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The viral anti-MAGA guy on Fox News is from Charlotte — and he has merch now

Have you seen the Oct. 29 clip ? The one where a guy compared a Trump rally to the 1978 Jonestown massacre while he was live on Fox News. "Wait, the Jonestown massacre?" Fox correspondent Lucas Tomlinson asked. "There's nothing like seeing a cult right up front, man," the interviewee responded. "Maybe this is not a Trump supporter," the reporter said before turning to another attendee. But not before the man got a plug in: "MadPark Designs," he said, pointing to his hat. Why it matters: MadPark Designs is a Charlotte screen printer launched in 2018 that prints for local businesses, musicians and organizations, and creates some of its own graphics. And that guy in the video — Tom Hoyle — is the co-owner and a local. The clip of him at the Rock Hill Trump rally on Oct. 29 has 5.3 million views on Mother Jones' Instagram and 206K views on TMZ's TikTok . It's also been posted on countless other pages, and was continuing to rack up views as of Friday afternoon. The latest: MadPark is now selling T-shirts for $28 with his now-viral quote and a skeleton graphic. "I think some people are going to dress up as Tom for Halloween," he told Axios. Courtesy of MadPark Designs Backstory: Hoyle said he planned to cause a commotion by yelling out as Trump was speaking, as protesters have done at other North Carolina campaign events. But before Trump got on stage, the Fox News reporter asked Hoyle for an interview. He later told Axios it was "divine intervention" and said he freestyled the cult comparison. Hoyle said the Secret Service came over and asked him to leave after the Fox interview. He wasn't even out of Rock Hill before his phone started lighting up with texts and calls from people viewing the clip, he added. What's next: He said he's tossing ideas around for another shirt, but doesn't want to get ahead of himself.

Axios · 16h ago
I read Anthropic's 92-page risk factor document, so you don't have to – video explainer

Anthropic, the creator of Claude, filed to go public on the US stock market on 26 October. The company's filing statement contains a 92-page risk factor document in which it acknowledges the dangers that AI poses to society and human beings, and factors that could negatively affect Anthropic's business. Johana Bhuiyan, senior tech reporter for the Guardian, breaks down the document and explains why Anthropic's IPO could be a real test to the AI boom Anthropic files for potentially record-breaking stock market valuation in key test for AI industry Continue reading...

The Guardian · 17h ago
FBI arrests North Carolina man for allegedly posting classified information on social media

Authorities say army contractor James Thomas Ashbacher shared top-secret data online and stole night-vision goggles The FBI has arrested a former North Carolina government contractor for allegedly leaking classified national defense information on social media. James Thomas Ashbacher, 37, of Spring Lake, was taken into custody after charges that he shared top-secret safety data online, unlawfully stored national defense materials at his residence and stole night-vision equipment from the US army special operations command. Continue reading...

The Guardian · 17h ago
Pope Leo XIV becomes first pope to vote in U.S. election

Pope Leo XIV voted in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections using a mail-in ballot, the Vatican confirmed Friday, becoming the first sitting pope known to vote in an American election. Why it matters: The pontiff, an American citizen, may be the first to vote in any secular democratic election. Joliet radio station WJOL first reported Oct. 23 that Leo had requested a mail-in ballot. What they're saying: The pope believes "in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement . The Vatican said Leo "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so" and that "in keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago." Pope Leo also voted whenever eligible during his years living in Peru, the Vatican's statement said. Zoom in: The pope's ballot includes Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker 's reelection bid, the race to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin and a House contest between Democratic Rep. Jonathan Jackson and Republican Christian Maxwell. Jackson, the son of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, won his district handily in 2024. The pontiff's ballot will have to travel from Vatican city to Joliet, Illinois. Worth noting : Leo has voted in both Democratic and Republican primaries in the last two decades. Leo requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010 when he lived in heavily blue Cook County, per the AP. He then started voting in GOP primaries in subsequent elections when he moved to the more conservative Will County, where he is currently registered to vote. He's also voted as an undeclared voter off and on in recent elections, according to the Will County clerk's office. His party affiliation is currently undeclared. Zoom out: The pope, who has been recovering from lung cancer surgery , met with Chicago-area advocates Wednesday who are supporting immigrants at an ICE facility in Broadview , Illinois. He's also

Axios · 18h ago
U.S. blockade, sanctions crippling Iran's economy, Treasury report says

The U.S. naval blockade, sweeping economic sanctions and obstruction of overland export routes have crippled Iran's economy and intensified pressure on the regime, according to a new Treasury Department report obtained by Axios. Why it matters: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading an economic pressure campaign dubbed "Operation Economic Outcast," is one of Trump's closest aides urging him to let the initiative play out rather than rush back into combat. Though the report doesn't argue that the Iranian regime is close to collapsing, it does lay out the Treasury Department's view that its efforts have crippled Iran's economy and limited its ability to generate revenue. Driving the news: As he did before Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and Operation Epic Fury in February, Trump is pursuing dual tracks — trying to reach a deal to restart peace talks while also preparing to possibly resume major combat operations after the midterms. The Treasury campaign, which launched in late August, is a third track. But U.S. officials say it needs more time to destabilize the regime and potentially convince the Iranian leadership to make concessions at the negotiations table. On Thursday, Trump met with his top national security and foreign policy aides to discuss the war. U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, who commands forces in the Middle East, briefed Trump on the ongoing naval blockade . Bessent discussed the economic pressure campaign. "Bessent is telling the President the economic pressure campaign is working and that things are getting worse in Iran and that this could further destabilize the regime and push the Supreme Leader to agree to a deal," a U.S. official said. Zoom in: The Treasury report highlights several indicators of Iran's economic crisis: Currency collapse: The Iranian rial has lost roughly a quarter of its value since the operation began in August. In October, the unofficial exchange rate reached a record low of 2.687 million rials

Axios · 18h ago
Texas grand jury indicts ICE agent accused of using SUV as weapon

A Texas grand jury indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales with a charge of second-degree aggravated assault Friday after prosecutors said he deliberately drove his SUV into a fleeing immigrant in early October. Why it matters: This may be the first time an ICE agent has ever been indicted in Texas, making it a rare case of a federal immigration officer facing state charges. What they're saying: Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the grand jury's charge of second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, namely a motor vehicle. Morales faces two to 20 years if convicted, Teare said. "Just because you have an ICE badge or any badge, if you are in Harris County and you are violating our community members' constitutional rights, there will be repercussions," he said. Catch up quick: Morales struck Miguel Parra Hernandez on Oct. 10 as Parra Hernandez fled on foot. Parra Hernandez, a Mexican national who has lived in Harris County for more than 30 years, had no criminal record and no pending immigration proceedings against him before the incident, Teare said. ICE has said Morales and other agents were looking for a different man identified as a deportation target, but that man's relatives say he died nearly a decade ago. Teare said Parra Hernandez is still rehabilitating from his injuries but is in ICE custody. The other side: An ICE spokesperson called the indictment "nothing more than a political stunt by Houston sanctuary politicians" in a statement to Axios. "Federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other Federal agencies. Local governments do not have the authority to run such an investigation." "Allegations that ICE struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez intentionally are RECKLESS and FALSE. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct." Zoom out: Teare said Morales was among the "surge hires" a

Axios · 18h ago