NSA director and Cyber Command chief fired in major shakeup at agency
The Trump administration fired National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and civilian Deputy Director Wendy Noble, according to a report.
The reasons for the firing remain unclear as of early Friday. They were first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.
Haugh also served as commander of the U.S. Cyber Command – a position from which he was also dismissed. Noble was reassigned to serve in the office of the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, according to the Post.
Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, top Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence committees, reacted to the alleged firings late Thursday night.
TRUMP ADMIN MOVES TO MORE EASILY FIRE FEDERAL WORKERS AT 2 AGENCIES: REPORT
Himes, a ranking member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he is “deeply disturbed” by Haugh’s dismissal.
“I have known General Haugh to be an honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first—I fear those are precisely the qualities that could lead to his firing in this Administration,” he said in a statement, adding an “immediate explanation” is needed for this decision.
Warner, the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, described Haugh’s firing as “astonishing” in a statement.
TRUMP CONFIRMS NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FIRINGS AS WALTZ’S SIGNAL CHAT WOES SNOWBALL
“General Haugh has served our country in uniform, with honor and distinction, for more than 30 years. At a time when the United States is facing unprecedented cyber threats, as the Salt Typhoon cyberattack from China has so clearly underscored, how does firing him make Americans any safer?” Warner said.
The senator described Haugh as a “nonpartisan, experienced leader” and said it is astonishing that President Donald Trump would fire him before holding “any member of his team accountable for leaking classified information on a commercial messaging app.”
He continued, “even as he apparently takes staffing direction on national security from a discredited conspiracy theorist in the Oval Office.”
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Warner is appearing to refer to Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who reportedly presented Trump with a list of disloyal National Security Counsel staff members who should be fired.
An undisclosed number of NSC employees were dismissed on Thursday, but Trump has said Loomer was not involved in those firings.
Fox News Digital reached out to the NSA for comment but was referred to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Country to impose 34% retaliatory tariff on all goods imported from US
China announced Friday it will impose 34% tariffs on the U.S., just days after President Donald Trump unveiled the same amount against Beijing under his reciprocal tariff plan.
The new China tariffs against the U.S. will go into effect on April 10, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“The U.S. announced tariff hikes on imports from many countries, including China, under the pretext of reciprocity. This gravely violates World Trade Organization rules, and undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system. China firmly rejects this and will do what is necessary to defend our legitimate rights and interests,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a briefing in Beijing yesterday.
“We have emphasized more than once that trade and tariff wars have no winners. Protectionism leads nowhere. We urge the U.S. to stop doing the wrong thing, and resolve trade differences with China and other countries through consultation with equality, respect and mutual benefit,” he added.
CHINA THREATENS TO RETALIATE AFTER TRUMP TARIFF WAVE CRASHES
The 34% tariffs announced against China on Wednesday come in addition to the 20% tariffs already imposed against the country by the Trump administration.
“We knew this was going to be a little bit bumpy in the beginning, but let’s understand what it’s about. It’s about fairness. It’s about America first, not America last,” Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., told FOX Business this morning.
“We have been getting the short end of the stick for years and it’s important that Americans understand this. These are reciprocal tariffs. We have been tariffed. Our goods are tariffed. We are always at an unfair disadvantage with these countries so it’s going to be a little bumpy, they are going to cry, they are going to yell,” he continued. “I spoke to the president personally yesterday, he was telling me that already, countries are coming to him saying ‘lets work this out, we can make a fair deal, we can do better.’ We will. Everybody just hold on a little bit, be a little bit strong, Wall Street will come back. But this is also about Main Street, this is about making things in America.”
Trump touted his sweeping tariff plan at a “Make America Wealthy Again” event, arguing that it will restore the American dream and bolster jobs for U.S. workers.
CONSERVATIVE LEGAL GROUP SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER CHINESE IMPORT TARIFFS: ‘CONGRESS NEVER AUTHORIZED’
“American steel workers, auto workers, farmers and skilled craftsmen,” Trump said from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday afternoon. “We have a lot of them here with us today. They really suffered, gravely. They watched in anguish as foreign leaders have stolen our jobs, foreign cheaters have ransacked our factories, and foreign scavengers have torn apart our once-beautiful American dream. We had an American dream that you don’t hear so much about. You did four years ago, and you are now. But you don’t too often.”
“Now it’s our turn to prosper, and in so doing, use trillions and trillions of dollars to reduce our taxes and pay down our national debt,” he continued. “And it will all happen very quickly. With today’s action, we are finally going to be able to make America great again, greater than ever before. Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country, and you see it happening already. We will supercharge our domestic industrial base.”
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The trade announcements have sparked uncertainty about the cost of goods to Americans, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed aside Tuesday during a press briefing, arguing the tariff plan “is going to work.”
Brown University student may face charges for using AI to expose ‘bulls— jobs’
A sophomore at Brown University is facing the school’s wrath after he sent a DOGE-like email to non-faculty employees asking them what they do all day to try to figure out why the elite school’s tuition has gotten so expensive.
“The inspiration for this is the rising cost of tuition,” Alex Shieh told Fox News Digital in an interview.
“Next year, it’s set to be $93,064 to go to Brown,” Shieh said of the Ivy League university. Brown’s website estimates the total charges to attend the school for the 2025-2026 school year is even higher at $95,984.
“‘And I think that’s crazy,” he added. “I don’t understand why it costs that much. And I never understood why it cost that much, but then I did some digging and I discovered that the reason why the price of college in general across the nation, but also particularly at Brown, has been rising over the past few decades. Far outpacing inflation is because we’re adding on administrative staff faster than we’re adding students, faster than we’re having professors, administrators.”
IVY LEAGUE STUDENT ACCUSED OF CAUSING ‘EMOTIONAL HARM’ TO NON-FACULTY STAFF FOR SENDING DOGE-LIKE EMAIL
The total cost of attending Brown University for the 2019-2020 school year was $78,706.00, a 3.62% increase from the previous year. It’s risen steadily since then and is projected to be nearly $96,000 in the 2025-26 school year.
Using AI during some free weekends in March from a common room in his dorm’s basement that routinely floods whenever it rains – making plastic tarps for the shared work and leisure space a necessity for a school that charges students around $90,000 per year -Shieh set out to determine what Brown employees did and why the school was so expensive.
He formatted his site to identify three particular jobs: “DEI jobs, redundant jobs, and bulls–t jobs.”
Shieh said he wanted to look into DEI because of President Donald Trump’s executive orders and his administration threatening to withhold federal funds to universities with DEI policies.
Shieh created a database of the 3,805 non-faculty employees of Brown University. He also emailed them asking them, “What do you do all day?” Shieh wrote that he identified myself as a journalist for The Brown Spectator, a dormant on-campus libertarian journal that a group of students is planning to relaunch.
“I used AI to sort of give them rankings to see how useful or not useful they might be,” Shieh said.
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“But the thing about AI is that it always works better when you have more data,” Shieh said. “So I decided to email all these administrators so that I could get more data, in their words, about what they do, what their job is. Simple questions like that, because I thought that could just help make my model even more accurate.”
The response to his query was not what he expected.
“People seemed to get very upset,” Shieh said. “Brown told the administrators not to respond to my email. And instead, I just got a lot of hostile replies.”
In an op-ed published Tuesday in Pirate Wire, Shieh said that only 20 of the 3,805 people emailed responded, with some replies allegedly saying, “f–k you,” and another directing Shieh to “stick an entire cactus up [his] a–.”
“I had my social security number leaked by somebody who I imagine is probably a rogue administrator, because I don’t know who else would have my social security number,” Shieh said.
Shieh said he is facing several possible disciplinary charges as part of a preliminary review from the school, including claims of emotional and psychological harm, invasion of privacy, misrepresentation, and violation of operational rules.
Just the News published a redacted version of the Preliminary Review Notification, which accused Shieh of accessing “proprietary University data system which maintains confidential human resources, financial, and student information and used this information to produce a publicly available website, resulting in emotional distress for several University employees.”
Dominic Coletti, student press program officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), is working with Shieh on the matter.
“There is not yet a clear allegation the firm has given of exactly what the information is, that is, confidential,” Coletti added. “There’s not a clear allegation of exactly how these emails or this database invade an employee’s privacy or inflicted emotional or psychological harm.”
Coletti said the charges of psychological harm are unclear.
“The misrepresentation charge is actually particularly galling from FIRE’s perspective as advocates for free speech and free press because the allegation there is maybe the most substantiated, but it’s also the most specious in my opinion, which is that by requesting or by representing himself as a reporter for the Brown Spectator, Alex was misrepresenting himself because Brown doesn’t recognize the paper, which is absurd on its face, right?” Coletti said.
Similarly, Coletti said, the claim of misrepresentation doesn’t make sense. It’s related to The Brown Spectator no longer being a student group.
“Brown doesn’t recognize the New York Times or Fox News or any number of other outlets because they’re not student groups, but that doesn’t make a student who reports for those outlets any less legitimate a reporter than Alex was here,” Coletti said.
For Shieh, he just hopes that his story will help bring reform to the education system.
“I would say that I think the charges are ridiculous. And I think people agree. I mean, like, Elon Musk just reposted this,” Shieh said. “I think people across the country realize that the price of education is out of control. And I think the fact that Brown is telling people not to respond, that they’re doing all this other action against me, shows they’re trying to hide something, and I think that people can see right through that.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the university about whether Shieh is facing any punishment, but did not immediately receive a response.
In a previous statement to Fox News Digital, an university spokesperson said, “In the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 18, emails were sent to approximately 3,800 Brown staff members noting the launch of a website that appeared to improperly use data accessed through a University technology platform to target individual employees by name and position description.
They added, “The website included derogatory descriptions of job functions of named individuals at every job level. While the emails were framed as a journalistic inquiry, the supposed news organization identified in the email has had no active status at Brown for more than a decade, and no news article resulted. We advised employees, many of whom expressed concerns, not to respond, and evaluated the situation from a policy standpoint. That review has informed the steps we’ve taken since. Due to federal law protecting student privacy, the University cannot provide additional details, even to refute the inaccuracies and mischaracterizations that have been made public. We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.”
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American student’s passport seizure abroad raises red flags for vacationers
The seizing of an Iowa college student’s passport while under investigation in the Dominican Republic is a cautionary tale for Americans traveling abroad, who an expert said should be vigilant about protecting their travel documents.
Last month, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe’s passport and cellphone were confiscated as investigators tried to piece together missing spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki’s final moments. Hotel surveillance footage revealed Riibe was among the last people to see Konanki alive before the University of Pittsburgh student disappeared on a Punta Cana beach after a night of drinking with friends.
After Konanki’s disappearance, Riibe, who authorities said was never a suspect, was holed up inside the Riu Republica Hotel under the watch of local authorities.
Riibe, a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, remained in the Dominican Republic, unable to travel back to America, for approximately two weeks before he was able to head home.
AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT SUDIKSHA KONANKI’S DISAPPEARANCE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE
The high-profile debacle came to a head inside a Dominican courtroom, as Riibe sat alongside his father and a translator while lawyers argued over the conditions of Riibe’s hotel room detainment. The issue surrounding the return of Riibe’s passport was scheduled for a later date, potentially forcing Riibe to remain in the country for a second court appearance.
“Ever since my passport was taken, it’s very rare I’m alone,” Riibe testified before a Dominican judge. He later added, “I can’t go anywhere. I really want to be home. Hug my family and friends.”
While Riibe’s lawyers had said his passport was confiscated, prosecutors argued that he lost it.
Following the initial court proceedings, Riibe was able to obtain a provisional passport from the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic.
MISSING AMERICAN IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: KEY WITNESS JOSHUA RIIBE LEAVES COUNTRY
On March 19, Riibe boarded a JetBlue flight from Santo Domingo to San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the end of his nightmare abroad. However, Riibe’s escape hit a brief snag when he was held in Puerto Rico over the new passport not being properly stamped, NotiCentro reported.
Last week, a Dominican judge ruled to officially close Riibe’s case, granting the habeas corpus motion filed on behalf of the key witness.
“On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riibe, the Prosecutor’s Office of La Altagracia informed him of their readiness to return his passport,” Riibe’s attorneys said. “While Joshua appreciated this decision, he chose, for privacy reasons, to apply for a new passport at the U.S. Consulate, which was promptly issued.”
Although Riibe was able to obtain a replacement passport and subsequently return home, his experience serves as a warning for Americans who may be asked to hand over their passport for a multitude of reasons while in another country.
MISSING AMERICAN IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: WHAT’S NEXT FOR WITNESS JOSHUA RIIBE AFTER COURT RULING
Travelers could be asked to forfeit their passport or other identifying documents by foreign law enforcement or as collateral while enjoying an excursion, according to Kate Gladdin, an expert in international travel safety.
“The reality is there are some bad fruits out there that see tourists and can very quickly get [them] in a vulnerable position because they don’t have their government,” Gladdin told Fox News Digital.
“One thing I can say, flat out, is to never hand your passport over as a form of deposit, ever,” Gladdin said. “There are stories where they’re like, ‘Oh, you want to hire this jet ski? OK, we can take your passport just as a deposit that you’ll come back.’ Do not [do it]. Put it in your safe and leave it there until [the end of your trip].”
The risk of forfeiting identifying documents is an issue that hits close to home for Gladdin.
In 2012, Gladdin’s sister, Nicole Fitzsimons, was killed in a motorbike accident while vacationing in Thailand with her boyfriend, Jamie Keith.
Fitzsimons, 24, was riding on the back of the bike when a driver riding on the wrong side of the road careened into the couple’s vehicle.
“She [was rushed] into surgery,” Gladdin told Fox News Digital. “We had all our hearts and toes and fingers crossed that she was going to be OK, but unfortunately we did lose her in that surgery.”
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But Fitzsimons’ death wasn’t the end of the nightmare for the grieving family.
Keith’s Australian passport was seized by Thai authorities, ultimately barring him from leaving as the investigation remained ongoing.
“Unfortunately, the police tried to see it differently and put us in a really uncomfortable, hard and challenging situation where they took Jamie’s passport,” Gladdin said. “There was no justice in Nicole’s death.”
Gladdin also suggests vacationers carry copies of their identification documents, in the event their belongings are lost or stolen.
“Every country is different,” Gladdin said. “You have to take your safety into your own hands, because the rules might not always be there. But without those rules, we are without protection.”
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The family’s fight to bring Keith home, while also grappling with the death of Fitzsimons, led Gladdin down a path of teaching parents how to instill travel safety habits in their families.
“Travel is one of the most eye-opening things we can do,” Gladdin said. “But help them make educated choices. I’m not against travel, but I’m for educated travel.”
Gladdin also points parents toward federal resources aimed at keeping Americans safe while traveling abroad. The State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program provides vacationers with the opportunity to register their trips with the government, in the event something goes wrong.
“[Officials] can quickly update and get in contact with you regarding any safety or security information – whether it’s like an impending cyclone or a terrorist threat – that they need to get you out of a country quickly, if they know you’re there,” Gladdin said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.
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Gladdin’s passion for travel safety and educating parents was born from tragedy, but she insists it does not have to be that way for other families.
“Lying on the floor of my sister’s closet, choosing out her funeral dress rather than helping to choose her wedding dress – there are no positives in that,” Gladdin told Fox News Digital. “I think finding purpose in what you’re going through, [by] leaning towards problems that are surrounding you and [finding] what you can do to help solve them. My family created a purpose in Nicole’s death by looking at the problem of travel safety and doing whatever we could to solve it.”
Dem silent as aide attempts to intimidate, block FOX News’ question about violence
Far-left Democrat Jasmine Crockett of Texas watched silently as an aide got into a Fox News Digital reporter’s face and attempted to intimidate him from asking a question about whether Democrat rhetoric has contributed to the ongoing spate of violent attacks against Tesla owners and dealers.
After weeks of Democrats condemning Elon Musk for his role at DOGE, there have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is treating the incidents as “domestic terrorism.”
Bondi warned Crockett in particular to “tread very carefully” after she called for Elon Musk to be “taken down” during a “Tesla Takedown” event.
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In light of this, a Fox News Digital reporter asked, “What’s your response to the attorney general saying you’re threatening lives with your rhetoric against Musk and Tesla?”
Crockett, who was surrounded by aides and security personnel, did not answer the question, but an aide approached the reporter, getting right into the camera, prompting the reporter to ask, “Why are you in my face?” to which he responded, “I’m not.”
“[I’m] just asking her a question, she’s an elected member of Congress,” the reporter said, to which the aide responded, “Talk,” without moving any farther away.
“Congresswoman, do you see any connection to you saying you want to take down Musk to the violence that’s going on in the streets?” the reporter asked.
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Crockett did not respond or make eye contact, but her aide continued to stare intently at the reporter as they walked away.
Notably, Crockett, whose recent controversial statements have attracted a great deal of attention and criticism, appeared to be escorted by a Capitol police officer despite previously advocating for the “defund the police movement,” calling it a movement of “healing.”
Crockett’s remarks came during a nationwide call with the Tesla Takedown movement, a self-described “peaceful protest platform” calling for Tesla owners to sell their vehicles and for all to dump their stock in the EV provider.
“On March 29, it’s my birthday,” Crockett told the group in reference to a “Global Day of Action” intended to hit back at the company.
HUNDREDS OF ‘TESLA TAKEDOWN’ PROTESTS ERUPT NATIONWIDE: ‘MOVEMENT OF ANGER AND HATE’
“All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,” she added. “I have learned, as I serve on the DOGE Oversight committee, that there is only one language that the people that are in charge understand right now, and that language is money.”
Crockett went on to clarify that her calls to action are “nonviolent” and are about figuratively “fighting” for democracy.
“We know that we are peaceful, loving people, and this is not about violence,” she added.
However, the continuing incidents of firebombing, vandalism and even a shooting at Tesla dealerships bring the peaceful nature of the anti-Tesla movement into question.
JONATHAN TURLEY WARNS DEMOCRATS ‘SHREDDING’ THEIR OWN BELIEFS WITH ‘DANGEROUS’ ANTI-MUSK CAMPAIGN
Amid the Justice Department’s crackdown on the violence, three people accused of damaging Teslas and EV charging stations now face up to 20 years in prison for alleged “domestic terrorism.”
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“People need to know that the three people in custody right now … will receive severe and swift consequences. … We are not coming off these charges. We are looking at everything, especially if this is a concerted effort. This is domestic terrorism,” Bondi said.
Archaeologists discover proof of Bible verse at holiest site in Christianity
Proof of an ancient garden, consistent with biblical scripture, has emerged at the holiest site in Christianity — and an archaeologist says “many surprises” from the site are in the works.
Archaeologists excavating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the ancient church in Jerusalem situated where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried, recently found evidence of ancient olive trees and grapevines. The specimens date back roughly 2,000 years.
The discovery echoes the New Testament verse John 19:41, “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.”
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Francesca Stasolla, an archaeology professor at the Sapienza University of Rome, confirmed the findings with Fox News Digital on Wednesday. She said the proof of the ancient garden came in the form of seeds and pollen.
Calvary, the site where the church stands, had multiple uses in ancient times, including being used as a quarry.
While the exact age of the organic material has yet to be determined, Stasolla said the pollen and seeds date back “in between the use of the quarry and the Roman age, when the area had a funerary use.”
“The quarry had to be gradually abandoned and as the stone extraction ended it was used for agricultural areas and tombs,” Stasolla said. “This must have been what it looked like in the 1st century A.D.”
ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER ‘CREEPY’ PUPPETS IN ODD LOCATION: ‘THIS THING ALMOST MOVED’
Stasolla also mentioned that many artifacts have been found at the site so far, with some dating all the way back to the Iron Age. The discoveries attest to the area’s status as a pilgrimage location since the fourth century.
“Ceramics, metals, glass… [all] document both the occupation of the area and the presence of believers and pilgrims,” she noted. “The excavation’s [aim is to gain] knowledge [about this] significant area of the city of Jerusalem.”
“And this is what it is giving back,” she added. “An area that, from a certain moment on, becomes central in the Christian cult.”
The excavation, first reported by the Times of Israel, is the first major restoration project at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in nearly two centuries. The diggings are “taking place in all areas of the church common to the religious communities,” Stasolla said.
The church was founded in 326 A.D., though the original fourth-century structure was destroyed by Islamic ruler al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in 1009 A.D.
The site was taken over by Christian Crusaders nearly a century later, and Stasolla said that the still-standing church is largely the work of the Crusaders.
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“The current church is that of the Crusader reconstruction, but the whole church is a composition of historical phases from the fourth century to the modern age,” she described.
When asked if she felt that the discovery echoes John 19:41, Stastolla agreed, though she drew a line between archaeological research and theology.
“Archaeology provides us with data that must then be historicized and interpreted,” she said. “In this case, it documents an agricultural use of the quarry… [the Bible quote] is certainly suggestive [of this].”
Stasolla also emphasized that the excavation work is “still in progress, and the study will reserve many surprises.”
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“It is certainly a strategic excavation for the knowledge of the development of the city and its process of sacralization in a Christian key,” she said.
Infamous musical festival’s comeback looks like ‘new disaster,’ expert warns
Fyre Festival 2 is looking like a “new disaster” after a second Mexico government on Wednesday denied knowledge of the second attempt at the music event that previously failed, scamming guests out of thousands of dollars in 2017, according to a public relations expert.
Billy McFarland, creator of the disastrous original Fyre Festival eight years ago, was sentenced to six years of prison time for his financial crimes, though he only ended up serving about four years from 2018 to 2022.
McFarland is in the process of planning a comeback with Fyre Festival 2, which was originally scheduled to take place in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, between May 30 and June 2 but was moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, just weeks before the start date.
However, in a translated statement from the Playa del Carmen government posted to social media, the city said that “[i]n response to rumors about a supposed event called ‘Fyre 2,’ we inform you that no event of that name will be held in Playa del Carmen.”
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“After a thorough review, there is no record or planning of any such event in the municipality,” Playa del Carmen said. “This government acts responsibly and with a commitment to safety, public order, and social harmony. All official information will be disseminated through our institutional channels.”
McFarland posted a video of a press conference he and his team held in Playa del Carmen on March 28, which included government representatives from the area.
CONVICTED FYRE FEST FRAUDSTER BILLY MCFARLAND’S RETURN TO MEXICO ‘SOUNDS LIKE A TICKING TIME BOMB’: EXPERT
“I’d like to thank all of my partners for making this happen. We have a few sitting here on stage. … I’d also like to thank the special guests in the audience. We have special representatives from the Secretary of Tourism, Secretary of Economy, the Secretary of Security and Civil Protection,” McFarland said in his opening statement.
CONVICTED FYRE FESTIVAL FRAUDSTER RETURNS, CHARGING $1M TICKETS TO MUSIC EVENT
He continued: “Our relationships with Playa may be new, but I know I speak for the rest of the team when I say we couldn’t ask for a better group of people.”
The Playa del Carmen statement comes a little over a month after Isla Mujeres — the original Fyre Festival 2 event location — published a similar statement in February, denying knowledge of the music and lifestyle event.
“Due to information circulating in the media regarding the ‘FYRE FESTIVAL II,’ the General Directorate of Tourism of Isla Mujeres informs that no person or company has requested permits from this office or any other Municipal Government department for said event,” the Isla Mujeres government posted in a Feb. 26 statement on its Facebook page.
Thomas Mustac, senior publicist at Otter Public Relations, told Fox News Digital that Fyre Festival 2 “possesses all the characteristics of a new disaster,” despite McFarland’s claims that it will be a successful comeback.
“People doubt the second edition of the festival because of its previous performance failures. The second edition of Fyre Festival possesses all the characteristics of a new disaster,” Mustac said. “When companies cause harm to their stakeholders they reach their worst state because stakeholders become impossible to win back.”
FYRE FESTIVAL FOUNDER BILLY MCFARLAND BREAKS SILENCE IN FIRST TV INTERVIEW
Christena Garduno, CEO at Media Culture, also said the change of venue for Fyre Festival 2 is a “major red flag” and “serious misstep from a consumer trust and marketing standpoint.”
“For an event that’s already facing immense skepticism due to the disaster of the original Fyre Festival, consistency and transparency should be top priorities,” Garduno said. “Instead, changing the location so late in the game only fuels uncertainty and reinforces the perception that this event lacks proper organization and credibility.”
Garduno noted that some attendees may have already “booked flights, accommodations, and made non-refundable travel plans based on the original location.”
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“A sudden change not only creates logistical headaches but also puts people at risk of losing money—a situation eerily reminiscent of the original Fyre Festival debacle. Trust is everything in event marketing, and right now, consumers are being given more reasons to doubt rather than believe in Fyre 2’s legitimacy,” she said. “Ultimately, this location switch isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a glaring indication that the festival is struggling behind the scenes.”
She suggested that McFarland “act fast—offering full transparency, refund options, and clear communication.”
“Otherwise, Fyre Festival 2 is already on its way to being another cautionary tale in the world of event marketing,” Garduno said.
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Mustac similarly said Playa del Carmen’s denial of the event’s relocation raises “more doubts among the public.”
“The incident demonstrates weak operational planning because there is no clear direction and no proper coordination,” he explained. “Facebook pages together with websites maintain an overwhelming stream of negative comments about McFarland. The publicity he probably wants does not help him win back the trust of his audience. Supporters always arrive in big numbers to take risks with you.”
Tickets for Fyre Fest 2 range from $1,400 to more than $1 million.
The $1 million ticket was marketed as including private air travel from Miami to Cancun and private yacht travel from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. Accommodations for this ticket include the choice of either a four-stateroom yacht or four-bedroom villa with access to the festival grounds for three nights. It also grants festival access over four days to eight people.
McFarland also has yet to announce any famous musicians or bands who will be playing at the second festival.
The original 2017 Fyre Fest promised big-name music acts including Blink 182, Migos and other artists; celebrity model attendees including the Hadid sisters and Emily Ratajkowski; luxury accommodations; and fine food, with tickets ranging from $1,200 to over $100,000.
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Ultimately, however, the festival failed and went viral on social media after Hulu and Netflix published documentaries about the failed beach bash, making the #fyrefraud hashtag go viral at the time.
The festival reached a settlement with 277 ticket holders in 2021, when it was ordered to pay each recipient an award of $7,220.
Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for McFarland.
College student dead after hit-and-run allegedly involving illegal migrant
A junior at the University of South Carolina was killed Wednesday in a hit-and-run near campus involving an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.
In an X post Thursday, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, said the driver was “in our country illegally,” noting 21-year-old Nathanial “Nate” G. Baker “should be alive today.”
“@DHSgov prays for Nate’s family, friends, and loved ones and will work every day to protect innocent Americans like Nate,” McLaughlin wrote.
Rosali I. Fernandez-Cruz, 24, is charged with hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to give information and render aid, failure to yield the right of way and driving without a license, according to a statement from the Columbia Police Department (CPD).
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At the time of the crash, Fernandez-Cruz was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), police said.
A DHS source told Fox News Fernandez-Cruz was arrested by border patrol in Hidalgo, Texas, on Dec. 24, 2016.
Nearly two years later, on Sept. 6, 2018, an immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, ordered Fernandez-Cruz to be sent back to El Salvador.
Just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Fernandez-Cruz allegedly failed to yield the right of way while turning left at Blossom and Assembly streets, hitting Baker, who was on a motorcycle, with his truck, according to police.
Baker was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office.
Fernandez-Cruz is accused of not stopping or rendering aid to Baker or reporting the incident to police, according to the statement.
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He reportedly drove away from the accident site and ran from the vehicle.
A nearby CPD officer found and detained Fernandez-Cruz on the 1100 block of Greene Street.
Two men were with Fernandez-Cruz at the time of the accident and also fled, according to police. No charges are pending against them. The immigration status of the other men is unknown.
The university confirmed in a statement that Baker was a business major from Glen Allen, Virginia.
“Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to Nate’s family and friends during this difficult time,” according to university officials. “Counseling staff are actively working with those impacted, and services are available to any member of our campus community affected by this tragedy.”
Phi Gamma Delta confirmed in an Instagram post Baker was a member of its fraternity.
“Yesterday, we lost not just a brother, but a leader, a role model, and a true embodiment of what our fraternity stands for,” the fraternity wrote in the post. “Nate Baker brought light, laughter, and love into all of our lives. Nate will always be remembered for the way he showed up for others and the impact he had on everyone around him.
“His passion, loyalty, and love for this brotherhood will never be forgotten. May we honor his memory by living with the same kindness, selflessness and generosity that he showed to everyone around him. Rest in Peace Nathaniel Baker.”
The University of South Carolina College Panhellenic Association called the situation a tragedy in a statement on Instagram.
“Our thoughts, prayers and hearts are with Nate’s family, friends, loved ones and our entire Greek community during this time,” the statement said. “Nate’s impact will continue to live on throughout the USC community, and will never be forgotten. We encourage our FSL community to stand together, love each other, and offer unconditional support to the brothers of Fiji following this tragedy.”
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Fernandez-Cruz is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, according to CPD.
The Columbia Police Department, ICE, DHS and Phi Gamma Delta did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.