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The Cowboys like George Pickens a lot, just not enough to work out a long-term deal with him this year. 

LA leaders are all smiles as they pose for a surprisingly upbeat picture following a sit-down with President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit was filed by Lorrayne Mavromatis in federal court in North Carolina on Wednesday.

"Everybody internally is obviously very concerned, as we are concerned. It's not typical of their behavior, they're graduate students," USF Public Safety Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon told Fox13.

Navy Secretary John Phelan Abruptly Departs Trump Admin With No Explanation, "Effective Immediately"

In a terse, one-paragraph statement released this afternoon, the Pentagon announced the immediate departure of Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, effective immediately.

Navy Secretary John Phelan speaks at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 22, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao has been elevated to Acting Secretary of the Navy. The announcement, issued by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell (Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs), offered no explanation for the move and simply thanked Phelan for his service “on behalf of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the Deputy.”

STATEMENT:

Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately.

On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy.

We wish…

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) April 22, 2026

The timing of the firing could hardly be more dramatic. The United States remains engaged in active military operations against Iran following the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28 - a joint U.S.-Israel campaign targeting Iranian missile stockpiles, naval assets, and defense infrastructure. Although a ceasefire took effect around April 8, tensions remain extremely high. The U.S. Navy is currently enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports in and near the Strait of Hormuz, announced in mid-April after diplomatic talks collapsed. Recent incidents have included the seizure of Iranian-flagged vessels attempting to run the blockade, Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, and ongoing enforcement actions that continue to roil global oil markets and international shipping lanes.

Phelan, a Palm Beach-based private equity investor, art collector, and major Trump donor who had poured millions into supporting the president, had no prior military or Navy experience when he was nominated in late 2024. Despite criticism over his lack of relevant background and potential conflicts of interest stemming from investments in defense contractors such as Dell and Palantir, he was confirmed by the Senate. During his roughly thirteen-month tenure (March 2025–April 22, 2026), Phelan focused heavily on bureaucratic efficiency: he axed Biden-era climate and DEI contracts and grants, reportedly saving approximately $300 million. He also pushed aggressive initiatives to accelerate shipbuilding, increase lethality across the fleet, and deepen partnerships with private-sector technology firms like Palantir.

Just yesterday, Phelan had delivered remarks at the Navy’s annual conference. In February, reports surfaced that he had flown aboard Jeffrey Epstein’s plane in 2006—well before Epstein’s first arrest. Phelan maintained that he was invited by someone else, had no further contact with Epstein, and addressed the matter publicly at the time.

Stepping into the role is Hung Cao, a Navy Captain with more than 25 years of service.

A Naval Academy graduate and decorated combat veteran, Cao’s record includes extensive experience in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), diving, special operations, and surface warfare. He fled Vietnam as a child refugee from communism, later balancing Navy budgets at the Pentagon and deploying multiple times. Cao ran for U.S. Senate in Virginia with President Trump’s endorsement and was confirmed as Under Secretary of the Navy in October 2025. Supporters have hailed him as a “badass” warrior with genuine operational credibility—the exact opposite profile of the donor-turned-political-appointee he is replacing.

Multiple outlets are already describing Phelan’s removal as a firing orchestrated by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The move fits a broader pattern of rapid turnover at the top of the defense establishment under the current administration, driven by demands for loyalty and warfighting readiness. Earlier this year, the Army’s top general was also removed.

Meanwhile, Democrats are pouncing. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), framed the sudden change as evidence that things are not going well inside the administration. 

When they fire the Chief of Army and the Secretary of the Navy during a war, they know it’s going badly.

— Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (@SenLBR) April 22, 2026

As of this writing, no public explanation has emerged from the Pentagon or the White House. 

The Navy’s operational chain of command - Chief of Naval Operations, fleet commanders, and forward-deployed forces - remains unchanged and fully in control. Still, the abrupt leadership transition at the top of the Department of the Navy (now operating under the rebranded Department of War) during active combat operations is historic in its speed and opacity.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/22/2026 - 20:14

I’m a small business owner. I live with real budget accountability every day. Sacramento doesn’t. There is a job title on the payroll of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $114 million pedestrian bridge project — the so-called “Butterfly Bridge,” or “wildlife bridge to nowhere” — that I cannot get out of my head: fungi habitat designer. I...

No state should have the authority to force their citizens to pay more than 50 cents per gallon. 

There is an alternate universe in which Ben Rice is an emerging, homegrown Red Sox slugger, beloved by a fan base that has collectively adopted the Cohasset native.

Jagger's love life is explored in a new biography about The Rolling Stones.

Jagger's love life is explored in a new biography about The Rolling Stones.

"Gale was on the ground for like 15 minutes. She said Rosalyn pushed her," a source told Page Six.

"Gale was on the ground for like 15 minutes. She said Rosalyn pushed her," a source told Page Six.

SAN FRANCISCO — No, Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing was not trying to belittle the injury that Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee sustained in Tuesday’s game at Oracle Park. On Wednesday, Rushing was asked about a clip that made the rounds (especially among Giants fans) the night before, when he appeared to say “f— ‘em” after...

The Mets have found a relatively soft portion of the schedule — after playing the Dodgers and Cubs — and get their best offensive piece back in Juan Soto.

After The Bombing, Tehran Confronts Widespread Ruin

After more than a month of conflict, a fragile ceasefire has allowed people in Tehran to begin assessing the scale of destruction, according to a new Bloomberg report.

The city, home to around nine million people, now bears widespread signs of damage, from shattered buildings to entire blocks reduced to rubble.

Although the truce has been extended for now, talks between the US and Iran have stalled, with major disagreements still unresolved around nuclear activity, regional control, and military influence.

The Bloomberg piece notes that the toll has been severe. At least 3,300 people have been killed across Iran, including civilians, and the physical damage is extensive. Because of restrictions on imagery and reporting, the full picture is still unclear, but satellite-based analysis suggests more than 7,600 buildings nationwide have been damaged or destroyed.

In Tehran alone, roughly 2,800 structures were hit. These include not just military or industrial sites, but also homes, businesses, and public facilities, reflecting how tightly intertwined different parts of the city are.

Experts note that even when strikes are intended to be precise, the reality in a dense urban environment is far messier. In Tehran, residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and government facilities are often located side by side, making it difficult to isolate targets. As a result, the impact of attacks spreads beyond their intended focus, affecting civilian life in ways that are hard to contain.

The war has also deepened Iran’s existing economic and social pressures. Even before the conflict, the country was dealing with high inflation, environmental strain, and ongoing sanctions. Now, reconstruction costs are estimated at roughly $270 billion—close to the size of Iran’s entire economy—and inflation could climb above 70%.

Many businesses have shut down or are operating at reduced capacity, housing damage is widespread, and unemployment is expected to rise, increasing the risk of broader poverty.

Outside the capital, strikes have hit key industrial and energy hubs, disrupting supply chains and production. Damage to major steel plants and petrochemical facilities is already affecting other industries, from manufacturing to food packaging. These knock-on effects are likely to compound the economic strain in the months ahead.

Even if the ceasefire holds, rebuilding will take years, and the path forward remains uncertain as the country grapples with both physical destruction and deep structural challenges.

The uncertainty around what comes next is weighing heavily on residents and policymakers alike. While Iranian officials have floated ideas such as seeking reparations or leveraging control of key trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz to help fund reconstruction, any meaningful recovery will depend on political stability and the easing of international tensions.

Without that, access to capital, materials, and foreign investment will remain constrained, complicating efforts to rebuild critical infrastructure and restore economic activity.

There is also a broader question about how reconstruction will unfold. In past conflicts, rebuilding has sometimes helped drive recovery, but it can also deepen existing imbalances depending on how resources are allocated. As one expert put it, “damage does not only affect the structures that are hit, it also ripples out,” underscoring how the effects extend beyond physical destruction into the social and economic fabric of the city.

In Tehran, where housing, commerce, and public services are tightly interconnected, the challenge will be not just repairing what was lost, but restoring stability in a system already under strain.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/22/2026 - 20:05

Bartzen tells us, "I'm not gonna back down, I am here to help humanity and mental health."

Bartzen tells us, "I'm not gonna back down, I am here to help humanity and mental health."

A Virginia court on Wednesday blocked the state from enacting new congressional districts that could allow Democrats to flip four Republican House seats in the 2026 midterm elections. 

After all, Brown is coming off a close defeat to an inferior opponent, the type of loss that serves as a poor reflection on the guy roaming the sideline. A bad lineup from Brown, a bad sub, a bad timeout — one mistake could’ve meant all the difference in Monday’s 107-106 Game 2 nail-biting loss...

The exes dated in the early years of Zolciak's time on the Bravo series.