THE NEWS

President Donald Trump said Monday he asked FIFA to review the decision to give U.S. men’s soccer team star Folarin Balogun a red card during last week’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup knockout stage.Balogun was given a red card after a VAR review to look at a play in which Balogun stepped on the ankle of a defender. He would have been suspended for the team’s match against Belgium but FIFA decided to suspend the one-game ban. A source told Fox News that Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to have the organization review it.ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!Trump addressed the controversy in the Oval Office.”All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul,” the president said. “And again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that would be different.”I think it’s a terrible … if they wouldn’t allow a top player, maybe the best, maybe among the best on the team, to play, I think it would have had a big stain. I relayed it. I didn’t tell him what to do. I don’t believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision and they made the right decision because, No. 1, it wasn’t a foul and you want to see a game with your best players.”Trump said the feeling would be the same if Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane would have been given a red card in a similar way.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMHe also took issue with the call itself.”If you would have taken him out, I think it would have really stained this incredible championship,” Trump continued. “We gotta have our best players and Belgium, Belgium’s got a great team by the way. We have our best players and they have to have their best. If we win or we lose, it’s fair. Otherwise, let’s say we lost to them, then we lost the game. It would be a terrible thing. I think they made a really brilliant decision.”I think the referee’s call was horrible and nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it’s fine. The referee’s decision to red card, I didn’t know what the hell a red card was and when I found out I said, ‘You gotta be kidding.’ … I said, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of power, that’s terrible.’ And then I looked at his past and it wasn’t so great.”Belgium said it “sent a letter to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision, an explanation of the process that had been followed, and setting out its position regarding the applicable regulations.””As its only response, FIFA sent a letter to the RBFA stating that it considered this correspondence to constitute an appeal, that a judge had been appointed, and that the RBFA had only a few hours to complete that appeal. No information whatsoever was provided by FIFA,” the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said.”For an appeal to be admissible, FIFA’s own regulations state that the reasoned decision must first have been communicated to the appellant. While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible.”The RBFA added that FIFA has not responded to its requests.”Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole.”The U.S. and Belgium play in the Round of 16 on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET.

President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speak to members of the media at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 20, 2025, before meeting with the House GOP Conference about passing his budget bill. (Official White House photo by Molly Riley)
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act will likely face several political barriers.
Johnson announced his plan to include the SAVE America Act in a budget reconciliation package alongside $350 billion for the Pentagon and other spending priorities. This move would be difficult to achieve since it would aim to bypass the Senate filibuster and require support from House Republican holdouts.
“What we’re planning to do is send over a bill that will be irresistible for any Republican,” Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday.” “Every Republican would vote for that if packaged correctly, and that’s what we’re planning to do right now.”

GOP LEADERSHIP UPDATE on the SAVE America Act Fight!
House sent folks home for July 4 after procedural hiccups, but the push is ON. Voter ID + proof of citizenship is the backbone – critical to crush fraud, especially in blue states like California still counting ballots… pic.twitter.com/u0hWIWOGgR
— Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) July 5, 2026

House Republicans floated the idea of including a $4 billion grant program in the reconciliation package to encourage states to adopt voter identification and check the citizenship of every voter, according to Punchbowl News. It is unclear whether the Senate parliamentarian would approve this measure.
The holdouts would likely demand tens of billions in spending cuts to social programs, which would likely not receive support from moderate Republicans and Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, according to Punchbowl News.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune appeared skeptical in June of passing a third reconciliation package, stating it would be a major challenge to pass it through the upper chamber.
Both chambers have limited time to pass major legislation before the midterm elections in November. The House entered an early recess Tuesday after 14 Republicans voted against a procedural vote to debate attaching the SAVE America Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna demanded the SAVE America Act be added to the NDAA’s text, while Johnson pushed
Luna argued the “MIRVing” process would allow the Senate to strip out the SAVE America Act entirely, though Johnson argued the upper chamber could also strip it from the NDAA’s text.
Johnson met with President Donald Trump to diffuse the situation with the holdouts Thursday. Trump called on Republicans to unite and not vote against any rules in a Thursday Truth Social post.
The speaker’s version did not include a full ban on mail-in ballots. Trump repeatedly stated that he does not support versions of the SAVE America Act without bans on mail-in ballots. Johnson argued Trump would accept a version of the bill without a ban on mail-in ballots.
The Senate entered recess early on June 25 after Senate Republicans attended a heated lunch with Trump the previous day. Trump pressured the senators to pass the SAVE America Act and railed against the passage of a concurrent Iran war powers resolution. Any senator could have objected to or blocked the adjournment, though no one did.
Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama suggested the Senate should cancel the recess to pass the SAVE America Act. Thune and other Republicans insisted the chamber lacked the necessary votes to pass it.
‘Republicans, look what I just found!’ Trump sounds alarm on dark scheme Dems are now ‘openly stating’

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Lawmakers from South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party called for hearings on the Home Plus crisis, as the discount chain runs a liquidation risk.

‘Restraining Order Needed’: Trump Again Taunts Italy’s Meloni, Ahead Of NATO Summit

There’s no time like the eve of the major annual NATO summit for Trump to reignite his longstanding feud with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, apparently. The American President blasted out the below Truth Social just before heading to Ankara, Turkey for the gathering of NATO heads…

With just a few days to go before the next NATO summit, POTUS Donald Trump has once again attacked the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
He portrays her as worshipful and calls for a “restraining order” to be imposed on her.
A few weeks ago, Trump had said that Meloni… pic.twitter.com/hHJTn8yCra
— Crazy Ass Moments in Italian Politics (@CrazyItalianPol) July 5, 2026
The doctored image featuring the caption “Restraining order needed” marks but the latest escalation between to the two leaders. Meloni has not responded or commented directly regarding the Truth Social Post, and is unlikely to given that Italy likely wants to avoid escalation.

“People come and go but relations must endure,” Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto remarked on the prime minister still being in Trump’s crosshairs to news channel Sky TG24. And Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani tried to brush it off while presenting an optimistic picture of future relations, saying he was “sure that transatlantic relations go well beyond individual comments.”

This new post follows on another Truth Social post from June, in which Trump accused the Italian PM of asking for a picture with him “over and over” at the G7 Summit in France.

At heart of the feud is Italy’s breaking with Trump over his Iran operation. This has included denying shared base usage for American military flights connected with Operation Epic Fury.

Trump had claimed earlier in the summer of Meloni, “She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon.”

He then suggested that Meloni wanted to be “friends again” to get her “numbers up” – but has appeared to stipulate that she must fully open up Italian bases for US aircraft usage once again.

Meloni in response to the prior June post slammed the US president for his “senseless” and “constant, unprovoked attacks”.
via Anadolu Agency

“As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you,” she shot back. “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”

All of this could serve to make any close-quarter contact at the NATO summit in Ankara very awkward – also as the two will certainly be in the same general vicinity for events like the group photo.

Tyler Durden
Mon, 07/06/2026 – 10:35

Comcast-owned Sky said it had agreed to buy ITV in a deal bringing together two of the United Kingdom’s best-know meida and entertainment businesses.

Microsoft is cutting jobs in its commercial business and its Xbox gaming group, where revenue has been shrinking.

Trump rang the bell in the Oval Office to open Monday’s trading as he launched investment accounts for babies born from 2025 through 2028.  

US Services Surveys Show Continued Expansion In June: Jobs Up, Inflation Down

Following US manufacturing small dip in June (though still expanding), the US Services sector PMI surveys are a little more mixed but both still solidly in expansion in June:

S&P Global US Services PMI ticking up on the month from 50.7 to 51.2 (but a smidge below the 51.3 flash print)

ISM US Services PMI dipped from 54.5 to 54 (in line with expectations)

“A slight acceleration of business growth in the services economy takes the expansion to the strongest since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East,” says Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, “though the pace of growth remains lacklustre compared to that seen at the start of the year before the conflict.”

The survey data are hence broadly indicative of the economy only growing at a 1.2% annualized rate over the second quarter…

Similarly, while business growth expectations for the year ahead improved in June, they remained subdued compared to that seen prior to the war as businesses lack clarity over the outlook, both from economic and geopolitical contexts.

Here’s what ISM Respondents are saying…

“We continue to experience higher prices due to the Persian Gulf conflict through rising diesel fuel costs and increased input costs for resin-based packaging. The brunt of the impact will be experienced in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, but we are feeling the impact now. Suppliers are aggressively attempting to pass through price increases.” [Accommodation & Food Services]

“Extreme drought in Virginia is creating financial problems for farmers and the agricultural industry. Dramatically reduced spring crops harvest has created significant cost increases in feed expense. The barley grain crop was nearly totally lost due to the early hot weather and spring freeze. High fertilizer cost increases due to the war in Iran and increased freight cost has driven cost for crops above breakeven levels on many farms. Many dairy farmers are struggling with crop shortages, high input cost and below milk price breakeven. The financial stress from higher cost due to the Iran war and drought-related forage losses has resulted in decreased spending in the agricultural sector.” [Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting]

“In general, our company (commercial construction) is doing well. Pipeline is healthy for current and future work. Material pricing is higher and lead times on certain components in support of data center piping is elongating.” [Construction]

“In addition to the known semiconductor manufacturing issue, now there are concerns regarding memory availability that is materially impacting our OEM’s purchasing patterns, which is affecting availability and driving my company’s purchasing decisions, including how much longer we are sweating our assets, how frequently we refresh, and how we approach maintenance contracts.” [Finance & Insurance]

“Despite economic headwinds like persistent inflation, patient volumes and overall business activity remain strong reflected mainly by outstanding revenue performance. Supply chains remain resilient as well; back orders are at a historical low, and few if any critical products are experiencing difficulties. Labor is steady, as we continue to add full-time workers while the forecast remains positive. Given the continuation of the conflict in the Middle East, we are beginning to hear that cost of goods increases are on the horizon but have yet to materialize. Cost increases are in focus for the next quarter.” [Health Care & Social Assistance]

“From a strategic supply chain perspective, we are seeing increased complexity in managing total landed cost due to tariffs, import/export constraints and duty recovery mechanisms, requiring more proactive coordination across sourcing, logistics and compliance teams. Recent discussions internally also highlight the impact of tariff programs and duty drawback evaluations on purchasing strategies.” [Mining]

“Demand remains strong in infrastructure, environmental, and resilience projects, while procurement faces persistent labor inflation, supplier capacity constraints, and regulatory complexity—particularly in California and other high-cost markets. Labor-driven categories remain elevated despite easing goods inflation. The impact is higher rates, longer lead times, and increased importance of capacity assurance vs. lowest-cost sourcing.” [Professional, Scientific & Technical Services]

“Business has been very strong during what is usually a less active time of the year. Pricing is stable, and employment just where we want it to be. Supply chain strong with no challenges.” [Retail Trade]

“The utility industry continues to experience extended lead times, supply-chain constraints, material shortages, and pricing volatility. As a result, suppliers are often limiting quotation validity periods, with many RFQs carrying expiration dates as short as 24 hours. These conditions require timely evaluation and procurement decisions to mitigate the risk of price changes and availability issues.” [Utilities]

“We are experiencing continued sequential top-line growth driven mostly by increased prices.” [Wholesale Trade]

“In addition to the known semiconductor manufacturing issue, now there are concerns regarding memory availability that is materially impacting our OEM’s purchasing patterns, which is affecting availability and driving my company’s purchasing decisions, including how much longer we are sweating our assets, how frequently we refresh, and how we approach maintenance contracts.” [Finance & Insurance]

Williamson notes that the prospect of higher interest rates also acted as a further headwind to growth, notably in the financial service sector, where business expectations remain especially muted, adding that “a key underlying factor behind the relatively subdued performance of the services economy was again elevated price pressures.”

Although easing slightly, aided largely by lower oil prices, costs continued to rise at a steep rate in June, driving up rates levied for services.

Customer push-back against these high prices was again widely reported, most notably in consumer-facing businesses.

But Williamson concludes that “consumer-facing companies are nevertheless reporting that further price falls should help stimulate sales in the months ahead, providing a ray of hope for both the growth and inflation outlooks.”

Tyler Durden
Mon, 07/06/2026 – 10:10

Americans were blasting Toby Keith’s music over the weekend to celebrate the 4th of July.The beautiful country we are blessed to call home celebrated its 250th birthday on Saturday, and it was an epic moment.People fired up their grills, cracked open plenty of beer and celebrated the greatest country on the planet.LEE GREENWOOD SAYS HE’S ‘VERY PROUD’ TO STAND NEXT TO TRUMP DURING AMERICA’S 250TH CELEBRATIONWhat do you need for a great Independence Day? A fire playlist, and that includes Toby Keith.Toby Keith’s legendary song “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)” was the most streamed song on Spotify in America on the 4th of July, according to Chart Data.Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” was second and Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” took the number three spot.COUNTRY SUPERSTAR ELLA LANGLEY PULLS OFF INCREDIBLE CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT ON THE MUSIC CHARTSIt shouldn’t surprise anyone that Toby Keith’s most famous song dominated Spotify on the 4th of July. It’s an incredible song.”Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue” will make you want to run through a brick wall to celebrate America. It’s patriotism at its best and that’s what Independence Day is all about.It’s also a bit funny because I tweeted this on Friday night, and I meant it!AARON TIPPIN SAYS PATRIOTISM IS ‘VERY STRONG IN AMERICA’ AHEAD OF FORT CAMPBELL 4TH OF JULY SHOWWhat music did you have fired up on the 4th of July? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is investigating a Brooklyn-based autism therapy provider over allegations of excessive billing practices that may be driving up healthcare costs for workers and employers.
Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., requested extensive records from The Perfect Child LLC, a company that provides autism therapy services nationwide. The inquiry follows reporting that raised concerns about unusually large insurance claims and aggressive billing tactics in the fast-growing autism therapy industry.
“Employer-sponsored health plans provide coverage to 154 million Americans and represent a significant component of employee compensation,” the letter reads. “Plan fiduciaries have a responsibility to ensure that plan assets are managed prudently and exclusively for the benefit of plan participants and beneficiaries.”
“Allegations that health care providers may be submitting excessive charges, engaging in abusive reimbursement practices, or exploiting gaps in oversight raise significant concerns regarding the stewardship of plan assets,” the letter continues.
The lawmakers cited a Wall Street Journal investigation that documented cases of providers charging steep fees, inflating service hours, and pursuing payment directly from families when insurers refused reimbursement.
One widely reported example involved a New Jersey mother who received a bill exceeding $900,000 for her child’s therapy after initially being told there would be no out-of-pocket costs.
Focus on Employer Health Plans
The committee’s probe centers on how such billing practices affect employer-sponsored health plans, which cover roughly 154 million Americans and represent a major component of employee compensation.
As the letter stated, under federal law, plan administrators have a fiduciary duty to ensure that funds are used prudently and for the benefit of workers and their families. Lawmakers warned that alleged abuses—such as excessive charges, inflated out-of-network reimbursement demands, and billing disputes—could undermine those responsibilities.
The letter seeks to determine whether reimbursement arrangements in the autism therapy sector have “distorted incentives” and contributed to rising healthcare costs that may ultimately be passed on to employers and employees.
Sweeping Document Request
Lawmakers have requested Simcha Bendet, the company’s founder, to turn over a wide range of records dating back to Jan. 1, 2020 before July 20, 2026.
Some of the records requested include revenue from employer-sponsored plans, as well as in-network and out-of-network claims, average amounts billed and collected for autism therapy services, and the 25 highest-reimbursed claims submitted by the company.
Other records inquired about by the committee include records showing the highest annual charges for individual patients and data on patients receiving more than 20 hours of therapy in a single week.
The committee also requested internal documents governing pricing, reimbursement practices, and collections, as well as any audits or compliance reviews related to billing.
In addition, lawmakers are seeking information about how often the company pursued payment directly from families after insurance disputes, along with any instances in which claims were denied or flagged for potential fraud or abuse.
Broader Industry Scrutiny
The inquiry reflects growing concern in Washington over the rapid expansion of the autism therapy industry, particularly applied behavior analysis, or ABA, services.
Once a niche field, autism therapy has become a multibillion-dollar business fueled by rising diagnoses and insurance mandates requiring coverage.
But that growth has also brought increased scrutiny. Insurers report a sharp rise in investigations into potential fraud or abusive billing practices, including claims for services that were never provided, duplicate billing, and charges far above market rates.
Some providers, particularly those operating outside insurer networks, have been able to charge significantly higher rates, with daily costs for a single patient reaching tens of thousands of dollars in some cases, according to reporting cited by the committee.
Possible Next Steps
Lawmakers emphasized that their goal is not to restrict access to autism services, which many families rely on, but to ensure that federal law adequately protects patients, workers, and employer-sponsored health plans.
The committee said the information it gathers will help determine whether legislative changes are needed to address waste, fraud, and rising healthcare costs tied to autism therapy billing practices.
The Perfect Child did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
[Editor’s note: This story originally was published by The Daily Signal.]