Trump says he is weighing whether to ‘annihilate’ Iran

Trump says he is weighing whether to ‘annihilate’ Iran Brendan RasciusThu, September 17, 2026 at 8:47 PM UTC 108 President Donald Trump said he is weighing whether to “annihilate” Iran as the war nears the sevenmonth mark with no clear end in sight. “I have a big decision coming up,” the Republican president told Axioson Thursday. “Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It&x27;s a big decision. Anything could happen with me.

Trump says he is weighing whether to ‘annihilate’ Iran

Brendan RasciusThu, September 17, 2026 at 8:47 PM UTC

108

President Donald Trump said he is weighing whether to “annihilate” Iran as the war nears the seven-month mark with no clear end in sight.

“I have a big decision coming up,” the Republican president told Axioson Thursday. “Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me.”

Trump has repeatedly invoked apocalyptic rhetoric when discussing Iran, including in April when he wrote on Truth Social that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

The war — which Trump initially predicted would last four to five weeks — has largely fallen into a stalemate, though some strikes have taken place this month, with vessels in the Strait of Hormuz coming under fire. Traffic through the waterway, a vital trade route, remains at low levels as both sides seek to assert control.

This week, Trump said that the U.S. was “hopefully toward the end” of the war, adding that he had spoken directly with Tehran. Over the weekend, he said: “I think it will be probably right after the midterms. They’re trying to hold out as long as they can to complicate the election.”

President Donald Trump said he is weighing whether to 'annihilate' Iran as the conflict nears the seven-month mark (Getty Images)

Formal negotiations have not taken place since a memorandum of understanding — an informal peace agreement — collapsed in June.

Advertisement

The president’s latest comments came days before the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York City. The diplomatic summit, scheduled for Tuesday, is expected to include a meeting on the sidelines among the leaders of six Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.

That gathering could prove pivotal in determining the next phase of the conflict, which has engulfed large swaths of the Middle East.

"I want to find out where they are and how they are doing. We have been very protective of them," Trump told Axios.

A fighter jet sits on the flight deck of the USS George Washington in the Arabian Sea, September 11, 2026. The aircraft carrier, capable of carrying more than 5,000 personnel, is enforcing a U.S. naval blockade against Iran and providing cover for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)

The war, which Trump insists is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, has resulted in the deaths of 18 U.S. service members and wounded hundreds more, the Pentagon has said. More than 3,000 Iranians have died, according to HRANA, a U.S.-based human rights group.

The conflict has also cost the U.S. some $38 billion and driven up fuel prices. As of Thursday, the average cost for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. stood at $4.43, up from $2.98 two days before the war broke out, according to AAA.

Multiple recent polls indicate the Middle East conflict is broadly unpopular in the U.S.

According to a Reuters survey released late last month, just 31 percent of Americans support the U.S. military action against Iran, down from 37 percent in March.

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Breaking"

Read More

---

Source: Breaking

Published: September 18, 2026 at 08:54AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

12:00 AM

Trump says he is weighing whether to ‘annihilate’ Iran

Trump says he is weighing whether to ‘annihilate’ Iran Brendan RasciusThu, September 17, 2026 at 8:47 PM UTC 108 President Donald T...

Read More

21 Messy Celeb Divorces That Made People Hate A Celeb

21 Messy Celeb Divorces That Made People Hate A Celeb Hannah MarderFri, September 18, 2026 at 12:01 AM UTC 1 I don&x27;t know about y&x27;all, but some celebrity divorces have COMPLETELY changed my opinion of the people involved...and not for the better. One example is Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner&x27;s split back in 2023. Axelle/BauerGriffin / Getty ImagesAnd turns out, it&x27;s not the only celeb divorce that really showed a famous person&x27;s true colors.

21 Messy Celeb Divorces That Made People Hate A Celeb

Hannah MarderFri, September 18, 2026 at 12:01 AM UTC

1

I don't know about y'all, but some celebrity divorces have COMPLETELY changed my opinion of the people involved...and not for the better. One example is Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's split back in 2023.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty ImagesAnd turns out, it's not the only celeb divorce that really showed a famous person's true colors. Reddit user Sagebea recently asked, "What celebrity breakup made you see one or both celebrities in a different light?" and people had a lotttt to say. Here are 21 other celebs who people started to hate in the wake of their divorce.1. "John Mulaney and Anna Marie Tendler. Especially given the baby situation. It was supposedly a mutual decision not to have children, but then he immediately got another woman pregnant as the marriage ended, and now she’s having to freeze her eggs. ... He gives me the ick now."

Manny Carabel / Getty Images

—u/StoreBoughtDopamine5

"Everything about it seems weird. The timeline between his relationship with Munn was wayyyy too fast post divorce. Also, something about him suddenly being such a family man with Olivia after all those years of 'not wanting kids' with his ex-wife also rubbed me the wrong way. That and how he implied that Olivia was the only one who really helped him through recovery, completely ignoring his ex-wife’s part, was pretty fucked."

—u/a-black-magic-woman

Here's what went down: Mulaney filed for divorce from Tendler in July 2021, after which point she released a statement reading that she was "heartbroken that John has decided to end [their] marriage." It was reported they'd broken up in February 2021, though Mulaney later claimed he'd asked for a divorce in October 2020. In September 2021, Mulaney revealed that he had been dating Olivia Munn since the spring (right off the heels of his time in rehab), and that Munn was pregnant with their child, despite the fact that Mulaney had been open about not wanting children. Mulaney has since credited Munn and their child in his recovery journey.

2. "For me it was Jason and Olivia. He was always one of my favorite cast members on SNL, loved almost everything he was in. But serving her papers onstage while she was doing a presentation just made me change my mind immediately."

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images

—u/Sagebea

"Don’t forget that he [allegedly] laid under her car so she couldn’t bring homemade salad dressing to her pop star boyfriend."

—u/realworldexperiment

Here's what went down: Wilde and Sudeikis weren't technically married, but they were together for nine years, and were engaged and had two kids together. They announced their separation in November 2020. In January 2021, Wilde was spotted on a date with Harry Styles, which reportedly made Sudeikis "really hurt and somewhat jealous." (A source close to Wilde states unequivocally that Wilde was never unfaithful to Sudeikis.) There was also apparently some business with Sudeikis lying down in front of Wilde's car to stop her from bringing her homemade salad dressing to Styles. Things continued to get messy from there, with Wilde being served custody papers onstage at an event and Wilde publicly bashing Sudeikis for doing so (Sudeikis apparently did not know this would happen).

Related: "32 Celebs Vs. Their Kids At The Exact Same Age"

3. "Not sure of the timeline of this incident in regards to their breakup, but I decided I was done with Russell Brand when he tweeted that pic of Katy Perry without makeup after having startled her awake. He also [according to Perry] texted her that he wanted a divorce. ... And now the things he's [allegedly] done have made those seem super insignificant, but I definitely started avoiding anything of his after that tweet."

Dave M. Benett / Getty Images

—u/goshdarnkaren

"Taking that pic of KP and uploading without her consent was definitely disturbing to me. Like, yeah, it’s just a behind-the-scenes makeup-free picture, but I saw it as a power move to knock her down a peg. She obviously didn’t approve and made him take it down, but by then, it had gone viral. 'Little' things like that are major red flags."

—u/Elizeneaux

4. "Was never much of a fan of him, but when Alec Baldwin was mid-custody battle with his ex-wife Kim Basinger in 2007 and he left that absolutely atrocious voicemail to his 11-year-old daughter Ireland. Never watched something with him in it since and for more reasons even so now."

Kevin.Mazur/ Getty Images

—u/fluffynerfherder97

Here's the transcript of the main part of the voicemail, provided by u/fluffynerfherder97 (and confirmed by moi  — alternatively, you can listen to the voicemail here):

“You have insulted me for the last time. You have insulted me. You don't have the brains or the decency as a human being. I don't give a damn that you're 12 years old or 11 years old or that you're a child or that your mother is a thoughtless pain-in-the-ass who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned. You have humiliated me for the last time with this phone. And when I come out there next week, I'm gonna fly out there for the day just to straighten you out on this issue. I'm going to let you know just how disappointed in you I am and how angry I am with you that you've done this to me again. You've made me feel like shit, and you've made me feel like a fool over and over and over again. And this crap you pull on me with this goddamned phone situation that you would never dream about doing to your mother, and you do it to me constantly and over and over again. I'm gonna get on a plane or l'm gonna come out there for the day, and l'm gonna straighten your ass out when I see you. Do you understand me? I'm gonna really make sure you get it. Gonna get on a plane, gonna turn around, and I'm gonna come home. So you better be ready Friday the 20th to meet with me, so l'm gonna let you know just how I feel about what a rude little pig you really are. You are a rude, thoughtless little pig, okay?”

5. "Chris Pratt and Anna Faris. I used to listen to her podcast pretty religiously, and they seemed like a really cool couple. I loved when he would sit in on the podcast. When they split, I just got this weird vibe from him all of a sudden, and he said and did some things that made me like him much less. I used to love Parks and Recreation-era Pratt and early movie star Pratt, but now if I see he's in a movie, it kind of makes me not want to see it."

Samir Hussein / Getty Images

—u/They-Call-Me-Taylor

"The divorce and quick remarriage to his trad wife was the beginning of my dissolution with Crisp Rat. I know he was playing a character and obviously wasn't Andy Dwyer, but his marriage to Anna Faris and subsequent breakup hints that he really did go through a personality change."

—u/Public-Relation6900

6. "Kim and Kanye. We already knew Kanye was not well, but I didn't realize how dangerous and scary he was becoming. I didn't know he would get so dark — especially during Sketegate. And Kim? I was very impressed by how Kim handled the divorce and seemed to step back for a few months (a lifetime for her) to lie low. I thought she was overall quite classy and genuinely seemed to be putting her children first (to the extent that any Kardashian would). She also seemed to earnestly want to work with Ye and wanted to protect his image and give him every opportunity to rebuild himself for their children — even though she could probably take him to the cleaners. I think she really did her best here, and I respected it."

Jim Spellman / Getty Images

—u/Masta-Blasta

7. "Ariana [Grande] and Dalton [Gomez]. I know little of their marriage, but after she wrote 'Thank U, Next' and the line 'only wanna do it once real bad, gon' make that shit last' about marriage, I thought they were genuinely end game. Then all the cheating allegations came out about how she [allegedly] ended the marriage of that SpongeBob guy [Ethan Slater] .... Really can't listen to her music the same way anymore."

Taylor Hill / Getty Images

—u/ThrowRARAw

Here's what went down: Ariana Grande filed for divorce from husband Dalton Gomez in September, but they've reportedly been separated since January. In July, it was reported she was dating her Wicked costar Ethan Slater, who the source reported was separated from his wife Lilly Jay. However, Slater and Grande were quickly accused of having had an affair on the set of Wicked — it was also reported that they had gone on double dates with their then-spouses and each other, and that Grande had met Lilly and Ethan's child. Jay then told Page Six that Ariana wasn't a "girl's girl" and called her own family "collateral damage." However, other sources have claimed both Grande and Slater were single when they began dating and denied any cheating or affair was involved.

Related: "These Celebs Look Unrecognizable In Old Photos — How Many Can You Identify?"

8. "Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. I have trouble watching movies featuring either of them, because so much about their relationship is now public knowledge."

JIM WATSON / Getty Images

—u/TheFandomJunkie

"I had been a Depp fan since I was a kid in the '90s. But holy hell, Amber's toxic behavior was not on par with his. I didn't even follow the trial because I didn't think it was my business, but it leeched into everything. You couldn't escape it.

I was talking to a buddy once because he said Depp was innocent. I then asked him if he would ever even joke about raping his girlfriend. He said no. I pointed out that Depp had [allegedly] said he would rape Heard's corpse to his friend, and even if it was a joke, what kind of decent man says that? My buddy went quiet after that.

Some of it was the insane social media hot takes that painted Heard as this harpy gold-digger. But I think a lot of it was taking the things Depp said and did as not indicative of character, habits, or even the potential to do worse. And all of it was somehow provoked or caused by Heard. Misogyny runs deep."

—u/Overquoted

Here's what went down: There's far too much to describe here, but you can read about it innumerousarticles, and you can check out Depp's alleged texts to Paul Bettany (referenced above) here, though I will note that Depp claimed to have a dark sense of humor and comparing drafting a text to making a painting, which suggests that he was not serious.

9. "For me it was the Brad/Jen breakup. You could feel her pain, but she marched through that breakup like a champ even though things were smack in her face in a daily basis about Brad/Angie. Loved Jen after that when I was neutral before. Brad fell off [his] pedestal."

Toni Anne Barson Archive / Getty Images

—u/DrSassyPants123

"Really sad in hindsight, too, because Jennifer said publicly she was having some fertility issues. That would be incredibly painful to go through, especially with everyone asking her 'when she’s going to have a baby?' Totally gross and nobody’s business."

—u/CrissBliss

Advertisement

Here's what went down: Jen filed for divorce from Brad in 2005 after an alleged affair he had with Angelina Jolie on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Brad later claimed he had not cheated on Jen and that he was still shooting the film after they separated.

10. "Saw Brad Pitt posted already, but for me, it’s his divorce from Angelina. The way he has acted toward her and their children turned me off to everything he’s done and has going on. The way you act toward those closest to you speaks volumes of your integrity as a person, especially the way you conduct yourself with your children."

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

—u/knives4eyes

"I have been a huge fan of Brad's for a long time. I know he's iffy, but I would have never realized how shitty he was behind the scenes if they didn't divorce. I am truly embarrassed for how much I defended that man. Like, I was that person parroting his PR team and Angelina/the kids were lying and no one was injured or hurt on that plane. Yeah, I was humbled when it [the FBI reports] came out. ... Obviously, I completely switched sides after looking into their documents more."

—u/Icy-fightclub931

Here's what went down: Brad and Angelina allegedly got into a physical altercation on a private plane in 2016 that allegedly included Pitt choking and hitting two of his children (which Pitt has denied). Brad and Angelina subsequently filed for divorce. FBI reports in 2022 from the incident included photos of Jolie's alleged injuries, including a “a rug burn-type wound” on her hand and a wound to her elbow. The FBI did not pursue criminal charges.

11. "Sandra Bullock. Never really thought much of her, but I felt so terrible for her after being publicly humiliated by Jesse James and his cheating. While they were in the process of adopting a child, no less."

Steve Granitz / Getty Images

—u/walkingtalkingdread

Related: "Only People Born Before 1969 Can Name These Vintage Hollywood Legends"

12. "Kelsey Grammer. Gosh, he was great as Frasier. But he was such a tool during his divorce/cheating/remarriage. Camille may be a piece of work, but she is the mother of his children, and the stuff he said about her in the press was atrocious."

Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

—u/GreyBlueBorn

"She was extremely supportive while he struggled with his addiction and even took up fundraising for various addiction-related causes. I believe he [allegedly] moved his mistress into one of their marital residences in NYC while she was raising their kids on the other side of the country."

—u/thirdcoasting

13. "Taika [Waititi]...gives me sleazy vibes now."

—u/nicorainbow"I loved him so much. And then it just seems like he’s the nerdy kid who drops everyone once he gets a little popular. You don’t begrudge people for wanting more, but leaving your wife and kids?! Hard to empathize about that."—u/Bright_Air6869Here's what went down:In 2020, Page Sixreportedthat Taika and his wife Chelsea Winstanley (with whom he shares two children) had been separated for two years. Rumors that Waititi and now-wife Rita Ora were datingbeganin 2021, but a post from Ora later revealed they'd met and had possibly been dating since 2018. There is nothing to suggest any cheating, but some people (like the commenters above) felt that Taika's divorcing his wife and then remarrying a celebrity after finding more high-profile fame himself was indicative of character flaws on Taika's part.Amy Sussman / Getty Images, Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images14. "Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan — she had an affair with Russell Crowe, and then that was sort of her public downfall. However, he's now on his fourth wife, so I have to think that there was more to it than her just deciding to cheat."

Steve Granitz / Getty Images

—u/RiceCaspar

"Dennis struggled with addiction. She stuck by him for a lot of that. Dennis has been clear that she was at the end of her rope with him over this. The affair was a symptom, not the root cause. I'm still cheering both of them on, and I hope they are each happy now."

—u/fuglysack14

15. "Charles and Diana. I was so young when she died that most of my thoughts on this are retrospective, but she seemed so light in her post-divorce interviews, and it’s kind of obvious that her marriage was miserable!"

Tim Graham / Getty Images

—u/meowparade

16. "As much as I adore Harrison Ford, was super bummed to discover he was unfaithful to his wife Mary Marquardt with Carrie Fisher (who I also adored). He was 33, and she was 19."

New York Daily News Archive / Getty Images

—u/RiceCaspar

17. "This is an old one, but Ralph Fiennes [allegedly] leaving Alex Kingston for another woman."

Ron Galella / Getty Images

—u/notaschuyler

"And then having an [alleged] two-year affair at the end of his relationship with that woman."

—u/dutchyardeen

Here's what went down: According to Kingston, Fiennes broke up with her to be with Francesca Annis. Years later, in 2006, while Fiennes was still with Annis, Cornelia Crisan claimed to have had a two-year affair with Fiennes — Fiennes and Annis quickly separated. In the alleged affair's wake, Annis threatened tosue the Mail for defamation and invasion of privacy for reporting she had forgiven Fiennes for the alleged affair with Crisan, and including comments from "friends" she says were untrue though she did admit the two had separated.

It does not appear Fiennes has addressed these claims, though he did emphatically deny reports of an affair with Gina Gershon in 2005.

Related: "32 Then Vs. Now Photos Of Famous People In 2006 And 2026"

18. "When Seal found out Heidi Klum was (allegedly) dating one of their security guards after their split, he said she was sleeping with 'the help.'"

Steve Granitz / Getty Images

—u/ThaiLassInTheSouth

Klum's rep responded to the comment, saying, "It is sad that Seal has to resort to false accusations." A rep for Seal said Seal was just "pointing out that they are separated and the divorce is not final, so they are legally still married." Klum's rep stated, "I cherish all of the great memories Seal and I created together over the years. Our separation was based on issues between the two of us. Seal has moved on, and so have I. My priority has and continues to be protecting and providing for our children."

19. "Kenneth Branagh cheating on his then wife, Emma Thompson, with Helena Bonham Carter is mine. I didn't even know he had been married to Emma, but my mom had followed it closely back in the '90s, and she said he'd been really cruel after it — very public with Helena and very pushing it in people's faces. ... Any time Kenneth has a shite film these, days my mom is delighted, haha."

Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

—u/Murky_Translator2295

20. "Ewan McGregor. I am good at moving past cheating scandals when it comes to celebs because it happens so frequently. If I come for one, then I'll have to come for them all, and I don't have the energy...except when it deals with kids. It is beyond cruel and almost unhinged to have your child meet, laugh, and have dinner with the person you're having an affair with."

Steve Granitz / Getty Images

—u/Icy-fightclub931

Here's what went down: After Ewan filed for divorce from his then-wife Eve Mavrakis in 2017, it was reported that he had cheated with Mary Elizabeth Winstead. One of Ewan and Eve's children, Clara McGregor, then called Mary a "piece of trash," though she later called this not her "finest moment." It was also reported that Mary had met and had dinner with Ewan's family (including his children) before the affair news broke.

21. And finally, they didn't technically get married, but this one's so bad we had to include it... "Julia Roberts leaving Kiefer Sutherland at the altar...while running off to Ireland with his best friend, Jason Patric."

KMazur / Getty Images

—u/jalapenohighball

Aug. 19, 2024, at 20:03 PM

Your daily brain workout: Your Brain Will Literally Expand After You Solve Today's Word Chains

Also in Celebrity: "11 Celebrities Who Killed Other Celebrities"

Also in Celebrity: "17 Celebrities Who Revealed The Harsh Realities Of Marrying Royalty"

Read it on BuzzFeed.com

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

Read More

---

Source: Entertainment

Published: September 18, 2026 at 08:36AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

12:00 AM

21 Messy Celeb Divorces That Made People Hate A Celeb

21 Messy Celeb Divorces That Made People Hate A Celeb Hannah MarderFri, September 18, 2026 at 12:01 AM UTC 1 I don&x27;t kno...

Read More

I Was Certain My Boyfriend Was Keeping A Secret From Me. What I Discovered Online Was Shocking.

I Was Certain My Boyfriend Was Keeping A Secret From Me. What I Discovered Online Was Shocking. Kendra Stanton Lee Thu, September 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM UTC 1 This past weekend, I welcomed Casey and Mary to my front porch. We hugged and scanned each other with our usual chorus of, “Dang, girl. You look good.” Still, our hearts were all a little battered. We had all said goodbye to Bernie in the spring. Physically, we were also compromised. Mary had just undergone a major surgery. Casey was consulting with her own surgeon on breast reconstruction after her double mastectomy.

I Was Certain My Boyfriend Was Keeping A Secret From Me. What I Discovered Online Was Shocking.

Kendra Stanton Lee Thu, September 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM UTC

1

This past weekend, I welcomed Casey and Mary to my front porch. We hugged and scanned each other with our usual chorus of, “Dang, girl. You look good.”

Still, our hearts were all a little battered. We had all said goodbye to Bernie in the spring. Physically, we were also compromised. Mary had just undergone a major surgery. Casey was consulting with her own surgeon on breast reconstruction after her double mastectomy. I was struggling with prolonged insomnia; I had lost sleep, weight and hair after also losing Bernie.

Also Read: My Teenage Son Was Prescribed Opioids. I Thought We Were Treating His Pain — I Never Imagined The Medication Would One Day Take Him From Me.

Nevertheless, we put on our mascara and boarded an Uber to a bar downtown. There, the bartender provided generous pours. A cranberry vodka for Mary. A pineapple vodka for Casey. A dirty martini for me. Three vessels as different as the women who held them.

We raised a collective cheers: “To freedom.”

Only six months prior, we had discovered each other in a way Bernie never expected. Our suspicions had been rumbling for months, however.

The author (right) with Mary (left) and CaseyCourtesy of Kendra Stanton Lee

The early days of dating Bernie had been euphoric. He made even the most ordinary moments — sitting on my couch, passing through the drive-thru, catching up after work — special and lighthearted. He nearly split me in half a few times with how hard he would make me laugh.

However, even at the beginning of our relationship, I observed Bernie’s attention was divided. He would take hours — sometimes a full day — to respond to a text. He often had to hang up quickly from a FaceTime call. I chalked it up to his frenetic schedule that came with working a full-time job and running several side hustles.

Also Read: I Was Targeted By A Neighborhood Flasher. My Boyfriend Helped Me Feel Safe — Until I Learned His Secret.

On Thanksgiving, I spent all night massaging Bernie’s aching back. He had health issues due to a serious injury he had suffered years before, and often thanked me for sharing “my gift of the healing arts” with him. After that night, he thanked me by ghosting me for three days.

“That’s not cool,” I had told him. My friends encouraged me to disengage. Somehow Bernie flipped the script on me. He explained I wasn’t the victim of his neglect. It was he who deserved all of my compassion and care. He was, after all, the one with health issues who was working multiple jobs. He reeled me back with an appeal to my good nature every time.

Not long after, when I had noticed curious comments from a woman on his social media — she of the generous array of heart emojis to all of his posts — my antennae spiked. Naturally, I ferreted out information about this woman with the prowess of a private investigator. When I discovered her LinkedIn page indicated a common work background with Bernie, I cast her as a former co-worker (surely an innocuous connection!). However, when I saw her pass through the receiving line at a wake for one of his family members and observed her drape herself in a hug around my man, I could not help but wonder if I was being bamboozled.

When I asked Bernie, point-blank, if he was entertaining other women, he replied rhetorically, “With what time?!”

Also Read: I Thought I Knew Who I Was. Then A Mysterious Woman Sent A Message That Turned My World Upside Down.

It did seem impossible that I could be part of a rotation, given his nocturnal work hours and the family that constantly surrounded him. I had met his mother and brother, and was present several times while his nephew FaceTimed us. If I wasn’t the lonely only, wouldn’t he be paranoid that his family would call his bluff?

And then there was the very abject reality of his physical limitations. When he explained how the demands on his body compounded his forgetfulness and busyness, I tried to be more understanding.

Until I could no longer understand. Eventually, I was receiving such a small sliver of Bernie’s time and energy, I leaned in. I made more offers to help, call, visit. The tension between us crescendoed.

One day, after he had worked a double shift, I decided to drop off some bakery items at his home. I did not announce myself, as I believed he would be sleeping, and quietly left the bag on his back porch. I hoped it would be a nice surprise when he woke up and headed to work.

Also Read: At 19, I Was Forced To Marry A Stranger And Was Sexually Assaulted Every Month For 12 Years

Instead, I received a curt text instructing me never to do that again. Bernie then iced me out for several weeks before finally declaring he was done. He said my innocent DoorDash drop-off had been completely “out of pocket” and that he was no longer interested in dating me.

Advertisement

During the months after Bernie kicked me to the curb, I languished on my therapist’s couch. I pawed at possible explanations, trying to examine every facet of our failed relationship. In offices in other parts of town, Mary and Casey were having the same conversations with their own therapists.

As summer rolled in, Bernie began to drift back into my life. First, with his trademark “How you doin’?” texts, and later with calls and links to videos he’d hoped would make me laugh. One morning, he called me from a nearby store, asking if he could drop by my apartment. I told him I wasn’t in town. In truth, I wasn’t ready to trust the man who had so recently and swiftly dispensed with me.

When I then found myself on an online forum designed to expose cheaters, it was not as a casual lurker. I was a woman on a mission. I was familiar with this page, with dedicated groups in all major U.S. cities, where women warned other women to avoid certain men. The women generally posted anonymously, and included a man’s picture, his initials and age. Posts typically queried, “Anyone know if he’s married? Dating anyone?”

The author (center) with Mary (left) and CaseyCourtesy of Kendra Stanton Lee

Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.

A quick search of the forum surfaced a post, published within the last month, that made me believe I had been dating a liar, if not a serial sociopath. Mary and Casey had contributed to the post with Bernie’s unmistakable picture, but several other women weighed in with similar stories of his deception.

The commonalities were staggering. We were all single mothers and worked in similar fields. Our hair color, eye color and body types were all alarmingly similar. We had all been introduced to his family. We had all been told that we were the only woman in his life. The man who had overcome so many barriers had treated each of us as just another conquest.

Also Read: At 62, I Hadn't Been On A Date In Decades. Here's What Happened When I Tried The Apps.

I took a day to process what I had read, and then I reached out to Bernie via text. I did not intimate how I learned of the other women. I simply told him how shameful he should feel about what he’d done.

“How dare you judge me,” he replied. “I will not have this convo. I wish you all the best.” He then blocked my number.

Mary, Casey and I exchanged messages and calls, and the full spectrum of Bernie’s actions was shown in technicolor. The man’s ability to wend his way into all of our lives was unbelievable. He had curried favor with Mary’s son by buying him expensive presents and attending his football games. He had ferried Casey to her doctor appointments when she was fighting breast cancer, ensuring his loyalty and caretaking were on display to her whole family. I became profoundly aware that I had not been playing second fiddle to my man’s busy work schedule; I had been unwittingly riding third wheel to his other girlfriends’ full lives.

The revelations came fast and sometimes knocked me breathless. For example, I realized the only reason I had been able to whisk him away for his birthday weekend was because Mary had been overseas for work and Casey had been recovering from her latest surgery.

How could I have cared so completely for someone who was so wicked? I stewed in anger and shame for weeks as I processed everything with Casey and Mary, my new comrades.

I have a screenshot of one text that Casey sent me saved to my favorites album in my phone. “I have sought meaning out of this situation for many months,” she wrote. “Maybe I needed him through the cancer. Maybe I needed to learn this lesson about listening to my gut. ... But the more I distance from him and talk to you both, I have to believe it was to bring you both into my life. We were disposable to him — which feels like a stab in the heart, but it doesn’t when you realize it’s not personal. It’s him. How he treats others is a reflection of his feelings about himself. Not about us.”

A text that Casey sent the authorCourtesy of Kendra Stanton Lee

Casey’s sentiments encapsulate everything wonderful and true about the heartbreak that has netted me two of the truest friends in my adult life. Because of our shared trauma, our healing has also been a mutual aid society of three.

Since I discovered the truth about my relationship, I have been in touch with Mary and Casey every day. We leave voice notes about first date fumbles and parenting victories. We share photos and memes and wisdom. We have met each other’s children and refer to our “sister wives” to friends and family who know the story. It’s a tale that once brought us pain and angst, but as Casey put it, that story was never about us, it was always about Bernie and how he treated us.

Together we are writing a new story. We are casting ourselves as the main characters — the single mother she-roes of our own destinies. The villain of this latest tale is not a handsome prince, but simply anyone who would dare to damage our peace or spoil our fun.

Kendra Stanton Lee is a teacher and writer in Boston. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post “On Parenting,” The Boston Globe, Slate and others. You can find more of her writing at https://ift.tt/24JmKBU.

This piece was previously published on HuffPost and is being shared again now as part of HuffPost Personal’s “Best Of” series.

Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com.

Related... -

I Met A Man I Thought Was 'The One.' Then I Got A Message That Changed Everything.

My Husband Cheated On Me — And I Stayed. Here's Why.

My Husband Sent Me A Seemingly Innocent Text. It Led Me To Discover He'd Been Cheating For Years.

Read the original on HuffPost

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

Read More

---

Source: Entertainment

Published: September 18, 2026 at 04:09AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

7:00 PM

I Was Certain My Boyfriend Was Keeping A Secret From Me. What I Discovered Online Was Shocking.

I Was Certain My Boyfriend Was Keeping A Secret From Me. What I Discovered Online Was Shocking. Kendra Stanton Lee Thu, Septembe...

Read More

Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on 'Today'

Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on &x27;Today&x27; Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYThu, September 17, 2026 at 9:34 PM UTC 2 Jenna Bush Hager is a reminder that there&x27;s never a wrong time to call your loved ones, even on live TV. The TV journalist, 44, surprised her father, former President George W. Bush, with a phone call during the Sept. 17 episode of "Today with Jenna & Sheinelle." Cohost Sheinelle Jones suggested the idea after sharing a clip from a 2007 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" when Bush Hager called her dad.

Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on 'Today'

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYThu, September 17, 2026 at 9:34 PM UTC

2

Jenna Bush Hager is a reminder that there's never a wrong time to call your loved ones, even on live TV.

The TV journalist, 44, surprised her father, former President George W. Bush, with a phone call during the Sept. 17 episode of "Today with Jenna & Sheinelle."

Co-host Sheinelle Jones suggested the idea after sharing a clip from a 2007 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" when Bush Hager called her dad. "Now that it’s your show… our show, can we call him again?" Jones asked.

Bush Hager was playfully reluctant at first, asking, "Why do y'all like to prank me?" acknowledging that former "Today" host Hoda Kotb had previously done this to her. She proceeded to dial her father and put the call on speakerphone close to the microphone. Once he answered she disclosed "You’re on TV, Dad!"

"I’ve been trying to avoid that," Bush replied.

Despite not planning to be on television, the 43rd president of the United States used the opportunity to promote his upcoming book "Call of Freedom: Portraits of Political Prisoners and Dissidents," which publishes on March 9.

"Listen, I’m glad you called because I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’ve got a book coming out next month," he said. "And as a result of me taking this call, I’m hopeful I can convince you to help me sell the book."

Bush Hager then tried to turn the impromptu call into a future booking, asking, "So are you gonna come here and be on our television show?"

"I would doubt that," he said.

Advertisement

Family ties: Jenna Bush Hager says being the president's daughter earned her 'Today' job

George W. Bush reacts to appointing Sheinelle Jones' judge father

Bush Hager then mentioned that Bush has not yet watched her co-host Jones, who joined "Today with Jenna & Sheinelle" in January.

"I have not met Sheinelle," he said. "I’d like to shake her hand, but it’s a little difficult."

His daughter then revealed that she had met Jones' father, Judge C. Darnell Jones. "Sheinelle’s dad was a judge, and you actually appointed him," she told him.

"God, you gotta be kidding me!" Bush said. "That’s fantastic. He had to be a good man."

Bush mistakenly misnamed Jones while inviting her to visit in Dallas before Bush Hager corrected him. "Sheinelle, not Michelle!”

"That’s what I meant, Sheinelle," he said.

Jones proceeded to thank Bush "for being a good dad to Jenna," adding, "I know you guys have a beautiful relationship and I just think you’re a good man."

"Well, I appreciate that very much," he replied.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on 'Today'

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

Read More

---

Source: Entertainment

Published: September 18, 2026 at 04:01AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

7:00 PM

Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on 'Today'

Jenna Bush Hager puts dad George W. Bush on the spot with live TV call on &x27;Today&x27; Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYTh...

Read More

Commercial Airline Pilots Have A Mandatory Retirement Age. Here's Why.

Commercial Airline Pilots Have A Mandatory Retirement Age. Here&x27;s Why. Caroline Bologna Wed, September 16, 2026 at 4:41 PM UTC 74 There are many professions where people stretch the limits of retirement (cough, cough, Congress), but commercial aviation is certainly not one of them. Indeed, commercial airline pilots in the United States are required to retire at 65 ― a practice that is mandated by federal regulation.

Commercial Airline Pilots Have A Mandatory Retirement Age. Here's Why.

Caroline Bologna Wed, September 16, 2026 at 4:41 PM UTC

74

There are many professions where people stretch the limits of retirement (cough, cough, Congress), but commercial aviation is certainly not one of them.

Indeed, commercial airline pilots in the United States are required to retire at 65 ― a practice that is mandated by federal regulation.

Travel: The Real Reason You Can't Have Your Seat Reclined During Takeoff And Landing

“In 1959, the Federal Aviation Administration conducted a study using scientific and medical research exploring when airline pilots should retire, and the agency came up with age 60,” Dan Bubb, a former airline pilot and professor in residence in the honors college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told HuffPost. “During later years, the FAA conducted more studies based on scientific and medical data, and in 2007, increased the age to 65.”

The FAA’s decision to raise the retirement age to 65 in the U.S. was driven by changes in international regulations.

“In 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization raised the mandatory age for commercial airline pilots to retire from 60 to 65 years old,” said Anton Radchenko, an international aviation lawyer and CEO of AirAdvisor.

Had the American government kept its requirement at 60, the disparity would have created a logistical nightmare for foreign airlines with older pilots, who would not be allowed to fly commercial routes in the U.S. Thus, the law was changed under the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act in December 2007.

Life: Study Suggests Becoming An Expert In This Beloved Hobby May Actually Protect Your Brain Health

Cary Grant, a former commercial pilot and now assistant professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, explained how the original age limit came to be (and subsequently became outdated).

“Originally, age 60 was medically determined to be a very set date when your mental acuity and your physical abilities kind of reached their limit,” he said. “But those were really set back in the early ’40s when pilots had a much rougher lifestyle than they do today. I don’t think pilots took care of themselves as well as they should have. They smoked, they drank, so the likelihood of a pilot living to be age 60 was a lot less ― not to mention their physical and mental capabilities.”

Grant noted that the population-level health profile of pilots has changed dramatically since then.

“A person at 60 is not the same person at 60 they were 80 years ago in the ’40s,” he said. “As we as a population started taking better care of ourselves mentally and physically, we’re living a lot longer.”

Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.

Since 2007, the mandatory retirement age for pilots in the U.S. has been 65.FG Trade via Getty Images

The core rationale behind mandatory retirement comes down to the relationship between aging and the demands of the job.

“The reason behind the retirement age largely has to do with safety, including human factors such as declining motor skills, increasing fatigue and other issues that happen when people age,” Bubb said.

Travel: These Public Transportation Habits Are A Dead Giveaway You’re A Tourist Abroad

“Humans naturally slow down mentally and physically as we age,” said Clint Henderson, a travel expert with The Points Guy. “The FAA’s rules are in place to counteract aging’s risk of increased medical issues and slowing reaction time and stamina and the ability to do complex tasks under stress.”

Radchenko broke down the limits of the safety argument.

“The retirement age was originally introduced as a precaution intended to address age-related risks, including potential cognitive and physical decline beyond the age of 65, although available research does not establish that every pilot experiences significant decline after one precise age,” he explained. “However, statistically, adults aged over 65 are the age group most often and severely impacted by medical emergencies.”

Grant pointed to cognitive decline as the primary concern behind the current 65 limit.

Career: Tread Lightly Before Discussing This Topic With Your Older Parents

“Pilots have to have an examination with an FAA doctor every year, and the word I got from the doctors was there are some pretty good indications that your mental acuity does start to decrease after age 65,” he said. “I don’t think it’s so much a physical capability, but a mental capability. And of course that is going to vary from person to person. I’ve seen people in their 90s that are sharp as a tack, and I’ve seen people in their late 50s that wonder where they are. But I think the FAA just looks at the broad pilot population and says, ‘We’re going to set 65.’”

Advertisement

Pilots already face among the most rigorous ongoing medical requirements of any profession. Commercial airline pilots age 40 and over must pass a first-class medical exam every six months, covering vision, hearing, cardiovascular health and neurological function, including an EKG requirement. For those under 40, the examination is annual.

The mandatory retirement age is in some ways an acknowledgment that even those regular checkpoints have limits. Grant noted some have proposed adding a formalized mental aptitude or cognitive component to the physical exam. As of now, these kinds of tests are used selectively in certain instances, and examiners otherwise evaluate pilots’ mental status clinically through observation and medical history review.

“Should we be checking mental acuity and speed of reactions, cognitive ability? That’s very much a question,” he said. “But again, that varies so much from person to person.”

Travel: The Rudest Things You Can Do At A Hotel

The question of whether 65 is the right age has been subject to much debate in recent years. Since 2022, members of congress have been pushing versions of the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act to raise the retirement ceiling from 65 to 67.

“At a time when people are living longer, healthier lives, supporters of allowing pilots to work for longer argue that many older pilots can retain the physical and cognitive capabilities required for the job,” Radchenko said. “Some airlines, lawmakers and industry groups support raising the age to retain experienced pilots and ease staffing pressures, while some pilot unions oppose it on safety and operational grounds.”

The international dimension also complicates any push to adjust the limit in the U.S.

“ICAO has kept the international limit at 65,” Radchenko said. “If the U.S. Congress raised it to 67, pilots over 65 could fly domestically but would generally be unable to fly internationally without specific authorization.”

Bubb pointed to this issue as part of the reason the FAA has been adamant about keeping 65.

“Regional airlines and special interests want to raise the age to 67 because it will ... allegedly stave off a pilot shortage,” he added. “However, many regional pilots leave for the major airlines long before age 65, and according to the Airline Pilots Association and labor unions, there is no shortage of pilots. Further, the FAA has not conducted any studies on raising the retirement age to 67.”

There are some financial incentives pulling the airline industry in both directions, noted Grant.

“From a financial standpoint, those age-65 pilots are the ones that are making the most money,” he said. “But it costs the airlines a lot of money to bring somebody in at the bottom and start training them to fill those seat positions. So it kind of balances out.”

The views on this debate can vary from airline to airline and from one aviation group to the next.

“Some unions don’t want changes to mandatory retirement age because it helps keep pilot wages higher than they might be if less pilots retired,” Henderson said. “Regional Airline Association, the regional airline industry’s lobbying group, as well as the National Air Carrier Association, which represents ultra-low-cost carriers and small cargo airlines have supported raising the retirement age in the past. The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest pilot union, has traditionally traditionally opposed raising pilot retirement ages.”

Opinions may differ across different pilot ranks as well.

“Younger pilots don’t necessarily want to see age 67 come in because that slows down their progression,” Grant said. “Everything ― what you get paid, what you can bid, what equipment you’re flying ― is all based on seniority. If those upper pilots aren’t moving, they’re sitting up there in the captain’s seat for another two years. That stops any movement upwards. But of course, when those younger pilots get into that position, they may want to seek an increase to 67.”

Raising the age could also lead to changes in the requirements for the medical exam every six months as well.

“There was a pretty good push to up the limit to age 67 around 2019 when the airline saw the forthcoming retirements,” Grant recalled. “The pandemic stalled the impact of the mass exodus of pilots for several years because airline traffic just didn’t pick up like it did pre-COVID. So it gave the airlines some breathing room to get new pilots on at the bottom to replace those retiring pilots.”

Thus, the mandatory retirement age for pilots in the U.S. remains consistent with the global standard set by the ICAO.

“For commercial operations, most countries follow the same standard,” Grant said. “If you are involved with flying passengers for hire, you fall under the ICAO regulations. There are some countries that don’t have a limit if you’re performing operations entirely within their boundaries. So if you want to fly entirely within Chile, for instance, they don’t have an upper limit. But as soon as you leave Chile, that age-65 rule applies.”

And whether the lawmakers deciding to change the age will ever face such rule regarding their own time in office remains to be seen.

Related... -

Pilots Reveal What It’s Really Like To Fly For A Living — And There Are So Many Misconceptions

Pilots Reveal The 8 Things They Never Do As Air Passengers

27 Funny Pilot Tweets That’ll Make You Forget About Turbulence

Most People Don't Know The Real Reason Why Your Window Shade Has To Be Open For Takeoff And Landing

Read the original on HuffPost

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Breaking"

Read More

---

Source: Breaking

Published: September 18, 2026 at 03:54AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

7:00 PM

Commercial Airline Pilots Have A Mandatory Retirement Age. Here's Why.

Commercial Airline Pilots Have A Mandatory Retirement Age. Here&x27;s Why. Caroline Bologna Wed, September 16, 2026 at 4:41 PM...

Read More

A 128-Year-Old Amusement Park Pier Once Owned by Donald Trump Is Up for Sale for $85 Million

A 128YearOld Amusement Park Pier Once Owned by Donald Trump Is Up for Sale for $85 Million Colson ThayerThu, September 17, 2026 at 7:36 PM UTC 2 An aerial view of Steel Pier in Atlantic City, N.J.Credit: Real Estate Cinema Atlantic City’s Steel Pier, a 128yearold landmark, is currently listed for sale at $85 million The property spans over five acres and includes a riparian grant allowing further extension into the Atlantic Ocean Once owned by Donald Trump, the pier features amusement rides, a Ferris wheel, and a helipad for scenic helicopter tours A historic 128yearold amusement pier once bil...

A 128-Year-Old Amusement Park Pier Once Owned by Donald Trump Is Up for Sale for $85 Million

Colson ThayerThu, September 17, 2026 at 7:36 PM UTC

2

An aerial view of Steel Pier in Atlantic City, N.J.Credit: Real Estate Cinema -

Atlantic City’s Steel Pier, a 128-year-old landmark, is currently listed for sale at $85 million

The property spans over five acres and includes a riparian grant allowing further extension into the Atlantic Ocean

Once owned by Donald Trump, the pier features amusement rides, a Ferris wheel, and a helipad for scenic helicopter tours

A historic 128-year-old amusement pier once billed as the “Showplace of the Nation” is now up for sale for $85 million.

Atlantic City, N.J.’s Steel Pier has hit the market, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE. Set on over five acres directly on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, the pier structure measures 150 feet wide and 965 feet long. But the property comes with a perpetual riparian grant that permits extension up to 2,850 feet into the Atlantic.

“How often does someone get to own a piece of the ocean? That’s exactly what this offers,” Ryan Serhant, founder and CEO of SERHANT, who is representing the listing alongside Michele Zyska and Kevin Bergin. “The Steel Pier isn’t just five acres on the most famous boardwalk in the world, it actually offers the chance to own the Atlantic itself and build something unforgettable on top of it.”

The star and executive producer of Netflix’s Owning Manhattan added: “There is nothing else like it on the East Coast.”

An aerial view of Steel Pier in Atlantic City, N.J.Credit: Real Estate Cinema

The property sits directly across from the Hard Rock Hotel + Casino. An approximately 40,000-square-foot building at the front entrance includes a sky bridge and roof that connects directly to the casino.

The property is currently operated as an amusement park, approved for rides, entertainment, food and beverage and special events. However, in 2008, it was approved and permitted for a condo-hotel entertainment complex.

According to Steel Pier’s website, rides include bumper cars, tea cups, a swinging carousel, a slingshot, a Ferris wheel and multiple family-friendly coasters. There’s even a helipad for scenic helicopter rides.

Advertisement

Guests walk through an archway at Steel Pier in Atlantic City, N.J.Credit: sep120 / Stockimo / Alamy Stock Photo

The property is currently owned by the Catanoso family, under the management of Atlantic Pier Amusements, Inc. In a press release, company president Anthony Catanoso said “it’s time for someone with a bold vision” to carry the history of the pier forward.

The Catanoso family purchased the property in 2011 from its previous owner, President Donald Trump, who acquired the pier as part of the purchase for the adjacent Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort. According to NJ.com, the Catanoso family long operated the rides on the pier and bought it for $4.25 million before Trump could auction it off.

Since the 2011 acquisition, the family has completed a variety of improvements, including refurbishments on the sky bridge and the addition of a new office building complex and a 485,000-pound Ferris wheel, which was installed in 2017.

Construction on the pier began in 1897 and it first opened to the public in 1898 as a theater. It later expanded to include rides, exhibits and other attractions, earning the nickname, “Showplace of the Nation.” The structure stretched to nearly 2,300 feet at its peak.

In the late 1980s, the pier was rebuilt with steel reinforced concrete strong enough to hold a 15-story hotel, though construction of that building never came to fruition.

— sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Throughout its history, the pier has served as a backdrop in several films, like The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Bounty Hunter and Five Dollars a Day, as well as TV series like Cake Boss and My College Friends.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Breaking"

Read More

---

Source: Breaking

Published: September 18, 2026 at 01:54AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

4:00 PM

A 128-Year-Old Amusement Park Pier Once Owned by Donald Trump Is Up for Sale for $85 Million

A 128YearOld Amusement Park Pier Once Owned by Donald Trump Is Up for Sale for $85 Million Colson ThayerThu, September 17, 2026...

Read More

Trump admin's 'Apprentice'-like competition is coming. What to know

Trump admin&x27;s &x27;Apprentice&x27;like competition is coming. What to know Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYThu, September 17, 2026 at 8:49 PM UTC 36 Five entrepreneurs selected from across 50 states will vie for a $1 million total prize before a panel of celebrity judges and a live audience at a competition supported by the White House&x27;s Freedom 250 initiative.

Trump admin's 'Apprentice'-like competition is coming. What to know

Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYThu, September 17, 2026 at 8:49 PM UTC

36

Five entrepreneurs selected from across 50 states will vie for a $1 million total prize before a panel of celebrity judges and a live audience at a competition supported by the White House's Freedom 250 initiative.

The entrepreneurs from Maine, Georgia, Iowa, Wyoming and California will participate in the Million Dollar Pitch Competition, part of the Small Business Administration's Freedom 250 initiative, "recognizing the entrepreneurs and small businesses that helped build America’s first 250 years, and those who will help build its next 250."

"The competition spotlights the small businesses who leveraged SBA capital products to innovate, scale operations, and strengthen the American economy," SBA said in a July 30 news release, adding the finalists were selected from 1,182 businesses representing all 50 states.

SBA said contestants throughout the process were "evaluated on their ability to strengthen American competitiveness, demonstrate strong small business performance and innovation, create economic impact and quality jobs, and show sound business fundamentals and execution readiness."

When is the White House's Million Dollar Pitch Competition?

The competition will take place on Friday, Sept. 18 in Washington, DC.

SBA head Kelly Loeffler likened the competition to President Donald Trump's long-running NBC show "The Apprentice," saying it will be "bringing the boardroom energy" to Washington, DC.

What small businesses will compete in the Million Dollar Pitch Competition?

The five finalists selected for the final round, according to SBA, include:

Compotech Inc., a defense technology company in Brewer, Maine

Plas-Tech Tooling, a plastic mold manufacturing company in Garner, Iowa

Red River, a pressure vessel manufacturer in Gillette, Wyoming

VetPowered LLC, a machinery manufacturing firm in San Diego, California

Winton Machine, a metalworking machinery manufacturer in Suwanee, Georgia

How much is the prize money?

Contestants at the Sept. 18 final will compete for a $1 million total cash prize pool funded by Clover Network Inc., according to SBA, the breakdown of which includes:

1st place: $400,000

2nd place: $250,000

3rd place: $150,000

4th place: $125,000

5th place: $75,000

Million Dollar Pitch Competition host

Actor and entrepreneur Dean Cain will host the competition, the SBA said.

Advertisement

Cain wrote in an Aug. 31 X post that he would be "honored" to host.

The actor, who played Superman in the 1990s series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," also said he enlisted as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, according to an August 2025 video shared to his social media channels.

'Pilloried and attacked': Dean Cain defends new role with ICE

Million Dollar Pitch Competition judges

Trump advocate Nicki Minaj will participate in the competition as a celebrity judge, alongside entrepreneur and private equity fund manager Grant Cardone and Airbnb co-founder and U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia.

"This is a major, MAJOR KEY 🔑. Sooooooooooo looking forward to this!!!" Minaj wrote in an Aug. 31 X post. "Imagine being a part of the Trump Administration’s initiative to support small businesses. Let’s GO!!!!!!!!!! 🎀"

Cardone also said he was "super excited and grateful" to be a judge on "this incredible initiative," while Gebbia also celebrated his participation.

How to watch Million Dollar Pitch Competition

SBA said the event will be "produced on Sept. 18 for a nationally distributed primetime special premiering in October, with additional details to be announced."

USA TODAY contacted the SBA on Sept. 17 for more information on how to watch the show.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump admin's 'Apprentice'-like competition is coming. What to know

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Breaking"

Read More

---

Source: Breaking

Published: September 18, 2026 at 01:54AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

byRed Roads Media

in

4:00 PM

Trump admin's 'Apprentice'-like competition is coming. What to know

Trump admin&x27;s &x27;Apprentice&x27;like competition is coming. What to know Saman Shafiq, USA TODAYThu, September 17,...

Read More