As the eagerly anticipated White House visit for the Indiana Hoosiers draws near, Fernando Mendoza is setting his sights firmly on his new responsibilities. The former Indiana quarterback, recently drafted as the number one overall pick by the Raiders, has a lot on his plate.

When asked about the upcoming visit to the nation’s capital, scheduled for May 11, Mendoza initially expressed that he might have to pass on the opportunity. His reasoning was straightforward: he believed the date conflicted with the start of the Raiders’ Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and as a newcomer, he felt it was crucial to prioritize his commitment to the team. “I can’t miss practice,” Mendoza stated, emphasizing the importance of making a good impression as a rookie. “I want to try to best serve my teammates, and I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”

However, upon closer inspection of the Raiders’ calendar, Mendoza discovered a pleasant surprise. It turns out that his schedule does indeed allow him to join his former teammates for the prestigious visit to the White House, without missing any practice sessions. This revelation means Mendoza can partake in the celebration of his collegiate achievements while still fulfilling his professional obligations.

“I can’t miss practice. … As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look,” he said. “I want to try to best serve my teammates and I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”

However, Mendoza admitted that he had to check the Raiders’ calendar, and it actually appears he will be free to attend the White House visit after all.

That’s because the first day of OTAs is on May 18, not May 11 as Mendoza believed.

Nonetheless, the quarterback has been with the Raiders this weekend for rookie minicamp.

“Yesterday I was like, ‘Wow, I have a lot to work on,’” he said. “Everyone here in rookie camp, these are all really, really good players, so I need to elevate my level of play when we go to OTAs [on May 18] and training camp.”

Mendoza helped Indiana produce a historic season in 2025, as the Hoosiers went 16-0 and won the school’s first national championship.

An Idaho pizza delivery driver has become a viral internet sensation, leading to his long-awaited retirement, all thanks to the generosity of strangers. The heartwarming story revolves around his dedication to delivering more than just pizza.

Dan Simpson, a 68-year-old who works at Domino’s, caught the internet’s attention earlier this year. On one occasion, after realizing the store had run out of Diet Coke, he made an extra trip to the grocery store to fulfill a customer’s request, showcasing exceptional commitment.

Footage from a doorbell camera showed Simpson arriving with hot pizzas and two-liter bottles of soda. Despite his effort, he modestly declined an extra tip, mentioning his 14-year tenure at Domino’s as a second job.

This touching interaction was shared by Brian Wilson, the customer, on TikTok. The post quickly gained traction, amassing 2.5 million views and drawing thousands of supportive comments.

Moved by the response, Wilson launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Simpson achieve a well-deserved retirement, igniting a wave of goodwill from people eager to contribute.

Simpson, who was working a full-time job at the State Department of Agriculture and delivering pizzas to make ends meet, revealed on Friday that he had retired thanks to the $170,000 in donations he received.

‘I got up this morning, the day I’m retiring, and I checked my bank account, and there was $163,000, what a retirement gift that was,’ Simpson told KTVB.

‘So thank you, Boise. Thank you, Treasure Valley. You made my life quite a little bit easier.’

Dan Simpson, 68, became an internet sensation after he went out of his way to get customers their Diet Coke when the Domino’s he worked at ran out in March

The customers, Brian and Katey Wilson, were so moved by his kindness, that they started a GoFundMe to help Simpson retire

The story took off on March 27, when Simpson called the Wilsons to explain that Domino’s had run out of their preferred Diet Coke, adding that he could bring something else if they wished.

Even though the call went unanswered, Simpson went above and beyond, spending his own money to make sure the couple got exactly what they wanted.

He arrived at their door, apologized once more for the inconvenience, and explained that he had made a quick stop to pick up some Diet Cokes, seemingly treating the kind gesture as no big deal.

‘On a busy Friday night. During deliveries. Completely out of his own time and effort,’ Wilson wrote on the GoFundMe page.

‘We were honestly blown away,’ he added. ‘That level of care and kindness is rare these days.’

The footage shows Wilson, visibly blown away by Simpson’s generosity, telling him he wanted to add to the original $6 tip – but having no cash on hand, he offered to call the store instead.

In response, Simpson said, ‘Oh, you don’t need to. It’s a good tip.’

‘On the surface, it probably looked like such a small gesture,’ Wilson told the Idaho Statesman. ‘But to us, it felt like so much more than that.’

On Friday, Simpson revealed he was able to retire from his full-time job with the State Department of Agriculture after receiving $170,000 in donations

Doorbell camera captured Simpson delivering hot pizzas and a pair of two-liter sodas, waving off an extra tip and revealing that he’s been with the restaurant as a second job for 14 years

‘What Dan didn’t know is that my wife and I are both visually impaired, so running out to the store for a “quick” pickup is not something that is simple or easy for us,’ he added.

‘What may have seemed like a tiny inconvenience to solve on his end actually made a huge difference on ours.’

When Simpson returned to work the next day, his much younger coworkers greeted him with some surprising news: ‘Man, you’re famous, dude,’ according to the outlet.

He found out that the heartwarming encounter was now on TikTok, paired with the caption: ‘The world needs more Dans.’

Simpson said he still plans to deliver pizzas on the weekend so he can stay connected to his community, but also hopes to use his funds to give back.

‘I might buy a van. I’m gonna buy my decent van, I think,’ he said, adding that he wants to explore nature.

Simpson revealed that he struggled with addiction when he was younger and spent time in prison. Since he got out, he said he has been working two jobs to make ends meet. 

‘I got in a lot of trouble with drinking and drugs. When I got out, I said, “That’s it.” I knew I’d never drink again,’ he said.

‘Ever since I stepped out of prison, I’ve basically worked two jobs and worked hard and tried to do the right thing.’ 

Now, he wants to help others who are struggling, ‘Maybe get them grounded in something that doesn’t make drugs and alcohol necessary in their life,’ he said.

Cole Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, is currently under suicide watch, a precaution his defense team is challenging. They have submitted a motion requesting the court to lift this status, claiming it infringes on his rights.

An emergency hearing is scheduled for Monday where Allen’s attorneys will appeal to Judge Zia Faruqui to end the suicide watch. They argue that the conditions, including 24-hour isolation in a “safe cell,” impede Allen’s ability to stay connected with his family and effectively participate in his defense strategy.

The defense team’s motion highlights that the restrictions prevent Allen from using a jail-issued tablet, a tool that would enable communication with his loved ones. They also state that the inability to keep personal items in his cell obstructs his access to important legal documents, thus limiting his capacity to engage in his defense.

The lawyers further argue that the suicide watch is “unnecessary” and infringes on Allen’s rights by stripping him of dignity. The motion criticizes the conditions requiring him to endure escorted showers, strip searches upon cell entry or exit, and the wearing of a padded vest.

A photograph of Cole Allen, captured in a hotel room prior to the alleged assassination attempt on Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, has been shared by the Justice Department.

The hearing may also reveal how the prosecution plans to move forward in the case.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told CNN on Sunday that prosecutors would bring the case before a grand jury this week and suggested they’re working toward securing an indictment with additional charges.

Law enforcement personnel detain Cole Tomas Allen, a suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. (Donald J Trump via Truth Social/Handout via Reuters)

Allen, a 31-year-old California computer scientist, is accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 25 after allegedly rushing a Secret Service checkpoint while armed with multiple weapons.

Cole Allen wearing a graduation gown after obtaining his master’s degree in 2025, left. A Secret Service agent fires at Cole Allen, suspected in the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Cole Allen/LinkedIn; Obtained by The Washington Post)

Allen now faces federal charges, including the attempted assassination of the president, with more expected.

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A new state recycling bill is sparking debate, as it seeks to mandate numerous companies to eliminate plastic wrap from their product packaging. Critics are concerned that such a move could result in essential items like diapers and toilet paper becoming vulnerable to moisture damage.

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, as proposed, targets companies with a net income over $5 million. These businesses, which sell or distribute specific materials and products, would be required to phase out harmful or non-reusable packaging. Instead, they would need to adopt packaging solutions that are both reusable and environmentally sustainable.

Several states, such as Maryland, Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Minnesota, have already implemented similar eco-friendly packaging initiatives. Additionally, some countries have adopted these practices to promote environmental responsibility.

In New York, residents generate nearly five pounds of waste per person each day, underscoring the urgent need for more sustainable waste management solutions.

Under the proposed legislation, manufacturers would need to cut their use of non-sustainable packaging by 10% within the first three years and achieve a 30% reduction over a span of 12 years.

They also would be required to have at least 5% of their packaging qualifying as reusable or refillable by 2032, 10% by 2040, and 20% by 2055.

Meanwhile, at last 25% of packaging would have to be recyclable by 2032, with increases to
50% and 75% 2040 and 2055 respectively.

“New York State must follow suit to meet the moment for environmental accountability,” said the memo justifying the legislation sponsored by state Assemblywoman Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) and state Sen. Peter Harckham (D-Peekskill).

“This legislation shifts the onus of recycling and waste hauling for packaging from municipalities and residents and ensures that producers of products are serving our interests by establishing solutions to sustainable packaging,” the memo said.

The bill would impose a fee on companies that use too much plastic packaging past the deadlines, with the money going toward recycling programs and infrastructure.

But the packaging industry and supermarkets claim they will be forced to replace their plastic packaging with less protective paper packaging, which could cause soggy products.

“Even with its recent amendments it will eliminate the plastic film packaging that keeps essential products like toilet paper, paper towels, and diapers dry and sanitary,” said Dan Felton, president and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association

“Without it, retailers and consumers face increased product damage, higher replacement costs, and less reliable shelf availability.

“We agree that we must improve recycling systems and reduce waste, but good public policy will also avoid higher costs and keep critical packaging in place to protect public health,” he said.

Nelson Eusebio, the National Supermarkets Association’s director of government affairs, added, “For independent supermarkets serving New York City’s working-class and minority communities, even modest shifts in packaging policy can quickly translate into higher costs for families.

“When changes move forward without scalable, commercially viable alternatives, those costs ripple through the supply chain and affect prices at the register.”

A similar bill passed the state Senate last year but died in the Assembly amid opposition from plastics manufacturers.

The pro-recycling, anti-plastic measure comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul is negotiating with lawmakers to ease the deadlines for lofty mandates and optimistic timelines outlined in a 2019 climate-change law aimed at replacing fossil-fuel sources of energy with clean green power such as solar, wind and hydro.

Harckham and Glick said their bill has been dramatically revised from its previous version, with 150 separate changes, which include pushing back compliance deadlines on the proposed recycling and toxic-substance bans.

“The underlying challenge has not changed. New York is facing a growing solid waste and pollution crisis, and the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act is a real solution that must be passed this year,” Glick said.

Harckham said industry input was considered when the bill was amended.

“We have forged a middle ground with these amendments to our bill, and now we are working to finally gain the necessary legislative and executive approvals that will save New Yorkers millions of dollars each year while helping to protect our environment,” he said.

The bill has the backing of more than a half dozen environmental groups as well as the state Association of Counties, which claim excessive plastics clog up dwindling landfill space.

“New Yorkers are drowning in plastic waste, and for too long, taxpayers have been stuck with the bill while multi-billion-dollar companies pump toxic chemicals into our communities,” said Judith Enck, founder of the group Beyond Plastics and a former regional administrator for the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“These amendments are a major concession to the plastic industry, but the foundation of the bill remains important, necessary and impactful. We cannot afford another year of inaction.”

Donatella Versace celebrated her 71st birthday in glamorous fashion on Saturday night, attending a prestigious pre-Met Gala event hosted by Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos in New York City.

In honor of her special day, the renowned fashion designer exuded a youthful aura, donning a sleek, figure-hugging black dress. The dress was adorned with colorful embellishments that sparkled like fireworks, catching the eyes of all around.

The iconic Italian ensured her enviable legs were the center of attention, pairing her ensemble with daring over-the-knee leather boots featuring towering platform heels.

To complete her stunning outfit, Donatella accessorized with chandelier earrings, a chic designer handbag, and a flawless makeup palette, highlighting her ageless beauty.

Over the years, the fashion mogul’s evolving appearance has sparked much speculation, although she has only publicly acknowledged using Botox.

But in recent years, she has displayed a distinctly more fresh-faced complexion, while her top lip appears thinner and her cheeks less puffy.

Donatella Versace rang in her 71st birthday in style on Saturday night, as she attended Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos’ starry pre-Met Gala party in New York City

While marking another year around the sun, the fashion designer looked more youthful than ever as she arrived in a figure-hugging little black dress adorned in colourful embellishments resembling fireworks

Donatella’s ‘reversed’ cosmetic surgery look won her heaps of praise in December 2024, when she attended The Devil Wears Prada musical launch with a noticeably transformed appearance.

Fans were stunned by her youthful visage, calling it ‘the biggest upgrade in history’ and drawing comparisons to Lindsay Lohan’s recent major beauty transformation.

They took to X at the time to proclaim: ‘People, someone needs to find out who this doctor in Hollywood is who is performing these miracles’; ‘This is shocking not gonna lie’;

‘The plastic surgeon who’s doing these faces is probably one of the best out there…TOP TIER WORK!! He’s in NY & not even trying to be known’; 

‘If you have the money you can buy youth’; ‘I’m sure it’s the same doctor as Lindsay, Demi and Brad’; 

‘From Lindsay Lohan to Donatella Versace, 2024 will officially be remembered as the year of faces that inexplicably transformed’.

Her glamorous outing comes after Donatella made a glitzy cameo in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which was released in cinemas this week.

The fashion icon’s appearance in the highly-anticipated sequel comes after she was name-dropped several times in the original 2007 film.

She was pictured filming scenes in Milan back in October alongside leading lady Anne Hathaway, who reprised her role as Andy Sachs.

The 2026 Met Gala – set to take place on Monday night – has been shrouded in controversy this year, due to Sanchez and Bezos’ involvement as honorary co-chairs.

The fashion mogul has sparked much of speculation over the years about her changing appearance, despite only publicly admitting she’s had Botox  (seen in 2018 left and August right)

The billionaire couple are making their debut as honorary co-chairs and lead donors for fashion’s biggest night. However, their involvement has been met with backlash. 

Posters have been put up around Manhattan ahead of fashion’s biggest night which read: ‘Boycott The Bezos Met Gala.’ 

A fashion industry insider told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s, quite frankly, very hurtful and very disturbing for [the Bezoses] to be the face of this year’s Met Gala, something that is really meaningful to a lot of people and to such a highly regarded and highly respected institution.

‘It feels like a real slap in the face to a lot of people.’

Indeed, the Daily Mail has learned that the Bezos’ involvement has cast a shadow over the ritzy event, dubbed the Oscars of fashion for its unabashed display of opulent glamour.

According to our source, at least one A-list heavyweight has pulled out of Met Gala programming as a result.

The Daily Mail has been told that Meryl Streep was rumoured to have been one of the Met Gala’s co-chairs this year, but allegedly declined to do so because of the Bezoses’ bankrolling and presiding over the party as guests of honour.

However, former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour previously defended the couple’s involvement in the annual fundraiser.

‘I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event,’ she told CNN last year in November.

Her glamorous outing comes after Donatella made a glitzy cameo in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which was released in cinemas this week (seen with Anne Hathaway at premiere)

The 2026 Met Gala – set to take place on Monday night – has been shrouded in controversy this year, due to Sanchez and Bezos’ involvement as honorary co-chairs (pictured in 2024) 

She added: ‘[I’m] very grateful for her incredible generosity, and she’s a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.’

Alongside Anna, Bezos and Sanchez, this year’s co-chairs include Beyonce, Venus Williams and Nicole Kidman. 

This year’s dress code is ‘Fashion Is Art,’ which will serve as a more specific baseline for guests against the gala’s overall theme of ‘Costume Art.’

The New York City museum will pair historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories: the classical and nude; the anatomical; and the underrepresented, such as the pregnant and the aging body. 

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has announced that the Pentagon is set to release intriguing UFO files uncovered during his administration. This revelation has sparked a mix of excitement and skepticism as Trump hints at potential new insights into the mysteries of alien life.

In February, Trump piqued public interest in extraterrestrial matters by instructing federal agencies to disclose their records related to UFOs and alien life. Since then, he has been building anticipation with periodic updates, suggesting that the U.S. government is about to unveil documents that have never been publicly shared.

“We’re going to be releasing a lot of things that we haven’t,” Trump remarked at a White House event honoring NASA astronauts on Wednesday. “I think some of it’s going to be very interesting to people.”

Known for his penchant for revealing secrets, Trump has previously ordered the release of records concerning the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. However, those disclosures did not significantly alter the existing public understanding.

In anticipation of the upcoming UFO file release, Trump has echoed his previous calls for transparency, stating that “the American people deserve transparency and truth.” His February social media directive emphasized the importance of transparency regarding “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).” As the anticipation builds, many are eager to see whether these disclosures will shed light on long-standing mysteries.

“The first releases will begin very, very soon,” he told supporters in April at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix. “So you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct. You’ll figure it out.”

An expert cautions against raising expectations

Even before Trump’s directive, the Pentagon was years into a process to declassify and release government documents related to UFOs, now often referred to as unexplained anomalous phenomena, or UAP.

Citing concerns over national security, Congress created an office in 2022 to investigate UAP and declassify as much material as possible. The office’s 2024 debut report revealed hundreds of new UAP incidents but found no evidence that the U.S. government had ever confirmed a sighting of alien technology. A second report covering more recent sightings is expected to come soon.

That agency, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, is now working with the White House to release “never-before-seen UAP information,” according to a Pentagon statement.

The office’s previous director, however, said Trump’s promises were bluster, a “shiny object” to distract Americans from the war with Iran. Sean Kirkpatrick, a physicist and former career intelligence officer who led the office until 2023, said he has seen the government’s records and believes there are no bombshell revelations to be found.

“Readers should not get their hopes up that there’s going to be some document with photos, interviewing the aliens when they came down,” he said. “Because that just doesn’t exist.”

Videos purporting to show alien technology tend to have mundane explanations, he said. Modern infrared cameras used by the U.S. military often capture jet engines and other hot objects in a long thermal bloom, which, Kirkpatrick said, explains viral videos of speedy, pill-shaped objects.

Pentagon not forthcoming on UAP reports, GOP-led panel says

On Capitol Hill, those types of videos have caught the attention of a small group of Trump-aligned Republicans who insist the Pentagon is holding back secrets.

The Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets has been conducting its own investigation into reports of mysterious aircraft near U.S. military installations, which the panel says pose a threat to national security and the armed forces.

Last fall, the task force heard testimony from current and former service members who described UAP encounters. In one case, a senior Navy officer said he was off the coast of California in 2023 when he saw a glowing “Tic Tac” shaped object emerge from the ocean and link up with three similar objects. They sped away in an instant, he said.

Trump’s interest in the subject has energized congressional Republicans, including Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, an Air Force veteran who co-chairs the task force. Luna has criticized what she calls “less than adequate” transparency from the Pentagon.

In a March letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Luna demanded dozens of UAP videos identified by whistleblowers and labeled with names such as “Spherical UAP in clouds.” Her deadline for Hegseth came and went, and no videos were produced.

Trump’s entry to the UFO fray drew applause from Luna, who last year told podcaster Joe Rogan that she has seen evidence of “interdimensional beings.” The Pentagon “can’t hide from our docs request anymore!” Luna said on social media after Trump’s directive.

Vance professes to be ‘obsessed’ with UFO files

Trump appears skeptical about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Addressing the Turning Point USA crowd in Phoenix, he said, “I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people, you’re really into that. I don’t know if I am.”

Why he made the revelation at that event, held at a megachurch, is unclear. A day earlier, Trump had spoken in Las Vegas, not far from Area 51, a top-secret Cold War test site that has fueled UFO conspiracy theories.

Vice President JD Vance has described himself as “obsessed” with UFO files. In March, he said he has been trying to find time to investigate Area 51 since he took office.

“I’ve still got three more years as vice president,” Vance told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “I will get to the bottom of the UFO files.” Invoking his Christian faith, Vance said he believes sightings reported to be aliens are actually the work of spiritual demons.

Even before Trump tackled the topic, alien buzz was already in the air.

It’s back in Hollywood with an upcoming Steven Spielberg movie, “Disclosure Day.” Former President Barack Obama made a splash in February when he declared on a podcast that aliens are real. He later clarified that he had seen no evidence but that “the odds are good there’s life out there.”

Trump is hardly the first president drawn to UFO mysteries. President Bill Clinton has said he once ordered a review of the Roswell Incident – something had crashed in 1947 at a New Mexico ranch and officials later said the debris was the remnants of a high-altitude weather balloon – around its 50th anniversary in 1997. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan claimed to have seen UFOs before their time in the White House.

The U.S. government has been investigating UFO reports since the 1940s, in part to determine if they represent advanced technology from competing nations or “evidence of off-world technology,” according to the Defense Department’s 2024 report.

In online communities devoted to UFOs, some see Trump’s promise as a step in the right direction; others believe it will come to nothing. For people who follow the topic closely, promises of big revelations have never lived up to the hype, said Greg Eghigian, a Pennsylvania State University professor who wrote a book on the history of UFO sightings.

“There is almost no satisfaction that is possible for many of the really die-hard folks,” he said. “So in a sense, I think disappointment can almost be guaranteed to be expected no matter what comes out of this.”

The initial group of beagles began their journey to new homes on Friday as vans departed from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin. This marks the start of a significant operation to relocate approximately 1,500 of the 2,000 dogs from this contentious breeding site to various rescues and shelters nationwide.

FOX6 Milwaukee has reported that 300 beagles left the facility in Marshall, Wisconsin, on Friday. The plan is to relocate hundreds more in the coming days, with the process spanning over at least ten days. Before their journey, the dogs underwent veterinary screenings, received vaccinations, and were given Benadryl to prevent any adverse reactions during transport to animal welfare organizations.

This release follows a negotiated agreement involving Ridglan Farms, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, and the Center for a Humane Economy, which resulted in the purchase of 1,500 beagles for a confidential amount. According to The Associated Press, the dogs will undergo medical evaluations, microchipping, and vaccinations before being considered for adoption.

Lauree Simmons, president and founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “It’s a very big win, and I am ecstatic to have these dogs out and get them into loving homes.”

In a related development, several hundred activists attempted to breach the fencing at the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, highlighting the heightened tensions surrounding the breeding operation. (Dane County Sheriff’s Office)

Simmons said many of the dogs will need to learn basic home life, including walking on a leash and being housebroken.

The transfer marks a major turn in a years-long fight over Ridglan Farms, a Blue Mounds-area facility said to have bred beagles for scientific research for more than 60 years. Animal welfare advocates have long accused the facility of mistreating dogs and pushing them into painful experimentation.

Ridglan has denied mistreating animals and has said its work supports biomedical research benefiting both humans and animals.

The facility agreed last year to surrender its state breeding license by July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges. A special prosecutor determined Ridglan had performed eye procedures on dogs that violated state veterinary standards.

The release comes days after Rep. Nicholas Langworthy, R-N.Y., urged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya to cut off federal funding for research involving dogs sourced from Ridglan Farms.

“This issue is not about opposing scientific progress; it is about ensuring that federally funded research reflects both ethical standards and scientific advancement,” Langworthy wrote in the April 24 letter.

Langworthy called on NIH to provide a list of active grants and contracts involving dogs from Ridglan and other commercial breeders, “immediately suspend funding for any projects that relies on Ridglan beagles,” and develop a timeline to phase out federal support for invasive research using dogs and cats bred for experimentation and euthanasia.

“The American people expect their tax dollars to reflect both fiscal responsibility and basic standards of humane treatment,” Langworthy wrote. “Ending support for facilities that breed beagles for painful experimentation prior to euthanasia is consistent with those values.”

An official from NIH told Fox News last month that the dog breeder does not receive grants directly from the NIH, despite some public claims.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration have worked to curb the funding of animal testing at NIH. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Ridglan Farms is a commercial dog breeder, not a research facility, and it does not receive NIH grants or funding,” an NIH spokesman told Fox News in an email April 20. “NIH enforces strict policies to protect animal welfare and maintain rigorous oversight as the agency works to reduce reliance on animal models over time. 

“It actively supports the development and use of new approach methodologies (NAMs) and will continue to invest in these alternatives.”

The Trump administration has worked to rid the U.S. government of testing on dogs under RFK Jr., it added.

“The NIH recently announced a $150 million investment to expand human-based methods that better reflect human biology,” the statement concluded. “This funding supports organoids, computational models, and other tools to improve how diseases and treatments are studied. The investment is part of a broader shift toward more predictive, human-relevant science.”

While it is possible that institutions receiving NIH funding have purchased animals from Ridglan Farms, purchases made by independent grantees are not the same as NIH funding or supporting the vendor.

The dogs’ removal also follows a series of escalating protests at Ridglan. About 1,000 activists tried to enter the facility April 18 in an attempt to free the beagles, prompting a law enforcement response that included tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray. The Dane County Sheriff’s Department said 29 people were arrested.

Activists had previously entered the facility in March and removed 30 beagles. Ridglan later described the April effort as an attack by a “violent mob,” while activists accused police of using excessive force.

Animal rights attorneys from the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the University of Denver called the release “a testament to the determination and perseverance of activists in Wisconsin and around the country who never gave up on the dogs.”

“This is their achievement,” the group said in a statement to Fox News. “Every single one of the Ridglan dogs deserves a loving forever home just as much as those we already welcome into our families. Almost a thousand of them will now live out their lives in peace; the remaining dogs deserve nothing less and should also be released immediately.”

“Next, we must end the abhorrent practice of dog experimentation entirely.”

The deal does not cover every dog at Ridglan. Advocates said they will continue pressing for the release of the remaining beagles still housed at the facility, while shelters in Wisconsin and beyond prepare to take in dogs that advocates say have never known life outside confinement.