作者： root

Anthropic urges US to require safety tests for most capable AI models

June 10, 2026 7:30 PM UTC / Reuters

Anthropic logo, a keyboard and a robotic hand in this illustration taken June 5, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) – Anthropic called on the U.S. Congress on Wednesday not to block state laws regulating AI unless it enacts a “rigorous” federal law that addresses “catastrophic AI risks,” according to a company statement.

The company also urged Congress to require AI companies to put their most powerful models through independent safety tests, according to the statement.

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Anthropic is aiming to shape regulation of AI as it prepares for a U.S. initial public offering. The listing would represent one of the most consequential stock market debuts in years, potentially reshaping benchmark indexes, investor flows and the broader narrative driving U.S. equities.

Reporting by Courtney Rozen, Editing by Franklin Paul

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

First on Fox: Trump admin opens new front in fraud crackdown targeting health insurers, drug middlemen

June 10, 2026 2:07pm EDT / Fox News

The program covers more than 8.2 million federal employees and family members, according to the GAO

By Ashley J. DiMella Fox News

Pennsylvania Attorney General details his state’s $12 million Medicaid fraud bust

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday explains a $12 million Medicaid bust of a Philadelphia pharmacy that allegedly fraudulently collected millions in Medicaid reimbursements for prescriptions it never fulfilled.

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FIRST ON FOX:The Trump administration is lifting the hood on federal health benefits programs that cover millions of Americans, ordering insurance carriers to tighten fraud controls as part of a broader crackdown on waste and abuse, Fox News Digital learned.

“Working alongside the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, OPM is taking additional steps to safeguard the premiums paid by federal employees and taxpayers, protect beneficiaries, and ensure health insurance companies are meeting the highest standards of accountability,” said Office of Personnel Management (OPM) director Scott Kupor to Fox News Digital.

OPM functions as the federal government’s human resources agency, overseeing civilian personnel policy and administering benefits for federal employees, retirees and their families.

OPM, partnered with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is sending new compliance expectations on Wednesday to insurance carriers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs, directing them to strengthen fraud prevention, payment reviews, pharmacy benefit oversight, subcontractor accountability, audits and reporting, Fox News Digital learned.

READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD

FEHB cost taxpayers about $70 billion and covered more than 8.2 million federal employees, family members, and other eligible individuals in 2024.(Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The push also targets pharmacy benefit managers, the drug-pricing middlemen that administer prescription drug benefits for health plans and negotiate with drugmakers and pharmacies.

The FEHB program cost the government and enrollees about $70 billion in fiscal 2024 and covered more than 8.2 million federal employees, family members and other eligible individuals, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

“OPM is a valuable partner and leader on the Task Force. The steps taken today will protect taxpayers and our federal workforce,” White House Task Force Executive Director Scott Brady told Fox News Digital.

OPM is also building a data science and audit team with the agency’s inspector general to review anonymized claims data and detect fraud, waste and overbilling more proactively.

HOUSE GOP LAUNCHES NEW TASK FORCE, PROBES ALLEGED $250B MEDICAID FRAUD IN OHIO

The White House Task Force has amped up its fraud investigations, narrowing in on medical corruption.(Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

The Government Accountability Office said in a July 2025 report that OPM should do more to manage fraud risks in the FEHB program, citing risks including benefit card sharing, improper inducements, insufficient or fraudulent documentation, kickbacks, marketing fraud, theft of personally identifiable information, provider ineligibility and self-referrals.

The announcement marks the latest crackdown in medical programs following the launch of a nationwide probe into Medicaid.

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OPM has given orders to insurance companies handling federal employee health benefits to launch investigations into payments, pharmacy benefit oversights, and subcontractors.(Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CMS directed all 50 states to submit plans to revalidate high-risk Medicaid providers, including providers subject to less rigorous enrollment standards or operating without a National Provider Identifier in April.

Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the task force, amplified the call in May, saying during a news conference that states could lose federal funding if they fail to aggressively pursue Medicaid fraud.

The push comes amid heightened focus on large-scale fraud cases, including Minnesota’s $250 million “Feeding Our Future” scheme, which became a national flashpoint in recent months.

Ashley J. DiMella reports on politics for Fox News Digital.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6397754942112

Honda recalls more than 880,000 vehicles for suspension issue that could cause crashes

June 10, 2026 / 12:40 PM EDT / CBS News

Honda is recalling 880,514 vehicles because the rear suspension components could fail, putting passengers at risk of injury or a crash, federal regulators said in a recall notice.

The recall affects the following models and years, which were sold in 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• Honda Pilot, 2016-2022 model years
• Ridgeline, 2017-2023
• Passport, 2019-2023
• Acura MDX, 2014-2020

The states include:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

Honda is issuing the recall because the rear subframe on the vehicles could corrode, potentially leading to suspension component failure. That can cause drivers to lose handling or control of the vehicle, NHTSA said in its notice. According to Honda’s estimate, only 1% of the vehicles contain the defect.

Letters notifying owners are expected to go out on July 7, 2026. Dealers will repair or replace the rear subframe components free of charge.

The NHTSA recall number is 26V365000.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

US shortens cyber fix window to three days as AI threats rise

2026-06-10 16:51:26 UTC / Reuters

By Raphael Satter

June 10, 2026 4:51 PM UTC Updated 8 mins ago

Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words “Artificial Intelligence AI” in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. cyber defense agency said on Wednesday that government ​officials now have three days to deal with the most ‌serious categories of digital vulnerabilities in their networks, a compressed timeline that is due in part to hackers’ use of artificial intelligence.

The deadline, which was ​set in a new directive, opens new tab issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure ​Security Agency, obligates civilian federal agencies with vulnerable software ⁠or equipment to fix, disable, or remove it from the internet ​within three calendar days, depending on the severity of the threat.

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Many ​cyber experts worry that new, more advanced AI models along the lines of Anthropic’s Mythos are supercharging hackers’ abilities to take advantage of digital vulnerabilities across the internet, forcing tech ​workers to plug security holes almost as soon as they are ​discovered.

“Defenders cannot afford to take weeks to patch systems that can be autonomously exploited ‌en ⁠masse,” CISA Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera told reporters. He said the directive was “an initial step to counter the increased capabilities of those emerging AI models.”

Reuters first reported last month ​that U.S. officials were ​considering the ⁠adoption of a three-day deadline to deal with potentially dangerous flaws.

Even under the new directive, there is ​still more time to deal with less severe weaknesses, ​such ⁠as ones that are not easy for hackers and cybercriminals to automate, or do not concern publicly exposed digital infrastructure. An appendix to the ⁠order leaves ​two weeks to deal with many ​vulnerabilities and as long as two months for the least serious category of flaw.

Reporting ​by Raphael Satter in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Chizu Nomiyama

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UFO whistleblower claims billions in secret spending hidden from Congress

2026-06-10 12:57:58 EDT / Fox News

Former intelligence officer urged the Defense Intelligence Agency to release documents for congressional review

By Morgan Phillips Fox News

Published June 10, 2026 12:57pm EDT

House lawmakers seek immunity for UAP whistleblowers

House lawmakers plan to request immunity for UAP whistleblowers, while a report by Bret Baier examines early “foo fighter” sightings from World War II.

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Unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) whistleblower and former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch accused intelligence agencies Tuesday of hiding billions of dollars in secret government spending from Congress, as lawmakers renewed demands for records they say federal officials continue to withhold.

His investigation uncovered what he described as “slush funds” — pools of money allegedly operating outside normal congressional oversight channels — worth billions of dollars annually that were allegedly used to support activities operating outside normal oversight channels, Grusch said speaking at a Capitol Hill event alongside members of the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets.

“This is also a real fraud, waste and abuse issue,” Grusch said. “During my investigation, I found slush funds to the tune of billions of dollars per annum for these activities.”

TASK FORCE TO EXPOSE ‘FEDERAL SECRETS’ ON JFK ASSASSINATION, EPSTEIN, UFOS PACKED WITH GOP REBELS

The allegations come as lawmakers and the Trump administration have intensified efforts to declassify government unidentified aerial phenomena records, releasing hundreds of pages of previously secret files and renewing pressure on agencies to disclose what they know about unexplained aerial incidents.

Grusch, who served on the Pentagon’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force and later as the National Reconnaissance Office’s representative to the task force, first gained national attention in 2023 when he testified before Congress about alleged government efforts to recover and study unidentified craft.

The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget includes nearly $132 billion in military and national intelligence spending, much of it contained in classified programs accessible only to a limited group of cleared officials and lawmakers.

Asked what the government knows about nonhuman intelligence, Grusch claimed the government is aware of “several” different alien species.

“It’s a continuum from corporeal bipedal type life to, you know, what I would consider is like sentient plasma life,” Grusch said. “But there are several that this government is aware of.”

He did not elaborate on the claim or provide evidence during the event.

U.S. Representative Eric Burlison (R-MO) speaks during a news conference on the declassification of federal secrets related to unidentified aerial phenomena on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 9, 2026.(Eric Lee/Reuters)

Grusch specifically accused the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Pentagon’s primary military intelligence agency, of obstructing congressional oversight efforts, arguing that records requested by lawmakers have not been fully provided despite what he described as lawful requests from Congress. He urged the agency to release additional documents for review and declassification.

The DIA could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Pentagon has consistently said investigations have not uncovered verified evidence of extraterrestrial technology, and previous government reviews have disputed claims that secret crash-retrieval programs exist.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers joined Grusch during the press conference, arguing that agencies have continued to resist congressional efforts to obtain information related to unidentified anomalous phenomena.

“We would ask questions, and they would then push back. We would ask more questions, and the pushback became more significant,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. “We would try to put language in an amendment, in a bill, and they would oppose it.”

“There must be real penalties for officials who knowingly withhold information from Congress,” added Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo.

UFO whistleblower Eric Grusch claims “billions” in taxpayer funding are going to secret UAP programs.(Eric Lee/Reuters:Department of War)

Moskowitz also tied the debate to broader concerns about Pentagon accountability.

“There’s trillions of dollars missing at the Pentagon. Where does that money go?” he said.

The Pentagon has failed seven consecutive annual audits, though defense officials have said those findings reflect longstanding challenges tracking assets and accounting systems across the department.

[REP TIM BURCHETT CONVINCED THAT ALIENS EXIST, SAYS HE’S ‘SEEN TOO MUCH’ IN GOVERNMENT BRIEFINGS]

A declassified image shows a UFO in flight against the sky.(Department of War)

Grusch said additional witnesses remain reluctant to come forward because of concerns about retaliation and legal exposure.

Burlison called on President Donald Trump to waive nondisclosure agreements for individuals with knowledge of alleged government UAP programs and grant immunity to those willing to testify.

“Grant immunity to anyone who has already come forward, and everyone who will come forward,” Burlison said. “Open the door and let them speak.”

“Congress is requesting specific records and videos,” Burlison added. “These agencies and contractors know that we know that they exist, and we’re going to get them released.”

Burlison said lawmakers have continued pressing agencies and defense contractors for records they believe remain classified despite recent disclosure efforts.

He said his office obtained MQ-9 footage of a UAP incident off the coast of Yemen that was delivered through what he described as a “Tom Clancy-style dead drop.”

Lawmakers argued that additional disclosures may depend on persuading more witnesses to come forward.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who chairs the House task force examining the issue, said lawmakers are discussing immunity protections for individuals with knowledge of alleged craft locations, recovered materials or advanced technologies.

The renewed push comes as lawmakers seek greater access to information tied to some of the government’s most closely held programs.

Federal investigators recently alleged that former CIA official David Rush used a fraudulent “special access program” as part of a scheme involving more than $40 million in gold bars and millions in government funds, drawing renewed attention to how highly restricted government programs can operate with limited outside visibility.

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The event comes weeks after the Trump administration released a major tranche of previously classified UAP records, including military reports, sensor data and witness accounts that had long remained hidden from public view.

Lawmakers and disclosure advocates have pointed to those releases as evidence the government is becoming more transparent about UAP investigations, while arguing that significant amounts of information remain classified.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6398019305112

Will SpaceX’s IPO soar or sputter? Past IPOs offer clues.

2026-06-10 15:35 EDT / CBS News

By

June 10, 2026 / 3:35 PM EDT / CBS News

Previous large initial public offerings suggest SpaceX investors could be in for a bumpy ride after Elon Musk’s rocket company goes public on Friday.

Companies staging major IPOs often see their share price surge over the first several days or weeks of trading, but then return to earth. Such stocks routinely fall below their offering price after a year.

“Historically, major IPOs have tended to have a good deal of volatility over the first 12 months,” said Sam Grelck, an equity strategy analyst at Truist Advisory Services, a unit of Truist Financial. “Even those that have performed well in many cases have tended to have pretty significant drawdowns at some point.”

To be sure, there are exceptions. For example, shares of online video company Zoom Communications soared after their 2019 market debut and remained 142% to the good after the offering, according to Truist data.

Over the longer term, IPOs are a crapshoot. A Truist analysis of 30 sizable technology IPOs over the past 15 years found that the companies had an average maximum loss of 55% in their first year of trading. More than half of those offerings posted negative returns a year after their debut.

“The near term — so one week, one month, three months — is stronger,” Grelck said. “As you get to longer horizons, those drawdowns and the negative returns start to come in a little bit more.”

Separate data from Jay Ritter, an IPO expert and professor at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, also underscores the inherent risk in public offerings. The average three-year market-adjusted return for investors who bought shares at a company’s closing price on its first day of trading is -21%, Ritter found in research spanning more than 9,200 IPOs from 1980 to 2024.

SpaceX priced its stock at $135 and expects to raise $75 billion, making it the largest-ever IPO. After the offering, the company is projected to be valued at $1.77 trillion.

By comparison, that would make it larger than Musk’s electric car maker, Tesla, which has a market value of $1.5 trillion; Meta Platforms ($1.4 trillion); and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway ($1.04 trillion).

“IPOs go up 19% [on average] on the first day of trading from the offer price, so in this deal that would correspond to about $30 a share,” Ritter told CBS News. “The return is going to be much better if your purchase price was at $135 than $165.”

“Investors buying in are only going to make a decent return if the company grows its revenue enormously and becomes very highly profitable,” he added. “This could happen, but it’s not guaranteed to happen.”

What does this mean for SpaceX shareholders?

While past IPOs offer reasons for caution, SpaceX won’t necessarily follow the same trajectory, Grelck noted.

“We don’t know exactly how it’s going to trade. There are exceptions to the high-volatility, potential negative returns,” he said. “Maybe SpaceX will perform very well and not have a major drawdown.”

One factor that could drive volatility in SpaceX shares is the many ordinary investors expected to pile into the stock, he added. SpaceX is allocating 30% of the IPO shares to retail investors, far above the typical 5% to 10% allocation.

Such investors might be more inclined to dump their shares if the company’s growth falters, rather than ride out the storm, Grelck said.

Exposure through indexes

SpaceX’s performance will also affect people who don’t directly own its shares, as the stock is slated to be included in major index funds. That means millions of Americans will become shareholders in SpaceX through their 401(k) and other retirement plans, which commonly invest in index funds.

For example, the Nasdaq-100 index recently changed its rules for newly traded companies, paving the way for SpaceX to be added to the index within 15 trading days of its public listing. That could affect people who own shares of the popular QQQ exchange-traded fund, which tracks the index.

The Russell indices also changed their fast-entry rules, allowing SpaceX stock to be included within five trading days of the IPO.

“There’s a lot of money tracking that index, so as SpaceX enters, I think there’s a real possibility that there’s a systematic buying that could support shares, at least to some extent,” Grelck said.

Edited by Alain Sherter

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Senate Democrats say they have been snubbed on election security briefings

2026-06-10T16:24:15.034Z / Reuters

By Erin Banco

June 10, 2026 4:24 PM UTC Updated 3 hours ago

The U.S. Capitol building on a cloudy day in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

NEW YORK, June 10 (Reuters) – Democrats in the U.S. Senate called on the Trump ​administration on Wednesday to provide regular election ​security briefings ahead of the November midterm elections, claiming they’ve received only one.

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• Congress normally receives election ​security briefings on threats to critical ​infrastructure or attempts by foreign adversaries to ⁠influence the outcome of the vote.
• Democratic ​senators said they have only received one ​briefing, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Requests for similar briefings from the FBI ​and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity ​and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) were ignored, lawmakers said in ‌a ⁠letter.
• “No meaningful steps have been taken to coordinate information sharing and incident response between Executive Branch agencies or to ensure timely ​information dissemination ​to election ⁠stakeholders,” the letter said.
• The Trump administration last year cut staff ​from key offices at the FBI ​and ⁠DHS responsible for safeguarding elections.
• Democrats have raised concerns about efforts by the administration to re-investigate disproven ⁠claims ​that President Donald Trump won ​the 2020 presidential election.

Reporting by Erin Banco in New ​York; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Mark Porter

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

NASA chief defends selection of all-male crew for Artemis III mission

June 10, 2026 / 3:08 PM EDT / CBS News

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, responding to questions about the agency’s selection of an all-male crew for the Artemis III mission, said the astronauts were chosen based solely on their experience, skill sets and availability.

Isaacman wrote on the social media platform X that “I have seen reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage.”

One such response on Reddit called the crew announcement “massively upsetting.” “Women represent 50 percent of the population,” the post read. “They deserve at least one seat on every mission from a government run agency.”

Isaacman said he had “personally been to space twice with 50 percent female crews. My closest advisors and some of the smartest engineers I know are women. In our latest NASA leadership organization, nearly 50 percent of the center directors and mission directorate leadership are women.”

He continued: “The last astronaut candidate class selected under this administration was majority female [six women and four men] because they were the best of the best, including one astronaut [Anna Menon] I previously went to space with.”

During an event Tuesday at the Johnson Space Center, NASA revealed the astronauts who had been selected for next year’s Artemis III mission. The flight will test rendezvous and docking procedures in low-Earth orbit with moon landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

The mission will be commanded by Randy Bresnik, 58, veteran of 149 days in space during a shuttle flight and a space station stay. European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, 49, a veteran of two long-duration ISS stays, will serve as pilot.

The Artemis III crew (left to right): Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, mission commander Randy Bresnik and Frank Rubio. NASA

Also on board: Andre Douglas, 40, a space rookie with broad engineering experience, and Frank Rubio, 49, who logged a U.S.-record 371 days in space aboard the ISS in 2022-23.

In an interview that aired on CNN Wednesday, Bresnik said the selection of an all-male crew for Artemis III was “certainly not intentional.”

“You can look at our astronaut office and see the wide diversity within the office, whether that’s gender or background or nationality or heritage,” he said. “And certainly, the boss had to pick the crew for this flight that he had available that had the skill sets that he needed.”

NASA currently has about 35 active-duty astronauts. The list includes 15 women but does not yet include the six currently in training to join the astronaut corps.

The Artemis II crew, the program’s first to carry astronauts, included Christina Koch, who became the first woman to fly around the moon.

NASA’s Jessica Meir and ESA’s Sophie Adenot are currently in orbit aboard the International Space Station, and Jasmin Moghbeli is in training to command an upcoming SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the lab complex.

NASA’s Crew 12, currently aboard the International Space Station, includes two women and two men (left to right): Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, Jack Hathaway, Crew 12 commander Jessica Meir and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot. NASA

Bresnik said two more yet-to-be-announced women are in training for a downstream flight.

“The office gets what it needs when it needs it, and we’ll certainly have all these other people that you mentioned, you know, female military test pilots or just other female astronauts, that’ll be picking up on the follow-on Artemis missions,” Bresnik said.

Jasmin Moghbeli is currently in training to command the Crew 13 flight to the International Space Station. NASA

In any case, the Artemis III crew brings a wide variety of skills to what is essentially a flight test in low-Earth orbit.

Bresnik is a former “TOPGUN” graduate and military test pilot while Parmitano flew high-performance jets for the Italian air force. Rubio holds a doctorate in medicine and is a former UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. Douglas holds three master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in engineering.

Isaacman said the astronaut office “assigns the crew that gives the mission the best chance of meeting its objectives, taking into account many factors, including the background and expertise of the astronauts, such as test pilot experience, development work on specific programs, and availability.”

He added that critics of the Artemis III crew selection “may not be aware of the pipeline of crews already preparing to launch to the space station, or those who have been undergoing lunar-specific training that would be a better fit for a future surface mission.”

Isaacman concluded by saying Bresnik and his crewmates were “experienced, qualified and deserve to be celebrated for the mission they have been assigned, just as the crews that follow will be celebrated when their time comes.”

Graham Platner finally embraced by powerful mainstream Dem leaders after primary election victory

2026-06-10 15:49 EDT / Fox News

Platner advances to the general election as he faces controversies for physical misconduct allegations and lewd Reddit posts

By Peter D’Abrosca Fox News

Published June 10, 2026 3:49pm EDT

Maine voters speak out on Graham Platner’s controversies

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is embroiled in controversy over his past behavior, including allegations of abuse from ex-girlfriends and a controversial tattoo he previously bore. Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams details the divided opinion among Maine voters as Platner prepares for Tuesday’s primary against GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna’s support for Platner is also highlighted.

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Two top Democrat leaders who were hesitant to endorse embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner by name amid his controversies finally relented Tuesday night after he cruised to victory in his primary election.

House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., issued a seemingly half-hearted joint statement backing Platner as he continues to face heat stemming from a multitude of scandals.

“Over the past year, we have created a path to win a Democratic Senate majority and put a stop to the chaos and damage of the Trump administration by defeating the Republicans who enable his harmful agenda,” they wrote in a statement issued by the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) just after Platner was declared the winner.

Graham Platner addresses the crowd at his watch party after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate at a YMCA in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 9, 2026. Platner will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the election for the seat.(Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)

“In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority,” they concluded.

In the statement, the New York lawmakers attempted to paint moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, as a radical pro-Trump Republican despite her several breaks with the president.

“Susan Collins has never been more vulnerable after she voted with Trump 96 percent of the time, confirmed his far-right judicial nominees, and took millions from special interests while voting to rip health care away from Mainers,” they listed.

SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION

Last week, Platner met with Gillibrand and Schumer, among other Democrats, during a crisis trip to Washington, D.C., in the midst of his latest scandal, which, at the time, was related to revelations of an account on a controversial messaging app.

After that meeting, Gillibrand refused to say whether she still supported the progressive candidate.

“I’m very confident we are going to win Maine,” she told reporters. “I do. I have confidence that we are going to win Maine and I have no doubt.”

Senate Minority Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference following a weekly policy luncheon with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on June 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE

Schumer also attempted to duck direct questions from reporters at a Capitol Hill press conference following that meeting.

“I met with Graham Platner today, we’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate,” he said. “We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate.”

After he was asked for the fifth time about the meetings, he begrudgingly used Platner’s name to back the candidate.

WATCH: SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER DODGES QUESTIONS BEFORE DC MEETING WITH DEMOCRATS

“As I said, I endorsed Graham Platner,” he said.

Before that meeting, Platner was embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that he has an active account on Kik, an anonymous chatting platform notorious for lax identification methods that have enabled the proliferation of child sexual abuse material.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., leaves the Senate Democrats lunch in the Mansfield Room at the Capitol on March 15, 2023.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)

Platner used as his profile image on the application a sexually suggestive photo of himself shirtless and wearing only a towel around his waist.

Just days after the meetings in D.C., the candidate was accused of physical misconduct, including aggressive behavior, with a former romantic partner. Platner denies those accusations.

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Platner’s previous scandals include sexually lewd Reddit posts, disrespectful comments made against a Purple Heart-winning combat veteran, a Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest that has since been covered up and reports he exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married.

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

Peter D’Abrosca is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering politics.

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.

‘I love the inflation,’ Trump says as prices rise amid Iran war

2026-06-10 19:11:44 UTC / Reuters

By Bo Erickson and Susan Heavey

June 10, 2026 7:11 PM UTC Updated 47 mins ago

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office as he signs the Secure America Act, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci Purchase Licensing Rights

Summary

• Trump contends inflation will drop after Iran war ends, citing oil supply disruptions
• Republicans fear inflation backlash could hurt midterm election prospects
• Analysts warn oil price shocks may persist even if Strait of Hormuz reopens

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to embrace data showing inflation has risen more than 4%, telling reporters that he “loved” inflation and reiterating his belief that prices will fall as soon as the Iran war ends.

Asked about U.S. government data showing consumer inflation increased at its fastest pace in three years in May, and whether it could hobble his fellow Republicans just months ahead of November’s midterm election, Trump said: “I love the inflation.”

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The president then explained how he greenlit a plan to secretly move oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz over concerns of higher costs and increasing inflation. “It was worth it to me,” Trump said about his calculus and calling the operation a success.

“When it’s over, you will see oil drop to where it was before,” Trump said of the larger war. “It’s coming down. It’s going to come down like a rock.”

Trump has called the war on Iran a detour and framed it as a national security issue as Tehran’s closure of the key shipping route has pushed up the cost of gasoline, fertilizer and other goods, contributing to inflation.

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Higher prices could also keep the U.S. Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates, which could lower borrowing costs, which Trump has called for since returning to power last year.

Republicans are seeking to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate but are concerned a consumer backlash could hand the reins to Democrats as the cost of living remains a top issue for voters.

Trump himself won the 2024 presidential election in large part because of his promise to lower inflation, but has since seen his approval rating, including on his handling of the cost of living, fall to the lowest level of his political career.

Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic to move goods have so far stalled, with industry executives and analysts warning that coming weeks could see another oil price shock severe enough to shake the broader financial markets.

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Even if Trump and Tehran reach a deal soon, it is expected to take months to get supplies moving, with the disruptions expected through 2026. And while Americans may be more insulated from fuel shocks than other nations, ongoing higher energy prices could dent consumer spending over time.

Last month, Trump said Americans’ financial struggles were not a factor as he pushes for a deal even while threatening renewed attacks on Iran: “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

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Reporting by Bo Erickson and Susan Heavey; editing by Scott Malone and Chizu Nomiyama

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.