with a leg injury after trying to track down the basketball near the Fever’s bench on the sideline.

Colson’s teammates surrounded her while she was being evaluated on the court before she was helped back to the locker room by athletic trainer Todd Champlin and forward Bri Turner.

She was officially ruled out for the game with a left leg injury, according to an update shared by the Fever on their official X account.

The 11-year veteran celebrated her birthday on Wednesday.

Caitlin Clark is not available for Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark did not play against the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday.

Clark has now missed nine consecutive games, including Thursday’s game, due to a right groin injury. She suffered the injury in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. There’s still no official timetable for her return, but she continues to support her teammates from the bench.

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury?

The Phoenix Mercury will host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 7 at PHX Arena in Phoenix. The game will be streamed nationally on Prime Video.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury: TV, stream

Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix, AZ)
Streaming: Prime Video

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Report: Micah Parsons dealing with minor injury

A dramatic offseason storyline involving one of the best defenders in the NFL continues in southern California at Dallas Cowboys training camp.

Micah Parsons and Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones were not seen at Cowboys camp in Oxnard, California today, per reports.

It was later revealed that Parsons is dealing with back tightness. He received treatment instead of staying on the practice field, as he’s done for most of training camp.

It’s been less than a week since Parsons requested a trade  from Dallas in a social media post. The three-time All-Pro is entering the final year of his rookie contract which is fully guaranteed.

Despite the trade request, Parsons has been holding in at the team’s training camp for much of the offseason. That means he’s been at mandatory activities and standing on the sidelines during practice while waiting a new deal.

The two sides – Parsons and the Cowboys, led by Jones – have yet to reach a deal.

A conversation Parsons and Jones had earlier this offseason about an extension seems to be a sticking point. Parsons thought it was just a conversation and that his agent, David Mulugheta, would be involved in official dealings. Jones and the Cowboys believed they’d reached a deal in that conversation.

‘There is no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing,’ Jones said. ‘We have a contract in writing yet we’re still talking about re-negotiating. So, so much for that.’

Jones said after Parsons’ request that he is not confident the star pass rusher will play on opening night of the 2025 season when the Cowboys face off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Mercury star gets triple-double as Phoenix crushes Fever: Highlights

The Phoenix Mercury overwhelmed the Indiana Fever 95-60 at PHX Arena on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to three straight.

Alyssa Thomas became the first player in WNBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles. She had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory.

Thomas told the Amazon Prime broadcast after the game that she was happy with the victory and wanted to share the credit with her teammates.

‘We are super dangerous,’ Thomas said. ‘We lost to (the Fever) a week ago, but today was about us and our defense.’

The Mercury won the turnover battle 20-13.

DeWanna Bonner made her presence felt throughout the game, giving the home crowd something to cheer about after scoring a game-high 23 points against her former team. Bonner was waived by the Fever earlier this season then rejoined the Mercury. She told reporters that things ‘did not work out’ in Indiana.

There were moments throughout the game where things got a bit chippy between Bonner and former teammate Sophie Cunningham, who previously spent six years in Phoenix.

Cunningham led the Fever with 18 points in the loss.

The Fever have lost back-to-back games after having their five-game winning streak snapped in Los Angeles earlier in the week. The Fever were once again without Caitlin Clark, who missed her ninth consecutive game due to a groin strain.

Here’s what you missed on Thursday night.

Fever vs. Mercury highlights

Final: Mercury 95, Fever 60

Alyssa Thomas produced her third consecutive triple-double in the victory over the Fever. Thomas had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the victory. Satou Sabally nearly produced a double-double with 15 points and eight rebounds.

3Q: Mercury 73, Fever 47

Sophie Cunningham tried to will the Fever back into the game against the Mercury, but Phoenix proved to be too much and only built upon its lead. The Mercury went on a 19-2 scoring run during the quarter.

Cunningham has a career-high 18 points after shooting 6-for-8 from the field and 5-for-7 from the 3-point line.

Alyssa Thomas leads the Mercury with 18 points through the first three quarters. Satou Sabally has added 16 points and DeWanna Bonner has scored 14 points.

Halftime: Mercury 47, Fever 36

Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have played a big role in the early lead for the Mercury in the first half. Both players have 10 points and six rebounds. DeWanna Bonner has nine points off the bench for Phoenix. Sophie Cunningham led the Fever with 12 points.

1Q: Mercury 26, Fever 16

Satou Sabally had eight points and two rebounds for the Mercury in the first quarter. She made all three of her shot attempts from the field and went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.

Alyssa Thomas added six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for Phoenix in the opening period.

Kelsey Mitchell had a team-high eight points, a rebound and a steal for the Fever.

Sydney Colson suffers injury

Sydney Colson went down with a leg injury after trying to track down the basketball near the Fever’s bench on the sideline.

Colson’s teammates surrounded her while she was being evaluated on the court before she was helped back to the locker room by athletic trainer Todd Champlin and forward Bri Turner.

She was officially ruled out for the game with a left leg injury, according to an update shared by the Fever on their official X account.

The 11-year veteran celebrated her birthday on Wednesday.

Caitlin Clark is not available for Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark did not play against the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday.

Clark has now missed nine consecutive games, including Thursday’s game, due to a right groin injury. She suffered the injury in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. There’s still no official timetable for her return, but she continues to support her teammates from the bench.

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury?

The Phoenix Mercury will host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 7 at PHX Arena in Phoenix. The game will be streamed nationally on Prime Video.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury: TV, stream

Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix, AZ)
Streaming: Prime Video

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Fever vs. Mercury live updates: Highlights

The WNBA regular season is heating up as the Indiana Fever prepares to take on the Phoenix Mercury at the PHX Arena on Thursday night.

The Fever, who were riding a five-game win streak, will look to rebound after losing to the Los Angeles Sparks 100-91 on Aug. 5. The Fever played without Caitlin Clark, who missed her eighth consecutive game due to a groin strain. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 34 points, including seven 3-pointers, while Natasha Howard added 17 points.

The Mercury aim to extend their two-game win streak after defeating the Connecticut Sun 82-66 on Aug. 5. Alyssa Thomas had her second consecutive triple-double, recording 13 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Additionally, Satou Sabally contributed an impressive 23 points along with six rebounds in the victory over the Sun.

Here is how to watch the Indiana Fever take on the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.

Halftime: Mercury 47, Fever 36

Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have played a big role in the early lead for the Mercury in the first half. Both players have 10 points and six rebounds. DeWanna Bonner has nine points off the bench for Phoenix. Sophie Cunningham led the Fever with 12 points.

1Q: Mercury 26, Fever 16

Satou Sabally had eight points and two rebounds for the Mercury in the first quarter. She made all three of her shot attempts from the field and went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.

Alyssa Thomas added six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for Phoenix in the opening period.

Kelsey Mitchell had a team-high eight points, a rebound and a steal for the Fever.

Sydney Colson suffers injury

Sydney Colson went down with a leg injury after trying to track down the basketball near the Fever’s bench on the sideline.

Colson’s teammates surrounded her while she was being evaluated on the court before she was helped back to the locker room by athletic trainer Todd Champlin and forward Bri Turner.

She was officially ruled out for the game with a left leg injury, according to an update shared by the Fever on their official X account.

The 11-year veteran celebrated her birthday on Wednesday.

Caitlin Clark is not available for Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark did not play against the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday.

Clark has now missed nine consecutive games, including Thursday’s game, due to a right groin injury. She suffered the injury in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on July 15. There’s still no official timetable for her return, but she continues to support her teammates from the bench.

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury?

The Phoenix Mercury will host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 7 at PHX Arena in Phoenix. The game will be streamed nationally on Prime Video.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury: TV, stream

Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix, AZ)
Streaming: Prime Video

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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WNBA’s sex toy issue explained: Why are they being thrown at games?

Sex toys have been thrown onto the court during multiple WNBA games, leading to arrests and investigations.
While some incidents appear to be pranks, concerns about misogyny and targeted harassment of players are rising.
Players and coaches have expressed anger and frustration, calling the incidents disrespectful and immature.

Nobody knows when the next sex toy might come flying onto the court.

This is the lingering problem with the who-done-it the WNBA never wanted to have to solve but must for the sake of the the players. It’s a NSFW case with plenty of fallout for a league that is already dealing with CBA negotiations and possible shutdown alongside its growing popularity. What initially inspired mostly jokes and laughter has turned into claims of misogyny, conspiracy theories, multiple law enforcement investigations and, of course, sex toys being thrown onto or toward the court at as many as five WNBA games over the past 10 days.

There’s intrigue and confusion about the motives and what’s actually happening here. The unfortunate trend is generating a wide range of reaction from players and fans alike. Though there have already been two arrests made in the matter, it’s still unclear whether this is simply a viral prank popularized by social media or a more coordinated effort meant to target the WNBA and its players.

Here’s a breakdown of what to know about the WNBA’s escalating sex toy problem, including some potential answers to help sift through this mystery the league and its players want to end:

Why are sex toys being thrown on the court at WNBA games?

Cryptocurrency meme coin creators say they are responsible for the sex toys being thrown at multiple WNBA games, and they are planning more ‘pranks.’

A group of crypto enthusiasts and traders launched Green Dildo Coin (DILDO), a meme coin intended to be lighthearted and perceived as a joke, in late July to protest what they describe as a ‘toxic’ environment in the crypto world. According to the group’s spokesman, who spoke exclusively to USA TODAY Sports, many smaller players in the space are struggling to keep up with the influx of influencers and scammers.

‘We didn’t do this because like we dislike women’s sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous,’ he said. ‘Creating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We’ve seen it in the NFL, we’ve seen it in hockey, you know . . . fans doing random things to more or less create attention.’

There have been two arrests made related to these incidents, but the crypto spokesman said those people were not associated with the group. Delbert Carver, 23, was arrested after throwing an object at a July 29 WNBA game in Atlanta and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass. Carver told police, ‘This was supposed to be a joke, and this joke (was) supposed to go viral,’ according to the arrest affidavit.

Kaden Lopez, the 18-year-old arrested this week after throwing a sex toy that hit a man watching the game with his 9-year-old niece in the crowd at a Phoenix Mercury game on Aug. 5, had a similar explanation. He called it a ‘stupid prank that was trending on social media.’ He bought the sex toy the day before to take it to the game, according to court documents.

How many WNBA games have had sex toy incidents this season?

As of Aug. 7, there have been reports of a sex toy thrown in as many as six games since the initial incident occurred on July 29 during the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Dream’s 77-75 home loss to the Golden State Valkyries. A fan threw a green sex toy onto the court and caused a stoppage in play. An official kicked the sex toy off the court before it was removed by a police officer.

The second incident occurred at the Valkyries’ game against the Chicago Sky on Aug. 1 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. A similar sex toy was thrown near the baseline during the third quarter and forced officials to briefly stop play. There were then multiple confirmed incidents involving a similar sex toy being thrown at WNBA games on the same day including onto the cordoned off court after the game in Atlanta involving the Dream and Mystics.

A green sex toy was thrown on the court seemingly in the direction of guard Sophie Cunningham in the Indiana Fever’s road game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Aug. 5. Sparks star Kelsey Plum kicked the object off the playing surface. There was another fan caught on a social media video (and subsequently arrested) for throwing a green sex toy at the Phoenix Mercury’s home game against the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 5. There was also a social media video that went viral of a green sex toy that had landed in the crowd at the New York Liberty’s game against the Dallas Wings on Aug. 5.

Are WNBA players being targeted?

Maybe. It certainly can’t be ruled out at this point.

The most recent incident involving Cunningham could offer some proof. She had recently warned fans on social media to not throw the NSFW item because ‘you’re going to hurt one of us.’ Days later, it appeared to be thrown toward her during the Fever-Sparks game on Aug. 5.

What are WNBA players, coaches saying?

At first, some players laughed if off. Now, they’re not happy. Here’s a sampling of comments about the situation:

Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams after the Aug. 1 incident: ‘It’s super disrespectful. I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.’
Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynee Roberts after Aug. 5 incident: ‘It’s ridiculous. It’s dumb. It’s stupid. It’s also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things.’
‘I think you just have to continuously prioritize the players, because it’s obviously safety, but also just so immature to me, like, I just hate that that’s being attached to our brand and our name,’ New York Liberty player Isabelle Harrison told The New York Post. ‘This is like, let’s be professional here. I get the jokes, and things can be funny, but it just gets to a point. So like, I’m just really over it, and I know other players are over it.’
‘I would have picked that thing up and thrown it right back at them,’ former Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi told Front Office Sports.

Is the throwing of sex toys at WNBA games misogyny?

It sure seems that way based on the available evidence (and a calculated and blatant example of misogyny, too).

But don’t only take our word for it. Cosmopolitan and Glamour have both already weighed in on the case. Their verdict: misogyny.

Cosmopolitan: ‘There are people paying good money to attend a professional basketball game just to throw a (sex toy) at the players’ feet. Why? To send a message; to tell women that they don’t belong on the court and that their athleticism isn’t as valuable as their sexuality. This is misogyny, plain and simple. … They don’t care about what women deserve or how disgusting and violating their actions are. It’s time for NBA players to stand in solidarity with their female counterparts and call this behavior what it is: unacceptable, sexist, and detrimental to the entire sport.’

Glamour: ‘The message behind a sex toy in particular is pretty unambiguous. The intent is to sexualize and demean the women players because they are women. And that is nothing new at all. If I had a nickel for every time a sex toy was thrown on the court at a WNBA game, I would have just three nickels. But if I had a nickel for every time a powerful female athlete was subjected to some kind of misogynistic backlash, I’d have enough money to fund my own women’s basketball league.’

What is the WNBA saying?

The WNBA issued a statement on Aug. 4 after Carver’s arrest related the July 29 sex toy incident in Atlanta.

‘The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans,’ the WNBA said in a statement. ‘In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.’

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FedEx St. Jude Championship leaderboard, scores for Thursday

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of the three-event FedEx Cup playoffs, finally arrived. The opening round played out with plenty of action at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the first leg of the playoffs in a favorable position — having won four PGA Tour events, including two major titles — in his quest for a second consecutive FedEx Cup championship.

Another crucial storyline unfolded as we await to see which golfers will seize the opportunity to climb the FedEx Cup standings in the absence of Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, the Masters Champion and currently second in the FedEx Cup standings, has opted out of playing in the St. Jude Championship as he aims to reduce his workload this season.

Here is how things played out from the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs at the St. Jude Championship from Memphis after the first round.

FedEx St. Jude Championship leaderboard

1. Akshay Bhatia: -8 (F)
2. Tommy Fleetwood: -7 (F)
T3. Harry Hall -6 (F)
T3. Justin Rose: -6 (F)
T3. Bud Cauley: -6 (F)
6. Si Woo Kim: -5 (F)
T7. Maverick McNealy: -4 (F)
T7. Ben Griffin: -4 (F)
T7. Rickie Fowler -4 (F)
T7. Russell Henley: -4 (F)
T7. Collin Morikawa: -4 (F)
— T12. Scottie Scheffler: -3 (F)

FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP: Updated tee times, leaderboard

Here comes Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood is still looking for his elusive first win on the PGA Tour after years of strong performances. Maybe it comes in Memphis. Fleetwood just moved to 5-under for his first round off consecutive birdies at No. 15 and No. 16. Fleetwood previously holed out from the bunker for birdie at No. 11 to begin his back nine surge up the leaderboard.

Scottie Scheffler is rolling again

The FedEx St. Jude Championship is one of the dwindling few tournaments left that Scottie Scheffler hasn’t won before. Perhaps that’s set to change this week. Scheffler is blazing through his first round at TPC Southwind, with bogey-free round of 4-under going after his fourth birdie of the day at No. 14.

Collin Morikawa has also moved into contention as he closes out his first round. He’s up to 5-under, three shots back of Bhatia, along with Si Woo Kim.

Andrew Novak, Bud Cauley make a move

Consecutive birdies at No. 15 and No. 16 have pushed Bud Cauley into the logjam at 6-under, two shots back of Akshay Bhatia for the first round lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Cauley has four birdies on the back nine and seven for the round with two holes to play.

Andrew Novak, meanwhile, is alone on the leaderboard at 5-under after a birdie at No. 11. Collin Morikawa also has a bogey-free round of 4-under going through 12 holes .

Scottie Scheffler off to fast start

Defending FedEx Cup champion and current points leader Scottie Scheffler is in the fourth-to-last group off the tee in today’s opening round, meaning he’ll know what he needs to shoot to be on the leaderboard at the end of the day.

He’s paired with Sepp Straka in the 1:45 ET twosome. After an opening par, Scheffler dropped his approach shot from 101 yards on the par-4 second hole to within 7 feet of the hole. He drained the putt for birdie to get him started in a positive direction.

Scheffler followed that up by nearly reaching the green in two on the par-5 No. 3. He chipped to 2 feet and tapped that in to get to 2-under.

Akshay Bhatia shoots sizzling 62 for clubhouse lead

Akshay Bhatia hasn’t yet won on the PGA Tour this season, but he’s at the top of the leaderboard in the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Bhatia, 23, came to Memphis in 45th place in the FedEx Cup standings but he’s poised to make a major jump after his brilliant opening round at TPC Southwind.

Bhatia capped a round of 8-under-par 62 with a marvelous eagle-birdie-birdie finish to set the bar high for the rest of the field. He had seven birdies and the eagle with only one bogey on his card as he concluded the round with a two-stroke lead. Harry Hall, who was paired with Bhatia for the round, shot a 6-under 64 to sit all alone in second place.

Bhatia’s 62 was one stroke off the course record.

Hole location on No. 3 moved mid-round

PGA Tour officials had to move the hole location slightly on the third hole at TPC Southwind after Germany’s Matti Schmid apparently damaged the cup with his approach shot on the 559-yard par 5.

Playing by himself as the first golfer of the day, Schmid went for the green in two and hit his shot 207 yards to within 5½ feet of the hole. He made the putt for eagle, but after he finished, the grounds crew had to come out and recut the hole. In the process, they moved the cup about one foot to the right to avoid the repaired area. There doesn’t appear to be any video of Schmid’s shot, so we may have to wait until his round is over to find out exactly what happened.

Check out Matti Schmid’s scorecard

Incidentally, Schmid had one of the wackiest starts to a round in recent memory. After his eagle on No. 3, he carded a birdie, double bogey and triple bogey — giving him different scores and results in relation to par on each of his first six holes.

Hole locations for Round 1

Here are the pin placements for the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. The competitors are going to have to be extremely precise with their approach shots.

What time is the FedEx St. Jude Championship?

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship will begin on Thursday, August 7, with the first round of play. The first tee time is 8:20 a.m. ET. The tournament concludes with the final round on Sunday, August 10.

How to watch 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship: TV channel, live streaming, schedule

The 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, which marks the beginning of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs, will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC and also streaming live on ESPN+, Peacock, and Fubo.

Below is the complete broadcast schedule for all four rounds:

All times Eastern

Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
2-6 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo

Saturday, August 9

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
1-3 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
3-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Sunday, August 10

8 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+
12-2 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo
2-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock

Watch the FedEx St. Jude Championship with Fubo

Tee times for FedEx St. Jude Championship

Round 1 – Thursday

All times ET

8:20 AM – Matti Schmid
8:30 AM – Min Woo Lee, J.T. Poston
8:40 AM – Jordan Spieth, Wyndham Clark
8:50 AM – Harry Hall, Akshay Bhatia
9:00 AM – Tom Hoge, Matt Fitzpatrick
9:10 AM – Taylor Pendrith, Denny McCarthy
9:20 AM – Brian Campbell, Thomas Detry
9:30 AM – Ryan Fox, Jacob Bridgeman
9:40 AM – Sam Stevens, Sungjae Im
9:55 AM – Sam Burns, Justin Rose
10:05 AM – Brian Harman, Hideki Matsuyama
10:15 AM – Cameron Young, Shane Lowry
10:25 AM – Keegan Bradley, Maverick McNealy
10:35 AM – Ben Griffin, Harris English
10:45 AM – Russell Henley, Justin Thomas
10:55 AM – Nico Echavarria, Patrick Rodgers
11:05 AM – Rickie Fowler, Davis Riley
11:15 AM – Erik van Rooyen, Cam Davis
11:30 AM – Jhonattan Vegas, Max Greyserman
11:40 AM – Joe Highsmith, Aaron Rai
11:50 AM – Kurt Kitayama, Bud Cauley
12:00 PM – Si Woo Kim, Jake Knapp
12:10 PM – Xander Schauffele, Aldrich Potgieter
12:20 PM – Michael Kim, Jason Day
12:30 PM – Daniel Berger, Ryan Gerard
12:40 PM – Viktor Hovland, Lucas Glover
12:50 PM – Chris Gotterup, Patrick Cantlay
1:05 PM – Nick Taylor, Collin Morikawa
1:15 PM – Ludvig Åberg, Robert MacIntyre
1:25 PM – Andrew Novak, Corey Conners
1:35 PM – J.J. Spaun, Tommy Fleetwood
1:45 PM – Scottie Scheffler, Sepp Straka
1:55 PM – Stephan Jaeger, Mackenzie Hughes
2:05 PM – Tony Finau, Chris Kirk
2:15 PM – Kevin Yu, Emiliano Grillo

FedEx Cup standings

Listed below are the top-10 finishers in the FedEx Cup standings. These are the golfers that have qualified for the St. Jude Championship this weekend. For a full list of standings, click here.

Scottie Scheffler – 4,806 points
Sepp Straka – 2,595 points
Russell Henley – 2,391 points
Justin Thomas – 2,280 points
Ben Griffin – 2,275 points
Harris English – 2,232 points
J.J. Spaun – 2,144 points
Tommy Fleetwood – 1,783 points
Keegan Bradley – 1,749 points
Maverick McNealy – 1,672 points

FedEx Cup odds: Favorites to win playoffs

Odds according to DraftKings as of Tuesday, August 5:

Scottie Scheffler +240
Rory McIlroy +600
Xander Schauffele +1600
Justin Thomas +1800
Tommy Fleetwood +2000
Ludvig Aberg +2000
Collin Morikawa +2200
Russell Henley +2200

FedEx St. Jude Championship purse, payout

The winner of the FedEx St. Jude Championship will get a significant boost in the FedEx Cup Playoff chase. In the second event, the BMW Championship, only 50 players from the previous tournament compete. In addition, the champion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship will receive a substantial 18% share of the $20 million purse.

What is the FedEx Cup Playoff format?

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are a series of three tournaments between Aug. 7 and Aug. 24, starting with the top 70 golfers for the first tournament and narrowing the field down to the top 30 for the final tournament.

The top 70 golfers compete in the St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, which concludes on Sunday, Aug. 10. From there, the field will be limited to the top 50 the following weekend for the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, between Aug. 14 and Aug. 17. Only the top 30 will be invited to the Tour Championship the following weekend at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24.

Both the St. Jude and BMW Championship will have a total prize purse of $20 million with the winners each receiving $3.6 million. — Jon Hoefling

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ESPN announces special for Lee Corso ahead of final ‘College GameDay’

Legendary ESPN ‘College GameDay’ analyst Lee Corso will make his final ‘GameDay’ appearance on Aug. 30 in a clash of titans between No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Ohio State. ESPN announced on Thursday, Aug. 7, that it’s airing a one-hour TV special in honor of the former college football coach.

It’ll be an emotional day on ‘College GameDay’ for Corso, who turned 90 years old on Aug. 7. The one-hour ESPN special on Corso will premiere at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 22.

‘The primetime special will highlight Corso’s extraordinary life, his larger-than-life personality and the immeasurable impact he has had on college football as a player, coach and broadcaster,’ ESPN’s announcement states. ‘Corso has been connected to the sport for more than 75 years, beginning in the 1950s during his playing days at Florida State, then over nearly three decades as a coach at Louisville, Indiana, Navy and Northern Illinois, and for the past 38 seasons on ESPN’s College GameDay, where he has entertained fans across multiple generations.’

Celebrate Lee Corso and college football with USA TODAY Network’s book

Fellow ‘College GameDay’ analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban will be featured in the TV special. Coaches and players such as Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, Lane Kiffin, Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney will also be featured in the show, according to the announcement.

Corso has been a part of ‘GameDay’ since its first episode aired in 1987 and has made 430 headgear picks, which he’s known for, in his career. He has picked Ohio State 45 times, which is more than any other team in his career.

Corso’s first-ever headgear pick was Brutus Buckeye in Ohio State’s 1996 game against Penn State, which the Buckeyes won 38-7.

Corso has been a huge part of college football for nearly 60 years as a head coach or ESPN broadcaster, and his retirement from ‘College GameDay’ will be an emotional day for many fans.

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