A Fox News host uncorked a bizarre on-air tirade against Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, calling him a "demon in human skin."Emily Compagno appeared to lose her composure on Friday's edition of "Outnumbered" while discussing Talarico, a 37-year-old state representative now in a statistical tie with embattled Republican nominee Ken Paxton. Compagno was reacting to a conservative PAC attack ad featuring Talarico calling the American flag a "complicated" symbol for many Americans."Every single voter [in Texas] needs to understand exactly who they would vote into office, which is an anti-business, anti-commerce, anti-capitalist, anti-Texas Texan," Compagno railed.She then escalated sharply."This person is a demon in human skin, and they need to make sure he does not go anywhere — to the nation's capital, where he can actually do some real damage other than his horrible words that he keeps spewing," she said.A Talarico spokesman responded that the campaign could confirm the candidate is "in fact a human, and not a demon in human skin."The outburst lands as the race tightens into a genuine toss-up. A New York Times/Siena survey released Monday found Paxton and Talarico deadlocked at 47 percent among likely voters, with Talarico leading 58-31 among independents and 61-29 among Hispanic voters.Paxton defeated four-term Sen. John Cornyn in a May 26 primary runoff after President Donald Trump threw his backing to the state's scandal-plagued attorney general. Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 before being acquitted by the state Senate, and he has faced years of criminal securities fraud allegations and accusations of abusing his office.Trump himself has appeared unsettled by Talarico's rise. In a Truth Social post after the runoff, the president refused to use the Democrat's name, instead branding him "Alfred E. Neuman" and "the worst TEXAS candidate I have ever seen."On "Outnumbered," Compagno added that Talarico's past remarks were "patently disqualifying for any American senator."Compagno on Talarico: This person is a demon in human skin pic.twitter.com/BM5nohCvxT— Acyn (@Acyn) July 3, 2026
First lady Melania Trump gave Congress a private deadline to pass her signature foster care bill, and she is pursuing it largely outside the usual White House channels, according to a new report in Politico. At a bipartisan roundtable with the House Ways and Means Committee in April, the first lady publicly called foster care legislation a "moral imperative." Then, behind closed doors, she set a target, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) told the outlet: "I want this on Donald's desk by the August recess." The Fostering the Future Act, which expands housing, education and workforce help for young people aging out of foster care, passed the House unanimously.The Senate has not moved it out of committee, and lawmakers are set to leave Washington around Aug. 10. At a White House picnic the day the House passed the bill, both Trumps urged the Senate to hurry. "Hopefully, it will quickly pass in the Senate," the president said. He has not publicly pressed senators since.The deadline reflects a first lady who increasingly operates on her own track. Her office, not the State Department, has led her effort to reunite children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war, negotiating directly with Moscow and Kyiv, the White House said. She has also shown a willingness to diverge from the administration's message. She broke with the White House on Epstein, calling for survivors to testify as the president's team tried to move past the scandal, and last week put her own spin on a Supreme Court ruling her husband celebrated, voicing support for the LGBTQIA+ community.A recent book recounted how she resisted Trump's overhaul of the White House grounds and lost.
For America’s 250th birthday, the Washington Examiner is taking you to Virginia’s Historic Triangle, where the story of our nation began. From the Jamestown settlement, the first permanent English colony in America; to the Yorktown Battlefield, where the fight for independence was won; to Williamsburg, where America’s founding principles were debated and shaped. Step back […]
Data: U.S. Drought Monitor; Map: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsFirework associations expect a massive boom in backyard fireworks this July 4, a surge that collides with dry conditions and a blistering heatwave that could drastically increase the risk of fires.Why it matters: Climate change is increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires, and large chunks of the U.S. are under burn bans because of severe drought.What they're saying: "It only takes one small spark landing in dry vegetation under the right conditions to start a fast-moving wildfire," April Newman, a public information officer at Cal Fire, tells Axios.Embers can smolder for over a minute, Newman says, "increasing the potential for ignition even after the visible display has ended."Even if a lawn looks green, the "eye test can be deceiving," Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center, tells Axios. Dig just a few inches into Mid-Atlantic soil, "you hit dryness again."State of play: Local governments navigating the drought created a patchwork of burn bans across the country.Colorado Springs issued a citywide burn ban earlier this week before canceling all fireworks displays — even professional ones — citing "extreme fire danger."Utah Gov. Spencer Cox suspended a state law that prevented local governments from enacting blanket bans, prompting Salt Lake County and others to outlaw fireworks.The other side: Florida has no statewide fireworks ban despite lingering droughts and nine county-level burn bans.State law includes a "fireworks holiday" giving anyone over 18 the right to set them off.By the numbers: The national landscape is dangerously primed for ignition, and tragedy is already playing out.Roughly 50% of the U.S. is currently in a drought, according to Fuchs.On July 1, the National Interagency Fire Center reported 257 new fires, and firefighters are trying to contain 51 large fires nationwide.Three firefighters died combating a major fire in western Colorado on Saturday.The intrigue: July 4 celebrations bring a massive, sudden influx of potential ignition sources.When you combine millions of flying sparks with dry vegetation, humidity and a heatwave, wildfires get the exact catalyst they need to explode, safety and climate experts say.Between the lines: Consumer demand for fireworks to commemorate America's 250th anniversary is at record levels."People look like they're going to be showing their patriotism" Ed Vasel with the National Fireworks Association, tells Axios. "We're thinking things are going to be up maybe as much as 20-25% in some areas this year."Professional pyrotechnicians follow strict distance requirements and work with on-site fire departments, but neighborhood celebrations often lack those safeguards, he says.Worth noting: Conditions for President Trump's record-breaking firework plans are better than they were weeks ago Fuchs says, but drought and sweltering heat still remain.While recent rain has provided some surface-level relief, these showers are not a complete "drought buster," Fuchs says.The bottom line: "There's a lot of angst amongst people who believe that fireworks is a right, and that it is culturally valuable, and that it is something that no one should be able to interfere with," David Barrett, executive director of The Safe Community Project, tells Axios."I appreciate and have empathy for those opinions. I do think at the same time…they recognize that the decisions they make don't affect only themselves for their personal pleasure, but those around them who they might inadvertently injure or kill."Go deeper: Trump's July Fourth event faces dangerous D.C. heat - Axios Washington D.C.
Foreigners across the globe have flooded the United States for the World Cup — and according to videos they’ve been posting to social media, what many of them are finding is freedom, opportunity, abundance, and a culture that still allows people to be different.One man posted a video of himself walking around a neighborhood with driveways for planes, commenting on how that would never be allowed in the U.K.Another man posted a video of himself excited about free soda refills, while a woman posted a video of herself wearing a Buc-ee's hat, excitedly talking about the mindset of Americans: “We don’t care; do whatever you want.”“If you want to dress a certain way, go for it. If you want to start a project, go for it. If you want to pass a car on the right, you can do it. And it’s something that personally is helping me to heal, because when you’re used to shrinking yourself, and you arrive in the U.S., and you discover this space to just be yourself and do whatever you want,” the woman said.“It’s so refreshing,” she added.“Share these things. I’m telling you: All we need is to believe that we are worth saving. That’s the first step. Listen to what people from all around the world are coming here and experiencing and saying about you,” Glenn says.“You could be overseas and say they just hate people. They are bigots or whatever. They just hate foreigners or they don’t want, you know, brown people or whatever the lie is. It’s not true,” he continues.Glenn points out that as long as you treat America with respect, you’re welcome here.“That is America. Again, I don’t need you to look like me. I don’t need you to dress like me. I don’t need you to listen to the same kind of music. I don’t need any of that. I just want you to respect the basic idea that all men are created equal,” he says.“Endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And governments are instituted among men to protect those rights. And that’s what makes us different,” he continues.“It’s not our wealth,” he says. “It’s a total mindset that you can be different because we can all come together on one idea: that we are all meant to be different and the government is to enforce the freedoms that we have.”Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
