Graham Platner’s political collapse did more than derail a scandal-plagued Senate campaign in Maine. It also completed Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman’s public transformation from a Bernie Sanders-backed progressive populist to one of the left’s most aggressive internal critics.

Fetterman was among the first prominent Democrats to call out Platner’s mounting controversies, even as many party leaders continued backing the scandal-plagued candidate until a former girlfriend publicly accused Platner of rape, an allegation he denies. The accusation prompted the remaining pillars of Democratic support to collapse.

By Wednesday night, Fetterman laid into his onetime political ally Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in an interview with Fox News’ Charles Hurt on «Jesse Watters Primetime.»

«The trash took itself out,» Fetterman said of Platner’s withdrawal, as Hurt asked who should be held most responsible for the Platner chaos.

KINGMAKER MAMDANI CALLS ON PLATNER TO ‘DROP OUT OF THE RACE’ AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION

«Absolutely, Bernie Sanders needs to apologize to the voters of Maine and to everyone that donated to that train wreck of a campaign,» Fetterman said.

Sanders ultimately called on Platner to end his candidacy after the allegation surfaced, but Fetterman argued the Vermont progressive owed voters an apology for helping elevate him in the first place.

«More than anyone, he pushed ‘P. Hustle’ into the election. And now he keeps pushing these Communists and these kinds of awful, anti-American people.»

Fox News Digital reached out to Sanders, Fetterman and Platner’s campaign for comment.

JOHN FETTERMAN’S FALL FROM HERO TO HERETIC EXPOSES DEMOCRATS’ HARD LEFT TURN

Graham Platner, Democratic US Senate candidate for Maine, during a primary election night event at the Blue Hill YMCA in Blue Hill, Maine, US, on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Progressive Democrat Graham Platner won the party’s Senate primary in Maine after a bruising campaign which became as much about his accusations of past misbehavior as it was voters’ top concerns. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The comments cap a remarkable political evolution for Fetterman, who recently acknowledged he is more popular with some Republicans than his own party.

«For some strange [reason], I am more popular with Republicans, which is confusing because I vote in the 90-[percentile] Dem-line,» Fetterman told NewsNation in March, adding that he supports Israel and President Donald Trump’s «Operation: Epic Fury» against Iran.

Chris Borick, a professor at Lehigh University and former president of the Pennsylvania Political Science Association, called Fetterman’s change in relationship with Sanders and the Democrats’ progressive wing «dramatic.»

«As someone that follows Pennsylvania politics, I can’t find anything even close in comparison to the shifts that we’ve seen in Fetterman’s positions on an array of matters over a short period of time,» Borick said. «We’ve seen people switch parties, like Arlen Specter… but in terms of a quick departure on the most significant levels, Fetterman’s changes are without precedent in the state.»

Fetterman’s break with the left has not been limited to Sanders-world. In Pennsylvania, his increasingly independent posture has also put distance between him and parts of the state Democratic establishment, including breaking some partisan norms.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, who served in the Pennsylvania Senate while Fetterman was lieutenant governor and presided over the chamber, said the Democrat had «political differences» with him but was typically «gracious and respectful.»

He spoke of an interaction on the Harrisburg Senate floor when Fetterman learned Mastriano accrued a record number of ballot signatures to qualify to run for governor against then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

«Senator Fetterman came down from the rostrum, congratulated me, and said, ‘Doug, 30,000. That’s really impressive. Great job.’ It wasn’t something he had to do,» Mastriano told Fox News Digital.

«I can’t speak for Sen. Fetterman’s political evolution — that’s something only he can explain. But I do respect anyone who is willing to speak their mind, think independently, and put what they believe to be America’s interests first, even when doing so may not be popular within their own party,» said Mastriano, who said Fetterman appears to be «put[ting] Pennsylvania ahead of politics.»

Fetterman recently upstaged his home state’s Democratic standard-bearer, Gov. Josh Shapiro, by teaming up with Republican Sen. David McCormick to help secure a booth on the National Mall for the Great American State Fair after the governor’s office said there was too little time and too little vendor interest to assemble one.

Shapiro’s predecessor, Gov. Tom Wolf, with whom Fetterman served as lieutenant governor during Wolf’s second term, also appeared to have no love lost for his party’s new maverick.

«I have thoughts, but I don’t have to share them anymore,» Wolf, who has largely retired from public life, said in March of Fetterman’s job performance.

When the two were in office in Harrisburg, Fetterman was closely aligned with Sanders and rode a wave of progressive populism to the lieutenant governor’s office — which is a separate primary-ballot line from the governorship.

Sam Chen, a Pennsylvania political analyst and chief strategist at the Allentown-based Liddell Group, told Fox News Digital that Fetterman’s evolution from Sanders ally to critic is a significant one while questioning whether the Democratic Party’s political environment helped cause the break.

«Fetterman was really helped by Sanders — even in Fetterman’s first Senate run … and then against who we really thought was probably the frontrunner in Conor Lamb.»

«Sanders really helped put Fetterman on the map and helped get him over the top,» Chen said, calling the senator’s recent condemnation of Sanders his «biggest break» with the progressive wing.

However, Chen questioned whether Fetterman’s break with Sanders over Platner was less about policy than about judgment, character and candidate quality.

«I wonder if Fetterman would have had this position if Platner had all his policy views that he has now but there was no Totenkopf tattoo or allegations from women.»

During his 2018 lieutenant governor campaign, Fetterman touted Sanders’ endorsement as proof of his progressive bona fides, describing the Vermont senator as one of the few national politicians who had the «little guy’s» back. Fetterman was then still mayor of postindustrial Braddock, a working-class suburb outside Pittsburgh, but his populist profile was already drawing national attention.

Sanders in turn came to Pennsylvania to endorse Fetterman: «What John’s campaign is about … is that we are going to transform this country and create a government that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors,» he said, according to PBS’ Philadelphia affiliate.

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Sen. John Fetterman heads to a lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 15, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Since his election to the Senate, Pennsylvania Democratic groups, including the Monroe County Democratic Party in the Poconos, have branded him a «traitor,» while Punchbowl described his current political standing as «tenuous» and reported that no member of the Keystone State’s House delegation would confirm support for a 2028 reelection bid.

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«Squad» member Rep. Summer Lee, who represents Fetterman’s hometown and is more ideologically aligned with Sanders, told the outlet the increasingly isolated senator would run «at his own peril.»

Chen said Fetterman’s progressive «bona fides» remain, noting he still is reliably liberal on LGBTQ rights, marijuana and abortion — adding that as mayor or lieutenant governor, foreign policy positions were a nonfactor. Still, he argued, the fight over Platner shows how far Fetterman has moved from the progressive coalition that launched him into national politics.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stepped in quickly after reports that the pilots of eight Apache helicopters were suspended following a low-altitude flyover during South Carolina’s «Salute from the Shores» event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

Video of the Apache helicopters conducting a low-altitude flyover as beachgoers cheered and waved flags quickly went viral. However, Fox affiliate Fox Carolina reported Thursday that after the pilots landed, they were informed they had been suspended pending an investigation.

Their suspension did not last long. Shortly after news broke of the suspension, Hegseth posted on X, «We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots.»

Early the next morning, Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman and senior advisor to Hegseth, announced that «effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted.» Echoing Hegseth, he added, «Carry on Patriots.»

HEGSETH SAYS PENTAGON WILL REVIEW MARK KELLY’S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT CLASSIFIED BRIEFING AMID ONGOING FEUD

Fox Carolina reported on Thursday that South Carolina National Guard spokesperson Maj. Lisa Alle clarified the suspension was intended to be temporary and that the pilots remained in good standing with the military.

Alle emphasized to the outlet, «We want to assure the community that a temporary suspension from flight duties is a routine administrative measure whenever a flight profile is under review. This is not punitive.»

While suspended, the pilots were continuing to work and getting paid.

Despite this, the pilots’ suspension outraged many online who expressed anger that they would be under review for participating in a patriotic event.

FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

A flight of U.S. Army helicopters flies past the Washington Monument and over the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, July 3, 2026. (Andrew Leyden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Conservative influencer Matt Van Swol posted on X, «WHAT ON EARTH??!!!! The National Guard has just SUSPENDED all 8 pilots of the Apache helicopters that flew on the ‘Salute to the Shore’ flyover across the South Carolina coast. No reason has been given for their suspension. A source says as soon as the pilots landed, they got a message saying they were suspended pending an investigation.»

Another popular influencer who goes by the username Jammles9 reacted, «Are you kidding me?? This was incredible!!»

Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., wrote, «Leave it to a beach Karen to make a frivolous complaint about the most EPIC flyover ever on Independence Day. Newsflash— we LOVED the flyovers!!!»

The congressman added, «These heroes deserve to be CELEBRATED, not chastised. We stand with each of the Apache pilots!»

‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN LAMENTS ‘I SUDDENLY FEEL UNSAFE’ IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AMERICAN FLAGS

Attendees watch the Independence Day fireworks display along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital Friday morning, the South Carolina National Guard confirmed the state adjutant general had lifted the administrative suspension of the eight pilots.

The statement referred to the pilots as «.experienced aviators» and noted that returning them to flight status «ensures that the South Carolina National Guard maintains its peak operational readiness and remains fully postured to support both state and federal missions.»

«The South Carolina National Guard’s 59th Aviation Troop Command is an exceptional helicopter unit, renowned throughout the Army and the National Guard for its unwavering commitment to excellence and Soldier safety,» the statement read. «As is the hallmark of any professional organization, the 59th Aviation Troop Command continuously self-examines and critically evaluates its training and operations to ensure that the highest levels of professionalism and safety are maintained.

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«The subject events of July 4th are no exception, as our pilots remain deeply committed to excellence and the highest standards of safety,» the South Carolina National Guard continued, adding, «The South Carolina National Guard appreciates the outpouring of concern and support from our community and state leaders. Go Guard!»

Praise poured in for Hegseth after the decision, with Mike Davis, a former Capitol Hill staffer, posting, «This is why I love Pete.»

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Swol commented, «Really appreciate @PeteHegseth lifting this suspension. My wife and I were on that beach and we watched the flyover with my son… it was absolutely epic. This right here is why I love Pete Hegseth. Thank you @SecWar.»

Dos huesos de la cola hallados en el norte de Uruguay bastaron para cambiar lo que se sabía sobre los dinosaurios que habitaron allí. Esos huesos pertenecen a una especie que nadie conocía.

Se llama Mesetasaurus protector y es un titanosaurio, un subgrupo de los saurópodos, los dinosaurios de cuello largo más grandes que existieron, que vivió en el Cretácico Tardío, hace 83 millones de años.

“Con su nombre quisimos rendir un homenaje a José Artigas, el prócer uruguayo conocido como “Protector de los Pueblos Libres”, cuya capital estuvo a pocos kilómetros del lugar donde aparecieron los fósiles», contó a Infobae el doctor en biología Daniel Perea, profesor de paleontología de vertebrados en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad de la República de Uruguay y uno de los científicos que hizo el análisis de los restos fósiles.

Trabajó con Matías Soto Núñez y Felipe Montenegro, que también forman parte del Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas de la Facultad de Ciencias. La investigación se publicó en la revista Ameghiniana, de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina.

Aunque los titanosaurios fueron el grupo de dinosaurios más abundante y diverso del Cretácico Tardío en América del Sur, Uruguay tenía muy pocos registros propios. El conocimiento sobre estos animales estuvo durante décadas sesgado hacia las formas patagónicas, y países como Uruguay quedaban fuera de ese mapa prehistórico.

A ese vacío se sumaba una pregunta sin respuesta: nadie sabía con certeza qué tan antigua era la Formación Guichón, la capa de roca del noroeste uruguayo donde aparecen estos fósiles.

Estudios anteriores ubicaban a esa formación en períodos mucho más viejos, lo que generaba confusión sobre la fauna que realmente habitó esa región.

Hasta este trabajo, además, solo se conocía una especie de dinosaurio saurópodo en Uruguay: el Udelartitan celeste, un titanosaurio de una rama familiar distinta.

El objetivo de la nueva investigación fue describir dos vértebras caudales —huesos de la cola— halladas en la Meseta de Artigas, en el norte del departamento de Paysandú, y determinar a qué grupo pertenecían.

Los aeolosaurinos son un grupo de titanosaurios que vivió exclusivamente en el Cretácico Tardío, entre hace unos 89 y 66 millones de años, y su presencia en una formación geológica sirve como pista para fechar las rocas donde aparecen.

El equipo de investigadores también buscó usar ese hallazgo para resolver el misterio de la edad de la Formación Guichón y establecer si la fauna prehistórica de Uruguay tenía vínculos con la de Argentina y Brasil en ese mismo período.

Los restos fósiles del dinosaurio fueron encontrados por Guillermo Sena y Daniel Montano en la década de 1980, en un pequeño acantilado cerca de la orilla oeste del río Uruguay.

“Sena y Montano fueron a pescar a esa zona, y allí los encontraron”, señaló Perea. Décadas después, los científicos fotografiaron y midieron los restos con un calibre de precisión y los compararon con vértebras de otras especies de titanosaurios de América del Sur.

Con esos datos en la mano, realizaron un análisis filogenético (una especie de árbol genealógico basado en características físicas compartidas entre especies) para saber a qué familia de dinosaurios pertenecía el animal.

Usaron una matriz de datos con decenas de especies y el software TNT, que fue inventado por Pablo Goloboff, investigador del Conicet, James Farris y Kevin Nixon.

Para resolver también el misterio de la edad de la Formación Guichón, los investigadores uruguayos construyeron una tabla con la presencia o ausencia de 46 grupos de animales prehistóricos en 36 formaciones geológicas de Uruguay, Argentina, Brasil, Chile, África y Madagascar.

El objetivo era detectar qué faunas se parecían entre sí y, a partir de eso, estimar en qué período vivieron.

El árbol genealógico ubicó al Mesetasaurus protector dentro del grupo de los aeolosaurinos, lo que lo convirtió en una especie completamente nueva para la ciencia.

Además, pasó a ser la segunda especie de saurópodo registrada en Uruguay, de un linaje distinto al del Udelartitan celeste. “La nueva especie de dinosaurio habría medido diez metros de longitud”, dijo Perea a Infobae.

La comparación de las especies dio otro resultado relevante: la Formación Guichón se agrupa con formaciones patagónicas del Cretácico Tardío, como las formaciones Allen y Los Alamitos de Argentina, con las que comparte la presencia de aeolosaurinos y otros grupos animales del mismo período.

Eso indica que esa capa de roca es más reciente de lo que se creía: se formó probablemente entre hace 83 y 86 millones de años.

Esa datación más reciente también cambia la lectura sobre otros animales hallados en la misma formación. El cocodrilo prehistórico Uruguaysuchus, por ejemplo, podría haber sobrevivido hasta el Cretácico más tardío de lo que se pensaba.

El material de otros dinosaurios hallados en la Formación Guichón, como terópodos y ornitópodos —dinosaurios carnívoros y herbívoros de dos patas, respectivamente— aún está bajo estudio.

Esos análisis futuros, según los investigadores, podrían aportar más precisión sobre la edad y los vínculos de esta capa geológica con otras regiones de América del Sur.