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GOP moves to defund hospitals that perform sex-change procedures on minors

A new House GOP bill would block federal funding for hospitals that perform sex-change surgeries on minors.

The legislation, led by Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, and backed by interest groups Do No Harm and Genspect, specifically targets funding that medical centers receive through a program aimed at fostering new children’s physicians.

‘We’re standing for basic medical ethics and recognizing those who have been silenced and betrayed by a system that put ideology ahead of genuine care,’ Crenshaw told Fox News Digital. ‘Medicine should be grounded in truth and healing—not in false promises that cause lasting harm.’

The bill would require re-authorization of the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education Payment Program through fiscal year (FY) 2030.

The legislation includes a provision that ‘no payment may be made…to a children’s hospital for a fiscal year (beginning with fiscal year 2026) if, at any point during the preceding fiscal year, such hospital furnished specific procedures…and drugs to an individual under 18 years of age.’

Those specifics are defined as being ‘for the purpose of changing the body of such individual to no longer correspond to the individual’s sex.’

Do No Harm Medical Director Dr. Kurt Miceli lauded the legislation to Fox News Digital.

‘The American taxpayer should not fund hospitals that perform unscientific sex-change procedures on minors. Representative Crenshaw’s bill is important to help protect our children by ensuring federally funded graduate medical education programs do not engage in these harmful practices,’ he said.

The bill is being introduced on what conservatives have dubbed ‘DeTrans Awareness Day.’

Permissions for transgender medical care or procedures for minors have been a lightening rod in the ongoing culture war between the right and left.

The issue of transgender minors’ participation in school sports has also seen heated debate, with some Democrats even speaking out against their party for obliterating dissent on the topic.

Notably, California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently said on his new podcast that allowing transgender men to play in women’s sports is ‘deeply unfair.’

‘I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness,’ he said to conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

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‘Overblown’ reports on Israel-Lebanon normalization risk hindering border talks before they begin: official

Reports that surfaced on Wednesday suggesting Israel and Lebanon were pursing ‘normalization’ ties have been ‘overblown’ and risk hurting actual hard-fought discussions, a U.S. official familiar with the talks told Fox News Digital.

Israeli reports, citing an anonymous senior Israeli official, claimed that renewed talks with Lebanon were aimed at reaching a standard diplomatic relationship between the two nations, just months after a ceasefire agreement was reached following Jerusalem’s offensive against Hezbollah. 

But the U.S. official, who also requested to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the Israel-Lebanon talks, said border security is the main priority at this moment.

The ‘current focus is ridding Lebanon of Hezbollah and corrupt officials,’ the U.S. official emphasized.

‘Normalized’ ties between Israel and other nations in the Middle East were a cornerstone of the first Trump administration, which looked to bring security to Israel by establishing diplomatic ties between Jerusalem and its Arab neighbors. 

But relations in the Middle East have drastically shifted since 2021, when Trump left office.

Not only is Israel staring down the glaring issue of Hamas – which still holds 59 hostages, 58 of whom were taken by the terrorist group during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks – but the ‘day after’ plan for the Gaza Strip remains unclear. 

As negotiations between the U.S., Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Hamas continue, the threat posed by other Iran-backed terrorist networks remains – particularly when it comes to the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

The Biden administration, alongside France, helped broker a 60-day ceasefire in late November between Israel, Hezbollah and Lebanon that intended to end the hostilities by dismantling the terrorist organization in southern Lebanon coupled with the withdrawal of Israeli forces – neither were ever fully realized.

Despite the end of the ceasefire in late January, the security situation in southern Lebanon has remained relatively stable, though it continues to be a precarious situation. 

Working groups that will encompass U.S., Israeli and Lebanese officials, are being established to renew talks on unresolved issues relating to prisoner releases, border disputes and the presence of IDF troops in southern Lebanon – which currently remain in a move to safeguard Israelis living in the country’s north.

Talks between officials from Washington, Jerusalem and Beirut are not expected to begin until April and will focus on removing the threat Hezbollah poses to Israel and regional stability.

The U.S. official familiar with the talks told Fox News Digital that any suggestion of establishing formal diplomatic ties, like those forged with the UAE and Bahrain, were ‘premature.’

Fox News Digital could not reach Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office for comment. 

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‘Hysteria’: White House shuts down concerns over USAID document purge

The White House dismissed concerns that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is instructing employees to destroy classified documents amid efforts by the Trump administration to shutter the agency. 

USAID’s acting Executive Secretary Erica Carr instructed employees to begin shredding and burning documents, according to a motion that government labor unions filed in a federal court Tuesday. 

But the documents remain available on computer systems – and the order comes as U.S. Customs and Border Protection is poised to move into the USAID building, according to White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. 

‘This was sent to roughly three dozen employees,’ Kelly said in a Tuesday night X post regarding Carr’s order. ‘The documents involved were old, mostly courtesy content (content from other agencies), and the originals still exist on classified computer systems. More fake news hysteria!’

Everyone involved in the process of eliminating the documents had a secret security clearance or higher, and were not among those placed on administrative leave, an administration official told Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

As a result, those involved were familiar with the content they were handling and were specifically appointed by the agency to review and conduct the purge, the official said. 

Thousands of employees at USAID were either fired or placed on administrative leave in February, following recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to implement cuts targeting wasteful spending. 

Carr issued an email to employees instructing them to ‘shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,’ ProPublica first reported Tuesday. 

The State Department, which oversees USAID, did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

The American Foreign Service Association, a union representing those who serve in the U.S. Foreign Service and several other groups, filed a motion Tuesday in a Washington, D.C., federal court requesting a temporary restraining order blocking USAID from ordering employees to destroy documents. 

Specifically, the groups asserted in the filing that Carr’s order ‘suggests a rapid destruction of agency records on a large scale that could not plausibly involve a reasoned assessment of the records retention obligations for the relevant documents.’ 

The American Foreign Service Association said it would monitor the situation and pressed officials at USAID to issue more guidance on the directive. 

‘Federal law is clear: the preservation of government records is essential to transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the legal process,’ the American Foreign Service Association said in a Tuesday statement. 

‘The Federal Records Act of 1950 and its implementing regulations establish strict requirements for the retention of official records, particularly those that may be relevant to legal proceedings,’ the statement said. ‘Furthermore, the unlawful destruction of federal records could carry serious legal consequences for anyone directed to act in violation of the law.’ 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the State Department had concluded a six-week review and would cancel more than 80% of USAID programs. 

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Rubio pushes back against Mahmoud Khalil defenders: ‘Not about free speech’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the detention and possible deportation of former Columbia University protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil, as critics claim it goes against the First Amendment.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Shannon Airport in Ireland, Rubio said that the issue is ‘not about free speech.’ Rubio discussed the situation during a refueling stop en route to the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Canada after conducting negotiations on the Ukraine war in Saudi Arabia.

A federal judge in Manhattan later Wednesday morning is expected to consider arguments from Khalil’s lawyers challenging the Trump administration’s revocation of his green card. 

‘When you come to the United States as a visitor, which is what a visa is – which is how this individual entered this country, on a visitor’s visa – as a visitor, we can deny you that visa,’ Rubio said. ‘When you tell us when you apply, ‘Hi, I’m trying to get into the United States on a student visa. I am a big supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps children, that rapes teenage girls, that takes hostages, that allows them to die in captivity, that returns more bodies than live hostages,’ if you tell us that you are in favor of a group like this and if you tell us when you apply for your visa, ‘and by the way, I intend to come to your country as a student and rile up all kinds of anti-Jewish student, antisemitic activities, I intend to shut down your universities,’ if you told us all these things when you applied for your visa, we would deny your visa. I’d hope we would.’ 

‘If you actually end up doing that once you’re in this country on such a visa, we will revoke it, and if you end up having a green card, not citizenship, but a green card as a result of that visa while you’re here doing those activities, we’re going to kick you out. It’s as simple as that. This is not about free speech,’ Rubio said. ‘This is about people who do not have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a greed card by the way.’ 

‘So when you apply for a student visa or any visa to enter the United States, we have a right to deny you for virtually any reason, but I think being a supporter of Hamas and coming into our universities and turning them upside down, being complicit in what are clearly crimes, vandalization, complicit in shutting down institutions,’ Rubio added. ‘There are kids at these schools that can’t go to class. You pay all this money to these high-priced schools that are supposed to be of great esteem, and you can’t even go to class. You’re afraid to go to class because there are lunatics running around with covers on their faces screaming terrifying things. If you told us that’s what you intended to do when you came to America, we would have never let you in. And if you do it once you get in, we’re going to revoke it and kick you out.’ 

Federal immigration authorities arrested Khalil at his university-owned apartment in New York on Saturday, and he was transported to a detention center in Louisiana. A student organizer during last year’s anti-Israel protests, Khalil was born in Syria to Palestinian parents and was granted a student visa to enter the U.S. to attend Columbia in 2022. He has since obtained a green card and is married to an American citizen who is reportedly eight months pregnant. 

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York on Monday temporarily blocked Khalil’s deportation as the case plays out. His attorneys argue that his constitutional rights of free speech and due process under the First and Fifth amendments were violated and filed a motion challenging the validity of Khalil’s detention. They are pushing for Khalil to be returned to New York, while Trump administration lawyers say they intend to file a motion to dismiss or transfer the case out of the Southern District of New York by Wednesday night. They say the Manhattan federal court is ‘an improper venue.’ 

A federal judge in Manhattan later Wednesday morning is expected to consider arguments from Khalil’s lawyers challenging the Trump administration’s revocation of his green card. 

Sources tell Fox News that Khalil is being investigated as a potential national security threat. State Department officials say Khalil’s activities in the U.S. would have ‘potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.’  

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday the Immigration and Nationality Act gives Rubio the right to revoke a green card or visa from an individual considered ‘adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States of America,’ and that Khalil ‘took advantage’ of the privilege of coming to the United States to study at one of America’s finest institutions ‘by siding with terrorists, Hamas terrorists, who have killed innocent men, women and children.’ 

After riding in a Tesla with Elon Musk at the White House, Trump addressed his promise that Khalil’s detention would be the first of many related to antisemitic campus unrest. 

‘I think we ought to get them all out of the country. They’re troublemakers. They’re agitators. They don’t love our country. We ought to get him the hell out,’ Trump said Tuesday. ‘I heard his statements, too. There were plenty bad. And I think we ought to get him the hell out of the country … I watched him, I watched tapes, specifically, I watched tapes…> You can have him, okay? You can have him, and you can have the rest of them.’ 

‘Let them go to school, let them learn. Columbia used to be a good school. Now it’s been overrun because of bad leadership. That’s what happens. Happens to countries, it happens to the universities, and it happens to companies,’ Trump said. 

Fox News’ Maria Paronich and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. 

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NFL free agency live: Follow signings, rumors, news and more

It may be March 12, but it’s a perfect day to wish your fellow NFL fans a Happy New Year.

The league’s new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, which will bring a flurry of free-agent signings, trades and more in the coming days. Already, handshake deals have been made thanks to the NFL’s legal tampering period, but until pen is put to paper, nothing is official.

Several big names are still expected to sign or be traded within coming days. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are the two foremost passers to watch on the market, with both likely landing with new teams in the coming days or weeks.

Other quarterbacks have already found new homes, including Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, while Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs look to bolster depth charts across the NFL.

On the defensive side of the ball, Joey Bosa is reportedly set to join the Bills on a one-year deal, while Justin Reid is joining the Saints, leaving a relatively thin pool of top-tier defenders left.

USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, signings, releases, rumors and more from NFL free agency below. All times are Eastern.

NFL free agency live updates, signings, rumors

Titans set to sign WR Van Jefferson on one-year deal

Date: March 12
Source: Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz

Coming off of a season with 24 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns for the Steelers, the Brentwood, Tennessee native is heading home on a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Titans.

G Saahdiq Charles to come out of retirement

Date: March 12
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

Charles signed a one-year deal to be the Titans’ starting right guard last year before suddenly retiring before the season began. Now the former fourth-round pick will attempt to return from retirement and hit the market as a free agent when the Titans release him to start the new league year.

LB Tyrel Dodson returns to Miami on two-year deal

Date: March 12
Source: Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz

Four months to the day after the Dolphins claimed Dodson off of waivers from the Seahawks, the two sides have agreed to terms on a two-year, $8.25 million deal. The linebacker tallied career-high marks in tackles (107), passes defensed (6) and interceptions (3) last season.

DT Larry Ogunjobi reaches contract agreement with Bills

Date: March 12
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

After three seasons with the Steelers, the 30-year-old defensive tackle will join the fourth team of his career on a one-year, $8.3 million contract. The deal includes $8 million in guarantees and incentives that could push the value to $10 million.

Chiefs restructure Patrick Mahomes’, Chris Jones’ contracts

Date: March 12
Source: ESPN’s Field Yates

The Chiefs created nearly $50 million in cap space by restructuring the contracts of their star quarterback and defensive tackle. Yates points out the extra room is even more than Kansas City needed to officially sign free agents Kristian Fulton, Elijah Mitchell and Jaylon Moore when the new league year starts later on Wednesday.

DE Joey Bosa, Bills agree to terms on short-term deal

Date: March 11
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Rumors had floated around throughout the day on Tuesday that Bosa would join his brother, Nick, in San Francisco. Instead, he’ll fill in the Von Miller-sized hole in the Bills’ pass-rush attack after agreeing to join Buffalo on a one-year, $12.6 million deal.

Best available NFL free agents

Here are the top-10 remaining free agents according to USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon:

Stefon Diggs, WR
Amari Cooper, WR
Aaron Rodgers, QB
Cam Robinson, T
DeAndre Hopkins, WR
Keenan Allen, WR
Joey Bosa, edge
Russell Wilson, QB
J.K. Dobbins, RB
Justin Blackmon, S

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Fantasy baseball 2025: What you need to know to win your league

Baseball is back. And along with the familiar sense of optimism mixed with health concerns is a little extra twinge of uncertainty about what’s in store for 2025.

So where do we start? Perhaps with some of the things we know. The sheer volume of elite talent is staggering. We just saw baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal season. We had the first player in 20 years post a slugging percentage over .700. We had two Cy Young winners lead their respective leagues in wins, ERA and strikeouts.

It’s a great time to be a baseball fan.

FANTASY RANKINGS: Top 200 overall players, ranks by position

Power trio at the top

Fantasy managers with the ability to select their draft slots this season will be extremely happy picking in the top three. It’s impossible to make a bad choice when Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge or Bobby Witt are your options.

Ohtani produced one of the greatest all-around offensive seasons in baseball history, hitting .310 with 54 home runs, 59 stolen bases, 134 runs scored and 130 RBI in leading the Dodgers (and countless fantasy teams) to a title.

Judge hit 58 homers – just four short of his American League record – as he put up a ridiculous .322/.458/.701 slash line with 122 runs and 144 RBI.

But neither one gets the top spot in our fantasy rankings. That honor goes to the 24-year-old Witt, who led the majors a year ago with a .322 average while also going 30-30. Although he hasn’t yet reached the stratospheric stat lines Ohtani and Judge have, Witt does own a pristine health history and has additional fantasy value as a shortstop.

Six-man rotations, fewer innings

Another of the great things about this new season is getting to see Ohtani return to the pitcher’s mound, where he posted a stellar 2.84 ERA over the previous three seasons. However, he may not be fully recovered from his elbow injury and ready to face hitters in a game until at least May.

The way the Dodgers manage Ohtani in his dual roles could end up causing fantasy managers headaches. Will he get more off days as a hitter to help him prepare for his turn in the rotation? With the non-pitching shoulder he injured stealing a base in the World Series keep him from running as often?

And when Ohtani does resume pitching, how will it impact the rest of the incredibly talented Dodgers pitching staff – bolstered this offseason by the addition of 23-year-old free agent Roki Sasaki? A group that also includes last offseason’s big signing, fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, could easily morph into a six-man rotation that’s the norm in their homeland. But less frequent opportunities to pitch hurts fantasy values.

Other MLB clubs (the Tampa Bay Rays for one) may also look to use six starters as the general trend toward reducing pitcher workloads continues. Once the benchmark of a solid starter, only four pitchers reached the 200-inning mark in 2024 – Logan Gilbert, Seth Lugo, Logan Webb and Zack Wheeler.

If there’s a fantasy takeaway from this trend, it’s that quality innings from starting pitchers have become more important than quantity.

Plentiful pitching comes with risk

The benefit to the gradual shift that’s occurring is a tremendous depth in the overall pitching pool. We’ve seen it play out in drafts already this year.

Pitching triple crown winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes predictably lead the rankings. But even beyond the Top 25 starters, options ranging from consistent veterans to rebound candidates to potential breakouts are everywhere.

Five former Cy Young winners – Jacob deGrom, Sandy Alcantara, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Shane Bieber – are looking to overcome injury issues, much like Chris Sale did in winning last year’s NL Cy Young award.

Meanwhile, Spencer Strider, Brandon Woodruff, Shane McClanahan and Lucas Giolito all have top-six Cy Young finishes on their résumés and are also returning after lost seasons due to injuries.

Even with reduced workloads, these pitchers can be major contributors for fantasy teams. Just be careful not to take on too much risk. The most predictive indicator for pitcher injuries is a previous injury.

PLAYERS OF NOTE: All-Breakout team | All-Sleeper team | All-Risk team | All-Value team | All-Bust team

Scales tilt toward hitters

A huge area of uncertainty involves the two teams playing in different home parks than they did a year ago. Those two parks just happened to be among the six most pitcher-friendly in the majors over the past two seasons.

American League batters rejoice!

The Rays’ move from hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field to Steinbrenner Field in Tampa will give hitters their own short porch in right field to target. In addition, playing outdoors in what will likely be MLB’s warmest weather conditions will help the ball fly farther. Lefty-swinging Brandon Lowe and Josh Lowe, as well as powerful rookie Junior Caminero, could benefit most.

Meanwhile, the Athletics are leaving Oakland for Sacramento, where hot temps and far less foul territory should give the majors’ fifth-worst offense a nice boost.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards has also undergone a significant renovation that moved the distant left field wall in considerably.

The former offensive playground has played 12% below the major league average in scoring the past three years. The changes should move it pretty close to neutral.

One word of caution: Before loading up on Rays, A’s and O’s … remember the renovations in Toronto two years ago that were supposed to turn Rogers Centre into a hitter’s paradise? That never materialized.

The best we can do is make educated guesses. That’s why they play the games.

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Federal judge appointed by Trump quits group over statement on threats

A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018 announced that he had resigned from the largest association of federal judges, decrying how the group issued a rare statement last week condemning recent alleged threats against judges but stayed quiet for years while conservative members of the judiciary faced scrutiny and attack. 

Judge James C. Ho, of the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, announced his departure from the Federal Judges Association during a speaking event Saturday hosted by the conservative Federalist Society at the University of Michigan Law School. It comes in response to the 1,100-member group issuing a statement on March 5 saying in part that ‘judges must be permitted to do their jobs without fear of violence or intimidation of any kind.’ Trump and his allies have grown increasingly critical of judges who have blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and other aspects of the administration’s agenda, while DOGE leader Elon Musk last month called for an ‘immediate wave of judicial impeachments.’ 

‘I was very surprised by that statement. And the next morning, I sent an email to the organization saying that I wanted to resign,’ Ho said of the Federal Judges Association. ‘I researched for myself, and I also asked the association if they ever issued any such statements when Justice Thomas received attacks, or Justice Alito. Justice Kavanaugh dealt with an assassination attempt. We’ve had federal district judges in Texas and in Florida – as well as, I’m sure, other states, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately – all faced the kinds of things that that statement was complaining about and more. Did we see these statements in 2024 or 2023 or 2022? From what I can tell, no.’ 

‘You can’t say that you’re in favor of judicial independence only when it comes to decisions that you like. That’s not protecting the judiciary, that’s politicizing the judiciary,’ Ho said, arguing that such statements actually harm the cause they try to further. ‘Because one of two things turns out to be true when you’re selective in this way. And either of these options, I think, is a bad thing. Option number one is that you’re basically lying, that you actually don’t care about this principle because you didn’t stand up for it when the shoe was on the other foot, and so you’re telling the world essentially we’re not seriously committed to judicial independence.’ 

‘The alternative is perhaps even worse, which is that you are telling the truth – you do care about this, this principle, whether it’s judicial independence or free speech. I think this concept applies to a lot of things,’ Ho continued. ‘If you’re telling the truth, you really care about this principle, but there are just some people who have views that are so anathema to you that you don’t think they are worthy of this principle that you expound on.’ 

‘And so what you may think is a statement born of righteousness I think is perceived by a lot of people as merely sanctimonious,’ he concluded. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Federal Judges Association for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

The president of the Federal Judges Association, U.S. Circuit Judge J. Michelle Childs, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, wrote in an email to members last week that the ‘judiciary faces growing threats, including violence, intimidation, disinformation, and unprecedented impeachments that challenge its independence,’ according to Reuters. 

The Federal Judges Association then released a lengthier public statement the next day that did not elaborate on specific threats against specific judges. 

It began by saying that ‘recent events are a clear and urgent reminder that federal judges play a crucial role in upholding our democracy as guardians of the rule of law.’ 

‘In the history of our Republic, there has always been tension between the three separate and equal branches of the federal government, including criticism of judicial interpretations. The FJA strives to ensure that accurate information is shared with all American citizens regarding the role of the judiciary as defined in the U.S. Constitution: to impartially interpret the laws that have been created by the U.S. Congress and enforced by the Executive branch,’ the group said. ‘Specific decisions issued by judges are not formed from individual opinions, but rather are prepared against evaluation of what the ‘laws on the books’ require.’ 

The group commended those, including Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, ‘who have commented recently on the rise in criticism, threats and violence aimed at members of the judiciary.’

‘Irresponsible rhetoric shrouded in disinformation undermines the public’s confidence that our justice system can fulfill its constitutional duties,’ the statement said. ‘The security of federal judges and all those serving in the judicial branch of our government is fundamental to their ability to uphold the rule of law, and to fulfill their constitutional duty without fear or undue influence. Any erosion in the independence of the judiciary is a threat to our Constitution and to democratic rule of law. Ensuring judicial security is not just about protecting individuals, it is about preserving the integrity of our legal system and the public’s trust in an impartial judiciary.’ 

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Greenland’s center-right party pulls off upset victory as Trump seeks control

Greenland’s center-right Demokraatit party pulled off a surprise victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, taking Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede’s party, Inuit Ataqatigiit, out of power. Independence from Denmark became a focal point of the election amid President Donald Trump’s repeated talk of the U.S. taking control.

‘People want change … We want more business to finance our welfare,’ said Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Demokraatit’s leader, according to Reuters. The outlet added that Nielsen said Greenland does not ‘want independence tomorrow’ and would prefer separation from Denmark be based on a ‘good foundation.’

Four of the five main parties on the ballot, including the ones that won first and second place, Demokraatit Party and Naleraq, favor independence from Denmark, but disagree on the pace. Greenland, whose population is approximately 57,000 people, currently operates as a semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. However, Trump’s renewed interest in the island sparked conversations about breaking away from the Danish crown.

Prime Minister Egede, whose party failed to maintain control, said in a Facebook post that he respects the outcome of the election and that the parties are ready for negotiations. 

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen congratulated the Demokraatit Party and said the Greenlandic future would face ‘massive pressure’ from Trump, according to the Associated Press, which cited Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR. Poulsen reportedly added that ‘the future of Greenland is based on what the Greenlandic people and government want.’

The Demokraatit Party saw a major increase in support, winning nearly 30% of the vote compared to just 9% in 2021, according to the Associated Press, which cited Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation KNR TV.

Earlier this month, Trump brought up Greenland in his address to a joint session of Congress.

‘We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,’ Trump said, eliciting laughter from the crowd. ‘We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it… One way or the other, we’re going to get it.’

In the same address, Trump vowed that the U.S. would ‘take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.’

During a January phone call with Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Greenland must be allowed to make decisions about its own future. Both Prime Ministers Frederiksen and Egede told President Trump that ‘Greenland is not for sale,’ Axios reported at the time.

In December 2024, then-President-elect Trump tapped Ken Howery as US ambassador to Denmark. Trump said in a post on Truth Social announcing the pick that ‘the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.’

President Trump also eyed Greenland during his first term, causing friction between himself and Prime Minister Frederiksen. In 2019, after the Danish leader called the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland ‘absurd,’ President Trump abruptly canceled his trip to Denmark over the ‘nasty’ comment.

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Milwaukee Bucks great Junior Bridgeman dies at 71

Junior Bridgeman, one of the great players in Milwaukee Bucks history and accomplished billionaire businessman, has died, the team announced Tuesday.

He was 71.

Bridgeman sustained a medical emergency at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville during a fundraising event Tuesday, The Courier Journal reported.

“The Milwaukee Bucks are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Bucks legend and owner Junior Bridgeman.

“Junior’s retired No. 2 jersey hangs in Fiserv Forum, serving as a constant remembrance of his outstanding play on the court and his impact on the Bucks’ success. His hard work and perseverance led him to become one of the nation’s top business leaders and, last September, Junior’s professional life came full circle when he returned to the Bucks family as an owner. His memory will always be an inspiration to the Bucks organization.”

Bridgeman, a 6-5 guard-forward, spent 10 of his 12 seasons with Milwaukee and finished with 11,517 points – 9,892 for the Bucks. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists and posted a career-high 17.6 points per game in 1979-80. He had nine consecutive seasons scoring at least 12.5 points per game. He is the ninth-leading scorer in franchise history. He also played two seasons for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bridgeman, who played college basketball at Louisville, was part of Bucks teams, alongside Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief, that won 60 games in 1980-81 and won at least 50 games in seven consecutive seasons. The Bucks had competitive teams during the 1980s, reaching the Eastern Conference finals in 1983, 1984 and 1986. However, the Bucks lost to Philadelphia once and Boston twice.

“Just really a dark day, a tough day, losing Junior,’ Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters before Tuesday’ game against Indiana. ‘I’ve known Junior for probably, what am I, 60? I’ve known him since I was in college (at Marquette). He was one of the guys, him and Quinn Buckner, that would call me at Marquette to get me to go play with the Bucks of all places. When you think about Junior’s life, you know, I keep thinking about LeBron (James) and Magic (Johnson) and how influential they are to our league – and they are – and what they’ve done off the court is amazing. But the role model we should have is Junior Bridgeman when you think about it.”

Born in East Chicago, Indiana, on Sept. 17, 1953, Bridgeman excelled on the basketball court for Washington High and won a state title in 1971. He made the All-America team in his senior season at Louisville and was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year.

The Lakers selected Bridgeman with the No. 8 pick in the 1975 draft, and three weeks after the draft, they traded him to Milwaukee in a deal that involved Kareem Abdul-Jabbar going from the Bucks to the Lakers.

“I am devastated to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman,’ NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. ‘Junior was the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes across sports who were eager to learn from him about what it takes to thrive in the business world. Junior was a dedicated member of the NBA family for 50 years – most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with class and dignity.’

Following his playing career, Bridgeman amassed a fortune in the hospitality industry, buying Wendy’s, Chili’s and pizza chain franchises. Bridgeman also owned and operated bottle manufacturing plants for Coca-Cola, and before the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, Bridgeman became a partial owner of the Bucks, purchasing a 10% share. Last month, Forbes estimated his net wort at nearly $1.4 billion.

“It is a momentous occasion for our organization and the city of Milwaukee to welcome Junior Bridgeman to the Bucks’ ownership group,” Bucks co-owners Wes Edens, Dee and Jimmy Haslam, Jamie Dinan and Mike Fascitelli said in a statement on Sept. 26.

Said Rivers: ‘I’m just so blessed. There’s a lot of benefits for me coming back to Milwaukee that I didn’t anticipate. I had no idea that Junior was going to get back into the Bucks and be an owner and then we restarted a relationship. We stayed in contact still throughout the years. He flew me down to go to the Kentucky Derby with him. So, we had a relationship, but I didn’t talk to him a lot and then all of a sudden he’s back in.

‘And you know when you tell people, seize the day and all this stuff – the last conversation I had with Junior was about using him to mentor the young players and try to figure out a way of doing that and we never got to it because you thought there was time. The second side of Junior was the first side though. When he was an NBA player, if you would have just met him on the street, you wouldn’t have known. He wouldn’t have told you and he didn’t act like it.

‘When he became a billionaire, you wouldn’t have known and he would not have told you and he didn’t act like it. The word gentleman is like gentle man and that is as good as you can get with Junior.’

Bridgeman is survived by his wife, Doris, and his children, Eden, Justin, and Ryan, according to the team.

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The Colts’ quarterback situation is one of the worst in the NFL

Daniel Jones is headed to Indianapolis, according to several reports. Good luck with that, Colts.

If the quarterback already there, Anthony Richardson, cannot beat out Jones, then Richardson does not deserve to be in the NFL.

But there’s another problem. If Jones cannot beat out Richardson, then Jones doesn’t deserve to be in the NFL, either.

See? A mess. Let me explain.

Jones has many positive attributes. He’s a relentless worker and good person. During his time with the New York Giants from 2019-2024, he took some of the hardest hits, over and over and over, you will ever see a quarterback take, and he’d get back up. He possesses an insane amount of toughness. That’s all true.

The problem isn’t any of that. The problem is that Jones isn’t a good quarterback.

There is proof of this going back years but none more evidentiary than Jones’ game against a horrible Carolina Panthers defense in November. It was one of the worst games I’ve ever seen a professional quarterback play.

That game sealed Jones’ fate in New York. There was no way the team could move forward with him after that. He was benched for Tommy DeVito and later asked for his release which was granted by the Giants.

At the time of his release, according to ESPN Research, since Jones’ rookie season in 2019, he had the worst record (22-44-1, .355 winning percentage) as a starter among quarterbacks with at least 50 starts. Jones also had the lowest touchdown per attempt rate (3.1%) of any quarterback with at least 1,000 passes since 2019, behind Jacoby Brissett (3.2%) and Mac Jones (3.4%).

Not all of that is Jones’ fault. A lot of it is. I remember watching that Germany game and thinking Jones had to be jet-lagged or something.

But the reason Jones has a chance to start with the Colts is because Richardson has been just as problematic and, in some ways, even worse.

Richardson has 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions with a 50.6 completion percentage in his 15 career NFL starts. Richardson of course had that problematic moment where he removed himself from a game because he was tired.

It was against the Houston Texans and Richardson was sacked trying to extend the play. He got up slowly and initially it looked like he was injured. Afterwards, Richardson told the media that wasn’t the problem.

‘Tired, I ain’t gonna lie,’ Richardson said when asked why he took himself out of the contest. ‘That was a lot of running right there that I did, and I don’t think I was gonna be able to go that next play. So I just told (Coach) Shane (Steichen) I needed a break right now.’

‘I had never seen an NFL QB tap out while still being healthy until watching Anthony Richardson,’ former Colts punter Pat McAfee wrote on X. ‘The QB is your franchise. The message it sends is loud and influential.’

It wasn’t great what Richardson did. He also made a huge rookie mistake by saying things he didn’t have to say. Not every thought that comes into your brain needs to be spoken out loud.

This is the situation in Indianapolis right now. One quarterback is error prone. The other has been accused of quitting on his team. And is error prone.

They are both so problematic they could cancel each other out like a fancy math equation.

Who is the third stringer in Indy, anyway?

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