LATROBE, Pa.—I was standing a few feet behind Pat McAfee’s stage at Saint Vincent College on Monday afternoon when Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivered one of the most candid and authentic interviews you’ll ever watch. The Steelers had just finished their first padded practice of training camp, and McAfee was welcoming coaches and players onto the stage for a live broadcast of his popular ESPN show from the western Pennsylvania college. Rodgers, who is entering his 22nd season at age 42, swiveled in his chair as McAfee lobbed an easy one at the four-time MVP—something about coming back for one final season under Mike McCarthy, the coach he won a Super Bowl with in Green Bay and who is in his first year with the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers: ‘I’m Gonna Plead the Fifth’ It was, by every measure, the kind of question most football players answer with the standard clichés. But not Aaron Rodgers. He had other plans. Rodgers said he’d plead the Fifth, “like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci,” and then spent the next few minutes lambasting ESPN and other sports journalists who obsessed over his COVID-19 vaccination status. Aaron Rodgers goes off on Tony Fauci & the leftist media after he pleaded the 5th 111 times."That absolute coward Fauci… you got a pardon and you plead it over 100 times… what are you scared of Tony? I thought you were the science."pic.twitter.com/yY6C4DMzx4— Media Research Center (@theMRC) August 3, 2026 “How much time did the network spend on that?” he said of ESPN’s coverage. “How much time do they spend on my responses every week? On my vaccination status, on Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce’s] wedding? Did they do even a minute on Tony Fauci? Nah, I bet they didn’t.” The crowd in Latrobe roared. McAfee tried to regain control. And the executives at ESPN headquarters probably sat fuming. Over the course of a few minutes, Rodgers connected with Steelers Nation and with millions of other Americans who no longer trust the institutions that lectured us about masks, social distancing, vaccines, and so much more. ‘What Are You Scared Of, Tony?’ Rodgers was right to call out Fauci, who last week went before Sen. Rand Paul’s committee and invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times—after receiving a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden that stripped away any real legal exposure. “What are you scared of, Tony?” Rodgers asked. “I thought you were the science.” He was needling Fauci over a remark from November 2021, when the doctor told CBS that his critics were really criticizing science, “because I represent science.” Rodgers is asking a fair question. It’s one Fauci ought to be able to answer. Instead, the 1,100 pages of Fauci’s own diaries released by the committee show a public servant chronicling his newfound fame while American schools stayed shuttered and small businesses died. “Spending the entire time writing in his diary about how fun it is to be famous. You gotta be kidding me,” Rodgers said. “What are you going to say about me now? Seriously, what are they going to say about me now?” I made this point on CNN last week and I’ll make it again here: The COVID closures affected my family’s life profoundly, as they did for millions of others. We were told to shut up and comply. We were told the science was settled—by the one man who wouldn’t answer for it under oath. I was plenty outraged on CNN today. Fauci is a liar who misled the American people. https://t.co/NJq6Ogidhq pic.twitter.com/yLNNw6aG1K— Rob Bluey (@RobertBluey) July 29, 2026 The people who spent years calling that the China lab leak a conspiracy theory have never accounted for it. Rodgers is closer to the mark than the so-called experts. A Second Act in Pennsylvania? Steve Bannon, on his “War Room” show Monday, suggested Rodgers might have a second act waiting once he’s done with football. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman, a die-hard Steelers fan himself, is up for reelection in 2028. “Aaron Rodgers will take you down in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. What do you think it would be like in the U.S. Senate if we had a guy like Aaron Rodgers and not John Thune?” Bannon asked. “Aaron Rodgers is a man. He stood in the breach with the whole world against him.” Rodgers has been called a lot of things for refusing to go along. On Monday at training camp, he was speaking for a lot of people who still can’t.

Horace Sheffield III, a prominent Detroit-based pastor and radio host who said he would put “his full force” behind Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, received $75,000 from the candidate’s campaign beforehand, a Washington Free Beacon review of finance records found. Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, the pastor’s nonprofit that Sheffield incorporated in 2010, did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment about the 10 different $7,500 payments from Oct. 21 to June 1 for “political consulting” from El-Sayed’s campaign. In July, the Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, which is registered to Sheffield’s home address, endorsed El-Sayed, who then said he is “deeply honored” to have Sheffield’s support and lists the endorsement on his campaign website. Sheffield himself first endorsed El-Sayed on his show “The Wake-Up Call,” nearly two weeks after he first began to receive payments from El-Sayed’s campaign. On his show Sheffield, the father of Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, then applauded El-Sayed during their recent interview, echoing the Democrat’s campaign talking points on corporate PAC money and Medicare for All. Sheffield also urged supporters to vote for El-Sayed and even took shots at El-Sayed’s opponent Rep. Haley Stevens for never having “been seen” in Detroit. “Lord, help this man win,” said Sheffield, to which El-Sayed responded, “You can’t buy authenticity.” On his own radio show last week, the New Destiny Christian Fellowship pastor urged listeners to make “5 and 10 phone calls” on behalf of El-Sayed’s campaign, marking the third time he has boosted the candidate on air since he began receiving payments, the Free Beacon noted, without addressing the financial relationship with the campaign. New Destiny Christian Fellowship did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment. If true, this would not be the first time Sheffield has been caught in a scandal involving cash and a political endorsement. The Detroit Free Press noted that in 2018, Sheffield was suspended from WFDF, his radio station at the time, after he endorsed gubernatorial candidate Shri Thanedar during a radio interview without disclosing that Thanedar had paid tens of thousands of dollars to Sheffield’s nonprofit. “I’ve got an FCC license that I have to worry about. You have to offer equal time to every candidate,” WFDF owner John Adell told the outlet at the time. The pastor’s endorsement is crucial to current Senate campaign, since El-Sayed badly trails Stevens in garnering support from black voters, polls show. For instance, the largest teacher’s union in the state conducted a poll in late July that showed that Stevens earns 20% more support than El-Sayed from respondents who identify as black men in a November matchup against Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. The same poll noted that Stevens could count on 13% more support from black women with no college degree, and almost 30% more from black women with a college degree. Last week, Rev. Wendell Anthony, a Detroit pastor who has led the Detroit NAACP for decades, asked El-Sayed at a campaign event whether he would be “more concerned about the West Bank than the West Side of Detroit?” Anthony endorsed Stevens, and added that many are concerned about El-Sayed’s support for Uncommitted in 2024. In the 2024 presidential race, where President Donald Trump won the state by a small margin, Democratic voters representing the “uncommitted” movement refused to canvas for former Vice President Kamala Harris due to the Biden administration’s stance on Israel. “Vice President Harris’s unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights law has made it impossible for us to endorse her,” the uncommitted movement said at the time. Another black voter at the event, 63-year-old Army veteran Richard Nix, referenced television advertisements portraying El-Sayed as disparaging toward women to CNN, highlighting El-Sayed’s past criticism of former first lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative. “I’m a big pro-Obama person, and you’re dogging his wife,” Nix stated. He told El-Sayed he wanted to know “what the h— is going on.”

One of the Left’s most common arguments against the SAVE America Act is the claim that it prevents married women from voting. Digital fellow Emma Dayton fact checked this claim in a recent explainer video. Save America Act: Can Married Women Vote if Their Birth Certificate Has an Old Name? YesThe claim that the SAVE America Act would prevent millions of married women from voting leaves out a key provision of the legislation.Under the SAVE America Act, women do not need to… pic.twitter.com/hnkZoBkYTz— Daily Signal (@DailySignal) August 2, 2026 She mentions a C-SPAN host who says the network has been getting calls asking about married women who have changed their name, moved to a different state, and want to re-register to vote. The C-SPAN host said these women who’ve moved states would have to present a marriage license or divorce certification to show that they’re the same person on their birth certificate. Dayton also mentions a video posted by a U.S. representative who says 69 million women who’ve changed their name would not be able to vote if the SAVE America Act passes. This is where the Left gets fact checked. The SAVE America Act includes a provision for this very situation.  Don Palmer, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Signal that if women do not have access to documents with their new name, they can sign an affidavit stating they are the same person listed on their birth certificate. “There are a number of legal documents that would qualify to show the name change of the applicant, including a marriage certificate or court order or other documents with your new name,” Palmer said. “However, if the voter has a problem obtaining a document to show the name change or simply wants to use the affidavit option, the applicant can sign an affidavit attesting that the name on the documentation is the previous name of the applicant,” Palmer continued. Dayton concludes by noting that voter ID and women voting are not mutually exclusive concepts. Both can exist, and should exist, to safeguard American elections.

Running 100 miles in 24 hours isn’t something most people could accomplish. But for the men who completed Project 100, the challenge wasn’t just about endurance—it was about patriotism. Never Surrender USA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of Americans to be healthy, strong, and patriotic. Its latest initiative, Project 100, challenged participants to carry an American flag 100 miles from Oceanside, California, to the Venice Beach Pier as a team. Every 25-mile segment was dedicated to honoring a different Gold Star family, recognizing Americans who lost loved ones in military service. Can you run 100 miles in 24 hours?? Well these guys did it with smiles on their faces for AMERICA! Every 25 mile segment from San Diego on LA was dedicated to a Gold Star family— made possible by the nonprofit Never Surrender USA. pic.twitter.com/3wW68lavHp— Angelina (@angelina_talks) August 3, 2026 Nick Salonites, executive director of Never Surrender USA, said the organization was created in response to what he believes is a growing crisis facing young Americans. “We believe our generation is facing an existential health crisis, with rising rates of obesity, chronic illness, depression, suicide, and declining civic engagement. We work to redefine what it means to be a healthy American in the 21st century—we’re committed to building a generation that lives with greater health, resilience, purpose, and service,” he said. At the finish line in Venice Beach, exhausted runners reflected on their motivations for completing such an intense challenge. Da’Quan Law, who crossed the finish line carrying both a wooden cross and an American flag, gave God the credit for helping him complete the race. “God is good. He gave all of us the strength to get from San Diego to this point, so the credit goes to Him.” Law also encouraged young Americans not to be afraid to openly love their country. “Don’t be shy to be patriotic about the great country we live in. Keep spreading the love for the Lord and embrace Him in everything you do.” Others said the race wasn’t only about testing physical limits—it was also about encouraging people facing struggles that aren’t always visible. For Alex Burns, that meant raising awareness about mental health. “I want people to know they’re loved, and people care—I care. Life is good.” Banks Gaines said the race reminded him that perseverance is often what unlocks opportunity. “I just ran 100 miles from San Diego to Los Angeles. I knew there was going to be highs and lows. Understanding that you’ll come out the other side OK is what keeps me going.” Gaines said those lessons extend beyond running and reinforce his love for America. “America is the best country on Earth. There are so many opportunities,” he said. “If you look at the guys who did this run, everybody’s either a business owner or has a social platform—showing that opportunities are endless if you’re willing to pursue them. If you just look for it, this is the land of opportunity, and they call it that for a reason.” He also encouraged Americans to invest in their physical health. “It’s very important to honor your body—you only have one life. The way you treat and honor your body when you’re 15, 20, 25, and 30 is going to show when you’re 60, 70, and 80 years old.” After completing the run himself, Salonites said he hopes Project 100 sends a message that patriotism remains alive among young Americans. “We made a statement here today. There are young people in this country who are patriotic. We love our country, and regardless of your political party, we can all find common unity in the fact that we are all Americans,” he said.

In Tuesday’s primary election for U.S. Senate in Michigan, a progressive socialist-backed candidate is facing a much more moderate Democrat. The outcome could provide insights into the future of the Democratic Party. Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate endorsed by the far-Left wing of the party, is facing off against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a centrist, pro-Israel candidate currently serving in the state’s 11th Congressional District. Recent polling has indicated that El-Sayed, who was once neck and neck with Stevens, is now surging in popularity after last week’s debate. Anti-Israel Party? Steve Cortes, the founder of the League of American Workers, has done extensive polling in the state. He told the Daily Signal that El-Sayed’s candidacy “proves that moderates are not welcome in the Democratic Party in 2026.” “These are not your parents’ or grandparents’ Democrats,” he said. “Abdul is a terrorist sympathizer who personifies the extremist move within the Democrat Party toward a toxic union of Islamism and Marxism. That radical alliance is also represented by officials like Ilhan Omar and Zohran Mamdani.” El-Sayed’s run for office has had many moments of controversy. Earlier this year, the Washington Free Beacon released footage of El-Sayed’s internal communications with staffers, in which he said he would not comment on the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei because it could “upset” some voters, and that many of Michigan’s Muslim voters “are sad.” The progressive candidate opposes U.S. foreign aid to Israel and has refused to answer whether Israel should be a Jewish state. Such views have split many Democrats. On social media, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, questioned El-Sayed’s views on cutting aid to Israel after the candidate repeatedly said the United States should spend money at home instead of abroad. “If Michiganders don’t want their tax dollars sent abroad, will El-Sayed also be ok with cutting off critical American military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, Taiwan, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, etc.? Or is this just about Israel?” he wrote on Facebook. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., an outspoken member of the Congressional Sharia-Free America Caucus, has been even more vocal, calling El-Sayed a “jihadist” and “communist” who has a chance of winning the Democratic Party primary. “The Dem party is a Jew-hating lunatic party that has lost its way,” Fine told the Daily Signal. While he thinks it’s possible El-Sayed could win on Tuesday, he remained optimistic that he would lose in the general election in November, when he would have to face off against U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. Democratic Socialist Label El-Sayed has denied being a socialist. However, he campaigns with democratic socialist candidates and is endorsed by various Democratic Socialists of America candidates and chapters. He has also been campaigning on a platform that seems to mirror that of the DSA, such as Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ending the Israeli-American military alliance. The “socialist” label has instilled fear among many congressional Democrats and political insiders who want to distance themselves from the far-Left members of their party. On Fox News over the weekend, Gottheimer argued that socialists are trying to take over the Democratic Party, which he called “unacceptable.” “They’re trying to use the Democratic Party as a vessel for their ideas,” the Democrat congressman said. “Literally, they’re supporting the Communist Manifesto and Trotsky, they’re anti-American, they’re anti-cop, [and] they don’t believe in borders.” U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has called self-proclaimed socialist candidates the “dirtbag left.” Cortes, with his many years of experience watching elections, said he doesn’t believe El-Sayed can become Michigan’s next senator. “Although El-Sayed can win a Democrat primary, his brand of far-Left anti-Americanism will not carry a commonsense, moderate battleground state like Michigan,” he said. Platforming Disgraced Men? If El-Sayed wins on Tuesday, the outcome could outrage Democrats who have concerns about the candidate campaigning alongside controversial figures such as former Senate candidate Graham Platner and Turkish-heritage online streamer Hasan Piker. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., in a CNN interview, said that El-Sayed chose “to campaign with Hasan Piker, who said America deserved Sept. 11. Sure, he went on to disavow those comments, but I’m telling you, nobody on my team would ever, you know, come even close to making a comment like that.” Scholten sounded the alarm on the direction her party is headed by providing a platform to people like El-Sayed and Platner. “I think that condoning behavior like this from candidates like Abdul El-Sayed is taking us in a direction that we don’t want to go as a party,” she said. “I don’t need $20 million to study why young men stopped voting for the Democratic Party.” Top Michigan Dems Are Backing Stevens Stevens has voted consistently with the Democratic Party, earning only a 5% score on The Heritage Foundation’s legislative scorecard. According to the scorecard, her record is consistent with only 10% of House Democrats. In the 118th Congress, Stevens voted against the SAVE America Act, a key voter integrity legislation championed by President Donald Trump. She also voted against legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from creating a centralized digital currency. During the 119th Congress, she introduced articles of impeachment against Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On the campaign trail, Stevens was attacked by El-Sayed for taking contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, and from large utility companies such as DTE Energy or Consumers Energy. Despite the controversy surrounding her campaign funding and Democrat-aligned voting record, her Democrat colleagues, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and Senator Gary Peters, have backed her in the race. Neither El-Sayed’s campaign nor Stevens’ campaign returned the Daily Signal’s request for comment.