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Fever vs. Sun live updates: Caitlin Clark back in action

Caitlin Clark is bringing the WNBA back to Boston.

Almost a year after the Connecticut Sun hosted the first WNBA game at TD Garden, the franchise is returning to the home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins with Clark and the Indiana Fever in town Tuesday night.

Clark’s star power has required many WNBA teams to move their games to larger venues over the past two seasons. The Sun typically play their home games at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, with a capacity of about 10,000. There were 19,156 tickets sold to last year’s Sun game against the Los Angeles Sparks in Boston, according to the team.

Clark and the Fever have won two games in a row entering the first game of a back-to-back before the WNBA’s All-Star break. Though Clark is struggling with her shot, she finished with 14 points, 13 assists and five steals when Indiana beat the Dallas Wings and rookie of the year favorite Paige Bueckers. Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard combined for 55 points in the 102-83 win.

The Sun enter Tuesday’s game with the league’s worst record (3-18) and snapped a 10-game losing skid last week. They’re coming off back-to-back losses on the road to the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks.

Here’s how to watch the WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun at TD Garden in Boston on Tuesday, July 15:

End of Q1: Fever 29, Sun 28

The Fever opened Tuesday’s contest against the Sun red-hot and collectively shot 8-of-8 from the field and 1-of-1 from 3 to build a nine-point lead over the Sun. Connecticut, however, responded with an 11-3 run to take the lead, 28-27, with 54.2 seconds remaining. 

The Fever regained the lead with a pair of free throws from Aari McDonald to close the quarter.

Natasha Howard has a team-high 10 points and four rebounds for the Fever after one quarter. Meanwhile, Tina Charles is doing a little bit of everything for the Sun with nine points, three rebounds, one steal and one block.

The Sun applied early pressure on Caitlin Clark, picking her up full-court and sending early double teams, but Clark was able to efficiently distribute the ball to her teammates in the paint each time. She’s up to two points and four assists.

What time is Fever vs. Sun?

The Indiana Fever’s WNBA game on Tuesday, July 15 at the Connecticut Sun is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston.

How to watch Fever vs. Sun: TV, stream for Caitlin Clark

Date: Tuesday, July 15
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: TD Garden (Boston)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo

Indiana Fever starting lineup

The Fever’s starting five consists of Caitlin Clark, forward Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Natasha Howard and Lexie Hull. This unit has made eight starts together this season heading into Tuesday and gone 5-3.

Connecticut Sun starting lineup

Caitlin Clark will participate in WNBA All-Star 3-point contest

Ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star game, where Caitlin Clark will serve as a team captain, the 2024 Rookie of the Year will compete in Friday’s WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest. The field is rounded out by Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu and Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum

‘It’s exciting. I’ve never participated in a 3-point competition or practiced before, so just go out there and have fun,’ Clark said on Tuesday in her pregame press conference. ‘I think the lineup of people competing is tremendous so more than anything, it’s going to be great for our league and for women’s basketball as a whole.’ 

Clark is shooting 28.9% from 3 this season, down from her average of 34.4% last year, and is looking to snap out of a shooting slump. She has shot 23-of-74 from the field and 6-of-35 from beyond the arc in the past five games as she’s dealt with left leg injuries.

Watch Fever vs. Sun with Fubo

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Ex-MLB pitcher found guilty in dramatic murder trial

Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini has been convicted of murder and attempted murder for shooting his in-laws at their Homewood, California home in 2021.

Prosecutors said Serafini, 51, hid for more than three hours before shooting Robert Spohr and his wife, Wendy Wood, in their residence on the western shore of Lake Tahoe on June 5, 2021. Spohr, 70, died of a gunshot wound at the scene. Wood, 68, survived the shooting but died by suicide in 2023.

A jury in Placer County, California read the verdict Monday, July 14 after nearly three days of deliberations − the coda to a dramatic trial that spanned parts of six weeks.

Serafini is due to be sentenced Aug. 18. Prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty.

‘We truly appreciate and thank the jury for their attentiveness and thoughtful consideration of this tragic case,’ Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in a statement. ‘The dedication and tenacity of the prosecution and investigative team made securing this conviction possible. While there can never truly be closure for Gary and Wendy’s family and friends, we hope this verdict provides some semblance of resolve as they move forward.’

Serafini’s attorney, David Dratman, did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment on the verdict.

Authorities spent roughly two years investigating the fatal shooting before identifying Serafini, who pitched for six different MLB teams, as the shooter. They obtained surveillance footage of a hooded man who resembled Serafini entering the house on the evening of the shooting while his wife, Erin Spohr, was out on a boat with her parents and their children. (Serafini also faced charges of burglary and child endangerment. He was found guilty of the former and not guilty of the latter.)

Investigators found threatening email exchanges between Serafini and his in-laws, and learned that he had previously talked about being willing to pay $20,000 to have them killed.

At trial, the prosecution also hinted at a possible financial motive; Erin Spohr testified that her parents’ trust was valued at around $11 million in 2021, with $12 million in other assets.

The trial ultimately hinged, in part, on the testimony of Samantha Scott − the former nanny with whom Serafini was having an affair. Scott was arrested alongside Serafini but is facing a reduced charge of accessory to a felony as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. She testified about transporting Serafini to and from the scene on the day of the fatal shooting, then lying to police in initial interviews to protect her one-time lover.

‘He was one of the few people I felt I could confide in. I trusted him a lot,’ she testified, according to KCRA-TV.

Dratman attempted to cast doubt on Scott’s testimony by painting her as an unreliable source. He also harped on what he said was a one-inch height discrepency between Serafini and an expert’s testimony about the height of the man in the surveillance video.

Placer County Deputy District Attorney Rick Miller, meanwhile, asked the jury in his closing arguments to consider all of the evidence together − including Serafini’s acrimonious history with his in-laws, and Scott’s testimony about the day of the shooting.

‘There is a murderer in this room,’ Miller told the jury, before gesturing to Serafini. ‘He is sitting right there.’

Serafini pitched in the major leagues for parts of seven seasons between 1997 and 2007, working primarily as a middle reliever. He was drafted out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in 1992 and made his big-league debut with the club, though the bulk of his appearances came with the Chicago Cubs during the 1999 season. The left-hander also had stints with the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies before a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2007 effectively ended his career.

After retiring, Serafini embarked on a second career as a businessman. He was featured a 2015 episode of the reality TV show ‘Bar Rescue’ after his parents took out a loan to help him purchase a bar called ‘The Bullpen’ in Sparks, Nevada. The bar was rebranded to ‘Oak Tavern’ but later closed.

(This story was updated to add a gallery and new information.)

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.

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National security experts raise concerns after Microsoft program exposed as possible avenue for Chinese spying

A new ProPublica report accused Microsoft of allowing China-based engineers to assist with Pentagon cloud systems with inadequate guardrails in an effort to scale up its government contracting business, raising espionage concerns from national security experts. 

The report cited current and former employees and government contractors who worked on a cloud computing program deployed by Microsoft in 2016 that would allow the tech giant to sell its cloud services to the government, known as a ‘digital escort’ framework. 

The security measure, meant to meet federal contracting regulations, was effectively a program that included a ‘digital escort’ chaperone for global cybersecurity officials, such as those based in China, so they can work on agency computing systems. 

Defense Department guidelines require that people handling sensitive data be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

According to sources who spoke to ProPublica, including some who had intimate familiarity with the hiring process for the $18-per-hour ‘digital escort’ position, the tech employees being hired to do the supervising lacked the adequate tech expertise to prevent a rogue Chinese employee from hacking the system or turning over classified information to the CCP. 

The sources elaborated that the escorts, often former military personnel, were hired for their security clearances more than their technical abilities and often lacked the skills to evaluate code being used by the engineers they were supervising.

In China, people are governed by sweeping laws compelling government cooperation with data collection efforts.  

‘If ProPublica’s report turns out to be true, Microsoft has created a national embarrassment that endangers our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. Heads should roll, those responsible should go to prison and Congress should hold extensive investigations to uncover the full extent of potential compromise,’ said Michael Lucci, the CEO and founder of State Armor Action, a conservative group with a mission to develop and enact state-level solutions to global security threats. 

‘Microsoft or any vendor providing China with access to Pentagon secrets verges on treasonous behavior and should be treated as such.’

‘This is like asking the fox to guard the henhouse and arming the chickens with sticks in case the fox gets mad,’ Michael Sobolik, a Hudson Institute foreign policy senior fellow, added. ‘It beggars belief.’

Microsoft uses its escort system to handle sensitive government information that falls below ‘classified,’ which includes ‘data that involves the protection of life and financial ruin,’ ProPublica reported. At the Defense Department, the data is categorized as ‘Impact Level’ four and five, which ProPublica reported includes materials directly supporting military operations.

A Microsoft spokesperson defended the company’s ‘digital escort’ model, saying all personnel and contractors with privileged access must pass federally approved background checks. 

‘For some technical requests, Microsoft engages our team of global subject matter experts to provide support through authorized U.S. personnel, consistent with U.S. government requirements and processes,’ the spokesperson added. ‘In these instances, global support personnel have no direct access to customer data or customer systems.’

The Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA) public information office was initially unaware of the program when ProPublica began asking questions about it, but it eventually followed up to point out that ‘digital escorts’ are used ‘in select unclassified environments’ at the Defense Department for ‘advanced problem diagnosis and resolution from industry subject matter experts.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to the DISA and DOD but did not immediately receive a response.

In 2023, Chinese hackers infiltrated Microsoft’s cloud servers and stole data belonging to senior U.S. government officials, including data and emails from the commerce secretary, the U.S. ambassador to China and others involved in national security work. Hackers were able to access tens of thousands of emails from the Defense Department. 

A postmortem from the federal Cyber Safety Review Board, which has since been disbanded, cited Microsoft security failures that allowed hackers to infiltrate the cloud. However, the after-incident report did not include any links to the ‘digital escort’ program, according to ProPublica.

Microsoft said in response to the recent ProPublica report that it considers ‘anyone’ with access to sensitive government systems, no matter their location or role, a potential risk.

‘We establish layers of mitigation at the platform level with security and monitoring controls to detect and prevent threats. This includes approval workflows for system changes and automated code reviews to quickly detect and prevent the introduction of vulnerabilities,’ a company spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

The spokesperson added that Microsoft adheres to the federal security requirements outlined by the Defense Department and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, which was established in 2011 to address the risks associated with moving from entirely government-controlled servers, to cloud-based computing.  

‘This production system support model is approved and regularly audited by the U.S. government,’ the spokesperson concluded.

Still, if the ProPublica allegations are true, Lucci says the federal government should cease its work with Microsoft.

‘If these [ProPublica] allegations are credible, the federal government should never again rely on Microsoft to protect the data that keeps our men and women in uniform safe, especially given Microsoft’s extensive record of being compromised by the CCP,’ Lucci said Monday. ‘Our military cannot operate in security and secrecy if a vendor repeatedly and intentionally invites the enemy into the camp.’

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Finally, Hugh Freeze’s excuses stop, but is Auburn ready for expectations?

What Hugh Freeze didn’t say became more notable than what he said. The Auburn coach didn’t call for patience. He didn’t become defensive when asked about the amount of golf he played this offseason. He didn’t blame his predecessor for Auburn’s 2024 record.

Freeze has proven himself a virtuoso in the excuse-making arts throughout his career, but he shelved those abilities Tuesday during his turn in the spotlight at SEC media days.

Good. There’s no stomach for a coach’s excuses in Year 3, anyway.

Auburn fans are starved for success after four consecutive losing seasons. So, Freeze might as well vow to deliver results, because that’s the only path forward for an embattled coach whose buyout is cheaper than most in the SEC.

“I love this team,” Freeze said from the stage in Atlanta.

Earlier this offseason, Freeze said on a Birmingham-based podcast that he’s “no fool” and he knows Auburn must make a bowl game. Excuse me? That comment made Freeze sound like a fool. A third-year coach with an 11-14 record at Auburn, with losses to New Mexico State, California and Vanderbilt, can’t think of the Gasparilla Bowl as a safe space.

Freeze changed his tune at SEC media days. He talked as if the College Football Playoff is within reach.

“I truly believe that, in the playoff run, we’re going to be in this discussion,” Freeze said. “That is what Auburn should be, in those talks, year in, year out.”

For the past several years, there’s been more talk of hot seats at Auburn than the playoff, for which the Tigers never have qualified. Auburn’s best postseason triumph since the playoff’s inception came at the Music City Bowl during the Guz Malzahn era.

Auburn cast itself into a pit by making one of the worst college football hires of the 21st century by anointing Bryan Harsin to replace Malzahn. Harsin, an interloper from Boise State, strutted in with a tough-guy attitude. He quickly lost portions of the locker room, and he failed to recruit the type of athletes he’d need to thrive in the SEC.

He proved a massive bust.

I can say that. Freeze shouldn’t, because, no matter how poorly Harsin fared at Auburn, a third-year coach can’t cast his program’s shortcomings onto his predecessor’s shoulders. Not in the SEC, and certainly not in this era when fixes are found in the transfer portal and improvement is possible in leaps, not baby steps, early in a coach’s tenure.

Auburn showed little improvement throughout Freeze’s first two seasons. Auburn’s 22 turnovers and an inability to finish games strongly contributed to the Tigers finishing 5-7 last year, when 8-4 was possible.

Freeze’s recruiting haul buoyed some belief in a brighter future, no matter the on-field results, until recruiting stalled this offseason. Auburn’s 2026 class ranks last in the SEC. Freeze offered a feeble explanation earlier this month when asked about the recruiting ranking. Enough already. Athletic director John Cohen promised a big August for recruiting. We’ll see.

Regardless, recruiting can’t be the only thing propping up a third-year coach at a program that last tasted more than six victories in a time before any of us had ever heard the word “coronavirus.”

Instituting a turnaround will require more fortitude and fewer flubs in close-game situations, but Freeze also improved the puzzle pieces. Auburn’s bundle of key transfer acquisitions included wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech) and offensive tackles Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech) and Mason Murphy (Southern California).

Freeze described this team’s potential as “limitless.”

“We absolutely want the expectations,” Freeze said, “and this team deserves them.”

Looking at Auburn’s schedule, I can talk myself into the Tigers achieving a much better record. So much hinges, though, on quarterback improvement.

Auburn transitioned to Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit who didn’t live up to the billing with the Sooners. Oklahoma’s shoddy pass protection and numerous wide receiver injuries didn’t help Arnold’s cause.

From Freeze’s vantage point, Arnold fits “everything that I believe in doing offensively.” Here again, I say, we’ll see.

“I’ve seen (Arnold’s) swagger and confidence come back pretty quickly,” Freeze said.

That attitude must spread throughout the roster – and to the head coach. At least the excuses and downplaying of expectations dried up Tuesday. Neither will serve Freeze well at this juncture. Only wins can save him.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

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Contract details: Sauce Gardner, Jets agree to $120.4M extension

A good sauce can lift any dish. A great sauce might become the main event.

When it comes to the New York Jets, they are getting the best of both worlds in Sauce Gardner.

The Jets’ star cornerback has agreed to a four-year, $120.4 million extension with the team, according to reports. The deal reportedly includes $60 million in guaranteed money.

Gardner has blossomed into a star since entering the league. Drafted with the fourth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the cornerback been a key piece in stabilizing a Jets’ secondary that has gotten used to featuring talented players through the years.

It guarantees that one of the league’s top cornerbacks won’t be hitting the open market anytime soon. Here’s what to know about Gardner’s new deal with the Jets.

Sauce Gardner contract details

Gardner agreed to a four-year deal worth $120.4 million, according to reports. The deal also reportedly contains $60 million in guaranteed money.

The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $30.1 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, according to OverTheCap.

Gardner is the second Jets’ first-round pick since Quinnen Williams to receive a second contract with the team. His teammate, Garrett Wilson, beat him to the punch on a new deal on July 14.

Since the rookie wage scale was introduced in 2011, the Jets have made 17 first-round picks. Of the 15 players that reached extension eligibility, only three were signed – Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson and Gardner’s fellow 2022 draft pick, Wilson.

Sauce Gardner stats

Gardner has been a mainstay in the Jets defense since arriving before the 2022 season. He’s played in 48 of a possible 51 games, showing plenty of durability in a league that sees more than its fair share of injuries.

The cornerback has totaled just three interceptions in his young career, but the two-time All-Pro has received plenty of recognition for his work on the field. With two Pro Bowl appearances and a 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year to go with it, Gardner has cemented himself amongst the best cornerbacks in the league in just three seasons.

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USWNT captain, USMNT great to participate in All-Star Skills Challenge

U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps and retired U.S. men’s national team great Clint Dempsey will participate in the 2025 MLS All-Star Game Skills Challenge.

Heaps, 31, was named USWNT captain in 2023, and played a vital role in the team’s gold medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Heaps has 38 goals in 167 career appearances for the USWNT, and plays her club soccer with French powerhouse OL Lyonnes. Dempsey, 42, retired in 2018 and is now a commentator for CBS Sports. His 57 USMNT goals are tied with Landon Donovan for the highest total in team history.

Here’s what to know about the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, including rosters and how to watch:

2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge participants

Here are the 2025 All-Star Skills Challenge rosters representing MLS and Liga MX.

Goalkeepers are noted with an asterisk (*).

MLS

Jordi Alba (Inter Miami)
Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
Clint Dempsey (special guest)
Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC)
Evander (FC Cincinnati)
Alex Freeman (Orlando City)
Lindsey Heaps (special guest)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC)
Brad Stuver (Austin FC)*
Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps)*

Liga MX

Juan Brunetta (Tigres)
Sergio Canales (CF Monterrey)
Rodrigo Dourado (Atlético San Luis)
Nicki Hernández (special guest)
Luis Malagón (Club América)*
Kevin Mier (Cruz Azul)*
Paulinho (Toluca)
Oribe Peralta (special guest)
Brian Rodríguez (Club América)
James Rodríguez (Club León)
Alexis Vega (Toluca)
Alex Zendejas (Club América)

2025 MLS All-Star Game roster

After Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez selected six players to round out his roster for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, here is the complete roster (including players, teams, and the method by which they were named to the team):

GOALKEEPERS (3)

Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United; vote)
Brad Stuver (Austin FC; coach’s selection)
Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps; coach’s selection)

DEFENDERS (8)

Jordi Alba (Inter Miami; vote)
Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; coach’s selection)
Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)
Michael Boxall (Minnesota United; vote)
Alex Freeman (Orlando City; vote)
Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union; coach’s selection)
Andy Najar (Nashville SC; coach’s selection)
Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; coach’s selection)

MIDFIELDERS (10)

Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)
David Da Costa (Portland Timbers; coach’s selection)
Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes; coach’s addition)
Evander (FC Cincinnati; vote)
Carles Gil (New England Revolution; coach’s addition)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; vote)
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC; coach’s addition) 
Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC; coach’s selection)
Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders; coach’s addition) 
Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire; coach’s selection)

FORWARDS (9)

Tai Baribo (Philadelphia Union; vote)
Denis Bouanga (LAFC; vote)
Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC; coach’s selection)
Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC; commissioner’s pick)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami; vote)
Marco Pašalić (Orlando City; coach’s addition)
Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew; coach’s selection)
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC; coach’s addition) 
Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps; vote)

Note: Brandon Vázquez (Austin FC) and Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC) were initially on the roster. Vázquez will miss the All-Star Game with an injury, while Agyemang is unavailable after joining English club Derby County on Tuesday.

2025 MLS All-Star Game and Skills Challenge: Date, time, how to watch

The 2025 MLS All-Star Game is set for Austin, with this year’s event scheduled to take place at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET.

The Skills Challenge will take place one day earlier, with players from both the MLS and Liga MX All-Stars squaring off in five events at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 22.

Dates: Tuesday, July 22 (Skills Challenge) and Wednesday, July 23 (All-Star Game)
Time: 9 p.m. ET for both
Where: Q2 Stadium (Austin)
Stream: Apple TV

USA TODAY Sports’ 48-page special edition commemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead. Order your copy today.

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James Johnson, 4-star DL, flips commitment from Georgia to Texas

Steve Sarkisian and Texas football have pulled off a major flip from an SEC rival.

Four-star defensive lineman James Johnson of Miami Northwestern High School in Miami announced his decision to flip his commitment from Kirby Smart and Georgia to the Longhorns on Tuesday, July 15. Johnson committed to the Bulldogs on June 28 over finalists Texas and Florida, among others.

The Longhorns reportedly finished runner-up to the Bulldogs in his initial recruitment and were able to flip the four-star recruit. The upcoming high school senior is listed at 6-foot-2, 285 pounds. He is a four-star recruit according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings.

Here’s what you need to know about Johnson’s decision to flip his commitment from the Bulldogs to the Longhorns:

James Johnson 247 Composite rating

Star rating: Four stars
National ranking: No. 69 overall
Positional ranking: No. 8 defensive lineman
State ranking: No. 10 player from Florida

Johnson is a four-star prospect out of Northwestern High School in Miami, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He is the No. 69 overall prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 8 defensive line and the No. 10 player from Florida.

Texas 2026 recruiting class rankings

With the addition of Johnson, Texas’ 2026 recruiting class now holds 20 commitments. Johnson is the seventh-best recruit in the Longhorns’ class, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Texas’ 2026 recruiting class sits No. 6 in the country, according to 247Sports, and is the fourth-best in the SEC.

Johnson’s flip wasn’t the only recruiting victory the Longhorns scored over the Bulldogs, however. Earlier on July 15, Steve Sarkisian and Co. were able to secure the commitment of linebacker Tyler Atkinson, the top-ranked linebacker and player in the state of Georgia for the 2026 recruiting class, as well as its No. 9 overall player. He, like Johnson, chose Texas over the finalist Bulldogs.

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House GOP subpoenas Biden aide to testify about former president’s concerning mental fitness

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena to have former President Joe Biden’s deputy chief of staff appear before the committee on Friday to provide testimony regarding her former boss’s mental state while serving in the Oval Office.

Comer, who leads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent interview requests to four key Biden White House aides, including former assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini.

The former assistant’s voluntary appearance was requested on May 22, 2025, and it was scheduled for her to appear before the committee on July 18, or this Friday.

For unknown reasons, though, Tomasini’s counsel requested Comer issue a subpoena to compel her to appear.

Comer broke down the events leading up to the subpoena in his letter to Tomasini, before directing her to the bottom of the letter for the legal request.

‘The Committee seeks information about your assessment of and relationship with former President Biden to explore whether the time has come for Congress to revisit potential legislation to address the oversight of presidents’ fitness to serve pursuant to its authority under Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, or to propose changes to the Twenty-Fifth Amendment itself,’ Comer wrote in the subpoena.

‘The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate ‘any matter’ at ‘any time’ under House Rule X,’ he continued. ‘Further, House Rule XI clause 2(m)(1)(B) grants Committees of the House of Representatives the authority ‘to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as it considers necessary.’’

Comer added that should Tomasini have any questions, she should call the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority staff.

The chair previously told Fox News that these ‘unelected bureaucrats’ had an overwhelming influence over Biden and were possibly serving as ‘de facto’ presidents in his stead.’

Along with Tomasini, the committee sent interview requests to former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal and former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams.

Bernal was also subpoenaed after refusing to voluntarily appear before the committee.

Williams and Tanden have already been interviewed by committee members.

The GOP effort to uncover the truth of what went on behind closed doors during the Biden administration comes shortly after the release of ‘Original Sin’ by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which claims that the Biden White House was going all out trying to control the perception of the aging president’s failing health. The book exposes the cover-up of Biden’s decline and his decision to run for re-election.

Tapper said during an interview with Piers Morgan last month that what Biden’s aides did to hide his condition from the public could be ‘even worse’ than the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon’s presidency. 

‘It is a scandal. It is without question, and maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways,’ Tapper said. ‘The only reason we invoke Watergate is just to make clear like, it’s not Watergate — this is an entirely separate scandal, maybe even worse.’

In his letters, Comer said that while the committee has been investigating the cover-up for nearly a year, ‘newfound details regarding President Biden’s obvious decline demand renewed scrutiny of White House personnel actions and knowledge of relevant information over the course of the prior administration.’

Comer said the committee is seeking ‘to understand who made key decisions and exercised the powers of the executive branch during the Biden Administration.’

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

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Democrats capitalize on GOP Jeffrey Epstein fallout with new demands for Jim Jordan

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are seizing on Republican fractures over the Jeffrey Epstein case, demanding a public hearing on the issue.

A letter from Democrats states, ‘To that end, we request that the Committee invite — and, if necessary, subpoena — Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino to testify publicly about the Trump Administration’s review of the Epstein matter, including the conclusions set forth in the undated and unsigned Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI memo providing that ‘no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”

They made the request to House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a close ally of President Donald Trump’s.

The letter, led by Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., is also signed by progressives like Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas.

The memo they referenced, first reported earlier this week, said the late pedophile died by suicide. It also said there is no list of clients whom Epstein may have procured for exploitation by third parties. 

It’s ignited a firestorm within the GOP, with far-right figures going after the attorney general for what they see as backpedaling on her promise to deliver full transparency on the Epstein files.

Democrats, meanwhile, have appeared to put their concerns about fanning the flames of what the left has long seen as a conspiracy theory aside to use the Epstein case as a political cudgel to further divide Republicans.

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino reportedly considered quitting his federal role over how the Epstein case was handled.

Trump has been among Bondi’s most ardent defenders in the fallout and has publicly urged his base to move on from the discord.

The letter Tuesday from Democrats pointed out that Trump, Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel all made public statements regarding Epstein before taking power.

‘President Trump and his top appointees at the DOJ and FBI have spent years advancing theories that ‘the Deep State’ has been suppressing the true magnitude of the child sex trafficking and abuse ring created by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates,’ the Democrats said. 

‘These claims have sunk deep into the public consciousness, due in no small part to President Trump, Mr. Patel, Mr. Bongino, and others’ continued authoritative hyping of ‘Epstein files’ conspiracy theories to energize President Trump’s supporters.’

They warned ‘the public will turn to conspiracy theories to fill the void of credible information’ if ‘facts and evidence’ were not made clear.

‘The Trump DOJ and FBI’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein matter, and President Trump’s suddenly shifting positions, have not restored anyone’s trust in the government but have rather raised profound new questions about their own conduct while increasing public paranoia related to the investigation,’ the letter said.

‘We must submit to public scrutiny President Trump’s and MAGA’s longstanding claims about the ‘Epstein files,’ new questions as to whether President Trump himself has something to hide, whether he is keeping damaging information secret to protect other individuals or to maintain future blackmail leverage over public and private actors or, perhaps the simplest explanation, whether President Trump and his Administration magnified and disseminated groundless Epstein conspiracy theories for purposes of political gain which they are now desperately trying to disavow and dispel.’

Trump has denied any allegations of impropriety related to Epstein.

Fox News Digital reached out to Jordan’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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Senate GOP agree to strip cuts to HIV, AIDS prevention program from Trump’s clawback bill

Senate Republicans agreed to make changes to President Donald Trump’s multi-billion-dollar clawback package to help win over holdouts, but by shrinking the overall size of the cuts in the process.

Lawmakers left a meeting with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought on Tuesday afternoon and announced that about $400 million in proposed cuts to a global AIDS and HIV prevention program would be stripped from the legislation, dropping the total clawbacks in the president’s rescission package to $9 billion.

The original proposed slashes to the Bush-era President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) rattled some Senate Republicans, who warned publicly and privately that they would not support the package if the cuts remained.

But lawmakers agreed to carve out the spending cuts with an amendment, and Senate leadership is hopeful that the change will corral enough holdouts to support the bill during a test vote later Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., can only afford to lose three Republicans during the partisan process.

Thune said after the meeting that there was ‘a lot of interest among our members’ in seeing the PEPFAR cuts removed, and expressed hope that if lawmakers in the upper chamber could advance the bill, then House Republicans would be open to the modification.

The top Senate Republican is eyeing the first test vote on the bill later on Tuesday evening, with another vote to kick off 10 hours of debate shortly after.

The changes to PEPFAR also come after Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., got guarantees that roughly $10 million would go toward rural radio stations on reservations, which was his primary concern, with cuts now redirected toward the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the government-backed funding arm for NPR and PBS.

However, whether the changes are enough to sway key holdouts, like Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, remains to be seen.

A senior administration official pushed back against the narrative surrounding the proposed PEPFAR cuts and beyond, telling Fox News Digital that slashes already made to international aid were geared toward limited program cuts targeted at ‘LGBTQ education and capacity building — not core life-saving care.’

‘We’re already working with countries and other partners to ensure that they shoulder a greater share of the burden where they can,’ the official said. ‘We continue to make targeted investments in mother-to-child prevention, and other key areas of focus.’

Sen. Eric Schmitt, who has acted as a bridge between the White House and Senate on the rescission package, said that the administration supported the change, but was still unsure if there were enough votes to get the package across the line.  

‘I’m not in the prediction business, but we’re hopeful we’ll move forward here,’ the Missouri Republican said.

Vought argued that it was still ‘substantially the same package,’ and noted that the Senate had to work its will on the bill.

Lawmakers have until Friday before the stroke of midnight to get the bill on the president’s desk, or else the holds that the White House has on the billions in funding will end.

‘This is multi-year funding, it has to flow,’ Vought said. ‘If we’re outside of the 45-day window, we have to remove our hold on the money. So we will not implement the cuts if this is if this vote doesn’t go our way.’

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