Scouting America will alter several policies at the urging of the Pentagon, including one targeting transgender youths, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday as he pushes a campaign against military support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.Some of the changes mirror what the organization suggested to the Pentagon in January, including discontinuing its Citizenship in Society merit badge, introducing a Military Service merit badge and waiving registration fees for the children of military personnel.Under Hegseth, the Pentagon has taken aim at the military’s partnership with Scouting America, decrying its historic rebrand in 2024 from the Boy Scouts of America and other changes in recent years that he sees as part of “woke culture” efforts that he wants to root out.Hegseth said in a video posted on X that Scouting America will require its members to use their “biological sex at birth and not gender identity.” He said applications will list only options for male and female and the one checked must match the applicant’s birth certificate. The group would clarify that youths of opposite genders assigned at birth cannot share bathrooms, tents or other similar spaces, he said.Hegseth said the Pentagon will “vigorously review” the changes Scouting America has made…

A Holland-Woodward Falling Block chambered in 375 H&H Flanged Magnum; action restoration, integral barrel rib, sights and furniture by Glenn Fewless, stocked by Lee Helgeland, engraved by Chris Rossiter—all ACGG professional members. Photo: Mattew Horninger at Black Diamond GunworksThe American Custom Gunmakers Guild dives into what it takes to make gorgeous custom and engraved guns.American firearms have woven themselves into the national tapestry since European settlers found their way to the East Coast of America hundreds of years ago. Many setting foot on new soil brought their trade knowledge with them: furniture makers, metal and woodworkers, all eager to begin carving out a life in their new country. While some immigrants hung out their shingle as a continuation of their livelihoods in Europe, many found work in the fledgling American firearms industry, bringing generational skills and knowledge to the embryonic trade. Furniture makers became stockbuilders, machinists barrelmakers, even farm equipment manufacturers set their sights on fulfilling their new country’s burgeoning need for firearms.And America’s gun trade hasn’t looked back since, building on and improving traditional methods to become a bastion of firearm manufacturing efficiency. While the benefits of mass-producing guns can’t be argued with, there is a select group of…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Former President Bill Clinton suggested he could not recall President Donald Trump ever implicating himself in Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, one of the Republicans deposing him said on Friday.House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., briefly updated reporters during Clinton’s deposition in the panel’s Epstein probe. It began a little after 11 a.m. and is expected to continue into early Friday evening.”I know there’s a lot of obsession about President Trump from the media, a lot of curiosity about President Trump from media. I want to make a statement because they’ll probably not mention this when they come out here,” Comer said, referring to Democrats on the committee.He said the panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., asked Clinton if Trump should be called before the committee like he was. “That’s for you to decide,” Clinton said, according to Comer.”The president went on to say that the president, Trump, ‘has never said anything to me to make me think he was involved,’ and he meant with Epstein,” Comer said. “I thought that was an interesting thing that President Clinton said.”His deposition, and that of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before him, are…

The U.S. Marine Corps has revised its body composition rules to go one step further than the Pentagon guidance released in January: Marines are expected to be slightly slimmer than the Department of Defense’s overall requirement. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Marines will be evaluated twice a year to ensure personnel meet the new waist-to-height ratio that is a bit lower than the Pentagon’s, according to a Marine Corps statement issued Thursday.“The Marine Corps remains committed to upholding our warrior ethos, which requires being physically fit,” Gen. Eric Smith, Marine Corps commandant, said in the statement.“This change to body composition program will help us balance the health and performance of our Marines,” Smith continued.Starting in January, the Pentagon directed the military to utilize a waist-to-height ratio when evaluating the body fat of troops. Personnel are set to be evaluated twice a year, and their ratio is required to be no more than 0.55.In accordance with that January announcement, the Corps is ordering their personnel to only contain a 0.52 or less waist-to-height ratio.A waist-to-height ratio is calculated by dividing someone’s waist circumference by their height.A man’s average height in the U.S. is around 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a waist…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has introduced a bill to authorize the death penalty as a potential punishment for the sexual abuse of children.”We have zero mercy for child rapists. Those who prey on our most vulnerable deserve the harshest consequence we can deliver,” Mace said in a statement.The proposal is aptly called the “Death Penalty for Child Rapists Act.” “No predator should be allowed to walk away from the most unthinkable crimes against children,” Mace noted. “This bill is simple. Rape a child and you don’t get a second chance, you get the death penalty. We will never apologize for protecting America’s children,” Mace added.The bill would put capital punishment on the table as an option to punish those who sexually abuse children.REP NANCY MACE SLAPS DOWN EARLY RETIREMENT RUMOR: ‘BIG FAT NO FROM ME’ “INTRODUCING: The Death Penalty for Child Rapists Act to amend Title 18 to authorize the death penalty for aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact offenses against children. It will also amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to authorize the death penalty for the rape of a child,” she said in…

The U.S. military on Thursday used a laser to shoot down a “seemingly threatening” drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It was subsequently revealed that the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said.The case of mistaken identity prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to close additional airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles southeast of El Paso. The military is required to formally notify the FAA when it takes any counter-drone action inside U.S. airspace.It was the second time in two weeks that a laser was fired in the area. The last time it was CBP that used the weapon and nothing was hit. That incident occurred near Fort Bliss and prompted the FAA to shut down air traffic at El Paso airport and the surrounding area. This time, the closure was smaller and commercial flights were not affected.Washington U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen and two other top Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees said they were stunned when they were officially notified.“Our heads are exploding over the news,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. They criticized the Trump administration for “sidestepping” a bipartisan bill to train drone operators and improve communication among the…

According to one mediator, the United States and Iran have made significant progress in talks with Iran. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi was the mediator for these discussions and said that they lasted nearly six hours. A senior U.S. official told Axios the discussions were “positive,” though sources said American negotiators were initially disappointed with Iranian positions presented earlier in the day before the tone improved during afternoon sessions. -RT These negotiations are taking place amid heightened tensions after U.S. ruler Donald Trump increased military deployments across the Middle East. Washington has repeatedly stated that it would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. U.S. officials have indicated diplomacy remains the preferred option, but have not ruled out military action should talks collapse. Some of those options could be the killing of political and military leaders in Iran. Trump Considers Killing “Scores of Iranian Political and Military Leaders” These discussions spanned both morning and evening sessions at his country’s diplomatic residence in Geneva. Tehran agreed with the sentiment that progress is being made. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the meeting as one of the longest and most intensive rounds of diplomacy to date. He said discussions examined “key elements…

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Former LSU receiver Devonta Lee, who was a member of the 2019 national championship team, has died, his former team confirmed on Thursday. He was 26. Circumstances surrounding Lee’s death were not immediately known. Louisiana Tech University, another football program he played for, also confirmed his passing.  “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Devonta Lee, a former Bulldog wide receiver,” their statement on X read. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and former teammates during this difficult time. He will always be remembered as a member of the Bulldog family.””The LSU Football family mourns the loss of former Tiger, Devonta Lee,” LSU added in another post. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates.” TMZ Sports reported that Lee was previously diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, following the 2022 season after complaining of severe back pain. He later underwent multiple surgeries and treatment before being declared cancer free.  Lee’s mother, Lacresia Brown, told KTVE that he was battling cancer at the time of his death.  “He was a fighter and he loved everybody. [Devonta] was a good kid [and would] do anything for anybody,” she told the outlet.…

Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged cross-border attacks overnight in a dramatic escalation of tensions that led Pakistan’s defense minister to say on Friday that the two countries are in a state of “open war.”Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan late Thursday, saying it was in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday. Pakistan then carried out airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, saying it targeted military installations.“We have targeted important military targets in Pakistan, sending a message that our hands can reach their throats and that we will respond to every evil act of Pakistan,” Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in televised comments from Kandahar Friday. “Pakistan has never sought to resolve problems through dialogue.”After the Afghan strikes, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said in a post on X: “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us.”Asif said Pakistan had hoped for peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2021 and expected the Taliban, which seized power in the country, to focus on the welfare of the Afghan people and regional stability.Instead, he said the Taliban had turned Afghanistan “into a colony of…