The remains of one of two U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared during “African Lion” military exercises in Morocco have been recovered after an intensive week-long multinational search operation, military officials confirmed Sunday. The soldier was identified as Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old 1st Lieutenant from Richmond, Virginia, who served as an Air Defense Artillery officer assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. According to The New York Post, Key and another unidentified soldier vanished on May 2 during a recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, Morocco, hours after participating in the annual African Lion multinational war games exercise. Officials said the two soldiers were seen near ocean cliffs before they reportedly plunged into the Atlantic Ocean. “A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean,” U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. The second soldier remains missing as search efforts continue. The disappearance triggered a massive international rescue operation involving more than 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and allied partner nations participating in the exercises. The operation included helicopters, drones, frigates, maritime vessels, and ground search teams combing more than 12,000 square kilometers of shoreline and ocean over eight days. African Lion 2026 is the largest annual U.S.-led military exercise on the African continent, involving more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. The exercise is designed to strengthen military coordination and readiness between the United States and allied African and NATO partner nations. Military officials said a U.S. contingent remains in Morocco even after the formal conclusion of the exercises Friday in order to continue search-and-rescue operations for the second missing soldier. Before joining the military, Key earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Methodist University in North Carolina, with additional studies in international business, entrepreneurship, and business administration. He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate before receiving his commission as an Air Defense Artillery officer in 2024 after completing Officer Candidate School and the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. His military decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon. “On behalf of U.S. Africa Command, we extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of 1st Lt. Key and to the entire 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command family,” AFRICOM commander General Dagvin Anderson and Command Sergeant Major Garric Banfield said in a joint statement. “On behalf of U.S. Africa Command, we extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of 1st Lt. Key and to the entire 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command family.” – General Dagvin Anderson and Command Sergeant Major Garric Banfieldhttps://t.co/f1ZxHptZAC — U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) (@USAfricaCommand) May 10, 2026 The tragedy marks another deadly incident connected to the African Lion exercises, which began in 2004. In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured after a helicopter crash during the drills in Morocco.

Los Ángeles Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt vowed to bring in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if elected, saying it would be necessary to rid the streets of “medieval diseases.” Pratt, speaking with David Friedberg on “The All In” podcast, said that he’d give the lawless in L.A.’s streets “three weeks, or maybe we’ll even do two weeks, maybe people will want it faster” before he set to work cleaning things up.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a “60 Minutes” interview that he wanted to see U.S. military aid to Israel reduced to $0 within ten years. Netanyahu spoke with CBS News’s Major Garrett in an interview that sired on Sunday, and he said that his goal was to see an Israel no longer dependent on aid from the United States. WATCH: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells 60 Minutes he wants Israel to eventually stop relying on U.S. military aid: “It’s time that we weaned ourselves from the remaining military support.” https://t.co/mEN4CWeXMW pic.twitter.com/LIwJKrfMOQ — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 10, 2026 “Do you believe it’s time for the state of Israel to reexamine and possibly reset its financial relationship with the United States — meaning what the United States provides to Israel on an annual basis?” Garrett asked. Netanyahu’s reply was unequivocal: “Absolutely. And I’ve said this to President Trump, I’ve said it to our own people. Their jaws dropped, but I said, ‘Look.'” Garrett prompted Netanyahu to elaborate, asking, “What do you mean?” “I want to draw down to $0 the American financial support, the financial component of the military cooperation that we have, because we receive $3.8 billion a year, and I think that it’s time that we weaned ourselves from the remaining military support,” Netanyahu said. Garrett asked whether the Israeli Prime Minister was able to give him “a timetable” or an estimate as to when he thought that could be accomplished. “I said let’s start now and do it over the next decade, over the next ten years, but I want to start now,” he replied. “I don’t want to wait for the next congress, I wasn’t to start now, and it could go down very fast.” Netanyahu also weighed in on the state of the ongoing war in Iran, saying that he believed much of what the United States and Israel set out to accomplish had come to pass, but that it wasn’t over yet. “I think it accomplished a great deal, but it’s not over,” he said. “I think it accomplished a great deal, but it’s not over,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells 60 Minutes about the war in Iran. Netanyahu says highly enriched uranium must be removed from Iran and believes “it can be done physically.” pic.twitter.com/N5XbvzpYa0 — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 10, 2026

A patriotic middle school assembly celebrating America’s upcoming 250th birthday sparked protests and backlash from left-wing parents in Southern California this week after critics objected to the event’s alleged ties to organizations like Turning Point USA and The Heritage Foundation. The event, dubbed “History Rocks 250,” was held at Canyon Hills Junior High School and focused on American history, the country’s founding principles, and civic pride ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration next year. But before the assembly even began, protesters gathered outside the school holding signs reading “No politics in school,” while some parents reportedly kept their children home entirely over fears the presentation would push a conservative political agenda. Much of the controversy centered on reports that organizations affiliated with Turning Point USA and Heritage Foundation had helped coordinate the broader “History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour,” which is tied to America’s semiquincentennial celebration. “I’m concerned about the views of Turning Point USA and the Heritage Foundation, which produced Project 2025,” grandparent Debra Esquivel said while protesting the event. Parents interviewed by local media expressed fears that conservative ideology was being inserted into the classroom under the banner of civic education, despite school officials repeatedly stating the assembly would simply focus on American history and the nation’s founding. “The things they teach and the ideas that they like to bring into communities and into students are concerning to me,” parent Kristi Hirst said. School officials and district leaders pushed back forcefully on the criticism, insisting the event contained nothing political or controversial. “They will be learning about the founding documents and also about the American Revolution,” said Sonja Shaw. “This is nothing new. It’s in our curriculum.” The assembly itself appeared largely straightforward and patriotic in nature. Students and faculty opened the event with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem before participating in history-themed trivia games and presentations about the American Revolution and the country’s founding ideals. One student emcee asked classmates questions about colonial America, while another delivered remarks praising the United States as a place where generations of immigrants came seeking freedom and opportunity. “What makes America special is that for generations families all over the world have come here, searching for freedom, opportunity and the chance to build a better life,” one student said during closing remarks. Featured speaker Katharine Gorka, a senior adviser for civic education at the Department of Education similarly emphasized America’s openness and national identity. “We are the most welcoming country on earth, and I love that about this country,” Gorka told students. After the assembly concluded, multiple students reportedly said the event felt like a normal school rally focused on American history rather than partisan politics. “I think they politicized something that’s not political,” Gorka later said. The backlash puts a fine point on how reflexively hostile some have become towards conservative organizations and overt expressions of American patriotism, even when the actual content presented to students remained centered on basic civics and national history. The reaction highlights the increasingly polarized atmosphere surrounding patriotism, civic education, and American history in schools — particularly in deep blue states like California, where even celebrations tied to the country’s founding can quickly become ideological flashpoints.

Troops forced out over the COVID-19 vaccine may soon see a dramatic change as War Secretary Pete Hegseth — even for those who do not wish to return to military service. Hegseth announced the change in a video posted to X on Friday afternoon, saying that he planned to restore missed payments and enlistment bonuses — as well as benefits denied based on unfavorable discharge characterizations. WATCH: The Biden administration’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine mandate was wrongfully forced onto our warfighters. It was unjust, and we are doing EVERYTHING we can to make it right. pic.twitter.com/xLWpYd0sMc — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) May 8, 2026 “I’m directing the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness to establish a Department of War COVID-19 reinstatement and Reconciliation Task Force,” Hegseth explained, noting that their first move would be to assist anyone who wanted to return to military service to do so. “The services have them right now. We’re establishing one at our level to oversee the entire thing. The task force’s goal is to bring back into service all those who desire to continue to serve our country in uniform.” But Then Hegseth went on to say that changes were also coming for those who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine mandate under former President Joe Biden and opted not to put the uniform back on. Those who were denied education benefits due to a “general” discharge, Hegseth vowed, would have them restored. “Even if you do not intend to return to service, the War Department will provide a path for resolution of unearned bonuses, upgrades to discharge characterizations that will unlock your well-deserved benefits, and removal of adverse documents from service files,” he said. “Further, I have directed a review of policies and decision-making to ensure that we do not go down this path again. You raised your right hand and sworn ill to serve and protect the Constitution and our nation.” “You were mistreated by the Biden Pentagon, and we are fixing that injustice,” Hegseth concluded. Between August of 2021 and the beginning of 2023, approximately 8,700 service members were forced out over Biden’s vaccine mandate — and more than one third of them (3,000) received “general” discharges rather than “honorable” discharges. Still more, because they were forced to separate prior to fulfilling their contracts, were denied promised enlistment bonuses and pay. Typically those who receive a “general” discharge from military service are eligible to receive disability benefits and health care benefits through the VA, but can be denied access to education benefits through the post-9/11 G.I. Bill. By March of 2026, some 600 Air Force members had already had their discharges upgraded. The Marine Corps and the Navy had the highest number of separations due to the vaccine mandate.