President Donald Trump's political muscle in Republican nomination races was on full display Tuesday as a candidate he endorsed last week won a crowded and competitive GOP special election primary for a vacant congressional seat in Tennessee.Trump-backed Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, came out on top in a field of 11 Republican candidates vying to fill the seat in the state's solidly red 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.Van Epps will now be the favorite in the Dec. 2 general election in the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job.Trump's endorsement of Van Epps in a field that also included state Reps. Jody Barrett, Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves, shaped the outcome of the primary battle even though the president's backing came after the finish of early voting in the contest.THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS, FURTHER SHRINKING FRAGILE GOP MAJORITYThe race among the major GOP contenders turned into a test of loyalty to Trump, and with the president's endorsement, Reeves suspended his campaign and backed Van Epps.TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS"Matt knows the WISDOM and COURAGE required to Defend our Country, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Trump said in his endorsement statement.Van Epps, who was also endorsed by Green and Republican Gov. Bill Lee, called Trump's support "an incredible honor."And on Monday night, on the eve of the primary, the president joined Van Epps for a tele-rally that was co-hosted by the politically influential conservative outside group Club for Growth, which also backed Van Epps.HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONSTrump carried the district, which is located in central and western Tennessee and stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, by roughly 20 points in last year's presidential election.Van Epps, a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee Army National Guard and a former Army helicopter pilot, was also backed by prominent House Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.But Barrett, who touted that he is the "most conservative state rep. in Tennessee history," had the support of the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus, which spent heavily in the primary race.Four major Democrats were running for their party's nomination. They were state Reps. Vincent Dixie, Aftyn Behn, Bo Mitchell and businessman Darden Copeland.Republicans currently control the House 219-213, with two vacancies: the seat in Tennessee and Texas 18th Congressional District, following the death earlier this year of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner.Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special congressional election in Arizona last month, has yet to be sworn in.

Country singer Zach Bryan released a statement on Tuesday insisting that he did not intend his new song to cause controversy after it went viral over the past few days.On his Instagram account, Bryan previewed a new song titled "Bad News" that appeared to lament the policies and general spirit of America under President Donald Trump.The song included lyrics such as, "My friends are all degenerates, but theyre all I got, the generational story of dropping the plot. I heard the cops came, Cocky motherf-----s, aint they?" and, "And ICE is gonna come bust down your door, try to build a house no one builds no more, but I got a telephone, Kids are all scared and all alone."COUNTRY STAR ZACH BRYANS ANTI-ICE LYRICS ADD TO GROWING LIST OF PUBLIC CONTROVERSIESThe song continued, "The bar stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling, the middle fingers rising, and it wont stop showing. Got some bad news. The fading of the red, white, and blue."In a statement posted on an Instagram Story, Bryan wrote that "Bad News" was written months ago and that people need the "full context" of the song."This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media," Bryan said. "This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back."COUNTRY STAR'S EX GETS 'REALITY CHECK' ABOUT TRUMP'S POPULARITY ACROSS AMERICAHe continued, "I served this country, I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space. I wasnt speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou a--hole, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else. To see how much s--- it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared. Left wing or right wing were all one bird and American. To be clear Im on neither of these radical sides. To all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in just know Im trying my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes."Hours later, he posted an additional statement expressing heartbreak over being scrutinized for the last few months.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"The last few months of my life Ive been scrutinized by more people than I ever thought possible. I feel like Ive tried my hardest in so many ways and its so had to see where my bearings even are anymore. Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time," Bryan wrote. "I am SO proud to have served in a country where we can all speak freely and converse amongst each other without getting doxxed or accosted on the internet or worse; the violence and heartbreak weve faced in the last few months! God speed ol sons Im out!"Bryan, who has a history of being at odds with law enforcement, is known for his liberal commentary.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has authorized a plan to use tariff revenue to keep the WIC nutrition program running during the government shutdown, vowing the administration "will not allow mothers and children to go hungry."In a post on X, Leavitt accused Democrats of "cruelly voting to shut down the government," saying their actions forced the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, to run out of funds this week.Leavitt added that Trump had directed officials to tap Section 232 tariff revenue to sustain WIC.The White House confirmed to Fox News that the plan is a short-term "creative solution" developed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).TRUMPS WEEK IN REVIEW: SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWNS AND ARMED CARTEL CONFLICT"The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats' political games," Leavitt said in a statement.How much tariff money will be used has not yet been disclosed, but the infusion is expected to cover costs "for the foreseeable future." The program had been projected to exhaust its funds within weeks.WIC provides vouchers for healthy food, breastfeeding assistance and nutrition education to roughly 6 million low-income women and children nationwide.WHITE HOUSE SAYS FEDERAL LAYOFFS COULD HIT 'THOUSANDS' AHEAD OF TRUMP, VOUGHT MEETINGThe federal government spent more than $7 billion on the program during fiscal 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Democrats have criticized Republicans in past budget fights over WIC eligibility and funding levels, while Republicans blame Democrat resistance to spending restraints for fueling the current shutdown.The White House has not said how long tariff funds will last or whether another infusion would be needed if Congress remains deadlocked.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPAn official described the transfer to Axios as a temporary fix to protect vulnerable families while negotiations continue.The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals/FOX Business' request for comment.

Hilaria Baldwin has taken her final bow in the "Dancing with the Stars" ballroom.During Tuesday's episode of the dancing competition show, Baldwin and her partner Gleb Savchenko danced the quickstep to a song from "Star Wars: A New Hope" for the show's Disney night. She portrayed Princess Leia.After her dance, she got rave reviews from the judges, including Bruno Tonioli, who told her, "I was looking for something wrong, I didnt see it."Baldwin received a higher score from the judges than fan favorite comedian Andy Richter, but she didn't receive enough votes from the viewers to keep her in the competition.HILARIA BALDWIN SCORES 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' AFTER BUMPY JOURNEY TO REALITY TV FAME"This has been an incredible experience," she said after she was voted off, adding that she said she was grateful to her children and her family and she was cheering on everyone in the cast.Some of her children could be seen in the audience cheering her on, but her husband Alec Baldwin wasn't. He was seen rooting for the 41-yearold last week.The mom of seven gave a stellar performance with Savchenko during the show's premiere as Alec and other members of her family in the audience cheered her on earlier this month."It's such a dream to have my family here," she told Fox News Digital after the show's premiere.Ahead of her debut dance to Jennifer Lopez's "Let's Get Loud," Hilaria took her rehearsals with Savchenko from Los Angeles to New York, where she lives with Alec and their seven children."With one week to go, I'm taking Gleb to New York, where I live. I'm so excited to share this experience with my family," she said in the "DWTS" package before her live performance."She's a hard worker," Alec told the "DWTS" camera while sitting in on Hilaria's rehearsal. "This was her life until she got injured, so shes just going to give it everything she has. Im proud of her, very proud of her."IRELAND BALDWIN CALLS HILARIA 'BAT S--- CRAZY' BUT CREDITS HER WITH SAVING DAD ALECS LIFEDuring their live cha-cha performance, Hilaria and Gleb shared an intimate moment in which they came face to face. Alec's reaction instantly went viral."Alec Baldwin watching Hilaria and Glebs steamy Cha-Cha likeOne week later, Alec was absent from her second performance with Savchenko."So, Alec is doing a movie right now," Hilaria told Fox News Digital after the show. "He's doing a movie, he's doing a show, he's been traveling so much. He'll be here next week, but we're juggling.""We had a certain plan to be in New York right now and then all of a sudden the universe opened and I was offered this incredible experience. And so I packed up all the kids and in a day. I signed the contract to do Dancing with the Stars in between landing and getting our luggage. This has been a really wild whirlwind that I'm so grateful for, and it's imposed some shifting," she said.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSHilaria previously told People magazine that Alec has been "supportive" throughout her "Dancing with the Stars" journey thus far."He's been wanting me to do this show for a very long time, and he has been very supportive and he's very happy for this," she said. "I've supported him through a lot, and I think he's excited to do this."Despite the quick elimination, Baldwin was able to live out a "dream."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"I mean, it's not just the experience and how warm and welcoming this environment is and everybody here in 'Dancing with the Stars' family, but this was something I loved to dance, and I didn't do it on the same level as [Gleb], but I loved it a lot," Hilaria previously told Fox News Digital. "And then I broke my hip and all of a sudden I was in a wheelchair and I thought I would never dance again. I just closed that chapter. I closed that door.""So to be here dancing with [Gleb], specifically him, he's so about technique and mentality and all of the stuff that my nerdy dancer self loves, it's just a dream come true. He's nicer to me than I am to myself. I feel like we're very similar. It's so interesting, the science of how they pair people together, and I think that we're very similar in some very surprising ways."Fox News Digital's Larry Fink and Brie Stimson contributed to this post.

Democrats on Tuesday picked their nominee in a special congressional election for a vacant seat in Tennessee.Aftyn Behn, a former healthcare community organizer and current Democrat state representative, captured her party's nomination, according to The Associated Press.The Dickson County Democratic Party described Behn as "our very own AOC of TN," in a reference to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., according to The Tennessee Star.The primary field included three state representatives and a consultant in Tennessee's solidly red 7th Congressional District.Behn will now be considered the underdog in the Dec. 2 general election in the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job.HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE 2025 ELECTIONSPresident Donald Trump carried the district, which is located in central and western Tennessee and stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, by roughly 20 points in last year's presidential election.TRUMP FRONT-AND-CENTER IN THESE 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNSTrump's immense political clout in Republican nomination races faced a test Tuesday in a crowded and competitive GOP primary. This after the president last week endorsed Matt Van Epp, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, and one of 11 names on the ballot in the GOP primary. Van Epp claimed victory on Tuesday.Republicans currently control the House 219-213, with two vacancies: the seat in Tennessee and Texas 18th Congressional District, following the death earlier this year of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner.Democrat Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special congressional election in Arizona last month, has yet to be sworn in.

The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly fined head coach Jonathan Gannon $100,000 for his sideline altercation with running back Emari Demercado.Gannon was upset after Demercado dropped the football before crossing the goal line on what should have been a 72-yard touchdown that would have put Arizona up 28-6 early in the fourth quarter.Instead, the Cardinals went on to lose to the Tennessee Titans, 22-21.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMA video posted to social media showed Gannon approaching Demercado, who was being consoled by left tackle Paris Johnson after the mistake, and confronting him. Gannon appeared to get in Demercados face before making brief contact with the running back's arm as he walked away.NFL FINES COWBOYS' JERRY JONES FOR OBSCENE GESTURE: REPORTGannon apologized for his actions on Monday, saying, "I kind of let the moment get the better of me there."There will be no other discipline for Gannon than the fine, according to ESPN.This is the first time an NFL head coach has been fined for a player altercation since Bruce Arians, who was coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was disciplined for hitting safety Andrew Adams helmet during a Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bucs docked Arians $50,000 for the incident.Demercados blunder allowed the Titans to get back into the game, as rookie Cam Ward orchestrated a touchdown drive to cut the deficit.Demercado wasnt the only Cardinals to falter. Several defenders failed to recover a red-zone fumble following an interception, allowing Tennessees Tyler Lockett to fall on the ball in the end zone for a wild touchdown.After the Cardinals failed to pick up the first down, Ward led the Titans on a final drive capped by a walk-off field goal as time expired.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Odell Beckham Jr. has ambitions of playing in the NFL in 2025. But if the free-agent wide receiver does sign with a franchise this year, he will have to sit on the sidelines for at least six weeks.During a recent sitdown on "The Pivot Podcast," the three-time Pro Bowler revealed he has accepted a six-game suspension.The discipline stems from his 2024 violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMBeckham, who played for the Miami Dolphins last season, maintained he was unaware he used any banned substances.After raising questions about his positive test, Beckham said he was informed that his "testosterone levels" were "too high."ODELL BECKHAM JR LAMENTS GIANTS TRADE: 'I NEVER, EVER WANTED TO LEAVE'On Tuesday, Beckhams six-game ban was listed on the leagues official transactions wire. The suspension means Week 12 would mark the earliest time that Beckham could play in an NFL game.Beckham started his career with the New York Giants. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. Beckham recently reflected on the move to Cleveland, saying he did not want to leave New York."I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants," he told CBS Sports in May. "The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was p----- because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over.He went on to win a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams after the 2021 season. He fell to the SoFi Stadium turf during a play in Super Bowl LVI and was later diagnosed with a torn ACL, causing him to miss the following season while rehabbing.He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, before his one-year stint in Miami.During his interview on "The Pivot Podcast," Beckham mentioned the teams he would be interested in signing with this season: the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and a couple of his former teams the Giants and Rams.Beckham had just nine receptions for 55 yards in 2024. He has 7,987 career receiving yards.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The New York Yankees are not done yet. They rallied from a 6-1 deficit for their largest comeback win in an elimination game in franchise history, taking Game 3 of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays.The Yankees scored eight unanswered runs in the middle innings to secure a 9-6 victory. They'll now turn to rookie Cam Schlittler whose first postseason start was a masterpiece in the Wild Card Series win over the Boston Red Sox as they face elimination again Wednesday night.Meanwhile, Blue Jays manager John Schneider will likely rely on a bullpen game to try to cool off a suddenly red-hot Yankees lineup.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMAfter being outscored 23-8 in the first two games, the Yankees needed to strike early. But the Yankee Stadium crowd was silenced almost immediately by another Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home run.The red-hot slugger hammered a Carlos Rodn changeup over the left-center-field fence to make it 2-0 right away for Toronto. The Yankees responded with a Giancarlo Stanton two-out single in the bottom of the first inning, but the Blue Jays took the wind out of any Yankees sails in the top of the third.BLUE JAYS' TREY YESAVAGE MAKES MLB PLAYOFF HISTORY IN DOMINANT YANKEES STUNNERToronto put up a four-spot as a slew of RBI singles from Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement and Anthony Santander made it a 6-1 game and knocked Rodn out, much like Max Fried in Game 2 when he couldnt go more than three innings.But the Yankees continued to hang around and responded as Aaron Judge hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the third, while Stanton came through again with a sacrifice fly to score Cody Bellinger and make it a 6-3 game.The Blue Jays still owned a solid lead after three innings, but the Yankees were simply looking for that one break and one moment that could potentially turn everything around in this series. Thats what they got when what seemed to be an easy pop-up by Austin Wells turned into a crucial error by Addison Barger in short left field.With Wells on second base and Trent Grisham walking, Judge came to the plate with a chance to tie the game with one swing. Judge has been critiqued heavily for his postseason career, and though he has a playoff-high total of hits thus far, he hasnt done what he does best hit the ball out of the ballpark.If there was ever a time for another signature Judge moment, this was it against Louis Varland, the Blue Jays high-leverage reliever who has given up two long balls to No. 99 in his career.With a two-strike count, Judge swung at a 99.7 mph fastball well off the plate inside and roped it down the left-field line. It banged off the foul pole for a three-run home run to tie the game at six, and the Yankee faithful awoke with a collective roar.Of course, the Yankees knew the game was only tied and they needed more runs to keep their season alive. In the bottom of the fifth, Jazz Chisholm Jr. knew he got all of a Varland fastball when he hammered it to the second deck in right field for the teams first lead of the series. Wells added some insurance with an RBI single to make it 8-6.The Yankees, now holding a 9-6 lead thanks to a Ben Rice sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth, needed nine outs from their top two bullpen arms, Devin Williams and David Bednar, to move on to Game 4. Williams came through with four outs, including two strikeouts, while Bednar provided the final five outs without allowing a hit.New York also wouldnt have been in position to win this game if it werent for Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval and Tim Hill shutting down the Blue Jays offense while the Yankees chipped away at the deficit.Game 4 will be an 8:08 p.m. ET first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Reality Responds to Your Frequency Not Your Words (Full Audiobook)

Spoiler alert: Im about to tell you how the government shutdown ends.Bill Clinton held the record, at 21 days, but Donald Trump easily beat that with 35 days in his first term.Barack Obama weighed in with a mere 16-day shuttering of the government.So Ive lived through enough of these things to know the pattern as we pass the one-week mark today.DEMOCRATS AT A BIG DISADVANTAGE IN SHUTDOWN AS TRUMP STARTS SLASHING THEIR PROGRAMSPresident Trump has a huge advantage with his giant megaphone. But isnt it fascinating that, until yesterday, he hadnt spoken to reporters since the government went to what must be called a partial shutdown? He doesnt want to own this if it turns unpopular. So hes happy to let Mike Johnson and John Thune spar with Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer while he stays above the fray.But theres a twist this time. Republicans are suddenly rushing to defend federal programs.The speaker told Fox News Digital he is concerned about the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Children and Infants (WIC), as well as FEMA grants."You have FEMA I mean, I'm from a hurricane state. We're in the middle of hurricane season. Ive got two of them off the coast of the U.S. right now."Hes also concerned about a lapse in the federal flood insurance program. And Johnson expressed concern about the troops serving without pay.On the Fox and CNN weekend shows, Johnson said he doesnt want telehealth and mental health to be halted. "Thats what Chuck Schumer is holding hostage."I suppose it would be unsporting of me to point out the hypocrisy here. This is the Republicans own budget were talking about, reflecting Trumps priorities. But the Democrats play the same game when they hold the White House. Nobody has clean hands here.Surprisingly, given their usual distaste for the federal bureaucracy, the Dems have broken through the static with their message of fighting for health care, Marjorie Taylor Greene, breaking with Trump yet again, has joined them:"Im absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year."Greene called Obamacare BS and the insurance industry a "scam." But as she noted, the expiration of the subsidies means premiums will soar."Im going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult childrens insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district," she posted on X.THE REVOLT OF MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, NOW DONALD TRUMPS FIERCEST CRITICThe Republicans say, gosh, all were asking for is a seven-week kick-the-can delay that would end this shutdown. The Democrats, the party of government, will counter with a shorter delay, maybe three or four weeks, congratulate themselves on being fighters, and extract a commitment that theyll be consulted on extending the Obamacare tax credits to avoid kicking millions off the rolls. And that ends the shutdown.Then the Republicans will do whatever they want.Except they cant. Theyre unable to get to 60 votes without some Democratic defections.Unless hmmm Trump and his party go nuclear.He could declare one of his national emergencies and declare that he has the unilateral authority to change the budget however he likes.Harry Reid, as Democratic leader, was the first to go partially nuclear by saying the normal rules would no longer apply to most judicial nominations.Trump did talk to reporters yesterday at a bilat with Canadas Mark Carney, saying the Democrats are "the ones who started it, and its almost like a kamikaze attack by them."Schumers reputation has sunk so low that Jon Stewart called the minority leader "a human flat tire."Axios reports on a draft White House memo saying furloughed workers arent guaranteed compensation for their forced time off. Thats a pressure tactic against the Democrats to end the shutdown by denying back pay to as many as 750,000 workers.It will also never happen. The backlash would be fierce. So its telling that it leaked.Meanwhile, the Treasury, which like every other department carries out Trumps will, attempted to justify a study of a $1 coin emblazoned with his visage.Secretary Scott Bessent said he was using his authority to issue coins "with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial," or 250th birthday.Small problem, aside from the tackiness: An 1866 law requires that anyone pictured on U.S. currency must be deceased.Trump has shattered every norm in todays society. You think hes going to let an 1866 law stop him? Its not exactly the Posse Comitatus Act.SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE'S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY'S HOTTEST STORIESEveryone hates government in the abstract, but especially with a shortage of aircontrollers slowing up traffic, the pain level will keep increasing. And a couple of reports say that while the president is openly cutting programs that benefit blue states and cities, this is, perhaps inevitably, starting to hurt red states as well.Now you have the strange situation of both parties embracing federal spending, which is usually a big fat target for the GOP. Things look different when youre defending your state, your district, your backyard.So now that Ive spoiled the suspense, you can go back to being nervous. Its a perfect storm that, for all the partisan finger-pointing, has weirdly brought the parties together.