In a saga drawing intrigue and support across social media, New York City’s iconic Hotel Chelsea is attempting to evict a long-time artistic inhabitant whose vibrant creations add a splash of color to its corridors. However, this tenant isn’t conceding quietly.

Gerald DeCock, aged 67, has taken his battle to the digital sphere, seeking support in his quest to remain in his uniquely decorated studio apartment. His home, adorned with gold-leaf and glowing star motifs, was once occupied by none other than Red Hot Chili Peppers’ frontman Anthony Kiedis back in 1994, as DeCock recounts.

“I’m not after money. I’m not requesting any sort of buyout. All I wish is to continue living here,” DeCock, originally from Colorado, shared with The Post. “I don’t want a disruption to my life.”

For nearly two decades, this artist and hairdresser has been paying $2,700 monthly for his 10th-floor sanctuary in the storied Manhattan landmark, a haven for creatives that has hosted luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, and even literary giant Mark Twain.

Today, visitors can stay in rooms starting at $650 per night, highlighting the hotel’s continued appeal and exclusivity.

He said his battle with the hotel’s owners over his home and work space began in 2007, the last year they accepted long-term leases and about 10 years into his time there.

DeCock has since lost five court cases trying to prove his apartment should be rent-stabilized and that his rent should have consistently been closer to the monthly $600 that a previous tenant paid before him.

Yet even after the resident’s last court loss in 2025, the owners of SIR Chelsea LLC bought 21 of his metallic and abstract paintings — which run from about $60 to $300 a pop, depending on size — to line the hotel’s historic walls.

Then they handed him an eviction notice.

“In retrospect, I feel like it was maybe strategic,’’ said DeCock, who told the New York Times that he earned about $70,000 last year cutting hair and selling his artwork.

“They treat me like a moron.

“They’re kicking me out because I’m in a vulnerable spot. If you go to the Chelsea Hotel website, the first page is like how they are a patron to the arts. This is bulls–t,” DeCock said.

“I’m a brand of the hotel — I’m an artist. I sell my paintings, I paint every day … They’re so disrespectful to me, considering that I’m decorating their f–king hallways.”

Dozens if not hundreds of strangers have penned letters to the hotel calling out the alleged hypocrisy and accusing its owners of selling out the quirky community that made it famous.

DeCock turned to social media in a desperate plea for help as he awaits yet another court hearing next month over his battle for his home, which has been featured in numerous books and TV segments about the famous hotel.

“Tubby and the Tuba” composer George Kleinsinger also previously lived in the unit, the man said.

He said that when he moved into the place in 1994, his rent was $2,000 a month — or roughly $4,500 in today’s cash — and that it steadily climbed to $2,700 by 2007.

At one point, the hotel’s owners said they would move DeCock into a different unit for $10,000 a month, but they rescinded the offer once he started his social-media campaign pleading his case.

“You’re exploiting my art, you’re exploiting me, and it’s so f–king cruel. That’s very cruel,” DeCock said.

The hotel — owned by real-estate investors Richard Born, Ira Drukier, and Sean MacPherson — did not respond to The Post’s numerous requests for comment.

But despite the bad blood, DeCock said he has no interest in ridding himself of the apartment he cultivated into a space he calls the “Vortex.”

Every inch of his walls and ceiling is covered in gold leaf, paint and tiles — and hundreds of his own abstract artworks.

“The Vortex — it just like it channels something in me. … It’s the energy. It’s not so much the [history of the] Chelsea Hotel; it’s the physical space. It allows me to be really prolific and make my art,” DeCock said.

Recent intelligence from the CIA paints a grim picture for Russian forces in Ukraine, with reports indicating that up to 7,000 troops are being lost on the front lines every week.

During his speech at the Defence and Innovation Summit held in Pennsylvania, CIA Director John Ratcliffe underscored the dire conditions for Russian recruits, stating, “The average life expectancy for Russian soldiers landing in Ukraine could be as short as 20 to 30 minutes.”

This perilous situation is largely attributed to the advanced capabilities of AI-driven drones, which have emerged as precise and cost-effective instruments of warfare.

These revelations underscore the steep human cost Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to endure to sustain his ongoing conflict against Ukraine.

With the current rate of casualties, Russia faces potential annual losses reaching a staggering 364,000 dead and wounded.

AI drones account for more than 80 per cent of destroyed Russian targets, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

To date, about two million soldiers have been killed, wounded or are missing since the full-scale invasion on Ukraine in early 2022, 1.4 million of them Russian, according to a recent estimate by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.

Neither side releases military casualty data.

Russia’s troops have struggled to advance this year along the 745-mile front line as Ukraine’s drones counter Russia’s numerical advantage in troops.

In recent weeks, Russia has been grinding into the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, one of several towns in Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt,’ a critical defensive front in the Donetsk region.

However, Ukraine has been ramping up its attacks on Russia, targeting the infrastructure underpinning Putin’s war effort. 

Over recent months, Kyiv has repeatedly struck refineries, oil terminals, pumping stations and export facilities deep inside Russian territory.

Among the most significant targets were the NORSI refinery near Nizhny Novgorod, Russia’s fourth largest refinery with capacity to process 16million metric tonnes of oil annually. It suspended operations on April 5 following a drone attack.

The Moscow refinery was also hit on May 19, and the Ryazan refinery on May 15, which accounts for almost five per cent of Russia’s refining volumes.

The Perm refinery, which processed around 12.6million metric tonnes of oil in 2024, halted processing on May 7 after a drone attack caused a fire and damaged equipment.

The cumulative effect has been to place increasing strain on Russia’s energy sector, which remains the primary source of funding for the Kremlin’s war machine.

Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s draft officers have already begun rounding up men in the city of Penza, about 350 miles from Moscow, according to reports from encrypted-messaging platform Telegram.

Residents have said recruiters, accompanied by balaclava-clad men, swept through the city to round up civilians. Unconfirmed reports suggest they were ordered to draft hundreds of daily recruits. 

Russia’s aggressive drafting in Penza has sparked fresh fears that Putin may order mobilisation across the country.

More troops are needed for Ukraine as Kyiv’s strikes are hitting Moscow increasingly hard.

A new mobilisation plan would be risky for Putin, however, whose approval ratings are lower than they have been in years at 65 per cent.

The only previous mass call-up in September 2022 saw an exodus of up to 700,000 people from Russia, according to Forbes.

Moscow said the number included at least 100,000 IT specialists along with other highly educated people.

And Russia is losing more troops than it can replace, with forces suffering nearly 40,000 casualties each month, according to Western officials.

Despite this, recruitment reaches only around 35,000 troops monthly, with army commanders turning to brutal methods to force men into service.

Reports suggest poverty-stricken men are being taken from small towns and deprived regions and forced into service, including homeless people, ethnic minorities and prisoners being sent into deadly combat.

In a chilling development, wildlife authorities have confirmed that DNA from a Florida woman was matched to a massive 13-foot alligator apprehended following a lethal attack in a river last month.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) revealed that laboratory tests definitively linked DNA from Brittany Clark, aged 31, to a considerable 13-foot alligator captured after the tragic incident near the Econlockhatchee River on June 28.

Clark, an Orlando resident, was enjoying a swim close to the Barr Street Trailhead within the Little Big Econ State Forest when the horrific attack occurred. She was urgently transported to a nearby hospital as a trauma alert, but unfortunately, she did not survive the journey, according to officials.

According to a preliminary report from the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by Fox News affiliate WOFL-TV, Clark was swimming in shoulder-deep water with her boyfriend, Chance Allison, and another friend when the alligator grabbed her arm and began what investigators described as a “death roll.”

“[Allison] grabbed the alligator trying to get it to release [Clark] … when it took them both underwater releasing [Clark] for a moment and then grabbing her other arm,” the report said.

Once the alligator let go, Allison brought Clark to shore and called 911, the report said. Brief body camera video captured a Seminole County deputy responding to the attack.

An alligator’s “death roll” is when the reptile latches on to potential prey and violently spins in the water to subdue or dismember it, according to the National Institute of Health.

After the attack, FWC trappers captured and killed two huge alligators — 12.5-foot and 13-foot gators — and sent their DNA to a lab to determine if either animal was the one that killed Clark.

According to the FWC, bite marks found on Clark’s arm were consistent with the front row teeth of the 13-foot alligator found at the river.

“The FWC’s investigation into this incident remains active,” the agency said.

The FWC said serious injuries caused by alligators are uncommon in Florida, although alligators can be found in lakes, rivers, ponds and other freshwater bodies across all 67 counties.

Officials said they are not speculating about what prompted the attack but noted that alligators can become more territorial during their mating season, which typically runs from April through June.

A few safety recommendations for individuals coming into contact with an alligator, according to the FWC: “Keep a safe distance” and “keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge.”

“Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey,” officials warned. “Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.”

Also, “never feed an alligator; it’s illegal and dangerous.”

“When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food,” the FWC added. “This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.”

People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at  866-FWC-GATOR.  

On Thursday evening, Prince Harry delighted attendees at New York City’s Time100 Sports Gala with an unexpected appearance and some personal family news.

Sources at the event shared with Page Six that the Duke of Sussex mentioned his father, who has been privately fighting an unspecified cancer since 2024, is “doing great.”

The same insider also caught the prince speaking fondly about his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. He noted that they are “happy” to be settled back in California following a short trip to the UK.

Harry amusingly remarked to a fellow guest that his children are “growing like weeds.”

Sharing his sporty side earlier on the red carpet, Harry spoke exclusively with Page Six, expressing his disappointment over England’s 1-2 loss to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

Harry’s appearance at the Time100 Sports Gala came as a surprise, with many guests jumping at the opportunity to speak to the royal.

Page Six obtained video of Harry, 41, meeting New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson, as the two shook hands and posed for photos.

Reps for Harry did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

During the event, he took the stage to deliver a speech about the Invictus Games, which he launched in 2014 to provide a multi-sport event for wounded military service veterans.

“It’s truly an honor to be here tonight to celebrate the power of sport,” the speech began. “I don’t just mean the big wins and historic moments. I mean the tough loses, the sacrifices, the moments that no one ever sees.

“Sport is where you first felt the essence of teamwork and community. It shaped your discipline, your drive and your very identity. It taught you to revel in the challenges and the joy of overcoming or defining the odds.”

He continued, “For many of you, sport shaped who you became. For me, sports instilled essential core values from a very young age. But it didn’t shape my identity as a young man; the British army did.”

Harry explained how he felt “lost” when he hung up his uniform, but turned to sports to help him cope.

“Sport isn’t just entertainment and competition; sport is medicine,” he inspiringly said.

The most influential athletes in global sports gathered on Thursday, including NBA legend LeBron James, who closed the evening with a speech, NFL icon Russell Wilson, Olympic ice skater Alysa Liu, alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, “DWTS” pro Witney Carson and more.

The gala came just days after Harry’s reunion with his estranged family in the UK. He initially arrived alone after he was denied taxpayer-funded security.

But on Friday, Buckingham Palace announced Charles and Queen Camilla hosted Harry, Markle and their children at Highgrove House. This was the first time Charles, 77, has seen his grandkids since 2022.

Markle and the children did not make any public appearances during the visit.

The “Spare” author resigned from his royal duties in 2020 and moved to Montecito, California with his family.

Despite his recent return, he is still estranged from his older brother, Prince William.

The enigma surrounding the tragic stabbing of New Jersey therapist Brooke Hanlon has only deepened six weeks after her untimely death. Recently, two FBI experts have shared potential key insights that could be vital to solving the case.

Renowned former agents and profilers, James R Fitzgerald and Gregg McCrary, have conducted independent evaluations of the case for the Daily Mail. Their focus highlights several crucial forensic and behavioral aspects: from the possibility of the killer leaving behind DNA evidence, to the significance of Conor Hanlon’s initial words during his 911 call, which might clarify the timeline of events.

On June 6, Brooke Haggerty Hanlon, aged 35 and the daughter of a prominent Big Pharma attorney, was discovered brutally stabbed in her Chester Township home. She lived there with her husband and their infant daughter, Avery.

Despite extensive inquiries, the Morris County prosecution office remains silent about the ongoing investigation. This has left local residents anxious and uncertain about whether a suspect has been identified.

“The detectives’ ongoing questions suggest they have yet to make significant progress. It’s alarming and confusing,” one concerned neighbor shared with the Daily Mail.

The unease intensified this week after residents spotted Conor Hanlon and his white Volvo back at the Pottersville Road home where his wife was found. The car hadn’t been seen since the time of the murder.  

The vehicle returned for several hours one afternoon before leaving in the evening at around 8pm, neighbors told the Daily Mail. 

Conor Hanlon, 36, who is originally from the Boston area, took a job at a local construction company when he and his wife moved back to her tony hometown of Chester Township two years ago. Until this week, he had not been seen by neighbors in the five weeks since his wife was killed. Conor has not been identified by authorities as being connected to the murder.

In their interviews with the Daily Mail this week, both former FBI agents stressed that there is not enough information out yet to pinpoint any suspects in the case and cautioned against jumping to conclusions too early. 

But one detail that caught the attention of Fitzgerald, a forensic linguist who was pivotal in the arrest of the Unabomber in 1996, was the language used during the six-minute 911 call to police. 

‘I just found my wife!… She’s not breathing or conscious,’ Hanlon, 36, shrieked on the call, exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail last week. 

‘What the f***, what the f***! I need CPR. Oh my God there’s a laceration in there!’

He can also be heard telling the 911 dispatcher that he needs CPR and an ambulance for his wife while saying there is ‘blood everywhere.’

‘The interesting thing I found about this is both of the first two sentences stated by Conor Hanlon were exculpatory in terms of his activities at the scene that day,’ Fitzgerald, who co-hosts the Cold Red podcast, told the Daily Mail.

Hanlon’s opening words to the 911 dispatcher, ‘I just found my wife,’ immediately caught his attention, he said.

‘So he’s putting a timestamp’ on when he says he first encountered her, Fitzgerald explained. 

Hanlon’s next statement, ‘I don’t know what’s going on,’ followed immediately afterward.

To Fitzgerald, those opening seconds are precisely the sort of language investigators would spend hours dissecting during formal interviews.

‘”I just found my wife” would mean to detectives well let’s go over your time schedule for the whole day,’ Fitzgerald said. ‘Let’s go over where you were.’

Fitzgerald also noticed that the same phrase appeared at both ends of the 911 call.

When the EMTs arrived, Hanlon can be heard telling them again that ‘I found my wife.’

‘Now he bookends his communications with law enforcement,’ Fitzgerald said. 

‘The very beginning, “I just found my wife,” and then the very end… “I found my wife.” “Found” being an operative word.’

Fitzgerald said Hanlon’s description of his wife’s injuries also stood out. 

Rather than saying his wife had been stabbed or was bleeding, Hanlon told the dispatcher there was ‘a laceration in her chest.’

‘Laceration is different than puncture… different than slash,’ Fitzgerald noted.

He explained that detectives would be conducting a thorough victimology – the process of understanding why a particular person became the victim.

‘The police have to rule out the husband before they move on to anyone else,’ Fitzgerald said.

McCrary, one of the FBI’s best-known former investigators, focused on the physical evidence detectives would be analyzing.

For him, every homicide investigation begins the same way.

‘The statistical probability is always that there’s a known relationship between the victim and the offender in the vast majority of violent crime cases,’ he said.

‘Somebody wants somebody dead for a personal reason, a business reason… there’s some motive behind that rather than just a random stranger-based sort of case.’

Rather than immediately searching for an unknown killer, McCrary said experienced detectives begin with the victim herself, working outward in what he described as ‘concentric circles.’

‘You look at the people closest to the victim first, the nature of those relationships,’ he said. ‘The least likely scenario… is that it was a stranger.’

The process, he said, includes examining the marriage, finances, insurance policies, recent relationships, possible affairs and any other motive before broadening the investigation.

Chester Township sources have questioned whether Brooke Hanlon might have been attacked by a patient or a former patient. 

She apparently worked mostly out of her home for LifeStance Health in nearby Bernardsville and focused on teens, children and young adults in her practice.

The crime scene itself, McCrary said, should answer many of the investigators’ biggest questions.

If Brooke Hanlon suffered multiple stab wounds, detectives would immediately want to know whether she had defensive wounds on her hands and forearms, indicating she fought back.

‘The more stab wounds we have, the more likely the offender has cut himself at the scene,’ McCrary said.

That possibility makes DNA one of the most important pieces of evidence.

Investigators would be looking for blood from more than one person, particularly if the killer accidentally cut himself while stabbing the victim.

If someone genuinely performed CPR on a stabbing victim, McCrary said, investigators would expect that person’s hands and clothing to be covered with the victim’s blood.

But detectives would also be studying whether the blood was merely transferred during lifesaving efforts or whether it appeared as cast-off or impact spatter consistent with someone wielding the knife.

Investigators, he said, would also be searching for evidence that someone tried to clean up afterward.

‘They would pull the drains and do an in-depth search for any fresh blood at the scene,’ McCrary said.

Signs of cleanup, he noted, are generally not associated with stranger attacks.

McCrary also questioned whether the publicly reported timeline ultimately withstands forensic scrutiny.

The 911 call came in at 4.29pm that fateful Saturday. If investigators are working from a scenario in which Hanlon briefly left the home before returning to find his wife mortally wounded, detectives would be testing every minute of that account against the physical evidence, McCrary said.

They would compare the estimated time of death with receipts, surveillance video, phone records and electronic data. 

They would also be looking for blood on doorknobs, door frames or any route an attacker would have used to leave the residence.

Like McCrary, Fitzgerald said detectives would be trying to nail down why a particular person became the victim.

‘Why was she chosen to be murdered?’ he asked. ‘Is it robbery? Is it theft? Is it a sex crime? Was there a burglary taking place?’

Fitzgerald said the homicide appears more consistent with a deeply personal act than an elaborately planned murder.

‘This looks like a crime of passion of some sort,’ he said.

The couple’s daughter is believed to be staying with Brooke’s parents in Chester. 

Chester Township sources have told the Daily Mail that Hanlon reportedly has a strong alibi.  

One local resident said Hanlon was seen outside the home on the Saturday morning of the murder but his alibi reportedly involves a trip he took to a nearby store at some point during the day.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Residents of the Chicago area are currently facing an Air Quality Alert, triggered by smoke drifting from Canadian wildfires.

This alert will remain active until midnight on Friday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

On Friday morning, the air quality in the region was categorized as hazardous.

According to Tracy Butler, an ABC7 Accuweather Meteorologist, the air quality is expected to be at its worst during the morning, but there may be some improvement by the afternoon.

SEE ALSO: Tracking air quality across the Chicago area

Butler also indicated that the afternoon and evening could bring rain and storms, potentially mixing with the smoke and resulting in a sludge-like residue.

Butler said the air quality should be better on Saturday, but smoky skies could return on Sunday.

The air is unhealthy for anyone to breathe.

The pollution forced several major events in the city to be rescheduled, including a Millennium Park summer music series performance and the Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field.

The Chicago Park District officially closed all beaches and outdoor pools Friday, designating only indoor ones stay open. They also moved all-day camps inside.

The smoke and haze blanketing the Chicago area is causing low visibility and could create some delays here at O’Hare Airport.

“I feel like I want to go get me a mask for this,” traveler Gary Coleman of Racine Wisconsin said. “I’m glad I’m leaving Chicago today so I don’t have to deal with this. I’m going down south for a little bit.”

Coleman said he loves visiting Chicago, but he said he doesn’t mind getting out of town and away from the smog.

Martic Davis shared the same sentiment as she and her granddaughter head out of town.

“Difficult, very difficult,” Davis said. “Thank God I don’t have any asthma or anything like that but even she is saying, ‘Grandma it is so foggy and smoky.'”

The haze also threatened to cause low visibility at O’Hare Airport, possibly delaying Megan Maresco and her softball trip.

“Some of my teammates are having some flight delays right now, so I hope we don’t have a flight. I don’t love the airport, but I don’t love sitting and waiting here forever, but it is what it is. As long as we get there safe,” Maresco said.

While health experts say the air is unhealthy for anyone to breathe and encourage people to avoid or limit time outdoors until the air quality gets better, the doctors at eye physicians and surgeons of Chicago say if you have to go outside, ditch the contact lenses.

“So the biggest thing that you can do is stay inside,” Dr. Fred Crawford said. “Outside of the that, you know, not be exposed to the elements, other things that you can do if you do have to go outside, if you wear a contact lens, I would try and use your glasses so that the irritants don’t get caught in between your contact lens and your tear film using artificial teardrops that are over the counter at many pharmacies.”

Health experts said the air is unhealthy for everyone to breathe and are encouraging people to avoid or limit time outdoors until the air quality gets better.

“If you can see it, and you can smell it, you’re breathing it in…so recommendations right now: if you don’t have to go out, then stay home,” Dr. Juanita Mora of the American Lung Association, said.

Doctors also recommend that people stay hydrated, which can help the respiratory system in these smoky conditions.

Due to the conditions, the Morton Arboretum’s outdoor areas are closed Friday. Programs scheduled for indoors will continue.

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In a surprising twist, an inmate from Rikers Island, convicted on serious firearm charges, found himself amid a lively FIFA World Cup watch party. This unique event, held in the presence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, unfolded as court records, examined by News Media, recently revealed.

One of the event’s notable attendees, Thomas McCoy, 52, hailing from Brooklyn, shared his thoughts during an interview amid the excitement of Wednesday’s England vs. Argentina semifinal. He expressed his sentiments to The Associated Press, reflecting on his 21-month incarceration, and delighting in the rare experience of enjoying “real food.”

Court records from Queens County, thoroughly scrutinized by News Media, indicate that McCoy was found guilty this past May. He faced two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm, alongside misdemeanor charges for criminal use of drug paraphernalia and possessing a controlled substance.

Following his conviction, McCoy was held without the possibility of bail. He is slated to receive his sentencing on July 22, marking the next stage in his journey through the justice system.

The World Cup watch party was one of roughly 90 held at Rikers during the tournament. According to the mayor’s office, about 4,500 of the jail’s roughly 6,600 inmates participated as a reward for good behavior.

More than 100 inmates attended Wednesday’s England-Argentina semifinal viewing, where Mamdani greeted inmates and spoke with attendees.

Video showed Mamdani greeting inmates and speaking with attendees during the watch party.

During the visit, the mayor said those incarcerated remain “New Yorkers” and emphasized the importance of recognizing their humanity.

Another inmate interviewed by The Associated Press, Ralph Veal, is awaiting trial in Manhattan after pleading not guilty to multiple felony counts of third-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

In a news release recapping the city’s World Cup initiatives, the Mayor’s Office highlighted the Rikers watch parties alongside free fan festivals, discounted tickets, neighborhood watch parties and other tournament programming for New Yorkers.

“These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers,” the mayor said. Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards defended the programming, saying, “Programs like this equal safety in our jail.”

Earlier this year, Mamdani appointed former Rikers inmate Stanley Richards as correction commissioner after pledging to overhaul the city’s troubled jail system.

The appointment came as Rikers remained under federal oversight after a judge appointed an independent remediation manager to oversee reforms amid years of violence, staffing shortages and findings that city officials had failed to correct unconstitutional conditions inside the jail.

News Media has submitted public records requests seeking the identities of inmates selected for the World Cup watch parties, the criteria used to determine eligibility and whether inmates charged with or convicted of violent felonies participated.

News Media also asked the Mayor’s Office whether Mamdani was briefed on the criminal histories of the inmates who attended before his visit.

Given that John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, also possesses the Boston Globe, one might assume he frequently engages with the media and routinely speaks with reporters.

However, nothing could be further from the truth.

In a candid email exchange with Fangraphs’ Jason Schwartz, Henry shed light on why he has distanced himself from public interviews with Red Sox journalists since the onset of the pandemic.

“I viewed engaging with the media as not particularly productive,” Henry explained in the email. “Why? The Red Sox already have a baseball chief, CEO, manager, and chairman addressing the public regularly. There are ample front office voices available every day.”

Henry’s last interaction with reporters dates back to February 2020, shortly after the Red Sox made headlines by trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in a monumental deal.

Rather than Henry, the Red Sox’s front office of Sam Kennedy, Tom Werner and whoever the president of baseball operations is has been fielding questions from the media instead. 

Henry was not among those to speak when the Red Sox let Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency in 2022, nor when they traded franchise icon Rafael Devers in June 2025.

Even faced with renewed calls to speak to the media after Red Sox manager Alex Cora was fired this April, he chose not to. 

“I know that local media are frustrated that once again I’m not taking questions from them, but I had a long, close relationship with Alex [Cora],” Henry wrote. “I’m not going to discuss why these changes were made. It would be a disservice to Alex and others. This is a very emotional time for my family who loves Alex and his family.”

The Fenway Sports Founder was tabbed as a savior when it came to print media as he purchased the Boston Globe for $70 million in 2013 and turned it into one of the world’s most iconic news publications. 

Though it appeared Henry helped save a dying industry with the purchase, he’s since caused a stir by not answering “hard” questions on the Red Sox and transactions they’ve made.

“The owner’s silence isn’t golden,” The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli wrote, “it’s cowardly and speaks volumes about how one of the sport’s most iconic franchises has become rudderless.”