President Donald Trump’s decision to eject some of his favorite targets in the “lamestream media” from the White House prompted strong reactions across the political and news worlds last week.

By Thursday, the uproar had been nearly drowned out by the sound of champagne corks popping in left-leaning newsrooms. A federal judge had ordered the White House to temporarily restore press access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico who had been barred from the building.

Now that the initial commotion has faded, however, America — and the news media itself — should confront the uncomfortable conclusion: Once again, Trump may have succeeded in making everyone chase the wrong story.

Since the beginning of the MAGA era, Trump has repeatedly turned distraction into a political weapon, drawing reporters toward short-lived controversies while the larger strategic picture slips from view.

Trump did not create that playbook, but he has refined it with remarkable skill.

The expression “wag the dog” entered the modern political vocabulary through the 1997 film of the same name. The movie centered on a Washington spin doctor who invents a war in Albania to divert attention from a presidential sex scandal. When President Bill Clinton faced accusations that military action had been ordered to shift focus away from the growing Monica Lewinsky scandal, the phrase became a lasting part of American political shorthand.

I previously worked as a Fox News anchor and still maintain relationships with friends and sources at the network’s Manhattan headquarters. They told me there was quiet amusement inside Fox when Trump announced on Friday, apparently without warning, that he was banning outlets he accused of publishing “fiction and lies.”

At least one Fox News veteran I contacted understood the difficult position the network had been placed in.

No news organization — including Fox News — can reasonably accept a president targeting fellow journalists and remain confident that it will never face similar treatment.

He understands how quickly the network could find itself in the crosshairs.

The precedent dates back to October 2009, when President Barack Obama’s Treasury Department attempted to leave Fox News out of interviews with Kenneth Feinberg, the official overseeing the distribution of relief funds after the 2008 financial crisis.

ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, the other television networks covering the White House, refused to participate unless Fox was invited as well. Treasury reversed course within hours, allowing Fox to join the interviews.

That history helps explain why Fox News, after CNN, MS NOW and Politico were singled out, had little choice but to stand with them and decline coverage of Trump’s event.

Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer expressed the position on social media: “I agree with POTUS that several media outlets covering the WH are biased and unfair… Banning them from the WH is not the solution… Challenge liberal reporters. Argue and defeat them. Don’t ban them. Or one day they’ll ban us.”

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Fox News anchor Jacqui Heinrich, who serves as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, also weighed in: “The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference.”

Many Fox News viewers, unsurprisingly, were unmoved by the brief show of media solidarity. Still angry over the cancellation of Trump ally Maria Bartiromo’s program, some saw hypocrisy in the network’s stance. One viewer wrote on X: “Fox News pulled out of the White House Press Pool in solidarity with CNN, MSNOW and Politico which were banned from the White House. This is the same Fox News who just fired Maria Bartiromo for trying to report the news.”

But few seem to notice the brilliance of Trump’s ‘briar patch moment,’ tricking the media into thinking they had the upper hand when they were just playing into his.

United, the media denied Trump all coverage – refusing to cover his arrivals and departures – at the exact moment he didn’t want their questions anyway.

What was the biggest news story this week?

A United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City during which Trump defended waging of an unpopular war against Iran, even as his party faces down devastation in the midterms, less than 40 days away.

Instead of reporters pummeling Trump on the things Americans actually care about – namely soaring prices at the pump – the media willingly kept their distance, voluntarily giving him the space he desperately needs.

And if you need receipts, just look at how the administration used the opportunity to push its own news platform (crossing their fingers that at least some Americans will turn off cable news forever).

‘Get real-time updates and live events streamed DIRECTLY to your phone. No noise. Just the news that matters most – straight from the Trump Administration,’ the White House posted on X.

Of course, if you are really cynical, you might be tempted to believe that it’s not just Trump playing this game. He wasn’t the only winner.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico all got the opportunity to shout their righteous indignation about an assault on freedom of the press.

The only loser seems to be Fox News, which was forced into the awkward position of defending the very networks it often criticizes as bogus, making the channel look a bit weak.

Somewhere, Maria Bartiromo is laughing.

Westlife singer Mark Feehily is taking legal action against a surgeon over weight-loss surgery at a private hospital, claiming the procedure led to recurring sepsis.

The 46-year-old stopped touring with the chart-topping group two years ago during a prolonged period of ill health. Since 2020, he has undergone at least four major operations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Feehily spent months in intensive care. He later developed pneumonia, a chest infection and a large incisional hernia.

According to court documents, Feehily says his health problems began after he underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a form of bariatric surgery, at Spire Portsmouth Hospital in Hampshire in 2020. The Times reported the claim.

The musician alleges that bariatric surgeon Nick Carter failed to remove enough of his stomach, leaving tissue behind that later became infected.

Feehily claims the remaining tissue caused a dangerous leak, leading to recurrent sepsis and severe abdominal infections. He says the complications ultimately meant he had to have his entire stomach removed during surgery in May 2023. Carter denies negligence.

The claim was filed at the High Court in 2025 and is valued at more than £200,000. However, Feehily’s lawyers at Leigh Day Solicitors have set out a baseline threshold that allows the case to proceed at the highest court level and permits a larger compensation claim if he succeeds.

A preliminary split trial is expected to be held between May 28 and July 31. If Feehily wins, the court will not determine damages during that stage of proceedings.

The court will consider whether Carter was negligent and whether Feehily’s serious complications were caused by the surgeon’s actions.

Witness statements are expected to be submitted on Monday, followed by expert reports from surgical and radiology specialists in November.

Suzanne White, a partner at Leigh Day, said: ‘Mark has been committed to keeping his fans informed about his health during an exceptionally difficult period, facing everything with his characteristic strength and resilience.

‘Mark is extremely grateful for the continued support he has received. To respect the ongoing court proceedings, he will not be commenting at this time.’

Court records show that Carter filed a defence earlier this year denying liability. The surgeon acknowledged that some stomach tissue remained after the operation and that a leak developed at the staple line.

However, he argued that the decision was appropriate, adding that leakage is a recognised complication occurring in about 1 per cent of cases and does not, by itself, indicate negligence.

Carter also maintains that the agreement was made through Streamline Surgical, a private weight-loss and bariatric medical group that treats patients at Spire Portsmouth Hospital. He says he did not have a personal contract with Feehily.

Carter’s legal team said: ‘As proceedings remain ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment on the matters raised.’

Feehily says his health difficulties began after he underwent the routine gastric procedure in August 2020.

He claims that, within days of the operation, he suffered severe pain and was rushed to hospital, where the complications developed into sepsis.

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He spent months in the intensive care unit during the Covid-19 pandemic and required emergency surgery to address it.

In late 2021, he became seriously ill before a scheduled concert and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

This chest infection forced him to miss shows on Westlife’s Wild Dreams Tour and marked another significant setback in his recovery.

He claims that following his pneumonia, he continued to face complications from his earlier illness and surgeries.

He developed a large incisional hernia — a weakness or tear at the site of his surgical incision — which required further major surgery.

Reports state he has undergone four major surgeries related to these health battles since 2020.

Mr Feehily stepped down from touring with Westlife in February 2024 following a brief hiatus in late 2022.

Mr Feehily in December 2025 shared an update with his fans following a period of ill health after battling several illnesses over the past few years. 

It read: ‘Heya! A little message from me to you from the heart. It’s been so long, sorry about the lack of posting… I’ve missed ya!

‘It’s been quite difficult to watch my band’s big World Tour launch knowing I won’t be able to be there with you all to join the party.

‘However, it’s been really amazing to see our band still flying so high, and the incredible global support that’s still there for us. YOUR support!

‘That same phenomenal support you have blessed us with from day ONE in Sligo back in the late 90s & as we slowly but surely went on to build the Westlife legacy piece by piece for over 3 decades, literally thousands of days and nights together on stage and in studios and on trains, planes and automobiles, is something that blows my mind to this day, something I am so proud to be a part of.

‘The 25th anniversary tour is gonna be a really special celebration of what we have all built and achieved together!’

Mark went on to thank his fans for all of their unwavering support before revealing he still isn’t well enough to get on stage for the world tour.

He continued: ‘All of this really drives home the honest truth that I’m simply not ready to take on a massive world tour yet.

‘My body and my mind need time. However, thankfully, sitting in a chair to do a radio show is a completely different physical and mental demand to doing a massive world tour and I feel very lucky to be able to do this new @rteradio1 show.

‘It’s not quite a stadium show but it’s a HUGE deal and achievement for me! Right now, to sit back and do absolutely nothing would make things much worse for me both medically and emotionally – so here goes!’

The star has had brief stints doing broadcast work, hosting Mark Feehily’s Musical Icons on RTÉ Radio 1.

A young rider settles onto her pony, her white breeches disappearing into gleaming black boots as she studies the jumps in front of her. Nearby, her mother remains focused on the horse, checking its feed and making final preparations before the competition begins.

This is far more than a typical mother-and-daughter scene. The rider is 12-year-old Mia Tindall, the granddaughter of Princess Anne, who was photographed with her mother, Olympic medallist Zara Tindall, at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials over the weekend.

The touching equestrian moment appears to capture the late Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring love of horses being carried forward by yet another generation of her family.

For 45-year-old Zara, moving from elite athlete to devoted horse-mum has been a comparatively new chapter in her life.

The former Olympian, who helped Great Britain win team silver at the London 2012 Games and competed at Rio 2016, remains a formidable rider. She added another achievement to her record in August by winning the British Open Eventing Championship at Hartpury. At Blenheim, however, the spotlight belonged to Mia.

Mia was competing on her pony, Bunny Two Twirls, as part of the Minchinhampton Pony Club team in the Heythrop Pony Club show-jumping event.

She looked completely at ease in the arena. Wearing a tailored riding jacket, crisp white breeches and high boots, Mia carried herself like a confident young competitor as she negotiated the course, with Zara watching proudly from the side-lines.

Mia seems to have inherited both her mother’s enthusiasm for horses and her practical approach to the sport. Between competitions, she was seen caring for Zara’s horse, Classicals Eurostar, while Zara remained close by to offer guidance and encouragement.

Zara said several years ago that both of her daughters had already begun showing an interest in riding.

Now the eldest child of Zara and former England rugby international Mike Tindall appears to be building a competitive identity of her own. Mia’s sporting background is rooted in one of Britain’s most celebrated royal equestrian families.

Queen Elizabeth II was introduced to riding almost as soon as she could walk. Her father, King George VI, gave her a pony named Peggy when she was four, and she continued riding into her nineties. She also took part in Trooping the Colour on her much-loved black mare, Burmese, regularly attended Royal Ascot and bred racehorses that went on to produce hundreds of winners.

Mia’s grandmother, Princess Anne, also made royal history through equestrian sport, becoming the first member of the British Royal Family to compete at the Olympic Games.

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At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Anne rode her mother’s horse, Goodwill, in the three-day event. She completed the course despite sustaining a concussion after a fall, while the Queen watched her daughter’s historic performance from the stands.

Away from the riding arena, Mia is growing up alongside her three royal cousins: Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight. The children of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, affectionately referred to the late Queen as “Gan Gan”.

The Wales children have increasingly joined their parents at high-profile royal events, including Trooping the Colour and this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Although Mia has inherited the Tindalls’ particularly strong connection to horses, her cousins are growing up within a different part of the monarchy—one positioned much closer to its public centre.

As the future king, George is already beginning to assume a more prominent public presence, while Charlotte and Louis are gradually becoming familiar figures at major royal family occasions.

Yet there is something striking about seeing the cousins growing up at broadly the same time, each embodying a different side of their great-grandmother’s legacy.

George is being prepared for a future defined by duty and public service; Charlotte and Louis are growing up within that same tradition, while Mia, free from the expectations placed on the children of the heir, has the freedom to pursue the sporting passion that runs so strongly through her mother’s family.

It is a distinction that makes Mia’s appearance at Blenheim all the more charming. She may not be destined for the throne, but she is already becoming a familiar young face on the equestrian circuit.

And while Zara has spent years being the one in the saddle, there was something rather lovely about seeing the roles reversed – the Olympic medallist standing at the side of the arena, watching her daughter take the reins.

The Tindalls have long been regarded as the more relaxed, sporty face of the Royal Family. Now Mia looks poised to carry that tradition into a new generation.

At 12, she is still a long way from knowing where her riding might take her. But with Zara, Princess Anne and the memory of the late Queen behind her, she could hardly have a more distinguished family cheering her on.

Ministers are facing criticism over proposals to turn a historic sea fort into a reception and processing centre for small boat arrivals, less than a mile from what is expected to become Britain’s largest immigration detention facility.

Residents in Gosport, near the naval city of Portsmouth, fear the town could become the country’s focal point for the small boat crisis and see further unrest following violent protests in recent weeks.

Fort Blockhouse, constructed in the 19th century to protect the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, is being considered as a potential reception site under contingency plans for handling small boats arriving in Hampshire from across the Channel.

Most crossings have traditionally headed towards Kent. However, people smugglers have recently begun launching boats from Normandy towards Hampshire, creating a longer and more hazardous route.

Tensions erupted in Gosport on Tuesday after convicted criminal and anti-migration activist ‘Danny Tommo’ told supporters that 50 small boat arrivals were due to be brought ashore in the town.

Border Force vessels diverted the migrants to Dover to avoid the crowd. Violence nevertheless broke out in Gosport, resulting in six arrests, while police escorted three coaches that had been waiting to transport the asylum seekers.

Gosport is already home to Haslar Immigration Removal Centre (IRC), which closed around a decade ago. It is due to reopen following an expansion that will provide space for 600 foreign national offenders and migrants awaiting removal, across three storeys.

Local tensions over migration remain high. Nearby Portsmouth Lifeboat Station recently suspended operations after volunteers reported physical and online abuse.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative MP for Gosport, said establishing a processing centre at Fort Blockhouse could encourage more people to attempt the journey to Britain.

“The chaotic scenes this week reinforced the concerns raised by local police, council leaders and me that Portsmouth Harbour is not a suitable disembarkation point for migrant boats,” she told the Daily Mail.

“Hopefully, any future Channel crossings towards our area will be taken directly to Kent, where processing facilities are already in place.

“We do not have the necessary facilities or transport infrastructure, and opening additional sites here would simply incentivise more boats to make the perilous journey from France.”

Lesley Cox, a 78-year-old local resident, said she was “disgusted” by the proposal to use Fort Blockhouse.

“We were not told about Fort Blockhouse. It is the secrecy surrounding it. Why is this not being discussed openly? I have lived in Gosport for 30 years and I am definitely seeing it become the UK capital for illegal migration.

“Immigration has always taken place in this area and it was never a problem, but now the situation is changing far beyond proportion.

“I have to think about my family and the effect this could have. My eldest son served in the Navy and fought for this country, so you have to ask what it was for.”

Cllr Zoe Huggins, leader of Gosport Borough Council, has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to object to the proposed site.

She said the area has already seen a series of anti-immigration protests, including an incident on September 6 when 200 people gathered at nearby Eastney beach to confront 140 migrants being brought ashore from a packed dinghy.

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‘We should learn from these events when considering potential locations and ensure that the characteristics and constraints of each site are properly understood and researched before decisions are made,’ she told Ms Mahmood.

Ms Huggins pointed out that Fort Blockhouse is located on a peninsula with only one route out, which would make it easy for protesters to block any coaches attempting to leave the site.

Across town, near Haslar IRC, residents complain that their lives have been made ‘hell’ by two years of ‘constant’ building work beginning in the early hours of the morning.

It is being refurbished after shutting down in 2015 following a parliamentary review, which highlighted immigration detention as ‘expensive and damaging to detainees’.

The newly expanded facility will have 600 beds for detained men, who will be unable to leave the centre or access the local area.

Vick, a local resident and member of the armed forces, who did not want to give her surname, said the IRC expansion and fort conversion could lead to further unrest in the local area. 

She said: ‘I’m not against the IRC being used in its current capacity. It’s good for job opportunities in Gosport. But the additional 600 I don’t agree with.

‘I’m worried about the number of migrants in the area attracting trouble – not just because of them but also the so-called “patriots” it’s been attracting.

‘They were up and down the street the other night when that small boat was brought in from the Channel.’

Colin, another armed forces member, said: ‘If I’m honest I’d prefer it’s all down there at the fort rather than spread between there and the IRC. 

‘It’s going to cost so much to refurbish them both when costs for redoing sites is already astronomical for the MOD.’

Amid growing concerns over Labour’s response to the small boat crisis, this week has seen two dinghies reach UK shores without being intercepted by Border Force.

The deepening crisis in the Channel saw 781 migrants arrive on Wednesday – the highest daily tally this year. 

With a further 44 arrivals on Thursday, it pushed the total since the 2024 general election to 83,323 – passing the British Army’s 83,000 soldiers, said Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp.

The figures will be embarrassing for Ms Mahmood, who claimed on September 2: ‘We are boosting officer numbers to record highs to crack down on small-boat launches and the gangs behind them. This work is bearing fruit.’

Danny Tommo, real name Daniel Thomas, was denied bail on Friday having pleaded not guilty to criminal damage after he was filmed allegedly using a knife to slash a dinghy used by migrants to cross the Channel to Britain. 

The 37-year-old also pleaded not guilty to failing to disclose the PIN for his mobile phone to police, contrary to Section 53 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Thomas appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning, with Tommy Robinson attending to support his friend.

A Government spokesman said: ‘The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.’