Flu outbreak among Air Force recruits at Joint Base San Antonio after Hegseth ends mandatory flu vaccine

Flu outbreak among Air Force recruits at Joint Base San Antonio after Hegseth ends mandatory flu vaccine
Flu outbreak among Air Force recruits at Joint Base San Antonio after Hegseth ends mandatory flu vaccine
An Influenza Vaccine is prepared for a patient, Sept. 12, 2025, in Coral Gables, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

(SAN ANTONIO) — The basic training facility for the Air Force in San Antonio, Texas, is experiencing a flu outbreak following the end of mandatory vaccination for all service members.

As of Wednesday, there are at least 159 known cases among recruits and two hospitalizations at Joint Base San Antonio, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. One source told ABC News the number of cases and hospitalizations may be higher.

The outbreak comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in April that the annual flu vaccine would be optional for all U.S. military personnel, both active and reserve.  

Previously, the flu vaccine was mandatory, but the new policy is in line with a previous change of making the COVID-19 vaccine optional.

The Pentagon has granted the military services exceptions to the policy, so the flu vaccine can be required in certain cases.

An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the outbreak to ABC News and said in a statement that over the last three weeks there has been a “localized influenza outbreak among trainees at Basic Military Training.”

“Medical professionals and Public Health officials have implemented mitigation measures to isolate and treat symptomatic trainees to reduce further exposure and continue to monitor the situation,” the statement read. “Medical personnel are also monitoring trainees who were in close contact with sick members in case they become symptomatic.”

The spokesperson said symptomatic trainees are receiving “the appropriate care” including antiviral medications such as Tamiflu.

“Once they are cleared by medical professionals they will return to training,” the statement said.

Earlier this year, when Hegseth ended mandatory vaccination, he referred to the policy as “overly broad and not rational.”

“Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should. But we will not force you,” Hegseth said.

The sources told ABC News that there is 40% flu vaccination rate among recruits at the San Antonio base since the mandate was lifted. Previously, the rate was nearly 100%.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told ABC News that the Defense Department recently granted exceptions to the policy for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency (NSA) and Defense Health Agency (DHA) through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

“The decisions were based upon thorough risk assessments and are designed to maximize operational readiness, lethality, and force generation, while safeguarding at-risk populations,” Parnell said. “The Army, Navy, Air Force, NSA, and DHA are responsible for implementing the [exceptions to the policy]. The Department remains committed to the health and readiness of our warfighters and civilian personnel.”

The annual flu vaccine is currently recommended to everyone over 6 months old between September and the start of November. Although the typical flu season ends by February or March, people can become infected at any time.

People who travel internationally or live in group settings are at higher risk of transmitting and acquiring infectious diseases.

Public health specialists have warned that military members may suffer unnecessary complications from the flu after the vaccination mandate was ended and fear that severe cases will continue to climb in subsequent flu seasons if preventive vaccinations aren’t given to those most at risk.

Evidence has shown that young recruits are much more vulnerable to severe infection from influenza compared to other service members, though lower than the general population due to the military having historically high immunization rates.

A study published last year by the Defense Health Agency found that from the 2010-2011 to the 2023-2024 flu seasons, the highest rate of influenza hospitalizations among active service members were among those under the age of 25, especially young recruits.

The flu vaccine has been required for the military since 1945, at the end of World War II, partly tied to the threat of biological warfare use by rival nations and as well as the devastation that the flu pandemic of 1918-1920 wreaked on U.S. troops, according to a 2022 analysis from Wright State University in Ohio and the U.S. Air Force.

It’s estimated that between 20% and 40% of Army and Navy personnel fell ill, with more than 26,000 deaths among U.S. soldiers during the 1918-1920 flu pandemic.

After researchers noticed the effectiveness of the vaccine fading, the mandate was withdrawn in 1949. This was later found to be caused by abrupt and major changes to the flu virus — and the mandate was reinstated in the early 1950s after the changes became “clearer and combatable,” according to the analysis.

Compliance among military health care personnel has exceeded 95% in past years, compared to less than 75% among civilian health care personnel.

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Trump administration reveals list of civil rights, climate change materials removed from national parks

Trump administration reveals list of civil rights, climate change materials removed from national parks
Trump administration reveals list of civil rights, climate change materials removed from national parks
The names of enslaved people who lived in the President’s House are carved into a monument in Independence National Park on August 9, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration revealed the list of materials that the National Park Service removed from parks across the country that relate to civil rights, diverse populations, science and the environment.

The list was made public on Wednesday as part of a court filing brought by various organizations. The Interior Department is appealing a federal judge’s order to restore those materials ahead of America 250 celebrations on July 4.

Included in the list are vague descriptions of the materials that were removed and their location. The list, however, does not provide images of the content that NPS found objectionable.

Examples of items that were removed include signs about climate change at parks like Acadia National Park in Maine and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York; materials involving civil rights at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and at the Medgar and Myrtle Evans Home National Monument in Jackson, Mississippi; materials involving slavery at the President’s House in Philadelphia and materials on women’s rights at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at the Gateway National Recreation Area in New York.

The list also includes reasons for the removals.

“Disparages Americans past or living” appears to be the reason provided by NPS for the removal of items related to civil rights, diverse communities, slavery and atrocities committed by the United States against Native Americans.

“Unrelated to beauty, abundance and grandeur of the national landscape” was listed as the reason for the removal of items related to science and the environment.

A spokesperson for the Interior Department confirmed to ABC News in a statement that the government is appealing the judge’s order to restore the items.

“We fully believe politically charged language denigrating our Founding Fathers is inappropriate and only further divides Americans,” the spokesperson said. “Through President Trump, we have encouraged Americans to visit our cultural and historic sites and engage in meaningful conversations about the moments that have shaped our country.”

The spokesperson added that the government seeks to “strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here.”

ABC News reached out to the Interior Department and NPS for further comment.

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley ordered the restoration of the materials in a Friday ruling and cast their removal by NPS as “a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization.” She ordered the government to restore all items by July 3.

The federal government has filed a motion asking for an emergency stay pending appeal, which would block the restoration as the appeals court considers the case. In the motion, the government argued that the restoration of the materials would cause “irreparable harm.”

In response, Kelley ordered the government to produce the list of changes and the condition of the materials, writing that this information was necessary for her to consider the government’s argument.

The removal of materials, which relate to civil rights, diverse communities, science and the environment, was made in compliance with a March 27, 2025, executive order in which President Donald Trump ordered the Interior Department to remove content that cast the United States’ “founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”

The complaint filed in February challenges the removal of the materials and was brought by a coalition of organizations committed to preserving history, the parks and the environment.

“National parks belong to the American people and censorship of any kind goes against the values these places represent,” said Alan Spears, a senior director ” said Alan Spears, a senior director at the National Parks Conservation Association, one of organizations suing NPS. “Americans count on national parks to help us understand our full, rich history. Stories of triumph and tragedy alike deserve to be told out loud at parks.”

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Eddie Vedder releases new song ‘Better Believe’ following Obama Presidential Center performance

Eddie Vedder releases new song ‘Better Believe’ following Obama Presidential Center performance
Eddie Vedder releases new song ‘Better Believe’ following Obama Presidential Center performance
“Better Believe” single artwork. (Republic Records)

Eddie Vedder has released a new song called “Better Believe.”

The Pearl Jam frontman recorded the track in collaboration with the organization Guitars Over Guns, which provides musical instruments and instruction to young people from vulnerable communities. 

Vedder debuted “Better Believe” alongside Guitars Over Guns students Thursday at the opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Following the performance, the studio version officially debuted on digital outlets.

All of Vedder’s royalties will be donated to Guitars Over Guns.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Enjoy Eric Church’s July Red Rocks shows from the comfort of home

Enjoy Eric Church’s July Red Rocks shows from the comfort of home
Enjoy Eric Church’s July Red Rocks shows from the comfort of home
Eric Church’s Red Rocks livestreams on nugs (Courtesy nugs)

If you couldn’t get tickets to Eric Church’s three sold-out concerts at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July, there’s now a way for you to see the shows. 

All three nights will stream live on the concert platform nugs; each show is expected to be completely different, though they all celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eric’s time as a recording artist. 

The July 6-8 livestreams are on sale now and are available individually or as a set. HD versions go for about $25 each or $60 for all three, while 4K quality will be $30 each or $75 for the package. Members of Eric’s Church Choir fan club will get a $10 discount. 

You can find complete info at nugs.net.

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The Rolling Stones pick ‘Jealous Lover’ as next ‘Foreign Tongues’ single

The Rolling Stones pick ‘Jealous Lover’ as next ‘Foreign Tongues’ single
The Rolling Stones pick ‘Jealous Lover’ as next ‘Foreign Tongues’ single
The Rolling Stones pick ‘Jealous Lover’ as next Foreign Tongues single

The Rolling Stones are getting ready to release another track off their upcoming album, Foreign Tongues.

The rockers have announced that the next single from the album will be “Jealous Lover.” A press release notes that the track “combines infectious melodies, rich musicianship and sharp lyrical observations,” with frontman Mick Jagger delivering “a pointed warning to an over-inquisitive lover, bringing humor, attitude and vivid imagery to the song’s narrative.”

“Jealous Lover” will be released June 26; the band offered up a short snippet of the track on Instagram. The song will be available as a vinyl and CD single, with the track “Divine Intervention” on the B-side.

This will be the third song The Rolling Stones have released from Foreign Tongues, following “Rough and Twisted” and “In the Stars.”

Foreign Tongues, produced by Andrew Watt, will be released July 10. It is available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ben Stiller confirms upcoming Knicks documentary with A24

Ben Stiller confirms upcoming Knicks documentary with A24
Ben Stiller confirms upcoming Knicks documentary with A24
Ben Stiller records a video during the third quarter in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center, on June 13, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Ben Stiller is working on a documentary about the New York Knicks.

The actor opened up about what he called a “dream project” in a new interview.

“Couldn’t be more excited to make this doc with @A24 and @HBO about the NY KNICKS!!!!!! #LETSGOKNICKS,” the actor and director wrote in an X post Wednesday.

The Knicks’ hometown held a ticker-tape parade on Thursday to celebrate their first NBA championship since 1973 last weekend.

Stiller, a Knicks fan, has been seen recording video footage with an iPhone courtside at recent games and throughout the last season.

He discussed the project with Knicks captain and MVP Jalen Brunson, Knicks guard Josh Hart and their co-host Matt Hillman on the latest Roommates Show podcast.

“We are officially making a documentary about the New York Knicks for HBO, and doing it with A24, and full cooperation of [Madison Square Garden] and NBA,” Stiller said.

“Obviously, I’ve been shooting some stuff on my phone but it’s kind of gonna be about all eras of the Knicks and this team, obviously, you know, there’s a culmination here of something that has been going on for a long time,” Stiller continued. “It’s super exciting.”

Stiller said he plans on filming more footage, including interviews with Knicks players, in the next Knicks season as well.

“There’s so many great eras. And this team, I think, you know, when you look at the ’70s championships, the ’90s runs and then this team doing it again, I think there’s just so much within that,” said Stiller, adding that he wants to make a doc “for the fans.”

A24 also confirmed to ABC News Wednesday that a “landmark” documentary about the Knicks and their legacy is in progress and the “multi-part series” will cover the NBA team’s culture and history.

“The series will trace the full arc of the franchise from the 90s to the improbable, record-breaking run that finally returned a championship to New York. The series is expected to offer unprecedented NBA access, never-before-seen footage, and a definitive look at one of basketball’s most iconic stories,” said the production company.

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Lil Jon says he discusses son’s death in upcoming memoir ”cause I’m not alone’

Lil Jon says he discusses son’s death in upcoming memoir ”cause I’m not alone’
Lil Jon says he discusses son’s death in upcoming memoir ”cause I’m not alone’
Lil Jon attends Live Más LIVE 2026 at Hollywood Palladium on March 03, 2026 , in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Taco Bell )

Lil Jon will release his memoir, I Only Shout So You Can Hear Me, on Oct. 20. The book includes “just everything about my life, how I got my start, all the ups and downs of the music industry,” he says in an interview with TMZ.

It also includes his reflections on losing his son Nathan “DJ Slade” Smith, which he added following his son’s death in February. 

“My son’s passing happened when we were done, so we went back in and included me talking about my experiences with that and how I was processing and dealing with all of that,” he says.

Jon tells TMZ of including his son’s death in his book, “I look at it like me telling my story and what I’m going through could help someone else to get through it. ‘Cause I’m not alone.”

“One thing that…helped me to get through it too is so many people reaching out and sending me prayers and love,” he says, giving credit to people who “experienced … a similar loss, giving me the opportunity to speak with them if I needed to.”

He adds, “I just felt like I needed to be able to express everything that I was going through so somebody else that’s out there that’s going through it can see that they can get through it as well.”

Smith died in February from accidental drowning. He was 27 years old.

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Backstreet Boys’ Howie Dorough is ‘reimagining’ his songs for new Spanish-language project

Backstreet Boys’ Howie Dorough is ‘reimagining’ his songs for new Spanish-language project
Backstreet Boys’ Howie Dorough is ‘reimagining’ his songs for new Spanish-language project
Howie Dorough (Abez Media)

Backstreet Boys’ Howie Dorough just released his first Spanish-language single, “Coqui,” and it’s part of a larger project that’s coming in the future.

According to a press release, Howie’s upcoming release will feature new, original music, as well as “reimagined” Spanish versions of select songs from throughout his career. He was inspired to do this by the fans who’ve told him that they learned English by listening to the Backstreet Boys.

Howie, whose mother is from Puerto Rico, says in a statement, “Growing up, Puerto Rican music, traditions, and family were always a huge part of my life. As I’ve gotten older and become a father myself, I’ve felt an even stronger desire to connect with that heritage and share it with my children. This project has allowed me to reconnect with that side of myself in a really meaningful way.”

“Coqui” is named after Puerto Rico’s famous tree frog, and Howie shot the video in San Juan.

Howie, who didn’t grow up speaking Spanish fluently, has been working hard to improve his skills with the language. As for why he’s chosen this moment to put out a Spanish project, he told Billboard, “Latin music is so big right now, and people are willing to hear music that’s not in their own language.”

“I don’t have major expectations,” he notes, “this is a passion for me, it’s more of a journey. It’s a story that hopefully people will get to know, of a kid who once wanted to embrace his culture, his roots, and because of society and insecurities over the years, I’ve held myself back, but now is the time.”

 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Supreme Court allows some marijuana users to own guns, limiting federal gun ban

Supreme Court allows some marijuana users to own guns, limiting federal gun ban
Supreme Court allows some marijuana users to own guns, limiting federal gun ban
Cherry blossoms at the Supreme Court on a windy morning in Washington, D.C. (John Baggaley/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a longstanding federal ban on guns for unlawful users of any controlled substance is unconstitutional as applied to a Texas gun owner who used marijuana several times a week.

The decision set new limits on federal prosecution of gun owners who are targeted simply for having a history of drug use. It was especially welcomed by millions of American cannabis users who have had to disarm or risk up to 15 years behind bars.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the court’s opinion that unlawful drug use alone cannot be grounds to seek to send someone to prison and potentially force them to give up firearms for life.

“We do not question that sometimes an individual’s unlawful use of marijuana (or any other controlled substance) may render him a danger to others,” Gorsuch wrote. “But, again, the government disclaims the need to show anything like that in this case. … affording the government that kind of broad power to designate any group as dangerous and thereby disqualify its members from having a gun would risk allowing it to quickly swallow the Second Amendment.”

The Justice Department has said it prosecutes roughly 300 cases a year in which a violation of the drug-user gun ban is a leading charge. 

Gorsuch said the opinion was narrow and did not disturb other provisions of the law, which includes a ban on guns for drug addicts, ban on guns for people presently intoxicated and prohibition of firearms for those deemed a danger to themselves or others. 

The ruling would not, for example, have prevented the prosecution of Hunter Biden under the law since he was a known and admitted drug addict while in possession of a firearm. 

The decision was most immediately a victory for plaintiff Ali Hemani, a Texas man who admitted to using marijuana “every other day” while keeping a Glock 9mm pistol in his home. He was prosecuted by federal authorities for a single charge of unlawful possession as a drug user but was neither intoxicated nor physically holding the weapon when arrested.

A federal appeals court tossed out the Hemani indictment saying the ban as applied to him was unconstitutional. The justices agreed with that decision. 

While more than 40 states have legalized marijuana in some form, it remains prohibited under federal law.

“Today’s unanimous 9-0 decision makes it clear that the government cannot make it crime for people to own a gun, which the Supreme Court has held is a fundamental constitutional right, simply because they use marijuana,” said Cecillia Wang, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union.

“With nearly half of Americans reporting marijuana use at some point in their lives, this ruling protects the rights of millions and curbs the government’s ability to impose arbitrary and discriminatory penalties,” Wang wrote in a statement. “The court has sent a strong message that the government cannot criminalize the conduct of large numbers of people by making categorical and unfounded assumptions about whether they are dangerous.”

The decision was also praised by the National Rifle Association as “a major victory for the Second Amendment and peaceable gun owners across America.” 

“No one should be deprived of their God-given right to keep and bear arms for engaging in nonviolent conduct, and there is no historical justification for doing so,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford in a statement to ABC News. 

Gun safety advocates, which had joined the Trump administration in opposing a rollback of the drug-user gun ban, said the bulk of the law remains a robust and “common-sense” public-safety measure. 

“Although the Court said that the particular law at issue in this case cannot be upheld specifically as to the person challenging it, it reaffirmed the ability of legislatures to restrict firearms access by certain categories of people,” said Kris Brown, president of Brady, a gun safety group. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Night Ranger releases remastered ‘(You Can Still) Rock in America’

Night Ranger releases remastered ‘(You Can Still) Rock in America’
Night Ranger releases remastered ‘(You Can Still) Rock in America’
Night Ranger’s ‘Best Of’ (Frontiers Music SRL)

Night Ranger is revisiting one of their classic hits.

The “Sister Christian” rockers have released a remastered version of their 1983 single “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” which originally appeared on their sophomore album, Midnight Madness.

The new remastered version of the song is one of several remixed and remastered hits featured on their upcoming compilation album, Best Of, dropping Aug. 28. Also included on the record are “Sister Christian,” “When You Close Your Eyes” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,” along with bonus tracks, including a live performance of the holiday classic “Feliz Navidad.”

Best Of will be released on CD and vinyl, with a double-LP version available in black, gold and orange splatter. All are available for preorder now.

Night Ranger is currently on a U.S. tour and is set to play Reno, Nevada, on Friday. A complete list of tour dates can be found at NightRanger.com.

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