Hours before trial was set to begin last month, the Federal Trade Commission and five state attorneys general settled their antitrust case against Zillow and Redfin. While this was a major success, and the FTC should be proud, there is still more to be done.

More than 30% of American households rent. For most of them, the search begins and often ends inside one company's ecosystem, which is a major violation of antitrust principles and laws.

The solution does not actually touch the cost of rent for average people.

To be clear, the government was able to achieve much. In a $100 million deal, Zillow had paid Redfin to shut down its multifamily rental-advertising business, transfer its customers and salesforce, and stay out of the market for as long as nine years. That deal is now dead. Instead, Redfin will have to restart its former business within six months and display Zillow's listings under a partnership that will continue through at least 2030.

This remedy is superior to potential alternatives, such as a fine, which often does not actually solve the problem. Gigantic monopolies can usually absorb these fines and continue to violate antitrust law. Requiring actual change goes a long way toward solving the problem.

This was, to be clear, a rather easy antitrust case. The Zillow-Redfin deal was a blatant violation of the core principles of antitrust. The companies literally signed an agreement not to compete, with a nine-figure bribe thrown in.

The FTC was also not alone in its demands against Zillow and Redfin. Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Washington, and Arizona all joined in. After securing the required changes, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson hailed the result as a critical part of the Trump administration's housing agenda.

This last framing, however, is a problematic framing for supporters of antitrust. The issue only dealt with property managers as it concerned postings for renting. The solution does not actually touch the cost of rent for average people. Essentially, a housing-advertising case is being sold as a housing-affordability case.

Consider what the settlement leaves standing.

Zillow still operates Zillow Rentals, Trulia, and HotPads. Restoring Redfin is a major success, but eliminating the deal does not solve the issue because there is so much more to do.

Even worse, Zillow’s dominance extends beyond rental listings into the homebuying transaction itself through alleged "tying" tactics. In ongoing class action antitrust litigation against Zillow, plaintiffs allege that Zillow leverages its monopoly over buyer leads to force real estate agents into steering clients toward Zillow Home Loans. By tying access to critical consumer leads to whether an agent pressures clients to use Zillow’s lending arm, the platform squeezes independent lenders out of the market and deprives buyers of competitive mortgage rates.

RELATED: The GOP can’t blame Biden forever for pain at the pump

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

Then there is Redfin itself, which is owned by Rocket Companies. Rocket Companies also owns Mr. Cooper, one of the country's largest mortgage servicers, another potential antitrust violation. This sketchy alliance has already raised the ire of some in Congress.

This is not to say that the FTC was wrong to make this settlement. It’s only to say that the job is not yet finished.

Because yes, renters may eventually pay a little less than they do now, as the trickle-down effect occurs. But that would take a long time and is the most indirect way possible to lower rent or limit increases.

There are three ways the federal government can build on its success.

First, use its 6(b) (of the FTC Act) authority to study the rental listing market as a whole: the pricing, exclusivity arrangements, syndication terms, and leverage, including illegal tying mechanisms between lead generation and home financing.

Second, the agency should make clear that trading preferential access for exclusivity should not be automatically safe simply because no money changed hands. What Zillow and Redfin did would have been illegal even if Zillow had not bribed Redfin.

Finally, Congress and state regulators should pay attention to what unfolds, particularly as 2030 gets closer. Zillow and Redfin are going to use the next four years to figure out how they can legally reconstruct their partnership; it is up to elected officials and regulators to keep them from being successful.

The FTC started off strong, but still has a long way to go. Over the next few years, it is critical that the agency turn its sights toward anti-competitive tying and finish the fight for housing affordability.

Florida police investigating a mass shooting threat online determined that a teenage girl had tried to frame her ex-boyfriend to get him in trouble.

Officials at Riverview High School were alerted to the mass shooting threat via an email on Wednesday that included a screenshot of an Instagram post, according to police.

'It doesn't matter if it's a joke, it doesn't matter if it's from AI, it doesn't matter if you're mad, and it doesn't matter if you're trying to pin it on someone else. You're going to face the consequences.'

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies responded and found that the post appeared to come from a male student who attended the school.

After police interviewed the male student, they determined the post did not come from him but was actually created by his ex-girlfriend.

The 15-year-old was a former student at the high school and had made the hoax image with the use of artificial intelligence, according to police.

When they interviewed her, she admitted to sending the false screenshot to the school administrators.

The girl was charged with written or electronic threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism and two other charges related to the threat.

RELATED: Family says Alabama woman was kidnapped after being 'lured' by toddler on side of a highway, but skeptics are crying hoax

"Threatening a school is a felony in Hillsborough County. And it doesn't matter if it's a joke, it doesn't matter if it's from AI, it doesn't matter if you're mad, and it doesn't matter if you're trying to pin it on someone else. You're going to face the consequences," said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office chief communications officer Amanda Granit.

Retired Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent Rich Kolko said people falsely believe they won't get prosecuted for online behavior.

"People sit at home, they're sitting at their desk, and they feel they have this keyboard anonymity," Kolko said to WFLA-TV.

"They think nobody can find them or nobody's going to bother them. They're just playing on their computer; it's no big deal. Well, as this young lady learned and as too many other people have learned, it is a big deal," he added.

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On October 10 at Share the Arrows — Allie Beth Stuckey’s annual Christian women’s conference — the BlazeTV host and soon-to-be mother of four announced a project she and her husband have been working on since early last year: Ana Kate, a pro-life cycle, pregnancy, and postpartum tracking app.

But this project isn’t just about creating a conservative Christian alternative to the plethora of cycle and pregnancy tracking apps out there. It’s also about countering the evil perpetuated by those secular apps.

On a recent episode of “Relatable,” Allie shared the why behind Ana Kate by exposing how most popular cycle and pregnancy tracking apps boldly support abortion.

Allie begins by sharing a story from one of her friends who used the cycle tracking app called Natural Cycles. When she noted in the app that her last pregnancy was “unexpected,” she was suddenly inundated with “ads for abortion centers on Snapchat.”

“I do not know if Natural Cycles is selling that kind of data to those entities that are then selling that data to places like Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics to send you advertisements. … I do know, based on what Natural Cycles does say on their app, that they are pro-abortion,” says Allie.

“They have articles promoting abortion, directing its users to Planned Parenthood for abortions, and linking directly to their site."

Another popular cycle and pregnancy tracking app is Flo. Allie notes that according to the app site, “being able to access a safe abortion is a crucial part of health care.”

“Abortion is not health care because it is killing the life of a child,” she says.

Ovia is another cycle/pregnancy tracker used by millions of women.

“Ovia has an entire abortion section in its reproductive health library. Current articles include ‘What is a medical abortion and how to access one’ and ‘Preparing for pregnancy in states with abortion bans and restrictions,’” says Allie.

“Its post-abortion guide tells readers what emotions to expect after an abortion. It can also include, they say, immense relief,” she adds.

While the Euki cycle tracking app does include a pregnancy tracker, it nonetheless has information about abortion.

“They have a built-in abortion provider search,” says Allie, comparing the app to Ana Kate, which has “a pro-life practitioner directory search.”

Clue is yet another cycle tracking app that supports abortion.

“Clue was very against the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They said, 'At Clue, we strongly believe that the very personal decision to end a pregnancy should be made in the context of legal, regulated healthcare, with shame or fear of prosecution,”’ says Allie.

She explains that Flo also responded to the Dobbs decision by “launching an Anonymous Mode,” allowing users to use the app without linking their names, emails, IP addresses, or other identifiers to their health data.

“So they're trying to protect you from the big bad government, who wants to protect these babies inside the womb,” Allie says.

“Now, this is all opposed to Ana Kate,” she explains.

“Our tagline is ‘For women. For life.’ … We are for women in that we are for women. We exist for women. And we are for life. We are for the life of a woman, but we are also advocates for [life],” Allie shares.

“We believe that all babies, no matter the circumstances surrounding their conception, no matter their age, no matter their size, are fully made in God's image and should be protected fully … and we are not ashamed of that.”

To hear more about Ana Kate, check out the episode above.

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If you drive at night, you know the problem. An SUV approaches from the opposite direction, and suddenly its headlights hit you like a spotlight. You squint, look toward the edge of the road, and hope you can still see your lane. If a lifted pickup is riding behind you, your mirrors can become another source of blinding glare.

When you cannot see clearly behind the wheel, that is more than an annoyance. It is a safety concern.

Are American drivers benefiting from available lighting technology, or are regulatory differences making it harder and more expensive to bring that technology to market?

Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is preparing to modernize federal vehicle lighting standards after years of complaints about headlight glare. Announced October 6, the rulemaking effort will examine LED lighting, automatic high beams, headlamp height and aim, and other visibility issues affecting drivers.

If headlight technology has advanced so dramatically, why are the rules governing it still struggling to keep up?

Glaring problem

America's minimum and maximum headlight brightness standards have not changed since 1997. Since then, vehicles have gained advanced safety systems, cameras, and increasingly sophisticated lighting technology. Yet the federal rules governing headlights have struggled to keep pace.

Not every LED headlight is dangerous, and not every complaint proves a vehicle violates federal standards. But headlight design, vehicle height, and improper aim can affect how much light reaches another driver's eyes. The growing popularity of taller trucks and SUVs makes the problem especially noticeable to people driving lower vehicles.

Drivers should not have to choose between seeing the road and being able to look at it without being blinded. Automakers have spent years promoting smarter vehicle technology. It is reasonable to ask why headlights cannot do a better job of illuminating the road without compromising visibility for everyone else.

Blind spot

In 2022, the NHTSA authorized adaptive driving beam headlights, technology designed to adjust portions of the high-beam pattern to reduce glare for other drivers while maintaining illumination elsewhere on the road.

The concept is straightforward. Instead of simply switching between high and low beams, the system can modify where the light shines around other vehicles. That can help drivers see more of the road without directing the full beam into someone else's eyes.

But authorization did not lead to widespread adoption. U.S. requirements differed from those used in other markets, and systems available overseas did not automatically qualify for American roads. Those differences have slowed the introduction of adaptive headlights, which have been common in Europe for more than a decade.

Are American drivers benefiting from available lighting technology, or are regulatory differences making it harder and more expensive to bring that technology to market?

Safety standards matter, but regulations should solve problems, not create unnecessary obstacles to practical solutions. NHTSA needs to explain what it learned from the 2022 decision and how its new rules will avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Safety first

Blindingly bright headlights are certainly annoying, but are they dangerous?

A 2025 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that the danger may be overstated. Examining crash reports from 11 states between 2015 and 2023, researchers found that glare was cited as a contributing factor in just one or two out of every 1,000 nighttime crashes. That rate remained essentially unchanged over the nine-year period.

In fact, headlights have become considerably safer by several measures. In 2016, just one of more than 80 headlight systems tested by IIHS earned a good rating. By 2025, roughly half did. And the share producing excessive glare fell from 21% in 2017 to just 3% in 2025.

Better illumination has also been associated with fewer crashes. An earlier IIHS study found that vehicles with good-rated headlights had 19% fewer nighttime single-vehicle crashes and 23% fewer nighttime pedestrian crashes than vehicles with poorly rated headlights.

But IIHS acknowledges that crash reports cannot capture every instance of dangerous glare. The vehicles producing it often aren't involved in the resulting accidents, making it difficult to determine exactly what caused the problem.

Whatever the crash statistics show, drivers clearly aren't happy. A 2026 AAA survey of 1,092 American adults found that 60% considered headlight glare a problem, while 73% of those affected believed it had gotten worse over the previous decade.

Those responses are not proof that glare is causing more crashes, but they demonstrate that the concern is widespread.

Both sets of findings belong in the discussion. Regulators should measure real-world safety outcomes while investigating why so many drivers report the same problem. Dismissing those complaints is no more responsible than claiming every bright headlight is unsafe.

RELATED: Volkswagen bet big on EVs. Now it's making room for gas-powered SUVs.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Bright future?

NHTSA's review should focus on measurable results. Can headlights illuminate the road effectively without creating excessive glare? Are lamps properly aimed? Do vehicle height and lighting design create predictable problems for other drivers? Can adaptive systems be tested consistently and approved without unnecessary barriers?

Automakers, safety researchers, lighting experts, and drivers should have a voice in developing standards that manufacturers can meet and regulators can enforce.

Drivers can help, too. Dirty windshields, damaged lamps, improper headlight aim, and unsuitable aftermarket lighting can make visibility worse. But consumers cannot fix outdated federal standards on their own.

The goal should not be to make headlights weaker. It should be to make them smarter, more effective, and less likely to blind other road users.

Washington now has another opportunity to modernize rules that have fallen behind automotive technology. The question is whether regulators will deliver sensible standards that improve visibility or create another complicated process that leaves drivers facing the same problem.

What do you think? Are today's headlights dangerously bright, or is the problem being overstated? And should automakers be required to adopt smarter lighting technology when it can reduce glare without sacrificing visibility?

Numerous politicians reported receiving letters with a suspicious substance on Friday, including Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating numerous letters that were sent to state election officials and congressional offices, according to a spokesperson for the USPIS.

'Political violence has no place in our democracy, and we hope those who perpetrated this crime are brought to justice.'

"Like has happened across the country, my Minnesota office was sent a letter containing a suspicious substance, and we were promptly notified by the Capitol Police and postal inspectors," Klobuchar wrote in a statement on social media. "Thanks to the postal workers and investigators who identified and intercepted it, no one in our office was in immediate danger."

A similar letter was sent to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer but was intercepted by law enforcement officials.

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said his Sioux Falls office also received the suspicious letter.

"Our Sioux Falls office will be closed for the remainder of the day as SFPD continues to investigate and will reopen for normal hours on Monday morning," he wrote. "This situation is deeply concerning and follows a trend of intimidating tactics that impact our team members. This has no place in our nation. America is better than this."

He posted an image showing that the return address read "DSA," which could stand for the Democratic Socialists of America.

Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan said her letter also read "DSA" and contained an "unidentified white power."

"Today I learned that my office was the intended recipient of a suspicious letter containing an unidentified substance in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to cause harm to me and my staff," wrote Rep. Analilia Mejia, a Democrat from New Jersey.

Others who reported receiving the threatening letters include Democratic Rep. Sarah Elfreth of Maryland, Democratic Rep. Kelly Morrison of Minnesota, Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, and Florida Democratic Reps. Maxwell Frost and Darren Soto.

"Political violence has no place in our democracy, and we hope those who perpetrated this crime are brought to justice," Soto said on social media.

RELATED: Hundreds of threatening letters containing white powder sent to GOP lawmakers in states that passed laws unfavorable to LGBT activists

"We are committed to protecting our nation's election officials from threatening and dangerous mail. Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable," said USPIS deputy chief inspector Brendan Donahue.

"Our partners, including the FBI and we at the Postal Inspection Service, will bring all of our resources to bear on these investigations," he added.

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A Fox News Digital reporter got a sharp rebuke from the husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) when asked about her whereabouts.

The reporter challenged Tim Mynett to comment on rumors that Omar fled the country after her home was raided Monday for an investigation into alleged immigration fraud.

'My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee. ... No concerns.'

Mynett was seen walking the couple's dog Teddy on Wednesday, but he refused to answer the reporter's question.

"There are rumors that the congresswoman left the country. Is that true?" the reporter asked.

"You guys are annoying the hell out of all the neighbors around here, man," Mynett replied.

"I just wanted to get your response to everything that's been going on, that's all, and what the president's saying about the net worth and the investigation," the reporter said. "Just giving you a chance to respond."

Video of the interaction was posted to social media.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social the accusations related to financial disclosure discrepancies that Omar had filed. On Tuesday, District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told Fox News that her office was investigating the financial allegations of malfeasance.

Omar has not made any public appearances since the targeted raid by Homeland Security Investigations on Monday, prompting some to speculate that she fled the country.

Mynett previously defended Omar from allegations that she married her brother in order to obtain immigration status.

"My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee," he told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. "No concerns."

RELATED: MS Now reporter tries to cover for Ilhan Omar — and accidentally makes the case for mass deportation

Omar responded to the raid via her social media account, where she accused the president of abusing his office to attack his political opponents.

"I'm ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," she wrote Monday.

"For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns," she added. "This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced."

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In a recent appearance on Keke Palmer’s podcast, Kamala Harris explained away her chilling laugh as an endearing family trait, before leaving the door wide open to yet another presidential campaign.

“I’m aware of the, whatever the memes are about, you know, my laugh. Well, look, I was raised in a family that included very powerful women who laughed from their bellies,” Kamala said.

“And powerful, I mean, they were powerful in their space. They were powerful in their family and their community, not necessarily titles and money. But you understand my point,” she continued, as Palmer nodded.

“And they would sit around the kitchen table with their coffee, laughing loud laughs, and that’s how I laugh. And the people that I respected laugh the same way,” she cackled.

Kamala continued, “And everybody else, you know what they can do,” before pivoting to discuss her “joy.”

“Those who try to take your joy are trying to make you weak. And that’s where my fight comes in. I know what you’re trying to do,” she added.

“What do we try to do?” BlazeTV host Pat Gray asks, genuinely confused.

Jeff Fisher notes that following Kamala’s mini-monologue on her laugh, Palmer responded to her that she was “so brave.”

“She grabbed a Kleenex and everything,” he adds.

But laughter isn’t all the pair discussed. In a follow-up clip, Palmer asked Kamala if she’ll be running for president in 2028.

Kamala laughed maniacally before answering, “I haven’t decided.”

Gray doesn’t believe her, commenting, “What a liar.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind she’s going to run,” he adds.

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An Illinois man allegedly pretended to threaten to shoot a group of Muslim women and allegedly made derogatory remarks before getting arrested by police.

One of the women said she was trying to enter the park at Lake Opeka in Des Plaines when a man confronted her and insulted her, a police report said.

The police report said he told the women to leave the US and demanded one woman remove her face covering.

He tried to get between her and the park, but she walked around him and joined the group, Des Plaines police said.

The man approached the group at the playground and reached for his waistband to make it appear as if he had a weapon, police claimed. He allegedly pointed at them as though he had a gun and threatened to shoot the women.

"[He] told the women that they looked like Muslim 'monkeys' and 'ninjas' and that they needed to leave the country," the police report stated.

The police report noted that the women were wearing hijabs and long sleeves at the time. The police report said he told the women to leave the U.S. and demanded one woman remove her face covering.

Police later identified the man as 44-year-old Matthew R. Kindle, and he was arrested after they witnessed him yelling at another person.

He allegedly made comments referring to "white power" and allegedly made more derogatory comments about the women while he was detained. According to the report, Kindle identified himself as a white Christian and claimed to be half German and half Italian.

Kindle also claimed to police that "a group of women approached him and made a derogatory comment towards him," the police report said.

The Cook County State’s Attorney's Office approved a slew of charges against Kindle that included three felony counts of disorderly conduct/hate crime and three felony counts of aggravated assault/hate crime.

He was also charged with misdemeanor counts that included aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting a peace officer.

Kindle had previously been charged for domestic battery in 2019 after allegedly beating and kicking a woman.

RELATED: VIDEO: White woman accuses 'brown' man of sex trafficking his 6-year-old daughter — gets arrested for hate crime, police say

simpson33/Getty Images

The Council on American-Islamic Relations applauded the hate crime charges.

"No one should ever have to fear for their safety, let alone face threats of gun violence and white supremacist bigotry, while simply walking or spending time in a public community park," reads the statement from CAIR-Chicago executive director Ahmed Rehab.

"Law enforcement have a duty to take action against hate with a swift response and pursue appropriate felony hate crime charges in this alarming case," he added. "Bigotry-fueled harassment targeting women based on their faith and appearance is a direct threat to the safety and fabric of our communities. We stand in full solidarity with the victims and will continue monitoring this case to ensure that justice is fully served.”

State Rep. Justin Cochran, a Democrat, called the incident "sickening" and addressed the alleged victims, according to Journal & Topics.

"I will say this to my neighbors directly: You belong here," he said. "That is your park, this is your city, your district as much as it is anyone's."

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Jason "Mayhem" Miller has seen the highs and lows that fame can bring, and now the former MTV star and UFC fighter has some advice for young men: Put down the phone and toughen up.

Miller, 45, compiled a 23-10 record with one no contest over a colorful MMA career that included two stints in the UFC and fights against future champions Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping.

'Pick yourself up.'

Washing out the weakness

He was also one of MMA's great showmen, cultivating a villainous persona and making elaborate cage entrances that owed as much to professional wrestling as mixed martial arts.

"Mayhem" eventually crossed over to MTV as host of "Bully Beatdown," which ran for three seasons.

Then things fell apart.

In Miller's words: "I crashed out spectacularly. I was the first crashout in internet history."

After years of arrests, incarceration, addiction, and erratic behavior, Miller says he eventually managed to pick himself back up. Now he thinks young men need to learn how to do the same.

"Oh, it's you," Miller said before an interview with Blaze News.

With a shower running in the background, he put his camera down and announced, "I'll be a couple minutes."

He wasn't out partying. Miller was at Fight Science in Los Angeles, where he coaches.

The truth is, "Mayhem" still messes around quite a bit, even during interviews. But when he puts on his coaching hat, he starts dispensing advice that, in his words, "could fill your ears and your podcast servers for an infinite amount of time."

Determined to dump enough knowledge into young men's ears to "wash out the weakness," Miller said he's been stunned by how sensitive the country has become.

"Everyone is so soft in America now. I'm shocked at it. I'm really shocked at it," he said. "Our culture celebrates" falling into "this dark path because it's easy to fall into."

Young men can't simply rely on the status quo to provide them with a satisfying life, Miller argued. They have to make something happen for themselves.

RELATED: Sydney Sweeney wants you to prove yourself in a whole new way

Dumping the 'rectangular girlfriend'

Schools force-fed kids a diet of "whatever" and then kicked them into the job market, Miller said.

"Oh, you're going to college? Oh, if not, here's an Uber Eats job, right? Like, here's your damn miserable existence for a while, and you're going to be swiping right all day till your thumb is arthritic."

But Miller insists that misery isn't destiny.

"Nobody's going to talk back to you until you start hustling. Pick yourself up," he told young men.

Go to the gym, Miller emphasized. Get some endorphins into your body. That's the least a young man with "no drive or motivation" can do.

Much of Miller's advice comes back to phone addiction and the device he variously calls the "magic square in your pocket" and the "rectangular girlfriend."

"It's not your girlfriend. Those girls that you're looking at are not your girlfriend. They're not even real. They're two-dimensional," Miller warned.

"Put that square back in your pocket. Use it for making money. And then talk to women face-to-face. Ten of them are going to tell you, 'Get lost.' The next one is going to tell you she loves you. So get after it, kids."

RELATED: Kid Rock appears to cave to critics of Eminem collaboration — then hits 'em with the punch line

Ethan Miller/Getty Image

Battle-ready

Miller also tells young Americans that some of the problems that feel overwhelming can be confronted only through deliberate effort.

"OK, 'I'm mad.' Is that real? Or can you count to 10 and take a breath?" he offered as an example. "'Oh, I'm sad.' Are you sad, or have you not worked through this trauma yet? You know, it takes effort to grow as a person."

Spending too much time with a computer doesn't help, Miller argued. And for all the advice he can dispense, he thinks one lost art matters more than most.

"You talk, and everybody shares their opinion. That's a lost art in America. You know, that's why the kids are lonely and [masturbating] and watching whatever all day. You know what I'm saying?"

Miller's rise, collapse, and recovery are the subject of a recent Vice episode of "Dark Side of the Cage," which has drawn hundreds of thousands of views since its September release.

These days, Miller describes himself as "leading men into battle" — on the mat and with enough advice, he says, to "fill the multiverse."

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The corporate media are lining up once more to harangue the fans of Chick-fil-A, implying that they are homophobic for eating chicken sandwiches.

The occasion for this latest effort is the first broadcast interview with the company's CEO, in which he talks about how his Christian faith guides the mission of the chicken sandwich company.

'They’re welcome to come eat with us. We’d love to give them a great-tasting sandwich and give them great hospitality.'

"It is our anchor, in the sense of what our corporate purpose states: that we’re in business to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that’s entrusted to us and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A,” Andrew Cathy said.

The interview with Craig Melvin of "Today" was very cordial, but it has inspired headlines claiming newly outraged critics of the company.

Melvin asked Cathy to respond to LGBTQ-identifying people who have boycotted the Christian company's chicken sandwiches over gender, sexuality, and marriage issues.

"Well, for anybody that hasn’t tried us, we’d love for you to come try and have our great-tasting food and the hospitality that we’re known for," Cathy responded. "I think that everybody that will be willing to walk in the door, they’ll see that they’re welcome to come eat with us. We’d love to give them a great-tasting sandwich and give them great hospitality."

Melvin pressed him about conservative statements made by the previous CEO, Cathy's father, in support of conservative Christian causes.

"We’re focused on serving everybody that comes in and eat with us," Cathy responded.

Critics in the comment section of an Instagram clip of the interview included Katie Couric, Valerie Bertinelli, and Chelsea Handler.

"Chick-fil-A CEO faces backlash after LGBTQ interview question," read the headline at WAGA-TV.

"Chick-fil-A CEO slammed over evasive answer about LGBTQ rights during Today interview," was the headline at Entertainment Weekly. That report included comments from two participants in a drag queen television show.

"Chick-fil-A boss grilled over LGBTQ rights as CEO dodges question about chain's controversial past — sparking a furious debate among customers," was the headline at the U.S. Daily Mail.

"Today show host leaves Chick-fil-A CEO spinning over company’s LGBTQ+ stance," claimed the headline at the Independent.

"Don't eat at Chick-fil-A. And don't sleep with anyone who does," was the headline of an opinion piece at Out magazine.

RELATED: Chick-fil-A gets support from surprising ally against religious discrimination from Buffalo

A Blaze News request for comment from Chick-fil-A was not returned in time for publication.

Melvin and his "Today" show co-hosts did not appear to join the boycott, as they hungrily munched on the sandwiches at the end of the segment.

Despite criticism from Valerie Bertinelli and two drag queens, the company manages to earn about $24 billion sales across the board last year, according to Melvin's report.

The Chick-fil-A CEO also proudly reported that the company provided more than 200 million meals for the hungry through charity efforts in the past six years.

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President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters at the White House that the armed individual who took down the deadly Oregon elementary school shooter the previous day "was a great hero," CNN reported.

“Well, I’ll tell you what. There was a great hero, and it could have been — as bad as it was, we had a great hero that went in and did the business," Trump said. "He took care of business."

'He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support.'

Trump added: “And thank God we had him; otherwise it would have been much worse. It’s a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it."

Oregon Live said a parent of a student or students at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend pursued the 16-year-old shooter inside the school Thursday afternoon after seeing him blast through locked doors with a long gun — and the parent “engaged” and killed the suspect just before police entered the school.

State and local officials credited the parent's actions with preventing further loss of life, the outlet said.

One source told Fox News that the bystander "definitely prevented more deaths." Federal law enforcement sources added to Fox News that the bystander has a concealed carry permit.

“Looks like the shooter has been neutralized — possibly shot by a father at the school,” emergency dispatchers said in Broadcastify audio, the New York Post reported.

RELATED: Teenager fatally shoots 3 children, teacher at Oregon elementary school before parent shoots gunman dead, police say

CBS News said the family of the man who took down the shooter issued a statement Friday identifying him as Kaylub Giamanco, a Bend resident with two daughters who attend Silver Rail Elementary School.

"He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support," the family said, according to CBS News.

Police said three children — ages 5, 8, and 11 — were fatally shot at the school along with a teacher, Oregon Live reported, adding that a 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured and taken to St. Charles Medical Center for treatment.

The teenage gunman has been identified as John Griffin Jr. III, according to CBS News, citing two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation.

The attacker used a shotgun his mother purchased, CBS News added, citing law enforcement sources.

A motive for the attack has not been provided, the news network reported, adding that the suspect was from Bend, but police have not said if he had a connection to the school.

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James Talarico wants Texas voters to see him as reasonable — but at a CNN town hall, the Texas Senate candidate faced questions about his past remarks on God and abortion that couldn’t be farther from reasonable.

“He could not help exposing himself for the radical leftist lunatic that he always has been,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales comments on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“I was actually surprised that they let some of these people take the stage and challenge James Talarico to the extent that they did. One of those was when he got fact-checked by a Catholic Texan after James Talarico claimed that the Bible is actually … silent on abortion,” she continues, playing a clip of Talarico from the town hall.

“The Bible is silent on the issue of abortion. It means you and I both have to look at different Scriptures to try to come to a conclusion," he said to his debate opponent.

“The Bible is not silent on abortion. There is the Ten Commandments: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ And as Catholics, we take great insult, I guess, sometimes when it’s described that way,” the opponent, a Catholic woman, replied.

“His face, he looks like, ‘Oh, s**t,’” Gonzales laughs.

But that wasn’t the first time Talarico was caught out.

His previous comments regarding God being “nonbinary” resurfaced, and Talarico attempted to brush it off as unserious.

“When I said that, I was being provocative. And I want to admit that and come clean about that,” he said.

But Gonzales doesn’t believe him.

“The first two lines of the Bible, the first two lines in Genesis, use two different Hebrew words to describe God. One is the masculine Hebrew noun for divinity. The second is the feminine Hebrew noun for spirit,” Talarico once claimed.

“God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is nonbinary,” he added.

“That didn’t seem like he was just trying to be provocative,” Gonzales comments. “That sounded like a very heartfelt statement from James Talarico.”

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On Friday, just days after Katie Zacharia's debut as White House press secretary, a White House senior official informed Fox News' Peter Doocy that she is "transitioning out" of the role.

The New York Times, citing three people familiar with the matter, subsequently reported that Zacharia had been fired.

'Welcome to the world of Trump.'

The White House did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

On the eve of her ouster, Zacharia had a particularly rough interview with Sean Hannity in which the Fox News host grilled her about failing the bar exam. President Donald Trump had referred to Zacharia as "an attorney" in his post announcing her appointment.

Zacharia explained that she graduated from law school the same week she got married and that she and her family soon afterward migrated to communist China. Before moving to China, she sat for the bar exam since she was already pre-registered and she wanted to avoid having "withdrawal status."

Hannity also pressed her about her "widely panned" 14-minute debut, in which she answered only three questions.

Trump told reporters on Friday that Zacharia, whom he regards as a "nice person," was being treated "pretty nastily" and that he told her, "You don't have to do this if you don't want. She said, 'This is a lot tougher.' I said, 'Welcome to the world of Trump.'"

"Katie is off to a start that — the news has been so nasty to her. I've never seen anything like it, actually," said Trump.

Although the president indicated that he would ultimately leave the decision up to Zacharia, he recalled telling her, "Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it, but I would reconsider."

RELATED: Katie Zacharia takes podium for the first time as press secretary — and Trump reacts

Jim WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Zacharia, who was named to the role last Friday, was the seventh woman in a row to head the White House press secretary office.

It's presently unclear who will take over for Zacharia following her five-day tenure.

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Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has come to the rescue of Abdul El-Sayed.

The firebrand leftist has dumped $1 million into helping El-Sayed's effort to keep a Michigan U.S. Senate seat blue against Republican Mike Rogers. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) did not seek re-election in 2026.

'I look forward to working with Abdul ... to build a politics that is free from the corrupting influence of corporate money.'

It's the latest sign that Democrats are worried that the race is too close in the final weeks of the campaign.

"I'm not waking up on November 4 wishing I did more to combat the smears aimed at Abdul," AOC said in a statement to the New York Times. "I'm leaving everything I can on the field."

The Times indicated it was an unusually large donation from a member of the House to support a U.S. Senate candidate.

Winning in Michigan is key to Democrats' hopes to retake control of the Senate from Republicans.

It may also be another example of Ocasio-Cortez trying to raise her national profile in anticipation of a possible presidential run in 2028.

AOC joined El-Sayed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Thursday. She also previously campaigned for El-Sayed in the Senate primary and when he ran for governor. Both El-Sayed and Ocasio-Cortez are considered to be in the extreme socialist fringe of the Democratic Party.

She raised $4.7 million in the third quarter, according to her financial filings, and has $17.4 million in cash going into October.

"Once he’s in Washington, I look forward to working with Abdul to guarantee health care as a human right for all Americans and to build a politics that is free from the corrupting influence of corporate money," she said, according to USA Today.

RELATED: Ocasio-Cortez gets hammered online over embarrassing mistake during CNN town hall

El-Sayed's victory over Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary was seen as a victory for the far-left fringe against the establishment of the party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York had backed Stevens, who lost by a narrow margin.

In recent polling for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, Ocasio-Cortez was tied with Pete Buttigieg in third place with 9%.

El-Sayed has a slim lead over Rogers, according to Blaze News' Poll Watch.

Michigan Senate polls 2026: El-Sayed vs. Rogers

Michigan Senate polls 2026: El-Sayed vs. Rogerspollwatch.theblaze.com

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Earlier this year, a nasty exploit plagued iPhone in what was called the “biggest iPhone threat in 19 years.” Unfortunately, several months later, that exploit is still causing trouble, and it is joined by another vulnerability, all aimed to steal money from some of the financial apps on your phone.

The two exploits are called Coruna and DarkSword, respectively. We covered both of them here on Blaze News, so you may have heard these names before. Both of them were problematic earlier this year, but a new report reveals that they are still plaguing users.

The easiest way to thwart bad actors is to keep your phone updated with the latest bug fixes and security patches.

Macworld describes the exploits as two sides of the same coin: “DarkSword/Coruna is a dual-edged hacking toolkit. DarkSword attacks WebKit and JavaScriptCore to access iOS’s SpringBoard that [manages] app launch and the Home screen. Coruna is the payload used to steal crypto wallet information.”

Together, the exploits are aimed directly at crypto wallets stored on users’ iPhones. Censys, the cybersecurity company that discovered the ongoing issue, got ahold of some of the data that an undisclosed hacker stole via these exploits. Among the recovered data from real victims, Censys found “11 victim recovery phrases, 179 device loot directories, and a 75-account control-plane roster.”

That is proof enough that these exploits are still dangerous to vulnerable users.

In addition to the collected data, Censys found evidence that another hacking group — this time based in China — is actively using the exploits to attack victims, though the report doesn’t say who or where.

So far, Censys found that bad actors using the exploits are targeting only 18 different crypto wallets, but several of them are popular in the United States. These include Coinbase, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Exodus, Bitpie, imToken, Phantom, Uniswap, and OKEx.

RELATED: Your iPhone has state-of-the-art security features. Law enforcement has a new way to disable them.

Hleb Usovich/Getty Images

The good news is that there are ways to protect your device and, by association, your crypto wallets.

Apple patched DarkSword earlier this year, but the fix only works if you have the correct software downloaded and installed on your device. To check, open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap “General,” followed by “Software update.” If the number that appears is iOS 26.3 or higher, you’re safe. If your device is running a lower version of iOS 26, or if you’re still on iOS 18 from the previous year, your crypto wallet could be in danger. Update your phone to the latest version available now.

As for Coruna, this exploit mostly affected older devices from iPhone 5s to iPhone 11. If you still have one of these devices, make sure you have updated it to any of these iOS versions or better, depending on the model of your phone:

• iOS 26.3.1
• iOS 18.7.5
• iOS 16.7.14
• iOS 15.8.6
• iOS 12.5.8

Both exploits have also been fully addressed on the newest version of iOS 27 that launched this fall. Along with optimal protection from bad actors, iOS 27 comes with a number of interesting features, including the new Siri, better parental controls, and a more accessible Visual Intelligence.

Although these exploits are still rearing their ugly heads, the easiest way to thwart bad actors is to keep your phone updated with the latest bug fixes and security patches. This way, even if there is a problem, Apple can address it on your device as quickly as possible and keep your data safe.

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A sports bar that called itself a hub of the queer community in Philadelphia is closing its doors after just over a year.

The bar was meant to serve as a counter to businesses that prioritize male sports on its TV screens over women's, a common origin story for these types of bars.

'More than ever this city needs more women/queer/BIPOC-owned businesses.'

In September 2025, owner Chivonn Anderson opened Marsha's, named after Marsha P. Johnson, a man the New York Times described as a "transgender pioneer and activist."

Anderson told the Philadelphia Inquirer at the time that she opened her bar because she couldn't find a place in Philadelphia that would put on the 2019 Women's World Cup.

However, despite its desire to be an inclusive location, the bar faced claims from former employees that they were mistreated, with one saying the bar was disparaging toward female employees.

As reported by the Advocate, that employee had claimed a manager said that women and nonbinary employees were "overly emotional" and should be replaced with men because the venue needs "more testosterone."

Anderson denied the claims, but vowed to speak with independent human resources and DEI consultants to hold her bar "accountable."

RELATED: 'Equality' in pay and 'everything' bar for women's sports opens in Seattle

Watch Me! Sports Bar, Long Beach, California, 2024. Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The bar invited patrons for its "final weekend" in an Instagram post this week, saying that it was closing its doors for good.

"We have loved serving this community, and still believe that more than ever this city needs more women/queer/BIPOC-owned businesses. We sincerely hope that someone is able to step up and fill this void," Marsha's wrote.

Anderson provided bizarre statements to the Inquirer when the bar launched, saying she wanted to open a place for those who want to "go out and have fun and feel safe and be seen."

Followed by, "It's kind of like you're going to your favorite aunt’s house to indulge in the things you know you're not supposed to when you're at home," Anderson continued. "A little bit of drinking, a little bit of good food, and being around people who want to have just as much fun as you do."

RELATED: The strange masculinization of American women

The Sports Bra, Portland, Oregon, 2024. Amanda Loman/Getty Images

Marsha's inception story was similar to that of Seattle women's sports bar Rough & Tumble. For that venue, owner Jen Barnes said in 2022 that she couldn't find a bar that would turn on a women's soccer game because it was on at the same time as a Seattle Seahawks NFL game.

Rough & Tumble has since reportedly opened a second location in Seattle, while other women's sports bars have found success in other cities, like Portland, where the Sports Bra has been open for a couple of years. The Sports Bra now has plans to open another in bar in Boston.

Long Beach, California, has the Watch Me! Sports Bar, which has enjoyed two years of business, as well.

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Millions of Americans have spent their working lives paying into Social Security, counting on the government to deliver the retirement benefits they were promised — and that promise isn’t being kept.

BlazeTV host Nick Freitas argues that it’s because Social Security operates less like a traditional retirement account than a system that uses today’s workers’ contributions to pay today’s retirees, leaving future generations to shoulder an increasingly difficult burden.

“There’s been a lot of … Boomers that have said, ‘Well, of course, we, you know, younger people should pay more taxes in order to make sure Social Security is solvent,’” Freitas says.

“Social Security,” Freitas says, “essentially operates like a Ponzi scheme.”

“Now, when I say this, people get mad at me. But I want you to understand why these are the things which are actually going to throw us into a massive fiscal and monetary crisis, because when people paid in, it is perfectly reasonable for somebody that was forced to pay into Social Security their entire life to want to be able to pull from Social Security because they were promised it,” he explains.

“The problem is you were promised a bad program,” he says, “because in a typical retirement program, the money goes into a productive industry. It accrues interest while things are being built and being produced that are actually making the economy better.”

“They act like it’s just another retirement program, but in reality, all the money you put into Social Security was already spent,” he continues.

“It wasn’t sitting somewhere accruing interest. It wasn’t funding productive projects that actually yielded profit. It wasn’t doing any of that. It wasn't doing any of the things a private retirement fund would do for you. It was just paying the people that were already collecting Social Security,” he adds.

This is why he equates it to a “Ponzi scheme.”

“Because now the critical part is we don’t have enough people working. When Social Security was first put into existence, there was something like 45 workers for every one person drawing Social Security,” he explains, noting that “it’s about to be three to one.”

And in addition, Freitas points out that “the left brings in a bunch of people that don’t pay taxes or actually go on to other welfare benefits.”

“Now they’re a net drain on the economy,” he adds.

“Making the Argument with Nick Freitas” is available on BlazeTV+, YouTube, and major podcast platforms.

Start watching Nick Freitas NOW at blazetv.com and use the promo code NICK for $20 off your BlazeTV+ subscription.

“The View” crew blew a gasket over Shane Gillis’ “Saturday Night Live” monologue mocking scantily clad gym gals. At the same time, they dabbled in actual misogyny.

Even by “View” standards, it was peak hypocrisy.

Biden, the actor said weeks before the president melted down during his final debate, was 'sharp as a tack.'

The hosts trashed Katie Zacharia, who by most accounts had a rough debut as the new press secretary. She’s a Republican, so she’s fair game to “The View.” And that’s fine. We expect the show’s partisanship to trump any “girl power” collegiality.

It’s baked into the nutty cake.

Except the hosts suggested that Zacharia slept her way into the position. Co-host Alyssa Farrah Griffin asked how she “got through the door” to become the new press secretary.

“I’ll tell ya how she got through the door,” Sara Haines said, sparking laughs from the oh-so-feminist crowd and co-hosts.

Titter-titter. Chuckle-chuckle. What’s more empowering than women insisting other women got work through sexual favors sans proof? Let’s hope Gillis doesn’t riff on Kamala Harris’ early days in politics. He might get canceled yet again …

Conspiracy bleary

The truth is out there, but you’ll need a Hulu subscription to find it.

Director Ryan Coogler’s “X-Files” reboot landed on the streamer this week. The project stars Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel, taking over for Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. The actors play entirely new characters in the series, but it looks like Mulder and Scully will make appearances along the way.

Imagine the new conspiracies the show can tackle! The government spreads massive lies about a China-born infection … a foreign country teams with a political rebel to win an election … a U.S. president’s cognitive decline is hidden for four straight years.

Or the show could bring in the son of the Smoking Man. We’ll see …

Did he stutter?

Well, that was awkward.

Michael Douglas has done it all in his 82 years, at least from a Hollywood perspective. Oscars. Acclaim. Nepo baby-ism. What a life.

What hasn’t he done? Sit with someone willing to debunk his boilerplate Democrat views. He got that chance, finally, when Joe Rogan read him, and his audience, the riot act on progressives gone wild.

An open border? No honest primaries for year after year? And, most specifically, they covered up for a president who clearly had some form of dementia.

You know the thing.

Rogan was on a roll, but the most awkward element of their exchange dealt with Biden’s obvious decline. Why? It wasn’t long ago when Douglas was part of the Biden cover-up.

Biden, the actor said weeks before the president melted down during his final debate, was “sharp as a tack.” Douglas even cited Biden’s “stutter” excuse that mysteriously appeared over the past few years after decades in D.C.

Douglas appears to be legitimately “sharp as a tack,” thank goodness. Let’s hope he took away some lessons from the exchange …

RELATED: Shattered by socialism: 'Escaping Venezuela' offers a warning for Mamdani's America

Yamil Lage/Getty Images

Laugh track

Chuck Lorre blames a Hollywood writers' strike for the end of democracy.

Sort of.

He framed it that way in his new book, a memoir called “Sitcom.” After all, Lorre has made more than a few modern classics, from “The Big Bang Theory” to “Two and a Half Men.”

Credit where credit is due.

The far-Left Deadline.com pressed Lorre on that hyperbolic phrasing, tied to the 2007-2008 WGA strike that helped spark a crush of new reality showcases.

Like “The Apprentice,” starring Donald Trump, he insinuated. Except Lorre might be bad at math, since “The Apprentice” debuted in 2004.

The strike, he said, “brought about these enormously profitable, cheap-to-produce reality shows … and that ultimately led to a show like 'The Apprentice,' which probably would never have seen the light of day had it not been for that.”

Who knew a reality show could end the greatest nation on earth?

Either way, Lorre could ask Young Sheldon for help on his math skills …

Air ball

What the world doesn’t need is another John Oliver. One is one too many, culturally speaking. But former NBA star Blake Griffin sees the far-left HBO host as a model, of sorts, for his new sports-themed late-night show.

“The Stepback with Blake Griffin” soon bows on Amazon and YouTube, with Griffin hailing Oliver as his role model.

The funniest part? Someone thinking late-night TV is the future and itching for a seat at the table.

A 16-year-old male fatally shot three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, Thursday afternoon before a parent shot the gunman dead, OregonLive reported, citing police.

Police said the fatally shot children were ages 5, 8, and 11, the outlet reported, adding that a 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured and taken to St. Charles Medical Center for treatment.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) praised school staff, parents, and first responders, along with the community member 'who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life,' Fox News reported.

Oregon Live added that a parent of a student or students at the school pursued the teen inside the school after seeing him blast through locked doors with a long gun, and the parent “engaged” and killed the suspect just before police entered the school.

State and local officials credited the parent's actions with preventing further loss of life, the outlet said.

One source told Fox News that the bystander "definitely prevented more deaths." Federal law enforcement sources added to Fox News that the bystander has a concealed carry permit.

“Looks like the shooter has been neutralized — possibly shot by a father at the school,” emergency dispatchers said in Broadcastify audio, the New York Post reported.

Officers arrived within three minutes of the first emergency call, Fox News said, adding that moments later, an officer reported that a "community member" had shot the suspect.

"Our officers entered the building and confirmed the suspect was dead," Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said during an evening news conference, according to Fox News. "They cleared the school to ensure there were no additional threats and then rendered emergency aid to the victims."

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) praised school staff, parents, and first responders, along with the community member "who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life," Fox News reported.

"Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well," Kotek added, according to the cable news network.

RELATED: 'Heroic' bystander who fired at gunman suspected in deadly shooting at Idaho In-N-Out shares how he prepared for the danger

Krantz said investigators did not yet know how far the shooter had gone inside the school or if he knew anyone at the school, Fox News said, adding that police were also looking into whether the teen previously attended Silver Rail Elementary.

More from Fox News:

The first emergency call came at 12:59 p.m. from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by someone carrying a long gun, Krantz said. Dispatchers then received dozens of calls reporting that a shooter had entered the school.

Dispatch sent an alert summoning all law enforcement at 1 p.m. Responding officers directed the school to lock down at 1:01 p.m., and the first officers arrived at 1:02 p.m.

Officers found five people dead at the scene, including the shooter. All victims’ families had been notified, Krantz said.

Bend police, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond police, Oregon State Police, and federal law enforcement partners evacuated the building room by room.

Students and staff were transported on school buses to Journey Church to reunite with families and guardians, the cable news network said, adding that the process was still under way at the evening briefing.

Silver Rail Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Bend-La Pine school district, Fox News said, adding that the school enrolled 459 students during the 2024-2025 school year.

All Bend-La Pine schools, activities, and athletic events were canceled Friday, the cable news network said.

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said crisis counselors would be available at the Central Library for students, families, employees, and anyone in the community needing support, Fox News reported, adding that authorities said they planned to hold another news conference Friday afternoon.

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Kid Rock says critics on both sides of the political divide don't want him working with Eminem.

The outspoken Trump supporter recently announced a collaboration with his longtime friend and fellow Detroit musician, who can't stand the president. But after receiving backlash over the pairing, Kid Rock announced that Eminem would no longer appear on the track.

'It will probably not make you very happy to hear ...'

Hate mile

There was a catch, however.

Kid Rock (Robert Ritchie) and Eminem (Marshall Mathers) go back decades, long before politics put them on opposite sides of the Trump divide.

Eminem hammered Trump in a 2017 freestyle, the first of several public attacks over the years that followed.

Eminem was originally set to appear on "7 Sins," a track from Kid Rock's upcoming album, "Halfway 2 Jesus." But on Wednesday, Kid Rock announced a change.

"There's been some people on the internet and whatnot, like there always is, that don't seem to be too thrilled about my old friend of almost 40 years, Eminem, doing a song with me on my new album," Kid Rock said in a video.

"You folks will probably be happy to hear that he's no longer on '7 Sins.'"

But Rock quickly added some bad news for all those politics-obsessed busybodies: Rapper Lil Wayne will replace Eminem on "7 Sins," while Eminem will appear on another song, "Heal My Faith," on the same album.

"It will probably not make you very happy to hear that Eminem is still on the album. He's just on another song now," Kid Rock said, pointing to his updated track listing.

Kid Rock had recently said that despite their political differences, he still respects Eminem, as well as artists like Taylor Swift, for standing up for what they believe in.

RELATED: GUITAR HERO: Metallica front man puts music before political 'bulls**t'

Potty-mouthed pals

"We said years ago, we said, 'Man, let's not let politics divide us.' And we never did. And so when I asked him to be part of this ... he totally got it," Kid Rock told Fox News in an interview.

"Two little foul-mouthed white rappers from Detroit maybe could set a good example for the rest of this country," he added.

Ritchie called Eminem a "class act" and said political differences are part of what makes the United States a great country. He added, however, that he doesn't believe artists should turn their concerts into political events.

Metallica singer James Hetfield recently expressed a similar sentiment, telling fans in Las Vegas that his band wanted to bring people together to forget about the outside world, rather than make them pay to hear a political discussion at a rock concert.

RELATED: Trends come and go, but Randy Travis is 'Forever'

Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Nature is healing

Ritchie and Mathers reportedly met in Detroit's rap scene in the early 1990s. Despite some initial friction, the two grew to respect each other.

Kid Rock's 1998 breakout album, "Devil Without a Cause," eventually sold more than 14 million copies and featured a then-little-known Eminem on the song "F*** Off." The two have not collaborated on a released track since.

In his 2018 song "The Ringer," Eminem admitted he had been "watchin' my fan base shrink to thirds" following his attacks on Trump.

In his original 2017 freestyle, Eminem drew a line "in the sand," effectively telling fans they had to choose between him and Trump. But in "The Ringer," he appeared to have second thoughts, asking, "Was it even worth it?"

Eminem has continued to criticize Trump, although his political commentary has become less central to his music.

Kid Rock, meanwhile, has increasingly embraced both his Christian faith and conservative politics, the latter reflected in songs like "We the People."

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