In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Army has accomplished its active-duty recruiting target for the fiscal year 2026 well ahead of its original timeline. This achievement signals a significant shift after years of unmet goals. Military officials credit this success to a rekindled sense of patriotism, appealing career paths, and an increasing commitment to national service among young recruits.

In an exclusive opportunity, Fox News delved into Fort Hood—one of the largest Army installations. Here, commanders and soldiers are providing insights into the factors fueling this notable recruiting turnaround.

Just a short time ago, the Army faced significant hurdles in attracting new recruits. Yet, post its low in fiscal year 2022, recruitment numbers have steadily increased annually, showing a nearly 38% overall growth. A notable spike was seen in fiscal year 2025, and by the current fiscal year, the Army successfully fulfilled its objective with over 61,500 new enlistees eager to join.

Alongside this recruitment boom, Army officials have observed an encouraging development in retention figures. More soldiers are opting to extend their military careers, exceeding retention expectations and contributing to overall Army strength.

Among them is infantryman Guadalupe Campos, who joined the Army when he was 18 years old and recently extended his service nearly six years later.

“I wanted to do my due diligence and service to my country,” Campos told Fox News.

For Campos, serving in uniform has reinforced both his patriotism and the bonds formed alongside fellow soldiers.

“I love my country, I love America. This is our home, and we have, I mean, this is everything that we all have in common is this American flag that we fly on our right shoulder,” he said.

Campos said the Army brought together people from every walk of life, united by one common mission.

“A lot of the guys that I worked with, they come from a lot of parts of life, whether it’s good or bad. And at the end of the day, we have that one common goal and that’s to be ready when the time comes for us to have to do our jobs,” he said. “We serve and protect the United States Constitution and its people from enemies of a foreign and domestic, and we take that to heart.”

Jade Root, Army Recruiting battalion commander, said the recent turnaround reflects a broader desire among young Americans to serve.

“Locally we have seen a strong sense of young men and women who want to serve a purpose much higher than themselves. They understand the opportunities that the Army provides to acquire critical skills and leadership skills that will last them a lifetime,” Root told Fox News.

Root also believes the recruiting numbers reflect something larger.

“I think it shows a strong signal that patriotism is alive and well,” Rood said. “We have a high propensity of people that want to serve, but most importantly that our Army is growing.”

Army leaders say today’s recruits are motivated by a combination of patriotism, benefits and a sense of purpose.

The Army says today’s typical recruit is about 23 years old, and recruiters are spending more time in high schools, on college campuses and in local communities to connect with potential future soldiers.

“I always ask our recruiters, remember they are not just a number, this is someone’s son or daughter,” Root said.

Today’s Army also extends far beyond traditional combat roles, offering more than 200 career fields, ranging from medics and helicopter mechanics to cybersecurity, engineering, military intelligence and animal care.

Army Animal Care Specialist Grizel Cornejo said many prospective recruits are surprised by the range of career opportunities available while serving.

“It’s really encouraging for people to realize they can have the career they want… but also be in the Army and serve the country,” Cornejo said.

As modern warfare continues to evolve, Army leaders say they’re increasingly looking for recruits with technical skills in areas such as cybersecurity, engineering and military intelligence as the service prepares for the future battlefield.

For commanders at Fort Hood, the recruiting rebound is about more than reaching a numerical goal. They say it reflects a new generation stepping forward to serve, one motivated by patriotism, opportunity and a willingness to answer the call.

Student athletes and the summer heat

Older adults face added risk

The highly anticipated arrival of George Lombard Jr. marks a new chapter for the Yankees.

Confirmed by a reliable source, the Yankees have promoted their top prospect, George Lombard Jr., on Monday night. The 21-year-old is seen as the solution to their ongoing shortstop dilemma as the team pushes into the critical final stretch of the regular season.

To accommodate Lombard’s ascension to the major league, Anthony Volpe has been assigned to Triple-A. Alongside him, Jasson Domínguez and reliever Angel Chivilli have also been sent down.

Lombard, who was the Yankees’ first-round pick three years ago, has recently been showing exceptional performance at Triple-A. Despite missing significant time due to sprained fingers on his left hand, his remarkable form forced the team’s hand, earning him a well-deserved promotion.

“I think he’s had an outstanding year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented. “He’s really improved and continues to make significant progress. We admire his mentality and character. Watching any of your minor league players or prospects develop is exciting, and in George’s high-profile case, his consistent growth is a testament to his dedication and talent.”

Since he arrived in the Yankees organization, the son of former big leaguer and current Tigers bench coach George Lombard has been hailed for his off-the-charts makeup and high baseball IQ. That, along with his high-level defense and offensive upside, allowed him to race through the minor leagues on his way to The Bronx.

GM Brian Cashman said in early July that Lombard was “plug and play ready to go” defensively, which should provide a solid floor for his introduction to the big leagues, and declined to part with him at the trade deadline. It remains to be seen what the Yankees get out of him offensively — he has typically taken at least a few weeks to adjust to new levels — though he demonstrated a high on-base ability and some emerging power throughout his time in the minors.

The Yankees began the season with José Caballero as their starting shortstop while Volpe finished off his rehab from offseason shoulder surgery. By the time Volpe was ready to return, Caballero was playing at a high level, so the Yankees optioned Volpe to Triple-A until Caballero suffered a small fracture in his finger.

That provided a lifeline for Volpe to get called up and he played well out of the gate before reverting to the kind of hitter he has been for most of his career.

Lombard’s arrival should provide another boost after the trade deadline in which the Yankees acquired first baseman/DH Luis García Jr. and outfielder Heliot Ramos.

In a recent conversation, Donald Trump reportedly expressed concern to Representative Max Miller, whose campaign is under scrutiny due to abuse allegations from his ex-wife, suggesting that Miller’s political prospects are faltering.

Publicly, Trump has indicated a plan to investigate the allegations swirling around the congressman. As reported by Axios, Trump reached out to Miller via a phone call on Monday.

During the call, Trump reportedly told Miller that his campaign faces significant challenges, pointing out that the situation “isn’t looking good” for his reelection battle, as noted in the report.

In response, Miller assured Trump that his campaign team remains optimistic, citing favorable poll results and affirming his commitment to remain in the race.

When questioned about the domestic abuse allegations during an Oval Office meeting on Monday, Trump stood by Miller, defending the congressman amid the controversy.

‘It’s a very sad thing. I know Max, he’s a good person, I always thought he was a very good person and I’m going to let the families figure it out,’ Trump said.

‘It’s a very sad thing. It’s accusations. And I’m going to let them figure it out.’

On Sunday night, Trump told reporters he had ‘just learned about’ the allegations before being asked about them on Air Force One.

‘I’m going to look at it. I mean, so far, it’s accusations. I’ll be looking at it, yep,’ Trump told reporters, without answering whether or not Miller should resign on Sunday. 

Miller’s congressional seat, Ohio’s 7th district, is currently rated ‘Likely Republican’ by the Cook Political Report. 

It was moved from the ‘Solid Republican’ category on June 18th of this year, and has a partisan voter index of R+5. Miller won his race in 2024 with 51.1 percent of the vote.

Brian Poindexter, the Democratic nominee in the seat who made it through the primary with the help of backers like Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna, wrote on X Sunday after Miller’s address that ‘no one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power.’ Miller has denied such allegations.

Republican JR Majweski, who ran in Ohio’s 9th district in 2024, has indicated that he would run for Miller’s seat if the incumbent were to drop out. 

The deadline for Ohio Republicans to start the process to replace Miller on the ballot is this Wednesday, August 5, at 4:00 PM.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House and Miller’s legal team for comment. 

In a lengthy livestream on X Sunday morning, Miller wholly denied all allegations of physical abuse that his wife, Emily Moreno, daughter of Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, has been accusing him of for the last few years since their divorce. 

After the bombshell broadcast, Emily’s father claimed that Miller has ‘privately admitted’ he ‘needs serious psychological help,’ and called his former son-in-law a ‘danger.’

Senator Moreno also shared his view that his former son-in-law should not continue to serve in elected office, despite his past backing.

‘If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,’ the elder Moreno wrote. 

‘He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does,’ Senator Moreno added in his Sunday post on X.

Miller hit back in a post of his own Sunday, writing: ‘If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable.

‘You know this isn’t true and the only reason you are speaking out now is to hide from your own media circus. This is all political,’ he added.

Moreno did not specify what he meant by scandal, though in 2024, Moreno faced questions over a 2008 ad on Adult Friend Finder seeking gay sex.  

When contacted by The Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Senator Moreno redirected us to his statement earlier Sunday in response to the livestream.   

Miller also released years of audio and video recordings of various moments in his relationship with his ex-wife, attempting to prove his innocence to the public.

In the video he released on Sunday, Miller insisted that he will not drop out of the race, stating: ‘I’m winning in November.’

Miller’s office told the Daily Mail, ‘Other parties have chosen to relentlessly defame him and now he is sticking up for himself. ‘

‘All of the allegations that have been made against him have been found to be unsubstantiated,’ said his Deputy Chief Abigail Angelos.

Miller has also been accused by Emily Moreno of physically abusing her and their young daughter, which he has denied. 

He denied all allegations made against him by his ex-wife during his livestream and said that he will provide evidence to prove his innocence.

‘Let me begin with the most painful accusation of all, I have never abused our daughter,’ Miller stated, clearly reading off a script during his Sunday address.

‘I also want to address the allegations of domestic abuse. I categorically deny abusing my former wife,’ he continued.

Emails between the former partners revealed that Moreno asked him why their daughter had what appeared to be a bruise on her neck.

Miller told Moreno the two were ‘going finger painting,’ and provided images of the activity both to his ex-wife at the time, documents he released to the public showed.

The ‘fingerpainting’ exchange allegedly took place ‘just two weeks ago in mid-July.’ Miller added that Moreno took their ‘daughter to the hospital,’ and that ‘she could not wait to take her to the emergency room.’

In his speech on Sunday, Miller defiantly stated that Emily Moreno’s allegations of abuse ‘are incredibly serious criminal accusations, concluding, If these accusations were true, I would be in jail. I would be.’ No criminal charges have been brought against Miller.

A number of times during his remarks, Miller seemed to struggle to read his prepared remarks. 

In response to Miller’s video, Emily Moreno’s spokesman, Stefan Mychajliw, wrote on X that ‘no loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career.’ 

Amid these discussions, ICE officials reported the tragic death of a 41-year-old Salvadoran man, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who had previously been deported but had re-entered the United States unlawfully. He passed away while under federal custody in New Jersey, where he had been detained following his arrest.

Lopez-Cornejo’s sudden death occurred on August 1 at University Hospital in Newark. According to an ICE announcement, he suffered a medical emergency while housed at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility, and despite efforts to save him, he did not survive.

The emergency response was swift; personnel from the GEO Group, which operates the facility privately, teamed with medical staff to provide immediate assistance before calling 911 for help.

As ICE awaits the results of a formal medical examination to determine the exact cause of Lopez-Cornejo’s death, his passing further fuels the ongoing debate about the conditions and management of immigrant detention facilities.

Lopez-Cornejo was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol for entering the U.S. without inspection on or about Aug. 13, 2006.

A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered him removed on Aug. 25, 2006, and he was deported to El Salvador on Oct. 19, 2006.

He later re-entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date before ICE officers arrested him in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 18.

He was held at Delaney Hall pending removal pursuant to the reinstatement of his prior removal order.

ICE officials said that Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care during his detention.

The agency notified the Department of Homeland Security oversight offices, the Consulate of El Salvador in Elizabeth, and Lopez-Cornejo’s next of kin, the statement said.

Lopez-Cornejo’s death drew swift condemnation from New Jersey officials, who reiterated demands to shut down Delaney Hall.

“I am deeply disturbed to hear of a detainee death inside Delaney Hall this weekend,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. “My heart is with the individual’s loved ones, who deserve answers about what happened. My administration is working with our congressional delegation to gather all the facts surrounding this death.”

“This tragedy is another painful reminder of why Delaney Hall should be closed,” Sherrill added.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka also issued a statement condemning the incident.

“In less than a year, yet another family is forced to endure the unimaginable loss of a loved one while in custody at Delaney Hall,” Baraka said. “The death of Edwin Jovanny Lopez-Cornejo is a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of a facility that has operated for far too long without adequate oversight, accountability or transparency.”

Another detainee, Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, died Dec. 12, 2025, after suffering a medical emergency less than 24 hours after entering the facility.

The New Jersey facility has repeatedly been accused by state and local inspectors of obstructing health and safety inspections and has been the site of ongoing protests and detainee hunger strikes over food quality, overcrowding and medical care.

News Media has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

DETROIT — Dr. Abdul El-Sayed made a bold move on the night before his Senate primary by appearing alongside controversial left-wing commentator Hasan Piker. Piker, who once sparked outrage with his comment that “America deserved 9/11,” joined El-Sayed as he delivered a poignant speech addressing the nation’s imperfections.

Piker expressed amazement at the support El-Sayed garners, noting, “I’ve seen a surprising number of enthusiastic white male voters backing you in the Democratic primaries. These are individuals who typically don’t participate in voting, especially not in primaries, and certainly not for a Democrat.”

The duo also mocked veteran Democratic strategist James Carville’s suggestion that he might leave the party if Piker gains influence. The commentator quipped that such a departure would be “an added incentive.”

Reflecting on political dynamics, El-Sayed remarked, “Consider the Trump phenomenon, where many center-right individuals realized their political home was no longer welcoming. They then shifted to our party, attempting to dictate its direction.”

El-Sayed’s collaboration with Piker has not been without its critics, especially given the latter’s history of incendiary remarks.

Earlier this year, Piker mused that, “if you cared about Medicare fraud or Medicaid fraud, you would kill Rick Scott.”

He has also claimed that the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel was a “direct consequence” of the Jewish state’s actions and that if they engaged in rape, it “doesn’t change the dynamic for me.”

Additionally, Piker has defended the US-designated terrorist group Hezbollah and praised the “brave mujahideen” who injured outgoing Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas).

Piker has conceded that some of those statements were wrong.

El-Sayed has refused to denounce Piker and rejected the pressure to do so as cancel culture, while caveating that he disagrees with some of the things the streamer has said.

During his final rally before primary day, which took place at the Congregation in Detroit, Piker stood in the audience, alongside Colorado congressional hopeful Melat Kiros, Michigan congressional hopeful Donavan McKinney, and other lefties.

He used his final speech to reflect on the country’s 250th anniversary and history of sins with slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and racism.

“Despite moral failures, despite the challenges of our country, there has always been one thing about this country that was bigger than all those things: is that inside our country we have the capacity to correct,” he said.

“I love America. And I love America because I know exactly what my life should have been but for the accident of history that allowed me to be born in America,” he added. “I got vaccinated against diseases that killed an aunt and uncle I never got to meet.”

Scott Eastwood recently revealed that tensions flared between him and fellow actor Shia LaBeouf while they were filming the wartime drama Fury in 2014, almost leading to a physical altercation.

The 40-year-old shared this story during a Monday episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. He credited Brad Pitt, the film’s headliner, for stepping in at the crucial moment to prevent the situation from spiraling.

Reflecting on the incident, the Monterey, California native mentioned on the podcast that, ‘Shia seemed troubled and possibly dealing with his own issues, making things difficult.

‘There was this particular moment – I’ve mentioned it before – where Brad Pitt had to step in and defuse a very tense scenario.’

Scott, the son of legendary filmmaker Clint Eastwood, disclosed that the friction was linked to a scene in which his character, Sergeant Miles, spit on a tank, which brought him and LaBeouf, also 40, into conflict.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for LaBeouf for further comment on the story, but not heard back yet. 

‘One day, he was having an episode and thought I shouldn’t be spitting tobacco on the tank – which was in the script … and then I finally said enough is enough,’ Eastwood said.

Eastwood said after LaBeouf snapped on him, he ‘said, “F*** you, stop pulling your s***” – I said, “I’m gonna whoop your a**.”‘

He continued, ‘And then he got froggy and everybody broke it up.’

Eastwood said that LaBeouf, who portrayed the role of Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan in the motion picture, had a ‘very method’ approach to playing the tank gunner in the film.

He recalled that LaBeouf ‘pulled out his tooth’ and ‘cut himself’ to get in the mindset for the part.

Eastwood said he remembered thinking, ‘OK, this guy’s crazy. I’m just going to keep clear from this guy.’

He added, ‘I don’t play this game – you go and do that, but there’s plenty of ways to do a performance in a movie and be professional also, right?’

The cast of the David Ayer-directed film also featured Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman.

Eastwood said in the interview that ‘everyone had moments with Shia that were at one point, gonna come to blows or not.

‘It’s funny, the film industry, it attracts psychopaths because it’s art and business and they kind of intersect,’ he said. 

Pitt gave his account of the incident in a November 2014 interview with British GQ.

‘We were driving down the road, I’m in the turret, Shia is at the other turret, and Scott is on the back, spitting juice,’ said the actor, who played Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier in the film.

He continued: ‘And I’m starting to get pissed off, I’m starting to get hot, because this is our home, he’s disrespecting our home, you know?’

Pitt said that after he told Eastwood he was going ‘to clean that s*** up,’ LaBeouf ‘saw it and felt the same.

‘So Shia had the same reaction I did, and started having some words. But it soon got out of hand, then I had to get in after the cameras were rolling, and explain it to Scotty.’

Pitt clarified that Eastwood ‘was just doing as instructed in the script,’ which called for his character to be ‘chewing tobacco and spitting it on the back of the tank.’