Trump’s core supporters turn on him as Americans feel unprecedented economic pain

Unhappy with the economy. Pain with prices. Unsure about Trump administration policies. It adds up to high disapproval among the president’s loyal constituencies.

Here are six takeaways from the latest Fox News national survey.

— Some 76% of voters view the economy negatively. That’s worse than the 67% who felt that way in July and the 70% who said the same at the end of former President Biden’s term.

— Large numbers, overall and among Republicans, say their costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare and housing have gone up this year.

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— Voters blame the president. About twice as many say President Donald Trump, rather than Biden, is responsible for the current economy. And three times as many say Trump’s economic policies have hurt them (they said the same about Biden’s last year). Plus, approval of how Trump is handling the economy hit a new low, and disapproval of his overall job performance hit record highs among core supporters.

— After the government shutdown, the GOP and the Democratic Party have lower favorable ratings, and roughly 6 in 10 say the president and lawmakers on both sides don’t care about people like them.

— Voters think Republicans have a better plan for border security, immigration and crime, while Democrats are seen as better on affordability, wages, healthcare and climate.

— Views are divided on Trump’s peace deals making the world safer and the administration’s strategy for dealing with alleged drug-traffickers.

Here are the numbers behind those findings.

Trump’s job performance drew career-high disapproval among men, White voters and those without a college degree.

Eighty-six percent of Republicans approve, down from 92% in March. 

Among all voters, 41% approve of the job Trump is doing, while 58% disapprove. Only once have his ratings been lower and that was during his first term, 38-57% in October 2017. Two months ago, it was 46-54%. 

For comparison, Biden’s marks were a bit better at the same point in his presidency: 44% approved and 54% disapproved in November 2021.

Forty percent of voters rate their personal finances as excellent/good, while 60% say only fair/poor, which is about where things stood a year ago. Ratings are notably bad (roughly 70% negative), among non-college voters, Hispanics, Blacks, independents and those under age 45. For those with household income below $50,000, fully 79% rate their finances negatively

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When it comes to the national economy versus personal finances, evaluations are also negative. Most say conditions are only fair/poor (76%), and fewer than one in five think inflation is completely/mostly under control (18%). 

Compared to a year ago, voters say costs have increased for utilities (78%), healthcare (67%), housing (66%) and gasoline (54%). And 85% their grocery prices went up this year, including 60% who say costs increased “a lot.” Majorities of Republicans agree with majorities of Democrats and independents that costs have gone up on each of these items except gas. 

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At the end of Biden’s term, voters said by a wide 30-point margin that his economic policies had done more to hurt than help their families, driven by three-quarters of Republicans saying they had been harmed. The new survey shows almost identical results, as voters say by a 31-point margin that Trump’s economic policies have hurt rather than helped them, driven by the three-quarters of Democrats saying they have been harmed. In December 2018, during his first term, only 21% overall said they had been hurt by Trump’s policies, including just one-third of Democrats. 

By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, voters say Trump is more responsible for the current economy than Biden (62% vs. 32%). Unsurprisingly, there’s a large partisan gap, as Democrats are nearly 40 percentage points more likely than Republicans to blame Trump. Somewhat surprisingly though, 42% of Republicans blame him, while a 53% majority says Biden is responsible. Among independents, 62% say Trump and 29% Biden.

A larger share believes the Republicans have a better plan for securing the border, dealing with illegal immigrants, reducing crime and reducing the federal budget deficit. Democrats are preferred for addressing climate change, reducing the cost of healthcare, raising wages and making things more affordable. The parties are about equal on the issue of job creation.

Congressional Democrats said the shutdown was about extending subsidies for Obamacare. The 2010 healthcare law remains popular, as 54% have a favorable opinion of it. Although much of that comes from nearly 9 in 10 Democrats viewing it positively. Not only do voters think Democrats have a better plan for reducing healthcare costs, but Trump received his lowest approval on the issue of healthcare. 

“The situation isn’t complicated,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps run the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “People are struggling to afford necessities and blaming those in charge. What’s interesting is watching Democrats gain politically from a problem they arguably caused — and that crushed them in 2024. But that’s politics.”

While many families say the government shutdown caused them severe (10%) or moderate hardship (35%), more than half say it was not a hardship at all (54%). 

The shutdown wasn’t a political winner for anyone. Nearly two-thirds disapprove of how Trump (62%), congressional Republicans (63%) and congressional Democrats (64%) handled it.

A record low 39% have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, down from 42% in July. Another 39% have positive views of the GOP, down from 44% this summer. For Trump, it’s 40% positive, down from 43% in September and 50% in January. 

But it’s Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer whose marks have deteriorated the most. A record low 22% view him favorably versus 54% unfavorably, for a net rating of minus-32 points. His ratings were underwater by 16 points in January. Among Democrats, positive views of Schumer went from 51% in January to 38% today.

The overall marks for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took a smaller hit (from minus-2 to minus-10), as did Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s (from minus-9 to minus-15) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s (from minus-10 to minus-12). Many are unable to evaluate Thune (54%), Jeffries (38%) and Johnson (31%).

Voters also think their political leaders don’t care about people like them, as roughly 6 in 10 say Democrats (59%) and Republicans (65%) in Congress and Trump (63%) don’t care.

Trump’s job ratings on foreign policy are underwater: 43% approve, while 55% disapprove. Yet views are more evenly divided on whether his recent peace deals will make the world safer or less safe (37% apiece), with one quarter saying not much difference. And 49% favor the U.S. military using deadly force against presumed drug trafficking boats departing from Venezuela, while 47% oppose those efforts. 

The president receives his top marks on border security (53% approve). Nearly half approve of his handling of immigration (46%), while a new low approves on the economy (38%), and about one-third approve on tariffs (35%) and healthcare (34%).

Poll-pourri

The electorate believes the different branches of government are failing to live up to their constitutional obligations. Two-thirds are concerned about Congress (64%) and the Supreme Court (63%) not doing the checks and balances that they should and are giving too much of their constitutional authority to the president. At the same time, about half (47%) are concerned the judicial branch is obstructing Trump’s constitutional authority to carry out his agenda.

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House votes to repeal controversial shutdown bill measure that’s dividing GOP

The House of Representatives unanimously voted against a provision that allows Republican senators whose phone records were seized by former Special Counsel Jack Smith to sue the federal government.

The provision was included in the recently passed bill to end the 43-day government shutdown, which President Donald Trump signed into law last week.

Despite supporters saying the provision is necessary to give senators recourse when the executive branch oversteps its constitutional bounds and reaches into congressional communications, the last-minute inclusion of the measure outraged both Republicans and Democrats, underscoring the ever-present tensions between the House and Senate.

The repeal passed 426 to 0, with 210 Democrats and 216 Republicans in the tally.

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Dubbed “Requiring Senate Notification for Senate Data,” the provision would allow senators directly targeted in former special counsel Jack Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation to sue the U.S. government for up to $500,000.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., who was involved in crafting part of the successful funding deal, told Fox News Digital he had even been afraid it could derail the final vote to end the shutdown.

“It had been added in the Senate without our knowledge,” Cole said. “It was a real trust factor … I mean, all of a sudden, this pops up in the bill, and we’re confronted with either: leave this in here, or we pull it out, we have to go to conference, and the government doesn’t get reopened.”

It was placed into the bill by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and given the green light by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sources confirmed to Fox News Digital last week.

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Thune put the provision into the bill at the request of members of the Senate GOP, a source familiar with the negotiations told Fox News Digital, which included Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. 

It was a big point of contention when the House Rules Committee met to prepare the legislation for a final vote last Tuesday night. Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, Austin Scott, R-Ga., and Morgan Griffith, R-Va., all shared House Democrats’ frustration with the measure, but they made clear it would not stand in the way of ending what had become the longest shutdown in history.

Even Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., appeared blindsided by the move.

“I had no prior notice of it at all,” Johnson told reporters last week. “I was frustrated, as my colleagues are over here, and I thought it was untimely and inappropriate. So we’ll be requesting, strongly urging, our Senate colleagues to repeal that.”

Those Republicans agreed with the motivations behind their Senate counterparts wanting to sue but bristled over the notion that it would come at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.

Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital the senators “have been wronged, no doubt in my mind” but added its scope was too narrow.

GOP UNITY SHATTERED BY CONTROVERSIAL MEASURE IN GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BILL

“This provision does not allow other Americans to pursue a remedy. It does not even allow the President of the United States, who was equally wrongfully surveilled and pursued by the Justice Department — they didn’t even include President Trump in this,” Rose said.

And while several senators who would be eligible for the taxpayer-funded lawsuits have distanced themselves from the issue amid uproar, others have stuck to their guns.

“My phone records were seized. I’m not going to put up with this crap. I’m going to sue,” Graham said on “Hannity” Tuesday night. He said he would be seeking “tens of millions of dollars.”

Cruz also told Fox News Digital that he did not support repealing the provision.

And Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., defended the provision in comments to Politico. 

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“I’d like for us to be able to defend our branch when DOJ gets out of control,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., similarly suggested to reporters on Wednesday that he was in favor of the measure.

“I would just say, I mean, you have an independent, co-equal branch of government whose members were, through illegal means, having their phone records acquired — spied on, if you will, through a weaponized Biden Justice Department,” Thune said. “That, to me, demands some accountability.”

He added, “I think that in the end, this is something that all members of Congress, both House and Senate, are probably going to want as a protection, and we were thinking about the institution of the Senate and individual senators going into the future.”

Epstein files to go public as Trump signs law releasing all records

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday evening that he signed legislation greenlighting the Justice Department to release files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

“I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” Trump wrote in a lengthy message on the Truth Social platform. “As everyone knows, I asked Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, to pass this Bill in the House and Senate, respectively. Because of this request, the votes were almost unanimous in favor of passage. 

“At my direction, the Department of Justice has already turned over close to fifty thousand pages of documents to Congress. Do not forget — The Biden Administration did not turn over a SINGLE file or page related to Democrat Epstein, nor did they ever even speak about him.”

WHITE HOUSE SLAMS DEMS’ ‘BAD-FAITH’ EPSTEIN DOC RELEASE AS DEMAND FOR FILES INTENSIFIES

Trump’s ties to Epstein had faced increased attention after Trump’s Justice Department and FBI announced in July it would not unseal investigation materials related to Epstein, and that the agencies’ investigation into the case had closed.

But Sunday Trump announced that he backed releasing the documents, asserting that he had “nothing to hide.” 

“As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown,'” Trump wrote.

The House voted Tuesday to release the files by a 421–1 margin, following pressure for months from the measure’s ringleaders, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and other Democrats. 

Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the only House member to vote against the release, and said he didn’t back the measure because “this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people — witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc.” 

Although Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., ultimately voted in favor of the measure, he also voiced similar concerns during a Tuesday press conference.

EPSTEIN REFERENCED TRUMP IN PRIVATE EMAILS TO GHISLAINE MAXWELL AND OTHERS, NEW RECORDS SHOW 

“Who’s going to want to come forward if they think Congress can take a political exercise and reveal their identities? Who’s going to come talk to prosecutors? It’s very dangerous. It would deter future whistleblowers and informants,” he said. “The release of that could also publicly reveal the identity, by the way, of undercover law enforcement officers who are working in future operations.”

After the House’s approval of the measure, the bill headed to the Senate and passed hours later Tuesday by unanimous consent. 

The Epstein Files Transparency Act specifically directs the Justice Department to release all unclassified records and investigative materials related to Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell, as well as files related to individuals who were referenced in Epstein previous legal cases, details surrounding trafficking allegations, internal DOJ communications as they relate to Epstein and any details surrounding the investigation into his death. 

Files that include victims’ names, child sex abuse materials, classified materials or other materials that could threaten an active investigation may be withheld or redacted by the DOJ. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Wednesday that she would comply with the law after it was signed, which directs the Justice Department to release the files online in a searchable format within 30 days. 

The Epstein files received fanfare among supporters of the president in the early days of the administration as they rallied around the Trump DOJ to release details on Epstein’s alleged “client list” and death. 

The DOJ and FBI said in a joint memo obtained by Fox News in July that the two agencies had no further information to share with the public about Epstein’s case and suicide in 2019, sparking outrage among some MAGA supporters as they demanded the DOJ release more documents. 

Trump has since railed against the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax,” before calling for their release Sunday. 

The push to release the files gained increased momentum after Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released three emails Wednesday that Epstein’s estate provided to them that mentioned Trump. In turn, Republicans released their own stash of 20,000 pages of Epstein documents that same day.

EPSTEIN ESTATE TO BEGIN HANDING FILES TO HOUSE INVESTIGATORS AFTER ‘BIRTHDAY BOOK’ SUBPOENA 

Included in the tranche of documents are emails between Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and correspondence with author Michael Wolff, former President Barack Obama‘s White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler, among others, where Epstein mentions Trump.

“i want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. (VICTIM) spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75 % there,” Epstein said in an email to Maxwell in April 2011, which was provided with other correspondence to the committee by Epstein’s estate in response to a subpoena request.

“I have been thinking about that…” Maxwell said in response.

Epstein told Wolff in a separate email in 2019 that “of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop” — a reference to Trump. Trump has said that he barred Epstein from his Florida Mar-a-Lago golf club because Epstein kept “taking people who worked for me.”

While the documents themselves are authentic, Epstein’s statements in the emails remain unverified and uncorroborated. The documents do not claim that Trump committed any wrongdoing, and only portray Epstein mentioning the president. 

Likewise, Trump has not faced formal accusations of misconduct tied to Epstein, and no law enforcement records connect Trump to Epstein’s crimes.

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Epstein died by suicide in 2019 as he was awaiting trial on federal charges. Maxwell was convicted on charges including sex trafficking of a minor and is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

Country star brings beer on stage after winning major award at star-studded ceremony

The 2025 CMA Awards are here.

Luke Combs kicked off country music’s biggest night with a performance of “Back in the Saddle.”

Lainey Wilson hosted the show on Wednesday night. The “Heart Like a Truck” singer took the stage after Combs’ performance in a white and gold, bell-bottom look. She tied the look together with a white cowboy hat and a large CMA Awards belt buckle.

Wilson walked up to country music stars in the audience and got the icons to sing their songs along with her. Lainey approached Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley and Shaboozey, among others, before Keith Urban took the stage for a performance with her.

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The 59th annual CMA Awards were held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The entertainer of the year award, the biggest award of the night, was presented by Urban at the very end of the show. He gave the prestigious award to Wilson.

Billy Ray Cyrus took the stage with Elizabeth Hurley to present the single of the year award to Ella Langley and Riley Green for “You Look Like You Love Me.”

During the show, Cyrus shared photos of himself and Hurley on the red carpet to Instagram. “Our first date in Nashville. Actually in the US! So grateful for tonight,” the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer captioned his post.

Megan Moroney then took the stage in a very pink performance of “6 Months Later.”

19-time CMA Award winner and this year’s entertainer of the year nominee, Chris Stapleton, took the stage and performed “Bad As I Want to Be.” Hurley and Cyrus were seen grooving to Stapleton, clapping their hands. 

Wednesday night’s show marks the first time Wilson has hosted the CMA Awards solo. Last year, she was joined by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. She is one of three women to host the CMA Awards alone.

Wilson joins Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire as she made history on Wednesday night.

During a bit, Wilson joked on stage that she received texts from Bryan and Manning.

“Lainey, you’re doing great. Love the show,” she said Manning texted her. Then said she received this text from Bryan, “Lainey, what night is the show?” 

Zach Top won the CMA for best new artist of the year. He accidently brought his can of beer up on stage with him. 

Wilson was joined by Billy Bob Thorton to present the musician of the year award. Thornton joked with Wilson that he has to get to church on Sundays, so he makes sure to go to bed early on Saturday night after starring in Carter Faith’s “Bar Star” music video.

Before welcoming Riley Green to the stage, Wilson crowned “Reacher” star Alan Ritchson as her cowboy of the night.

Cody Johnson took home the male entertainer of the year award. Wilson took home the award for female vocalist of the year.

Dustin Lynch told Fox News Digital on the red carpet that Wilson is the “best one” to host the award show. “Lainey is such a natural and so fun. She’s funny and confident and she’s going to represent us well tonight,” Lynch said.

WATCH: Dustin Lynch calls Lainey Wilson a ‘natural’ at hosting

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Brantley Gilbert and his wife, Amber, celebrated a date night on the CMA red carpet. Brantley told Fox News Digital that their kids are usually “attached” to their hips, so he was very excited to get his wife to himself on Wednesday night.

WATCH: Brantley Gilbert calls CMA Awards ‘date night’

“I’m kinda eating it up a little bit tonight. Daddy’s trying to cuddle,” Brantley said, which got a laugh out of his wife.

LeAnn Rimes spoke to Fox News Digital prior to the big show and called returning to CMAs a “full circle moment” after she first attended the awards show as a teenager in the late 1990s.

WATCH: LeAnn Rimes reflects on her first CMA Awards appearance 

The award show also featured performances by Kelsea Ballerini, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney.

Chesney rocked the stage with his hits, including “American Kids.”

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Country music star Vince Gill was honored at the CMA Awards. He was introduced by country music legend George Strait, and received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association, which recognizes his career and influence.

Gill spoke to Fox News Digital on the red carpet, ahead of his legendary honor. The country star hopes his legacy will be in his music.

“The songs seem to be what will live forever. The rest of us won’t. Artists will come and go, but the songs are forever,” Gill said.

Strait took the stage at the 2025 CMAs to honor Gill. “His guitar playing is amazing. His songwriting is amazing. His singing is amazing,” Strait said.

“There’s not a more deserving person of this honor than this man right here,” Strait continued before inviting Gill on stage to receive his award.

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NASA’s Perseverance rover discovers shiny object scientists say isn’t native to Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover may have stumbled on a visitor from outer space – a strange, shiny rock on Mars that scientists think could be a meteorite forged in the heart of an ancient asteroid.

According to a new blog post on the rover’s mission page, the rock – nicknamed “Phippsaksla” – stood out from the flat, broken terrain around it, prompting NASA scientists to take a closer look.

Tests revealed high levels of iron and nickel, the same elements found in meteorites that have crashed onto both Mars and Earth.

While this isn’t the first time a rover has spotted a metallic rock on Mars, it could be the first for Perseverance. Earlier missions – including Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit – discovered iron-nickel meteorites scattered across the Martian surface, making it all the more surprising that Perseverance hadn’t seen one until now, NASA said.

MASSIVE ASTEROID BIGGER THAN A SKYSCRAPER HEADING TOWARD EARTH AT 24,000 MPH

Now, just beyond the crater’s rim, the rover may have finally found one – a metallic rock perched on ancient impact-formed bedrock. If confirmed, the discovery would place Perseverance alongside the other Mars rovers that have examined fragments of cosmic visitors to the red planet.

To learn more about the rock, the team aimed Perseverance’s SuperCam – an instrument that fires a laser to analyze a target’s chemical makeup – at Phippsaksla. The readings showed unusually high levels of iron and nickel, a combination NASA said strongly suggests a meteorite origin.

Mounted atop the rover’s mast, SuperCam uses its laser to vaporize tiny bits of material, so sensors can detect the elements inside from several meters away.

SCIENTISTS SPOT SKYSCRAPER-SIZED ASTEROID RACING THROUGH SOLAR SYSTEM

The finding is significant, NASA noted, because iron and nickel are typically found together only in meteorites formed deep within ancient asteroids – not in native Martian rocks.

If confirmed, Phippsaksla would join a long list of meteorites identified by earlier missions, including Curiosity’s “Lebanon” and “Cacao” finds, as well as metallic fragments spotted by Opportunity and Spirit. NASA said each discovery has helped scientists better understand how meteorites interact with the Martian surface over time.

Because Phippsaksla sits atop impact-formed bedrock outside Jezero crater, NASA scientists said its location could offer clues about how the rock formed and how it ended up there.

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For now, the agency said its team is continuing to study Phippsaksla’s unusual makeup to confirm whether it truly came from beyond Mars.

If proven to be a meteorite, the find would mark a long-awaited milestone for Perseverance – and another reminder that even on a planet 140 million miles away, there are still surprises waiting in the dust.

Perseverance, NASA’s most advanced robot to date, traveled 293 million miles to reach Mars after launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida on July 30, 2020. It touched down in Jezero crater on Feb. 18, 2021, where it has spent nearly four years searching for signs of ancient microbial life and exploring the planet’s surface.

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Built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the $2.7 billion rover is about 10 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall – roughly 278 pounds heavier than its predecessor, Curiosity. 

Powered by a plutonium generator, Perseverance carries seven scientific instruments, a seven-foot robotic arm, and a rock drill that allows it to collect samples that could one day return to Earth.

 The mission will also help NASA prepare for future human exploration of Mars in the 2030s.

Father of three dies in tragic hunting accident as family mourns ‘pillar of home’

A Texas family is mourning the sudden loss of a husband and father who, according to state officials, accidentally shot and killed himself during a weekend hunting trip. 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) game wardens responded just after midnight Saturday to a hunting accident in Northeast Texas that claimed the life of Jose Ramirez, 45, of Grapevine, the agency said.

Ramirez, a father of three, was identified in a GoFundMe campaign created by one of his daughters. 

“My father, Jose Ramirez, passed away unexpectedly, and our family is heartbroken. My dad meant the world to me,” the GoFundMe reads.

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Ramirez was removing his firearm from a vehicle when it discharged, local outlet KLTV reported, citing TPWD. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

His daughter described him as “the pillar of our home, the provider for our family, and the one who always made sure we were taken care of.” She added that the “light of his life” was his infant granddaughter.

“He taught me the most important lessons in life — to never give up, to work hard for what you want, and to always do what makes you happy, no matter how small it may seem,” she wrote of her father. “He believed that true success comes from loving what you do and living with a happy heart.”

ILLINOIS HUNTER DEAD AFTER BEING SHOT IN FACE, IOWA’S SECOND FATAL HUNTING ACCIDENT THIS FALL

Ramirez grew up in Grapevine and was active in the community, working at many restaurants in the Dallas suburb over the years, according to the Facebook page “Grapevine Edit.”

“Most recently, he worked at Son of a Butcher, Silver Lake Marina’s Rockin’ S Express Bar & Grill, and spent over a decade at Kirby’s Steakhouse,” the page wrote in a post honoring Ramirez’s life. “His family wants the community to know of his passing because they know how many coworkers, customers, and locals cared about him and would want to know.”

The TPWD said game wardens are trained to investigate hunting-related incidents, but “always wish a tragedy like this could have been avoided.”

The agency encouraged all hunters to “take safety seriously” and added a few reminders for handling firearms in a Facebook post.

“Always handle all firearms as if they are loaded, keep muzzles pointed in a safe direction and take time to unload your firearm before placing or removing it from a vehicle,” the agency wrote before extending condolences to Ramirez’s loved ones.

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Texas’ general rifle season for white-tail deer began on Nov. 1 and ends on different dates in January depending on the location.

Wealthy enclave becomes first in state to ban pickleball over noise concerns

The wealthy oceanfront town of Carmel, California, has banned pickleball in its public park after residents complained that the constant sound of paddles striking balls was too noisy.

The Carmel City Council voted earlier this month to permanently prohibit the sport at Forest Hill Park, the only public pickleball location within city limits, marking the first such ban in the state, according to sfgate.com.

Residents reported that the “popping” sound had been echoing through the neighborhood as players participated in the game that has grown in popularity, particularly among seniors and retirees, the outlet reported.

The council put a temporary ban in place last month until it came up with a permanent solution, according to the report. Their best idea was to require soft paddles and balls to reduce the noise from plastic balls hitting wooden paddles.

CALIFORNIA SPORTS LEAGUE MEETING SEES PARENTS CLASHING OVER TRANS ATHLETES

However, at a city council meeting on Nov. 4, several residents said the temporary ban helped them enjoy a quieter community after the constant noise from the game.

“It’s been so peaceful and quiet,” Carmel resident Kimberly Edwards said at the meeting, adding that there had been an “uptick in tennis players,” especially younger people.

But Edwards was skeptical that the ban would be able to be enforced.

“There’s gonna be a problem,” she said. “These aren’t supervised courts. You know that. They’re not — there’s no parks and rec department. So as I addressed in my letter: Who’s going to enforce this? … Am I going to have to hear a noise and then call the police? Is a police officer going to have to be, you know, sitting there on these courts, supervising them?”

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DESCENDS INTO EMOTIONAL CLASH AMID TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER CONTROVERSY

“You guys are all in this position to protect us,” she said. “That’s your number one goal. That’s what your job is — not to placate these pickleball enthusiasts.”

Competitive pickleball player Barbara Lang, who said she no longer uses the Forest Hill Park courts, argued that even “quiet” pickleball at the park would be preferable to banning the sport.

“If you want to try it with the quiet ball, I think it’s only fair to the players to give that a chance,” she said, stressing that she speaks for many pickleballers not in attendance.

The city council decided against compromising by allowing the sport to be played with quieter equipment, which would have required monitoring.

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“We’re just overcomplicating it in the name of compromise,” council member Alissandra Dramov said, adding that she had to “accept the reality this is not a good location for pickleball.”

The city will draft an ordinance to permanently ban pickleball at the park.

Opponents of the ban will have two more hearings to appeal the ban once it is created.

“It’s just a really difficult thing to enforce,” Mayor Dale Byrne said, siding with the ban. “And I can’t ask the [police] chief to send his people up there. … It’s really sad that we can’t figure this out.”

Common spice may beat depression and boost sexual health, doctor says

One specific spice could function as a natural antidepressant, an expert says.

Saffron, found in popular foods and drinks like paella and herbal teas, has shown promise for its ability to boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression, in addition to other various health benefits.

During an in-studio interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics in California, shared his enthusiasm about using saffron for mental health support.

RED MEAT CAN HELP YOUR MOOD IF PART OF A HEALTHY, BALANCED DIET, STUDY SUGGESTS

“I love saffron so much,” he said. “I’m Lebanese, and Middle Eastern folks cook with a lot of saffron. And there’s actually folklore in Iran: If you’re too happy, you must have had saffron.”

Amen referenced research showing that about 30 milligrams of saffron was “equally as effective” as antidepressants in randomized trials.

While most SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can help boost mood, they also pose the risk of decreasing sexual function. Saffron does the opposite, according to Amen.

“As a psychiatrist, I don’t want to ruin my patients’ love lives,” he said. “Saffron increased sexual function [in research].”

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Saffron has also been shown to help with memory and focus, according to various studies.

A recent study, published in Reviews in Clinical Medicine 2025, also linked saffron to decreased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

After eight to 12 weeks of saffron use, participants reported that the supplement “significantly reduced” the symptoms and severity of PMS.

Additional research published in the Cambridge University Press in May 2025 revealed saffron’s potential to ease depression symptoms.

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The review analyzed 192 trials involving more than 17,000 patients and 44 different nutraceuticals to determine which supplements work for depression.

Saffron was identified as most effective, showing a moderate to large antidepressant effect.

The meta-analysis also examined how these nutraceuticals interacted with prescribed antidepressant medications.

Combining supplements like zinc and curcumins (natural compounds found in turmeric) with existing antidepressants were found to improve symptoms.

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“So, if you’re on an antidepressant and you want it to work even better, think about zinc and curcumins,” Amen recommended. “Saffron, zinc and curcumins is a great combination.”

While cooking with saffron may not achieve the levels needed to improve mood, saffron supplements are available as capsules, tablets and powdered extract. Thirty milligrams per day is typically the recommended dose for symptom relief.

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Long-term use of saffron has yet to be studied, as there is some uncertainty around its potency as a supplement, researchers and experts have warned.

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According to a medically reviewed WebMD article, taking saffron in high doses or for long periods of time “may be risky,” potentially causing anxiety, appetite changes, upset stomach sleepiness or headache.

Anyone interested in starting a saffron supplement should first consult with a doctor.

Nvidia crushes estimates, forecasts ‘crazy good’ fourth quarter

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Wednesday the chipmaker is heading into a “crazy good” fourth quarter, underscoring its dominance at the heart of the global artificial intelligence boom.

In an interview on FOX Business Network’s “The Claman Countdown” following stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings, Huang said he expects the momentum to carry into the next quarter.

“We guided to a much larger quarter next quarter,” Huang said. “And so the guidance that we provided is crazy good — I would agree with that. But we’re in the beginning of a very long-term build-out of the fundamental infrastructure of humanity, which is computing.”

Huang added that the California-based company is leading a transformation in computing.

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“We reinvented computing for the first time in 60, 70 years,” he said. “And so all of the computers that have been installed around the world is being modernized to accelerated computing and video GPUs and to artificial intelligence. And so this build-out is going to last us many years to come.”

Earlier Wednesday, Huang shrugged off concerns about an AI bubble as the company surprised Wall Street with accelerating growth after several quarters of slowing sales.

The chipmaker’s stellar third-quarter earnings and fourth-quarter forecast calmed, at least temporarily, investor nerves over concerns an AI boom has outrun fundamentals. 

Global markets have looked to the chip designer to determine whether investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure expansion has resulted in an AI bubble.

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“There’s been a lot of talk about an AI bubble. From our vantage point, we see something very different,” Huang said on a call with analysts, where he touted how much cloud companies wanted Nvidia chips.

“We’re in every cloud. The reason why developers love us is because we’re literally everywhere,” he said. “We’re everywhere from cloud to on-premise to robotic systems, edge devices, PCs, you name it. One architecture. Things just work. It’s incredible.”

He reiterated a forecast from last month that the company had $500 billion in bookings for its advanced chips through 2026.

Shares of the AI market bellwether jumped 5% in extended trading, setting up the company to add $220 billion in market value. 

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Ahead of the results, doubts had pushed Nvidia’s shares down nearly 8% in November, after a surge of 1,200% in the past three years.

The broader market has declined almost 3% this month.

After the results, S&P 500 futures rose 1%, showing traders expect the U.S. stock market to open sharply higher on Thursday.

The world’s most valuable company said it expected fiscal fourth-quarter sales of $65 billion, plus or minus 2%, compared with analysts’ average estimate of $61.66 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. 

It forecast an adjusted gross margin of 75% for the period, plus or minus 50 basis points, and Nvidia’s finance boss Colette Kress said the company plans to hold gross margins in the mid-70% range during fiscal 2027.

Nvidia’s third-quarter sales rose 62%, their first acceleration in seven quarters. Sales in the data-center segment, which accounts for a majority of Nvidia’s revenue, grew to $51.2 billion in the quarter ended October 26. Analysts expected sales of $48.62 billion.

Nvidia’s fortunes pushed up shares of rival AMD, as well as those of tech giants including Alphabet and Microsoft. 

The chipmaker, viewed as the posterchild for artificial intelligence, is heavily represented in about 673 various ETFs, according to Seeking Alpha.

Funds which hold a high concentration, between 21% to 27% of the tech-giant, include VanEck Semiconductor, Strive U.S. semiconductor ETF and Grizzle Growth ETF.

As for the broader S&P 500, Nvidia is the largest stock in the benchmark, according to the S&P 500 Dow Jones Indices. Thus, funds that track the S&P 500 must mirror it.

Hence, a handful of the largest ETFs by size also count Nvidia as a top holding, including Invesco’s QQQ at 10%, SPDR S&P 500 ETF and Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF both at 8%.

Shares of Nvidia have advanced 35% this year, outpacing the 13% rise in the S&P 500.

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You can watch the full interview Thursday on FOX Business Network’s “The Claman Countdown” at 3pm ET.