With President Donald Trumps slated departure for a state visit to the United Kingdom later this month, another high-profile arrest has exposed Britains growing free speech crisis.The arrest of Arizona-based Irish comedian Graham Linehan, for allegedly criticizing transgender activists on social media, coincided with a Wednesday warning from British politician Nigel Farage to Congress that England is collapsing into a "really awful authoritarian situation."The leader of the populist Reform U.K. party, Farage, told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday at a hearing on "European threats to free speech" that the sitcom writer Linehan found out what life is like in the totalitarian North Korean state on Monday at Heathrow Airport in London.UK LOOKS TO TREAT MISOGYNY AS EXTREMIST VIOLENCE, RAISING FREE SPEECH CRACKDOWN CONCERNSThearrest of Linehan in a nation that is widely considered one of the birthplaces of robust free speech has unleashed fierce criticism of the left-wing Labour government.Comedian and actor John Cleese, whose film "The Life of Brian" satirized a biblical man who wished to become a woman named Loretta and have babies, wrote to his more than 5.3 million followers about Linehan: "I see that it took five London policemen to arrest a comedian. Meanwhile, people in Chelsea have learned not to waste their time reporting burglaries. Is this an intelligent use of resources?"President Donald Trump declared on Thursday, that "I will just say that in terms of, U.K., strange things are happening over there. They are cracking down and surprisingly so. And I've spoken to theprime minister and, let's see what happens. But, it is a different a little bit different situation. I'm very surprised to see what's happening."Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmersaid at a February White House meeting that, "We've had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdomand it will last for a very, very long time."Egregious examples of a crackdown on free speech in recent years abound, according to critics in the U.K. and U.S., under both Conservative and Labour governments.InJanuary,HertfordshirePolice arrested parents, Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine, for messages shared in a parents WhatsApp chat group. Six officers searched their residence, and the couple were detained for eight hours over a spat with Cowley Hill Primary School. The school complained about Allens remarks about the hiring process for a senior teacher.The Essex police launched an investigation into conservative Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearsonfor an allegedly racist X post that criticized the police in November 2024. She wrote, in the context of pro-Palestinian rallies, many of which embrace the terrorist organization Hamas: "How dare they. Invited to pose for a photo with lovely peaceful British Friends of Israel on Saturday police refused. Look at this lot smiling with the Jew haters."'MONTY PYTHON' COMEDIAN SAYS TRUMP EMBOLDENED PEOPLE TO LAUGH AGAIN AFTER WOKE ACTIVISTS RUINED COMEDYIn August, business owner Rob Davies, whose store had suffered from shoplifting, was advised by police to remove a handwritten note stating, "Due to scumbags shoplifting, please ask for assistance to open cabinets." Davies refused and was not arrested.The authorities jailed Lucy Connolly, wifeof a Conservative party politician, because she posted an allegedly racist message on X after Axel Rudakubana murdered three children in Southport in Aug. 2024. "Mass deportation now. Set fire to all the f------ hotels full of the b------- for all I care. While youre at it, take the treacherous government and politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it." She deleted the post within four hours. The court imposed a 31-month prison sentence on Connolly.The vast crackdown on freedom of speech and thought in the United Kingdom is raising alarm bells on both sides of the Atlantic. Critics have alleged other forms of curbs on speech and thought in Britain.Lois McLatchie Miller, a senior legal communications officer with the Britain-based Alliance Defending Freedom International, told Fox News Digital that the British authorities are using drastic measures to curtail the right to prayer. She said, "We support several individuals who have been praying silently near abortion centers."She cited the "most expensive prayer in history as one example" whenAdam Smith-Connor, a British veteran of the Afghanistanwar, in 2022 engaged in "three minutes of silent prayer," that led to an order that hepay approximately $11,330."Adam was praying for his son, whom he lost to an abortion 22 years prior. He was also praying for the men and women facing difficult decisions about abortion that day," according to theAlliance Defending Freedom International.Vice President JD Vance warned that "Free speech, I fear, is in retreat" with respect to Smith-Connors case at the Munich Security Conference in February. McLatchie Miller said, "What JD Vance did was phenomenal."UK GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF CRACKING DOWN ON FREE SPEECH: 'THINK BEFORE YOU POST'McLatchie Miller cited additional alleged victims of Britains fast-moving crackdown on free speech, including the case of Catholic pro-life campaigner Isabel Vaughan-Spruce,who was "arrested for a thought crime," close to an abortion clinic for silent prayer in 2022.Livia Tossici-Bolt, a retired medical scientist, was arrested for standing outside an abortion facility with a sign stating: "Here to talk if you want." The authorities arrested herfor violatinga "buffer zone" law that restricts protests at abortion clinics.Scotland has been a kind of ground zero for restrictions on free speech rights for the pro-life community. The authorities arrested grandmother Rose Docherty for her silent protest outside an abortion facility in Glasgow. She held a sign that read: "Coercion is a crime, here to talk, if you want."Shawn Carney, president and CEO of the Texas-based 40 Days for Life, told Fox News Digital that his pro-life organization has U.K. citizen leaders who oversee networks in Britain. He termed the crackdown in the U.K. a "newfound bigotry for free speech. It has developed over the last few years."Asked whyBritain is reportedly gutting free speech, he said,"My only guess is, the more pro-life the U.S. has gotten, the more they target their own citizens who are pro-life." Carney addedthatthe U.K.s restrictions on free speech are also a reaction to President Trumps pro-life policy. "The U.K. has been the laughingstock of free speech in the West," said Carney.

For decades, the orange shorts worn by Hooters waitresses have been a calling card for the American restaurant chain.They've served as a beacon for the so-called original "breastaurant" establishment and are part of what makes Hooters, as its slogan claims, "delightfully tacky."But to Neil Kiefer the CEO now leading the group seeking to reclaim the Hooters brand the uniforms aren't just fabric. They're ingrained in Hooters' identity, and he wants to dial them back from risqu to "athletic."HOOTERS ABRUPTLY CLOSES RESTAURANTS IN MULTIPLE STATES AMID BANKRUPTCY RESTRUCTURING: 'NEVER EASY'"You don't want to have a butt cheek in your plate," Kiefer told Fox News Digital earlier this year.Kiefer said he wants to take back a look rooted in the 1980s.Hooters shorts were originally conceived, he said, as dolphin shorts a sporty, running-inspired style that men and women once wore.Kiefer is the CEO of Hooters Inc., the Clearwater, Florida-based company that founded the Hooters concept in 1983.HOOTERS DITCHING BIKINI NIGHTS FOR OVER-60 CROWD AND FAMILIESHe told Fox News Digital this spring that his group, along with another franchisee, plans to take over the remaining corporate Hooters locations that were operated by Atlanta-based Hooters of America, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year.That means changing the iconic orange shorts that "went to the more revealing" look under Hooters of America, said Kiefer."The [shorts are] supposed to be sized to fit appropriately," Kiefer said. "They're supposed to be athletic, not so much sexual."The public perception of Hooters and what the founders believe is sustainable for its future are key to the chain's next chapter.FLORIDA HOME TO AMERICA'S TOP BEACH BARS AS DAYTONA BEACH SPOT LEADS THE LISTThe uniforms, Kiefer argues, are a nostalgic nod to Hooters' roots, tempered by what he calls the "youthful, athletic look of the female servers" that makes families, women and everyday customers feel comfortable.Alli Lamb has no complaints about the uniform. The 21-year-old Hooters waitress and bartender started working at the Boca Raton, Florida, location which is independently owned and operated by the original franchisee while she was in college.Hooters did not provide Fox News Digital with its uniform requirements, but Lamb told Fox News Digital in an April interview that trying on the outfit was part of the orientation process."They make sure everything's good and that you're comfortable in it," Lamb said.As far as the uniforms go, Lamb said, "nothing really came as a surprise to me.""This is kind of what I expected," she added.She said she's heard from some who don't like the Hooters dress code, which includes no colorful fingernails or visible tattoos.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"But honestly, I think it makes it a little bit more professional," she said.Lamb also appears on the back cover of the 2025 Hooters swimsuit calendar. She said she likes the uniform."Everything's covered," she said. "Nothing's out that doesn't need to be out."Kiefer was quick to point out that the appeal of Hooters isn't just to young men."I can guarantee you there's a bunch of senior citizens there, male and female, at 2 in the afternoon," he said.MORE FROM FOX NEWS LIFESTYLEAn indicator of that is the recent opening of a Hooters in The Villages, Florida, an age-restricted community about 45 miles northwest of Orlando.Customers lined up outside the doors to the restaurant for the grand opening in May.For Kiefer, that mix of regulars proves Hooters works best when the attire feels approachable sporty enough to be "delightfully tacky" but not so revealing that it alienates customers who are there for the wings, beer and camaraderie."There may be those still out there that are upset that the shorts aren't going to be as short, but that's just not what the brand is," Kiefer said."So, there may be some of those, but we're really not worried about that. This is not that type of drastic change."

A former police officer in Florida was charged Thursday with traveling to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex, authorities said.Gary Mygdal, 73, allegedly had sexually explicit conversations with who he believed was a child and agreed to meet her at what he thought was her home, the Pinellas Park Police Department said.Mygdal was arrested outside an apartment complex and confirmed to officers that he had traveled there "for intimate sexual contact" with the girl, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.Mygdal served as a Pinellas Park police officer for a decade, from 1974 to 1984, police said.ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH REPEATED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL: FLORIDA SHERIFFHe was also serving on two City of Pinellas Park boards at the time of his arrest, FOX13 Tampa reported. Mygdal has since been suspended from his seats on those boards, and could be removed at their next meetings.Police Chief Adam Geissenberger said in a statement that the case highlights the department's commitment to protecting children from predators.FEMALE TEACHER IN AFFLUENT FLORIDA CITY ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH TEEN GIRL"No one is above the law, and we will hold offenders accountable regardless of their past positions or affiliations," Geissenberger said.Mygdal was charged with traveling to meet a minor, a second-degree felony in Florida. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail on $15,000 bond, according to online jail records.

There is one question NFL fans are going to want to know when it comes to the New York Giants at the start of this season. When is Jaxson Dart going to get the reins?The Giants selected the former Ole Miss standout in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. But it appeared he was going to have to wait a bit longer to get a chance at starting for the boys in blue. Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson will start Sunday against the Washington Commanders.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMBut as the NFL Network reported that Dart could see some time in different situations against the Commanders, one-time NFL MVP Matt Ryan said the Giants might be better off seeing how quickly Dart can pick things up while on the field."I think he definitely plays. I think if youre Brian Daboll and youre Joe Schoen, right, the path to success moving forward is Jaxson Dart," Ryan said on the CBS pregame show. "The future of this organization is Jaxson Dart. I think the sooner you find out what you have, the sooner you let him grow, the better off youre gonna be."JAGUARS' TRAVIS HUNTER DISCUSSES TRANSITION FROM HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER TO DUAL-THREAT NFL ROOKIEThe Giants prepared a package of plays for the rookie quarterback, according to the NFL Network. Those certain plays are usually held for players who can either become game changers with their feet or with their hands especially in the case of Taysom Hill a few years ago.Dart seemingly inspired the Giants fan base with his performance in the preseason. However, he suggested he was eager to learn under the wings of Wilson."Russ has completely earned (the starting) role, and he's played amazing, played elite," Dart said at the end of preseason. "So, for me, I just want to be the best teammate, and I just want this team to win. Whatever my role is for that to happen, I'm going to do that to the best of my ability."Dart will be the backup for Wilson for Sundays game.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Though Candace Cameron Bure has always been open and vulnerable with her fans, some things just aren't worth the hassle of social media responses, she declared.On Saturday, the "Full House" alum, 49, explained why she decided to delete a photo of herself in a bathing suit after one fan asked her why she removed it from her Instagram."Yes. I was at the beach. I was in a one piece, not a bikini. I am soaking up the end of summer," Bure wrote on her Instagram Stories. "I was having fun. It wasnt about my bathing suit or my body. But the comments became flooded with people discussing my body. It wasnt worth it. I took it down."CANDACE CAMERON BURE ADMITS SHE 'WHIPPED' HERSELF FOR YEARS AS SHE STRUGGLED WITH BODY IMAGEDuring an episode of "The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast" in April, Bure opened up about her personal battle with body image and explained how her faith has helped her find "a whole new perspective" on how she views herself. "I've whipped my body," an emotional Bure told podcast guests Allie Schnacky and daughter, Natasha Bure. "I've spoken to it so harshly. So mean."Recounting a dream she once had, Bure said a certain Bible verse Numbers 22 allowed her to view her body in a different light:"And then God allowed my body to speak back, and my body said back to me, 'Have I not been the body that's carried you all the days of your life? Am I not your legs that allow you to walk? Am I not your arms that allow you to pick up and feed yourself? Why do you hurt me so badly, and why do you talk to me so badly, and why do you treat me this way? I can lift you up you have to tell me what to do. I'm following your lead.'"LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"And it was like this amazing revelation in my life," she continued. "And the weirdest story out of the Bible, that God spoke to me about how mean I've been to my body. I never saw it that way it's this beautiful amazing thing that God gave me."Bure admitted she now has "a whole different perspective of how I think about my body.""I was so mean to myself and looking back it breaks my heart. Learning to speak with kindness to my body has been a journey, and I know Im not alone in this. To those who relate I hope you can feel me giving you the biggest virtual hug right now. And I hope youll join me in showing ourselves the grace and love we truly deserve," she said.This isn't the first time Bure has opened up about her struggles.In 2016, the mom of three detailed the ins and outs of how she developed an eating disorder years ago."I had a great body image growing up," Bure said at a panel for #EatingRecoveryDay in New York City, according to People. "My parents were wonderful, and protective of not allowing the entertainment industry to shape me into what they believed a standard of body image of perfection was.""The change of having worked since I was 5 years old to now becoming a wife and soon-to-be mom, and living in a city where I didn't have family and friends around me, I kind of lost the sense of who I was," she said.In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital in July, Bure got candid about the "scary" way certain fads are reshaping people's perspectives on body image in Hollywood and explained how her faith has helped her in her own journey of finding and embracing body positivity.CANDACE CAMERON BURE FEELS PEOPLE ARE LESS AFRAID OF BEING CANCELED IN HOLLYWOOD FOR THEIR FAITH"It can be scary, although I feel like this younger generation has already had so much more body positivity that I hope they understand that it's a trend," Bure said. "I think of my daughter, and she just doesn't have the same viewpoint of body image that I did growing up, and especially as a child of the 80s and 90s. It's like mine's all messed up. I am middle-aged, and I still have all of these thoughts as to the perfect body and this and that, and it's troubling.""Yet my daughter and her friends and all of that have way less, they don't think about bodies like that," she continued. "So I hope that they do understand that it's a trend. But yeah, it does freak me out. It makes me sad to see everyone suddenly becoming skinny because I think it's very triggering for a lot of people our age that grew up in the 80s and 90s. It was the Kate Moss era and you're like, Oh, this is what we have to be attractive.""But we know that's not true," she added. "And we also know just to apply it back to biblical principles, that God does not love us more or less dependent upon our weight or our body size or our shape. He doesn't love us or value us anymore or less depending on how we look. He's a God of the heart that judges the heart, and it's all about who we are on the inside. And that is where I will continually go back to. No matter how the culture changes in terms of diet and what fad and what body type is in, I know that God loves me for who I am and my heart and doesn't pay attention to the exterior and places no value in it whatsoever."

Nebraska Cornhuskers tight end Luke Lindenmeyer had bigger things on his mind on Saturday night after the team walloped the Akron Zips in their matchup, 68-0.Lindenmeyer caught the first touchdown pass of his career in the second quarter from Dylan Raiola. After the game, Lindenmeyer decided to make the moment extra special.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMHe walked over to his girlfriend Kailyn Storovich, a Nebraska dance team member, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She said, "Yes." The Cornhuskers social media team caught the moment on camera and posted the moment on their accounts."I couldnt think of a better place to do it to tell you I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life," he was heard telling Storovich.Lindenmeyers teammates jumped for joy as he knelt before his girlfriend. The two shared a kiss as he put the ring around her finger.OREGON STATE COACH RIPS SPECIAL TEAMS UNIT AFTER CALAMITOUS PUNT"All right boys. I hope to play my heart out for you every night. This is the love of my life right here," he said, addressing his teammates.It was the cherry on top of a wild night for the Cornhuskers.Raiola had 364 passing yards and four touchdowns in the shutout win. It was the most points the team had scored in a game since 2007 and most yards (728) in a game since 2014."It's a new style of Nebraska football," Raiola said. "We're not going to be a first-half team and come out swinging and then drop off. For us to do that performance, we suited up everybody we could and got as many guys as we could into the game. Job well done by everybody. We played really strong for four quarters."Lindenmeyer had three catches for 44 yards and the touchdown.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani defended his plan for government-run grocery stores on Friday when pressed about a failed attempt in Kansas City, Missouri."There's another example in Kansas City, where they had a government-run grocery store, and its been there for years, but its [closed] because it doesn't work. Theyve been riddled with crime. Theyve dealt with just a lack of inventory. There are other examples where it just hasn't worked because, frankly, the government is not that good at being in the business of being in grocery stores. So what do you say to that example?" CNN host Abby Phillip asked Mamdani.Mamdani's plan for government-run grocery stores is among his progressive agenda items, including raising taxes on corporations, free buses and rent freezes."I say to that example, as well as the examples of our own failures, city government right here in New York City, that we have to prove not only the efficacy but the excellence of this idea. Because for every one example that you can point to, theres another of another municipality today considering opening a city-run grocery store. But to me, the most important thing is the outcome. This is something I believe will work. We will bring the best and the brightest to deliver it, and it will be five stores at the cost of $60 million, which is less than half the citys already spending on subsidizing corporate supermarkets," Mamdani said.NYC OFFICIAL WARNS BUSINESSES WILL FLEE 'IN DROVES' IF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS MAYORAL RACELocal news outlets reported in August that the doors to the Kansas City Sun Fresh market were locked, with a note saying the store was "unable to serve" the community."Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer, at this time, able to serve the residents of this important community," the note read, according to KSHB in Kansas City. "It has always been our dream and passion to provide quality products and services in a safe, family environment. At this time, unfortunately, we are unable to do that."The city purchased the Linwood Shopping Center, where Sun Fresh operated, in 2016 and opened the grocery store in 2018 in an effort to provide more options for residents. Kansas City spent more than $17 million in taxpayer money acquiring and renovating the Sun Fresh market.Despite its efforts, Sun Fresh has been plagued with empty shelves and crime, leading employees to reportedly carry tasers. Last year, the Kansas City Council approved spending $750,000 in emergency city funding in an attempt to keep the store open, but to no avail.GOVERNMENT-FUNDED GROCERY STORE FLOUNDERS IN MIDWEST CITY AS SIMILAR PROPOSAL GAINS STEAM IN NYCPhillip also asked Mamdani to explain how his plan would actually work."There are more than a thousand grocery stores in New York City. Im proposing creating five additional ones, one in each borough of New York City, that the city would run and that would guarantee cheaper groceriesnot free food, but cheaper groceries," he said.Mamdani argued groceries were too expensive and said they are a necessity for New Yorkers.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"And we can see the promise and the possibility of a public option. And weve seen in studies that have been done about the applicability of this in an urban setting like Chicago, that this is something we could actually deliver right here in New York City," he said.Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Knee pain is often associated with aging, but more young people seem to be experiencing this issue.With a greater tendency to play high-intensity sports and a higher overall BMI (body mass index), more younger individuals in their 30s and 40s are having knee problems and some are even seeking out surgery.Between 2000 and 2017, there was a 240% increase in inpatient knee replacements for patients between 45 and 64 years old, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).AGING HITS A DRAMATIC TURNING POINT AT ONE SPECIFIC NUMBER, SCIENTISTS DISCOVERA recent study published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage found that early structural changes in the knees are common by age 30. This often occurs without symptoms.Researchers from Finlands University of Oulu found signs of joint damage in more than half of the 297 participants, who were mostly asymptomatic, according to a press release.The results showed minor articular cartilage defects (damage or injury to the smooth cartilage), mostly between the kneecap and thighbone, in more than half of participants.6 SIMPLE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR HEARING NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, ACCORDING TO EXPERTSThe same defects were also detected in the joint between the shin and thigh bones in a quarter of the group. Small bone spurs were found in more than half of participants.The researchers concluded that a higher body mass index (BMI) is the main factor linked to these defects in the knees.More than 40% of U.S. adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Dr. Ran Schwarzkopf, professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, agreed in an interview with Fox News Digital that higher BMI among younger Americans has driven more knee issues.SOFA VERGARA UNDERGOES SECOND KNEE SURGERY, POSTS RECOVERY PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA"[For] patients who are obese and have a high BMI, it's a high load on their joints," said Schwarzkopf, who was not involved in the study. "That's more load constantly on the knees, so there's more wear and tear."Participation in high-school and college sports has also led to more injuries in younger adults involving the knees, the expert added."In the U.S. in general, we have many more injuries because of the intensity of how people played sports in their high school and college years," he said. "I think it's more than the average around the world."In some cases, Schwarzkopf said, traumatic injuries caused by sports or other activities will continue to worsen over time.WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING A CHIROPRACTOR: EXPERTS DISCUSS BENEFITS AND RISKSEven if these injuries are treated surgically or non-surgically, some elements of the knee, such as cartilage, cannot be restored, causing a "long-lasting effect," he said."[These injuries] continue to accumulate due to the increased load on the knee due to BMI or increased injuries and day-to-day living."After some traumatic injuries, as the knee develops and cartilage "disappears," osteoarthritis may develop, Schwarzkopf noted.This condition can cause pain and disability, sometimes requiring a knee replacement as the "ultimate treatment" for cartilage damage, the expert said.For younger individuals who are experiencing knee pain or are looking to avoid the issue in the future, Schwarzkopf shared a few prevention tips.The most important thing is to maintain a healthy weight, he said, as theres a "high chance" that it will alleviate knee pain.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTERStaying active and strengthening surrounding muscles, particularly the hamstrings and quads, can also help provide support for the knees.People who work desk jobs and are sedentary for many hours of the day should include at least one hour of physical activity on most days, and take breaks to stand, stretch and walk around often, the expert recommends.Proper footwear can make a big difference as well, the doctor said, especially for people who work on their feet.Those who still experience pain should seek proper orthopedic care, as physical therapy and other treatments can help restore function and decrease discomfort.For more Health articles, visitwww.foxnews.com/health"Different treatments can be done with arthroscopic surgery way before we get to the point of knee replacement, especially in people in their late 20s and 30s," Schwarzkopf said. "We don't want to do knee replacements on people at that age."

EXCLUSIVE Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is touting support from a growing list of prominent donors who once backed Democrat Tim Ryan, a development his campaign says underscores a major political shift in the Buckeye State.According to Ramaswamys team, nearly $220,000 of the contributions raised in his first months as a candidate came from individuals who previously gave to Ryan, the former congressman from Youngstown who is weighing a bid for governor. Ryan has not officially declared a gubernatorial bid and has said he will make a decision by the end of the year.Some of the best-known business leaders in Youngstown and Northeast Ohio, long part of Ryans donor network, have now switched sides, Fox News Digital has learned.Ramaswamy's campaign highlights names including Caryn and Sam Covelli, a major business leader in Mahoning Valley who gave the Republican candidate $10,000 after donating more than $59,000 to Ryan over multiple cycles; and Bruce Zoldan, a Youngstown-area business leader who gave Ramaswamy $5,000 after contributing more than $53,000 to Ryan.EXCLUSIVE: RAMASWAMY DECRIES ANTI-LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURE IN WAKE OF BRUTAL CINCINNATI BEATINGAnother business leader, Adam Thomarios, gave $10,000 and is hosting an upcoming fundraiser after contributing nearly $17,000 to Ryan. Anthony Manna contributed $10,000 after donating nearly $25,000 to Ryan between 2005 and 2021, according to Ramaswamy's campaign. Regina Mitchell hosted a fundraiser and gave more than $13,600 to Ramaswamy after a prior $2,700 contribution to Ryan in 2017.Jeff Edwards, the president and CEO of Edwards Companies and Installed Building Products in the Columbus area, and his wife,Lisa, gave roughly $33,000 to Ramaswamy this cycle after contributing $5,800 to Ryan in 2022.Jai Chabria, Ramaswamys chief strategist, told Fox News Digital that the donor movement is about more than campaign finance. He said Ohioans who once trusted traditional Democratic leadership are embracing Ramaswamys message of economic growth and new ideas after decades of disappointment. In his view, voters are leaving behind "a tired model" that did not deliver and are backing someone who represents prosperity and reform."It's a very interesting thing where people who have been who have donated to Democrats, and especially someone like Tim Ryan, and they're flocking to Vivek," Chabria told Fox News Digital. "There's actually a movement where people are actually moving over not just to Republicans, but to Vivek specifically because he's got such a message of growth, of economic growth."He argued that the momentum is visible not only in financial reports but also in grassroots enthusiasm across the state."I think, like many people in Ohio who were promised one thing under these institutions, and by institutions I mean people that have been elected over and over and over again and didn't deliver for people, I think people are coming to see that someone else with fresh ideas is what they need to invest in rather than the tired old model that didn't deliver for the state," Chabria told Fox News Digital.Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou echoed that point, calling the donor shifts "impressive" and a sign of Ramaswamys strength as a candidate. He said former Ryan backers now see in Ramaswamy a leader committed to workers, reshoring manufacturing, and strengthening Ohios energy independence.Triantafilou also emphasized the GOPs early endorsement of Ramaswamy in May more than a year before the primary as unprecedented. He said it helped solidify a coalition that has powered Republican victories statewide.Fox News Digital reached out to Ryan for comment.After spotlighting the defections from Ryans ranks, the Ramaswamy campaign is also underscoring its own financial milestones. Ramaswamy reported raising $9.7 million between February and June, which his team calls the largest sum ever collected by an Ohio gubernatorial candidate in the year before a general election. An allied super PAC has added $17 million more.RAMASWAMY PLEDGES 'RULE OF LAW' REVIVAL AFTER VIRAL CINCINNATI MOB ATTACKChabria described that first report as only the "tip of the iceberg," predicting that the next filing will show an even bigger number.Both strategists portrayed the fundraising and donor flips as part of a broader coalition that cuts across traditional political lines. Chabria said Ramaswamys background in business appeals to donors because he understands their perspective, while his detailed policy agenda shows he is prepared to govern without a steep learning curve. He pointed to priorities such as energy independence, improving Ohios schools and tackling crime in cities as issues resonating with small and large donors alike."The crime in our cities is it's appalling. And it's something that Vivek wants to bring all leaders together to actually try to address because people need to be able to be safe in their own homes. And in too many places, they don't feel that way," Chabria told Fox News Digital. "I mean, Democrats, Republicans, independents, they all need to feel safe in their homes, in their cities. So it's definitely not a partisan issue, but sometimes it becomes one. But Vivek, I think he's gonna try to rise above it and try to bring all people together and really listen to everybody and then try to offer real concrete solutions to this issue."Triantafilou stressed that Ramaswamys agenda has broad working-class appeal, citing his proposals on manufacturing, education and eliminating the state income tax to make Ohio more competitive. He said those ideas speak directly to middle-class Ohioans, including union workers, postal employees and delivery drivers, who could benefit from lower taxes and better economic conditions.Generational change is also part of the message. At 40, Ramaswamy represents "a new era of leadership," Triantafilou said, contrasting him with Ryan, whom he described as emblematic of Democrats focused on cultural debates rather than the economic concerns of ordinary voters. He argued that Ryan, who lost a Senate race to then-first-time candidate JD Vance in 2022, is "yesterday," while Ramaswamy represents "tomorrow."Republicans are already previewing the contrast if Ryan enters the governors race. Triantafilou criticized him as "inauthentic," accusing him of posturing as a moderate in Ohio while voting with the left in Washington. He said Democrats are out of step with voters on issues ranging from crime to education, and predicted Ryan would be outspent, outworked and ultimately defeated if he jumped in."Tim Ryan represents kind of what's wrong with the Democratic Party," Triantafilou told Fox News Digital. "Tim Ryan will put on a hunting jacket and be on TV, and then he goes to D.C. and votes with AOC and with the left of party."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFor now, the Ramaswamy campaign is focused on consolidating early momentum. Events are scheduled into the fall, including an October fundraiser hosted by Thomarios in Akron, as the campaign works to expand its base across Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, and beyond. With record fundraising, defections from Ryans donor network, and the Ohio GOPs early endorsement, Republicans say Ramaswamy has positioned himself as the front-runner in 2026.

Trump administration border czar Tom Homan vowed more workplace immigration enforcement operations on Sunday, similar to the Georgia Hyundai plant raid that detained hundreds last week.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested nearly 500 people during a raid Thursday at an electric battery plant in Georgia run by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. Most of those arrested were reportedly South Korean nationals living and working in the country illegally, whether by illicitly entering, overstaying visas, or violating visa waivers by working.When asked by CNN's Jake Tapper if the Trump administration would pursue similar raids in the future, Homan said they would continue."The short answer is yes," Homan said. "Were going to do more worksite enforcement operations because number one, its a crime to enter this country illegally. Number two, its a crime to knowingly hire an illegal alien, and these companies that hire illegal aliens, they undercut the competition that's paying U.S. citizen salaries."SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM AFTER MASSIVE GEORGIA IMMIGRATION RAID: 'TAKING BOLD ACTION'"Look, no one hires illegal aliens on the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they work them harder, pay them less, and undercut the competition," Homan added.Hyundai owns the plant, but the company said none of the detained workers were directly employed by the company.The South Korean government has since reached a deal with the U.S. to secure the release of hundreds of migrant workers detained at the Hyundai factory.President Lee Jae Myung's office says the country will send a charter plane to bring the workers back to South Korea in the coming days.The Trump administration has made immigration enforcement a national priority, vowing to close the border and deport millions of illegal immigrants. The administration has already deported more than 300,000 illegal immigrants, according to federal data, and deportations have surged to more than 1,500 per daya rate not seen since President Barack Obamas term, according to The New York Times.SOUTH KOREA REACHES DEAL WITH US TO RELEASE WORKERS DETAINED AFTER IMMIGRATION RAIDHoman said he had personal experience with how illegal immigration puts Americans out of work and drives down salaries for U.S. employees. When he was replacing his roof, he had to make numerous inquiries before finding a company that could guarantee a legal workforce."I talked to one company, just a father and son, who laid off 20 citizen employees because they couldn't win a bid. The competition were bidding a lot less for a job because they were paying employees a lot less to work because they're illegally in the United States," Homan said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREHoman added the administration's workplace raids have contributed to the country having the "most secure" border in history.Fox New Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.