Erika Kirk announced Monday that she had a productive conversation with Candace Owens, signaling a possible thaw in their rift following weeks of public tension in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Kirk shared the brief update in a statement on X and hinted that more details would come.
President Donald Trump’s former Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, is sounding the alarm about China infiltrating America’s healthcare systems.
Concern about China’s ability to infiltrate United States technology was underscored by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed last week between four state attorneys general and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, aimed at ramping up protections against Chinese infiltration of communications equipment and services utilized by the United States.
On Monday, the Protecting America Initiative (PAI), a conservative nonprofit aimed at fighting the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts ‘to sabotage America,’ launched a campaign to highlight the nation’s vulnerability to China as it relates to medical technology.
Earlier this year, both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) both warned of a ‘backdoor’ in a popular brand of patient monitoring devices. CISA found the so-called backdoor allowed the device to download remote files and send them to an IP address associated with a Chinese university. All schools in China operate under a law requiring them to support national intelligence work when called upon.
‘Americans rely on their doctors who take an oath to keep us safe, and first, do no harm. But when critical medical devices are made by Chinese companies, that puts our safety at risk. Chinese medical devices open the door for the CCP to access sensitive health data. President Trump and his administration always put America First and will safeguard our patients and our privacy from Beijing’s infiltration,’ PAI Senior Advisor Chad Wolf told Fox News Digital. ‘It’s time to remove Chinese medical devices from U.S. hospitals and close the data backdoor, because patient privacy and national security are non‑negotiable.’
In June, Florida’s Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier took legal action against the Chinese medical device manufacturers probed by the FDA and CISA, accusing the company of selling ‘compromised’ medical devices that allegedly include a ‘backdoor’ that bad actors can manipulate.
In addition to patient data and privacy concerns, Uthmeier was also concerned about the medical device manufacturer, and those distributing its products, selling patient health monitors as approved by the FDA and other international standards, even though they were not.
China’s expanding presence in American medical supply chains has also been a concern among experts.
‘China’s growing role within the U.S. medical device supply chains is largely due to the combination of Beijing’s industrial policy and the shifting landscape of American healthcare,’ the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. focusing on foreign affairs and national security, wrote in an October report.
‘The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimated that in 2019, 9.2 percent of U.S.-imported pharmaceuticals and medical equipment came from China — a percentage that ‘likely understates’ American reliance on China for medical products, NIH warned,’ the report continues. ‘This understatement is in part due to the complex nature of medical supply chains — China is both a supplier of raw materials used in medical products and the final point of assembly for goods bound for the United States, obscuring its reach into the American medical system. This percentage also does not account for the value-add or criticality of these goods, particularly those related to biodefense and managing long-term acute health issues.’
FDD claims that China has ‘exploited’ the United State’s ‘reliance’ on it by selling and exporting deliberately compromised technology, leading to doctors ‘unwittingly and unwillingly’ playing ‘Russian roulette with patient treatment plans.’
A pair of AFC playoff contenders meet on ‘Monday Night Football’ to conclude Week 15.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) host the Miami Dolphins (6-7) with both teams enduring moments of success and disarray thus far in 2025.
The team from South Beach got off to a disastrous 2-7 start to the season, which included losing star wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a gruesome leg injury in Week 4. Coach Mike McDaniel shouldered the brunt of the blame, but the Dolphins have rallied over the last month, winning four straight entering tonight’s game.
Pittsburgh just notched its biggest win of the season last week defeating the Baltimore Ravens on the road and is in the driver’s seat for the AFC North title entering the final four weeks of the regular season.
The Aaron Rodgers-Mike Tomlin partnership and the Steelers squad has faced its share of adversity as well, though, as Pittsburgh lost five of its last seven before beating Baltimore in Week 14.
Tomlin and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in eight years, but they hope their re-energized 42-year-old – now second-oldest in NFL – quarterback can replicate the success he had in Week 14 the rest of the way and snap that streak.
These teams made a blockbuster trade in the offseason with Pittsburgh sending Miami safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith and all three are in action tonight. But who will come out on top tonight and boost their playoff chances?
USA TODAY Sports will provide updates, highlights and more from the ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup between the Steelers and Dolphins below.
TV channel: ESPN
The Week 15 ‘MNF’ matchup between the Steelers and Dolphins will be broadcast on ESPN.
Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET | 5:15 p.m. CT
The Steelers and Dolphins are set to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET, the customary start time for ‘Monday Night Football.’ The Dolphins travel to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the matchup.
Live stream: Fubo | ESPN Select | ESPN Unlimited
Cord-cutters looking for a stream of the Week 15 ‘MNF’ matchup can tune to Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks, CBS, Fox, ABC and the NFL Network. Fubo also offers a free trial.
ESPN’s streaming services, Select and Unlimited, will also carry the game.
Watch ‘Monday Night Football’ with Fubo
Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ NFL experts feel tonight’s game will go:
Jarrett Bell: Steelers 23, Dolphins 20
Nick Brinkerhoff: Steelers 24, Dolphins 16
Chris Bumbaca: Steelers 24, Dolphins 22
Nate Davis: Steelers 20, Dolphins 17
Tyler Dragon: Steelers 26, Dolphins 20
Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Dolphins 24, Steelers 23
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list.
Moneyline (ML): Pittsburgh -165 (Bet $165 to win $100) | Miami +140 (Bet $100 to win $140)
Against the spread (ATS): Pittsburgh -3 (-115) | Miami +3 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 41.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
WR Roman Wilson
QB Will Howard (3rd QB)
OL Andrus Peat DT
Brodric Martin-Rhodes
OLB T.J. Watt
DT Derrick Harmon
QB Quinn Ewers (3rd QB)
DB Elijah Campbell
CB AJ Green III
OL Larry Borom
WR Tahj Washington
DT Matthew Butler
The Steelers running back was added to the injury report Monday morning after waking up with an illness. Warren woke up under the weather but is optimistic about playing tonight, per Tom Pelissero.
The temperature is expected to be 22 degrees around kickoff in Pittsburgh. There is no snow in the forecast.
Tua has never won an NFL game when the temperature is below 40 degrees at kickoff. Here is a breakdown of Tua’s record as an NFL starter in cold weather:
40 degrees or colder: 0-5
45 degrees or colder: 1-6
50 degrees or colder: 2-8
55 degrees or colder: 4-13
Denver Broncos (12-2, AFC West leaders)*
New England Patriots (11-3, AFC East leaders)
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4, AFC South leaders)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6, AFC North leaders)
Los Angeles Chargers (10-4, wild card No. 1)
Buffalo Bills (10-4, wild card No. 2)
Houston Texans (9-5, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-6), Baltimore Ravens (7-7), Miami Dolphins (6-7).
* Clinched playoff berth
Eliminated: New York Jets (3-10), Cleveland Browns (3-10), Las Vegas Raiders (2-11), Tennessee Titans (2-11), Kansas City Chiefs (6-8), Cincinnati Bengals (4-10).
Los Angeles Rams (11-3; NFC West leaders)*
Chicago Bears (10-4; NFC North leaders)
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5; NFC East leaders)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7; NFC South leaders)
Seattle Seahawks (11-3, wild card No. 1)
San Francisco 49ers (10-4, wild card No. 2)
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1; wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-6); Carolina Panthers (7-7); Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
Eliminated: Minnesota Vikings (6-8); Atlanta Falcons (5-9); New Orleans Saints (4-10); Washington Commanders (4-10); Arizona Cardinals (3-11); New York Giants (2-12)
Here’s the updated first-round order after Week 15 results, according to Tankathon, which calculates strength of schedule differently from the NFL:
New York Giants: 2-12 record; .536 strength of schedule
Las Vegas Raiders 2-12; .548 SOS
Tennessee Titans: 2-12; .576 SOS
Cleveland Browns: 3-11; .483 SOS
New York Jets: 3-11; .538 SOS
Arizona Cardinals: 3-11; .571 SOS
New Orleans Saints: 4-10; .494 SOS
Washington Commanders: 4-10; .508 SOS
Cincinnati Bengals: 4-10; .521 SOS
Atlanta Falcons (pick belongs to Los Angeles Rams): 5-9; .502 SOS
Kansas City Chiefs: 6-8; .519 SOS
Minnesota Vikings: 6-8; .521 SOS
Miami Dolphins: 6-7; .481 SOS
Dallas Cowboys: 6-7-1; .447 SOS
Baltimore Ravens: 7-7; .500 SOS
Carolina Panthers: 7-7; .519 SOS
Detroit Lions: 8-6; .496 SOS
Indianapolis Colts (pick belongs to Jets): 8-6; .530 SOS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-7; .519 SOS
Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-6; .508 SOS
Philadelphia Eagles: 9-5; .490 SOS
Houston Texans: 9-5; .542 SOS
Green Bay Packers (pick belongs to Cowboys): 9-4-1; .475 SOS
Buffalo Bills: 10-4; .460 SOS
Chicago Bears: 10-4; .445 SOS
Los Angeles Chargers: 10-4; .464 SOS
San Francisco 49ers: 10-4; .492 SOS
Jacksonville Jaguars (pick belongs to Browns): 10-4; .492 SOS
New England Patriots: 11-3; .374 SOS
Seattle Seahawks: 11-3; .494 SOS
Los Angeles Rams: 11-3; .521 SOS
Denver Broncos: 12-2; .433 SOS
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The University of Michigan hired Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm, to investigate its athletic department after football coach Sherrone Moore’s firing
Jenner & Block also investigated a former Michigan president in 2022 over similar allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate
Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore’s firing and subsequent arrest stemming from his relationship with a team employee is just the latest in a cascade of scandals to embroil the Michigan athletic department in the past several years.
The football program was punished for a sign-stealing scandal and recruiting violations, the men’s hockey coach was found to have created a toxic environment, a football co-offensive coordinator was fired and federally indicted for stealing intimate photos of female athletes, and the men’s basketball coach faced a Title IX complaint and was investigated for an altercation with a staff member.
And that’s just the past three years.
To examine why this keeps happening, Michigan has hired Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, which opened the initial inquiry into Moore this fall, to investigate the entire athletic department.
If the name of the firm sounds familiar, it might be because of its previous ties to the university.
Jenner & Block also helped to investigate former Michigan president Mark Schlissel, who was fired in early 2022 after he was found to have violated university Policy No. 201.97 by having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate — the same policy Moore is accused of violating.
Moore was fired on Dec. 10 after his ex-girlfriend, an employee of the football team, came forward to the university with proof of their yearslong relationship. Moore then broke into the employee’s house and threatened to kill himself, according to the police report. He was arrested and charged with felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor breaking and entering.
Jenner & Block’s initial probe into Moore turned up nothing after both Moore and the staffer denied their relationship, raising questions about how effective the firm will be at getting to the root of the athletic department’s cultural issues.
The investigation could have implications for Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, who has been in charge since 2016 and so far kept his job through the fallout from Moore’s firing.
Jenner & Block’s services aren’t cheap. In the firm’s Dec. 2021 letter of engagement to U-M from the Schlissel case, attorney Anne Cortina Perry listed her hourly rate as $1,250 in 2022 — not including out-of-pocket expenses, internal charges and costs for outside consultants. Cortina Perry noted the university would be granted a 15% discount on hour-based fees for paying its monthly bills within 30 days.
The letter said Jenner & Block’s investigatory fees “are not in any way contingent upon its successful completion or outcome.”
The investigation revealed dozens of emails Schlissel had sent from his university account to a female employee with whom he was in a relationship. Michigan ultimately agreed to a settlement with Schlissel that paid the ousted president about $925,000 in deferred pay and benefits.
The specific cost of Jenner & Block’s independent investigation into Schlissel was not disclosed; however, considering the expanded scope of the current investigation and the likelihood fees are higher now than three years ago, Michigan could end up paying the firm hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions.
Jordan Acker, a member of Michigan’s Board of Regents since 2019, called for transparency in Jenner & Block’s ongoing investigation in a Dec. 13 social media post.
“My expectations are clear: the findings of that investigation must be made public,” Acker wrote in part. “Transparency is essential to restoring trust and meeting the expectations of the people of this state, our students, our faculty, our alumni, and everyone who believes in the values this university is supposed to represent. Anything less would fall short of who we claim to be.”
The university did not immediately respond to an email from USA TODAY on Dec. 15 asking whether results of the investigation would be made public, but there is some precedent for at least partial transparency.
When announcing Schlissel’s firing in January of 2022, Michigan’s board posted his termination letter on its website along with 118 emails uncovered during the investigation. The full report from Jenner & Block was not released publicly.
Beyond its experience with Michigan, Jenner & Block has a history of high-profile investigations and lawsuits.
The firm often represents private and public universities in internal investigations, Congressional inquiries, NCAA enforcement defense and Title IX and sexual misconduct litigation. Jenner & Block represented Northwestern in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the school by former football coach Pat Fitzgerald, which ended in a settlement reached this August.
Jenner & Block has a Culture Risk and Sensitive Investigations Group that works with clients in education and other industries. According to the firm’s website, the group, “specializes in conducting nuanced investigations and reviews that uncover what is actually happening within an organization, including whether that on-the-ground experience is inconsistent with the direction from company leadership.”
In March, the Trump administration targeted Jenner & Block with an executive order that attempted to block the firm from doing business with the government because the firm formerly employed a prosecutor who investigated the president’s 2016 campaign. A federal judge ruled the order unconstitutional.
Lawyers from Jenner & Block are also representing Harvard in legal fights against the Trump administration over foreign student enrollment.
Tests confirmed Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons tore his ACL, according to multiple reports.
Parsons posted a message on social media vowing to ‘rise again’ from the injury.
The Dallas Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers in August.
The Green Bay Packers’ worst fears came true Monday, Dec. 15, with tests revealing Micah Parsons tore his ACL, according to multiple reports.
Parsons posted a message on social media saying ‘I may be sidelined, but I am not defeated.’
‘This injury is my greatest test—a moment God allowed to strengthen my testimony,’ the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year wrote. ‘I believe He walks with me through this storm and chose me for this fight because He knew my heart could carry it. I’m deeply grateful to the Packers organization and my teammates for their unwavering support, love, and belief in me during this season. I trust His timing, His plan, and His purpose. I will rise again.’
Despite leaving the filed under his own power in an eventual Packers’ 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters he wasn’t optimistic.
‘It doesn’t look good, I’ll leave it at that,’ he said postgame.
The injury will knock Parsons out for the rest of the season and Green Bay’s expected postseason run. Whether he will be ready for the start of the 2026 season depends on his recovery timeline.
The Dallas Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers in August, and the Penn State product promptly signed a four-year, $188 million extension with the team.
Parsons had 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2025.
The Philadelphia Phillies are close to finalizing an agreement with free-agent outfielder Adolis Garcia, who’s spent the past six seasons with the Texas Rangers.
The one-year deal will pay Garcia $10 million for the 2026 season, according to multiple media reports.
A two-time All-Star, Garcia, 32, won a Gold Glove in 2023 as the Rangers won a World Series title. That season, he posted career highs with 39 home runs and 107 RBIs.
He dropped to 19 homers and 75 RBIs in 135 games this past season. The Rangers declined to offer him a contract, allowing him to test the free agent waters.
MLB FREE AGENT TRACKER: Who’s on the market and who’s already signed?
The Phillies have already made a major splash in free agency this offseason, re-signing designated hitter Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract on Dec. 9.
The Phils have also been open about their willingness to trade starting right fielder Nick Castellanos, who’s in the final year of a five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2022. The acquisition of Garcia, who’s much better defensively, would seem to indicate Castellanos’ days in Philly are numbered.
Famed former South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill died Monday morning, the school announced. He was 52 years old. The former Gamecocks signal-caller died in hospice care, per the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office, as reported by Fox Carolina.
The University of South Carolina is mourning the loss of their beloved alumnus, making a post on X letting everyone know that their ‘thoughts are with [Taneyhill’s] loved ones.’
Taneyhill was under center for the Gamecocks between 1992-1995, rocking his signature mullet and swagger that made him a fan favorite. Taneyhill remains the school’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns and completions. He is second all-time in passing yards.
His tenure in Columbia was remarkable, including being named Sports Illustrated’s freshman of the year in 1992 and leading the Gamecocks to a victory in the 1995 Carquest Bowl, the university’s first-ever bowl win.
After finishing up at South Carolina, Taneyhill transitioned to coaching, where he experienced exceptional success. He won three straight South Carolina state championships with Chesterfield High School between 2007 and 2009. He also won state titles as the head coach of the eight-man team at Cambridge Academy in Greenwood.
Outside of coaching, Taneyhill also owned two bars in Columbia — Group Therapy and CB 18. He also owned multiple businesses in Spartanburg.
Taneyhill was inducted into the Gamecocks’ Hall of Fame in 2006 alongside fellow Gamecock football legend Willie Scott and several others.
Taneyhill’s most iconic moment was undoubtedly when he pretended to sign the Clemson tiger paw at midfield after a big win at Clemson in 1992. Taneyhill was just 19 years old at the time, but fed off the energy of the fans and gave fans one of the most iconic pictures in South Carolina football history, his arms stretched out in victory.
Taneyhill’s memorable home run swing celebration after throwing touchdown passes also remains one of the most iconic celebrations of all time.
Michigan’s coaching search must include Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, but it doesn’t stop there.
Eli Drinkwitz and Clark Lea are two other SEC coaches having success. Michigan would be a level up.
Jedd Fisch seems like a reasonable fallback plan. First, kick tires on Jeff Brohm.
A top-10 college football job is on the market. The timing of the opening is not ideal. Neither are the circumstances.
Sherrone Moore is out at Michigan, fired and facing criminal charges after his alleged extramarital affair with a staff member came to light. A fresh scandal for a school that’s become accustomed to them raises questions about Warde Manuel’s viability as athletic director.
And yet, the first sentence still applies: This is a top-10 job.
All it takes is one good candidate to say, “What’s Moore’s mess got to do with me? Hand me the keys (and Larry Ellison’s checkbook), and let’s ride.”
Forgot about hiring a “Michigan Man.” Never mind where a coach was born, who he grew up rooting for or where he attended college. Michigan needs two things in its next coach:
Someone who’ll stay out of jail and free of scandal.
Someone who can position Michigan to compete with Ohio State — and Indiana and Oregon, for that matter.
Here’s a round of love it, like it or no thanks on these potential candidates for Michigan:
Love it. If DeBoer would rather replace a disgraced coach than continue on in the shadow of the irreplaceable, then this native Midwesterner would be a smart fit for Michigan. A career winner, he showed recruiting chops at Alabama. He owns victories against the likes of Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning and Steve Sarkisian. DeBoer, in a statement, said he’s ‘fully committed’ to Alabama and not interested in other jobs. He doubled down in a Dec. 15 news conference, saying unequivocally that he’ll be Alabama’s coach next season and that he’s not interested in Michigan.
Like it. He has Michigan experience without connection to its scandals. Perhaps more important, he has Big Ten head coaching experience, although his two seasons at Washington are more deserving of a middling grade than an A+. He’s a fine option if bigger candidates say no.
Love it. Nobody should question whether Brohm could tussle with Ohio State. He already has. While coaching Purdue, his Boilermakers toppled Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in 2018. He’s a shark in big games, with six upsets of top-11 opponents since 2018. He’s never been at a job of this magnitude. With Michigan’s resources, no telling what he might achieve.
No thanks. Now is the time for Michigan to pursue a clean break from the NCAA cheating that occurred under Jim Harbaugh. Minter received a one-year show-cause penalty earlier this year for recruiting violations. He was on Harbaugh’s staff during the sign-stealing saga. Too many potholes to justify going down this road.
Love it … if he’d say yes. It’s a bit difficult to come up with an explanation for why he would, though. He enjoys an ideal situation at Notre Dame. No reason to leave, unless it’s for the NFL.
No thanks. If Kelly, 64, couldn’t make the playoff in four seasons at LSU, why would he be the right guy for Michigan? He wouldn’t. Kelly’s peak is behind him. He’d provide a dependable high floor, but Michigan should aim higher than 8-4 or 9-3.
No thanks. Poggi, 65, doesn’t exactly scream exciting new direction, and the hire of a coach who went 6-16 in two seasons at Charlotte wouldn’t send a shiver down Ryan Day’s spine. If Michigan’s next coach wants to retain Poggi in some capacity, that’s a conversation worth having. In the meantime, Poggi needs to keep the lights on and do his best to keep the roster intact.
Like it. Can he bring Diego Pavia with him? Seriously, that’s the main question with Lea. Is his success the past two seasons the sign of a brilliant coach who’s figured this out, or more a credit to Pavia? Perhaps a little of both, but anyone who wins at Vanderbilt the way he has the past two seasons is worth an inquiry.
Like it. He’d be new to Big Ten terrain, but he’s been excellent for Missouri, to the tune of 29 victories the past three seasons at a school where averaging 10 wins hasn’t historically come easily. Michigan would bring a different level of expectations. How would he handle that? That’s the question surrounding Drinkwitz with jobs like these. Might be time to find out.
Like it. You want someone from the Curt Cignetti mold, as in an older coach who’s won everywhere he’s been? Here’s one. Fritz, 65, crushed it at the junior college, Division II and FCS levels. Then he won at Tulane. Now, he’s fresh off a 9-3 season at Houston, his first Power Four job. We haven’t seen a job yet that’s too big for Fritz.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
The Senate advanced the annual defense policy bill on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on Monday, teeing up final passage later in the week.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2026 is one of the must-pass legislative packages that Congress deals with on an annual basis, and it unlocked billions of dollars in funding for the Pentagon and several other defense-related items.
Lawmakers pushed the colossal authorization package through a key procedural hurdle on a 76-20 vote. Senators will get their chance to tweak the package with several amendment votes in the coming days.
The roughly $901 billion package, which is about $8 billion over what President Donald Trump requested earlier this year, typically acts as a bookend for Congress, capping off the year as one of the few must-pass items on the docket. And, given that there is no government funding deadline to contend with, the NDAA is getting primetime treatment in the Senate.
Still, there are myriad items that lawmakers hope to tackle before leaving until the new year, including a fix to expiring Obamacare subsidies, confirming nearly 100 of Trump’s nominees, and a potential five-bill funding package that, if passed, would go a long way toward warding off the specter of another government shutdown come Jan. 30.
Scattered throughout the colossal package’s roughly 3,000 pages are several provisions dealing with decades-old war authorities, strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, Ukraine, lifting sanctions, and Washington, D.C.’s, airspace.
This year’s NDAA would scrap the 1991 and 2002 authorizations of use of military force (AUMFs) for the Gulf War and Iraq War, respectively. Lawmakers have found rare bipartisan middle ground in their desire to nix the AUMFs, which have been used by previous administrations to engage in conflicts in the Middle East for decades.
Then there is a policy that includes several requirements to fulfill the Pentagon’s travel budget, one of which would force the agency to hand over all unedited footage from the Trump administration’s strikes against alleged drug boats.
It’s a pointed provision that underscores the bipartisan concern from Congress over the administration’s handling of the strikes, particularly in the wake of a double-tap strike on Sept. 2 that has seen several lawmakers demand more transparency and access to the footage.
There is also a provision that has stirred up controversy among Senate Republicans and Democrats alike that would roll back some safety standards in the Washington, D.C., airspace. It comes on the heels of the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this year.
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the top ranking Democrat on the panel, are pushing to have the provision stripped with their own amendment, which would codify the safety tweaks made after the midair collision.
Cruz said alongside family members of the victims of the crash, which killed 67, that the provision didn’t go through the ordinary clearances.’
‘Normally, when you’re adding a provision to the NDAA that impacts aviation, you would request clearance from the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee,’ Cruz said. ‘No clearance was requested. We discovered this provision when the final version of the bill dropped out of the House and it was passed.’
There are also several provisions that deal with Ukraine, including an extension of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which would authorize $400 million each year to buy weapons from U.S. defense companies.
There’s a provision that would prevent the U.S. from quietly cutting off intelligence support to the country by requiring at least 48-hours notice detailing why, how long it would last and the impact on Ukraine.
There’s also a provision that would beef up reporting requirements for all foreign aid flowing to Ukraine from the U.S. and other allies supporting the country in its conflict with Russia.
The open-ended nature of Major League Baseball’s offseason can lead to transactional stasis, to the point commissioner Rob Manfred has touted the concept of a winter deadline to consummate deals, the better to energize the proceedings.
That may never happen, with players and agents alike willing to play the long game to maximize the deals they receive. Yet there is one deadline looming that will require action: Munetaka Murakami must sign with a major league team within one week.
The slugging infielder faces a 5 p.m. ET deadline Dec. 22 to decide on a team, based on the 45-day posting window veteran players from Japan enter when they transfer from the NPB to the majors. He’ll make a nice holiday addition for someone’s lineup.
A look at Murakami’s market as the clock ticks a little louder toward his decision day:
Most famously, Murakami set the single-season record for home runs in Japan, slugging 56 as a 22-year-old for the Yakult Swallows in 2022. He’s still just 25, and has 265 home runs in his NPB career; for reference sake, Pete Alonso, 31, had 264 homers in seven seasons with the Mets.
Yet there are some yellow flags surrounding his profile. Murakami struck out at least 28% of the time each of the past three seasons. That’s not the greatest foundation given that he’ll be facing pitchers with far better stuff and will encounter elite velocity with much more frequency than he did in the NPB.
Still, just as pitchers benefit from advanced coaching and technology, Murakami can adjust. His career OBP of .394 won’t naturally commute to the most advanced league on the globe, but it’s a significant canvas with which to work.
Murakami can play third base and first base, though the latter is probably preferable. He should command a salary significantly north of $100 million; while no comps are perfect, consider that Masataka Yoshida received a $90 million guarantee from the Boston Red Sox in 2023, and he had a .337 career OBP and never produced a 30-homer season in the NPB.
In a broader sense, virtually any major league team should have interest. In the universal DH era, a corner infielder essentially has three spots in the lineup to slide into. And pursuits of Kyle Schwarber by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles – and the latter team’s successful $151 million bid on Alonso – at least partially reflects that there’s cash to be spent out there.
Still, Murakami figures to land with a larger-revenue club, if only because they have greater latitude to shrug off a suboptimal investment should Murakami’s skills not translate to the big leagues.
With that, a handful of solid options for Murakami:
Boston Red Sox: They still owe Yoshida $35 million over the next two seasons, not that his slightly above-league-average production and injury woes should necessarily serve as a cautionary tale in pursuing another bat from the NPB. The Red Sox need more thump in the lineup, and the simplest solution would be re-upping Alex Bregman, who shined in 114 games before opting out of his deal. But we’re into the back half of December and Bregman still loiters on the market. Perhaps one week isn’t a long enough runway for the Red Sox to have any, let alone all the answers to questions – bring back Bregman? Trade Triston Casas? – that might accelerate or cool a Murakami pursuit. But there’s certainly a universe where he fits in Boston.
Toronto Blue Jays: Yeah, these guys are in on everyone, at least until further notice. Murakami would give the Blue Jays a loaded roster and options to play around with so many lineup cogs. Drop him at third base and nudge Addison Barger to left field. A year from now, the DH slot will open up with George Springer’s likely departure. And a lineup that will feature five players 30 or older will get a bit younger.
Good question. Virtually every elite position player free agent – from Kyle Tucker to Bregman to Bo Bichette – could certainly impact Murakami’s pool of suitors. And the going has been particularly slow for Tucker and Bichette so far.
Yet none of those guys have deadlines to sign. Murakami does – and it’s likely his signing will tell us someone is boxed out of their old home before they know it themselves.