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Military Olympians honored at the Pentagon, against backdrop of Iran war
A group of 10 American Olympians who serve in the U.S. military were honored at the Pentagon on April 17.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth, between leading the efforts in the war on Iran, found time to meet with the athletes for a ceremony to honor their accomplishments in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. All 10 were members of the high-performance U.S. military-sponsored World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).
“It’s not every day you get invited into Sec. War’s office,” U.S. bobsledder Frankie Del Duca told Fox News Digital. “We had a good conversation about the Army.”
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Del Duca was the Team USA Olympic flag bearer in Cortina back in February. As an American of Italian descent, it held a special cultural significance to him and his family that he had the honor in Italy.
Del Duca is also a U.S. Army infantryman.
“I’m infantry,” he said. “There’s different assignments I can take as I gain experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I’m very proud to serve our country, and I love our country and America.”
Hegseth himself was an Army infantry officer who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.
But so far Del Duca has only ever done athlete work for the military, enlisting in 2019 and training as a bobsledder at Lake Placid, New York. But as a WCAP athlete, he will serve in a military-related role as well.
“We’ve had members of WCAP that have been in the Army first… and then we have some that maybe do that after,” Del Duca said, adding that he falls into the “after” group.
“Where I may be stationed next, and where I may, different assignments, where I might end up, I’m going to take those same lessons that I’ve learned and apply them to that next unit. So it’s something that I’m very grateful for and proud of. And I hope that spreads throughout our country. I hope it shows that we’re together and that we’re resilient, and that we’re fit and we’re ready.”
Del Duca is a young father of two sons who are each less than four years old.
“It’s made me a better father,” Del Duca said of his experience in the Army. “I have two sons, [ages] one and three, they keep me on my toes.”
Other branches of the military are represented well in the WCAP, especially the Air Force.
Team USA skeleton athlete Kelly Curtis, who was also honored at the ceremony, is preparing for deployment right back to Italy after competing at the Milan Cortina games.
“I’m going back to the 31st communications squadron at Aviano Air Base,” Curtis told Fox News Digital. “I’m a knowledge operations technician… it’s basically like an information traffic cop.”
Curtis says she has a lineage in her family, on her mother’s side, that includes servicemembers in every American war dating back to the Revolutionary War.
She thought her brother would take on the call of duty for her generation. And he did, but she soon learned she be joining him.
“I didn’t think I would be able to serve in the military,” Curtis said. “When this opportunity came around when I got good enough at my sport. I was looking at the Army program, but upon talking with my brother who had also served in the Air Force, I decided to give it a go for the Air Force.”
Now, as she continues her family tradition of serving in the U.S. military during a time of war, she takes great a sense of honor in the importance.
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“I don’t think any particular time is more honorable than an other,” she said. “When I took the oath of enlistment, you sign up to defend your country, and that’s something that I take seriously. The work that I do with the World Class Athlete Program is different, it’s a softer diplomacy, so I don’t see a lot of what my colleagues might see…
“There’s honor all around when you sign up to defend your country.”
The WCAP program delivered a medalist for Team USA at 2026, including Air Force women’s bobsledder Jasmine Jones.
Jones became a viral social media sensation for an interview with Fox News Digital when she expressed great pride in representing the U.S. on the world stage, at a time when many Americans craved patriotism among their Olympians.
And then Jones went on to win bronze in women’s bobsled, alongside teammate Olympic legend Kaillie Humphries, helping Humphries become the most decorated bobsled athlete in history.
Jones was honored for her medal during the Pentagon ceremony.
“I was honored to be recognized by Secretary Hegseth after medaling in Cortina and to share that moment representing my country,” Jones told Fox News Digital.
“Being an Airman allows me to serve in more ways than one, and I’m grateful for that opportunity. The unity within our WCAP team is strong. We lead by example, support one another, and continue pushing each other to reach our fullest potential.”
Meanwhile, the military as a whole continues historic operations in the Middle East behind the leadership of Hegseth and President Donald Trump.
Hegseth warned Friday that the U.S. military “will shoot to destroy” any Iranian ships that are laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
“President Trump has authorized the United States Navy to destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz, to shoot and kill,” Hegseth said. “Our commanders have clear rules of engagement. If Iran is putting mines in the water or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy. No hesitation. Just like the drug boats in the Caribbean.”
Hegseth also said that Iran’s “battered” military, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been “reduced to a gang of pirates with a flag.”
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“They cloak their aggression in slogans, but the world now sees them for what they are — criminals on the high seas. They don’t control anything. They’re acting like pirates, acting like terrorists. They’re the ones who lay indiscriminate mines, who shoot at random ships, who killed 45,000 of their own people, innocent protesters, in the course of weeks, their own people. They are the bad actors,” Hegseth said.
“The vessels that the Iranians seized in recent days, a couple of them, they’re not American ships, they’re not Israeli ships. They’re just random ships where they drove their little speedboats up to and shot at those ships with AK-47’s. Anyone with a speedboat, a gun and the wrong intentions can do that. They know that we, the United States of America, control the flow of global shipping, and we know that they know. Their real navy is at the bottom of the Arabian Gulf,” Hegseth added.
Trump and his administration have repeatedly made it clear they are looking for a peace agreement with Iran, and have expressed optimism about reaching one soon.
Hegseth also said Friday that, “Iran has a historic chance to make a serious deal, and the ball is in their court.”
“Either way, the War Department stands ready for what comes next. Locked and loaded,” Hegseth added.
The remarks come after a scheduled second round of U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad failed to materialize this week. Vice President JD Vance and the rest of the U.S. delegation never departed. Reports indicated the Iranians said they would not negotiate again in person until the U.S. stopped its blockade.
Vance, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, traveled to Pakistan for the first round of talks with the Iranians earlier this month, but no deal was reached.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond, Landon Mion, Emma Bussey, Efrat Lachter, Alex Nitzberg and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
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Nation’s second largest school district moves to limit kids’ screen time
The Los Angeles Unified School District voted Tuesday to limit students’ screen time.
The resolution to limit students’ use of laptops and tablets in class and incentivize pen-and-paper assignments passed 6-0, and mandates that the district to develop a screen time policy for each grade and subject, bar students in first grade and younger from using devices, evaluate education technology contracts, and make clear the steps parents need to take in order to opt their child out of using technology at school, NBC News reported.
“The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education approved a resolution today to limit student screen time across the district,” the district said in a press release. “Building on last year’s cell phone ban, the proposal calls for comprehensive, developmentally appropriate guardrails on instructional technology for all grade levels, including key provisions to eliminate use of student devices for youngest learners, prohibit student-led use of YouTube and other video streaming platforms, and review and present a public report of all existing classroom technology contracts.”
The resolution came from Board Member Nick Melvoin, a Democrat who has served on the board since 2017.
“During COVID, student devices became a necessary lifeline, and seemingly overnight, screen time limits were shelved to ensure every child had access to the technology they needed to continue learning and stay connected with their teachers and peers. Our charge now is to recalibrate, evaluate the role of educational technology in the classroom, and balance access to that technology with the kinds of instruction and interaction we know help students thrive,” Melvoin in the press release.
It was co-sponsored by Board Members Karla Griego, Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Kelly Gonez, Board Vice President Rocío Rivas, and Student Board Member Jerry Yang.
Ortiz Franklin said in the press release that when the district is “intentional about how our students engage with technology, we invest in their focus, their health, and our future.”
Ortiz Franklin added in the press release that “providing guidelines for our students affords our youngest learners the space for human interaction and play to develop foundational cognitive and social skills and gives our oldest learners opportunities for meaningful connection and collaboration within their community. I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution that balances how and when we use technology in our classrooms, preparing our students to be Ready for the World.”
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In the press release, Griego called the move “long overdue.” She added, “As a cosponsor, I am honored to cosponsor this resolution that establishes clear, developmentally appropriate guidelines around screen time and the use of single-use devices in our schools to ensure a balanced approach to technology that helps our students learn, grow and thrive.”
Gonez, another board member, said that, “Technology can be a powerful tool, but too much screen time has real harmful effects on our students.”
She added that the resolution “will ensure we are prioritizing important skills and learning experiences for students, while protecting their childhoods and well-being by setting research-based screen time limits.”
In the press release, acting Superintendent Andrés E. Chait called the move necessary for the current technology climate.
“As we continue to navigate the evolving role of technology in education, our priority remains ensuring it is used in ways that support high-quality instruction, student engagement, and overall well-being,” Chait said. “Technology is an important tool that can expand access and enhance learning, but it is most effective when used purposefully and guided by educators.”
According to an August report from Ballotpedia, 26 states have enacted laws or policies requiring local school boards to restrict or prohibit cellphone use in K-12 classrooms, with 22 adopted in 2025 alone.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles Unified School District for comment.
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FLASHBACK: Obama tried to make Trump a punchline at 2011 dinner before rise stunned Washington
President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents‘ Dinner on Saturday, marking his first appearance at the annual event as commander in chief after skipping it throughout his first term.
The decision puts Trump back at a Washington ritual long tied to his fraught relationship with the press and political establishment. His return also revives memories of the 2011 dinner, when then-President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked him from the dais at a moment that later became a widely discussed part of Trump’s political story.
“Donald Trump is here tonight,” Obama said at the 2011 dinner. “Now, I know he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald.”
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“And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter — like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” he continued. Trump had publicly called for the release of Obama’s birth certificate, which the State of Hawaii did release that year.
The exchange underscored longstanding tensions between Trump and the Washington establishment that predated his entry into politics.
Speculation mounted that the jabs helped fuel Trump’s eventual decision to launch a presidential run, culminating in a stunning upset victory in 2016. Trump had denied that Obama’s 2011 jokes prompted his candidacy, telling The Washington Post in 2016 that “there are many reasons I’m running, but that’s not one of them.”
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“Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he’d be running as a joke,” comedian Seth Meyers added when he took the podium that night.
Trump told Fox News’ “The Five” earlier this year he was treated “rudely and crudely” during the dinner, which he said influenced his decision not to attend while he was first in office.
“The press was so nasty, I just – so I didn’t do it,” said Trump.
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He once again denied it was the 2011 dinner that sparked his interest in running for office.
“There is this theory: I was there while Barack Hussein Obama was speaking, and he was hitting me a little bit. Actually, it was very nice, and I was actually – I loved it. I really loved it,” said Trump.
Trump announced he would attend this year’s dinner as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration. The first lady will join him.
“The White House Correspondents Association very nicely asked the President to join them at their annual dinner this year as the Honoree, which he gladly accepted,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle previously told Fox News Digital.
Trump did not attend during his first term due to a contentious relationship with the media at the height of coverage of the Russia investigation.
The banquet was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and revived in 2022 during President Biden’s administration. Trump also did not attend last year.
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Mom who got 2-day sentence after killing baby while high arrested for endangering someone else’s child
A Pennsylvania mother who was previously convicted of accidentally killing her infant son while she was high was arrested again for allegedly endangering another child.
Pennsylvania prosecutors charged 32-year-old Arissa Ward with felony child endangerment and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person after a 2-year-old she was supposed to be babysitting was found wandering in the middle of the road with no shoes or socks on, a spokesperson for Pennsylvania State Police told Fox News Digital.
At approximately 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop J, York Station was advised a young child was found in the middle of the road on W Main St. in Windsor Borough, York County,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Investigation determined, the young child’s baby sitter, Arissa Ward, had fallen asleep and the child had gotten out of the house. The child was located in the middle of the road by a passerby who contacted PSP. The child was found with no shoes on,” the spokesman concluded.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law & Crime, the boy “was cold to the touch due to the temperature.”
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The boy’s mother dropped him off to Ward around 6:30 a.m. the morning of the incident.
The woman “stated the front door was unlocked, which is not common,” according to the affidavit. “She walked in the residence and took [the boy] upstairs to Ward’s bedroom, which the door was open. [The mother] stated Ward was asleep and she had to wake her up,” the affidavit continued.
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The mother then placed her son in the bed with Ward, after which Ward immediately fell asleep and had to be woken up again, Law & Crime reported, citing court documents. She told law enforcement that she did not close the bedroom door behind her, but did close the front door when she left.
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Ward texted the mother shortly after 9 a.m.
“Good morning babe!! Whatcha doin. B—- where is you,” Ward texted.
“Hey girl!!! im at work lol. i was a little late today hope i dont get into trouble lol,” the mom replied.
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About 30 minutes later, Ward texted “Where’s [the boy]???” according to Law & Crime.
The boy’s mother then started calling Ward, but got her voicemail all five times she called, according to court documents. Police called the mom at 10 a.m. letting her know they had her son.
When police knocked on Ward’s door, she allegedly answered it saying “I’m babysitting and I just woke up. What is going on?” The cops asked if she was “missing a kid,” and she replied, “Yes, yes, but he is not mine,” the affidavit said, according to Law & Crime.
“[The boy’s mom] dropped him off with me this morning,” she allegedly continued. “He’s a little boy, he’s 2… with blonde curly hair.”
When troopers found the boy, they contacted Children and Youth Services, according to Law & Crime. The group told them to “check Arissa Ward.” Ward had previously spent two days in jail after suffocating her 2-month-old son while drunk and high.
In December 2016, after a night of drinking with her partner, Ward fell asleep on the couch next to her baby. The child died of asphyxiation and had marijuana in his system.
Pleading no-contest to a manslaughter charge, Ward was supposed to receive a three-month minimum sentence. However, Judge William T. Tully instead sentenced her to only two days and then house arrest, citing her living daughter, who was 3 years old at the time, according to Penn Live Patriot News.
“I’m going to give you the opportunity to do a little bit of penance. This will be a chance to prove yourself,” Tully told Ward. “You have got to put yourself back together. Your daughter doesn’t need a semi-mom. She needs a whole mom.”
Ward posted bail for the recent child endangerment case and is due back at court on May 5, Law & Crime reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to Windsor Police Department and York County Court for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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