Mizzou offensive lineman Cayden Green (70) (copy)

The college football season started with Week 0 games Saturday, but some of the biggest matchups for the sport are still being decided in the courtroom.

The stories that have dominated the preseason have been the back-and-forth of eligibility lawsuits and the reactions from conferences attempting to establish stability. To Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, that’s a shameful look for the sport.

“The season’s kicked off (and) we do not know what the rules are for eligibility,” Drinkwitz said in a press conference Saturday. “That's embarrassing, man. This is the second most watched sport in the United States, and for us to be operating like this is a complete clown show. It's disappointing.”

Amidst the chaos, Drinkwitz reaffirmed his support for the Protect College Sports Act, a bill that will be up for a vote in the Senate in September.

The bill would aim to establish a national standard with significant rule changes on transfers, eligibility and conference movement.

The bill didn’t gain the crucial support it needed from the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten until July 31, just over a week before the Senate’s recess. The bill’s supporters failed to get a vote on the bill before the recess began Aug. 8.

Drinkwitz believes the delay in support from the two biggest conferences played a significant role in the stalling of the vote.

“We spent all summer politicking (the Protect College Sports Act), and then at the last moment we all try to get behind it,” Drinkwitz said. “That's not how Washington D.C. works. We've been trying to do it for six years, and it took a while to even get on board, and now you see the results.”

Since the vote stalled, the balloon of eligibility lawsuits against the NCAA has continued to expanded.

A judge in Louisiana granted a temporary restraining order to 16 players who had signed NFL contracts this offseason to return to college football to align with the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model. This caused the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 to all put out rules regarding the return of former professionals, but even those rules are being challenged in court.

“If that bill had passed, this stuff is not happening right now because there's a framework for what the future of college athletics looks like,” Drinkwitz said.

Missouri benefited from an eligibility lawsuit in July, with defensive tackle Sterling Webb returning to the team after being granted a temporary restraining order. Drinkwitz reiterated that the Tigers would look to add players without violating any rules.

“I'm going to focus on my team,” Drinkwitz said. “If I'm told that I can add players, then I'll look to add players. I'm going to do whatever I'm supposed to do to help the University of Missouri win. … So whatever the rules are, we'll try to play by those rules.”

New stadium capacity revealed

Memorial Stadium’s capacity for the 2026 season will be set at 63,609, according to game notes issued by the team.

Before the reconstruction of the north end zone, the stadium’s capacity was set at 62,601. Mizzou Athletics initially estimated that the construction would bring the capacity to about 65,000, though a dramatic increase in capacity was never a top goal for the $250 million project.

Instead, most of the seating changes came in the form of new premium seating options.

“It is not intended to be a significant capacity growth,” director of athletics Laird Veatch said in a press conference in August 2025. “That was not the plan from the beginning. And I think for a lot of reasons, that's the smart and right way to look at expansion these days and what you're seeing across the country.”

MU names six team captains

Drinkwitz revealed the team captains, who all took turns speaking to the media. The six players who will wear the “C” on their jerseys are left tackle Cayden Green, center Dominick Giudice, running back Jamal Roberts, safety Santana Banner, linebacker Nick Rodriguez and kicker Blake Craig.

Green, Giudice and Rodriguez were decided by the staff, while the others were voted for by the team.

“Being named the captain is definitely one of the greatest honors of my lifetime,” Giudice said. “It just shows how the team and the coaches see me. (I’m) looking to take on that role as we go throughout the season, week by week, day by day and just lead other guys along as best as I (can).”

The team vote meant a lot for Craig after facing a plethora of adversity. A torn ACL in the season opener sidelined him for the entire year, but that didn’t shake anyone’s confidence in him.

“It's a blessing and an honor that my teammates think so highly of me,” Craig said. “I've worked my butt off to get back, and I think that they've recognized that. I just want to keep proving to them every day that I'm still that guy, and we're gonna have a great season.”

Drinkwitz announced the captains during a team walkthrough in Jefferson City. The individuals chosen acknowledged feeling grateful, but Rodriguez emphasised the importance of keeping the team first.

“We all try to lead and go to our common goal together,” Rodriguez said. “At the end of the day, we gotta do stuff together in order to get stuff done.”

Mizzou's week 1 depth chart brings surprises

Missouri’s game notes included a depth chart that highlighted the apparent winners of the preseason roster battles.

One of the most notable inclusions was Florida transfer Naeshaun Montgomery, who is listed as one of the starting X receivers. He split that title with Cincinnati transfer Caleb Goodie.

Montgomery was a composite four-star prospect out of high school, but didn’t have many opportunities to show off that skill set in his one season with the Gators. He’s worked himself into a role with the Tigers.

“Naeshaun’s been one of our most improved players from spring to now,” Drinkwitz said. “Just the consistency of the amount of work that he's put in, his commitment to the team. … He's made some unbelievable catches.”

The other interesting note on the offense is FCS transfer Colin Sorensen being listed as the backup center. Sorensen started at left tackle at Charleston Southern.

If Missouri needed someone to fill in for Giudice, the Tigers would likely play musical chairs on the offensive line, possibly moving Tristan Wilson over from the left guard spot. Wilson was the backup center in 2025 and the Tigers have good guard depth.

On defense, it appears that MU will roll out a rotational trio of starters: Chris Graves Jr., Sione Laulea and Jahlil Florence.

On special teams, sophomore wide receiver DaMarion Fowlkes is listed as both the starting kick and punt returner. In high school, the four-star prospect was a standout returner and also competed in track.

Mizzou sells out opener for third consecutive season

Mizzou’s opening matchup against the Golden Lions is officially sold out, according to Drinkwitz. The report was later confirmed by Mizzou Athletics on social media.  This marks the third year in a row that the Tigers have sold out the opener.

“Very appreciative of the fans,” he said. “A generous booster just purchased the last remaining (80 tickets).”

Memorial Stadium will open its gates to a packed house of fans eager to witness the Tigers begin their season. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday on Faurot Field. The game is available to watch on SEC Network.

The Tigers will be without their starting left tackle for the season opener, with Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz announcing in a press conference Saturday that Cayden Green will not play.

Drinkwitz didn’t give specifics on Green’s injury, saying, “I’m not going to give a medical report on it. We’re going to do what’s best for him.”

Though Week 1 presents an opportunity for two younger players to step in, Green’s status will become incredibly important as early as Week 2, when the Tigers are set to take on Kansas on Sept. 11.

Without the second-team All-SEC tackle, Missouri will lean on sophomore Jack Lange and junior Whit Hafer to hold down the left tackle spot against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

“A lot of confidence in Jack and Whit and how they'll handle it,” Drinkwitz said. “Now, it's their opportunity to improve their capabilities, so we're excited about that.”

Lange was the highest-rated recruit in the state of Missouri in the Class of 2025. He has spent his time with the Tigers filling out his 6 foot, 8 inch, 318-pound frame.

During fall camp, Lange was able to get some experience with the first team, stepping up on days when MU intentionally held Green out to get a better look at younger players. Drinkwitz said Lange did an excellent job with those opportunities.

“Jack's been a guy that was recruited with a lot of potential, and we've really poured into him to develop that,” Drinkwitz said. “I think he's done a really good job of buying into how (the offensive line coaches) have been coaching him.”

Hafer has worked his way up the depth chart over the last two years after transitioning from being a tight end in his freshman season to the offensive line. The Joplin product started his career at 256 pounds and is now listed at 310.

“Whit Hafer’s also a guy that's really been pushing, somebody that's consistent,” Drinkwitz said.

Hafer was first listed as an offensive lineman in the spring entering his sophomore season. Since then, he’s learned the skill set of every spot along the offensive line.

“Whit's done a great job, honestly, just doing whatever the coaches have asked of him,” center Dominick Giudice said. “He's really such a glue guy, and he's really able to play all five (positions) at a high level right now.”

Drinkwitz’s confidence in Hafer and Lange stepping in for Green is another testament to MU’s ability to develop offensive linemen. Out of the five starters in Week 1, three will be ‘homegrown’ players who started their career with the Tigers and worked their way up from almost the very bottom of the depth chart.

Drinkwitz has labeled Missouri as a developmental program, and arguably no position group has exemplified that more than the offensive line. The two starting guards — Curtis Peagler and Tristan Wilson — were both three-star prospects that have emerged out of competitions with transfers and more experienced players over the last two years.

Missouri’s 2026 debut against Arkansas-Pine Bluff will give one of the best looks of the season at the depth the Tigers are trying to build along the offensive line. Not only at left tackle, but also other young players who could earn playing time later in the game.

One to watch is freshman Khalief Canty Jr., who is listed as the second right guard behind Peagler on the depth chart.

“He's hungry,” Giudice said of Canty. “He's got that dog mentality in him. Ever since he's come in, he's ready to work and eager to work and to learn.”

Missouri will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

(The Center Square) - In Iowa, the candidates vying for an open U.S. Senate seat said affordability and taxation are key to their campaigns, but they have both similarities and differences in their planned approaches.

Iowa’s U.S. Senate election in November will be one of the most closely watched in the country and will help determine the majority control of the upper legislative chamber. The Cook Political Report recently designated the Iowa race as a “toss up,” meaning either party has a good chance of winning in the general election.

Republicans hold a 53-45 majority in the U.S. Senate, while two indepdent members caucus with Democrats. The Democratic party would need to flip four seats in the chamber to take control in November while holding all current seats. 

With incumbent U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announcing she would not run for reelection, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson secured the Republican nomination in the state. Iowa Rep. Josh Turek, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist for the United States national team, is the Democratic nominee for the post.

Hinson and Turek have made affordability concerns central to both of their campaigns throughout the campaign season. Both candidates have advocated for similar policies throughout their campaigns but also diverged in several areas.

Hinson called for allowing more first-time homebuyers to grow tax-free down payments for their first homes. She suggested the First Home Savings Opportunity Act, legislation that would allow homeowners to avoid taxes on down payments when purchasing a home.

“By allowing families to save tax-free to buy a home, we’ll help more families to be able to afford their dream home,” Hinson said when introducing the legislation in the U.S. House.

She also called for barring institutional investors from purchasing single family homes, a provision in the ROAD to Housing Act, which became law in July. Hinson voted for the ROAD to Housing Act as a member of the House of Representatives.

Turek also advocates for barring institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. He proposed a five-year ban on Wall Street investment firms purchasing single-family homes.

“Far too many homes are being bought up by Wall Street private equity and it’s impossible for us in the middle class to compete with these large Wall Street firms,” Turek told Radio Iowa in an interview.

Hinson has also focused her affordability policies on expanding tax relief to middle class families. She called for encouraging employers to invest in child care solutions. She touted her vote for the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, a signature piece of legislation passed in July 2025 which included no tax on tips, Social Security and overtime.

“Ashley Hinson and President Trump delivered monumental tax relief to Iowa’s families, workers, and farmers, and Josh Turek wants to instate a 90 percent tax rate,” said Samantha Cantrell, regional press secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Turek said he supports eliminating federal taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security. He also called for cutting middle class taxes and “closing loopholes” for billionaires and corporations in the tax code.

Turek’s campaign has emphasized his bipartisan record voting with Republicans.

“Josh will always do what is best for Iowa and Iowans, which is why he supports eliminating tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security, opposes benefits for illegal immigrants, and will fight to make billionaires pay their fair share,” a campaign spokesperson said in a statement.

Hinson and Turek also found agreement on expanding apprenticeship and technical education programs throughout Iowa to connect students with high-paying jobs.

Turek called for passage of the PRO Act, legislation that seeks to expand collective bargaining rights and union coordination with workers. The legislation is seen by advocates as an advancement of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.

“We need more representatives who understand that strong unions build strong wages. I will always fight to protect collective bargaining rights and put workers first,” Turek said.

Hinson leads the race in fundraising with more than $7.9 million in contributions and $6.7 million in cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission. Turek has more than $6.2 million in contributions and $2.3 million in cash on hand.

Hinson has received $40,000 from the 2026 Senators Classic Committee, $7,000 from the Heart of America Group and $39,000 from the Senate Path to Victory 2026. Turek received $5,000 from the Communications Workers of America, $10,000 from Forward Together PAC and $10,000 from the Blue Wave Project.

Voters will head to the polls in Iowa on Nov. 3 to determine who their next U.S. Senator will be and have a significant impact on the makeup of the chamber. Early voting starts Oct. 14.

(The Center Square) – Tariffs will cost Americans about $200 billion per year, according to the National Taxpayers Union, and school supplies aren’t exempt from the heightened costs getting passed on to the American consumer. 

As summer winds down and students head back to the classroom, parents are paying more to fill their carts with notebooks, backpacks and other school supplies – about $147 more, according to one trade analyst.

The Center Square’s Greg Bishop spoke Thursday with Bryan Riley, director of the National Taxpayers Union’s Free Trade Initiative, on The Center Square’s news show “The States” about how tariffs are affecting the economy.

“Almost everything is driven up by the cost of tariffs,” Riley told Bishop. 

But costs aren’t driven up uniformly, Riley said. Tariffs impact some goods more than others.

“In some cases, it’s a big chunk. For clothing, it's a big chunk. In other cases, it’s kind of like getting nickel-and-dimed. Everything, almost everything, costs a little bit more, and it’s a policy that really hurts those lower income households the most, who are least able to afford the cost of the tariffs,” Riley said.

The National Taxpayers Union calculated the added cost to some common kids’ items around this time of year – things like new shoes for sports, calculators, notebooks, writing utensils and new clothes.

On average, tariffs have added $18.80 to the cost of sports footwear, $4.90 to calculators, $0.85 to notebooks and $5.13 to clothing. The average cost of writing utensils increased slightly, from $0.1 to $0.5.  

“One of the defenses of these tariffs historically has been, ‘Oh, it's just a little bit, and you won't even notice it when you buy that can of food and when you buy that pack of pencils. But it all adds up,” Riley said.

And that added cost can be especially substantial when the buyer is a school district, which is supported by taxpayer dollars.

“Go to the grocery store, buy a can of beans. It's not going to affect you much. But if you're a school district and you're feeding thousands of kids, that really affects your bottom line, and it directly comes out of the taxpayers’ wallet,” Riley said. 

Bishop also spoke to economist Orphe Divounguy after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Personal Income and Outlays report for July.

Divounguy confirmed what consumers are feeling: Costs are rising. 

“The average household is spending roughly $2,900 more per year to buy the same basket of goods than they did a year ago,” Divounguy said.

But Divounguy also noted other factors besides tariffs. 

“You have record government spending that’s pushing interest rates higher. You have the war on the other side of the world that’s affecting oil prices,” Divounguy said. 

“If you look at the overall economy right now, if you look at Q2 GDP numbers, what you see is that outside of AI spending, the AI build-out, there isn't much else growing in this economy anymore, and I think that is concerning,” Divounguy said. “Unless you get relief on the tariff front, unless you get relief on the gas front and oil, the energy front, unless you get government to make some adjustments that will result in lower interest rates, not higher interest rates, the consumer is going to continue to feel the pinch.”

(The Center Square) – A majority of American voters agree that student loan debt is too risky, with many graduates struggling to find good-paying jobs, according to a new poll. 

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 50% say taking on student loan debt for a college degree is too risky because of the challenge of finding jobs to justify the cost. Meanwhile, 35% say a college degree is still worth taking on student loan debt because it can improve long-term career and income opportunities.

The poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights from Aug. 12-16, surveying 2,533 registered U.S. voters. The sample was comprised of 930 Republicans, 930 Democrats and 673 independents. Among independent voters, 330 respondents were classified as "true independents" or individuals who do not lean toward either major party when given the choice.

Views varied depending on respondents’ level of education.

Among those with a bachelor’s degree, 43% said taking on student loan debt is still worth it, while 46% said taking out loans is too risky. 

Among respondents with postgraduate degrees, the balance flipped. Forty-seven percent said student loans are worth taking on, compared with 40% who said the debt is too risky.

According to education data, outstanding federal student loan debt stands at roughly $1.8 trillion, with nearly 47 million borrowers carrying an average balance of about $40,000.

Mike Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, told The Center Square that the value of a college degree can depend heavily on a student’s chosen major.

He noted that the growing number of highly specialized majors can leave graduates with relatively few job opportunities or low-paying positions, particularly in some nonprofit fields.

Noble also said some graduates are entering the workforce with significant student debt and multiple degrees but little practical experience.

“You're seeing these kids with a lot of loan debt, or they're getting just degrees on top of degrees before ever stepping into the workforce,” Noble told The Center Square. “And then they step in like, 'But I have all this education,' and the employer's like, 'Well, you have zero experience.' And they're like, 'Yeah, but I have these degrees,' and they're [the employers] like, 'I don't care. What have you done?'"

Noble said the student debt situation is partly the result of a generational push toward higher education.

“You had all these groups where they didn't go. It's like 'No, you got to go to college' because they wanted what they didn't have for their kids. So they all did it, and so you had this huge influx,” Noble said. “Now there are so many options … Anyone can start college today and sign off for those loans … But is that person serious? Are they going to go through the program?"

While only about 38% of Americans have graduated with a college degree or higher, 25% to 28% of jobs require a degree. Those facing the greatest student loan repayment challenges tend to fall into two groups: students who leave college without completing a degree and graduate students who accumulate substantial debt.

The poll’s margin of error is +/- 2%.

(The Center Square) – Many inmates who die in Los Angeles County jails have been behind bars for weeks or months before their deaths, according to a new UCLA study.

The study, published July 28 in PLOS One, looked at 509 jail deaths from 2008 through 2023 and over 1.4 million bookings.

The median time between arrest and death was 57.5 days; 4.1% of deaths happened within one day of arrest, and 16.7% occurred within one week.

The median time before an acute substance-related death was 63 days. That’s just over two months. That finding challenges the idea that most jail overdose deaths come from drugs taken shortly before an arrest.

“People are dying of overdoses, not from substances they imbibed around the time of arrest, but from drugs they had access to in jail,” UCLA environmental scientist Nicholas Shapiro said.

Acute substance-related deaths made up 4% of all jail deaths in 2008 and nearly 26.5% in 2023. After adjusting for age, the study found the risk of dying from a drug overdose or withdrawal was 49% higher in the jail population than in California overall.

About 70% of those who died were being held before trial. They had not been convicted of the charges keeping them in jail.

The findings follow repeated problems with Los Angeles County’s medication-assisted treatment program. The program uses medications like buprenorphine to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.

Los Angeles County spends roughly $25 million a year on the program. Between 2,350 and 2,650 people received treatment on a given day last year, CalMatters reported.

Still, the waitlist grew from 363 people in September 2025 to 835 by the end of October. The average wait was 25 days. County officials blamed budget and staffing problems.

The county received an additional $8 million in opioid settlement money last fiscal year. Health officials said the money paid for medications across the jail system, including drugs used to treat substance use disorders. Yet, the treatment program’s funding remained the same as the county shifted an equal amount of other funding to other priorities.

In a December 2025 letter, the California Coalition of Alcohol and Drug Associations asked county supervisors to end the waitlist and make sure people can continue treatment when they enter or leave jail.

“Every overdose behind bars is preventable, and every one is a policy failure,” CAADPE Executive Director Robb Layne said.

The county says the formal waitlist is gone.

“There has not been a waitlist for months,” LA Health Services told the Los Angeles Times in June.

A county Office of Inspector General report called monthly buprenorphine injections the best treatment method in a jail setting. Unlike daily oral medication, inmates cannot trade injections inside a jail. Administering them also requires less staff time.

Los Angeles County jail deaths remain high. The Sheriff’s Department dashboard lists 25 deaths through Aug. 12. One was a confirmed fentanyl overdose in April. Many recent causes remain pending.

The Board of Supervisors approved a plan in March calling for more staff searches, increased access to naloxone, better safety checks and quarterly reviews of the treatment program.

The UCLA researchers also recommended expanding addiction treatment, improving medical care, stopping drugs from entering the jails, and reducing the time people spend in pretrial detention.

(The Center Square) – The Milwaukee Election Commission acknowledged that a team led by its deputy director mistakenly selected and downloaded an audit log instead of election results on five of nine tabulators at its central count facility on the state’s primary election night, leading to a delay in reporting unofficial results.

The commission said that it would make public records related to the Aug. 11 primary available online by Sept. 4, according to a letter send to the Wisconsin Elections Commission obtained by CBS Milwaukee Anchor A.J. Bayatpour.

The letter acknowledge that written procedures to download the results were available at the time and “MEC takes responsibility for the error” but that the error “did not affect the security and accuracy of the underlying election results.”

The response came as the WEC was planning to vote on a letter it would send to the Milwaukee commission at its Monday meeting.

“To build confidence in Milwaukee’s process ahead of the November General Election, MEC should answer these questions and provide information to the public as soon as practicable,” the draft letter states. “Fair or unfair, the eyes of the nation are often on Milwaukee and providing transparency into the system, especially when a mistake occurs, is a critical service to the voters of our state.”

The Milwaukee Election Commission told Dairyland Sentinel that it would take “several weeks to months” to produce records related to the mistake. Now, it says, those documents will be posted online in the next week.

(The Center Square) – Americans need a “quieter” Federal Reserve focused on bringing down 65 months of “sustained elevated inflation,” the central bank’s chair told attendees of the annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday.

The symposium is a high-profile, once-a-year gathering of leading central bankers, policymakers and economists from around the world. The Fed chair traditionally delivers a closely watched address, often providing insight into the central bank’s economic outlook and policy direction.

While Warsh articulated a broad assessment of the U.S. economy, he was intentionally guarded about the Fed’s upcoming policy decisions, though he did express concern about inflation. The central bank, he argued, has become too accustomed to previewing its policy decisions, fostering an unhealthy dependence on its guidance – which, he explained, needs to be developed in real time and not on “yesterday’s news.”

One of the “innovations” Warsh said he’s introducing at the Fed is changing “the form and function of forward guidance.” Central banks use forward guidance as a way of communicating the “likely future course of monetary policy” to the public, so that individuals and businesses can start making decisions about spending and investments.

But forward guidance as regular practice has “outstayed its welcome,” according to Warsh, even though it was something he and his colleagues found useful in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

“In normal times, the role of forward guidance should be limited and circumscribed. Otherwise, it risks creating ambiguity in the name of clarity. Oversharing policy deliberations, overcommitting to future decisions can lead markets, businesses, and households astray,” Warsh said.

To best do its job, the Fed needs to return to a place where sound monetary policy is its highest priority, not constantly signaling its future policy moves, according to Warsh, which he said results in a kind of “hall of mirrors problem.”

“If markets rely materially on the Fed's guidance, and the Fed relies on market prices, we're more likely to be blinded to new developments, more likely to be caught unprepared, and more likely to commit errors in policymaking,” he said, with everyday Americans suffering the worst from improper decisions from the central bank.

“Let me see if I can conclude this way. I stand here today committed to a discipline, not a decision,” he said.

As for the economy, Warsh took a generally positive view.

“For my part, today, as we sit here, I'm impressed by the overall performance of the economy, which appears to have strengthened,” Warsh said, noting that the economy has withstood various stresses and shocks fairly well.

He pointed to growing capital expenditures and business profit margins, low equity and market volatility, and high expectations for continued growth. The labor market he described as “quite stable,” where generally, recent graduates can find and hold jobs.

Even in sectors that are facing challenges, Warsh characterized overall financial conditions as favorable.

“Housing and agriculture are showing strains, but on balance, I would be hard pressed to describe broad financial conditions as restrictive,” he said.

When it came to inflation, however, Warsh’s remarks struck a more cautionary tone.

“On the price stability side of our mandate, the numbers are more concerning,” Warsh said.

Inflation is at 3.7%, and the Fed’s target rate is 2%.

“Inflation measures have fallen significantly from their highs of a few years ago, but progress of the last couple of years has been more modest,” Warsh said. “The Fed’s predominant focus right now should be on prices.

“We must be confident that the underlying inflation is moving to our objective clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do,” Warsh added. “That's our mandate, and that's our charge to keep.”

–(The Center Square) – While visiting the Johnson Space Cente Friday, President Donald Trump announced and signed an executive order to establish the Space Force Academy.

The Space Force, first established by Trump in 2019 during his first administration, is the newest military branch and consists of approximately 9,400 active duty Guardians.

The president underscored the importance of the Space Force and its future, stressing the need for the academy.

“Given the rapid growth of the Space Force and the commercial space industry and the expansion of our ambitions to the moon and far beyond the moon,” the president said during his speech Friday. “The moon will be a close location, but it’s clear that we will need to educate and train an entire generation of skilled service members, engineers and civil operators.”

According to the executive order, the academy will be led by NASA and “dedicated to combining rigorous technical education with leadership development, discipline, and a durable commitment to public service.”

The order aligns with the president’s mission to expand and accelerate the space program, underscoring American excellence.

“Space is a critical domain for American national security, economic growth, scientific discovery, and technological innovation. American superiority in space depends on the strength, skill, and character of those who explore, secure, and build the industries critical to it,” the order reads. “To continue to lead the world in space exploration and technology, while securing and defending our national interests in space, the Nation must prepare the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants, and warfighters and ensure that they are capable of advancing American interests in space. Achieving this goal requires us to recruit, train, and retain America's best and brightest from across the Nation.”

Neither the president nor the executive order indicated a potential location for the newest academy.

The current military academies include: The U.S. Military Academy (Army) in West Point, N.Y., the U.S. Naval Academy, serving both the Navy and Marine Corps in Annapolis, Md., the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y.

(The Center Square) – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers is blasting his opponent, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, over his ties to controversial far-left influencer Hasan Piker.

Rogers, a former U.S. representative, addressed the controversy in an interview with Fox News on Thursday night.

“He can’t distance himself from Hasan Piker at all,” Rogers said. “He is clearly his running mate in this. He came as his closer and still maintains his relationship.”

Rogers added that he believes El-Sayed and Piker share a disdain for America.

“They don’t like America,” he said. “I think that is disqualifying.”

Michigan Democrats will gather this weekend for their nominating convention, just one week after Republicans did the same.

With just 27 days until absentee ballots begin going out in the Great Lakes State and millions of dollars pouring into the race, El-Sayed’s connections to Piker could prove critical in what is considered one of the most-important U.S. Senate races in the nation.

Of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, 35 are up for election in 2026, including two special elections. Democrats currently hold 12 of those seats, while Republicans hold 23. Democrats will need a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate.

In 2024, Michigan’s U.S. Senate race was decided by less than half a percentage point, with U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin narrowly defeating Rogers.

Rogers has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump and recent polling shows El-Sayed beating Rogers by 45.8% to 45%. That is according to the average of the last five polls compiled by 270toWin and a shift from before the primary, when polling showed Rogers beating El-Sayed.

Democrats were divided during the primary between El-Sayed and establishment-backed U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens. El-Sayed narrowly won the Aug. 4 primary and has since turned his attention to the general election, though his campaign has been clouded by ongoing media coverage of his relationship with Piker.

Piker has faced criticism over numerous controversial comments, including remarks in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11.”

Despite those comments, Piker appeared alongside El-Sayed during the primary, including as recently as the eve of the election. In an interview earlier this month, after the primary, El-Sayed called the comment “dumb.”

Since then, prominent Democrats in Michigan and across the country have criticized El-Sayed’s relationship with Piker.

“This bromance is a buddy movie about defending Hamas + a parade of deeply antisemitic rhetoric,” said U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, on Wednesday.

El-Sayed’s former opponent Stevens has also warned him against continuing his ties.

“It certainly makes sense to get rid of this Hasan Piker affiliation,” Stevens said in an interview earlier this month. “I’m calling for that. I’ve continued to call on that.”

El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, has dismissed concerns about his relationship with Piker, while stating he has “no plans” to campaign with him.

“The effort to make this race about a streamer in LA is actually kind of laughable,” El-Sayed said in an interview published this week.

He also released a statement after controversial comments from Piker made headlines again this week. El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to questions from The Center Square about his relationship with Piker, instead directing the publication to the statement.

“My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,” El-Sayed said.

Yet, his statement continued by brushing off ongoing press attention on his relationship with Piker.

“But I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople,” El-Sayed said. “And while politicians and pundits try to make this race about a Twitch streamer, we’re going to be talking about gas, groceries, good schools, and healthcare. Because that’s what Michiganders keep asking about.”

The controversy has become part of a broader conversation about antisemitism and the state of the Democratic Party in Michigan, which some are labeling a “crisis.”

At a recent event, Rogers said “El-Sayed wants to represent Palestine. I want to represent Michigan.”

El-Sayed responded to that, stating: “He’s so proud of himself, look at him. He practiced that line all weekend at his AIPAC fundraisers.”

El-Sayed has cast himself as the candidate taking on “AIPAC and the establishment.” The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying organization, spent millions backing Stevens’ campaign in the primary

The 41-year-old also recently received backlash from Republicans for referring to Egypt as “home” during a podcast.