OAN's Pentagon reporter learns the limits of expressing her own opinion

OAN's Pentagon reporter learns the limits of expressing her own opinion

Assigned to cover the Pentagon for the conservative outlet One America News Network, Gabrielle Cuccia didn't pretend to be an unbiased reporter. She describes herself as "a MAGA girl" who is unapologetically defiant in her support ofPresident Donald Trump. Yet days after publicly criticizing a Trump appointee,Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Cuccia found herself out of a job. In taking to Substack last week to express a personal opinion about a figure she covers, Cuccia did something that would be frowned upon in many legacy newsrooms. The message that she was sent, however, is most likely to resound in places where opinion is fine — but only a certain variety. Cuccia'slengthy Substack post, "The Secretary of Defense-ive," was posted three days after Hegsethissued new rulesthat banned reporters from accessing large areas of the Pentagon without being watched by his minders. She criticized him for limiting freedom of movement in the name of national security. Cuccia praises responsible Pentagon reporters "The Pentagon wants to paint a picture that journalists are freely roaming classified spaces, sneaking into (secure areas), and leaking top-secret information," she wrote. "And that is simply not true. There are security cameras everywhere, protocols in place and quite frankly, it would be painfully obvious if a reporter was in a space they didn't belong." Cuccia said the real leaks from the Pentagon have come from Hegseth's own team and other senior officials. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality,was embarrassedin March when The Atlantic magazine's editor-in-chief was mistakenly included in a Signal chat in which the defense secretary discussed upcoming military strikes. She criticized Hegseth for not yet holding a media briefing at the Pentagon. "The Commander-in-Chief welcomes the hard questions ... and yes, even the dumb ones," she wrote. "Why won't the Secretary of Defense do the same?" Three days after her Memorial Day Substack post, Cuccia said her Pentagon access badge was revoked. "By Friday," she said, "I was out of a job." The Defense Department did not pull Cuccia's credentials, according to a Defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues. Cuccia said OAN told her the Substack piece had been "put on their radar," but she wouldn't say by who. She wouldn't speak further about what her employer told her, and OAN president Charles Herring told The Associated Press that it does not discuss personnel issues. "When a reporter asks inconvenient questions about government overreach, the response should be accountability — not silence, and certainly not separation," Cuccia said. Traditionally, the legacy media does not want its journalists expressing opinions about people they cover, since it calls into doubt their ability to report without bias. But exceptions are often made in cases where media access is at issue, said Tom Rosenstiel, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland. The New York Times, for example, institutionally called upon Joe Biden to meet more often with journalists when he was president. The Pentagon Press Association said Hegseth's restrictions were a direct assault on the freedom of the press. Making no secret of allegiance to Trump One America News Network makes no secret of its allegiance to Trump. When Matt Gaetz's nomination as Trump's attorney general fell apart following the election, OAN quickly signed him up as a contributor. OAN faced lawsuits — and negotiated settlements — for its promotion of Trump's false theories that he did not lose the 2020 election. When Hegseth earlier this yearevicted several news organizationsfrom their Pentagon workspaces and gave more room to friendly outlets, Cuccia was assigned space formerly held by NBC News. Before Hegseth aide Sean Parnell's only media briefing, Cuccia said Hegseth's team reached out to her in advance to find out what questions she wanted to ask, something that would never be done for most media outlets. If OAN is responsible for removing Cuccia, it's a "take no quarter position," Rosenstiel said. "There is no room, if you're on the team, to say anything that is negative." He said he'd be interested to see if any representatives from pro-Trump media outlets defend her. "Are they silent, or do they rally to her in any way?" he asked. Trump, in the past, hasfrequently criticizedFox News Channel for saying anything on the air that he deemed negative. Part of Cuccia's Substack post sounded almost prescient about what might happen to her, when she reminisced about the energy of the early Make America Great Again movement. Questioning government then, she noted, was a point of pride. "Somewhere along the way, we as a collective decided — if anyone ever questioned a policy or person within the MAGA movement — that they weren't MAGA enough," she wrote. "That they were deep state, that they couldn't be trusted, that they didn't love America as much as we do and that ... to put it bluntly, they sucked." ___ AP correspondent Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report. David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him athttp://x.com/dbauderandhttps://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social

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June 02, 2025

OAN's Pentagon reporter learns the limits of expressing her own opinion

OAN's Pentagon reporter learns the limits of expressing her own opinion Assigned to cover the Pentagon for the conservative outlet One A...

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Mexico's ruling party headed toward control of newly elected Supreme Court, vote tallies show

Mexico's ruling party headed toward control of newly elected Supreme Court, vote tallies show

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's ruling Morena party appeared to be heading toward control over the Supreme Court, preliminary vote tallies ofthe country's first judicial electionindicated. While votes were still being counted for the majority of the 2,600 federal, state and local judge positions up for grabs in Sunday's judicial elections, results rolled in for the nine Supreme Court positions. The majority of the newly elected justices share strong ties and ideological alignments with the ruling party, shifting a once fairly balanced high court into the hands of the very party that overhauled the judicial system to elect judges for the first time. Experts warned the shift would undercut checks and balances in the Latin American nation: The governing party would now be close to controlling all three branches of government, and President Claudia Sheinbaum and her party also would have a easier path to push through their agenda. "We're watching as power is falling almost entirely into the hands of one party," said Georgina De la Fuente, election specialist with the Mexican consulting firm Strategia Electoral. "There isn't any balance of power." A Morena-leaning court and an Indigenous justice Some of those headed toward election were members or former members of the party. A number of them, who were Supreme Court justices prior to the election, were appointed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum's mentor who pushed through the judicial overhaul last year. Others were advisers to the president or the party or campaigned with politically aligned visions for the judiciary. Not all of the prospective winners were explicitly aligned with Morena. One standout was Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous lawyer from the southern state of Oaxaca. He has no clear party affiliation, though Sheinbaum said repeatedly she hoped to have an Indigenous judge on the court. A political controversy That Morena would emerge from the election with control of the judiciary waswhat critics had feared. The vote came after months of fierce debate, prompted when López Obrador and the partyjammed through the reformsfor judges to be elected instead of being appointed based on merits. The overhaul will notably limitthe Supreme Courtas a counterweight to the president. Critics say the judicial reform was an attempt to take advantage of high popularity levels to stack courts in favor of the party. Sheinbaum and her mentor have insisted that electing judges will root out corruption in a system most Mexicans agree is broken. "Whoever says that there is authoritarianism in Mexico is lying," Sheinbaum said during the vote. "Mexico is a country that is only becoming more free, just and democratic because that is the will of the people." The elections were marred bylow participation — about 13% — and confusionby voters who struggled to understand the new voting system, something opponents quickly latched onto as a failure. De la Fuente said Morena is likely to use its new lack of counterweight in the high court to push through rounds of reforms, including electoral changes. Late Monday, more than 85% of the ballots had been tallied and counting was to continue overnight. The leading Supreme Court candidates — Hugo Aguilar Ortiz was the big surprise from the election. The Indigenous lawyer led all vote-getters, including several sitting Supreme Court justices. He's known as a legal activist fighting for the rights of Indigenous Mexicans and has criticized corruption in the judiciary. — Lenia Batres was already a Supreme Court justice and was appointed by López Obrador. Previously a congresswoman, she's a member of Morena and clearly an ally of Mexico's president. — Yasmín Esquivel is a Supreme Court justice who was appointed by López Obrador. She focused her campaign on modernizing the justice system and has pushed for gender equality. She was at the center of a 2022 controversy when she was accused of plagiarizing her thesis. She is considered an ally of the Morena party. — Loretta Ortiz is a justice on the Supreme Court who was appointed by López Obrador. She also served in Congress and resigned from Morena in 2018 in a show of independence as a judge. Despite that, she's considered an ally of the party. — María Estela Ríos González is a lawyer who acted as legal adviser to López Obrador, first when he was mayor of Mexico City and later when he became president. She has a long history as a public servant and work in labor law and on a number of Indigenous issues. — Giovanni Figueroa Mejía is a lawyer from the Pacific coast state of Nayarit with a doctorate in constitutional law. He currently works as an academic at the Iberoamericana University in Mexico City. He's worked in human rights. While he holds no clear party affiliation, he supported the judicial overhaul pushed forward by Morena, saying in an interview with his university that the overhaul "was urgent and necessary in order to rebuild" the judiciary. He said some of his work in constitutional law was cited in justifying the reform. — Irving Espinosa Betanzo is a magistrate on Mexico City's Supreme Court and has previously worked as a congressional adviser to Morena. He campaigned for the country's highest court on a platform of eliminating nepotism and corruption and pushing for human rights. —Arístides Rodrigo Guerrero Garcíais a law professor pushing for social welfare with no experience as a judge, but who has worked as a public servant and has experience in both constitutional and parliamentary law. He gained traction in campaigns for a social media video of him claiming he's "more prepared than a pork rind." — Sara Irene Herrerías Guerra is a prosecutor specializing in human rights for Mexico's Attorney General's Office. She's worked on issues like gender equality, sexually transmitted infections and human trafficking. In 2023, she worked onthe investigation of a fire in an immigration facilityin the border city of Ciudad Juárez that killed 40 migrants.

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June 02, 2025

Mexico's ruling party headed toward control of newly elected Supreme Court, vote tallies show

Mexico's ruling party headed toward control of newly elected Supreme Court, vote tallies show MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's ruling Mor...

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US Senate may work on Russia sanctions bill this month

US Senate may work on Russia sanctions bill this month

By Patricia Zengerle and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican leader of the U.S. Senate said on Monday the chamber could begin work this month on a bill imposing stiff sanctions on Russia - and secondary sanctions on countries that trade with Russia - over its war in Ukraine. Majority Leader John Thune said President Donald Trump's administration still hopes for an agreement to end the three-year-old conflict, but the Senate is prepared to help put pressure on Moscow. "We also stand ready to provide President Trump with any tools he needs to get Russia to finally come to the table in a real way," Thune said in a speech opening the Senate. Thune told reporters afterward he has been discussing the sanctions legislation with the White House. The measure would impose 500% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. China and India account for about 70% of Russia's international energy business, which helps fund its war effort. The bill, whose lead sponsors are Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, now has at least 82 co-sponsors in the 100-member Senate. Graham said in Kyiv last week he thought the Senate could take up the bill as soon as this week, but Thune did not set that timeframe. "I think right now they're still hopeful they'll be able to strike some sort of a deal. But as you might expect, there's a high level of interest here in the Senate, on both sides of the aisle, and moving on it, and it very well could be something that we would take up in this work period," Thune said. He was referring to the weeks before lawmakers leave Washington ahead of the July 4 Independence Day recess. "We're working with the White House to try and ensure that what we do and when we do it, it works well with the negotiations that they've got under way," Thune said. Graham has said the legislation would impose "bone-breaking sanctions" on Russia and its customers if Moscow does not engage in talks, or if it initiates another effort undermining Ukraine's sovereignty after any peace deal. The measure is a rare example of bipartisanship in the bitterly divided U.S. Congress. Trump appears to be growing increasingly impatient with what he has suggested might be foot-dragging over a wider agreement with Moscow to end the war. To become law, the legislation must pass the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by Trump. Trump has said he worries more sanctions would hurt prospects for a peace deal. There has been no indication from the House's Republican leaders of any plan to allow a vote on the sanctions package. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by David Morgan; editing by Nia Williams)

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June 02, 2025

US Senate may work on Russia sanctions bill this month

US Senate may work on Russia sanctions bill this month By Patricia Zengerle and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican leader of...

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Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness

Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike on Russia's strategic bomber fleet not only shattered Moscow's air capabilities but also exposed a lapse in Russian intelligence and defense preparedness. Ukrainelauncheda surprise drone attack that destroyed nearly a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in a single day, in an operation personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after 18 months of secret planning. During an appearance on "Special Report with Bret Baier," Hume pointed out what he said were the broader implications of the attack. "Yeah, it certainly does establish that this country, whose president was being told at the White House that he didn't have any cards to play, that he apparently has quite a few cards to play, including this daring attack," Hume said when asked about the element of surprise and the embarrassment it caused for the Russians. Hume pointed to this latest operation as proof that Ukraine remains capable of inflicting serious damage despite Russia's perceived military dominance. WATCH: "If the Ukrainians can be believed [to have] wiped out about 30 to 40% of Russia's strategic bombing force [then] that's a major setback for Russia. It is an embarrassing intelligence failure," Hume said. Hume said he credited Ukraine's ingenuity and suggested their military continues to innovate in ways that catch Russian forces off guard.(RELATED: Brit Hume Says Trump Deal With Iran Only Works Under One Condition) "[It's] an embarrassing defense failure, and who knows what else the Ukrainians who have proved pretty ingenious may have up their sleeves," Hume said. A week before Ukraine's surprise attack, Russialaunchedits largest drone assault of the war, unleashing 355 drones across Ukraine just hours after President Donald Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he was "not happy" with the ongoing attacks. Ukrainian officials said the strike marked the most extensive aerial offensive since the conflict began in 2022. Trump has mademultipleattemptsto broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, most recentlycallingPutin on May 19 to restart negotiations. Just days earlier, both sides carried out the largest prisoner swap of the war, exchanging 1,000 detainees each. They agreed to begin drafting terms for future talks. Whilenegotiationsmove forward, Russian forces continue to push deeper into Ukrainian territory and target critical infrastructure with drone and missile strikes. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter's byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

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June 02, 2025

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike ...

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Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to records, while oil prices extended gains. Beijing and Washington dialed back trade friction as the U.S. extended exemptions fortariffson some Chinese goods, including solar manufacturing equipment, that U.S. industries rely on for their own production. The U.S. Trade Representative extended those exemptions, which were due to expire on May 31, by three months through Aug. 31. Still,China criticized the U.S.on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1% to 23,417.39, while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.3% to 3,356.36. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.6% to 37,683.19. South Korean markets were closed fora snap presidential electiontriggered by the ouster ofYoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosivetrial on rebellion chargesover his short-lived imposition ofmartial lawin December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.7% to 8,475.50. In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 1.4%. On Monday, U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records following astellar May, Wall Street's best month since 2023. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,935.94 after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 42,305.48. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7% to 19,242.61. Indexes had fallen close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing.President Donald Trumphas been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and theiron-and-off rollouthas created lots of uncertainty. But stocks rallied back as the day progressed. Nvidia climbed 1.7%, and Meta Platforms rose 3.6%, for example. Oil prices have gained as attacks by Ukraine in Russiaraise uncertainty about the flow of oil and gas around the world. Early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil was up 62 cents at $63.14 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 57 cents to $65.19 per barrel. Markets took in stride fresh salvos between the world's two largest economies, just a few weeks afterthe United States and China had agreed to pausemany of their tariffs that had threatened to drag the economy into a recession. That followedPresident Donald Trump'saccusation at the end of last week, where he said China was not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other. Trump on Fridaytold Pennsylvania steelworkershe's doubling thetariff on steel importsto 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. That helped stocks of U.S. steelmakers climb. Nucor jumped 10.1%, and Steel Dynamics rallied 10.3%. On the losing side of Wall Street were automakers and other heavy users of steel and aluminum. Ford fell 3.9%, and General Motors reversed by 3.9%. Lyra Therapeutics soared nearly 311% for one of the market's biggest gains after reporting positive late-stage trial results of an implant to treat chronic sinus inflammation in some patients. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose asworries continue about how much debt the U.S. government will pile ondue to plans to cut taxes and increase the deficit. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.44% from 4.41% late Friday and from just 4.01% roughly two months ago. That's a notable move for the bond market. Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, such increases in Treasury yields can deter investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments. Yields had dipped briefly in the morning, before rallying back, following the updates on manufacturing, which suggested that effects of Trump's tariffs are taking root in the economy. A report from S&P Global on manufacturing came in better than expected, though uncertainty caused by tariffs has worries high about supplier delays and rising prices. Also early Tuesday, the dollar rose to 143.10 Japanese yen from 142.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1438 from $1.1443. ___ AP Business Writers Stan Choe and Matt Ott contributed.

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June 02, 2025

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes dr...

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