Space force commander who lost pension for criticizing DEI in military speaks out
A former space commander is calling for a change of leadership after he was fired for allegedly criticizing the “Marxist” DEI complex, which he believes is now being accelerated under the Biden administration.
Former Lieutenant Colonel Matt Lohmeier was in the military for over a decade before he joined the U.S. Space Force in 2020, where he specialized in missile warning systems. But less than a year later, in May 2021, he was “betrayed,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Lohmeier publicly spoke out against DEI training because he believed it was dividing the troops and decreasing morale, which affected military readiness. He believes “the DEI industry… is steeped in critical race theory, is rooted in anti-American, Marxist ideology.”
“The blow was severe,” he said about allegedly being fired for his dissenting views. “It makes you feel like you’ve been betrayed.”
He said it was a real “gut punch” when he lost his pension.
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“You give your life and service to your country and the American people, and you’re not doing it for the pay. You’re doing it because you become [convinced] of the greatness of the American ideal. And… senior leaders [then] say, ‘We want you out of the way because your view is not welcome here,’ even as they pretend to care about inclusivity, even as they pretend to care about diversity, [but] not diversity of thought,” he said.
Lohmeier believed he didn’t violate existing policy because the issue he took aim at was anti-Americanism, not politics.
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“There was a whole string of events that did lead up to to my being relieved of command,” he said. “The ultimate reason was because I was willing to be publicly critical of critical race theory, which I understood to be rooted in Marxist ideology… that I saw dividing the troops.”
“I wasn’t advocating for Republicans over Democrats, and I’m conservative myself. But it didn’t matter to me. And it’s never mattered to our troops what someone else’s politics were,” he said.
The former commander is now trying to expose what he calls the “Marxist” military complex from the outside.
A new study commissioned by the Arizona State University Center for American Institutions revealed that the Pentagon’s DEI programs encourage reporting private conversations on dissenting views of DEI and has been steadily increasing its resources. DEI engines in the military cost taxpayers $68 million in 2022, $86.5 million in 2023, with a proposed $114.7 million for 2024, according to the ASU report.
The report, compiled by military experts, recommends abolishing the left-wing DEI agenda and replacing it with merit-based selections and American values curricula at the academies.
“We need to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion trainings from the military, from the service academies, and strip all vestiges of critical race theory out of the military workplace,” Lohmeier said.
The Space Force did not respond to a request for comment.
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News outlet mocked on social media for headline calling Biden ‘sharp’ but ‘forgetful’
An Associated Press article from Wednesday set off X users for what they considered to be an effort to protect President Biden.
The article titled “Biden at 81: Often sharp and focused but sometimes confused and forgetful” focused on comments from reportedly two dozen people within the president’s social circle who described a conflicting private and public image.
“He is often sharp and focused. But he also has moments, particularly later in the evening, when his thoughts seem jumbled and he trails off mid-sentence or seems confused. Sometimes he doesn’t grasp the finer points of policy details. He occasionally forgets people’s names, stares blankly and moves slowly around the room,” AP reported.
It continued, “But sometimes, Biden speaks so softly that it is difficult to make out his words even with a microphone. He’ll stop mid-sentence and trail off during speeches. At other times he runs the room, leading the audience, joking and shaking hands with thrilled supporters, in clear command of the moment. His gait is often stiff, but sometimes he jogs.”
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The story and its headline spurred intense mockery along with comparisons to CNN’s infamous “fiery but mostly peaceful protest” graphic outside a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Wisconsin.
“’Senile but mostly sharp’ is the new ‘fiery but mostly peaceful,’” Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik remarked.
“’I don’t understand why people are blaming the media,’” RedState senior editor Joe Cunningham wrote sarcastically.
“The AP is really doing this…” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lamented.
“Not satire,” The Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon declared.
The Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross joked, “Airplane pilot: Sharp and focused but sometimes confused and forgetful.”
Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton commented, “I sometimes forget how corrupt the legacy media are. Thanks to the AP for reminding me.”
The AP headline followed ongoing concerns over Biden’s age and mental acuity after his first presidential debate against Donald Trump. Several media outlets soon began calling for Biden to step down ahead of the election.
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Some reporters have also admitted recognizing age-related issues regarding the president before the debate but ultimately deciding not to pursue them for fear of contributing to a “right-wing talking point.”
“Biden’s age was also a right-wing talking point for years, something the White House was quick to point out to reporters, which may have inadvertently turned off any serious investigation,” CNN reported.
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Walmart rival gaining ground in the pricing game, slashing costs to win back customers
While Walmart is still seen as the price leader in the grocery industry, its rivals aren’t far behind.
In a recent report, Telsey Group analyzed online grocery prices across seven retailers including Walmart, Target, Amazon Fresh, Kroger (King Soopers), Albertsons (Safeway), Sprouts, and Whole Foods (via Amazon) in Denver, Colorado. Analysts specifically looked into 40 key items across two categories, including “several premium items.”
Telsey Advisory Group Senior Managing Director Joe Feldman told FOX Business that Kroger and Target, which usually trade off in the number two spot, have slightly “narrowed the gap with Walmart” and are less of a price premium to the Arkansas-based retailer than they used to be.
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Last June, Target and Kroger were at a 14% to 15% premium to Walmart. Today, that figure is sitting around 6% to 7%.
However, what’s even more interesting, according to Feldman, is the price drop at Amazon Fresh.
A year ago, Amazon Fresh was 26% more expensive than Walmart. Today, it’s just 7.5% more expensive, underscoring how they’ve been working pretty aggressively to get their prices down, according to Feldman.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 68.24 | +0.17 | +0.25% |
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 197.59 | -2.41 | -1.21% |
Consumer package goods companies, or CPG companies, are taking on some of the costs to help with those price cuts, according to Feldman, who noted that its good news for the consumer.
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With these CPG companies helping to drive down price, major grocers
“are able to really be aggressive and, you know, price competitively for the consumer.”
Food at home prices, otherwise known as groceries, are still about 20% higher than in 2019. However, overall inflation has dropped significantly from the highs seen in 2022.
In May, the cost of food rose only slightly, up 0.1% over the course of the month, and grocery prices were unchanged.
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Grocery prices are one of the biggest reminders of household inflation alongside gas prices.
Those “are the two things that they look at most. And they see it, you know, every day [or] every few days. And when those prices start to moderate, the consumer can feel a lot better about how things are going,” Feldman said.
Billionaire dons tux in surfing video while holding beer and American flag
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg celebrated the Fourth of July in style – that is – in black tie.
Zuckerberg posted a video to Instagram Reels where he was surfing, sipping on what appeared to be a can of beer, and flying Old Glory all while wearing a tuxedo.
He captioned the Instagram post, “Happy birthday, America!”
Zuckerberg’s video, featuring a patriotic combination of activities, had Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” playing as a soundtrack.
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One commenter poked fun at Zuckerberg, joking that he had used Artificial Intelligence or A.I. to generate the video.
One user wrote, “Not AI generated” with a laughing emoticon.
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Not all reception was positive, however. Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy quickly took to X, the website formerly known as Twitter, for his take.
Portnoy tweeted, “You can’t go from supremely uncool to cool by just trying hard. Zuck will always be uncool. I refuse to entertain the possibility he will ever do anything cool.”
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Zuckerberg’s Instagram post currently has 480,000 likes.
Keir Starmer becomes new UK prime minister after left-leaning party’s win
Keir Starmer officially became the new prime minister of the United Kingdom after the Labor Party’s big win Thursday in the general election, The Associated Press reported.
Conservative Rishi Sunak resigned as prime minister, and Starmer met Friday with King Charles III, who approved him to form a new government.
The Labour Party won a majority of votes to thrust Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, into the powerful position. Sunak had been prime minister since October 2022.
Starmer, who became the first Labour prime minister in 14 years, said he intends to put “country first, party second.”
“We have to return politics to public service,” Starmer said, adding that a position of his new stature “comes with great responsibility.”
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The Labour Party’s win on Thursday is one of the biggest-ever for the House of Commons.
Sunak said he “takes responsibility for the loss” and that a “sobering verdict” was delivered by the British people during a concession speech.
“I take responsibility for the loss,” Sunak said. “To the many good, hard-working Conservative candidates who lost tonight, despite their tireless efforts, their local records and delivery, and their dedication to their communities. I am sorry.”
Sunak said called Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.
“Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides. That is something that should give us all confidence in our country’s stability and future,” Sunak said.
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Sunak conceded the election about 30 minutes before the Labour Party secured the 326 required seats — out of the possible 650 — to win the election and form the new government.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted he looked forward “to working constructively” with the new government, and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wrote, “New Zealand and the UK are great friends and can do so much more together.” Luxon also thanked Sunak “for your service to your nation and friendship to New Zealand.”
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Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose premiership lasted a mere 49 days, also lost her lawmaker’s seat in the election.
Truss lost her Norfolk South West seat by a few hundred votes.
Many other high-profile Conservative lawmakers also lost their seats, including House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt.
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The latest vote tally shows the Labour Party won 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons as compared to the 118 seats for the Conservatives.
Since Margaret Thatcher became the Conservative Party leader in 1979, Conservatives have controlled the government all but 13 years until now.
School board fights back after trans runner wins girls’ state title
A Washington school board president is hoping to inspire schools to take a stand on behalf of girls’ sports.
“The one thing that people say, a lot of times, is that they argue that including, I guess, boys or men in women’s sports, that’s really inclusive. But the fact is it’s exclusive. Because we’re excluding girls and women now,” Gabe Galbraith, who leads the Kennewick School Board, told Fox News Digital.
The school district recently passed a resolution that affirmed the board’s stance that biological males should not compete with biological females in sports.
“NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Kennewick School District Board of Directors strongly supports fairness in competition and student safety; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Kennewick School District Board of Directors strongly affirms that ‘sex’ is defined as biological male or biological female as determined at birth, and is an immutable characteristic that cannot be changed, fluid, or altered,” the resolution read.
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It continued, “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Kennewick School District Board of Directors strongly affirms that biological males should not participate in biological females’ sports and inherent biological differences and abilities exist between biological males and biological females and commits to protecting female sports.”
The resolution, which passed in June, followed a transgender runner winning the girls’ 400-meter sprint at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) state track and field meet.
Although the idea for the resolution came after President Biden’s Title IX revisions back in April, Galbraith acknowledged the track meet influenced the timing of its release.
“We have too many people just kind of sitting on the sidelines and not voicing their concerns. So we decided we were going to take a stand. We came up with this resolution, and we passed it at our local school board meeting, just this last week. We’re the first board in Washington state to take a stand against this. Hopefully, we can get a bunch of the other school boards on this resolution and maybe affect some change in the state,” Galbraith said.
He revealed that they have since received support from locals as well as city council members after the resolution passed. Galbraith also hoped that this resolution “opens the door for others to kind of jump in and follow along” to inspire real change.
“They tell us it’s never going to happen in your state. It’ll never happen. And then it happens. And then we were able to come out and stand up against it with our resolution, which effectively is just our board saying that we don’t support it. We have to try to work with our legislators and stuff to affect some change to figure out what the next step is,” Galbraith said.
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According to Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policy, every athlete will compete in programs “consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed.” However, the association does not require athletes to take part in hormone therapy or use hormone blockers.
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Fitness guru Brooke Burke urges women over 50 to add 1 thing to workout routine
Brooke Burke is adapting.
“This stage of my life as a woman, Mother Nature is just dishing out challenge after challenge for us,” the television personality told Fox News Digital in a conversation about fitness and wellness.
Burke, 53 in September, has incorporated compound exercises and heavy weights into her workout regimen, the latter of which women often stray away from.
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“I want to speak to this quickly because most women are afraid of heavy weights. And there’s this myth attached to it that we’re going to get bulky. Not true. Like, we would have to consume so much protein and go so heavy and be so diligent about that program to really change the body,” she said.
“What I found, I’m in my 50s, no one prepared us for menopause and said, ‘Learn how to weight train.’ The reason we need to weight train is for bone density. It’s bone health, osteoporosis. It shifts your hormones. It kicks up your metabolism. It creates strength. It allows you to develop more coordination so we can do other things.”
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“It’s the first time I’m really adding heavy weights. And heavy for me is like 10 pound arms, right? I’ve always added heavy weights to my booty burn programs to build curves in the glute muscles,” said Burke, who hosts a LIVE! Zoom workout class every Friday on her website, BrookeBurke.com. “But it’s making me stronger. I’m feeling my body changing, I’m able to maintain lean muscle. I’m also adding a lot of protein to my diet because my body needs it.”
WATCH: BROOKE BURKE SHARES WORKOUT TIP FOR WOMEN OVER 50
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Depriving your body of what it needs – food – is something the former “Dancing with the Stars” host recommends you don’t do.
“I feel like we are in a phase in our country of a quick fix. And that fad diet and shocking the system and so much discipline that we’re not enjoying our life. I am eating more. I’m leaner, I’m stronger, and I’m more satisfied. And I have more energy. I’m eating nutrient-dense foods, I’m eating more protein. My smoothie – the other day on social media, somebody asked me how many calories were in my smoothie. I was like, ‘I do not count calories.’ I just don’t. I won’t. I have enough stuff to count in my life,” she said. “There are so many calories in my smoothie, but here’s the difference. It’s nutrient dense. It’s loaded with good fats. I’m fueling my brain. I’m feeding my body. I’m energizing my whole system. It’s just a retraining of the brain. Eat, everybody. Don’t starve.”
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“Eat, everybody. Don’t starve.”
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Burke says that while she does intermittent fasts in the morning, she does it “with intention” and puts full cream in her coffee.
“I never would have done that. The younger me? No chance. I’m feeling my body with that. I’m satisfied and I’m eating really well. Flavorful meals, herbs, spices, oils, it’s a different way of approaching wellness. Different than when I was in my 20s. It’s better, and it’s more fun, and it’s more flavorful.”
Multiple people injured after fireworks land into crowd during celebration
Multiple videos have surfaced Thursday evening showing a fireworks display at the Stadium of Fire concert in Provo, Utah, with rogue shots straying into the audience. Early reports state that one person was taken to a hospital with serious injuries while others were reportedly injured.
Several firefighters immediately responded to reports of injuries in the crowd, according to Fox 13 in Salt Lake City.
The incident happened at LaVell Edwards Stadium, the football facility for Brigham Young University. Just as the national anthem is heard ending, and as four fighter jets fly over the stadium, a fireworks display begins behind the stage.
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Fireworks shot into the sunlit sky vertically, but stray sparks are seen firing horizontally into the crowd near the stage. Crowdgoers were reportedly seen waving their hands in the air for officials to render help.
Freedom Festival, which facilitates Stadium of Fire and other yearly events across the country, posted that all fireworks were “thoroughly checked” before Thursday’s show and then checked again after the incident.
“Safety is of the utmost importance to us. All pyrotechnics at Stadium of Fire are thoroughly checked before the show, and were rechecked after tonight’s incident. Our thoughts are with those who were impacted, and we are following up with them to make sure they are okay.”
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After a pause in activities, the concert resumed with the Jonas Brothers taking the stage around 9 p.m. and closing out the show with no other reported mishaps.
Provo Police Department spokesperson Janna-Lee Holland told KUTV the incident happened just after the flyover.
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The number of injuries and each of their severities is unknown at the time.
Videos like the one seen in this post show pyrotechnics not only firing into the stands, but also onto the field where people were either standing or in a seated area.
Top tips to keep you safe from sharks while swimming in the ocean
As family and friends flood America’s coastlines during the holiday weekend, an expert is giving beachgoers practical tips to keep in mind as they head into waters with one of the most feared hunters in the ocean.
Dr. Robert Hueter, OCEARCH’s senior adviser for science and academics, told Fox News Digital that swimmers should be aware that they are swimming alongside sea life and are not in an enclosed pool or lake.
“The first thing to keep in mind is, don’t be afraid of the ocean,” he said. “The ocean is an absolutely wonderful, life-giving place. It’s important to everything we do on this planet. Go have fun at the ocean this weekend.”
“But remember, the ocean is not a swimming pool. It’s not even a lake,” Hueter said. “It’s a big, wild place full of life.”
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Hueter shared practical tips for beachgoers as they head to the shore this holiday weekend.
“It’s a pretty easy list of steps to avoid raising your risk of being bitten by a shark,” Hueter said.
1. Assess water conditions
The shark expert suggested looking into if there are any precautions posted for surf and current conditions prior to jumping in.
“You can go on the OCEARCH website and see our safety tips,” Huerter said.
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“First of all, remember that the risk of drowning is 132 times higher than even getting bitten by a shark, much less dying by a shark bite,” he said. “So, pay close attention to things like rip currents and ocean conditions, and always, always follow the guidelines that the lifeguards are putting out there at the beach.”
2. Do not swim in the food chain
Hueter said that prior to wading out into the ocean, survey the water and notice any heightened animal activity, like schools of fish or flocks of birds.
“When you go in the water, make sure that you sort of look over the situation,” he said. “And if you see a lot of life, a lot of fish, schools of birds diving, that sort of thing, remember that there may be larger fish that are trying to feed on those smaller fish.”
“You don’t want to put yourself in the middle of that. You just want to stay away from that,” Hueter said. “And you don’t want to be part of the food chain, so to speak.”
“Assuming that that’s not happening and also that people are not fishing right in that area, because fishing by its very nature attracts fish and larger animals, including sharks, go into the water and enjoy your time,” Huerter said.
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3. Do not swim out too far
“Don’t go out too far in the summer because there are more sharks out there in the summer,” he said. “The Fourth of July is a time when we’re bringing a lot of people into the water, and there are a fair number of sharks here at the same time.”
“So, stay inside the first sandbar, if that’s the way that the beach is constructed,” Hueter said.
4. There is safety in numbers
Hueter reminded swimmers that there is safety in numbers and to never swim alone in the ocean.
“Stay with other people,” he said. “Don’t make yourself a lone target because a shark might investigate.”
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He said sharks are “not really looking for us.”
“If they were, they must be awfully bad at it, because they only bite less than 100 people in the world every year,” he said. “And that’s millions of people and millions of sharks.”
“So, you just don’t want to get in their way,” he said.
5. Avoid shiny jewelry and bright-colored bathing suits
Huerter said to avoid wearing flashy jewelry that could pique the shark’s interest.
“You don’t want to attract their attention, so don’t wear shiny jewelry when you go swimming,” he said.
He said sparkly jewelry could look like the scales of a fish that sharks could want to investigate further.
Huerter said that things like wearing a brightly colored bathing suit could attract unwanted attention from the shark.
We talk about not wearing too bright a bathing suit, but most people wear brightly colored shirts, so just keep that in mind.”
“The ocean’s a wild place,” he said. “Put yourself into the head of a shark and think, ‘What am I looking for?’”
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Huerter reiterated that sharks are not looking for people, but they may go to investigate a shiny piece of jewelry or a fluorescent bathing suit.
“You just don’t want to do those things that would attract their attention and maybe cause them to come up and bite,” he said.
6. Swim in the ocean during the day
“Stay in the ocean during the daytime or when there are other people there,” Hueter said. “Don’t go swimming from dusk to dawn.”
Hueter advised against swimming at dusk because sharks are “pretty active” during that time.
“Sharks are pretty active in those two periods because they kind of have an advantage over their prey,” he said. “But you’re also taking away some of their ability to determine that you’re not what they want.”
7. Have fun
Hueter reminded beachgoers to have fun over the Fourth of July holiday weekend and to implement safety advice.
“Just keep in mind that we see a spike in interactions between people and sharks through the Fourth of July,” he said. “And that’s not because the sharks are particularly attracted to the beaches because it’s Independence Day, it’s because we’re putting more people in the water at that time of year than any other time.”
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“So, sharks and people come together, and bites occur,” Hueter said. “So, just try to be safe and practice the tips that we give out and have a great Fourth of July.”