Maine Gov. Janet Mills is reminding Democratic voters that she hasn’t actually left the Senate race, even as Democrat frontrunner Graham Platner faces growing scrutiny over the latest controversy to engulf his campaign. The comments come at a difficult moment for Platner, the left-wing oyster farmer whose insurgent campaign effectively pushed Mills out of the race earlier this year but who now finds himself defending a fresh round of damaging headlines just days before Maine Democrats head to the polls. “People have the impression that I ‘withdrew’ or ‘dropped out,'” Mills told the Portland Press Herald in an interview Monday. “I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot.” According to reporting from both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, Platner admitted sending sexually explicit text messages to multiple women after marrying his wife, Amy Gertner, in 2023. While Platner has disputed aspects of the reporting, his campaign has not denied the existence of the messages. “Graham isn’t saying the texts to other women at the start of the marriage are not real. They are,” a campaign official said. The controversy is only the latest in a string of politically damaging revelations that have followed Platner throughout his campaign. Earlier this year, the Democrat faced questions over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he later covered. Old social media posts and Reddit comments resurfaced showing Platner making inflammatory remarks, including comments praising aspects of fascism and insulting American service members. More recently, a Daily Wire review found that Platner maintains an active account on Kik, an anonymous messaging platform that has long faced criticism from child-safety advocates and law enforcement officials because of its association with sexual predators and child exploitation cases. The account, registered under the username “phustle0331,” closely mirrors usernames Platner has used on Instagram and Reddit. The profile photo appears to depict a shirtless man with tattoos matching those worn by Platner. Those concerns are expected to be front and center Tuesday when Platner meets with Democratic senators in Washington, D.C. According to Axios, senators plan to question him directly about the allegations surrounding the sexually explicit messages. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) publicly acknowledged concerns over the weekend. “Yes, I have concerns,” Booker said. “That guy has questions to answer. And that’s what campaigns are for.” The Washington meetings are also expected to serve as a test of whether Platner can reassure major Democratic donors and party leaders that the race remains winnable despite the scandals. The stakes are significant. Maine is one of the few Republican-held Senate seats Democrats believe they have a realistic chance of flipping in 2026. With control of the Senate potentially hanging in the balance, many Democrats fear that continued controversy could squander one of their strongest pickup opportunities. Platner has attempted to push back aggressively against the latest reports, accusing journalists of sensationalism and arguing voters should focus on policy issues instead. “Our opponents want politics to be empty of content and empty of actual change,” Platner said Sunday. Some of his allies have echoed that message. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of Platner’s earliest and most prominent supporters, suggested Monday that attention should remain focused on economic issues rather than the candidate’s marriage. But Mills’ comments highlight an uncomfortable reality for Democrats: despite suspending her campaign in April, she remains on the ballot and continues to attract attention as questions about Platner’s viability intensify. Whether Democratic voters decide to stick with the party’s insurgent frontrunner or look for an alternative remains one of the biggest unanswered questions heading into next week’s primary. For now, Mills is making sure voters remember that an alternative still exists.

The FBI recently took out a massive internet scam network, arresting over 300 people, freeing over 2,000 people from human trafficking, and seizing over $8 billion in cryptocurrency.  The FBI said last week that it primarily focused on taking down what it calls “scam compounds” in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The scam compounds are typically guarded and filled with trafficked workers who are forced to conduct romance scams and fake investment schemes that target many Americans. Over 2,000 people were freed from the compounds.  The operation focused on Prince Holding Group, a company in Cambodia. Authorities also took out a criminal compound in Dubai, Myanmar, and Thailand. Altogether, the FBI seized over 127,000 bitcoin from the nine scam compounds, which is over $8 billion, making it the largest crypto seizure in human history. The United States worked with Dubai police to arrest 275 people, six of whom will be transported to the United States to face federal charges. FBI Director Kash Patel, said the major crackdown gives a clear message to scammers across the world. “If you target Americans, we will find you, disrupt your network, and bring every available tool of the federal government down on you,” Patel told Fox News. The FBI also took down the “Democratic Karen Benevolent Army,” an armed militia in Myanmar that has ties to Chinese mobsters and has been engaging in this criminal scam network.. The U.S. seized thousands of smartphones and other office equipment in Thailand, severely crippling the scam infrastructure there. During the whole operation, the FBI worked with the Royal Thai police, the Burmese army, Dubai’s police, and some Chinese investigators. The FBI also utilized Elon Musk’s Starlink to take down over 7,000 terminals in Myanmar that criminals were using to facilitate communications. The FBI’s 2025 “Internet Crime Report” states that Americans have been defrauded of $21 billion in cyber-related crimes, with AI and crypto-related scams being the costliest. Apprehending these con artists and hackers is difficult as the internet allows them to be scattered across the world, seemingly untouchable by American authorities. 

Former MTV reality star Spencer Pratt informed comedian Bill Maher that, if elected mayor of Los Angeles, he would enforce laws against smoking marijuana around children and in public spaces. Pratt joined Maher for the latest episode of his “Club Random” podcast, where the two discussed Pratt’s dramatic surge leading into Tuesday’s jungle primary — and Pratt said he was absolutely ready to enforce laws already on the books regarding cannabis smoking and drug use when children are present. WATCH:   Pratt explained that he’d never really talked about politics when he was on MTV, saying that at the time he’d been trying to be famous, and did not see an advantage in angering one half of the audience or the other. Maher asked then whether he cared about “all the issues” now that he was running to be mayor of Los Angeles, and Pratt said no. “I care about safety, the lights being on, potholes. I don’t want you smoking in front of kids at the park. You know, I’ll be enforcing if you’re smoking that in front of a kid at a swing. I’ll be getting you as mayor,” he jabbed at Maher, who is well known for his love of marijuana. “No more drugs around kids at parks, in schools, in front of daycares,” Pratt said. “We need to have a society of consequences again … I never thought growing up I could smoke a blunt in front of a kid at the park. Now that happens. Moms do not want their kids that are like 5 years old …” Maher continued to press Pratt on specific issues — namely the regulatory red tape surrounding solar panels, despite the fact that California has been pushing more people toward green energy sources — and Pratt insisted that crime and drug use needed to be handled first: “We’re about three years from worrying about solar panels. We need to get all the naked drug addicts off of the sidewalks, and then I can worry about solar panels.” Spencer Pratt drags Bill Maher out of his liberal bubble and brought him back down to earth. Maher was annoyed that Pratt didn’t know the specifics about taxes on solar powered energy, but Pratt humbled him with the REAL problems Angelenos care about. MAHER: “This is a state… pic.twitter.com/OvfHVkVzCh — Overton (@overton_news) June 1, 2026 Pratt and Maher appeared to be on the same wavelength for much of the conversation, but the former MTV star shocked the comedian with one assertion: the number of homeless people in Los Angeles who, he says, are not even from California. “Ready for the best part?” he asked. “60% of the people in Los Angeles that are ‘experiencing homelessness’ are NOT from California! They’ve been brought here by NGOs that profit off of this homeless industrial complex.” “Wait, wait, they’ve been brought here?” Maher asked. “They’ve been brought here,” Pratt replied. “Body brokers bring these people here from all across the country. If you’re an addict you can come to LA and get these rehabs and because you can use Medicaid, Social Security.”

For years, Pride Month gave companies an opportunity to launch elaborate marketing campaigns celebrating LGBTQ+ communities. But two years into President Donald Trump’s second term, much of corporate America’s enthusiasm appears to be undergoing a Pride pivot.  During the Biden administration, Target’s annual Pride collection was a centerpiece of its June marketing strategy, dominating store displays and the company’s homepage while generating extensive influencer promotion online. In 2026, however, Target’s homepage focuses on Father’s Day gifts and Fourth of July merchandise, with Pride products playing a far less visible role. Walmart has taken a similar approach. The retail giant withdrew its sponsorship from Stonewall Columbus Pride in 2025 and scaled back its Pride-related inventory in 2026.  Amazon also appears to be taking a quieter approach. While the company previously used its social media platforms to celebrate Pride Month, it has yet to make a comparable public declaration in 2026. Few companies have experienced a more dramatic shift than Anheuser-Busch. Three years after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, the company is promoting “Patriotic Packs” that support military and first responder families through donations to Folds of Honor.  The pullback extends beyond marketing campaigns.  Mastercard, Nissan, Deloitte, PepsiCo, and other Fortune 500 companies have withdrawn sponsorships for Pride events around the country, leaving organizers sounding the alarm. NYC Pride told Gothamist it was more than $500,000 short of its fundraising goal despite already lowering that target by $1.1 million compared to 2024. “Can you imagine the very first, the best, the biggest Pride in the world — the queen of all Prides — doesn’t have enough funding?” NYC Pride’s Director Im Lynde said.  Other companies, however, have maintained their Pride Month commitments. Apple, Google, the NFL, the MLB, and even Sesame Street continue to celebrate Pride Month despite the changing political environment. Their social media accounts remain largely indistinguishable from the Biden era, with Pride-themed posts and messaging still front and center. Happy #PrideMonth from Sesame Street! Join us in celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ members of our community. ❤️

WASHINGTON— U.S. embassies around the world will not be flying Pride flags this June, thanks to a State Department directive implemented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after he took office. Rubio’s order prohibited State Department personnel from “conducting or participating in any public diplomacy outreach or representational activity” celebrating, commemorating, or recognizing theme day holidays or observances that are not official U.S. holidays or the subject of a U.S. Presidential proclamation, according to an internal State Department memo. A separate State Department “One Flag Policy” also states that only the flag of the United States, a Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag, or the Hostages and Wrongful Detainees flag may be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities worldwide. That memo, first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, specifically notes: “Examples: Posts should not fly or display the Pride or Progress flag at the U.S. Embassy.” “Per the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or otherwise publicly displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content,” the guidance states. “No symbol or affiliation marking other than those authorized by U.S. statute, the President, or the Secretary may be displayed, projected, or exhibited at any U.S. facility, both domestic and abroad.” A Black Lives Matter banner, a United States national flag and a rainbow flag are hung on the facade of the US embassy building in Seoul. (Photo by Simon Shin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) “The flag of the United States of America unites all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy,” the Trump State Department guidance adds. “These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present.” A similar directive was issued during President Donald Trump’s first administration, when Mike Pompeo led the State Department (though some embassies defied the order and still flew the flags). Under President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraged embassies to follow Biden’s lead in supporting “the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons and communities.” The Biden State Department gave embassies “blanket written authorization…to display the Pride flag on the external-facing flagpole, for the duration of the 2021 Pride season.” Blinken had promised to do this during his confirmation hearings, during which he also promised to name a special LGBTQ envoy. His State Department also provided asylum categories for people who identify as LGBTQ and said they were fleeing persecution. The U.S. Embassy in Uruguay, for example, raised a Pride Flag in 2023. The embassy’s Ambassador Heide Fulton said at the time that “raising the Pride flag is a celebration of the hard-won accomplishments of LGBTQI+ activists and their allies, and a reaffirmation of our commitment to the work that still needs to be done to promote the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTQI+ persons across the globe and within our own communities and workplaces.” The State Department’s former Pride Month webpage is no longer active, and the department does not appear to be running any Pride Month promotions. The State Department’s stance toward the theme, which celebrates adults and children who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex, is matched by the White House. Last year, the White House did not celebrate Pride Month at all, and the Department of Education instead declared June “Title IX Month,” highlighting the Trump administration’s actions taken to protect female sports and spaces. Asked by The Daily Wire on Monday if the White House will be observing Pride Month this June, a White House official responded: “We celebrate all Americans every day.”