Latest news with #Swamp
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football QB DJ Lagway speaks at 2025 SEC Media Days
It was the Florida Gators' turn at the podium on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta during the 2025 SEC media days event, and among the members of the Orange and Blue to take the stage and field questions from the press was starting quarterback DJ Lagway. The topics on hand ranged from Lagway's offseason recovery from some nagging injuries to expectations for the upcoming campaign. He also discussed his relationship with the coaches and fellow team members, including fellow SEC media days representatives Jake Slaughter and Caleb Banks. Below is a look at an abridged transcription from Lagway's moment in the spotlight at the 2025 SEC media days event, focusing on his responses most germane to the Orange and Blue. Where are you looking to grow personally — whether a mechanical or mental perspective? "I'm definitely looking to improve on more coverage recognition and knowing where the defense is going to be and truly knowing their responsibilities and also knowing my teammates' responsibilities better." Last year, LSU came into the Swamp. You basically helped lead them with one good leg. What do you remember about that game? "I remember that whole week it was a lot of ups and downs mentally, just figuring out what's the plan going to be, if I'm going to even be able to be out there. But once we hit Thursday, it's time to lock in — we've got to go get this W, doesn't really matter. "Playing against a great LSU team, they were good last year. And I'm excited to go to Death Valley this year, and it's going to be fun." What were the most challenging things about getting on the field in the SEC as early in your career as you did? "I would say the most challenging thing was really just time management, going from being in high school and then going to SEC, big-time college football, it's a big difference. Especially where I'm from a little town,Willis, Texas, it's a big difference. "Once I got adjusted to that and adjusted to knowing the offense and knowing where my people were at, that's why I'm excited for this year because I know where my people are at. Now I can know where the defense is at and get better at that." What do you remember about that Texas A&M game? How much are you looking forward to playing this year at Kyle Field? "I'm definitely excited to go back play at Kyle Field. I've been in, like, a lot of games at Kyle Field. For me to be able to play in one that's going to be surreal, having all my family, my teammates, my classmates, my coaches, teachers all of them being at the game, it's going to be fun." As a freshman, most players don't come in thinking they have to kind of put the world on their shoulders. But when you were kind of thrust in there, that's exactly what happened. For sure. How much did speculation about Coach Napier and his job status actually impact you? "When I'm out there playing, I'm just thinking about playing ball. I'm worried about trying to figure out, my freshman year, trying to figure out where my guys were going. Every time I step on the field, that's when life just kind of stopped for me. It's, like, playing ball and just being just in the moment. "My biggest thing last year, I always wanted to get into some kind of flow state. Flow state is where you're just moving, it's just natural, everything happens naturally. That's where I wanted to be at every game." What is it like to play in front of the fans in the Swamp? "Words can't even explain it, playing in the Swamp. The fans bring it each and every Saturday. I'm just thankful to be a part of it, and be able to be in the Swamp, and they're rooting for us and chewing us and giving us that true advantage." How much confidence does your first-half performance against UGA last season give you going into this year's matchup? "It gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, it doesn't matter who really is out there. It's all about us. It's all about how we prepare and how we go out there and treat the week. "Watching that game, after I got hurt, it was the hardest thing. I hated that. I just wanted to be out there with my guys. That's all I want to do is just play football. Seeing that, it was hard. But definitely giving me the confidence for next year to go out there and play." Having guys like Jake and Caleb return, having that continuity with upperclassmen, does that raise internal expectations for you? "I'd say not expectations. We're not really worried about that. We're just worried about one day at a time and just loving on each other, getting better. That's really what it's about. And the brotherhood that we've built and the camaraderie that we have is just amazing. I'm excited just to showcase it to the world." How will Jadan Baugh play a role in the offense this season? "Jadan Baugh is a huge part of the offense. I'm excited for him. He's been working his tail off this offseason. He's definitely going to help us a lot this year." Aside from something like leadership, what do you think your best attribute is as a quarterback? Do you have anybody that you model yourself after? "My best attribute as a quarterback is really just — I'd say just my, as people would say, I guess my aura, confidence, and just the way I portray myself on game day. My teammates always joke around about, like, they say that I'm a totally different person on game day. It kind of oozes out of me. And it's just great to be able to be that formy guys." Looking around the conference at some of the other quarterbacks, how would you evaluate the level of play at the quarterback position? "There's a lot of good quarterbacks in the SEC right now. It's just great to see, to be able to competeagainst some of them and to watch them further their careers and stuff like that down the road. I'm excited for them. Always praying for them." How do you manage the pressure of being the starting quarterback at UF, especially after the way you played last season? "I always say that pressure is a privilege. Once you have privilege, that means people are counting on you to do big things. I'm always excited when people say pressure. That's why I just love the game day atmosphere because it feels like all eyes are on you and you've got to put on a show. That's what I'm excited for." How do you internalize and handle that pressure? "The way I handle pressure and all that stuff, I kind of prepare during the week like crazy. And preparation leads to confidence. So once I get to Saturday, I already know that I put all the work in and did what I needed to do. And kudos to the coaching staff. "They prepare us like crazy, Coach O'Hara and Coach Napier, they put together a plan for the quarterbacks and the team in general. When we get out there, we already know what's going to happen, dang near. So it's great." How do you think your faith helps you as a leader, especially through the ups and downs of a typical football season? "I definitely say faith is a huge part of my life. Having God as the foundation has been wonderful because, as you said, there's a lot of ups and downs on the football field, even in life, but having that foundation tokeep me strong is beneficial." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Fox News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
DAVID MARCUS: Trump is flunking his MAGA base's Jeffrey Epstein test
President Trump once famously quipped that he could shoot a man on 5th Avenue and his strongest supporters would stay with him. For nearly a decade this has seemed true, but today, the president may have stumbled on the exception, in the sickening form of the Jeffrey Epstein case. It turns out that Epstein is a major test for Trump in the eyes of his MAGA warriors. They want real answers from this administration, not fumbled document dumps and dismissive comments from the president himself, as we saw this week. Now, we have FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino who is apparently threatening to resign over the debacle, if Attorney General Pam Bondi doesn't go first and a bewildered MAGA base that feels it is being insulted and lied to by its government, again. To be sure, Epstein was an awful human being who preyed on poor underage girls for decades, according to testimony from the Ghislane Maxwell trial (which I covered in the courthouse), as well as a wealth of other evidence. But for most Americans, his crimes and suspicious death are a mere curiosity at this point. It is much, much more for hard-core MAGA. For them, it is nothing less than a test to determine whether or not the Swamp that has lied to our faces for decades is still in control. This week, Steve Bannon said the only way the Epstein story goes away is if "the 5 to 10 to 15 percent of the Trump movement, the Pepes and hardcores," finally just say, "I've had enough of it." He added that the basic question is, "who is running the country?" Likewise, at the TPUSA convention in Florida this weekend, which is led by Trump ally Charlie Kirk and is as pure a distillation of the core MAGA movement as exists, my sources tell me that Epstein is very much the top topic of concern. But why did this curious case of this infamous creep and his private island become a synecdoche for all government lies in the mind of MAGA? In other words, how did Epstein become the symbol of deep government corruption? For one thing, the notion Epstein was allowed to kill himself inside a federal prison has always strained credulity. From missing video to conflicting medical exams, there have been legitimate questions about how a man rumored to have damaging information on powerful people and ties to the intelligence community could turn up dead in federal custody. While officials assured the nation there was nothing to see, MAGA seethed. "Epstein didn't kill himself" became not just a meme and a mantra, but a declaration that we've been gaslit by our government. There is also the matter of Bondi seeming to indicate that there was an Epstein client list in a Fox News Channel interview, only to now say it doesn't exist. She says she was talking about the file writ large, but it didn't sound that way at the time. Bongino, in recent weeks, along with FBI Director Kash Patel, told us that a video from the prison is proof positive that this was suicide, but it turns out there was a missing minute of footage, and the video may have been doctored. This was after Bondi all but hijacked a group of influencers in the spring at the White House, handing out binders purporting to share new bombshell information that turned out to be as exciting as a list of grandma's baking recipes. On top of all of this, we have President Trump himself, visibly annoyed in the White House, this week when asked about Epstein, "Are you still talking about this guy…this creep?" Trump asked. Well, yes, Mr. President, they are. All in all, the administration's handling of the Epstein case has been about as transparent as a brick wall, one that appears to be crumbling. Trump has expressed concern in the past about innocent people being listed in Epstein documents, as happened to attorney Alan Dershowitz and others, and according to Elon Musk, both Trump and Bannon appear in this evidence, though Musk offers no proof of this. This may be a reasonable concern, but after decades of blatant lies and stalled prosecutions of Epstein, Trump's hardcore supporters want more than assurances. They want to see the documents. They want to see everything. And this is a central part of Trump's appeal, his promise to open up the hood and expose the broken-down, deep-state engine of government. But promises are not enough. Where are the results? When are we going to Fort Knox as promised, for example? A breathtaking hallmark of the second Trump term has been extreme transparency. The president takes questions almost daily, and answers with candor. Except, it seems, when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein. For a quarter-century now, the Epstein case has been a combustible cocktail of power, greed, private islands and sexual abuse. It has ushered in both careful examination and wild conspiracy theories, and the only way to separate the two is with complete sunlight onto the evidence. For President Trump, this may be the first time he is risking the loyalty of his longest, strongest supporters, and for a populist political movement that is pure poison. The time to release everything is now, the future of MAGA may depend on it.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ted Cruz Caught on Vacation Abroad During Texas Tragedy—Again
It's a Beast of a time in Washington. Donald Trump's D.C. reality show is full of new characters, plot twists, and cliffhangers, and the Daily Beast will navigate you through it. The 47th president won't need to drain The Swamp. It's all leaking here… Never miss another secret from the D.C. ooze by signing up here to get The Swamp direct to your inbox.. The Swamp can exclusively reveal that Ted Cruz stayed in Greece and continued to sightsee as rescuers scoured the floodwaters in Central Texas that killed at least 100 people, including 27 campers and counselors from a summer camp. The Texas senator was spotted visiting the Parthenon in the Greek capital, Athens, with his wife, Heidi, on Saturday evening. That was a day after Camp Mystic announced that more than 20 girls had gone missing in the floodwaters. On Saturday, July 5, at about 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET)—more than 24 hours after the Guadalupe River burst its banks—Cruz and his wife were spotted by a Swamp spy lining up outside the iconic tourist site. 'He was with his family and a lone security guard,' said an eyewitness at the Parthenon. 'As he walked past us, I simply said, '20 kids dead in Texas and you take a vacation?' 'He sort of grunted and walked on. His wife shot me a dirty look. Then they continued on with their tour guide.' While Cruz admired the Doric columns of the fifth century B.C. ancient Greek temple, emergency workers were still searching for summer campers and families caught in the flash floods that cascaded through Texas Hill Country and inundated the Guadalupe River. It is not the first time that Cruz has faced criticism for holidaying while his constituents have faced a natural disaster. In 2021, Cruz took his family on a trip to Cancun, Mexico, after Texas was hit by a winter storm that left millions in his state freezing without power or water. At the time, the senator defended his sunshine flight by saying he wanted to be 'a good dad' but returned because 'it didn't feel right.' The death toll has now topped 100 from the Texas deluge, which began Friday, July 4, and is one of the deadliest floods in over a century. Cruz is understood to have landed in Athens on Thursday, the day after the Texas Division of Emergency Management announced that it was activating state emergency response resources. On the day Cruz touched down in Europe, NPR reported that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a press conference—as acting governor—warning of the 'potential flooding' that would hit overnight. The following day, on Friday, July 4, the lieutenant governor was forced to call a second press conference to address the scale of the disaster. 'My name is Dan Patrick, lieutenant governor, acting governor, the, uh, governor's out of state today,' he began. 'On a day which is usually for celebration. It's a very tough day in Texas. We had a disastrous flash flood.' In Athens, it was a calm and sunny day, peaking at 93F. Cruz didn't get a plane back to Texas until Sunday. He was at the scene of the flooding in Kerrville, Texas, on Monday morning. The senator told a press conference he was on the phone to state officials within hours of the flood. 'In the first few hours of this flood, I was on the phone with Governor Abbott, was on the phone with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, I was on the phone with Nim Kidd, the head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, and then I called President Trump,' said Cruz on Monday morning. 'He was having dinner at the time, it was still early in what was transpiring, and I wanted him to know. I said, Mr. President, from everything we're hearing right now, this appears to be bad, really bad. 'There may be a very significant loss of life unfolding right now in Texas... The president said, 'Ted… whatever assets you need, whatever resources you need, yes, let us know, and we will provide everything.' 'Within hours, we had over a dozen helicopters in the air, National Guard, DPS, game wardens, Coast Guard, doing search and rescue.' However, it appears that Cruz still managed to enjoy some of the sights of Athens after this phone call. On Monday, Cruz also appeared live on Fox & Friends from Kerrville, Texas, in the area worst hit by the disaster and posted a number of messages on X. 'There aren't words to describe the grief that Texans are feeling. Pray for Texas and Kerr County.' He told reporters he picked up his own daughter, Catherine, from a camp just down the road from Camp Mystic. 'We picked up our youngest daughter [Catherine] last week from camp, five miles away,' he said. 'I will tell you I've been speaking to moms and dads, number one, of kids who are still missing and the agony of not knowing where your daughter is—there's nothing like that.' In January, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was widely criticized after she traveled to Ghana while wildfires raged through California, leaving 29 people dead and more than 180,000 buildings destroyed. Cruz's staff refused to offer comment on the record to The Swamp before publication but wanted to go off the record, to which The Swamp agreed, believing that Cruz's aides were speaking to us in good faith. Our initial report therefore reflected their claim that it had been impossible for Cruz to get a flight until Sunday. After we published, Cruz's communications director Macarena Martinez posted on X that she had spoken to the Daily Beast and said, 'A bulls--- piece published by a bulls--- rag outlet with no credibility, and with no regard for the tragedy in Texas. The Senator is on the ground in Texas and arrived as fast as humanly possible. I explained all of this to their two-faced reporter.' Notably Martinez denied none of the facts of The Swamp's revelations. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. The Swamp is written by David Gardner, Farrah Tomazin, and Sarah Ewall-Wice. This exclusive extract from this week's edition of The Swamp is just a taste of the delicious secrets we reveal every week. Sign up here to never miss an edition.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
EA Sports ranks the Swamp just outside the top five in their toughest places to play
The Swamp is one of the loudest, rowdiest, most intimidating environments in all of college football–so why isn't it ranked higher? In its latest College Football 26 "Dynasty Deep Dive" feature, EA Sports unveiled the top 25 toughest stadiums to play in, with Ben Hill Griffin Stadium checking in at No. 7 overall. Advertisement The ranking puts the Florida Gators behind other SEC schools like the LSU Tigers (No. 1), Georgia Bulldogs (No. 4) and Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 5). While that's respectable company, many Gators fans would argue that Ben Hill Griffin Stadium deserves to be higher–especially considering its reputation for shaking with noise during prime-time games and high-stakes SEC showdowns. Night games in the Swamp, especially during rivalry weeks or title chases, have produced unforgettable moments and collapses by opposing quarterbacks. It's why coaches, players and media alike consistently rank Florida among the most brutal road trips in the nation. Here are the top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports. Top 10 toughest places to play according to EA Sports EA Sports College Football 26 release date information EA Sports College Football 26 releases July 10, with early access beginning July 7. The game marks another season of the beloved college football franchise, complete with real player likenesses, coaches and realistic stadium atmospheres. Advertisement Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: EA Sports ranks the Swamp No. 7 in toughest stadiums list
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Raskin investigating Trump meme coin event
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) has opened an investigation into President Trump's meme coin dinner that took place last week and asked the White House to disclose the names of the attendees, warning that foreign governments could be attempting to curry favor with the president through cryptocurrency acquisitions. 'I write today to demand that you release the names of all the attendees at this dinner and provide information about the source of the money they each used to buy $TRUMP coins, so that we can prevent illegal foreign government emoluments from being pocketed without congressional consent,' Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, wrote in a late Wednesday letter to Trump. Raskin, who has often criticized the president's foreign dealings, argued that the disclosure of the names of the individuals who attended the May 22 private dinner at Trump's golf club will inform the public about 'who is putting tens of millions of dollars into our President's pocket so we can start to figure out what — beyond virtually worthless memecoins — they are getting in exchange for all this money.' The White House did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. The letter comes as Vice President Vance addressed the crypto industry at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas this week, telling attendees to bolster their involvement in politics. The sector's heavy hitters spent north of $200 million to back crypto-aligned candidates during the 2024 election cycle. 'Take the momentum of your political involvement in 2024 and carry it forward to 2026 and beyond. Don't ignore politics, because I guarantee you, my friends, politics is not going to ignore this community, not now and not in the future,' Vance told the crowd on Wednesday. Fairshake, a pro-crypto Super PAC, and its two affiliates announced in late January that they have $116 million in cash on hand, preparing their war chest for the 2026 midterms. The dinner last week was limited to 220 attendees. The event drew $148 million in purchases, according to crypto firm Inca Digital. Presidents have long attended private dinners to fill the coffers of their political committees, but last week's event will likely benefit Trump family-affiliated businesses, according to Raskin. The buyers at the dinner were not required to file disclosures, as would be the case when donating to political committees. 'Profiting off the memecoin is just the latest in a bewildering gamut of schemes in which you and your family have profited after your return to office and what you call 'the Swamp,'' the Maryland Democrat said. The White House has previously said the private event does not constitute a conflict of interest, saying that Trump's assets are managed by his sons in a blind trust. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the occasion 'is not a White House dinner' and that Trump was attending it in 'his personal time.' Raskin also highlighted in his letter that a Chinese-born crypto mogul Justin Sun invested $75 million in World Liberty Financial, a Trump family venture, after the president won the 2024 presidential election. Then in February, the Securities and Exchange Commission asked a court to halt a suit against Sun for two months. The businessman has faced market manipulation charges since 2023. Sun confirmed that he is the biggest owner of the meme token at the dinner. 'Foreign nationals — who are not allowed to donate a dollar to your presidential campaign under federal election laws — are now purchasing access to you by buying millions of dollars of your personal memecoin,' Raskin wrote. 'Moreover, given the opaque nature of the cryptocurrency buying process, there are few ways to ensure that the money used to purchase your memecoins are not from foreign governments or illegal proceeds in connection with terrorism, drug and human trafficking, money laundering, or other illegal activities,' the Democratic lawmaker added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
