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Tour Championship leaderboard, scores as Henley, Scheffler lead

It has all come down to this.

A $40 million purse is at stake, including $10 million to the golfer who is standing alone at the 18th hole at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta at the 2025 Tour Championship.

The final event of the FedEx Cup playoffs is a four-day stroke-play event, meaning each of the 30 golfers competing started at even par, and the best score at the end of four rounds will be the champion, as is the case at any other event on the tour. Gone are the days of the starting stroke, which gave the golfers with the highest-ranking entering the event a decided advantage in previous years.

That means World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won last week’s BMW Championship and is the leader in FedEx Cup points, must continue playing his best to become the first back-to-back champion since the FedEx Cup Playoffs were first played in 2007.

Scheffler did just that, standing alone at second place after a 7-under 63 in the first round. However, the story of the day was undoubtedly Russell Henley. The American burst out to a two-stroke lead to begin the Tour Championship, sitting at 9-under after a stunning 61 in the opening round.

Tour Championship live leaderboard

1. Russell Henley: -9 (F)
2. Scottie Scheffler: -7 (F)
T3. Collin Morikawa: -6 (F)
T3. Patrick Cantlay: -6 (F)
T3. Justin Thomas: -6 (F)
T3. Robert MacIntyre: -6 (F)
T3. Tommy Fleetwood: -6 (F)

McIlroy scores the ugliest birdie ever on 18

After a solid first 17 holes, which saw Rory McIlroy just outside the top 10 at 3-under, McIlroy fell apart on the final hole, pulling his tee shot into the rough … of a different hole on the course. Of course, people have rebounded from worse, but McIlroy’s next shot wound up in the furthest bunker surrounding the green, making an up-and-down all but impossible.

McIlroy would get rather lucky with his bunker shot. He skulled the ball and it would have gone flying over the green if not for the grandstand playing backstop and bouncing the ball back onto the green. Somehow, McIlroy would sink the long putt for birdie, pushing him into a tie for eighth at 4-under. How? No idea, but the saying goes, ‘It’s better to be lucky than good.’ McIlroy certainly stretched that saying to its limit.

McIlroy’s groupmate, Scottie Scheffler, would also birdie the hole to pull into sole possession of second place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off, looking to defend title

All 30 golfers are on the East Lake Golf Club course as Scheffler and Rory McIlroy started their first round. Jacob Bridgeman, Nick Taylor and Collin Morikawa have jumped out to an early lead at 4-under through the front nine. Scheffler made a par on the first hole, which has given golfers trouble through the early portion of the round.

First golfers tee off at Tour Championship

The pairing of Chris Gotterup and Akshay Bhatia, ranked 29th and 30th in FedEx Cup points during the regular season, has hit the course to kick off the action at the most lucrative stop on tour.

What time is Tour Championship? 

The 2025 Tour Championship begins Thursday, Aug. 21. The first tee time on Thursday is 11:16 a.m. ET, with coverage starting at 11 a.m. ET. 

How to watch Tour Championship: TV channel, streaming 

The 2025 Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC. It can be live streamed via ESPN+, Peacock and Fubo depending on the time. Here’s the full broadcast schedule for all four rounds: 

All times Eastern 

Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22 

11 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+ 
1-6 p.m. on Golf Channel,Fubo 

Saturday, Aug. 23 

Noon-7 p.m. on ESPN+ 
1-2:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo 
2:30-7 p.m. on NBC, Peacock 

Sunday, Aug. 24 

11 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+ 
Noon-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo 
1:30-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock 

Watch the Tour Championship with Peacock

Tour Championship tee times, pairings 

First Round – Thursday 

All times ET 

11:16 a.m. — Chris Gotterup, Akshay Bhatia 
11:27 a.m. — Jacob Bridgeman, Sungjae Im 
11:38 a.m. — Nick Taylor, Harry Hall 
11:49 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry 
12 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland 
12:16 p.m. — Corey Conners, Patrick Cantlay 
12:27 p.m. — Sam Burns, Brian Harman 
12:38 p.m. — Andrew Novak, Keegan Bradley 
12:49 p.m. — Cameron Young, Ludvig Åberg 
1 p.m. — Harris English, Justin Thomas 
1:16 p.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Maverick McNealy 
1:27 p.m. — Russell Henley, Sepp Straka 
1:38 p.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Ben Griffin 
1:49 p.m. — J.J. Spaun, Justin Rose 
2 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy 

FedEx Cup standings 

Here are the 30 players who qualified for the 2025 Tour Championship and their FedEx Cup points following the BMW Championship, won by Scottie Scheffler: 

Scottie Scheffler: 7,456 points 

Rory McIlroy: 3,687 points 

J.J. Spaun: 3,493 points 

Justin Rose: 3,326 points 

Tommy Fleetwood: 2,923 points 

Ben Griffin: 2,798 points 

Russell Henley: 2,795 points 

Sepp Straka: 2,783 points 

Robert MacIntyre: 2,750 points 

Maverick McNealy: 2,547 points 

Harris English: 2,512 points 

Justin Thomas: 2,477 points 

Cameron Young: 2,185 points 

Ludvig Aberg: 2,179 points 

Andrew Novak: 2,030 points 

Keegan Bradley: 1,993 points 

Sam Burns: 1,871 points 

Brian Harman: 1,735 points 

Corey Conners: 1,719 points 

Patrick Cantlay: 1,661 points 

Collin Morikawa: 1,656 points 

Viktor Hovland: 1,637 points 

Hideki Matsuyama: 1,630 points 

Shane Lowry: 1,607 points 

Nick Taylor: 1,564 points 

Harry Hall: 1,475 points 

Jacob Bridgeman: 1,475 points 

Sungjae Im: 1,422 points 

Chris Gotterup: 1,414 points 

Akshay Bhatia: 1,409 points 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Pentagon unveils new medal for troops deployed in Trump’s southern border crackdown

The Pentagon has created a new medal for service members who’ve deployed to the southern border to assist federal law enforcement with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. 

The Pentagon unveiled plans for a Mexican Border Defense Medal for U.S. troops serving with Joint Task Force Southern Border, according to a new memo the Pentagon released Aug.13 that was shared on social media. 

A U.S. defense official confirmed the authenticity of the memo to Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

Now, service members will receive the Mexican Border Defense Medal (MBDM) instead of the Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) like they previously earned for supporting Customs and Border Protection at the border, the memo said. 

The Armed Forces Service Medal, originally created in 1996 by former President Bill Clinton, is awarded to troops who have participated in a military operation with ‘significant activity,’ but didn’t encounter foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action, according to a U.S. Army description of the medal. 

The Pentagon said in July that approximately 8,500 military personnel are assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border, and have been tasked with responding to security threats there. The task force got underway in March and completed approximately 3,500 patrols between then and July, according to the Pentagon. 

Those eligible for the award must have deployed since Jan. 20 to support Customs and Border Protection, and served within 100-nautical miles from the international border shared with Mexico in either Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or California. 

Those who’ve also served in adjacent waters up to 24 nautical miles away from the border also are eligible. 

‘Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that deployed to participate in a designated DoD military operation supporting CBP within the (area of eligibility) during the (period of award) for 30 consecutive or nonconsecutive days,’ the memo said. 

Those who already have received the Armed Forces Service Medal for service at the southern border may appeal to receive the new award but are ineligible to receive both, according to the Pentagon. 

‘Service members and Veterans previously awarded the AFSM for DoD support to CBP may apply to their respective Military Service for award of the MBDM in lieu of the AFSM previously awarded to recognize such service; however, no Service member or Veteran may be awarded both the AFSM and the MBDM for the same period of qualifying service,’ the memo said. 

The Pentagon, per the direction of the president, has established four national defense areas along the border, bolstering U.S. troops’ capacity to assist Customs and Border Protection under the task force. 

The national defense areas operate under military jurisdiction, paving the way for U.S. troops to detain trespassers. Without placing these stretches of land under military jurisdiction, U.S. troops were barred from doing so under existing federal law. 

‘Through these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will ensure those who illegally trespass in the New Mexico National Defense Area are handed over to Customs and Border Protection or our other law enforcement partners,’ Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, said in an April statement. ‘Joint Task Force Southern Border will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which will include vehicle and foot patrols, rotary wing and fixed surveillance site operations.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Jerry Jones takes shot at Bills when asked about Cowboys title drought

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl since its 30th iteration in 1995. But team owner and general manager Jerry Jones just wants to remind everyone that the Buffalo Bills’ title drought runs much longer.

The recently released Netflix docuseries about Jones’ ownership of the Cowboys has an episode dedicated to Dallas’ 29-year span without another Super Bowl championship. Throughout the drought, Jones has remained in control as the head of the front office in addition to his ownership duties.

In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell, Jones flipped the script on his critics by throwing the Bills under the bus.

‘How long has it been since Buffalo won the Super Bowl?’ Jones said. ‘Buffalo hasn’t been chopped liver. They’re solid. They’re probably in the top third of the NFL.’

The Bills have won the AFC championship four times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. All four of the titles were in consecutive years between 1990 and 1993. All four times, they lost the ensuing Super Bowl, including twice in a row against Jones’ Cowboys in Super Bowls 27 and 28 (following the 1992 and ’93 seasons, respectively).

Jones said he remains confident that his approach as Dallas’ head of personnel decisions will eventually lead to a championship.

‘I just can’t get as convicted that the way we’re doing it, that our approach to trying to win a Super Bowl, that that needs to change,’ Jones said. ‘I guess that’s why I’m so defensive.’

The Cowboys won 12 games in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons before losing in the divisional round in 2022 and wild-card round in 2023. In 2024, Dallas finished with a 7-10 record as it dealt with injuries to some of its star players, including a season-ending hamstring injury to quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Bills have won five straight AFC East titles, dating back to 2020, and haven’t won fewer than 11 games in a season over that stretch. However, Buffalo also hasn’t returned to a Super Bowl since that last AFC title in 1993. Four times in the last five years, they’ve fallen to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs, including twice in the AFC title game.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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College football season record projections for all 136 FBS teams

Penn State, Clemson, Notre Dame and multiple teams from the SEC high in the US LBM Coaches Poll are expected to pace the Bowl Subdivision in the USA TODAY Sports record projections for every college football team entering the 2025 season.

The Nittany Lions and Tigers are the projected winners of the Big Ten and ACC, respectively. Texas tops the SEC, one game ahead of Georgia and Alabama. Kansas State is the pick to win the Big 12.

The Fighting Irish are projected to lose just one game during the regular season and earn one of the top at-large seeds to the College Football Playoff.

In the Group of Five, the projected conference champions are Tulane (American), Boise State (Mountain West), James Madison (Sun Belt), Toledo (MAC) and Liberty (Conference USA).

Here’s how we have the FBS shaking out when the season kicks off this Saturday:

Big Ten

Penn State, Ohio State and Oregon are clearly ahead of the pack in the Big Ten, though the league could have another three or four teams fighting for nine or more wins and the playoff late in the season. The Buckeyes would still make the playoff with losses to Texas, Penn State and one other Big Ten opponent. Any small stumble from these favorites could open a door for Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Nebraska or Iowa.

SEC

The rowdiest conference in the FBS could end up with any one of Texas, Georgia, Alabama or even LSU winning the SEC and earning the top spot in the final playoff rankings. The Longhorns and Arch Manning will draw plenty of attention. Alabama will be better in coach Kalen DeBoer’s second year and could end up the best team in the country. Big years for coaches Hugh Freeze and Sam Pittman are not projected to go very well.

ACC

Clemson, Miami, and then everyone else. The Tigers and quarterback Cade Klubnik are eyeballing not just another ACC crown but the program’s third national championship under Dabo Swinney. Miami needs a big year from transfer Carson Beck. Keep tabs on Louisville and SMU as possible at-large playoff teams. And look for a rebound from Florida State after a disastrous 2024.

Big 12

Good luck picking this one. Kansas State is the front-runner by a whisper behind defending conference champion Arizona State, transfer-heavy Texas Tech, TCU, Utah and Iowa State. Look for as many as six or seven teams to make a run at the top spot. The depth in this league is noticeable: Brigham Young, Kansas, Houston and others are very solid, well-coached teams capable of knocking off other Power Four competition in non-conference play.

Independent

Notre Dame may be favored in nearly every game and could run the table by avoiding the Northern Illinois-like slipups that have hampered the program under Marcus Freeman. The Irish need to break in a new starting quarterback but are loaded across the board. Connecticut is going places under coach Jim Mora and should get back to bowl eligibility.

American

Tulane is established as the top team in the American and, along with Boise State, the odds-on favorite to earn an at-large playoff bid. The Green Wave will face a big threat from Memphis. Alabama-Birmingham comes in last heading into what looks like coach Trent Dilfer’s final season.

Mountain West

Once again, it’s Boise State and UNLV followed by a big chunk of teams scrambling for seven or eight wins. The Broncos have a huge hole to replace at running back but are still constructed to win the league and make the playoff. Behind this top pair are an experienced Air Force team and what looks like another strong San Jose State team.

Sun Belt

There are a handful of strong Group of Five teams atop the Sun Belt, starting with James Madison, Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State and Georgia Southern. JMU is the preseason front-runner heading into coach Bob Chesney’s second year. One team expected to take a big step back is Marshall.

MAC

On paper, Toledo has the talent, depth and coaching to be the team to beat. But the MAC is always tricky; teams such as Ohio, Miami (Ohio) and Buffalo are right behind, and there’s typically at least one unexpected contender that makes a run at the conference championship game. That team won’t be Kent State, widely expected to once again finish dead last in the FBS.

Conference USA

Liberty remains the favorite even after losing quarterback Kaidon Salter to Colorado. But Western Kentucky should be explosive offensively and contend for nine or more wins. FBS newcomers Delaware and Missouri State will land near the bottom of the conference.

Pac-12

The two-member Pac-12, which will grow in 2026, features a home-and-home set between Oregon State and Washington State in November. The Beavers play four Power Four teams in September before the schedule eases up in the second half.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Tour Championship live leaderboard, scores for Thursday

It has all come down to this.

A $40 million purse is at stake, including $10 million to the golfer who is standing alone at the 18th hole at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta at the 2025 Tour Championship.

The final event of the FedEx Cup playoffs is a stroke-play event, meaning each of the 30 golfers competing will start at even par, and the best score at the end of four rounds will be the champion, just like it was at any other event on the tour. It eliminates the starting stroke, which gave the golfers with the highest-ranking entering the event a decided advantage.

That means World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won last week’s BMW Championship and is the leader in FedEx Cup points, must play his best to become the first back-to-back champion since the FedEx Cup Playoffs were first played in 2007.

Tour Championship live leaderboard

1. Russell Henley: -7 (16)
T2. Collin Morikawa: -6 (F)
T2. Patrick Cantlay: -6 (17)
T4. Justin Thomas: -5 (17)
T4. Robert MacIntyre: -5 (16)
T4. Tommy Fleetwood: -5 (15)

Scottie Scheffler tees off, looking to defend title

All 30 golfers are on the East Lake Golf Club course as Scheffler and Rory McIlroy started their first round. Jacob Bridgeman, Nick Taylor, and Collin Morikawa have jumped out to an early lead at 4-under through the front nine. Scheffler made a par on the first hole, which has given golfers trouble through the early portion of the round.

First golfers tee off at Tour Championship

The pairing of Chris Gotterup and Akshay Bhatia, ranked 29th and 30th in FedEx Cup points during the regular season, has hit the course to kick off the action at the most lucrative stop on tour.

What time is Tour Championship? 

The 2025 Tour Championship begins Thursday, Aug. 21. The first tee time on Thursday is 11:16 a.m. ET, with coverage starting at 11 a.m. ET. 

How to watch Tour Championship: TV channel, streaming 

The 2025 Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, will be televised nationally on the Golf Channel and NBC. It can be live streamed via ESPN+, Peacock and Fubo depending on the time. Here’s the full broadcast schedule for all four rounds: 

All times Eastern 

Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22 

11 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+ 
1-6 p.m. on Golf Channel,Fubo 

Saturday, Aug. 23 

Noon-7 p.m. on ESPN+ 
1-2:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo 
2:30-7 p.m. on NBC, Peacock 

Sunday, Aug. 24 

11 a.m.-6 p.m. on ESPN+ 
Noon-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, Fubo 
1:30-6 p.m. on NBC, Peacock 

Watch the Tour Championship with Peacock

Tour Championship tee times, pairings 

First Round – Thursday 

All times ET 

11:16 a.m. — Chris Gotterup, Akshay Bhatia 
11:27 a.m. — Jacob Bridgeman, Sungjae Im 
11:38 a.m. — Nick Taylor, Harry Hall 
11:49 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry 
12 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland 
12:16 p.m. — Corey Conners, Patrick Cantlay 
12:27 p.m. — Sam Burns, Brian Harman 
12:38 p.m. — Andrew Novak, Keegan Bradley 
12:49 p.m. — Cameron Young, Ludvig Åberg 
1 p.m. — Harris English, Justin Thomas 
1:16 p.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Maverick McNealy 
1:27 p.m. — Russell Henley, Sepp Straka 
1:38 p.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Ben Griffin 
1:49 p.m. — J.J. Spaun, Justin Rose 
2 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy 

FedEx Cup standings 

Here are the 30 players who qualified for the 2025 Tour Championship and their FedEx Cup points following the BMW Championship, won by Scottie Scheffler: 

Scottie Scheffler: 7,456 points 

Rory McIlroy: 3,687 points 

J.J. Spaun: 3,493 points 

Justin Rose: 3,326 points 

Tommy Fleetwood: 2,923 points 

Ben Griffin: 2,798 points 

Russell Henley: 2,795 points 

Sepp Straka: 2,783 points 

Robert MacIntyre: 2,750 points 

Maverick McNealy: 2,547 points 

Harris English: 2,512 points 

Justin Thomas: 2,477 points 

Cameron Young: 2,185 points 

Ludvig Aberg: 2,179 points 

Andrew Novak: 2,030 points 

Keegan Bradley: 1,993 points 

Sam Burns: 1,871 points 

Brian Harman: 1,735 points 

Corey Conners: 1,719 points 

Patrick Cantlay: 1,661 points 

Collin Morikawa: 1,656 points 

Viktor Hovland: 1,637 points 

Hideki Matsuyama: 1,630 points 

Shane Lowry: 1,607 points 

Nick Taylor: 1,564 points 

Harry Hall: 1,475 points 

Jacob Bridgeman: 1,475 points 

Sungjae Im: 1,422 points 

Chris Gotterup: 1,414 points 

Akshay Bhatia: 1,409 points 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Texans safety Jimmie Ward faces domestic violence civil suit

Ward was arrested in June on a felony domestic violence charge and accused by the same woman who filed this latest lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, filed in Harris County, Texas, and obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the woman is seeking damages of more than $20 million and demands a jury trial. Ward is also accused of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and gross negligence.

The lawsuit details an incident on June 12 in which the woman alleges Ward charged into her home, slapping her, choking her and threatening her while forcing her to perform oral sex, all while their son was watching.

There is another accusation of assault in April, according to the lawsuit. Another time in January 2025, the woman alleges she ‘saw Ward snorting lines of a white powdered substance off a bathroom counter. Minutes later, he forced her onto a mattress and began aggressively having sex with her against her will.’

The lawsuit says that Ward has repeatedly violated the conditions of his bond from that June arrest and was arrested again for use of alcohol in violation of the bond agreement.

Ward, 34, is currently on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform list with a foot injury. His criminal case is set for Aug. 31 in front of a grand jury.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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WNBA star hits game-winner, curses during live postgame interview

Kelsey Plum hit a game-winning shot for the Los Angeles Sparks against the Dallas Wings.
Plum’s postgame interview drew attention after she used an expletive while discussing the team’s defense.
The Sparks are currently fighting for a playoff spot with nine games remaining.

Last night’s WNBA contest between the Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Sparks was one of the best this season, as Sparks guard Kelsey Plum hit a bank shot as time expired, giving her team an 81-80 victory.

Another notable performance was that of Wings rookie guard Paige Buckers, who set a WNBA single-game rookie scoring record with 44 points on 17-21 shooting and became the first player in league history to shoot at least 80% from the field while scoring 40 or more points.

But it was Plum who dropped the mic in her postgame interview after scoring 20 points in the victory.

‘We got to play some (expletive) defense,’ Plum said before walking off to the locker room.

Dallas shot 48% for the game and made 11 of its 19 3-point attempts.

Plum’s interview was broadcast live on television, allowing fans at Crypto.com Arena to hear her thoughts following a tough victory.

Plum was asked about the playoff push the team is embarking on, and with nine games remaining, Los Angeles (17-18) is a half-game back of the eighth and final postseason spot.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Little League World Series: How to watch US Bracket game today

The 2025 Little League World Series began on Thursday with an international clash but culminates with a U.S. bracket match that will continue the dreams of either the Las Vegas, Nevada team or the squad from Irmo, South Carolina.

Irmo fought its way back into contention by dispatching of Sioux Falls in a hard-fought battle, 7-6. Las Vegas, on the other hand, will need to battle back from the sting of losing to Fairfield, 7-3. While Connecticut goes on to play in the U.S. championship game Saturday, Nevada will take on Irmo on short rest for a chance to stay alive.

Stay tuned for all the action from a must-watch U.S. bracket matchup between Las Vegas and Irmo, a game that will determine the fate of both teams in the 2025 Little League World Series.

How to watch 2025 Little League World Series

The 2025 Little League World Series will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, with the championship game airing on ABC. Games will also be available to stream on ESPN+.

Date: Thursday, Aug. 21
Times: International game, 3 p.m. ET; U.S. game, 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo
Location: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Stream the Little League World Series on Fubo

What time is the 2025 Little League World Series today?

Thursday, Aug. 21

All times Eastern

International Bracket

Game 33: Aruba v. Venezuela: 3 p.m. @ Lamade

United States bracket

Game 33: Las Vegas v. South Carolina: 7 p.m. @ Lamade

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Politics

Federal judge rules Trump appointee Alina Habba is unlawfully serving as US attorney

A judge on Thursday found that Alina Habba was unlawfully serving in the role of acting U.S. attorney of New Jersey after President Donald Trump sidestepped typical processes to keep her in charge.

Judge Matthew Brann said Habba has not been the rightful temporary U.S. attorney for New Jersey since July 1, a ruling that follows two criminal defendants in New Jersey challenging her appointment in court, alleging it was unconstitutional.

‘Faced with the question of whether Ms. Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not,’ Brann wrote in a 77-page order.

Habba, Trump’s former personal defense lawyer, had been serving as interim U.S. attorney, but when her term expired last month, Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi used loopholes in federal vacancy laws to install her as ‘acting’ rather than ‘interim’ U.S. attorney.

One of the defendants in the district, Julien Giraud, alleged that the moves violated his constitutional rights because of the string of unconventional actions it took to attempt to keep Habba in the role.

Brann, an Obama appointee serving in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, agreed and found Habba could not prosecute Giraud or another defendant who challenged Habba’s position.

Brann is presiding over the matter after the chief judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers New Jersey and Pennsylvania, decided the case presented too much of a conflict for New Jersey’s federal judges.

The New Jersey judges made the rare decision to decline to extend Habba’s term and instead appointed career attorney Desiree Grace to the job. Trump and Bondi fired Grace, withdrew Habba’s nomination as permanent U.S. attorney and then reinstated Habba as acting U.S. attorney, which they said kept Habba in charge for at least another 210 days under federal statute.

Fox News Digital reached out to a spokeswoman for Habba for comment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Business

Walmart boosts sales outlook as it says tariff costs are rising

Walmart on Thursday raised its full-year earnings and sales outlook as its online business posted another quarter of double-digit gains, even as the company said costs are rising from higher tariffs.

The big-box retailer topped Wall Street’s quarterly sales estimates but fell short of earnings expectations, the first time it missed on quarterly earnings since May 2022. The company said it felt pressure on profits for the period, including from some one-time expenses, such as restructuring costs, pricier insurance claims and litigation settlements.

Walmart said it now expects net sales to grow 3.75% to 4.75% for the fiscal year, up from its previous expectations of 3% to 4%. It raised its adjusted earnings per share outlook slightly to $2.52 to $2.62, up from a prior range of $2.50 to $2.60 per share.

In an interview with CNBC, Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said the company is working hard to keep prices low — including speeding up imports from overseas and stepping up the number of Rollbacks, or limited-time discounts, in its stores.

“This is managed on an item-by-item and category-by-category basis,” he said. “There are certainly areas where we have fully absorbed the impact of higher tariff costs. There are other areas where we’ve had to pass some of those costs along.”

But he added “tariff-impacted costs are continuing to drift upwards.”

Even so, Rainey said Walmart hasn’t seen a change in customer spending. For example, sales of private label items, which typically cost less than national brands, were roughly flat year over year, he said.

“Everyone is looking to see if there are any creaks in the armor or anything that’s happening with the consumer, but it’s been very consistent,” he said. “They continue to be very resilient.”

Yet on the company’s earnings call, CEO Doug McMillon said middle- and lower-income households have been more sensitive to tariff-related price increases, particularly in discretionary categories.

“We see a corresponding moderation in units at the item level as customers switch to other items, or in some cases, categories,” he said.

Here’s what the big-box reported for the fiscal second quarter compared with what Wall Street expected, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Walmart shares fell about 2% in premarket trading Thursday.

Walmart’s net income jumped to $7.03 billion, or 88 cents per share, in the three-month period that ended July 31, compared with $4.50 billion, or 56 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Revenue rose from $169.34 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Comparable sales for Walmart U.S. climbed 4.6% in the second quarter, excluding fuel, compared with the year-ago period, as both the grocery and health and wellness category saw strong growth. That was higher than the 4% increase that analysts expected. The industry metric, also called same-store sales, includes sales from stores and clubs open for at least a year.

At Sam’s Club, comparable sales jumped 5.9% excluding fuel, higher than the 5.2% that analysts anticipated.

E-commerce sales jumped 25% globally and 26% in the U.S., as both online purchases and advertising grew. In the U.S., Walmart said sales through store-fulfilled delivery of groceries and other items grew nearly 50% year over year, with one-third of those orders expedited. The company charges a fee for some of those faster deliveries, and others are included as a benefit of its subscription-based membership program, Walmart+.

Its global advertising business grew 46% year over year, including Vizio, the smart TV maker it acquired for $2.3 billion last year. Its U.S. advertising business, Walmart Connect, grew by 31%.

As Walmart’s online business drums up more revenue from home deliveries, advertising and commissions from sellers on its third-party marketplace, e-commerce has become a profitable business. The company marked a milestone in May — posting its first profitable quarter for its e-commerce business in the U.S. and globally.

Rainey said on Thursday that Walmart doubled its e-commerce profitability in the fiscal second quarter from the prior quarter.

In the U.S., shoppers both visited Walmart more and spent more on those trips during the quarter. Customer transactions rose 1.5% year over year and average ticket increased 3.1% for Walmart’s U.S. business.

As the largest U.S. retailer, Walmart offers a unique window into the financial health of American households. As higher duties have come in fits and starts — with some getting delayed and others going into effect earlier this month — Wall Street has tried to understand how those costs will ripple through the U.S. economy.

Walmart warned in May that it would have to raise some prices due to higher levies on imports, even with its size and scale. The company’s comments drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who said in a social media post that Walmart should “EAT THE TARIFFS.”

About a third of what Walmart sells in the U.S. comes from other parts of the world, with China, Mexico, Canada, Vietnam and India representing its largest markets for imports, Rainey said in May.

According to an analysis by CNBC of about 50 items sold by the retailer, some of those price changes have already hit shelves. Items that rose in price at Walmart over the summer included a frying pan, a pair of jeans and a car seat.

Rainey on Thursday declined to specify items or categories where Walmart had increased prices, saying the company is “trying to keep prices as low as we can.”

He said one of the company’s strategies has been bringing in inventory early, particularly for Sam’s Club as it gets ready for the second half of the fiscal year and its crucial holiday season. At the end of the quarter, inventory was up about 3.5% at Sam’s Club, Rainey said. It was up 2.2% for Walmart U.S.

On the company’s earnings call, McMillon said the impact of tariffs has been “gradual enough that any behavioral adjustments by the customer have been somewhat muted.”

“But as we replenish inventory at post-tariff price levels, we’ve continued to see our costs increase each week, which we expect will continue into the third and fourth quarters,” he said.

Yet even with higher costs from tariffs, Walmart has fared better than its retail competitors as it has leaned into its reputation for value, competed on faster deliveries to customers’ homes and attracted more business from higher-income households.

The Arkansas-based retailer’s performance has diverged sharply from rival Target, which posted another quarter of sales declines on Wednesday and named the new CEO who will be tasked with trying to turn around the company.

Walmart has gained from Target’s struggles. It has followed the Target playbook by launching more exclusive and trend-driven brands, including grocery brand BetterGoods and activewear brand Love & Sports. It has also expanded its third-party marketplace to include prestige beauty brands and more.

Sales of general merchandise, items outside of the grocery department, were a bright spot for Walmart in the fiscal second quarter, Rainey said. That category struggled during peak inflation in recent years, as consumers spent less on discretionary items because of rising grocery bills.

Comparable sales for general merchandise rose by a low-single-digit percentage and accelerated throughout the quarter, Rainey told CNBC. He added clothing and fashion sales “really shined for us.”

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