Ohio Officer Dies after Shooter Ambushed Police Eating Lunch

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Ohio Officer Dies after Shooter Ambushed Police Eating Lunch

(Headline USA) An officer in Ohio has died after a shooter lying in wait ambushed him and another officer as they parked to eat pizza in a remote, undeveloped area, Lorain police said Thursday.

Lorain police Officer Phillip C. Wagner, 35, had been flown to a trauma center after the attack Wednesday afternoon in the city west of Cleveland, a police statement said. It said he died surrounded by family at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

The shooting wounded Wagner’s partner as well as a third officer who responded to their call for help.

Authorities say the attacker was Lorain resident Michael Joseph Parker, 28, who was pronounced dead after an exchange of gunfire. They say he acted alone. Police have not shared details on any motive.

The department said Wagner joined the force in early 2022 after serving with the U.S. Marine Corps and the Sheffield Village Police Department. His colleagues called him a respected and beloved officer known for dedication, professionalism and compassion.

Acting Lorain Police Chief Michael Failing said Wagner’s life and service “will never be forgotten.”

“Our department mourns the loss of a true hero and stands in unwavering support of Officer Wagner’s family, friends, and fellow officers during this heartbreaking time,” Failing said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine directed that Ohio and U.S. flags be flown at half-staff on public buildings until sunset on the day of Wagner’s funeral.

Police said investigators found multiple rifles, handguns and loaded magazines in and around Parker’s vehicle, along with “a significant quantity of improvised explosive materials.”

An autopsy on Parker showed he was killed by multiple gunshot wounds fired by police officers, said the Lorain County coroner, Dr. Frank Miller.

Parker’s bullet wounds “are not self-inflicted,” Miller said in phone interview after the Thursday autopsy. “It’s during the gun battle.” He said toxicology test results will take a few weeks.

A second officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was in critical condition after being flown to the trauma center, according to a statement issued by the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police. The third officer was shot in the hand, according to Failing. The wounded officers are Peter Gale, 51, and Brent Payne, 47.

Just before the ambush, Wagner and Gale parked to eat pizza on a dead-end street in a remote, undeveloped area of Lorain that overlooks a river and a steel mill. Payne was shot after responding to their call, Failing said.

“Officers returned fire during the exchange, which ultimately resulted in Parker sustaining a fatal injury,” according to statement from police in nearby Elyria who are handling the investigation.

Parker lived with his parents in a tidy, two-story brick home in Lorain, a city along Lake Erie west of Cleveland. Neighbors said Thursday they often saw him walking the family dog to the nearby beach, but he rarely engaged in conversation, and never saw him with friends.

“He was just an odd character,” said Jody Burnsworth, who has lived next door to the family since 2012. “He wasn’t rude. He was just always quiet. When he walked he looked like he was always ultra-focused on something.”

She said she always had an uneasy feeling about him, never opening her bedroom drapes on the side of the house that faced his home.

“I hate that I thought that,” she said. “He kind of gave me the creeps. Sometimes he would just look at you in an odd way.”

Parker’s home was searched for more than five hours Wednesday night. Officers broke an upstairs window and flew in a drone during the search, Burnsworth said.

Parker’s father grew up in the house, and neighbors described the couple as very sweet.

Burnsworth said that during the past year Parker was hired at the post office but soon quit because the work was too difficult.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley to Run for Senate in North Carolina w/ Trump’s Tacking

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RNC Chairman Michael Whatley to Run for Senate in North Carolina w/ Trump’s Tacking

(Headline USA) Michael Whatley, chairman of the national Republican Party, plans to run for an open Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026 with the blessing of President Donald Trump after Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara, passed on the seat.

Democrats see the race as their top chance to flip a seat in the midterm elections as they try to regain control of the Senate. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis recently made a surprise announcement that he would not run for a third term after clashing with Trump.

Whatley’s decision was confirmed by two people familiar with his thinking. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly before an official announcement and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Trump asked Whatley, who leads the Republican National Committee, to run, according to one of the people. Politico first reported news of Whatley’s plans.

On his Truth Social platform Thursday night, Trump posted, “Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina.”

The president added, “So, should Michael Whatley run for the Senate, please let this notification represent my Complete and Total Endorsement.”

Whatley is considered by national Republicans to be a strong contender in the closely watched race, thanks partly to the large fundraising network he has cultivated as chair of the Republican National Committee and his perceived loyalty to the president. Whatley is a well-known name in the state, having previously served as chairman of the state GOP, and he has no voting record that could be used against him by Democrats.

It was not immediately clear when Whatley would formally launch his campaign.

Lara Trump, who grew up in North Carolina and now hosts a Fox News Channel show, likely would have been the immediate front-runner for the nomination, and the president said she was his top choice. She had long stressed her ties to the critical swing state and had served as co-chair of the RNC during last year’s presidential election. Having a Trump on the ballot would have been a boon for the party, which has struggled to turn out voters in off-year elections.

But Lara Trump, who now lives in Florida with her young family, would have had to establish residency and register to vote in North Carolina by mid-September to qualify for the March primary, according to state law.

She announced in a social media post Thursday that she had decided against it.

“After much consideration and heartfelt discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time,” she wrote. “While I am not running in this election, my passion for Making America Great Again burns brightly, and I look forward to the future, wherever that leads.”

She had previously declined to run for Senate in North Carolina in 2022 and in 2024 took herself out of the running to fill the term of former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio after he became secretary of state.

The race is expected to be contentious in a state Donald Trump carried by 3.2 percentage points in 2024.

Democrats have been encouraging former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper, who is seen as a formidable candidate by both parties, to run. A Cooper adviser, Morgan Jackson, would not confirm on Wednesday that Cooper had made a decision to run, but said the Democrat “would be making his intentions known in the coming days.”

First-term Rep. Pat Harrigan, a West Point graduate and former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and later became a defense-products manufacturer, was also seen as a potential Republican candidate.

Harrigan had previously said he would immediately back Lara Trump if she ran.

Tillis, who had opposed the Medicaid reductions in the president’s tax break and spending cut package, announced in late June that he would not run for reelection in after the president threatened to back a primary challenge against him.

Can Ammon Bundy Escape a $52 Million Judgment w/ Bankruptcy?

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Can Ammon Bundy Escape a $52 Million Judgment w/ Bankruptcy?

(José Niño, Headline USA) As rancher Ammon Bundy’s legal battles mount, a federal judge prepares to rule on whether his bankruptcy can erase a massive judgment stemming from a high-profile hospital defamation case.

Bundy’s bankruptcy stems from a protest Bundy organized at St. Luke’s Health System in March 2022, after a baby at the hospital was allegedly taken into custody by child protective services for health problems. Bundy, who did not attend the St. Luke’s trial, is known for his family’s years-long battle with the federal government over the use of land that the Obama administration illegally sought to commandeer from them.

The hospital protest led to St. Luke’s to go into lockdown, with the hospital closing to visitors and rerouting its emergency services.

St. Luke’s sued Bundy and his associate, Diego Rodriguez, in May 2022, alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress and trespassing.

After the defendants declined to appear in court, a judge issued a default judgment against them in April 2023. A jury then ruled that they must pay $26.5 million in compensatory damages and $26 million in punitive damages.

In a YouTube video published last Friday, Bundy offered his perspective on his ongoing bankruptcy controversy with St. Luke’s Health System. He described feeling besieged by legal action and portrayed himself as a target of institutional and legal overreach.

Bundy framed his bankruptcy not as the result of financial mismanagement, but as a last resort in response to what he calls “wicked people attacking me.”

Currently, federal bankruptcy judge Judge William T. Thurman is poised to decide whether Bundy can discharge a $52 million judgment awarded to St. Luke’s Health System. This follows a heated defamation case in which Bundy was found liable for accusing the hospital and its staff of child trafficking.

As detailed in a previous Headline USA article, Bundy defiantly stated, “I owe them nothing,” following the Idaho jury’s verdict.

Bundy is no stranger to controversy. He first gained national attention during the 2014 armed standoff with federal agents in Nevada, tied to his father Cliven Bundy’s grazing disputes.

Bundy claims that St. Luke’s has aggressively litigated against him, accuses their attorneys and leadership of misconduct, and asserts that critical evidence at trial was manipulated. He maintains his actions were motivated by the desire to reunite “Baby Cyrus” with his family, disputes the assertion of malicious intent, and alleges bias and corruption in the Idaho courts.

At the conclusion of his video, Bundy appeals for public sympathy and spiritual support as he awaits a key ruling in his bankruptcy case. ‘I ask for your prayers because the judge in the bankruptcy case right now has taken the summary judgment for review, and he’s gonna be ruling on it,” concluded.

He deepened his notoriety in 2016 as the leader of the armed occupation of Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. More recently, he moved to Idaho, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022, and founded the People’s Rights Network—a group known for aggressively opposing government overreach.

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Trump Administration to Put Brakes on H-1B Visas

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Trump Administration to Put Brakes on H-1B Visas

(José Niño, Headline USA) In a move aimed at rewarding merit and experience, the Trump administration is planning to eliminate the H-1B lottery and allocate visas by offered wages.

This move comes after much debate over whether the traditional lottery system, in place for years to handle overwhelming demand, is still fit for purpose. According to a report by Forbes, the core of the initiative centers on shifting from a randomly chosen annual cap for skilled foreign workers—65,000 slots, with an additional 20,000 set aside for advanced degree holders at U.S. institutions—to an approach based on the salaries employers are willing to pay.

Under the model proposed near the end of Trump’s earlier term, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would prioritize candidates with the highest salaries.

Commenters have sounded the alarm about the potential consequences of this change. Critics say the plan threatens to sideline talented international students and early-career professionals, who typically enter the workforce at lower pay scales.

One stakeholder remarked that ”Congress spoke directly and clearly by stating that H-1B petitions were subject to a numerical limit and would be considered not by order of skill or wage levels… but by any other prioritizing criterion other than filing order.” These comments were echoed by major business and education organizations, which argue that the statutory intent of the program does not support the proposed overhaul.

The timeline for these reforms remains fluid. The Office of Management and Budget is currently reviewing the proposed rule, which could be cleared for publication in the weeks ahead. There is lingering uncertainty over whether this iteration will mirror the earlier version published by the Department of Homeland Security in January 2021.

That earlier version spelled out a selection process that would let the government rank applications by how the offered wage compared to federal employment statistics, moving sequentially from the most senior wage levels to the entry-level pay brackets. Some worry these distinctions could disadvantage entire groups of applicants, especially recent graduates and those in education or research roles.

When the Biden administration arrived, it chose not to implement the final Trump-era rule. Now, the revival of this policy, or some reimagined version of it, feels all the more significant. As economist Mark Regets observed, “Weighting would suggest giving a higher probability of being selected for certain applicants, but everyone would still have some chance at being selected.” He points out that a weighted lottery could give someone making $200,000 twice the chance to win the visa lottery compared to a candidate making $100,000.

Looking forward, the public will have the chance to comment once the rule is officially published. If no court intervenes, this new selection system could be in place before the government runs its annual H-1B lottery in March 2026.

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Judge Frees Garcia Until Trial; Maryland Judge Puts Brakes on ICE

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Judge Frees Garcia Until Trial; Maryland Judge Puts Brakes on ICE

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) A Maryland judge ruled Wednesday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot immediately take Kilmar Abrego Garcia into custody if he is released from jail in Tennessee.

Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March. An administrative order has been questioned. A federal court ruled that Garcia should be returned to the United States and the U.S. Supreme Court partially upheld that order.

He was returned in June to face human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. Garcia was driving a vehicle with eight passengers. A police officer said in a video that Garcia was “hauling these people for money.”

U.S. District Court Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. said in a ruling issued Wednesday that the government failed to show why Garcia should be jailed until his trial on the charges and that Garcia should not be detained until trial. The judge said there was no evidence Garcia had recent issues with his wife, identified as Ms. Vasquez in the ruling, or problems with drugs and alcohol.

“As discussed, there is evidence in the record that Abrego has had some limited run-ins with the law previously, his arrest in 2019 and the protective orders Ms. Vasquez issued against him,” Crenshaw said in his ruling. “However, this short criminal history indicates that all issues were resolved without interference by Abrego.”

Crenshaw also dismissed claims that Abrego had a gang affiliation. The government presented witnesses in a recent hearing that tied Garcia to MS-13.

“Of the three witnesses (the agent) testified about that discussed Abrego’s purported affiliation with MS-13, the closest any of them come to stating that Abrego is a member of MS-13 is two witnesses stating he was “familial” with gang members and a third witness stating she “believed” him to be a member,” Crenshaw said. “Entirely absent from the record, however, are any indications that such ‘belief’ is rooted in fact or that such ‘familial’ nature came from his actual membership in or support of MS-13 rather than the simple fact that he, like many members of MS-13, is El Salvadorian.”

Shortly after Crenshaw’s ruling, Maryland U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said in a court filing that ICE cannot take Garcia into custody without 72 hours’ notice. His ICE supervision would be restored to the Baltimore ICE field office, she said.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Garcia a “horrible human being” and a “monster” in a news conference held Friday in Nashville. Garcia’s attorneys asked Crenshaw to prevent Noem from making future statements.

“These comments – made by a sitting Cabinet secretary (and one of the Nation’s highest ranking law enforcement officials) in this District, mere miles from the courthouse where Mr. Abrego’s case is pending – are precisely of the type that are most likely to prejudice Mr. Abrego’s right to a fair trial,” Garcia’s attorney’s said in a statement.

Crenshaw has not ruled on the request.

Congressional Republicans Introduce Bill Targeting Riot Funders

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Congressional Republicans Introduce Bill Targeting Riot Funders

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and several Republican cosponsors, introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act to hold accountable financiers of rioters and vandals.

The one page bill would amend 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1) to add “rioting,” as defined in the Anti-Riot Act, to the list of racketeering predicate offenses. Doing so would enable the Department of Justice “to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots,” Cruz said.

He’s referring to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which allows for extended criminal penalties for those involved in racketeering. Racketeering involves “any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance or listed chemical,” as well as numerous fraud-related crimes, including gambling, mail fraud, wire fraud, immigration fraud, among others, Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute explains.

“Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence. Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans,” Cruz said.

His bill would give the DOJ added RICO tools that could be used against organizations and individuals who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent interstate riots. They include joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties, Cruz said. The goal is also to “deter abuse of nonprofit status and expose hidden financial pipelines behind politically motivated violence,” he said.

Only Republicans in the Senate signed on as cosponsors: Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

“Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence, coordinate attacks against law enforcement, and spearhead the destruction of property must be stopped,” Cornyn said. “This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”

U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyn, R-Texas, filed companion legislation in the House.

“It is time we empower our law enforcement with a commonsense tool to treat these violent mobs, their funding sources, and their organizers as the criminal enterprises they are by passing the Stop FUNDERS Act,” she said. “Since the days of the George Floyd riots, to the violence we see across American cities and college campuses today, it is obvious there are well funded, well outfitted, and highly coordinated efforts to plan and execute violent and potentially deadly missions of chaos and mayhem. This is organized crime, and we need to attack it as such.”

The bill was filed after organized anti-Israel riots exploded across college campuses nationwide after the Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. Training manuals were published by pro-Palestinian groups to take over U.S. college campuses, rioters targeted Jewish students, locked them out of classrooms and buildings and physically assaulted them, resulting in lawsuits and congressional investigations.

Under President Donald Trump, Ivy League colleges where significant antisemitism was reported were threatened with losing hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, accreditation, cancellation of visa approvals among other actions if they didn’t change their policies to protect Jewish students. In response, some universities sued, others complied.

Cruz, Hawley and others also called for foreign students’ visas to be revoked who were involved in riots and advocating antisemitism, a policy their former colleague and now Secretary of State Marco Rubio began implementing.

More recently, riots against ICE officers in the last few months also appear to be coordinated and financed by several groups, prompting a Department of Justice investigation. Hawley is  leading an investigation into the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, arguing the violence wasn’t “spontaneous.”

Within the first six months of the Trump administration, attacks against ICE officers have increased by 830% from California to Nebraska to New York, The Center Square reported.

Recent examples include threats to kill or physically harm federal agents and their family members, with recent shootings targeting ICE officers and Border Patrol facilities in Texas, and ICE officers in California and New York, The Center Square reported.

In 6 months, ICE Issued 6,025 Arrest requests in NYC for Criminal Noncitizens

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In 6 months, ICE Issued 6,025 Arrest requests in NYC for Criminal Noncitizens

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) In six months, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued 6,025 detainer requests with local jails and corrections facilities in New York City in order to pick up “criminal aliens” currently detained after having been arrested for crimes.

Because of the city’s so-called sanctuary city policies, local law enforcement officers have been prohibited from cooperating with ICE, including assisting with criminal arrest warrants for violent offenders like rapists, murderers and drug traffickers.

“Every New Yorker should know: their sanctuary politicians are working against law enforcement and RELEASING criminal illegal aliens with prior convictions for rape, murder, and drug trafficking back into their communities,” DHS said in a statement.

Since Jan. 20, ICE has issued 6,025 arrest requests to transfer custody, or detainers, in New York City. Under the full four years of the Biden administration, 9,472 detainers were requested in NYC, DHS said. Of the 6,025 detainer requests issued under the current Trump administration, local authorities have honored only a handful, DHS said.

Under federal law, local authorities that comply with ICE detainer requests hold the “criminal alien” for roughly 48 hours to allow ICE officers to take them into custody. The requests are often for those with prior deportation orders, criminal convictions, or those who have been identified as posing a national security threat.

Instead of turning over violent criminals to ICE who were already detained in their jails, sanctuary jurisdictions released them into their local communities. By doing so, local authorities created a more dangerous environment for the public and for ICE officers who then had to go out and find them to rearrest them, The Center Square has reported.

As ICE officers continue to search and find violent offenders in communities across the U.S., members of the public and those they’re arresting are increasingly assaulting them. Assaults on ICE officers have increased by 830% in six months since President Donald Trump took office, The Center Square reported.

The latest acts of violence include shootings at ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas, and the more recent shooting of an ICE officer in New York City.

The ICE officer in New York City would never have been shot or targeted had the Dominican nationals who were in the country illegally been deported instead of released into the country under the Biden administration, DHS argues. They also would not have been able to shoot him if they hadn’t been released into local communities in Massachusetts and New York after they were arrested for allegedly committing multiple felonies, DHS and others argue.

Their criminal histories since 2023 include arrests for second degree reckless endangerment, fourth degree felony grand larceny and petit larceny; and felony grand larceny, second and third degree assault, armed robbery (firearm), armed kidnapping (firearm), assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), among other felonies, The Center Square reported.

Prior to issuing more than 6,000 detainer requests in New York City this year, there were already nearly 663,000 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket, including those detained by ICE, and on its non-detained docket. Among them, nearly 436,000 were convicted criminals, and nearly 227,000 had pending criminal charges, with many living freely in the U.S., The Center Square reported.

Because local jurisdictions refused to cooperate with ICE, 24,796 known criminals were released into the U.S. over a four-year period analyzed from 2020-2024, ICE reported last year.

DOJ Meets with Ghislaine Maxwell Today

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DOJ Meets with Ghislaine Maxwell Today

(Headline USA) Justice Department officials were set to meet on Thursday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The meeting in Florida, which Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday he was working to arrange, is part of an ongoing Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following fierce backlash from parts of President Donald Trump’s base over an earlier refusal to release additional records in the Epstein investigation.

In a social media post Tuesday, Blanche said that Trump “has told us to release all credible evidence” and that if Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the Justice Department “will hear what she has to say.”

A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Thursday. The person who confirmed the meeting insisted on anonymity to describe a closed-door encounter to The Associated Press.

A lawyer for Maxwell confirmed on Tuesday there were discussions with the government and said Maxwell “will always testify truthfully.”

The House Committee on Oversight issued a subpoena on Wednesday for Maxwell to testify before committee officials in August.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence and is housed at a low-security federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida. She was sentenced three years ago after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

Officials have said Epstein killed himself in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019, but his case has generated endless attention and conspiracy theories because of his and Maxwell’s links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department said it would not release more files related to the Epstein investigation, despite promises that claimed otherwise from Attorney General Pam Bondi. The department also said an Epstein client list does not exist.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Bondi told Trump in May that his name was among high-profile people mentioned in government files of Epstein, though the mention does not imply wrongdoing.

Trump, a Republican, has said that he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy” but that they later had a falling out.

A subcommittee on Wednesday also voted to subpoena the Justice Department for documents related to Epstein. And senators in both major political parties have expressed openness to holding hearings on the matter after Congress’ August recess.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has introduced legislation with bipartisan support that would require the Justice Department to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and his associates.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican majority leader, Rep. Steve Scalise, both of Louisiana, have said they will address whatever outstanding Epstein-related issues are in Congress when they return from recess.

Epstein, under a 2008 nonprosecution agreement, pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. That allowed him to avert a possible life sentence, instead serving 13 months in a work release program. He was required to make payments to victims and register as a sex offender.

In 2019, Epstein was charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan for nearly identical allegations.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

President Trump, Ric Flair, Lee Greenwood React to Death of Professional Wrestling Icon Hulk Hogan

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President Trump, Ric Flair, Lee Greenwood React to Death of Professional Wrestling Icon Hulk Hogan

(Headline USA)

Story

Hulk Hogan, perhaps the most recognizable showman of professional wrestling with his muscles for miles, long blond locks and handlebar mustache, has died. He was 71.

Hogan, whose given name was Terry Bollea, was WWE’s biggest star and an actor who once had his own reality show, “Hogan Knows Best.” He died Thursday in Clearwater, Florida, where he lived.

Here’s some notable reaction to his death:

President Donald Trump

“We lost a great friend today, the “Hulkster.” Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!” — on Truth Social

Vice president JD Vance

“Hulk Hogan was a great American icon. One of the first people I ever truly admired as a kid. The last time I saw him we promised we’d get beers together next time we saw each other. The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend! Rest in peace. — on X

Vince McMahon

“The world lost a treasure today. Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world. He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon. … His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled — and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.” — the WWE co-founder and visionary who stepped down last year amid a cloud of hush money and sexual assault accusations, in a statement.

Ric Flair

“I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!” — on X

Triple H

“WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring … and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea. He was the archetype of what it meant to be a “Superstar” — a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognizable to fans around the world.” — WWE chief content officer, on X

Jim Ross

“I equate Hulk’s passing to MLB losing Babe Ruth. Hulk was the biggest star ever in pro wrestling.” — the legendary wrestling announcer, to The Associated Press

Brutus Beefcake

“Through the good times and the bad, I always loved my brother Terry! I am devastated by the loss of my friend, I only wish we had time to mend our broken friendship before his passing. Until I see you Brother, in the big squared circle in the sky! I love you #hulkhogan#RIP” — on X

WWE

“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.” — on X

Mike Johnson

‘We all have fond memories of @hulkhogan. From my childhood in the ’80s, to campaigning with him last year, I always saw him as a giant in stature and in life. May he rest in peace.” — the House speaker, on Instagram

Donald Trump Jr.

“R.I.P to a legend.” — on Instagram

Elijah Wood

“He and so many of those people, Macho Man and the kind of characters from WWF were ubiquitous in my childhood. You know, in the 1980s and early 90s, those guys were everywhere. Even if you weren’t a wrestling fan, they were a fixture of pop culture. So yeah, it’s wild.” — in Associated Press interview

Sgt. Slaughter

“Saddened To Hear About The Passing of Hulk Hogan…I Guess God Needed An Incredible Angel R.I.P. My Friend” — on X

Lee Greenwood

“Sending love and deepest condolences to the Hogan family, friends, and the millions of fans around the world. A heartbreaking loss felt by so many.” — the country star, on Instagram

Piers Morgan

“RIP Hulk Hogan – the most iconic wrestler in history, a wonderful character, and in person, a far gentler, charming, intelligent man far removed from his snarling beast ring (and Rocky movie!) persona. Sad news.” — on X

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

BREAKING: Hulk Hogan, Icon in Professional Wrestling, Dies at Age 71

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BREAKING: Hulk Hogan, Icon in Professional Wrestling, Dies at Age 71

(Headline USA) Hulk Hogan, a mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in professional wrestling who turned the sport into a massive business and cultural touchstone, died Thursday at 71, Florida police said.

Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital after authorities in Clearwater responded to a morning call about a cardiac arrest, police said.

“There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity,” Maj. Nate Burnside told reporters.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.

He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

“One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans,” WWE said.

“Hulkamania,” as the energy he created was called, started running wild in the mid-1980s and pushed professional wrestling into the mainstream. He was a flag-waving American hero with the horseshoe mustache, red and yellow gear and massive arms he called his “24-inch pythons.”

Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best.”

In recent years, Hogan added his celebrity to politics. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, he merged classic WWE maneuvers with then-candidate Donald Trump’s rhetoric to passionately endorse him for president.

“Let Trumpamania run wild brother! Let Trumpamania rule again! Let Trumpamania make America great again!” Hogan shouted into the raucous crowd.

He ripped off a T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of himself on a motorcycle to reveal a bright red Trump-Vance campaign shirt underneath. Trump stood to applaud the move.

Hogan lately began to invest in alternatives to theatrical, professional wrestling, announcing plans in April to serve as the first commissioner for the Real American Freestyle organization, which describes itself as “the first unscripted pro wrestling” leagues in the world. The first event is Aug. 30 at Cleveland State University.

“The idea was so exciting that I get a chance to be involved with all these young people and help guide them in any way, especially to make them huge stars and create a future for them,” Hogan said. “People might be surprised, but wrestling is wrestling, brother.”

Hogan first became champion in what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1984, and pro wrestling took off from there. His popularity helped lead to the creation of the annual WrestleMania event in 1985, when he teamed up with Mr. T to beat “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in the main event.

He slammed and beat Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987, and the WWF gained momentum. His feud with the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage – perhaps his greatest rival — carried pro wrestling even further.

Hogan was a central figure in what is known as the Monday Night Wars. The WWE and World Championship Wrestling were battling for ratings supremacy in 1996. Hogan tilted things in WCW’s favor with the birth of the Hollywood Hogan character and the formation of the New World Order, a villainous stable that put WCW ahead in the ratings.

He returned to the WWE in 2002 and became a champion again. His match with The Rock at WrestleMania X8, a loss during which fans cheered for his “bad guy” character, was seen as a passing of the torch.

Hogan was perhaps as well known for his larger-than-life personality as he was his in-ring exploits. He was beloved for his “promos” — hype sessions he used to draw fans into matches. He often would play off his interviewer, “Mean” Gene Okerlund, starting his interviews off with, “Well, lemme tell ya something, Mean Gene!”

He crossed over into movies and television as well. He was Thunderlips in the movie “Rocky III” in 1982.

In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in a lawsuit against Gawker Media and then added $25 million in punitive damages. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend’s wife. He contended the post violated his privacy.

Hogan smiled and wore black throughout the three-week trial.

“Everywhere I show up, people treat me like I’m still the champ,” he said of the support from fans.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

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