US Supreme Court hears Cisco bid to halt Falun Gong suit

The Puma was scratched from the 152nd Kentucky Derby due to leg swelling from a skin infection, leaving only 19 horses in Saturday's field at Churchill Downs.

Because the horse was pulled on the morning of the race, no substitute replaced him in the lineup, meaning the maximum 20 horses would not compete over the 1.25-mile distance in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Puma, trained by Gustavo Delgado, had been among the favorites at 8-1 and was set to depart from the ninth gate.

"We discovered some swelling in his leg due to a skin infection," Delgado's GDS Racing said in a statement. "It's incredibly disappointing but the swelling should go down within a day or two. It's just really bad timing."

The Derby is the first leg in US flat racing's Triple Crown, which continues with the Preakness in two weeks and the Belmont Stakes in June.

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Audiobook giant Audible opened what it billed as the first "bookless bookstore" in New York on Friday as industry statistics show more American consumers embracing the format.

There is no rustle of pages or stacks of best-selling novels at the pop-up store opened by the Amazon subsidiary on the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

"This is a physical place entirely dedicated to bringing audio storytelling to life," Audible CEO Bob Carrigan said during a press tour of the "Audible Story House" on Thursday.

It was a slightly "wild idea" which "took quite a bit of imagination," Carrigan said, adding that the month-long pop-up aims to "bring audiobooks to life in this environment where you can browse, you can connect with people."

According to the Audio Publishers Association (APA), audiobook sales reached $2.22 billion in the United States in 2024, nearly doubling over the past five years.

In the store, audiobook tablets called "story tiles" line the shelves, ready to be inserted into a player for listening through headphones.

Each tile plays a short excerpt and the full title can be accessed on the Audible app.

The platform, which dominates the audiobook market, offers paid subscriptions, individual purchases and free access to some titles for Amazon account holders.

The venue also has a room lined with speakers for headphone-free listening, as well as a "Listening Bar" where "Story Tenders" will "guide attendees in finding the perfect audiobook for their tastes and interest," according to the press release.

The space aims to reflect the fast-growing popularity of the format as well as the "shift toward offline experiences and real-world connection."

"Audible Story House taps into the nostalgia and community feel of book culture while bringing it fully into the present," the company said.

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Two activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla, arrested off the coast of Greece, have been brought to Israel for questioning, a move Spain has condemned as "illegal".

The flotilla of more than 50 vessels had set sail from France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking an Israeli blockade of Gaza and bringing supplies to the devastated Palestinian territory. 

They were intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece early on Thursday, with Israel saying it had removed some 175 activists -- two of whom were taken to Israel for questioning.

Organisers accused Israel of "kidnapping" 211 people.

On the social media platform X, Israel's foreign ministry identified the pair as Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian national, saying were taken to Israel "for questioning by law enforcement authorities".

But Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares denounced the detention of Abu Keshek as "illegal", saying it would further stain deteriorating bilateral ties.

"This is an illegal detention in international waters, outside any jurisdiction of the Israeli authorities, meaning Saif Abu Keshek must be released immediately so he can return to Spain," Albares told Rac1 radio.

"This episode further strains our relationship... because this situation is unacceptable, a state should not behave in this manner."

- Worsening ties -

Ties between Israel and Spain have nosedived since the Gaza war sparked by the October 2023 cross-border attacks by Palestinian group Hamas, with Israel angered by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's criticism of its bombardment of the Palestinian territory. 

Both countries have withdrawn their ambassadors.

Israel's foreign ministry said the two activists were affiliated with an organisation that was sanctioned by the US Treasury.

That group -- the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) -- has been accused by Washington of "clandestinely acting on behalf of" Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The Treasury said the organisation had played a role in organising other Gaza-bound flotillas aimed at breaking Israel's blockade.

Israel's foreign ministry said Abu Keshek was a leading member of the PCPA, and that Avila was also linked to the organisation and "suspected of illegal activity".

Albares rejected the allegation, saying: "The information I myself have requested indicates that no link can be established between Saif Abu Keshek and Hamas".

Avila was among the organisers of a flotilla that tried to bring aid to Gaza last year that was also intercepted by Israeli forces.

- Activists 'beaten' -

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza and the territory has been under Israeli blockade since 2007.

Throughout the Gaza war, there have been shortages of critical supplies in the Palestinian territory, with Israel at times cutting off aid entirely.

Organisers of the latest flotilla said the Israeli interception took place more than 1,000 kilometres from Gaza and their equipment was smashed, leaving them facing a "calculated death trap at sea".

Dozens of intercepted activists disembarked on Friday at the Greek island of Crete, according to an AFP journalist.

Organisers published photos on X showing two activists with bruises on their faces. One participant said in distributed footage that Israeli forces had "beaten" them "several times".

Israeli rights group Adalah said its lawyers had met the two detained activists at Shikma Prison in Ashkelon.

Avila told the lawyers he had been "subjected to extreme brutality" when the vessels were seized, adding that he was "dragged face-down across the floor and beaten so severely that he passed out twice".

Since arriving in Israel, he said he had been "kept in isolation and blindfolded," according to Adalah.

Abu Keshek was also "hand-tied and blindfolded ... and forced to lie face-down on the floor from the moment of his seizure" until reaching Israel, the group said.

Both have "declared a hunger strike, though they are continuing to drink water," it added.

The Global Sumud Flotilla's first Mediterranean voyage to Gaza in the summer and autumn of 2025 drew worldwide attention, before Israeli forces intercepted the boats off the coasts of Egypt and Gaza in early October.

Crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and expelled by Israeli forces.

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Around 20,000 partygoers gathered on Saturday for an illegal rave at a military site in France, defying warnings about the risk of possible explosions from old ordnance.

Thumping techno music echoed across a vast firing range near the central French town of Bourges as revellers -- many dressed in brightly coloured outfits, others shirtless -- assembled for the unauthorised event, known as a "free party", which began on Friday.

Behind them, tents and vans stretched across the grassy field.

Organisers expected as many as 30,000 people from France and neighbouring countries to arrive at the peak of the event this weekend.

The get-together comes as French parliament is seeking to tighten legislation against unauthorised rave parties, introducing prison sentences for organisers and fines for attendees.

"Despite its illegal nature, the government has mobilised to ensure the safety of this event and limit any disturbances," the prefecture said.

Philippe Le Moing Surzur, the local prefect, said the site was "extremely dangerous due to the unexploded ordnance it may contain".

While modern shells posed no threat, he warned of the risk from older unexploded ordnance dating back to World War II.

- Old artillery shells -

He said that even the France's Directorate General of Armaments, which owns the land, did not have precise knowledge of the risks.

"This is a site that has been in use for 150 years, and we know there are potentially old artillery shells there," he said, adding that bomb disposal experts discover them regularly.

The firing range covers 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) and is crisscrossed by roads that are closed during tests but open to the public at other times.

Signs prohibit access to the range itself, but it is not fenced.

The organisers have urged attendees to refrain from lighting fires, digging or picking up any objects.

The prefect said some 2,000 cars arrived unannounced on Thursday night.

"It's unmanageable when you don't know in advance," he said.

To prepare for any eventuality, authorities designated helicopter landing zones, he said.

"This is clearly the only solution, since I don't have the means to forcibly remove 20,000 people from this site."

Emergency services treated 12 people with minor injuries Saturday morning.

The prefect said one person was struck by a vehicle, and a number of the injured people cut themselves while handling sharp shrapnel.

Revellers see the giant party not only as a chance to unwind, but also as a protest against the rave-curbing legislation.

"It's a way of showing that participants are mobilised and will keep coming, whatever happens, and will continue to challenge these laws," a member of the Tekno Anti Rep collective told AFP.

- 'Message against repression' -

A free party is usually an illegal form of rave rooted in anti-establishment culture.

They are held without permission in remote locations, and admission is free or by donation.

"I had heard there were going to be a lot of people, but once you're there, it's still a shock to see so many people gathered in one place," a 22-year-old man said on condition of anonymity.

Another partygoer, 19, also anonymous, said the turnout was "a strong message against repression".

Around 600 police and 45 firefighters have been deployed at the site.

"We're getting ready for a big get-together tonight," said Edith Raquin, the mayor of Cornusse, a village of 220 people located less than two kilometres (about one mile) from the site. 

She said that revellers came across as "peaceful people" and some elderly residents were "delighted" to talk with them.

"They are polite, they say hello," Raquin said. 

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(The Center Square) – Many farm-focused organizations say they support a GOP-led legislative package on agriculture that narrowly passed through the U.S. House.

The Illinois Farm Bureau has urged the U.S. Senate to get to work on passing the Food, Farm and National Security Act of 2026, commonly referred to as the "Farm Bill." It would reauthorize many agricultural programs under the USDA through 2031, if passed by the Senate.

While containing a swath of different measures, the legislation was backed by many lawmakers and agricultural groups seeking to address rising costs, growing economic concerns, and other difficulties farmers face across the country.

Rebecca Barnett, director of national legislation for the bureau, said the previous 2018 policy is now outdated, and new measures – such as raising the cap on loans farmers can receive through some USDA loan programs – will help Illinois farmers who are struggling with rising operating costs.

“I would say 98% of all [Illinois] farmers are family owned farms. It will help all of those folks, just kind of with helping manage risk. That's the key with the farm bill, especially given weather disasters, high supply cost,” Barnett said.

Kevin Johnson, a farmer and director of government relations for Illinois Soybean Growers, highlighted crop research funding and higher caps on USDA loans. He also said adjustments to how the government values crops will benefit farmers who use crop insurance.

“The crop insurance part is the most important to me and our farmers. As long as we have a good strong commodity title, we can weather a lot of this stuff. Doesn't mean we're going to make money every year if it's low. But crop insurance lets you least sleep at night,” Johnson said.

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, IL-13, sits on the House Agricultural Committee and has repeatedly voiced opposition to the bill, including in March, when she said the final version of the bill does not address issues farmers and rural Americans face.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, IL-02, also voted against the bill, despite having some of her own ideas included.

“Republicans jammed through a Farm Bill that steals food from the mouths of children, ignores rising grocery costs, and does not protect farmers from President Trump’s tariffs,” Kelly said in a statement.

Funding cuts, eligibility changes and new work requirements for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, approved by Congress last July largely began taking effect Friday. Nearly 2 million Illinoisans are enrolled in the program, also known as food stamps, according to state data.

The narrow vote in the House was just one hurdle the farm bill must pass, and it is likely to face more scrutiny when it is taken up in the Senate, according to Johnson.

“This is a step of many at the end of the day. This is not across the finish line yet because again, we’ve still got to go to the Senate,” Johnson said.

The last time a new Farm Bill became law was in 2018, which expired in 2023. Johnson said short-term extensions have been the only thing keeping farmers afloat.

Barnett said the Senate needs to work on the bill, or there could be financial harm for farmers.

“Without action to pass a new farm bill, I think family farms and families risk losing access to critical programs ranging from conservation to rural development, to research, to energy. There's just so much in the bill that we'd risk losing,” Barnett said.

(The Center Square) - Indiana voters head to the polls Tuesday to elect party representatives in several competitive primary races.

Across the Hoosier state, local political figures are seeking to oust representatives in the U.S. House. Here are some of the most competitive primary races throughout the state.

District 4

U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., is seeking a fifth term in office to represent Indiana’s fourth congressional district. Baird, first elected in 2018, has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

“Congressman Jim Baird is a Tremendous Champion for the Great People of Indiana’s 4th Congressional District!” Trump wrote on social media.

In previous cycles, Baird has comfortably won the Republican primary and gone on to win the general election. However, this year, state Rep. Craig Haggard is mounting a primary challenge against the incumbent.

Haggard has focused his campaign on reducing the national debt and advancing causes for military service members. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2022.

“He is not afraid to break ranks and vote against legislation that works to increase taxes,” Haggard wrote in Ballotpedia’s candidate connection survey.

Haggard also said he would advocate for the Second Amendment and work to advance constitutional protections for gun rights, if elected.

Baird has focused his campaign on his experience in the position as a representative in Congress. He also said he would continue to advocate for Trump’s agenda if reelected.

“I will continue working with President Trump to deliver results for Hoosiers, grow our economy, stand up for American agriculture, strengthen our military, secure our border and put America first,” Baird said.

The primary is likely to be the toughest race Baird has faced in his career in the U.S. House, analysts say. The most recent filing data from the Federal Elections Commission found Baird raised $139,000 and spent $172,000 in the race and Haggard raised $99,000 and spent $43,000.

A slew of Democrats are also competing for the party’s nomination in the historically Republican-held district.

District 5

In yet another challenge to an incumbent, U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., will face off against fellow Republican Scott King. Spartz is seeking a fourth term against King, who previously sought the seat.

Spartz is coming off a narrow primary win in 2024, where she took 39% of the vote, with her next closest competitor, Chuck Goodrich, obtaining 33% of the vote.

President Donald Trump also endorsed Spartz in the 5th district race. Spartz has called for Congress to help implement Trump’s agenda and stop furthering the national debt.

“The swamp will be back in business in four years if not drained through the law,” Spartz said shortly after Trump’s 2024 election victory. “Congress cannot fail President Trump and the American people again.”

King, an army veteran, said he plans to bring a more pragmatic and transparent approach to government.

“When I first get to Washington I will start weekly VLOGs to inform my constituents back in my beautiful Home State of Indiana. It is important to show as much transparency as possible,” King wrote in Ballotpedia’s candidate connection survey.

District 7

Indiana’s seventh congressional district, which includes all of Indianapolis and surrounding area, will see fierce competition for the Democratic nomination.

Incumbent Rep. André Carson, 51, faces a tough primary challenge from three Democrats to secure the party’s nomination for November general election.

Carson has focused his campaign on expanding access to early childhood education and pushing back on the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal Education Department. He called for raising teacher pay, and reducing barriers to entry for teacher’s licenses.

“Investing in teachers means investing in students, and I will continue to advocate for policies that support educators and improve learning outcomes,” Carson said.

Denise Paul Hatch, George Hornedo and Destiny Scott Wells are all challenging Carson for the Democratic nomination.

Hornedo, a former U.S. Department of Justice official during the Obama administration, criticized Carson as “one of the least effective members of Congress,” according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

Hornedo called for better political infrastructure within Indiana to get more Democrats elected.

“Indianapolis deserves stronger, more accountable representation – someone who can do more for the people who live here,” Hornedo said.

Other races

Hoosier state voters will also head to the polls on Tuesday to elect party representatives in the Indiana Senate and House of Representatives. There are 25 seats open for election in the Indiana Senate and all 100 seats are up for election in the Indiana House of Represenatives. 

State senators are elected to four year terms in Indiana while state representatives are elected for two year terms. Indiana has a Republican trifecta, which means the GOP controls the state House, Senate and governors office. 

In the Indiana Senate, 40 seats are controlled by Republicans. The GOP controls 70 seats in the Indiana House. 

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Check out these great things you can get up to around Great Falls!

Montana's largest car show, Crusin' the Drag, is Saturday on Central Avenue from 10 am to 3 pm. 

You can find out more about participating in Cruisin' the Drag on their website here. 

Get a look at Great Falls' namesake as Ryan Island opens on Mother's Day! Recreationists can visit Ryan Dam through Labor Day when it closes for the season.

Read more on the Great Falls from Visit Great Falls here! 

If seeing what the city was named after has you hungry for more history, check out the downtown walking tours with The History Museum!

Hear unique stories, learn about the city's origins and what shaped the Electric City on Tuesdays in May, from May 12 through May 26 at 6pm, and on Saturdays from May 16 through May 30 at 1 pm.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Saturday announced his arrival in Eswatini -- Taipei's only diplomatic ally in Africa -- after an earlier trip was cancelled when several countries revoked overflight permits.

Those various African nations withdrew overflight permission following "intense pressure" from Beijing, one of Lai's closest advisers said at the time, forcing cancellation of the initially scheduled April 22-26 trip.

Lai on Saturday said only that his initial visit had been "suspended due to unexpected external forces".

But "after days of secret arrangements by the diplomatic and national security teams, we arrived successfully today (Saturday)," he said in a Facebook post.

"I hope this trip will contribute to even deeper friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini, thanks to closer economic, agricultural, cultural and educational links, as well as promote Taiwan's international cooperation," he added.

In response to Lai's trip, China's foreign ministry on Saturday accused him of making a "stowaway-style escape farce" that made him "an international laughing stock".

"No matter how the DPP authorities collude with external forces ... it is all in vain and cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China," an unnamed spokesperson said in a statement on the ministry's website, referring to Lai's party.

"We urge Eswatini and other individual countries to see clearly the general trend of history ... and not pull chestnuts out of the fire for a handful of 'Taiwan independence' separatists," the statement said. 

Eswatini, a small enclave kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, is one of 12 countries that still recognise Taiwan. China has persuaded other nations to break diplomatic ties with the self-ruled island, which it claims as part of its territory.

Lai was due in Eswatini in April for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession to the throne, but cancelled the visit after the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked overflight permissions, "unexpectedly and without notice", according to his office.

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A senior Iranian military officer said on Saturday that renewed fighting with the US was "likely", hours after President Donald Trump said he was not satisfied with an Iranian negotiating proposal.

Iran delivered the new draft to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, state media reported, without detailing its contents.

The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has been on hold since April 8, with one failed round of peace talks having taken place in Pakistan since then.

"At this moment I'm not satisfied with what they're offering," Trump told reporters, blaming stalled talks on "tremendous discord" within Iran's leadership.

"Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever -- or do we want to try and make a deal?" he added, saying he would "prefer not" to take the first option "on a human basis".

On Saturday morning, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in the Iranian military's central command, said "a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely", in quotes published by Iran's Fars news agency.

"Evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements," he added.

- 'Like pirates' -

Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Friday that his country had "never shied away from negotiations", but would not accept an "imposition" of peace terms.

The White House has declined to provide details on the latest Iranian proposal, but news site Axios reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff had submitted amendments to a previous one putting Tehran's nuclear programme back on the negotiating table.

The changes reportedly include demands that Iran not move enriched uranium from bombed sites or resume activity there during talks.

News of the Iranian proposal briefly pushed oil prices down nearly five percent, though they remain about 50 percent above pre-war levels amid the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has maintained a stranglehold on the strait since the war began, choking off major flows of oil, gas and fertiliser to the world economy, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

Speaking at a rally on Friday, Trump said "we're like pirates" as he described an earlier helicopter raid on an oil tanker under the blockade.   

Despite the ceasefire in the Gulf, fighting has continued in Lebanon, where Israel has carried out deadly strikes despite a separate truce with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

Lebanon's health ministry said 13 people were killed in strikes in the south, including in the town of Habboush, where the Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning.

Meanwhile, Washington announced late Friday it had approved major arms sales to its allies in the Middle East, including a $4 billion Patriot missile deal with Qatar and nearly $1 billion in precision weapons systems to Israel.

- 'Terminated' -

In Washington, lawmakers were wrestling with a legal dispute over whether Trump had breached a deadline to seek congressional approval for the war.

Administration officials argue that the ceasefire pauses a 60-day limit, after which congressional authorisation would be required -- a claim disputed by opposition Democrats.

Trump faces growing domestic pressure, with inflation rising, no clear victory in sight and midterm elections approaching.

"There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," Trump said in letters to congressional leaders, adding that the hostilities "have terminated".

In Iran, the war's economic toll is deepening.

Washington has imposed new sanctions on three Iranian currency firms and warned others against paying a "toll" for safe passage through Hormuz, as demanded by Iran.

The US military says its blockade of Iranian ports has stopped $6 billion in Iranian oil exports, while inflation in Iran, already high before the war, has surged past 50 percent.

"Everyone is trying to endure it, but... they are falling apart," 40-year-old Amir, a Tehran resident, told an AFP reporter based outside the country.

"We still have not seen much of the economic effects because everyone had a bit of savings. They had some gold and dollars for a rainy day. When they run out, things will change."

Meanwhile, the Iranian authorities executed two men on Saturday convicted of spying for Israel, the judiciary said, the latest in a string of executions in recent weeks.

One of the men was found guilty of assisting Israel during last June's 12-day war.

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(The Center Square) – The U.S. national debt is now larger than the entire American economy and is only set to keep growing, further exacerbating the affordability crisis and risking national security.

Out of the $39 trillion total national debt, debt held by the public hit $31.27 trillion on March 31, surpassing the $31.22 trillion in Gross Domestic Product over the past 12 months.

The fact that the national debt has reached 100% of GDP – the highest in history except for the years immediately following World War II – is “deeply troubling,” Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, told The Center Square.

“Following World War II, we actually had a good reason for having such a high debt, and the government was on a path to reduce that debt after the war ended,” Boccia said. “In this case, we have debt as high as since World War II, except we are on a steep upward trajectory, and it's not driven by a temporary war but by permanent entitlement obligations that are expanding – that's Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.”

Social Security and Medicare spending alone made up more than 30% of federal outlays in fiscal year 2025, and that spending is projected to continuously increase in the near future.

While some U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern over the unprecedented debt increase, there is little to no action on substantially reducing federal spending.

Yet if Congress does not rein in deficits quickly, current and future generations of American taxpayers will feel the economic brunt of the rising interest costs that servicing the debt requires.

“The reason we concern ourselves with debt to GDP is primarily because of the burden it poses for current and future generations, and that is primarily measured in the interest costs that servicing the debt requires from working Americans and taxpayers,” Boccia said.

“There's strong research indicating that when debt grows to such high levels, above 80% of GDP, it tends to crowd out private sector investment, which reduces economic growth, and therefore economic opportunities, jobs, and higher wages.”

In the immediate term, rising debt worsens affordability by spiking interest costs on Americans’ credit card debts, mortgages, car loans, student loans and more.

“The federal government is using up so much credit in the market that it’s driving up interest costs, and it affects all of us,” Boccia said. “It has these downstream effects.”

The U.S. currently spends more money on financing debt interest costs than it does on national defense – even as high debt ratios directly endanger national security.

“The reason we want governments to maintain low stable debt ratios, preferably below 60% of GDP, is so that they have room, so-called fiscal capacity, to borrow during times of crisis. And that can be a pandemic, a national security crisis, a financial crisis, or an economic recession like we saw in 2008,” Boccia said.

“When governments have that room to borrow for that emergency response, it means that their recessions aren't as severe and they can more easily return to normal economic growth after the crisis ends,” she added. “But when a government enters a crisis already over-leveraged, holding too much debt, they're not able to borrow as much as they otherwise would have in order to weather the crisis, and so the crisis will be more severe.”

In a situation where America is at war, the results would be disastrous.

“If you don’t have the fiscal capacity to respond to a military threat, then you are leaving yourself at risk of not being able to defend yourself,” Boccia said. The national debt is our greatest national security risk.”

Without major changes to federal fiscal policy, the U.S. government will default on its debt in about 20 years, according to Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates.