Pollster left stunned by how independent voters responded to the Trump-Harris debate

Dials monitoring the reaction of a Fox News focus group during Tuesday’s presidential debate showed independent voters overlapping with Republicans in support of former President Trump’s immigration policies.

Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris during the ABC News Presidential Debate, blaming the Biden-Harris administration for “destroying the fabric of our country” with the influx of illegal immigration. 

The former president blamed the administration for the rise in “migrant crime,” a sentiment that seemingly resonated with not just Republicans, but a large number of independent respondents.

The focus group comprised seven Democrats, five independents and five Republicans, and was represented by blue, yellow and red lines, respectively. When Trump spoke of the rising crime at the hands of illegal immigrants, the yellow line monitoring the independent reaction rose drastically in Trump’s favor, overlapping with the red Republican line.

FOX NEWS VOTER PANEL SAYS HARRIS WON THE DEBATE

Lee Carter, pollster and president of Maslansky + Partners, said she was shocked to see independent voters tracking with Republicans so closely on the issue.

“I was really, really surprised because the intensity of the independent support was there for Donald Trump and I didn’t expect it,” Carter said Wednesday on “The Faulkner Focus.”

“Independents are tracking very much with Republicans. They’re looking for a couple of things. They’re looking for answers on immigration, they’re looking for answers on the economy. They want to hear that things will get better for them and they also want change from what is happening right now,” Carter continued. “One of the most important things they were looking for last night from Kamala Harris is how are you going to make it different?”

VOTERS REACT TO TRUMP SAYING HE ‘TOOK A BULLET TO THE HEAD’ OVER LEFT RHETORIC

An independent voter from New York who joined a voter panel Wednesday told host Harris Faulkner, “You don’t have to look any further than the five boroughs to see the impact of the migrant crisis.”

“When asked directly by the moderators, Kamala didn’t even make an effort to defend the administration’s policies at all. She can’t,” he added. “It’s indefensible, so she pivoted… but they totally rewrote all of Trump’s immigration policies year one. I would’ve liked to have seen an explanation for the country as to why they did that.”

Carter proceeded to highlight additional examples — including on fracking, abortion and the economy — where independents tracked with Republicans’ reactions.

Faulkner said the dial results indicate the GOP “better pay attention” to non-affiliated voters.

“I think the independents are tracking this way with Trump’s responses because it is obvious what’s happening across the country in these cities,” a GOP voter from New Jersey said. 

“Every single day we’re seeing destruction… crime… every single day our safety is being compromised, and I think you can’t hide from that, and I think it’s becoming more and more obvious and something needs to change.”

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Independents showed dissatisfaction with Trump while he talked about the coronavirus pandemic, but both Democrats and Republicans were consistently more supportive of the former president as he discussed the pandemic and the economy.

All three voting blocs, however, shot up in support for Trump when he said he was going to “cut taxes very substantially and create a great economy like I did before.”

‘King of the Swifties’ Dave Portnoy reacts to Taylor Swift endorsing VP Harris

Barstool Sports founder and self-proclaimed “Swiftie” Dave Portnoy said Wednesday that while Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris doesn’t change his opinion of the popstar, he plans to “vote the other way.”

“As the king of the Swifties people are asking me what I think of her Kamala endorsement. I don’t care at all. People can vote for whoever they want in this country. How somebody votes will never change my opinion of a person,” Portnoy posted on X. “I’m voting the other way but to each their own.”

Swift endorsed Harris for president minutes after the Democratic nominee walked off-stage from the presidential debate against her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Writing on Instagram, the singer said she will be voting for Harris because, “she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.”

MSNBC HOST GOES WILD FOR ‘PERFECT’ TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSEMENT OF KAMALA HARRIS: ‘ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE’

“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered!” Swift wrote to her 283 million followers. “I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.”

ELON MUSK NEEDLES TAYLOR SWIFT AFTER HARRIS ENDORSEMENT: ‘I WILL GIVE YOU A CHILD AND GUARD YOUR CATS’

Earlier this week, Portnoy revealed on Fox Business that he plans to vote for former President Trump after host Stewart Varney said he comes across as a “Trump guy.”

“Yeah, I’m voting for Trump. I don’t know that I would call myself a Trump guy, If I thought there was a candidate that was better I would be open to having that,” Portnoy said. “I wouldn’t have voted for him in the Republican primaries but I’m voting for him now.”

Trump shrugged off Swift’s endorsement of his opponent in a call to “Fox & Friends” Wednesday morning, saying that he was not surprised by her support for Harris and that it “was just a question of time. 

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“She couldn’t […] possibly endorse Biden. You look at Biden, you couldn’t possibly endorse him,” Trump said, clarifying that he is “not a Taylor Swift fan.”

“But she’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat,” he added, “And she’ll probably pay a price for it […] in the marketplace.”

Popular fast-food restaurant chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The number of restaurant chains that have filed for bankruptcy this year grew on Wednesday after BurgerFi International filed for Chapter 11 protection.

The company said it filed for Chapter 11 reorganization to “preserve the value” of its BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings brands “for all stakeholders.”

Only its corporate-owned BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings restaurants are included in the bankruptcy proceedings, it said. There are 17 and 50 of those, respectively.

BurgerFi’s petition was filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

BIG LOTS FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY, WILL CLOSE SOME STORES AMID SALE TO INVESTMENT FIRM

Chief Restructuring Officer Jeremy Rosenthal said the company’s need to file for Chapter 11 arose amid a “drastic decline in post-pandemic consumer spending amidst sustained inflation and increasing food and labor costs,” according to a press release.

BurgerFi, seeking to improve its business, launched an extensive turnaround effort last year. 

CEO Carl Bachmann said “legacy challenges” also “necessitated today’s filing” despite the company having seen “early positive indicators of the turnaround plan initiated less than a year ago.”

In its filing, BurgerFi estimated a range of $50-$100 million for its assets. Estimated liabilities were $100-$500 million.

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The company was “confident” the bankruptcy process “will allow us to protect and grow our brands and to continue the operational turnaround started less than 12 months ago and secure additional capital,” according to Rosenthal. 

In the meantime, customers can expect corporate and franchised restaurants to remain open as usual, BurgerFi said. Franchisees operate 76 BurgerFi restaurants and one Anthony’s location.

Other restaurant chains that have entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year include Roti, Buca di Beppo, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, Red Lobster and Tijuana Flats. 

WHY ARE SO MANY RESTAURANT CHAINS FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY THIS YEAR?

Just last week, Red Lobster received court approval to exit bankruptcy.

Jonathan Carson, co-CEO of bankruptcy services and technology firm Stretto, told FOX Business last week that 17 operating companies and large franchisees in the restaurant industry have filed for Chapter 11 so far this year. 

City plagued with Venezuelan gang crime confirms arrests of 10 members

Police and local officials in Aurora, Colorado released a joint statement on Wednesday announcing the arrest of 10 members of transnational gang Tren de Aragua.

Aurora has been in the spotlight recently after surveillance video from an apartment building overtaken by armed men went viral online.

The statement was released by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Council Member and Public Safety Chair Danielle Jurinsky with the “full endorsement” of the city manager and Aurora Police Department.

SUSPECTED TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS IN AURORA, COLORADO, RELEASED ON $1,000 BOND

“For some time, well before concerns about TdA in Colorado generated national attention, APD had been arresting people for various criminal activities who had suspected, but not necessarily confirmed, TdA connections. To date, APD has now linked 10 people to TdA and has arrested eight of those people,” read the statement. 

“Two of the eight individuals who were taken into custody were involved in a July shooting at one of the specific properties in the city that have experienced issues with TdA activity. In line with these arrests, we can also now confirm that criminal activity, including TdA issues, had significantly affected those properties.”

The 10 Tren de Aragua arrests are linked to “committing acts of violence against members of the migrant community,” according to the Aurora Police Department. Tren de Aragua is a transnational prison gang based in Venezuela; many of its members in the United States are illegal aliens.

Of the 10 arrested, charges include child abuse, attempted first-degree murder, illegal discharge of a firearm, and more. All 10 are listed as “documented member of TdA.”

One of the arrest warrants dates back to November 2023 in connection with an assault at the Whispering Pines apartments in Aurora.

ICE CONFIRMS AURORA, COLORADO GANG MEMBERS ARE IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY, RELEASED BY BIDEN ADMIN

The joint statement from Aurora officials also took aim at many misleading social media claims which made the rounds on X as well as certain media organizations.

“As for the perception and reality of public safety in Aurora, please understand that issues experienced at a select few properties do not apply to the city as a whole or large portions of it. TdA has not ‘taken over’ the city. The overstated claims fueled by social media and through select news organizations are simply not true.”

A joint task force has been brought together to address the Tren de Aragua gang activity in the region, especially after arrests in nearby Arapahoe County and Denver. The task force includes Aurora PD and “other local, state, and federal partners.”

The statement concludes, “we will continue to embrace our identity as the most diverse city in Colorado and remain steadfast in our commitment to arrest bad actors.”

Governor Jared Polis signed HB19-1124 in 2019 making Colorado a sanctuary state, meaning it does not enforce immigration law or cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

After Democrat Gov. Polis came under fire for calling the apartment takeovers caught on camera in Aurora “imagination,” his office responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the 10 Tren de Aragua arrests.

“Aurora is a great, vibrant city of more than 400,000 hardworking Coloradans and a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family and the Governor hopes that there has not been reputational damage from previous, cynical statements made by certain city officials,” said a spokesperson for Governor Polis.

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“Colorado is a zero-tolerance state for illegal activity. The Governor and his public safety team have been in close contact with the mayor and the City of Aurora for weeks on this matter, and are active participants in the task force.”

Legendary rocker helps save woman trying to jump from bridge

Jon Bon Jovi was in the right place at the right time on Tuesday when he helped coax a woman from jumping off a bridge in Nashville, Tennessee.

The “Livin’ on a Prayer” singer happened to be filming a music video on the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge when he saw a woman in a “moment of crisis,” Fox News Digital has learned. 

“A shout out to @jonbonjovi & his team for helping a woman on the Seigenthaler Ped Bridge Tue night,” Metro Nashville Police Department officials shared on X. “Bon Jovi helped persuade her to come off the ledge over the Cumberland River to safety.”

MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY SHOWS PATRIOTIC PRIDE AT US OPEN ALONGSIDE TAYLOR SWIFT, BON JOVI

Chief John Drake added in the statement, “It takes all of us to help keep each other safe.”

Bon Jovi is no stranger to helping others. He created the JBJ Soul Foundation in 2006, with the goal to “recognize and maximize the human potential in those affected by hunger, poverty and homelessness by offering assistance in establishing programs that provide food and affordable housing while supporting social services and job training programs.”

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What began as a small endeavor in Philadelphia has since expanded into 12 states, serving thousands of people, including youth and veterans, according to the nonprofit. 

“The Soul Foundation’s expanded mission helps those in need of a warm, nutritious meal and now operates three JBJ Soul Kitchens in New Jersey,” the foundation said.

American gymnast Jordan Chiles sobs on stage over losing Olympic medal

American gymnast Jordan Chiles couldn’t hold back tears in her first interview about the retraction of her Olympic medal. 

The 23-year-old Olympian, nicknamed “Chick,” was embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of the Paris Games when she won bronze in the women’s floor exercise final after American coaches asked officials to review a score. 

Romania’s Ana Barbosu initially finished with a higher score than Chiles once the American finished her routine, then judges reviewed the footage, changed the score and bumped Chiles up to third place, sparking the initial controversy and fierce backlash from Romanians. 

Then, on the last day of the Olympics, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the Chiles appeal was submitted past the one-minute deadline, and changed her score to drop her back into fifth place. The next day, on Aug. 11, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) determined that Chiles must return the medal.

Chiles gave her first sit-down interview about the incident this week during a panel at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit 2024 on Wednesday. The gymnast noticeably choked up and teared up when she was asked about the topic. 

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“To me, everything that has gone on is not about the medal, it’s about, you know, my skin color,” Chiles said. 

Chiles previously claimed she was facing “racially driven attacks” from social media users in a statement posted to X on Aug. 15. When Chiles won the bronze medal, it resulted in the first gymnastics podium in Olympic history that featured three black contestants. 

“It’s about the fact that there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete and I felt like everything has been stripped.” 

Chiles then compared the incident to a chapter of her career from 2018, when she had just completed high school and made her senior international debut and advanced toward her goal of competing at the Tokyo Olympics. But despite the success, Chiles admitted that she “lost the love of the sport” that year due to an abusive coach, who she did not name.

“I felt like back in 2018 when I did lose the love of the sport. I’ve lost it again. I just did felt like there wasn’t a lot of people supporting me who I thought could support me in that situation. I felt like I was really left in the dark,” she said. 

“I was in a situation of dealing with the coach, who emotionally and verbally abused me. I didn’t have the ability to use my voice or be heard,” Chiles said. 

JORDAN CHILES BREAKS SILENCE AFTER OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDAL RULING: ‘THIS DECISION FEELS UNJUST’

Chiles previously spoke out about the unnamed abusive coach during an episode of “Peace of Mind with Taraji” on Facebook Watch in November 2021. Chiles said her previous coach would “call me fat. She said I looked like a donut,” and constantly criticized what she ate. In 2019, Chiles switched trainers to train in Texas at the World Gymnastics Centre, which is owned by the family of Simone Biles. 

But now, as she still reels from the loss of her Olympic bronze, which she has not returned despite being ordered to by the IOC, Chiles says the medal is rightfully hers. 

“I made history and I will always continue to make history, it’s something I rightfully did, I followed the rules, my coach followed the rules, we did everything that was totally and completely right,” Chiles said. 

After the end of the Olympics in August, USA Today reported that Chiles and the rest of the U.S. Olympic team had “no intention” of returning the medal, and are continuing to appeal the IOC’s decision. 

Biles told People later that month that she has joined the effort to appeal the decision and re-assert Chiles as the third-place finisher. 

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“Do we think they did the correct procedures to come to this ruling? No,” Biles said. “That’s really why we want that justice for Jordan and why we’re going to keep supporting her and uplifting her.”

The controversy has brought international scrutiny upon the judges who scored the event. The Center of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) released a joint statement on Aug. 15 condemning the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the judging crew for the outcome. 

“If the FIG had put such a mechanism or arrangement in place, a great deal of heartache would have been avoided,” the CAS’ ad-hoc panel said in a release. “The Panel expresses the hope that the FIG will draw the consequences of this case, in relation to these three extraordinary Athletes and also for other Athletes and their supporting personnel, in the future, so that this never happens again.”

LIZ PEEK: Biggest loser in Harris-Trump debate — and who embarrassed themselves

The biggest loser in the first (and likely only) presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump was ABC News, which hosted the faceoff. The moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, embarrassed themselves and their network by, among other things, fact-checking Trump in real time on more than one occasion – sometimes incorrectly – while allowing Harris to spout serial lies and distortions. 

Social media blew up early on in the debate with commentators on the right, in particular, calling Tuesday night’s faceoff the worst and most one-sided debate in history. 

IN THE TRUMP-HARRIS FACE-OFF THERE WAS A CLEAR WINNER BUT DON’T BELIEVE THIS ELECTION IS OVER

Some of the non-truths Harris could (and should have been) fact-checked on:

1. Talking about Project 2025 as if it were Trump’s manifesto, and saying that he will pass a nationwide abortion ban

2. Dredging up Trump’s Charlottesville comment – that there were “very fine people on both sides” – which has been debunked

3. Saying Trump had overseen the worst unemployment since the Great Depression, which was caused by the pandemic

4. Saying Donald Trump has opposed IVF

5. Denying that Kamala Harris ever called for gun confiscation (there are videos of her doing just that)

6. Saying that Trump’s tax cuts only helped rich people

7. And my special bete noir – saying that she and Biden have “created” 800,000 manufacturing jobs, which is simply not true.

There were others. Harris lied about her record and about Trump’s and was not challenged on any of it.

LEFT WING FACT-CHECKER ADMITS TRUMP NEVER CALLED CHARLOTTESVILLE NEO-NAZIS ‘VERY FINE PEOPLE’ IN BLOW TO BIDEN

Perhaps that was inevitable; the liberal media is in full panic mode now that Harris’ honeymoon appears to have faded and Trump has pulled even and, in some polls, moved back into the lead. 

Harris’ pathetic effort to avoid committing to any policies while on the campaign trail has failed; her refusal to do solo interviews and press conferences has left American voters in the dark. Consequently, the debate was important. People want to know where she stands. Unfortunately, because she deflected on most of the questions and did not flesh out the very few policies she has offered, they still have very little idea of her views.

ABC DEBATE MODERATORS SPARK FURY FOR AGGRESSIVE FACT-CHECKING OF TRUMP, EASY TREATMENT OF HARRIS

That should have been the job of the moderators, but they declined to do it. Instead, they allowed her to prattle on with Biden-like platitudes. Once again, a bitterly partisan candidate is promising to bring the country together. Remember that one?

The moderators asked Harris early on whether people were better off under the Biden-Harris administration than they had been under Trump, and instead of citing areas of progress (perhaps because there are none), she launched into describing her “opportunity economy.” This denotes her “plan,” which she touted frequently and which apparently rests on giving people money to buy a home, giving people money to start a business and giving people money to help them raise children. 

How taxpayers will pay for all these “opportunities” was left unsaid. This is, of course, very Bidenesque – promise money to important voting groups like young people who have drifted away from Democrats and small business owners, who have historically lined up behind Trump.

TRUMP SPARS WITH HARRIS, MODERATORS DURING HEATED PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: ‘SHE DOESN’T HAVE A PLAN’

Trump, on the other hand, failed to prosecute his case. While Harris appeared over-prepared and practiced, with ready-to-go gestures and studied mannerisms, Trump was clearly under-prepared. It is frustrating to his supporters, because he has the facts on his side. He actually did build a strong economy, but saw it slammed by COVID. He actually did leave the world at peace, and negotiated significant new alliances between Middle Eastern countries. He actually did demote Iran’s ability to wage proxy wars through sanctions and constrained Russia’s energy dominance by canceling the Nordstream 2 Pipeline. And, he alerted the world to China’s dishonest intentions and rule-breaking; none of his predecessors had tried to rein in Beijing.

But instead of forcefully arguing about his successes, he meandered. And, he forgot to smile.

TRUMP FLIPS ‘I’M TALKING’ SCRIPT FROM 2020 DEBATE AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS DURING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE SHOWDOWN

Rather than patiently and systematically challenging Harris with evidence that his administration had helped the middle class more than hers, Trump reverted to form, claiming once again that he actually won the 2020 election. 

That was a mistake, and the liberal press was doubtless jumping for joy. His comments will breathe new life into Biden and Harris’ warnings about Trump being a threat to democracy, a talking point that had all but vanished from the political discourse in recent months. 

He repeatedly bashed Harris over her failure to curb illegal immigration, but failed to specify the damage done by the inflow of migrants to our cities, neglected to talk about the huge number of people killed by fentanyl because of our open border or the 320,000 children that the White House has lost track of. That was low-hanging fruit, and an opportunity missed.

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He also rose to the bait more than once. When Harris slammed his rallies, saying people got bored and walked out, he couldn’t resist devolving into arguing about crowd sizes… again.

Trump did manage to make some good points, noting, for instance, that despite criticism over his tariff policy, the Biden-Harris White House had left intact his fees on imports from China, because they were effective. He also pushed back on the jobs supposedly “created” by the current White House, calling them “bounce-back” jobs. He’s right.

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His most effective moment of the evening was asking, in his concluding statement, why she hadn’t moved forward with her “opportunity economy” and her other plans during the past three and a half years? Why hadn’t she fixed the border or created more jobs? 

That’s the question the moderators should have asked.

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Fans threaten to boycott game show over ‘nauseating’ new change

“Wheel of Fortune” fans criticized the new game show set after Ryan Seacrest replaced former longtime host Pat Sajak. 

During the beloved game show’s Toss Up challenges, the three contestants were displayed at the bottom of the screen in separate boxes. In previous episodes, the players were showcased at the top. 

Fans noticed this change and expressed how much they despised the new setup.

RYAN SEACREST’S ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ DEBUT LEFT OUT PAT SAJAK’S NAME AFTER EX-HOST SPOTTED WITH VANNA WHITE

“Ryan is ok but hate the new set,” a viewer shared on a “Wheel of Fortune” Reddit forum. 

“Also hate them showing the contestants at [the] bottom during the toss ups. It’s a distraction. I just want to see the puzzle! Why do they always feel like they need to change things just [because] there’s a new host.”

Other fans were quick to agree with the initial comment and were visibly upset about the new look. 

“The three box was nauseating,” another comment read. “Let the viewer focus on the puzzle!”

“I’m not going to watch because the set is such garbage, tbh,” one person wrote. “It’s bright, distracting, and cheap.”

“Ugly is too nice a word for what they did,” another fan commented.

An additional “Wheel of Fortune” viewer chimed in and said, “I will concur that the set – despite the nod to the 80s set – does look like in need of more improvement. The new Toss-up/Speed-up round angles also don’t do any justice either…”

Many fans pointed out that they enjoyed Seacrest as a host but miss Sajak.

“Seacrest is OK, though it will be awhile before I stop missing Sajak’s style of patter with the contestants,” one comment read.

Another fan added, “Ryan is a good enough host. The new set is too much. I’m not a fan.”

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The new “Wheel of Fortune” critiques came after Seacrest debuted on the game show Monday night.

Although Seacrest recognized he had stepped into a major role, he did not mention Sajak’s name when he opened the show.

After Seacrest and co-host Vanna White were introduced, the new “Wheel of Fortune” host shared his sentiments.

“I am your host, Ryan Seacrest. I still can’t believe my luck of being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you. And of course, my good friend Vanna White,” he shared during his monologue.

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“Thank you for the very warm welcome,” Seacrest said. “Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is a dream job. I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family. And I know how special it is that ‘Wheel’ has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years. And I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill. So, let’s play ‘Wheel of Fortune.’”

Although Seacrest mentioned he had “big shoes to fill,” Sajak’s name was absent in his introduction.

“Wheel of Fortune” announced Seacrest would take over for Sajak in June 2023 following the host’s retirement.

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