{"id":5150,"date":"2026-07-07T14:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T14:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/07\/woman-accuses-graham-platner-of-sexual-assault-and-nato-summit-begins\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T14:00:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T14:00:36","slug":"woman-accuses-graham-platner-of-sexual-assault-and-nato-summit-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5150","title":{"rendered":"Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"podcast-tools podcast-tools--510318\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 3000;--source-height: 3000\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/85\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe0%2F7a%2Ffe9d16a44fbf9dd2d9932ffe799b%2F510318.png\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/100\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe0%2F7a%2Ffe9d16a44fbf9dd2d9932ffe799b%2F510318.png\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe0%2F7a%2Ffe9d16a44fbf9dd2d9932ffe799b%2F510318.png\" data-format=\"png\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Up First\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"podcast-tools__slugandmodal\">\n<div class=\"podcast-tools__modal\">\n<div class=\"subscribe\" data-sharepop data-selector=\".sharepop.subscribe\">\n          <button>LISTEN &amp; FOLLOW<\/p>\n<p>          <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n<div class=\"podcast-tools__subscribe-links\">\n<div class=\"sharepop-four\">\n<div class=\"sharepop\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/app.npr.org\/aggregation\/510318\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"npr one universal\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                          NPR App<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/podcast\/1222114325?mt=2&amp;at=11l79Y&amp;ct=nprdirectory\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"itunes\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                          Apple Podcasts<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                          <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/2mTUnDkuKUkhiueKcVWoP0\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"Spotify\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                          Spotify<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/30a74ac6-1cf7-4ac4-bae2-1347e3927b0b\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"amazon music\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                        Amazon Music<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/podcast\/28457197\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"iHeart Radio\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                        iHeart Radio<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/music.youtube.com\/library\/podcasts?addrssfeed=https:\/\/feeds.npr.org\/510318\/podcast.xml\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"youtube music\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                        YouTube Music<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n                        <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/feeds.npr.org\/510318\/podcast.xml\" data-analytics-allow-facebook=\"data-analytics-allow-facebook\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"podcast\",\"action\":\"podcast_follow_click\",\"clickName\":\"rss\",\"clickType\":\"podcast follow button\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"icon-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<p>                          RSS link<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>              &lt;!&#8211;<\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-placeholder\">\n                Sign up for the [TITLE] Newsletter<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"plusoffering-placeholder\">\n                Get perks with [Podcast Title]+<\/p>\n<p>Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.<\/p>\n<p>                <button>LEARN MORE<\/button>\n              <\/div>\n<p>              &#8211;&gt;\n          <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"storytitle\">\n<h1>Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORYTITLE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"story-meta\" class=\"story-meta has-byline\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one-inner\">\n<div class=\"dateblock\">\n    <time datetime=\"2026-07-07T07:40:46-04:00\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"date\">July 7, 2026<\/span><span class=\"time\">7:40 AM ET<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE-INNER\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-meta__two\">\n<div id=\"storybyline\" class=\"storybyline-wrap linkLocation\">\n<div class=\"bucketwrap byline\">\n<div class=\"byline-container--block\">\n<p class=\"byline__name--block\">By\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"byline byline--block byline--has-link\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/g-s1-9395\/brittney-melton\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n      Brittney Melton<br \/>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP BYLINE\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__TWO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"STORY-META\" CLASS=\"STORY-META HAS-BYLINE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"headlineaudio\" class=\"storylocation linkLocation\">\n<article id=\"resnx-s1-mx-5884550-1\" class=\"bucketwrap resaudio\" aria-label=\"audio-module\">\n<div class=\"audio-module\">\n<h4 class=\"audio-module-title\">Platner Pressured To Drop Out, NATO Summit In Turkey, US Out Of World Cup<\/h4>\n<div class=\"audio-module-controls-wrap\" data-audio='{\"uid\":\"g-s1-132281:nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\",\"available\":true,\"duration\":857,\"title\":\"Platner Pressured To Drop Out, NATO Summit In Turkey, US Out Of World Cup\",\"audioUrl\":\"https:\/\/prfx.byspotify.com\/e\/play.podtrac.com\/npr-510318\/npr.simplecastaudio.com\/d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632\/episodes\/52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369\/audio\/128\/default.mp3?awCollectionId=d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632&amp;awEpisodeId=52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369&amp;feed=HMwRVgVt&amp;t=podcast&amp;e=nx-s1-5884550&amp;p=510318&amp;d=857&amp;size=13729167&amp;sc=siteplayer\",\"storyUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/07\/g-s1-132281\/up-first-newsletter-graham-platner-nato-trump-climate-change-us-roads\",\"slug\":\"up first newsletter\",\"program\":\"\",\"affiliation\":\"\",\"song\":\"\",\"artist\":\"\",\"album\":\"\",\"track\":0,\"type\":\"segment\",\"subtype\":\"other\",\"skipSponsorship\":false,\"hasAdsWizz\":false,\"isStreamAudioType\":false,\"podcastEpisodeRawType\":\"\",\"podcastEpisodeDerivedPlusType\":\"\"}' data-audio-metrics=\"[]\">\n<div class=\"audio-module-controls audio-module-controls--no-js\">\n            <a class=\"audio-module-listen\" href=\"https:\/\/prfx.byspotify.com\/e\/play.podtrac.com\/npr-510318\/npr.simplecastaudio.com\/d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632\/episodes\/52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369\/audio\/128\/default.mp3?awCollectionId=d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632&amp;awEpisodeId=52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369&amp;feed=HMwRVgVt&amp;t=podcast&amp;e=nx-s1-5884550&amp;p=510318&amp;d=857&amp;size=13729167&amp;sc=siteplayer&amp;aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer\"><br \/>\n                <b class=\"audio-module-listen-inner\"><br \/>\n                    <b class=\"audio-module-listen-text\"><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"audio-module-cta\"><br \/>\n                            Listen<br \/>\n                        <\/b><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"audio-module-listen-duration\"><br \/>\n                            <span>\u00b7 <\/span><br \/>\n                            <span>14:17<\/span><br \/>\n                        <\/b><br \/>\n                    <\/b><br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n            <\/a><br \/>\n                <time class=\"audio-module-duration\" datetime=\"P14M,17S\"><br \/>\n                  <span class=\"audio-module-duration__initial-value\">14:17<\/span><br \/>\n                <\/time>\n        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"audio-module-tools\">\n        <button class=\"audio-module-tools-toggle\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_open_more_options\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-132281\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\",\"title\":\"Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><\/p>\n<p>            <b class=\"label\">Toggle more options<\/b><br \/>\n        <\/button><\/p>\n<ul class=\"audio-module-more-tools\">\n<li class=\"audio-tool audio-tool-download\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prfx.byspotify.com\/e\/play.podtrac.com\/npr-510318\/npr.simplecastaudio.com\/d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632\/episodes\/52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369\/audio\/128\/default.mp3?awCollectionId=d52bee4a-b10a-40f8-9417-45064e6b8632&amp;awEpisodeId=52ac1d6d-c30c-482d-892b-8c20164d7369&amp;feed=HMwRVgVt&amp;t=podcast&amp;e=nx-s1-5884550&amp;p=510318&amp;d=857&amp;size=13729167&amp;sc=siteplayer&amp;aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_download\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-132281\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\",\"title\":\"Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><b class=\"audio-tool-label\">Download<\/b><\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"audio-tool audio-tool-embed\">\n                    <button data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/g-s1-132281\/nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"audio\",\"action\":\"audio_embed\",\"storyId\":\"g-s1-132281\",\"mediaId\":\"nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\",\"title\":\"Woman accuses Graham Platner of sexual assault. And, NATO summit begins\",\"type\":\"ondemand\"}'><b class=\"button-inner\"><b class=\"audio-tool-label\">Embed<\/b><\/b><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"audio-embed-overlay\">\n                        <button class=\"btn-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button><br \/>\n                        <label class=\"embed-label\"><\/p>\n<p>                            <b class=\"label\">Embed<\/b><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/label><br \/>\n                        <b class=\"embed-url embed-url-touch\"><br \/>\n                            <code><b class=\"punctuation\">&lt;<\/b>iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/g-s1-132281\/nx-s1-mx-5884550-1\" width=\"100%\" height=\"290\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"NPR embedded audio player\"&gt;<\/code><br \/>\n                        <\/b>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"storytext\" class=\"storytext storylocation linkLocation\">\n<p><em>Good morning. You&#8217;re reading the Up First newsletter.\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletter\/news\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe<\/a><em>\u00a0here to get it delivered to your inbox, and\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts\/510318\/up-first\/\" target=\"_blank\">listen<\/a><em>\u00a0to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\">Today&#8217;s top stories<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Democratic lawmakers are calling on Graham Platner to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race<\/strong> in Maine, after a former girlfriend said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/nx-s1-5875431\/platner-sexual-assault-allegation-maine-senate\" target=\"_blank\">that he sexually assaulted her<\/a>. Yesterday, <em>Politico<\/em> reported the allegation that in 2021, Platner allegedly entered her home while intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her repeated objections. The news outlet says it corroborated the allegations by reviewing past messages exchanged between the accuser and her therapist, as well as speaking with individuals to whom she confided. NPR has not independently verified these claims.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-130957\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 3000;--source-height: 1688\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x1688+0+156\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2c%2Fe2%2F62494d9b402fafd794a686e97bc0%2Fgettyimages-2279845497.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3000x1688+0+156\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2c%2Fe2%2F62494d9b402fafd794a686e97bc0%2Fgettyimages-2279845497.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Graham Platner speaks to voters at a town hall at the Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026 in Portland, Maine.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Graham Platner speaks to voters at a town hall at the Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026 in Portland, Maine.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Laura Brett\/Getty Images<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><\/p>\n<p>              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Laura Brett\/Getty Images<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"edTag\">\n<li>\ud83c\udfa7<strong> In a statement to NPR, Platner denied the allegations<\/strong>, describing them as &#8220;troubling, serious, and false,&#8221; NPR&#8217;s Elena Moore tells<em> Up First<\/em>. Platner posted a video saying he is assessing his next steps. Platner has faced other allegations regarding his behavior toward women, but this is the first time a major news outlet has <a href=\"https:\/\/one.npr.org\/i\/nx-s1-5884550:x\" target=\"_blank\">reported an allegation of assault<\/a>, according to Moore. This very serious claim follows several other significant scandals, including his campaign confirming reports that he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/05\/nx-s1-5847926\/platner-controversy-senate-maine-primary-election\" target=\"_blank\">exchanged sexually explicit messages<\/a> with multiple women early in his marriage. These allegations have dealt a serious blow to the Democratic Party, as this race is considered crucial for their efforts to regain control of the Senate this fall, Moore says. Maine election law says that a general election candidate has until the second Monday in July to drop out of a race.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>President Trump and NATO leaders gather today in Ankara, Turkey, for the defense alliance&#8217;s annual summit. <\/strong>Ahead of his arrival, the president expressed his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/07\/nx-s1-5884055\/trumps-nato-pressure-campaign-continues-as-summit-begins\" target=\"_blank\">dissatisfaction with the organization<\/a>. On July 2, he posted on social media, &#8220;The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing.&#8221; This meeting comes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and the unresolved U.S.-led conflict with Iran.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"edTag\">\n<li>\ud83c\udfa7 <strong>The summit&#8217;s opening day is intended to showcase unity and credibility<\/strong>, but it comes as the U.S. is planning to shrink its presence in Europe, NPR&#8217;s Hadeel Al-Shalchi says. The administration has announced a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. forces in Europe. At the summit, NATO leaders are expected to discuss increasing defense spending, investing in military capabilities and maintaining support for Ukraine to continue deterring Russia, Al-Shalchi says. Allies are also expected to reaffirm their commitment to spend 5% of GDP on defense and broader security needs \u2014 a significant increase over NATO&#8217;s previous target. Trump has argued that NATO allies rely too heavily on the U.S., making this summit a <a href=\"https:\/\/one.npr.org\/i\/nx-s1-5884550:x\" target=\"_blank\">crucial moment for European allies<\/a> to show their commitment to stepping up, Al-Shalchi says.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p><strong>The dangerous heat wave that swept across much of the eastern U.S. over the July Fourth weekend <\/strong>could be the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/nx-s1-5883704\/extreme-heat-july-4th-climate\" target=\"_blank\">nation&#8217;s new normal this time of year<\/a>, according to experts. Scientists say climate change is driving more extreme temperatures and heavier rainfall. Both can contribute to significant, costly damage to roads. These extreme weather changes can cause pavement to expand, crack and warp, rendering some roads unusable until they are repaired. Engineers suggest that using a more durable \u2014 and more expensive \u2014 asphalt blend could be a solution for some roads that are subject to extreme temperatures. The way the U.S. has traditionally approached infrastructure, such as roads, is no longer sufficient for the future, says Mikhail Chester, a professor of engineering at Arizona State University. Here&#8217;s what else <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/07\/nx-s1-5883802\/road-damage-heat-wave\" target=\"_blank\">experts say can be done to help<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\">From the NPR Network<\/h3>\n<p>by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/1108419098\/juliana-kim\" target=\"_blank\">Juliana Kim<\/a>, general assignment reporter<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-126976\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 600;--source-height: 250\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/600x250+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2F3a%2Ffdffd6114dbfa97ed7f854f5b60a%2Fsoccer-edition.png\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/600x250+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2F3a%2Ffdffd6114dbfa97ed7f854f5b60a%2Fsoccer-edition.png\" class=\"img\" alt=\"A banner that says Soccer Edition with a soccer field and a city skyline in the background. The image is green.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>By tonight, 42 teams will have been eliminated, including the U.S. men&#8217;s national team, which lost in the Round of 16 once again. Belgium <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/nx-s1-5883842\/2026-world-cup-fifa-usmnt-belgium-round-of-16\" target=\"_blank\">beat the U.S. 4-1<\/a>. It also marks an end of an era for some of the greatest players seen in our lifetime.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, a day before Portugal&#8217;s match against Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that he was savoring every moment of his last World Cup. Portugal ended up losing 0-1.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;God has been so generous towards me. He has given me everything. Much more than I ever expected to achieve,&#8221; he said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=o0GKCqXVb9U\" target=\"_blank\">on Sunday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Ronaldo made his first World Cup appearance at 21. This summer marked his sixth \u2014 a feat only shared with Argentina&#8217;s Lionel Messi. At 41, Ronaldo was also the tournament&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/11\/nx-s1-5851670\/world-cup-2026-guide-players\" target=\"_blank\">second oldest player<\/a>. Nonetheless, he was a force to be reckoned with \u2014 having scored three goals.<\/p>\n<p>Brazil&#8217;s top goalscorer Neymar completed his last dance at the very New Jersey field where he made his international debut back in 2010. It came after his team lost to Norway 2-1 on Sunday. Brazil&#8217;s single goal was achieved by Neymar in a penalty kick. At the final whistle, Neymar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/bnBocGcwyiA\" target=\"_blank\">got on his knees<\/a>, lowered his head and wept before a teammate came to console him.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I tried,&#8221; said Neymar, according <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/brazil-neymar-retires-international-8c4b4d96733dbcc3291514aa29cf2ed5\" target=\"_blank\">to the AP<\/a>. &#8220;It started here at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Other notable mentions are Mexico&#8217;s goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who kissed the post and bowed to his fans before leaving the pitch. Germany&#8217;s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was already in his international retirement but briefly came out to represent his home country one last time.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It has always been an honor,&#8221; Neuer wrote <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DaP_xJMCBQA\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\">on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Here&#8217;s\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/g-s1-132202\/world-cup-retire-ronaldo-neymar-ochoa-neuer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>who else is retiring after this year&#8217;s World Cup<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"edTag\">Video highlights<\/h2>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-132281-100\" class=\"bucketwrap statichtml\">\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESG-S1-132281-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP STATICHTML\" --><\/p>\n<p><em>Click through to <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/06\/15\/g-s1-126999\/soccer-edition-watch-world-cup-highlights-from-across-the-npr-network\" target=\"_blank\"><em>watch the latest Soccer Edition video clips<\/em><\/a><em> from across the NPR Network.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>What to watch for this week\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\uddd1\ufe0f <strong>Host City report cards are starting to come in<\/strong> as some wrap up their scheduled events. While it will be a while til the official analysis is done, successes and short-comings are already being reported. Seattle had their last World Cup match last night, and already some lessons on how to handle the increased traffic, transit demands and trash <a href=\"https:\/\/www.knkx.org\/environment\/2026-07-05\/traffic-transit-trash-seattle-shows-what-it-can-do-during-the-world-cup\" target=\"_blank\">have shown off the strength of Seattle&#8217;s infrastructure<\/a>. Boston&#8217;s hosting its last game on Thursday, but the area&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/news\/2026\/07\/06\/boston-world-cup-soccer-bars-business-boom\" target=\"_blank\">soccer bars are already planning for what&#8217;s next<\/a> in hopes of keeping their winning streak going.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfb <strong>How do you find victory in defeat?<\/strong> On paper, Cape Verde&#8217;s 3-2 loss to Argentina on Friday. &#8220;To see the commitment and the resiliency with the players and the pride, made us proud,&#8221; said Paulo De Barros, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wgbh.org\/news\/local\/2026-07-05\/cape-verdeans-celebrate-independence-and-world-cup-run-at-boston-flag-raising-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\">president of the Cape Verdean Association of Boston.<\/a> The tiny African nation capturing our hearts all over again.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\">Watch this<\/h3>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-132271\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 2600;--source-height: 1463\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2600x1463+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/png\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F84%2F27348eba4128938c177faf860144%2Fnewsmakers-dougwilson-nogfx.png\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2600x1463+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F84%2F27348eba4128938c177faf860144%2Fnewsmakers-dougwilson-nogfx.png\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Doug Wilson is wearing a dark blue suit jacket and a light blue button-up shirt, talking at a mic with the NPR logo.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Doug Wilson speaking to NPR for a <em>Newsmakers<\/em> interview.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Nickolai Hammar\/NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><\/p>\n<p>              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Nickolai Hammar\/NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Go face-to-face with the person of the moment. NPR&#8217;s <em>Newsmakers<\/em> video podcast brings the biggest names in politics, business, sports, arts, and culture out of the headlines and into the interview chair to discuss the mark they&#8217;re making on the world. Follow the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts\/g-s1-114952\/nprs-newsmakers\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Newsmakers<\/em> podcast<\/a> or subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/npr\" target=\"_blank\">NPR&#8217;s YouTube channel<\/a> to get new episodes as soon as they&#8217;re available.<\/p>\n<p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invited Pastor Doug Wilson to deliver a sermon at the Pentagon earlier this year as part of his monthly Christian worship service. Wilson self-identifies as a Christian nationalist, and his appearance at the Pentagon was controversial. He has advocated for the repeal of women&#8217;s right to vote, defended slavery and believes that homosexuality should be criminalized. His extreme views were once considered fringe, but religious scholars say his teachings are now making their way into the mainstream. In an episode of NPR&#8217;s <em>Newsmakers<\/em>, <em>Morning Edition<\/em>&#8216;s Leila Fadel sat down with Wilson at his home church in Idaho to discuss why he wants the U.S. to become a Christian theocracy and the implications it would hold for women and non-Christians across the nation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e-oE7ox_XAg\" target=\"_blank\">Watch or listen to the interview<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/nx-s1-5822558\/pastor-doug-wilson-interview-pete-hegseth\" target=\"_blank\">read the article<\/a> about their discussion.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\">3 things to know before you go<\/h3>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-132201\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 1024;--source-height: 576\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1024x576+0+54\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2Fa3%2F00474bdd499fbcf1b11f04af10f1%2Fgettyimages-2282428028.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/1024x576+0+54\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2Fa3%2F00474bdd499fbcf1b11f04af10f1%2Fgettyimages-2282428028.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Spectators take photos with their smartphones during a World Cup match at the Houston Stadium in Houston on June 23. The Supreme Court is allowing Texas to enforce a law that limits minors' access to app stores on mobile devices while lawsuits continue in the lower courts.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Spectators take photos with their smartphones during a World Cup match at the Houston Stadium in Houston on June 23. The Supreme Court is allowing Texas to enforce a law that limits minors&#8217; access to app stores on mobile devices while lawsuits continue in the lower courts.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><\/p>\n<p>              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<ol class=\"edTag\">\n<li>The Supreme Court yesterday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/06\/nx-s1-5883978\/supreme-court-texas-app-store-minors\" target=\"_blank\">permitted a Texas law<\/a> restricting minors from downloading most apps without parental consent to take effect.<\/li>\n<li>This week in Utah, Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is facing a hearing to determine if there is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kuer.org\/news\/2026-07-06\/charlie-kirk-tyler-robinson-preliminary-hearing-day-1\" target=\"_blank\">enough evidence for the state<\/a> to proceed to trial. (via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kuer.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">KUER<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Grand Canyon River guide Kelsey Pfendler has recently achieved the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.knau.org\/knau-and-arizona-news\/2026-07-06\/grand-canyon-river-guide-sets-record-for-solo-row-from-california-to-hawaii\" target=\"_blank\">fastest solo rowing time<\/a> from California to Hawaii, completing the journey in 43 days, 17 hours, and 55 minutes. (via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.knau.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">KNAU<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>This newsletter was edited by <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/859721331\/suzanne-nuyen\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Suzanne Nuyen<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"share-tools share-tools--secondary\" aria-label=\"Share tools\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--facebook\"><button class=\"fbStoryg-s1-132281\" data-share-facebook='{\"storyId\": \"g-s1-132281\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"facebook\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Facebook<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--flipboard\"><button class=\"storyg-s1-132281\" data-share-flipboard='{\"storyId\": \"g-s1-132281\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"flipboard\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Flipboard<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--email\"><button class=\"share-tools__email-link\" data-story-id=\"g-s1-132281\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"email\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Email<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"SHARE-TOOLS SHARE-TOOLS-SECONDARY\" ARIA-LABEL=\"SHARE TOOLS\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"NEWSLETTER-ACQUISITION-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-NEWSLETTER=\"{&amp;QUOT;NEWSLETTERID&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;NEWS&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;TITLE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;UP FIRST&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;MARKETINGHEADER&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR NPR&#039;S UP FIRST NEWSLETTER&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;FREQUENCY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;EVERY DAY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SHORTDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;THE STORIES YOU NEED TO START YOUR DAY, HAND-PICKED FOR YOU EVERY WEEKDAY. PLUS, THE BEST OF NPR EVERY SUNDAY.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STICKYDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR THE NPR&#039;S UP FIRST NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST HEADLINES AND UNIQUE STORIES FROM THE NPR NETWORK.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;CONTENTIMAGE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/NPR.BRIGHTSPOTCDN.COM\/E1\/16\/E7434747460F8691603795B6FF1C\/SCREEN-SHOT-2025-08-20-AT-1-47-26-PM.PNG&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STATICMARKUPDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BUCKETS\/TOPICS\/HEADER1001.HTML&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BRANDING\/SECTIONS\/NEWS\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGLINK&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/WWW.NPR.ORG\/SECTIONS\/NEWS\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;RECAPTCHASITEKEY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;6LCDN9IZAAAAAOHT985BJJBZJKBJKSXDXK3GEKST&amp;QUOT;}\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"PODCAST-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-PODCAST=\"{&amp;QUOT;NAME&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;UP FIRST FROM NPR&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;ITUNESURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/PODCASTS.APPLE.COM\/PODCAST\/1222114325?MT=2&amp;AMP;AT=11L79Y&amp;AMP;CT=NPRDIRECTORY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;GOOGLEPODCASTSURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;RSSURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/FEEDS.NPR.ORG\/510318\/PODCAST.XML&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;NPRONEUNIVERSALURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/APP.NPR.ORG\/AGGREGATION\/510318&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;AMAZONALEXAURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SPOTIFYURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/OPEN.SPOTIFY.COM\/SHOW\/2MTUNDKUKUKHIUEKCVWOP0&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGURL&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/NPR.BRIGHTSPOTCDN.COM\/DIMS3\/DEFAULT\/STRIP\/FALSE\/CROP\/3000X3000+0+0\/RESIZE\/300\/QUALITY\/85\/FORMAT\/PNG\/?URL=HTTP%3A%2F%2FNPR-BRIGHTSPOT.S3.AMAZONAWS.COM%2FE0%2F7A%2FFE9D16A44FBF9DD2D9932FFE799B%2F510318.PNG&amp;QUOT;}\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\" class=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\">\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES RECOMMENDED-STORIES-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LISTEN &amp; FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link &lt;!&#8211; Sign<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}