Former President Joe Biden's Cabinet meetings were overly "scripted," CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios political correspondent Alex Thompson reveal in their book, "Original Sin," an outline of Biden's cognitive decline and his administration's alleged cover-up."The Cabinet meetings were terrible and at times uncomfortable and they were from the beginning," a Cabinet member told the authors. "I don't recall a great Cabinet meeting in terms of his presence. They were so scripted."The White House's speechwriters shortened Biden's remarks and shrank his vocabulary to adapt to "Biden's diminished capabilities," according to Tapper and Thompson. During his one-term presidency, Biden's aides told the journalists that he became increasingly reliant on teleprompters and note cards, even for private conversations and in Cabinet meetings.Four Cabinet members who spoke with Tapper and Thompson described Biden's meetings as overly scripted. One Cabinet secretary said he hated "the scripts" for Cabinet meetings, while another doubted in 2022 that he could run for re-election.CREDIBILITY CRISIS: WHITE HOUSE REPORTERS SPEAK OUT ON WHETHER BIDEN'S MENTAL DECLINE WAS DELIBERATELY HIDDEN"You want people to tell you the truth and have a real dialogue, and those meetings were not that," a Cabinet member told Tapper and Thompson.NEW BOOK REVEALS BIDEN'S INNER CIRCLE WORRIED ABOUT HIS AGE YEARS BEFORE BOTCHED DEBATE PERFORMANCEHowever, as Biden's bad speeches and reliance on note cards became common practice, a speechwriter told Tapper and Thompson that over time, "they just got used to it."The story behind closed doors was inconsistent with the White House's narrative, according to "Original Sin."In January 2024, the White House convened a meeting with Biden, his national security advisers and congressional leadership to urge Congress to continue financially supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described Biden as "incredibly strong, forceful, and decisive," and the official White House readout said Biden was "clear" about protecting national security and "underscored the importance of Congress ensuring Ukraine has the resources it needs."However, a House Democrat who attended the meeting said, "That's not true," Tapper and Thompson wrote. A second House Democrat described the meeting as a "disaster," and a "s---show.""For the first twenty minutes of the meeting, the president listlessly read bullet points out of a binder. For many at the table, he was difficult to hear. He stumbled over words; he started sentences and then stopped abruptly; he trailed off," Tapper and Thompson said.A House Democrat said he was "not capable of making a strong, forceful argument," and deferred to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines to answer questions, as outlined in "Original Sin."Tapper and Thompson described a concerning event for senior administration officials on the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. After reading a "weak, slurry" speech from a teleprompter, Biden confused Alabama with Texas and then his own Cabinet members, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra."I blame his inner circle, and I blame him," an official who found the event "crazy" told the authors a year later.As Cabinet members observed concerning practices that accompanied Biden's day-to-day meetings, Tapper and Thompson described how the president's circle grew smaller and smaller in 2023 and 2024."Access dropped off considerably in 2024, and I didn't interact with him as much," a Cabinet secretary told the authors. "I didn't get an explanation."The Cabinet secretary said they briefed senior White House aides who would then communicate the information to the president themselves. They questioned if it was the White House's way of filtering information to shape his decisions."I think the people around him had their own agenda, and they didn't want more people around him," another Cabinet member told Tapper and Thompson.The Cabinet members who spoke to Tapper and Thompson described a "weird period" when they didn't have any access to Biden for months between 2023 and 2024. They described it as a "deliberate strategy by the White House to have him meet with as few people as necessary." When they did see him, they said they were shocked at how "disoriented" and "out of it" he seemed, mumbling and "not making much sense."Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden's cognitive decline and his inner circles alleged role in covering it up.A Biden spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Former President Joe Biden's Cabinet meetings were overly "scripted," CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios political correspondent Alex Thompson reveal in their book, "Original Sin," an outline of Biden's cognitive decline and his administration's alleged cover-up."The Cabinet meetings were terrible and at times uncomfortable and they were from the beginning," a Cabinet member told the authors. "I don't recall a great Cabinet meeting in terms of his presence. They were so scripted."The White House's speechwriters shortened Biden's remarks and shrank his vocabulary to adapt to "Biden's diminished capabilities," according to Tapper and Thompson. During his one-term presidency, Biden's aides told the journalists that he became increasingly reliant on teleprompters and note cards, even for private conversations and in Cabinet meetings.Four Cabinet members who spoke with Tapper and Thompson described Biden's meetings as overly scripted. One Cabinet secretary said he hated "the scripts" for Cabinet meetings, while another doubted in 2022 that he could run for re-election.CREDIBILITY CRISIS: WHITE HOUSE REPORTERS SPEAK OUT ON WHETHER BIDEN'S MENTAL DECLINE WAS DELIBERATELY HIDDEN"You want people to tell you the truth and have a real dialogue, and those meetings were not that," a Cabinet member told Tapper and Thompson.NEW BOOK REVEALS BIDEN'S INNER CIRCLE WORRIED ABOUT HIS AGE YEARS BEFORE BOTCHED DEBATE PERFORMANCEHowever, as Biden's bad speeches and reliance on note cards became common practice, a speechwriter told Tapper and Thompson that over time, "they just got used to it."The story behind closed doors was inconsistent with the White House's narrative, according to "Original Sin."In January 2024, the White House convened a meeting with Biden, his national security advisers and congressional leadership to urge Congress to continue financially supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described Biden as "incredibly strong, forceful, and decisive," and the official White House readout said Biden was "clear" about protecting national security and "underscored the importance of Congress ensuring Ukraine has the resources it needs."However, a House Democrat who attended the meeting said, "That's not true," Tapper and Thompson wrote. A second House Democrat described the meeting as a "disaster," and a "s---show.""For the first twenty minutes of the meeting, the president listlessly read bullet points out of a binder. For many at the table, he was difficult to hear. He stumbled over words; he started sentences and then stopped abruptly; he trailed off," Tapper and Thompson said.A House Democrat said he was "not capable of making a strong, forceful argument," and deferred to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines to answer questions, as outlined in "Original Sin."Tapper and Thompson described a concerning event for senior administration officials on the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. After reading a "weak, slurry" speech from a teleprompter, Biden confused Alabama with Texas and then his own Cabinet members, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra."I blame his inner circle, and I blame him," an official who found the event "crazy" told the authors a year later.As Cabinet members observed concerning practices that accompanied Biden's day-to-day meetings, Tapper and Thompson described how the president's circle grew smaller and smaller in 2023 and 2024."Access dropped off considerably in 2024, and I didn't interact with him as much," a Cabinet secretary told the authors. "I didn't get an explanation."The Cabinet secretary said they briefed senior White House aides who would then communicate the information to the president themselves. They questioned if it was the White House's way of filtering information to shape his decisions."I think the people around him had their own agenda, and they didn't want more people around him," another Cabinet member told Tapper and Thompson.The Cabinet members who spoke to Tapper and Thompson described a "weird period" when they didn't have any access to Biden for months between 2023 and 2024. They described it as a "deliberate strategy by the White House to have him meet with as few people as necessary." When they did see him, they said they were shocked at how "disoriented" and "out of it" he seemed, mumbling and "not making much sense."Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden's cognitive decline and his inner circles alleged role in covering it up.A Biden spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

New York Times opinion columnist David French suggested the Democratic Party's $20 million effort to address their fallout with male voters might be the wrong approach, arguing that men needed to be embraced with "sincere affection.""Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan" is Democrats' $20 million project to "study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces" of male voters, the Times reported Sunday. Known as "SAM," the study will specifically examine young male voters and how the party can connect with the demographic. Additionally, the study advised rolling out pro-Democrat ads in video games.French acknowledged the Democratic Party's fallout with young male voters, as the voting bloc was instrumental in re-electing President Donald Trump, but argued the party was "getting the challenge of reaching young men backward," because the "manosphere is not about politics.""You cant write a history of the manosphere without acknowledging that it was a response to a genuine crisis," French added. "Slogans like 'the future is female' created the impression that the sexes were in competition, and for women to win, men had to lose."FETTERMAN HITS PARTY'S LOSSES AMONG YOUNG MALE VOTERS: ITS UNDENIABLE THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST A LOTThe headline for Frenchs column read, "The Democrats 20-Million-Dollar-Man Problem."The term "manosphere" has been used to describe podcasters or online personalities that appeal to male listeners and viewers.French also pointed to the American Psychological Association's study from 2019, which deemed traditional masculinity as "harmful." The study described it as being "marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance and aggression."The NYT columnist wrote, "The message seemed clear. Men, you dont have a problem; you are the problem."The 2024 election cycle included a push from both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's campaigns to speak to podcasters and other non-traditional media voices.THE VIEW HOSTS CLASH OVER WHETHER RACISM, SEXISM PLAYED ROLE IN TRUMP ELECTION VICTORYThe NYT reported that part of the Democrats' push to regain support from young male voters is to "shift from a moralizing tone.""The manosphere succeeded not by refusing to condemn men and not by avoiding a moralizing tone, but by choosing to love them and by choosing to help them," French wrote.French also argued that the "manosphere" has been planting "seeds for its own failure," and Trumps involvement with it means that many men are "doubling down on the worst versions of themselves."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREFrench said men needed to be embraced with "sincere affection.""The answer to the manospheres dark turn is rooted in embracing men with sincere affection, shunning the zero-sum calculus of the gender wars and offering a vision of masculine virtue that inspires men to heroic acts of compassion rather than vicious acts of aggression," French added."America doesnt need a left-wing version of Joe Rogan. What it needs is our parents, pastors, teachers and coaches to fill the void in young mens hearts. Our sons should not have to turn to books or podcasts or social media to hear this simple and powerful message: I like you. I want you to live a good life. Let me show you how," the New York Times columnist concluded.Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.

New York Times opinion columnist David French suggested the Democratic Party's $20 million effort to address their fallout with male voters might be the wrong approach, arguing that men needed to be embraced with "sincere affection.""Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan" is Democrats' $20 million project to "study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces" of male voters, the Times reported Sunday. Known as "SAM," the study will specifically examine young male voters and how the party can connect with the demographic. Additionally, the study advised rolling out pro-Democrat ads in video games.French acknowledged the Democratic Party's fallout with young male voters, as the voting bloc was instrumental in re-electing President Donald Trump, but argued the party was "getting the challenge of reaching young men backward," because the "manosphere is not about politics.""You cant write a history of the manosphere without acknowledging that it was a response to a genuine crisis," French added. "Slogans like 'the future is female' created the impression that the sexes were in competition, and for women to win, men had to lose."FETTERMAN HITS PARTY'S LOSSES AMONG YOUNG MALE VOTERS: ITS UNDENIABLE THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST A LOTThe headline for Frenchs column read, "The Democrats 20-Million-Dollar-Man Problem."The term "manosphere" has been used to describe podcasters or online personalities that appeal to male listeners and viewers.French also pointed to the American Psychological Association's study from 2019, which deemed traditional masculinity as "harmful." The study described it as being "marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance and aggression."The NYT columnist wrote, "The message seemed clear. Men, you dont have a problem; you are the problem."The 2024 election cycle included a push from both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's campaigns to speak to podcasters and other non-traditional media voices.THE VIEW HOSTS CLASH OVER WHETHER RACISM, SEXISM PLAYED ROLE IN TRUMP ELECTION VICTORYThe NYT reported that part of the Democrats' push to regain support from young male voters is to "shift from a moralizing tone.""The manosphere succeeded not by refusing to condemn men and not by avoiding a moralizing tone, but by choosing to love them and by choosing to help them," French wrote.French also argued that the "manosphere" has been planting "seeds for its own failure," and Trumps involvement with it means that many men are "doubling down on the worst versions of themselves."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREFrench said men needed to be embraced with "sincere affection.""The answer to the manospheres dark turn is rooted in embracing men with sincere affection, shunning the zero-sum calculus of the gender wars and offering a vision of masculine virtue that inspires men to heroic acts of compassion rather than vicious acts of aggression," French added."America doesnt need a left-wing version of Joe Rogan. What it needs is our parents, pastors, teachers and coaches to fill the void in young mens hearts. Our sons should not have to turn to books or podcasts or social media to hear this simple and powerful message: I like you. I want you to live a good life. Let me show you how," the New York Times columnist concluded.Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Clovis, California, will be the epicenter in the political battle over trans athletes in girls' sports this weekend.The town is set to host the state track and field championships, which has been thrust into the national spotlight amid a trans athlete competing in the girls' category after President Donald Trump called out the situation on Truth Social this week.Dianne Pearce, the town's mayor pro tem, told Fox News Digital she has been actively lobbying to make Trump aware of the situation for weeks and got her fellow local officials involved."I've been in touch with the White House legislative affairs office to kind of see what would be needed from this community, from the Clovis area to show our support for the Trump administration's efforts to get California to comply with Title IX and his ["Keeping Men out of Women's Sports"] executive order," Pearce said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMPearce said her path to getting the White House involved was to "amplify the voices" of the town's residents, who only support female athletes competing in girls' sports.Pearce succeeded in that goal, which culminated in a press conference involving state and local leaders speaking out in support of Trump's executive order and against Democrats for enabling trans athletes to play in California girls' sports ahead of the championship meet.Pearce says Trump's post was a driving factor in driving enthusiasm for the cause. The press conference featured statements from Pearce, Clovis Unified School District board trustee Tiffany Stoker Madsen, state Assemblyman David Tangipa, who represents the district where Clovis is based, U.S. House Rep. Vince Fong, who also represents the district where Clovis is based, and Fresno County supervisors Gary Bredefeld and Nathan Maxson, all speaking in support of Trump's agenda on the issue."We must stand for what is true and what is fair, especially in areas where biological differences make a difference," said Stoker Madsen. "What is happening in women's sports is wrong. These female athletes deserve a level playing field I urge Governor Newsom and our California state legislatures to protect the women of California."Other residents and local officials, including Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, stood behind the speakers in solidarity with the pro-Trump stance.While Mouanoutoua and Pearce are both Republicans, Clovis as a town has leaned left in recent years, albeit less left than other parts of the deep-blue state. The town's county of Fresno voted in favor of Trump in the 2024 election by a margin of 50.9% to 46.5%. However, the county voted Democrat in every prior presidential election dating back to 2008.Now, the issue of trans athletes appears to be potentially pushing the town, or at least its leadership, even further into Trump's corner. And residents will get an up-close look at the impact of the issue at this weekend's title meet.The state title meet will take place at Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium, with the preliminary round on Friday and the finals on Saturday. The event is expected to feature protesters and security.In Trump's Tuesday Truth Social post, he claimed he would be "ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals."Pearce said she has no knowledge of this being communicated to the town's police force."As far as I know that has not occurred," she said.A Clovis Unified Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they are also unaware of any communication with Trump involving security procedures for the event. Still, Pearce is expecting a vigilante police presence at the event."They are prepared to make sure that this weekend's state championships are a safe environment for our athletes and their families and those who choose to come out and support them this weekend," Pearce said.Once the competition begins, all eyes will be on the trans athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School. Hernandez has dominated in girls' long jump and triple jump this postseason, taking first place in both events at the Southern Sectional finals on May 17 and the state qualifiers on May 24.TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS-ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUNDHernandez has garnered scrutiny during the athlete's dominant postseason run, often getting heckled by spectators at the meets. Pearce hopes that spectators treat Hernandez with respect during the events on Friday and Saturday."I expect people to treat this athlete with compassion. I think, unfortunately, the failures of the adults who set this policy created this situation. They have allowed this particular athlete to be in a position where controversy surrounds him wherever he goes, and I think that's unfortunate," Pearce said."I don't think anybody should do anything to make him unsafe while he's here in Clovis competing, but again, it's unfair for him to be in the girls' division."Pearce said her "worst-case scenario" for this weekend's meet would be a lack of respect and security for any of the competitors involved."If there is anything that isn't respectful and challenges the safety and security of the environment and the atmosphere, that would be terrible," Pearce said. "These kids deserve better than that. They've been failed by the adults already at the legislative level and the policy level by the CIF, I hope those attendants don't fail them as well."What Pearce does hope to see is the female athletes emerge victorious in their respective events. However, she is also prepared for more potential fallout from the meet after helping to summon Trump's attention to the situation.Trump's insistence on enforcing his executive order has already resulted in a months-long feud between his administration and the Democrat-controlled state of Maine. The feud has resulted in multiple funding freezes, which have already been reversed, and a lawsuit against the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.With the Justice Department launching an investigation against California this week after Trump's post, Pearce knows that her state could very well be next in line for funding cuts on the issue. Additionally, as a public employee, she knows that it could affect her and her colleagues, but Pearce would fully support any funding cuts to her state over the issue anyway. To her, it is not a hard decision to support."It's not a hard decision to come to, because more important to me is that our girls and that their spaces are respected and protected," Pearce said. "If they have to threaten that type action against CIF, Governor Newsom and state legislature that they would pull federal funding from the state, again, the decision rests with those leaders. They can do the right thing and we don't even have to talk about this."Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The U.S. Army is preparing to retire its iconic Black Hawk helicopters the workhorses of its air assault fleet for nearly five decades in favor of a faster, more versatile aircraft built for the challenges of 21st-century warfare.Bell Aircraft's V-280 Valor, a cutting-edge tiltrotor aircraft, has been selected to begin phasing out the Black Hawk by the 2030s. Once fully deployed, it will be designated the MV-75, though a common nickname has yet to emerge. The Valor combines the vertical lift capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane, cruising at 320 mph nearly double the Black Hawks top speed of 175 mph.This hybrid design, enabled by tiltrotor technology, allows the MV-75 to hover, land vertically in tight spaces, and then shift into high-speed horizontal flight. Its tailor-made for operations in the Indo-Pacific region, where U.S. forces must be able to travel long distances over the ocean and conduct rapid insertions into constrained environments, such as jungle clearings or island terrain without runways.Fox News Digital recently took a tour of Bell's Advanced VerticalLift Center in Crystal City, Virginia.BILLIONS SPENT, WARFIGHTERS WAIT: INSIDE THE PENTAGONS BROKEN BUYING SYSTEM AND THE PLAN TO FIX IT"The Army recognized that the battlefield has changed," Rob Freeland, Bells director of government relations and public affairs, said in an interview withFox News Digital. "The enemy now has long-range fires, advanced sensors, and robust networks. You have to move faster and strike before they do."Speed and range are at the heart of this transformation. As Freeland put it: "If you can move at twice the speed and range of your adversary, you can change the outcome before they can react."The MV-75 is designed to carry up to 14 troops and haul payloads of 10,000 pounds, making it ideal for rapid troop deployments, heavy resupply and surprise assault missions. It will also feature autonomous and semi-autonomous capabilities, a leap forward in reducing pilot workload and enabling future unmanned operations.The V-280 Valor beat out a proposedjoint Sikorsky-Boeing compound helicopter platform dubbed the SB-1 Defiant-X in 2019 for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.The Army has contracted Texas-based aerospace company Bell to build six prototypes, conduct the first test flight by 2026 and begin full-scale production by 2028, with delivery targeted for 2030. However, leadership has expressed interest in accelerating that schedule under the Army Transformation Initiative."Were not waiting for a distant out-year to make this thing real," said Gen. James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, speaking at the Mission Solutions Summit earlier this month. "We are driving to get this aircraft online years ahead of schedule."HEGSETH ORDERS SWEEPING ARMY OVERHAUL AND CONSOLIDATION AIMED AT COUNTERING CHINA AND GOLDEN DOME CAPABILITIESThe "MV" designation reflects the aircrafts multi-mission and vertical takeoff capabilities. Its built for a broad range of missions, including air assault, maritime interdiction, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), combat search and rescue, and tactical resupply.The first unit to receive the MV-75 will be the 101st Airborne Division, the Armys elite air assault force.One of the Armys priorities in selecting a replacement was reliability. After years of dealing with aging helicopters requiring frequent maintenance, the Army is demanding aircraft that can stay in the fight with minimal downtime."Because its inherently reliable, you dont need a mountain of gear next to you just to keep the aircraft flying," said Freeland.The MV-75 program is part of a broader Pentagon push tomodernize U.S. military capabilities in an era defined bystrategic competition with China.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSince entering service in the late 1970s, theUH-60 Black Hawk has been the backbone of Army aviation. It has flown in nearly every major U.S. military operation over the past 40 years, from evacuating wounded troops inGrenada andPanama, to supporting combat and logistics missions inSomalia,Iraq andAfghanistan.The Black Hawk was infamously involved in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, and became a household name through its depiction in the 1999 book and 2001 movie "Black Hawk Down." Its versatility, durability and ability to perform under fire made it a symbol of American air power but after decades of use, its replacement will need to adapt to the evolving battlefield.

Clovis, California, will be the epicenter in the political battle over trans athletes in girls' sports this weekend.The town is set to host the state track and field championships, which has been thrust into the national spotlight amid a trans athlete competing in the girls' category after President Donald Trump called out the situation on Truth Social this week.Dianne Pearce, the town's mayor pro tem, told Fox News Digital she has been actively lobbying to make Trump aware of the situation for weeks and got her fellow local officials involved."I've been in touch with the White House legislative affairs office to kind of see what would be needed from this community, from the Clovis area to show our support for the Trump administration's efforts to get California to comply with Title IX and his ["Keeping Men out of Women's Sports"] executive order," Pearce said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMPearce said her path to getting the White House involved was to "amplify the voices" of the town's residents, who only support female athletes competing in girls' sports.Pearce succeeded in that goal, which culminated in a press conference involving state and local leaders speaking out in support of Trump's executive order and against Democrats for enabling trans athletes to play in California girls' sports ahead of the championship meet.Pearce says Trump's post was a driving factor in driving enthusiasm for the cause. The press conference featured statements from Pearce, Clovis Unified School District board trustee Tiffany Stoker Madsen, state Assemblyman David Tangipa, who represents the district where Clovis is based, U.S. House Rep. Vince Fong, who also represents the district where Clovis is based, and Fresno County supervisors Gary Bredefeld and Nathan Maxson, all speaking in support of Trump's agenda on the issue."We must stand for what is true and what is fair, especially in areas where biological differences make a difference," said Stoker Madsen. "What is happening in women's sports is wrong. These female athletes deserve a level playing field I urge Governor Newsom and our California state legislatures to protect the women of California."Other residents and local officials, including Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, stood behind the speakers in solidarity with the pro-Trump stance.While Mouanoutoua and Pearce are both Republicans, Clovis as a town has leaned left in recent years, albeit less left than other parts of the deep-blue state. The town's county of Fresno voted in favor of Trump in the 2024 election by a margin of 50.9% to 46.5%. However, the county voted Democrat in every prior presidential election dating back to 2008.Now, the issue of trans athletes appears to be potentially pushing the town, or at least its leadership, even further into Trump's corner. And residents will get an up-close look at the impact of the issue at this weekend's title meet.The state title meet will take place at Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium, with the preliminary round on Friday and the finals on Saturday. The event is expected to feature protesters and security.In Trump's Tuesday Truth Social post, he claimed he would be "ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals."Pearce said she has no knowledge of this being communicated to the town's police force."As far as I know that has not occurred," she said.A Clovis Unified Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they are also unaware of any communication with Trump involving security procedures for the event. Still, Pearce is expecting a vigilante police presence at the event."They are prepared to make sure that this weekend's state championships are a safe environment for our athletes and their families and those who choose to come out and support them this weekend," Pearce said.Once the competition begins, all eyes will be on the trans athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School. Hernandez has dominated in girls' long jump and triple jump this postseason, taking first place in both events at the Southern Sectional finals on May 17 and the state qualifiers on May 24.TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS-ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUNDHernandez has garnered scrutiny during the athlete's dominant postseason run, often getting heckled by spectators at the meets. Pearce hopes that spectators treat Hernandez with respect during the events on Friday and Saturday."I expect people to treat this athlete with compassion. I think, unfortunately, the failures of the adults who set this policy created this situation. They have allowed this particular athlete to be in a position where controversy surrounds him wherever he goes, and I think that's unfortunate," Pearce said."I don't think anybody should do anything to make him unsafe while he's here in Clovis competing, but again, it's unfair for him to be in the girls' division."Pearce said her "worst-case scenario" for this weekend's meet would be a lack of respect and security for any of the competitors involved."If there is anything that isn't respectful and challenges the safety and security of the environment and the atmosphere, that would be terrible," Pearce said. "These kids deserve better than that. They've been failed by the adults already at the legislative level and the policy level by the CIF, I hope those attendants don't fail them as well."What Pearce does hope to see is the female athletes emerge victorious in their respective events. However, she is also prepared for more potential fallout from the meet after helping to summon Trump's attention to the situation.Trump's insistence on enforcing his executive order has already resulted in a months-long feud between his administration and the Democrat-controlled state of Maine. The feud has resulted in multiple funding freezes, which have already been reversed, and a lawsuit against the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.With the Justice Department launching an investigation against California this week after Trump's post, Pearce knows that her state could very well be next in line for funding cuts on the issue. Additionally, as a public employee, she knows that it could affect her and her colleagues, but Pearce would fully support any funding cuts to her state over the issue anyway. To her, it is not a hard decision to support."It's not a hard decision to come to, because more important to me is that our girls and that their spaces are respected and protected," Pearce said. "If they have to threaten that type action against CIF, Governor Newsom and state legislature that they would pull federal funding from the state, again, the decision rests with those leaders. They can do the right thing and we don't even have to talk about this."Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

FIRST ON FOX: Two powerful committees in the House of Representatives are opening an investigation into another Democratic official accused of blocking federal immigration authorities.House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., is leading a probe into Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell alongside Nashville-area Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn, Fox News Digital learned Friday.Ogles had been petitioning leaders for weeks to look into OConnell after the Democratic leader publicly denounced Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in his city and signed an executive order aimed at tracking ICE movements in the area. He sent a letter earlier this month accusing O'Connell of "obstructing federal law enforcement."The probe is being supported by the House Judiciary Committee, which is led by Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., chair of the subcommittee for immigration enforcement.SCOOP: HOUSE GOP MEMO HIGHLIGHTS REPUBLICAN WINS IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'"The Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security of the U.S.House of Representatives are conducting oversight of state and local jurisdictions that endanger American communities through efforts aimed at thwarting the work of federal immigration officials," the four leaders wrote in a letter to OConnell."While the state of Tennessee has outlawed sanctuary policies, recent actions from youroffice threaten to chill immigration enforcement in the City of Nashville and Davidson County. Accordingly, we write to request information about how your recent actions, including a directive to Nashville and Davidson County employees to disclose their communications with federal immigration officials, affects the robust enforcement of immigration law."The lawmakers said OConnells executive order, which mandated that government employees report interactions with federal immigration authorities, "could have a chilling effect on the ability of local law enforcement to communicate freely and candidly with federal immigration employees.""In fact, your chief lawyer recently admitted that it was an open question whether an individual could legally announce in advance that theres an impending enforcement activity," they wrote.MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET BIG, BEAUTIFUL WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE"This statement, when viewed in context of your order requiring all Metro law-enforcement officers to report about communications with ICE personnel, raises the prospect that Metro employees may use nonpublic information to warn criminal aliens of planned ICE enforcement operations. In other words, there is the real potential that your Executive Order could have the effect of diminishing ICE enforcement operations."It comes after ICE agents working with the Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested nearly 200 people the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said were illegal immigrants many of them criminals with gang affiliations or other sordid pasts.The DHS news release targeted O'Connell by name over comments he made in early May. "What's clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm."MCCAUL TOUTS MONEY IN TRUMP TAX BILL TO PAY TEXAS BACK FOR FIGHTING BIDEN BORDER POLICIESAfter the arrests, O'Connell signed an executive order aimed at tracking peoples' interactions with federal immigration authorities,according to WSMV4.He said of ICE's work in his city, "Its important for us to get this right, and its very frustrating to see a failure in the process."OConnell also helped launch the Nashville governments nonprofit, "The Belonging Fund," to help illegal immigrants pay for urgent care needs. The funds website states that "donations to the fund are made possible solely by individual donors and private organizations - no government dollars are included.That means no taxpayer dollars are being used in the administration or distribution of this fund."Republicans, however, have questioned whether that is true."The recipients of these funds are untraceable, and the purpose seems crystal clear: help illegal foreigners evade the law," Ogles told Fox News Digital. "I refuse to sit back while our communities are overrun while our neighborhoods are destroyed and our daughters are assaulted. And I doubly refuse to stay silent while blue city mayors aid and abet this invasion."OConnell is now one of several Democratic leaders locked in an immigration fight with the Trump administration.House Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., was charged by the Justice Department with assaulting an officer after she and two other House Democrats forced their way into a Newark ICE detention center, charges McIver has dismissed as political.Fox News Digital reached out to the Nashville mayors office for comment on the letter.

No claircissement was needed after 13-year-old Faizan Zaki triumphed in the 21st round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The teen collapsed on the floor with excitement after correctly spelling "claircissement" and securing the national title not to mention a trophy and $50,000. Zakis win also coincided with a major milestone: the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.When spelling the "M-E-N-T" in "claircissement," Zaki, who hails from Allen, Texas, was understandably thrilled after coming in second place at last years competition behind Bruhat Soma, who was 12 years old when he took home the trophy.NATIONAL SPELLING BEE APPROVES FEMINIST TERM, 'WOMYN,' IN KIDS' SPELLING COMPETITIONHowever, his victory didnt come without drama Zaki nearly lost in round 18 when asked to spell "commelina." Zaki started saying "K-A-M" before stopping himself and telling head judge Mary Brooks to "just ring the bell," which she did. Zaki got another shot after 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam misspelled "Uaupes" in round 20 paving the way for his win with "claircissement."In a post on X congratulating the 13-year-old, the Scripps National Spelling Bee wrote that Zaki "left everything on stage."FLORIDA TEEN WINS SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE"He's the GOAT. I actually believe that. He's really good, man. He's been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out," Zakis father, Said Zaki Anwar told ESPN.Zakis win was notable not only for the final word and the Bees centennial, but also because it marked the first time in nearly 25 years that a former runner-up returned to win the title. According to ESPN, the last person to do so was Sean Conley, who was the 2001 champion. Zaki and Conley are members of an extremely exclusive club with just five members total from the events 100 years.The final three in the 2025 competition also included 11-year-old Sarv Dharavane, who would have been the competitions youngest champion since Nihar Janga, who won in 2016.Zakis stumble over "commelina" and subsequent comeback are not the first examples of drama at the spelling bee. This childrens competition has produced a surprising number of historic moments. In 2019, the spelling bees results were arguably some of the most controversial, as the competition ended with the only eight-way tie in the Scripps National Spelling Bees history.

The U.S. Army is preparing to retire its iconic Black Hawk helicopters the workhorses of its air assault fleet for nearly five decades in favor of a faster, more versatile aircraft built for the challenges of 21st-century warfare.Bell Aircraft's V-280 Valor, a cutting-edge tiltrotor aircraft, has been selected to begin phasing out the Black Hawk by the 2030s. Once fully deployed, it will be designated the MV-75, though a common nickname has yet to emerge. The Valor combines the vertical lift capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane, cruising at 320 mph nearly double the Black Hawks top speed of 175 mph.This hybrid design, enabled by tiltrotor technology, allows the MV-75 to hover, land vertically in tight spaces, and then shift into high-speed horizontal flight. Its tailor-made for operations in the Indo-Pacific region, where U.S. forces must be able to travel long distances over the ocean and conduct rapid insertions into constrained environments, such as jungle clearings or island terrain without runways.Fox News Digital recently took a tour of Bell's Advanced VerticalLift Center in Crystal City, Virginia.BILLIONS SPENT, WARFIGHTERS WAIT: INSIDE THE PENTAGONS BROKEN BUYING SYSTEM AND THE PLAN TO FIX IT"The Army recognized that the battlefield has changed," Rob Freeland, Bells director of government relations and public affairs, said in an interview withFox News Digital. "The enemy now has long-range fires, advanced sensors, and robust networks. You have to move faster and strike before they do."Speed and range are at the heart of this transformation. As Freeland put it: "If you can move at twice the speed and range of your adversary, you can change the outcome before they can react."The MV-75 is designed to carry up to 14 troops and haul payloads of 10,000 pounds, making it ideal for rapid troop deployments, heavy resupply and surprise assault missions. It will also feature autonomous and semi-autonomous capabilities, a leap forward in reducing pilot workload and enabling future unmanned operations.The V-280 Valor beat out a proposedjoint Sikorsky-Boeing compound helicopter platform dubbed the SB-1 Defiant-X in 2019 for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.The Army has contracted Texas-based aerospace company Bell to build six prototypes, conduct the first test flight by 2026 and begin full-scale production by 2028, with delivery targeted for 2030. However, leadership has expressed interest in accelerating that schedule under the Army Transformation Initiative."Were not waiting for a distant out-year to make this thing real," said Gen. James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, speaking at the Mission Solutions Summit earlier this month. "We are driving to get this aircraft online years ahead of schedule."HEGSETH ORDERS SWEEPING ARMY OVERHAUL AND CONSOLIDATION AIMED AT COUNTERING CHINA AND GOLDEN DOME CAPABILITIESThe "MV" designation reflects the aircrafts multi-mission and vertical takeoff capabilities. Its built for a broad range of missions, including air assault, maritime interdiction, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), combat search and rescue, and tactical resupply.The first unit to receive the MV-75 will be the 101st Airborne Division, the Armys elite air assault force.One of the Armys priorities in selecting a replacement was reliability. After years of dealing with aging helicopters requiring frequent maintenance, the Army is demanding aircraft that can stay in the fight with minimal downtime."Because its inherently reliable, you dont need a mountain of gear next to you just to keep the aircraft flying," said Freeland.The MV-75 program is part of a broader Pentagon push tomodernize U.S. military capabilities in an era defined bystrategic competition with China.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSince entering service in the late 1970s, theUH-60 Black Hawk has been the backbone of Army aviation. It has flown in nearly every major U.S. military operation over the past 40 years, from evacuating wounded troops inGrenada andPanama, to supporting combat and logistics missions inSomalia,Iraq andAfghanistan.The Black Hawk was infamously involved in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, and became a household name through its depiction in the 1999 book and 2001 movie "Black Hawk Down." Its versatility, durability and ability to perform under fire made it a symbol of American air power but after decades of use, its replacement will need to adapt to the evolving battlefield.