CNN's Jake Tapper told MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Wednesday that former President Joe Biden made a targeted effort to sell the MSNBC host on his re-election campaign during a conversation on "Morning Joe."Tapper described Biden to Scarborough as "a frequent viewer of the show," and then referenced a 2023 Washington Post column by David Ignatius, where the columnist wrote that the former president should not run for re-election. "And then [Ignatius] came on this show and you guys had a robust conversation about this," Tapper said, noting the MSNBC host agreed at the time that there were concerns about the former president running for re-election but also that there were no alternatives.Tapper and Alex Thompson, an Axios reporter, joined "Morning Joe" to discuss their new book, "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," which details the former president's decision to run again and the cover-up of his decline while in office."Joe Biden saw that. Joe Biden said to staffers that he wanted to convince you that you were wrong, and he focused on you like you were a constituency, like you were farmers in Iowa, like you were the Kiwanis Clubs in New Hampshire. And he made sure that you thought differently," Tapper told Scarborough.MSNBC'S JOE SCARBOROUGH SAYS HE DID NOT SEE BIDEN MENTAL DECLINE IN WHITE HOUSE MEETINGSScarborough said he must have spoken to Biden on his "good days" as MSNBC's Willie Geist said that it was very possible Scarborough got to see the former president when he was well-rested and prepared."It was a campaign though, for Joe, it was a campaign. The Biden people wanted to make sure that Joe [Scarborough] saw Biden at his best," Tapper added.Tapper asked the MSNBC host what time of day he saw Biden, and Scarborough said it was a lunch meeting."There you go," Tapper responded. "Middle of the day."BIDEN STRUGGLES WITH WORDS, KEY MEMORIES IN LEAKED AUDIO FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL HUR INTERVIEWScarborough was confronted with a viral clip of himself deeming the former president the "best Biden ever" on Tuesday, and ultimately stood by his comments during a conversation with Mark Halperin on his show, "Next Up with Mark Halperin.""I've said it for years now, he's cogent. But I undersold it when I said he was cogent, he's far beyond cogent. In fact, I think he's better than he's ever been, intellectually, analytically, because he's been around for 50 years," Scarborough said during a March 2024 "Morning Joe" broadcast. "Start your tape right now because Im about to tell you the truth. And f-you if you cant handle the truth. This version of Biden, intellectually, analytically, is the best Biden ever."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREScarborough argued to Halperin, "He stumbled and bumbled around, Mark. I mean, yeah, he certainly did. Donald Trump did, other politicians did,and its actually the same case as a lot of times when Ive gone in and talked to Donald Trump.""Put into proper context, I'm just not going to freak out and melt down on one or two clips here and there," the "Morning Joe" host added. "And again he bumbled around, and he stumbled around, but he has for quite some time. That didn't seem to me to get in the way of Joe Biden being able to analyze the most important issues."

President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday with a video allegedly showing grave treatment of white farmers.Trump has claimed that White Afrikaner South African farmers are being slaughtered and forced off their land. The Afrikaners are descendants of mostly Dutch settlers who first arrived in South Africa in 1652.A portion of the footage aired at the White House showed white crosses lined up alongside both sides of a road."Now this is very bad. These are burial sites right here. Burial sites -- over a thousand -- of White farmers. And those cars are lined up to pay love on a Sunday morning. Each one of those white things you see is a cross. And there is approximately a thousand of them," Trump said. "They're all White farmers. The family of White farmers. And those cars aren't, driving, they are stopped there to pay respects to their family member who was killed. And it's a terrible sight. I've never seen anything like it. On both sides of the road, you have crosses. Those people are all killed.""Have they told you where that is, Mr. President? I'd like to know where that is. Because this I've never seen," Ramaphosa then asked Trump."I mean, its in South Africa, thats where," Trump responded."We need to find out," Ramaphosa said. Earlier, Trump said "we had a lot of people, I must tell you, Mr. President, we have had a tremendous number of people, especially since they've seen this, generally they're White farmers and they're fleeing South Africa. And it's, you know, it's a very sad thing to see, but, I hope we can have an explanation of that, because I know you don't want that."Some 50 Afrikaners were flown to the U.S. as refugees last week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said theres "more to come".South Africa, and its president, denies claims of genocide and harassment."I'm not going to be repeating what I've been saying. I would say if there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my Minister of Agriculture. He would not be with me. So it will take him, President Trump listening to their stories, to their perspectives, that is the answer to your question," Ramaphosa said.At one point in the meeting, Trump was asked by a reporter "What would you like President Ramaphosa to do about the situation that we just seen on the screen?""I don't know. I don't know," Trump said."Look, these are articles over the last few days," Trump continued, holding up a stack of paper."Death of people. Death. Death. Horrible death," Trump said as he started flipping through the sheets."White South Africans are fleeing because of the violence and racist laws So when you say, what would I like to do? I don't know what to do," Trump said.

Wild dashcam footage has been released showing the moment an out-of-control dump truck smashed into a New Jersey home after its driver suffered a medical emergency.The dramatic incident unfolded Tuesday afternoon when the heavy-duty truck drifted across the road, hit a utility pole and rolled across several front lawns before finally barreling into the two-story home with the owner inside, Fox 29 reported.The frightening incident was caught on the truck's dashcam, which showed the drivers seizure and the truck drifting off course.WILD DASHCAM VIDEO SHOWS OUT-OF-CONTROL TRUCK SLAM INTO FIRST RESPONDER VEHICLES ON SIDE OF ICY HIGHWAYThe truck, which was carrying a load of construction sand, was almost fully submerged in the house, and part of it ended up in the basement. The damage was so extensive that the house was demolished later.Despite the massive damage, no one was seriously physically injured.Crews scrambled for two hours to rescue the driver, who was eventually transported to a nearby hospital.Neighbor Derek Keating ran into the home and attempted to rescue his neighbor, who was trapped under the rubble as gas was leaking.HALF A DOZEN INJURED AFTER TRACTOR-TRAILER, DUMP TRUCK SLAM INTO NJ TARGET"He was screaming for help, and he wasn't sure how bad he was hurt," Keating said. "I could see that he was bleeding, and he had told me that he had some medical issues."Charles Zeisloft, the owner Zeisloft Trucking, said the driver suffered a grand mal medical seizure, a type of seizure that affects the entire brain and causes stiffening and jerking.He said it was a miracle no one was killed."If you are not a believer, man you better start believing now, because were living it," Zeisloft said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPZeisloft said the driver, who is identified only as "Timmy," managed to call his boss from the wreckage.Coincidentally, the crash happened while the owner was meeting with his insurance company to discuss liability coverage, and Zeisloft knows the homeowner.The terrifying incident occurred on the 600 block of Stratford Avenue in Woodbury Heights, a suburb in the southwestern part of New Jersey.

California State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, was detained Monday and cited on suspicion of drunken driving, according to Politico.Cervantes claimed police "accosted" her and falsely accused her of driving under the influence.Additionally, she said hospital lab tests showed she had no alcohol in her system, though Fox News Digital has been unable to verify this.DEMOCRATIC OFFICIAL DRUNKENLY SLURS, FLAUNTS GOVERNMENT POSITION DURING DUI ARREST: VIDEOOn Monday, Cervantes was driving near the states Capitol in downtown Sacramento when her car collided with another vehicle, a Sacramento police officer told Politico. When officers saw Cervantes at the hospital, they reportedly determined that the state lawmaker was intoxicated, an allegation she fervently denies."I want to be clear: I did nothing wrong," Cervantes said in a statement late Tuesday, according to Politico. "The lab results I sought in the hospital show conclusively I had no alcohol in my system. I expect this to be quickly and justly resolved."The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital in a statement it was waiting for toxicology results before making a decision on filing charges."Our office is waiting on toxicology results to be completed. Once we have received those reports, all of the facts in the case will be reviewed for a filing decision. Until then, we will reserve any further comments," the statement said.Cervantes also said she was "accosted" by police and "involuntarily detained for several hours at the hospital." She called the incident "deeply distressing."The Sacramento Police Department told Fox News Digital that on Monday at approximately 1:30 p.m., officers arrived at the location of the collision involving Cervantes. The lawmaker was then transported "via private party to an area hospital for minor injuries," according to police.WISCONSIN DEPUTY SHOT WHILE TENDING TO DUI SUSPECT WHO DROVE INTO A DITCH"Officers also responded to Sen. Cervantes at the hospital as part of the investigation. Responding officers contacted Sen. Cervantes, where they observed objective signs of intoxication and conducted a DUI investigation. From their investigation, officers issued Sen. Cervantes a citation for suspicion of DUI," the Sacramento Police Department told Fox News Digital.The allegation comes almost two years after Cervantes sister, Clarissa Cervantes, who served as a city councilmember, was arrested for DUI. Weeks before that arrest, according to CBS News, Clarissa had a 2015 DUI conviction dismissed. The more recent incident sparked outrage and led to calls for her resignation.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"I regrettably made the worst decision of my life when I was in my early 20's, which was to drive after drinking one evening. At the time, I was coming out of a domestic abusive relationship that had severely impacted my mental and physical health," Cervantes said, according to CBS News.Neither of the Cervantes sisters had resigned as of the time of publication.State Sen. Cervantes' team did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Proper handwashing could save a million lives a year, according to an expert and yet many people are doing it improperly, often due to misconceptions surrounding the practice.Doctors recommend washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.The NFID 2025 State of Handwashing Report, recently released by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, provides details on Americans' handwashing habits (and mistakes).WHY YOUR LAUNDRY COULD BE MAKING YOU SICK AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT ITThe report is based on a survey of 3,587 U.S. adults, conducted in November and December 2024 and March 2025.Robert Hopkins Jr., MD, medical director of NFID in Maryland, spoke to Fox News Digital about what Americans are doing wrong when it comes to handwashing."We have to recognize that there are a number of important infections that hand sanitizers are not effective at preventing," Hopkins said.One example is norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus that is common on cruise ships and is also spread seasonally.The virus cannot be killed with hand sanitizer, but is "easily destroyed" with soap and water, according to Hopkins.A COMMON KILLER BUG IS ENDANGERING AMERICANS: PANDEMIC IN PLAIN SIGHTCertain viruses are "encapsulated" and can be destroyed with either soap and water or hand sanitizer, the expert said. However, there is also an "unencapsulated" type of virus, which has an outer coat that does not break down from the alcohol in hand sanitizer.Using soap and water is a more effective way to kill the germs, the doctor noted.When people cough or sneeze into their sleeve, they could still spread germs afterward."If you cough into your sleeve go ahead and wash your hands with soap and water as well," Hopkins advised.COMMON MEDICAL TEST LINKED TO 5% OF CANCERS, STUDY SUGGESTS: USE THEM WISELY"We also have to recognize that we often bring our hands up close to our face, touch our nose, our glasses, other parts of our face," noted the doctor, who is based in Arkansas."If we have bacteria or viruses on our hands, we can introduce them into our mucous membranes, where we can get infections."The NFID report stated that one in four respondents washed their hands more frequently in the fall and winter, when cold and flu are prevalent."The seasonal variance is understandable given that some respiratory diseases, including flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), tend to peak during fall and winter," the report stated.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER"However, other germs like those that cause colds, norovirus and other infectious diseases can spread throughout the year. It is important to maintain proper hand hygiene all year round to help stay healthy."Most adults wash their hands after using the bathroom (69%), handling food (48%) and handling human or animal waste (39%), according to NFID's report.Only 30% of respondents, however, reported that they are likely to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing.Nearly half of survey respondents admitted to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key times, like after visiting a grocery store, restaurant, doctors office, pharmacy, clinic or hospital."We need to reinforce the importance of this simple tool," Hopkins said of handwashing."I think most of the public health campaigns around hand hygiene have been focused on healthcare settings," he added.Regarding handwashing as a practice in general, Hopkins emphasized, "We need to bring this back into the fold."For more Health articles, visitwww.foxnews.com/health"If everybody washed their hands more consistently, we could probably save somewhere in the neighborhood of a million lives a year."

Two Democratic lawmakers in Louisiana called on Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson to resign following the escape of 10 jail inmates.Louisiana House Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman, who represents a portion of New Orleans, called for Hutson to resign on Monday. In a Facebook post, Freeman said the escape of 10 inmates represents an "alarming failure of leadership." Law enforcement officials have arrested five escapees after they broke out of the Orleans Justice Center on Friday"Susan Hutsons most fundamental responsibility is to keep inmates in custody and she failed. Rather than take accountability, shes pointed fingers elsewhere," Freeman said. "Shes also blamed a lack of funding, despite her office holding $14 million in reserve. Furthermore, Ive been working this legislative session to secure state funding for the Sheriffs Office for domestic violence programs. If she needed additional resources to ensure security, she could have simply asked.""I would have fought for it. Blaming funding is a deflection not an excuse," she added. "Leadership matters, and right now, the people of New Orleans deserve better. Sheriff Hutson should resign."NEW BOOKING PHOTOS RELEASED OF RECAPTURED LOUISIANA INMATES AS MANHUNT CONTINUESState Rep. Jason Hughes, who represents a portion of New Orleans, also called for Hutson to resign, according to the Louisiana Radio Network."How 10 people can escape a jail is perplexing to me. But at the end of the day, this is a public safety issue, and it boils down to leadership," Hughes said.Hutson took "full accountability" for the jailbreak in a statement given to the New Orleans City Council on Tuesday."It is deeply troubling to me as your sheriff, and I know it is equally troubling to you and the public that we are sworn to protect. As your sheriff, I take full accountability for this failure, and it is my responsibility to make sure it is addressed with urgency and transparency," she told the council. "Since the moment this breach was discovered, we have been clear. Our community deserves answers, and more importantly, it deserves action."According to FOX 8, Hutson announced on Tuesday evening that she's "temporarily" suspending her re-election campaign.FIFTH ESCAPED INMATE FROM NEW ORLEANS JAIL RECAPTURED AFTER DAYS ON THE RUNKendell Myles, Robert Moody, Gary Price, Dkenan Dennis and Corey Boyd have been recaptured by law enforcement, leaving five inmates at large.Boyd, the most recent inmate to be recaptured, was in jail on charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and threatening a public official.The following inmates are still at large:Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

Donald Trump Jr. is not ruling out the possibility of a political future, but asserts that he has no interest in making a run "anytime soon."At the Qatar Economic Forum, he fielded a question about the possibility of running for office after his father steps down.During his response he did not close the door on the prospect, saying, "I don't know. Maybe one day that calling is there."LESS THAN 4 MONTHS INTO TRUMP'S 2ND TERM, DEMS ARE ALREADY EYEING THE 2028 RACEBut he asserted in a post on X that he is not at all interested in pursuing office in 2028."And FWIW, I've always said, while I'll never 100% rule it out down the line, I have ZERO interest in running for office in 28 or anytime soon," he said in a portion of that post.TRUMP STORE SPARKS BUZZ AND DEBATE WITH NEW TRUMP 2028 MERCHANDISEDonald Trump Jr. is President Donald Trump's eldest child.The president just began his second term about four months ago.JD VANCE ASKED ABOUT POTENTIAL 2028 PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN 'FOX & FRIENDS' EXCLUSIVEThere have been two father-son pairs in U.S. history who both served as president: George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

A newly released video shows the moment a car bomb detonated outside the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday.The footage, obtained by TMZ, shows the palm tree-lined building hit by a sudden blast followed by a towering plume of smoke.The exterior and interior parts of the fertility clinic were heavily damaged, including windows blown out and sections of the building's front facade destroyed.The blast resulted in the death of Guy Edward Bartkus, the 25-year-old suspect, and injured four others. Authorities are treating the incident as an act of domestic terrorism.PALM SPRINGS FERTILITY CLINIC BOMBER DOCUMENTED PLANS IN CHILLING ONLINE POSTS BEFORE ATTACKSurveillance footage and online postings suggest Bartkus parked at the rear of the building, ingested drugs and then detonated an explosive device.The suspect, a resident of Twentynine Palms, reportedly held "pro-mortalism" beliefs and left behind writings expressing opposition to procreation. "Pro-mortalism," a radical offshoot of anti-natalism, views human reproduction as inherently immoral and embraces death as a moral corrective.Investigators said they believe Bartkus attempted to livestream the attack, and a tripod and camera were found at the scene. Despite significant damage to the clinic, all embryos and reproductive materials were preserved, and the facility has since resumed operations."I received a call saying there was a massive explosion that destroyed a couple of our buildings. My biggest concern was obviously my staff and the embryos we have in storage," said Dr. Maher Abdallah, the clinic's director, after the attack. "Fortunately for us, our staff was unharmed and the IVF lab is intact, untouched, unharmed. The embryos are safe."PALM SPRINGS BOMBING SUSPECT IDENTIFIEDAttorney General Pam Bondi said Saturday evening that she had been briefed on the explosion."We are working to learn more, but let me be clear: the Trump administration understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America," she said in a post on X. "Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable."Bomb technicians scoured the blast site over the weekend as part of the ongoing investigation, which was led by the Joint Terrorism Task Force.Officials have said this is the first high-profile case linked to the pro-mortalist ideology and are now monitoring it as a potential emerging threat. Authorities have urged families and communities to remain vigilant for signs of ideological extremism, especially among those who may feel disenfranchised.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPAs the investigation into the bombing continues, law enforcement is probing whether anyone assisted or encouraged the suspect in constructing the device.

CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert roasted his bosses at Paramount on Tuesday for reportedly considering a $30-50 million settlement with President Donald Trump to resolve his $20 billion lawsuit.Colbert laid into his bosses at Paramount for considering this "shady" settlement with Trump, noting Democrats' warning that the settlement risks violating bribery laws.Last October, Trump initially sued CBS News and Paramount for $10 billion over allegations of election interference involving the "60 Minutes" interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris that aired weeks before the presidential election (the amount has since jumped to $20 billion).'60 MINUTES' PRODUCERS RAIL AGAINST TRUMP'S 'BULLS---' LAWSUIT, DREAD PROSPECTS OF PARAMOUNT MAKING SETTLEMENTColbert noted reports that a settlement between $30-50 million could be reached, something Paramount hopes would clear the pathway towards its planned merger with Skydance Media, which needs approval from Trump's FCC. Also fueling settlement rumors was Monday's abrupt resignation of CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon.Reacting to the report that drew boos from his audience, Colbert exclaimed, "$30 million to $50 million? Holy bazingas!"He continued, criticizing the potential agreement for possibly violating bribery laws.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"Now, because handing over a pile of cash to a president over a frivolous lawsuit to get your broadcast license approved sounds so shady, Senators Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Paramount H.Q. raising concerns that this possible settlement risks violating bribery laws."Colbert joked that although he loves who he works for, he would testify on Paramount's behalf against Trump's claims for "the low price of $50 million.""Paramount, come on. Lets talk Turkey. Daddy just wants his beak wet. You cut the check, and zip!" Colbert teased. "Im joking, obviously. Satire, et cetera. I would never take a bribe from CBS. If Donald Trump outbids them!"The late-night host continued to mock the lawsuit, seeming to reference Trump accepting a plane from Qatar as a gift for his presidential library."Mr. President, I am willing to testify on your side in this lawsuit for $50 million and $1," he joked. "And remember, sir, this is not a gift to me. This is a gift to the Stephen Colbert Presidential Library and Pizza Hut."Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Before President Donald Trumps dramatic reveal of the "Golden Dome" missile defense project on Tuesday, the proposal wasnt even on the radar of many lawmakers on Capitol Hill.Several senators told Fox News Digital they had received no briefing on the initiatives costs and some hadnt heard of it at all."I dont support blank checks. I havent seen the cost figures," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital.Two senior members of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, one Republican and one Democrat, asked, "whats Golden Dome?" in response to questions about the project Trump commissioned in January.CHINA ACCUSES US OF 'TURNING SPACE INTO A WARZONE' WITH TRUMP'S GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE PROJECTTrumps sweeping plan pitched as an American version of Israels Iron Dome carries an ambitious price tag and timeline. Hes floated a $125 billion estimated cost and says it could be built in three years, by the end of his term. A government funding package moving through Congress, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, includes $25 billion to jumpstart the project.But defense experts and even some Republican allies anticipate the cost to be much higher."This is not going to be a $25 billion or $35 billion project. It will likely cost in the trillions if and when Golden Dome is completed," said Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who announced plans to form a Golden Dome Caucus during a recent Washington Times defense industry event earlier this month.Sheehy warned that simply scaling up Israels Iron Dome to protect the U.S. is "a fundamentally different technological proposition.""The challenges dont scale linearly with the size of Israel, which is the size of New Jersey," he added.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated the project could cost around $500 billion though some believe even that figure is likely too low.CBO estimated that the space-based interceptors portion of the dome could cost at least $161 billion but up to $542 billion. But it didn't account for any ground-based interceptors in that cost."Ive been 34 years in this business, and Ive never seen an early estimate that was too high," said Space Force chief of space operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. "We dont always understand the full level of complexity until youre actually in execution, doing the detailed planning."LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN DOME' PROJECTSome Republican lawmakers suggest the potential benefits outweigh the massive spending required."It might very well prevent a war," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-N.D., said. "When we talk about spending billions on defense, that is small compared to one single major war not only in trillions of dollars, but in bloodshed."Once a missile is launched toward the U.S. homeland, the Golden Dome system aims to detect it, and orbital systems would aim to hit the missile during its "boost" phase, either with a laser or a kinetic interceptor. Otherwise, ground-based systems could deploy to knock it off its path. Others noted competing defense priorities."Thats gonna be a long, drawn-out process, and its gonna cost a lot of money," said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. "Right now, were redoing our missile silos were transitioning to different types of warfare. If were gonna do [Golden Dome], we do it the right way."Supporters of the plan argue that technological advances have dramatically lowered the cost of missile defense, enough to potentially flip decades-old strategic assumptions.Chuck DeVore, a defense expert at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and former Reagan administration official, said the old logic that its always cheaper to build offensive missiles than defenses may no longer apply."That calculation is changing now," DeVore said. "With low-cost orbit launches and inexpensive electronics, it may actually be less expensive to defend against nuclear missiles than to build them. If thats the case, were at a truly revolutionary inflection point."DeVore also warned that traditionalists in the defense establishment may push back."Youre going to see people defending the status quo," he said. "Theyll say we need that money for more conventional defense more divisions, more jet fighters, maybe another aircraft carrier."Still, DeVore argued that a homeland missile defense system is overdue."The ability to truly defend the homeland and save American lives is better than mutual assured destruction especially in an age of nuclear proliferation where we cant always be sure where the threat is coming from."Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., agreed on the projects importance, even as he said he hadnt been briefed on the cost and needs of the project."I think its the most important thing we could do to keep our homeland safe."