Karoline Leavitt torches CNN over ‘fake’ Iran story as network issues clarification
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday forcefully rejected a CNN report that said President Donald Trump’s national security team was unprepared for the possibility Iran would move to close the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes.
“This story is 100% FAKE NEWS,” Leavitt wrote on X, accusing CNN of relying on anonymous sources and defending the administration’s planning for such a scenario.
Leavitt said the Pentagon had planned for a possible Iranian closure of the strait for decades and said the threat had been part of the administration’s planning before Operation Epic Fury began.
“The idea that chairman Cain and Secretary Hegseth weren’t prepared for this possibility is PREPOSTEROUS,” she continued.
LEAVITT LASHES OUT AT CNN’S KAITLAN COLLINS IN TENSE EXCHANGE ON FALLEN SOLDIERS FROM IRAN OPERATION
“The President was fully briefed on it, and a goal of the Operation itself, to annihilate the terrorist Iranian regime’s navy, missiles, drone production infrastructure, and other threat capabilities is quite literally intended to deprive them of their ability to close the Strait.”
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point in the conflict because roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass through the waterway.
CNN reported Thursday that Trump’s national security team “failed to fully account for the potential consequences of what some officials have described as a worst-case scenario now facing the administration.”
The report cited anonymous sources “familiar with the matter.”
PETE HEGSETH CRITICIZES ‘FAKE NEWS’ COVERAGE OF IRAN STRIKES, SAYS ONLY TRAGEDIES MAKE FRONT PAGE
Leavitt’s criticism was echoed by Republican lawmakers and administration officials who called the CNN report false.
“As chairman of the Intelligence Committee, let me make clear: whoever leaked this lied,” Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote on X. “CNN should do some fact-checking.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also blasted the report during remarks at the Pentagon Friday, calling it “more fake news from CNN” and “patently ridiculous.”
HEGSETH ANNOUNCES PENTAGON PROBE INTO DEADLY STRIKE ON IRANIAN SCHOOL
“For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage,” he added. “CNN doesn’t think we thought of that.”
CNN issued a clarification to the story on Friday, which said, “This story has been updated to reflect additional developments and clarify that top Trump administration officials briefed lawmakers on long-standing military plans to address a major disruption to the Strait, according to one official, but that multiple sources familiar with the session said there was no indication there were any near-term solutions.”
“We stand by our reporting,” CNN told Fox News Digital when reached for comment Friday.
CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson said on X, “We stand by our journalism.”
The White House has repeatedly clashed with major news outlets this week over coverage of the Iran conflict.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Leavitt called for ABC News to retract a story Thursday that claimed the FBI had officially warned Iran may try to attack California with drones.
She called the report “false information to intentionally alarm the American people,” adding that the story was based on “one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
ABC News has since updated its story with an editor’s note declaring, “The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.”
California man allegedly punches TSA officer after ID check fails at Dallas airport
A California man was federally charged after allegedly attacking two Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and seriously injuring a Dallas police officer at Dallas Love Field Airport, officials said.
Idress Vinay Solomon, 33, of Oakland, California, faces up to 20 years in prison after being accused of assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury.
According to a federal complaint filed Wednesday, Solomon had a ticket for a Southwest Airlines flight to Oakland International Airport March 10.
NEW TSA POLICY CHARGES PASSENGERS WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCEPTABLE IDS AT CHECKPOINTS
Prosecutors said Solomon approached the airport security checkpoint without identification and was directed by a TSA officer to a different lane to be identified through the agency’s ConfirmID process.
Solomon allegedly became “verbally disruptive and aggressive” after the process failed to verify his identity, according to the complaint.
“Violent conduct perpetrated against TSA and law enforcement officers will never be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould said in a statement.
“We will prosecute such offenses to the fullest extent to seek justice for the victims here and to deter others from resorting to aggressive attacks against officers responsible for ensuring the public’s safety while traveling.”
ILLEGAL ALIEN’S VIOLENT TUSSLE WITH FEDERAL OFFICER LEADS TO MULTIPLE CHARGES AFTER SUSPECTED BIDEN-ERA ENTRY
Solomon allegedly punched a TSA officer in the back of the neck after the officer called for a supervisor.
According to a complaint, the Dallas Police Department responded to the incident, and Solomon allegedly punched one of the officers multiple times in the face, causing a serious orbital blowout fracture to the officer’s left eye that required hospital treatment.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
After he was arrested, Solomon “deliberately spit saliva” onto a police officer’s right arm as officers attempted to place him into a police vehicle, the complaint states.
Prosecutors alleged that Solomon refused to follow lawful verbal commands and continued to yell and pull away from officers.
One of TV’s longest-running entertainment news programs was just canceled
NBCUniversal is pulling the plug on “Access Hollywood” after nearly 30 years as part of its broader plan to tamp down its syndicated programming.
“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” NBCUniversal executive Frances Berwick said in a statement.
“The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows. These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years, and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”
Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans and Zuri Hall were the show’s hosts.
MARIO LOPEZ ‘NOT ASHAMED’ OF HIS FAITH AS HE BUILDS MORE ‘SPIRITUAL MUSCLE’ IN HOLLYWOOD
“Access Hollywood” first launched in 1996 and had a notable roster of anchors and correspondents throughout its decades-long run, including Pat O’Brien, Nancy O’Dell, Billy Bush, Jeff Probst, Shauna Robinson, Maria Menounos and Natalie Morales.
While the program covered the latest entertainment news and gossip about Hollywood’s biggest stars, perhaps “Access Hollywood” is best known for being swept up in presidential politics during the 2016 election.
BILLY BUSH RIPS NBC OVER ‘ACCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPE FIRING: THEY ‘SACRIFICED ME’ FOR POLITICAL GAIN
In what was widely dubbed an October surprise, The Washington Post published the now-infamous “‘Access Hollywood’ tape” from 2006 that captured a crass hot mic conversation between Donald Trump, who at the time was host of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” and Billy Bush while on a bus.
On the leaked tape, Trump was caught bragging about his ability to seduce women, telling Bush, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. … Grab ’em by the p—-. You can do anything.”
The tape caused panic within the Republican Party, sparking condemnation from members of Trump’s own party, and calls for him to drop out of the the presidential race grew. Trump famously chalked up the conversation as “locker room talk” but issued an apology.
While many thought the tape would upend his candidacy, Trump persevered and defeated Hillary Clinton in the election just days later. Notably, Bush was fired as co-host of “Today” as a result of the explosive leak.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS
Other programs being canceled in addition to “Access Hollywood” are “Karamo” and “The Steve Wilkos Show.”
The cancellation comes just weeks after NBCUniversal announced “The Kelly Clarkson Show” will end later this year.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Anxiety epidemic linked to consumption of popular beverage, study suggests
An excess of sugary drinks can specifically lead to a higher risk of anxiety among teens, a new study shows.
In a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, U.K. researchers reviewed various studies from 2000 to 2025.
They explored the link between drinking sugar-sweetened beverages — like sodas, energy drinks, sweetened juices, teas and coffee — and anxiety disorders in adolescents between 10 and 19 years old.
IS YOUR DIET MISSING A BRAIN-BOOSTING COMMON NUTRIENT? NEW ANXIETY STUDY RAISES CONCERN
Teens with a higher consumption of sugary drinks were found to have about a 34% greater risk of having an anxiety disorder compared to those who drank less.
Seven out of the nine studies analyzed by the researchers showed a significant positive association between sugary drinks intake and anxiety symptoms.
“With increasing concern about adolescent nutrition, most public health initiatives have emphasized the physical consequences of poor dietary habits, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes,” study co-author Dr. Chloe Casey, lecturer in nutrition at Bournemouth University in the U.K., commented in a press release statement.
ALZHEIMER’S RISK TIED TO HOW THE BODY HANDLES SUGAR AFTER EATING, STUDY FINDS
“However, the mental health implications of diet have been under-explored by comparison, particularly for drinks that are energy-dense but low in nutrients.”
The study was based on observational data, which does not prove that drinking sugary beverages directly causes anxiety. There is also not a clear indication of whether sugary drinks cause anxiety or if anxious teens are more inclined to drink them.
“While we may not be able to confirm at this stage what the direct cause is, this study has identified an unhealthy connection between consumption of sugary drinks and anxiety disorders in young people,” Casey said.
“Anxiety disorders in adolescence have risen sharply in recent years, so it is important to identify lifestyle habits that can be changed to reduce the risk of this trend continuing.”
RFK JR CALLS OUT POPULAR CHAINS OVER HIGH-SUGAR COFFEE DRINKS: WHAT’S REALLY IN YOUR CUP?
About 11% of American children between the ages of 3 and 17 were diagnosed with anxiety between 2022 and 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Anxiety problems, behavior disorders and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children,” states the agency’s website.
“While it’s important to note that this study is correlation, not causation, I have no doubt that a better-designed study would show the same results,” Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein told Fox News Digital.
“Soda, aka liquid sugar — with no fiber, protein or fat to slow absorption — floods the bloodstream faster than almost any other type of food or drink,” said Muhlstein, who was not involved in the study.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“The pancreas scrambles to respond, insulin spikes, blood sugar crashes and you are left in a dopamine deficit state that looks and feels just like anxiety,” she went on. “The sharper the spike, the deeper the crash.”
In her own practice, Muhlstein has found that teens are consuming less soda and more oat milk lattes, coffee drinks “loaded” with syrup, slushies and sports drinks.
Excessive blood sugar spikes can also affect weight, acne, sleep quality and emotional regulation, she shared, regardless of caffeine levels.
“What these kids drink makes a huge difference to their physical and emotional state, and caffeine on top of unstable blood sugar only makes it worse,” Muhlstein warned.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Serena Poon, certified nutritionist, longevity expert and founder of Wholistic Lifestyle Medicine in Los Angeles, noted that food and beverages “are more than just fuel.”
“They provide information to the body and brain,” the expert, who also did not take part in the research, Fox News Digital. “What teens drink regularly can influence energy levels, mood stability and even how the nervous system responds to stress.”
“Highly sweetened drinks can create quick energy highs followed by crashes, and when caffeine is added to the mix, it can amplify stress responses in the body.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Poon advised parents to encourage their kids to reduce the frequency of sugary beverages and to stay hydrated with water, herbal teas or sparkling water to support more stable energy levels.
Meals should also be balanced with fiber, healthy fats and proteins to stabilize blood sugar, which can impact mood and concentration.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Adolescence is a critical window for brain development, so supporting teens with balanced nutrition, stable energy levels and adequate hydration may help support both physical and emotional well-being,” Poon added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the American Beverage Association and Bournemouth University for comment.
Judge makes decision on charges for teens in deadly senior prank incident
A widow whose teacher-husband was killed in a senior prank gone terribly wrong has been granted her unusual request to drop the charges against the teens involved.
According to the Hall County Magistrate Court, a judge has approved paperwork requesting dismissal of the charges against Jayden Wallace, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, Ariana Cruz, and Elijah Tate Owens.
The five teens, who are all 18, went to math teacher Jason Hughes’ house on the night of March 6 to roll toilet paper on his trees, according to authorities in Gainesville, Georgia.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS
As the group tried to leave in two separate vehicles, Hughes was walking toward the street when he tripped and fell into the slippery roadway, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said.
He was then run over by a car driven by Wallace.
Rather than an angry confrontation, the father of two was “excited and waiting to catch them in the act,” his wife, Laura, told The New York Times.
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” Hughes said. “This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”
The Hugheses were both teachers at the public school and devoted their lives to teaching.
GOT A TIP?
In a statement, the Wallace family thanked Laura for her “remarkable compassion and spirit of forgiveness in the face of the tremendous loss of her husband.”
“As the family’s attorney, I join them in thanking the District Attorney’s office of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit for completing a thorough investigation and for the prompt decision to dismiss all criminal charges against Jayden and the other students who were present,” X said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
FOLLOW US ON X
“District Attorney Lee Darragh was able to act swiftly because the facts and circumstances are not in dispute,” he said. “Jayden and his friends were participating in a competitive game outside the home of their beloved teacher as part of a longtime junior-senior tradition at North Hall High School. As he was leaving the home, Jayden never saw Mr. Hughes, and Jayden’s vehicle had only traveled a few feet when the accident occurred.
“Vehicular Homicide charges were not warranted because Jayden never operated his truck in a dangerous, improper, or unsafe manner. In the end, there was no crime — only an extremely sad and devastating accident.
GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL
“Jayden is still grieving deeply but is determined to move forward eventually to live a life that would make Jason Hughes proud. The Wallace family would also like to thank the North Hall community for the prayers and loving support that have been offered to the Hughes and Wallace families.
“Parents Jeremy and Kristen Wallace, along with their son Jayden, also encourage donations to the GoFundMe account established for the Hughes family as well as your continued prayers for Laura Hughes and her children.”
Along with being a math teacher at the high school, the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes posted on its Facebook that Hughes was a golf coach at the school.
In a statement to FOX 5, the school said, “Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father; a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues. He gave so much to so many in numerous ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family. We ask that the media and the public respect their privacy as they grieve.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In a GoFundMe, a family friend asked for funds to help with future planning for his two children.
“Jason’s life was a blessing to so many, and his untimely passing will be indescribably difficult for his wife and two young boys for years to come,” the fundraiser said.
NYC mayor reportedly backs out of CBS News interview after X post from boss Bari Weiss
Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reportedly has backed out of an interview with CBS News over a social media post by the network’s editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
Vanity Fair reported Thursday that Mamdani was having discussions to sit down with Robert Costa on “CBS Sunday Morning” but had been “averse” to appearing on the Weiss-run network after critical coverage he received from her digital outlet, The Free Press.
However, sources told the magazine Weiss’ apparent endorsement of fiery remarks made Feb. 28 by Iranian journalist, activist and new CBS News contributor Masih Alinejad, who slammed the mayor’s condemnation of Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime, was the final straw.
WHITE HOUSE BALKS AT NEW CBS STAFFER OVER LIZ CHENEY TIES
“Mr. Mamdani, you are more than welcome to come to one of my safe houses,” Alinejad said during CBS News’ breaking news coverage of the conflict.
“Where were you when they sent killers here in New York City? You were crying for your aunt because she has stopped using the subway for simply — in an illusionist statement you made saying she didn’t feel safe, for wearing a hijab. Really? I stopped using subways because of the would-be assassins being sent to beautiful New York City by the Islamic Republic,” Alinejad added, before urging Mamdani to shift his “hatred” away from President Donald Trump.
CNN REPORTER DELETES POST FALSELY CALLING MAMDANI ‘TARGET OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE’ IN LATEST FOUL-UP
SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS ON MAMDANI OVER REPORTS HIS WIFE LIKED PRO-OCTOBER 7TH POSTS: ‘THIS IS WHO THEY ARE’
Weiss reacted to her comments using a fire emoji, something a source told Vanity Fair was the “nail in the coffin” for a Mamdani interview.
“Bari and her people have a clear ax to grind with him,” a former CBS producer told Vanity Fair. “It’s not just Zohran. It’s really hard now to get people to come on CBS.”
Neither CBS News nor Mamdani’s office responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Cindy Crawford wears nothing but necklace and a smile in jacuzzi skinny dip
Cindy Crawford shared a montage on social media of her typical morning routine that included skinny-dipping in her jacuzzi, wearing nothing but a necklace.
“I love my morning routine— sets me up to have a great day!” Crawford wrote in the caption of an Instagram video she shared this week.
The supermodel’s day starts at 6 a.m. with dry brushing while listening to her Bible app.
After doing her face routine, which involves a cleanser and a red-light device, she takes a shot of apple cider vinegar by 7 a.m. — which gives her a little shudder — and then goes outside on her lawn barefoot.
SHARON STONE BLASTS HOLLYWOOD’S NUDITY DOUBLE STANDARD IN FIERY INSTAGRAM VIDEO
In the video, she then drops her robe before climbing into her oceanfront jacuzzi.
By 7:45, the 60-year-old is back inside for her morning coffee with collagen, and she answers a few emails before heading to the gym.
Her workout involves yoga, hanging upside down and jumping on a miniature trampoline — all before her Pilates teacher arrives around 8:30 a.m.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“And that’s my morning,” she added at the end of the video.
Crawford discussed her free-spirited attitude toward nudity in a 2019 interview with Net-a-Porter while talking about appearing naked in a photography book.
“He asked me how I wanted to be photographed,” Crawford said of photographer Russell James. “You could be as free or as not free as you wanted. Part of the reason I wanted to do it was that I thought, at what age is being naked not beautiful anymore? Is there a sell-by date on us? I don’t look the same as I did at 20, 30 or even 40. If we take care of ourselves, why not?”
She said she doesn’t want to be “frolicking” on the beach in a string bikini, but “there is a place where I want to feel beautiful naked, in my private life, with my husband. [Russell] was tapping into that real place — not high heels, not a lot of makeup, not coy, just a real woman who doesn’t have clothes on.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Crawford added that she doesn’t have any regrets about posing for Playboy twice in 1988 and 1998.
“I look back at some of my old ‘Playboy’ pictures and I think, ‘Why wasn’t I walking around naked all the time?’” she joked to the magazine. “I’m not getting younger. So I want to celebrate who I am today.”
Crawford’s daughter Kaia Gerber also revealed to Harper’s Bazaar earlier this year that her childhood home was covered with naked photos of her mother.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“They were, to me, artistic,” Gerber explained. “It wasn’t vulgar; it wasn’t objectification.”
She called it “a gift to grow up in a house that was without shame for the female body.”
Cuban president acknowledges Trump talks after oil cutoff sparks meltdown
The Cuban government is in talks with Trump administration officials, the country’s president said Friday, as Havana works to halt a potential regime change as it deals with a widening energy crisis.
In a 90-minute news conference broadcast by state media, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said talks with Washington were aimed at finding solutions to the political differences that divide the communist island and the United States, The New York Times reported.
However, changes to Cuba’s political system are off limits, Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuba’s chief of mission in the United States, told Politico in an interview.
MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS
Cuba’s economy has struggled since the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from his home in Caracas at the start of the year. The Trump administration immediately cut off oil exports to the island.
A number of key sectors across the island are under considerable strain, including its transportation, health and education systems, Torres Rivera said. She noted that as many as 11,000 children are on waiting lists for surgeries and procedures at health clinics.
“They have no money. They have no anything right now,” President Donald Trump said in February. “Maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba.”
Trump has said a deal with Havana “would be very easily made.”
In January, Trump declared a national emergency via an executive order over Cuba, accusing the communist regime of aligning with hostile foreign powers and terrorist groups.
FAMILY MEMBER OF AMERICAN KILLED BY CUBAN FORCES IN BOAT SHOOTOUT SAYS HE WAS ON ‘DIABOLICAL’ MISSION
Last week, he said Cuba was “negotiating with [Secretary of State] Marco [Rubio] and myself and some others. And I would think a deal would be made very easily with Cuba.”
Trump has charged Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and someone who has actively championed regime change, with negotiations with Cuba.
Friday was the first time the Cuban government formally acknowledged talks with Washington.
Amid talks, Rubio’s main counterpart has been Raúl Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of Raul Castro, the island’s de facto leader and its former president.
Díaz-Canel said the talks with the United States were needed, in part, “to determine the willingness of both sides to take concrete actions,” the Times reported.
He added that he would soon welcome an FBI team to take part in the investigation into 10 Cubans who lived in the United States who got into a firefight with the Cuban coast guard last month.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Agendas are built, negotiations and conversations take place and agreements are reached. Things we are still far from because we are in the initial phases of this process,” Díaz-Canel said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
USA baseball manager doubles down after mistakenly believing team advanced
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa responded to a question about criticism of his management during the World Baseball Classic after critics have piled on him in recent days.
“I have an undying passion for it and an undying belief in every guy on this roster,” DeRosa said in an in-game interview with Fox Sports during the Team USA game vs. Canada.
“I don’t think there’s an A or a B. I think they’re all A’s.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
DeRosa’s comments come amid scrutiny after Team USA’s surprising 8–6 loss to Italy in pool play, a defeat that sparked widespread discussion about lineup decisions and comments he made before the game about the Americans’ tournament standing.
Before the game, DeRosa said he believed Team USA had already clinched a spot in the knockout round, which proved incorrect once Italy pulled off an upset. The miscalculation quickly went viral and drew criticism from fans and analysts, some questioning the team’s approach and decision-making heading into the game.
KYLE SCHWARBER LEADS TEAM USA TO 9-1 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC WIN OVER BRITAIN
Despite the backlash, DeRosa has insisted the criticism has created misleading narratives about his handling of the team and his understanding of the tournament format.
Team USA entered the 2026 World Baseball Classic as one of the tournament favorites, boasting a star-studded lineup headlined by players such as Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. It is widely considered one of the most talented American squads ever assembled for the event.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
But the upset loss to Italy exposed vulnerabilities and temporarily put the Americans’ quarterfinal hopes in jeopardy. Team USA ultimately advanced out of pool play thanks to other results, though failing to win the group placed them in a more difficult bracket going forward.
With the knockout rounds underway, Team USA will now look to quiet critics on the field and prove DeRosa’s faith in the roster was justified.