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Whitmer explains her Oval Office folder fiasco

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., said she regrets hiding her face during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week. 

Whitmer poked fun at the now-viral moment by once again holding folders up in front of her face when asked about her trip to Washington, D.C., during an event at the Detroit Economic Club on Monday. 

‘… I don’t want my picture taken, that’s all it was. I kind of wished I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever. You know I was there … I just wrote a book about learning to laugh at yourself, so I’m pretty good at it. We all have our moments,’ Whitmer said. 

Whitmer was criticized for shielding her face as the photo became a meme on social media. Alex Meyer, deputy assistant to the president and White House director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs who was standing to Whitmer’s left in the photo, joked that it’s his new profile photo. 

The Michigan governor’s trip to Washington last week brought her 2028 presidential ambitions into the national conversation as she struck a diplomatic tone with Trump. She carefully criticized Trump’s tariffs while saying she understood the ‘motivation behind the tariffs’ and even agreeing with Trump that we ‘need to make more stuff in America.’

Whitmer’s viral Oval Office moment marked her second meeting with Trump in less than a month. As Trump signed executive orders and answered questions from the press, he said Whitmer had ‘done an excellent job’ as governor and called her a ‘very good person,’ a break from his typical lines of attack on her character. 

‘One of her opponents will dig that clip up and put it in a television ad,’ Brad Bannon, a Democrat strategist and the president of Bannon Communications Research, told Fox News Digital. 

Bannon warned that Whitmer, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, getting too close to Trump could jeopardize her status as a ‘first-tier presidential candidate’ alongside fellow governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gavin Newsom of California. 

As Trump signed executive orders calling for the investigation of two first-term administration aides who were critical of his actions, Whitmer’s office said she was brought into the room ‘without any notice’ and that her appearance was ‘not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made.’

But Trump called the issues ‘bipartisan’ and jokingly added, ‘We’ll all stand there together and cut a ribbon. OK, Gretchen?’

Whitmer’s diplomatic moves last week seemed to put her out of step with her party as Democrat governors, many rumored to harbor 2028 presidential ambitions, spoke out against Trump’s tariffs as governors JB Pritzker of Illinois and Newsom worked independently with trade partners to try to soften the damage to their state economies. 

‘If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,’ Whitmer said after her speech in Washington last week, seeming to explain her diplomatic tone. 

Whitmer’s office explained that she was meeting with Trump to discuss recovery aid for the northern Michigan ice storm, investing in Michigan’s defense assets and building the American economy for everyday Michiganders.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Mace targeted by Pennsylvania man arrested for threatening Trump

A man charged with making threats to murder President Donald Trump was also found to have threatened Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a source with knowledge of the matter told Fox News Digital.

Mace’s office was informed by U.S. Capitol Police that Shawn Monper of Butler, Pennsylvania, made threats against her on social media in January, the source said.

The man allegedly wrote of Mace on YouTube, ‘If I ever see her unprotected in public I would live to be the one to put a bullet in her skull. What a disgusting peice [sic] of trash.’

Mace appears to be the only member of Congress targeted by the suspect for now, the source told Fox News Digital.

It’s not immediately clear why Mace, an outspoken Trump ally, was threatened.

But it comes amid concerns about escalating threats against elected officials on both sides of the aisle.

Trump, who was subject to two failed assassination attempts during the 2024 election, was targeted by Monper in a series of threats on YouTube, according to a release by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The FBI ‘received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user ‘Mr Satan” between Jan. 15 and April 5, according to the release.

Monper also got a firearms permit ‘shortly following’ Trump’s inauguration, and posted in Februrary under the aforementioned username, ‘I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office,’ the DOJ said.

Posts in March showed Monper threatening a mass shooting.

Further posts uncovered by federal authorities show him targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and Elon Musk, the release showed.

The U.S. Secret Service was alerted to the suspect’s threats against Mace as well, the source told Fox News Digital.

U.S. Capitol Police said it would not comment on potential investigations when reached for confirmation.

Mace’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Mike Budenholzer out as Suns coach

The Phoenix Suns are headed for the fourth coach in as many seasons under owner Mat Ishbia.

The Suns on Monday dismissed head coach Mike Budenholzer after just one season, a person with knowledge of the move confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the team announced the decision.

Budenholzer was Phoenix’s third coach in as many seasons – they fired Monty Williams after the 2022-23 season and Frank Vogel after the 2023-24 seasons – and he was expected to take a roster featuring Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal and make the Suns a competitor in the Western Conference.

That didn’t happen. The Suns, who had the highest payroll in the NBA this season, finished 36-46 and missed the playoffs, the play-in game format included. They lost nine of their final 10 games, including eight consecutive when they were in the playoff hunt with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

That might not be the only major change for the Suns. General manager James Jones has been with the team since 2017 but was not Ishbia’s hire, and it is expected that Durant seeks a new team though he has one season at $54.7 million remaining on his contract.

Budenholzer, who was born and grew up in Arizona and was a Suns fan, is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2019 with Milwaukee and in 2015 with Atlanta. But he couldn’t find answers with the Suns. He led the Bucks to a title in 2021.

However, Budenholzer’s demanding style can be difficult to play for – he had a shelf life that expired with both Atlanta and Milwaukee despite success with both teams.

Durant, Booker and Beal played in just 37 games together, going 19-18, and Phoenix was one of the worst defensive teams in the league, ranking No. 27 and allowing 117.7 points per 100 possessions.

Ishbia wants a contender, but the constant change in coaching staffs and a poorly constructed roster have not resulted in success.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Voters widely oppose taxpayer-funded gender surgeries, revealing Democrat Party’s vulnerability: poll

Taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries remain a vulnerable issue for the Democratic Party that most voters oppose, according to a recent survey by the American Principles Project (APP) targeting likely midterm voters.

‘We wanted to help educate Americans, but mostly legislators, about where Americans or how Americans feel about funding for gender identity programs, specifically in healthcare services, especially in light of Congress deliberating on spending and doing the reconciliation bills and all of that,’ Terry Schilling, APP executive director, told Fox News Digital in an interview. ‘We want to make sure that they knew just how unpopular these programs are to fund by tax dollars.’

The survey, conducted in early April with 1,500 respondents, found that 43% of people who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last election are against using taxpayer money to fund gender transition procedures, including surgeries and hormone treatments. 

‘That was a little bit higher than we typically see for Democrat voters,’ Schilling said. APP is a socially conservative nonprofit advocacy group.

During the last few months of President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, his administration released high-budget ads targeting transgender women in women’s sports that may have helped move the needle with swing voters, with one ad famously proclaiming ‘Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you.’

The ad focused on Harris’ track record of ushering in sex change procedures for incarcerated people in California.

The survey found that nearly 66% of Americans don’t think the federal government should be funding gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries. The survey did not differentiate between minors and adults.

‘The higher ups, like the elected officials in the Democratic Party, are going the other way, and it’s not going to work out well for them,’ Schilling said. ‘Democrats are in a really tough spot. They have to choose between 20 to 30% of the base, which supports paying for gender transitions and surgeries with tax dollars, or the swing voters, which swing voters do not want at all.’

In 2021, former President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to expand anti-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity, including in healthcare. He also reinterpreted Title IX to ensure those same protections applied within educational settings.

The administration supported state-level initiatives, such as Colorado’s inclusion of transgender treatments in its essential health benefits, under the Affordable Care Act.

‘I think that the more Donald Trump’s been talking about it and bringing attention to it, the more people are going to the Republican side on the issue,’ Schilling said.

Another question of the survey asked respondents, ‘If the November 2026 general election for U.S. Congress was held today, and you knew that the Democratic candidate supports allowing federal tax dollars to pay for gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries, would you vote for the Republican or Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress?’

Fifty-two percent of respondents said they would vote for the Republican candidate, while 39% said they would back the Democrat.

Trump has clamped down on ‘radical gender ideology’ since taking office, cutting all federal funding for gender transition surgeries for minors and through public healthcare. He has also banned biological males from competing in women’s sports and mandated that transgender individuals serve according to their biological sex in the military.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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10 Days to the NFL Draft: Deshaun Watson is a draft cautionary tale

About USA TODAY Sports’ 30 Days to the NFL Draft series, which started March 25: Every five days, we will focus on a unique aspect of the 2025 draft, which is April 24-26.

Three years ago was the start of a lesson. It was a long lesson. It took years to learn. But it may have finally sunk in.

The lesson was that a team needs to be careful with its draft picks. It needs to understand their value. What they represent. They are a form of currency. They are the future. They are not to be trifled with.

The Cleveland Browns have learned this lesson in the most painful of ways. The most humiliating. The ugliest of ways. That lesson is particularly relevant now because we can officially say now (though unofficially before) that the team’s trade for Deshaun Watson is among the worst trades in the history of American sports.

The Browns got Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick. The Texans got a 2022 first-round pick, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth rounder, a third-round pick in 2023, and a fourth rounder in 2024.

‘We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson,’ Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement in March 2022. ‘We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. Our team’s comprehensive evaluation process was of utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of his situation and the complex factors involved. We also understand there are still some legal proceedings that are ongoing and we will respect due process.

‘It was pivotal that we, along with (general manager) Andrew Berry and (coach) Kevin Stefanski, meet with Deshaun to have a straightforward dialogue, discuss our priorities, and hear directly from him on how he wants to approach his career on and off the field. He was humble, sincere, and candid. In our conversations, Deshaun detailed his commitment to leading our team; he understands and embraces the hard work needed to build his name both in the community and on the field. Those in-depth conversations, the extensive evaluation process, his dedication to being a great teammate and devotion to helping others within the NFL, within the community, and through his charitable initiatives provided the foundation for us to pursue Deshaun.

‘We are confident in Deshaun and excited about moving forward with him as our quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts.’

At the time, there were people inside the league who liked the trade. However, suffice to say there were a number of team officials who believed the Browns were making a huge mistake in giving up so much draft capital.

The primary mistake the Browns made (yes, there were several) was overvaluing Watson’s worth. Duh. The other was not respecting the value of such high draft picks.

It’s true you can find Hall of Fame players in the lower rounds of the draft. Tom Brady was a late-round pick. Those first rounders, however, can be the warp core of your franchise. If you hit on them, things can change generationally. It’s difficult to hit on them but a franchise needs to at least give itself a chance to do so.

What did the Texans do with those picks? As an ESPN story from last year noted, the Texans didn’t draft perfectly, but they got some good players with those picks (or some combination of the Browns’ and their own) like defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Tank Dell, a solid young receiver.

The NFL draft is an almost impossible thing for teams to decode. It becomes that much harder when you do what the Browns did.

Hopefully, lesson learned.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Best fits for the top defensive prospects in 2025 NFL draft

Travon Walker was the most recent defensive player to go No. 1 overall in the NFL draft in 2022. Only three defensive players have been selected with the top pick since 2014. Will a defensive player hear his name called No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL draft?

The first round of this year’s draft could be dominated by defense. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter headline a stacked group of prospects.

Where will the top defensive players be selected during April’s draft? USA TODAY Sports explores the best landing spots for the highest-rated defenders in the 2025 draft.

NFL draft landing spots for top defensive prospects

Travis Hunter CB/WR, Colorado

Best fit: New England Patriots

Hunter is a fluid and smooth route runner with excellent hands. As a cornerback, he diagnoses routes quickly and possesses tremendous ball skills. He played over 86% of Colorado’s offensive snaps and 82% of the team’s defensive snaps. Hunter caught 96% of his catchable passes and only accounted for three dropped passes. Pro Football Focus gave Hunter a 90.3 coverage grade, the second-highest grade for a cornerback with at least 400 snaps.

The Patriots had the worst total offense in the AFC and finished 22nd in the NFL in total defense last season. New England needs help on both sides of the ball, and Hunter can provide it.

Abdul Carter EDGE, Penn State

Best fit: Cleveland Browns

Carter finished his collegiate career ranking sixth all-time at Penn State in sacks (23.0) and eighth in tackles for loss (39.5). His 12 sacks last year ranked seventh in the nation and 52 pressures ranked in the top 10. Pro Football Focus gave Carter a 92.4 pass rush grade, which ranked first among all college edge rushers with at least 250 snaps.

The Browns run a 4-3 defense where Carter can line up opposite 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. With Garrett commanding much of the attention, Carter would see fewer double teams and chip blocks coming off the edge. Furthermore, Carter could learn from arguably the best pass rusher in the game.

Carter and Garrett would provide the Browns with one of the top edge rush duos in the NFL.

Mason Graham DT, Michigan

Best fit: Carolina Panthers

Graham is regarded as the top three-technique defensive tackle in this year’s draft. His 34 pressures ranked in the top eight among all interior defensive linemen in college football. He led all Michigan defensive linemen with 45 tackles. 

Carolina finished 2024 with the NFL’s worst total defense and was at the bottom of the league in points per game. Quarterback Bryce Young needs more weapons on offense but the Panthers aren’t going to win many games if their defense can’t stop anybody.

Jalon Walker LB, Georgia

Best fit: Atlanta Falcons

Walker produced a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss, and his 6.5 sacks tied for a team-best. The Butkus Award winner is considered a hybrid player who can play edge or linebacker.

The Falcons need assistance in both areas after they finished last in the NFC in sacks and ranked 23rd in total defense. Leonard Floyd was a necessary addition to Atlanta’s base 3-4 defense and Walker could play on the opposite side.

Jahdae Barron CB, Texas

Best fit: Jacksonville Jaguars

Pro Football Focus gave Barron a 91.3 coverage grade for last year, the best of any cornerback with at least 300 snaps. Barron’s five interceptions were tied for first in the SEC, and he also led the team with 11 pass breakups.

The Jaguars had the NFL’s worst pass defense last season, allowing 257 yards per contest. The team’s finished 26th or below in pass defense for three straight years. Jasonville’s leaky defense is void of a shutdown corner.

Mike Green EDGE, Marshall

Best fit: San Francisco 49ers 

Green is an explosive pass rusher who is relentless coming off the edge. Green’s 17 sacks led college football in 2024 and set a Sun Belt Conference record. He also compiled 84 tackles and 22.5 tackles for loss.

The 49ers lost plenty of talent on defense. They will have at least two new starters along their defensive line entering the season, including at defensive end. Leonard Floyd’s 8.5 sacks and 44 pressures are gone. San Francisco needs to supply Nick Bosa with more assistance.

Mykel Williams EDGE, Georgia

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

Williams has high upside, and his 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame gives him the necessary traits to be a standout defensive end. He had five sacks in his final season at Georgia, which ranked second on the squad. Any team who selects Williams will be betting on his potential.

Trey Hendrickson had 17.5 of Cincinnati’s 36 total sacks this past season. Hendrickson wants out if the Bengals can’t grant him a new deal. The Bengals need to build their defense through the draft after doling out massive contracts on offense. 

Walter Nolen DT, Ole Miss

Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers

In 2022, 247Sports ranked Travis Hunter and Nolen as the top two high school football players in the country. He lived up to the billing in 2024. The three-technique defensive tackle tied for a team lead with 14.0 tackles for loss. He additionally had 6.5 sacks and 30 pressures. Nolen was an anchor on Ole Miss’ stingy run defense, which allowed an FBS-low 2.3 yards per carry.

The Chargers lost their best defensive tackle, Poona Ford, in free agency. Nolen, at 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, has the size and potential to be a force in the interior. He would start immediately in Los Angeles.

Kenneth Grant DT, Michigan

Best fit: Arizona Cardinals

The big-bodied one-technique defensive tackle is a run-stuffing machine. He tallied 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in his final season in Ann Arbor.

The Cardinals have long needed a disruptive defensive tackle. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in run defense. Calais Campbell, who’s drinking out of the fountain of youth, was brought back to Arizona but he’s not a long-term solution at 38 years old.

Will Johnson CB, Michigan

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders need to improve their depth at cornerback. They recently cut Jack Jones after a down year in Las Vegas. The Raiders gave up 29 touchdown receptions and allowed a 96.5 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks; both marks ranked near the bottom of the league.

New Raiders coach Pete Carroll is accustomed to big and physical corners. He helped architect the “Legion of Boom” in Seattle. Johnson is a 6-foot-2 corner whose playstyle matches his size. He set a Michigan record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns in his career.

Nick Emmanwori S, South Carolina

Best fit: Minnesota Vikings

The 6-foot-2 safety has speed and versatility. His Next Gen Stats total score of 85 ranked first among safeties at the combine. At the same time, his 4.38 40-yard dash time was the second-best safety time in Indianapolis.

Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is returning for his 14th season. Minnesota must find Smith’s heir apparent at some point. Most scouts have pegged Emmanwori as the top safety in this year’s draft. His speed and athleticism would be a welcoming addition to Minnesota’s defensive backfield.

Jihaad Campbell LB, Alabama

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

Campbell led Alabama with 117 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks in his final season. His performance earned him first-team All-SEC recognition. He possesses the speed and athleticism to be an every-down linebacker. Next Gen Stats gave Campbell an 82 total score at the combine, first among linebackers.

The Rams haven’t had an enforcer at inside linebacker since Bobby Wagner in 2022 and Ernest Jones in 2023. This offseason, leading tackler Christian Rozeboom departed for Carolina. The Rams added Nate Landman, but are they done addressing what was a weak position group last year?

Derrick Harmon DT, Oregon

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

At 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, Harmon has the build of a prototypical defensive tackle. He tallied a career-best 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 45 tackles for the Ducks in 2024. He has position versatility along the defensive line.

The Steelers traditionally have stout defensive fronts. But Cameron Heyward, who will be 36 years old at the start of next season, is by far Pittsburgh’s best defensive linemen and Larry Ogunjobi left in free agency. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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