NATO has been on high alert since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three and a half years ago, but a recent spike in the alliance’s airspace violations has security experts increasingly concerned that warnings of war with Moscow are no longer theoretical, but inevitable.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the U.S. could ‘end up in World War III’ over Russia’s war in Ukraine and conceded that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ‘let him down’ over his refusal to end his military campaign. 

One day later, Russia sent three fighter jets over Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn in a direct and clear violation of its airspace, prompting another NATO member to spark Article 4 for the second time in as many weeks.

‘Russia is testing NATO again— dozens of drones in Poland last week, drones in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and now fighter jets in Estonian skies. These are deliberate provocations,’ Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene told Fox News Digital. ‘They are deliberate tests—tests of our readiness, our resolve, and of the limits of our deterrence.’

Sakaliene said the Friday violation was just the latest in ‘an escalating pattern of pressure by Russia.’

‘For Estonia, for Poland, for Lithuania, for all of NATO’s eastern flank, this is a direct threat—not just to territorial integrity, but to citizen safety,’ she added.

The Lithuanian defense minister warned that the biggest line of defense NATO holds right now, apart from its actual military readiness, is showing a united front to dissuade Moscow from taking direct action against a NATO member and prompting what could become a global war. 

‘Our biggest risk currently is miscalculation by Russia,’ Sakaliene said. ‘Does Russia believe that NATO will not allow violations of its territory? Does Russia believe that Europe is going to strike back together with [the] United States?

‘That’s now the last line of defense between if and when [war with Russia happens],’ she added.

Concern over direct NATO conflict with Moscow escalated earlier this month after a swarm of at least 19 Russian drones not only flew over Polish airspace, but forced a multi-nation response when NATO, for the first time since the war began, fired upon Russian assets and brought down as many as four drones that posed a threat.

While Trump suggested that the drone swarm could have been a mistake, Poland refuted this and said it was ‘deliberate’ and a ‘planned provocation.’ 

Drone strikes have long been a favored wartime tool of Russia’s in its operation against Ukraine, with the number of strikes peaking in July with some 6,297 long-range drones fired across the country. 

That figure dipped to 4,216 drones fired in August. Though notably, the majority of those UAVs were fired between Aug. 16th and the 31st, when some 3,001 drones were deployed beginning the day after Trump met with Putin in Alaska on Aug. 15.

An American company, which sat less than 30 miles from two other NATO nations, Hungary and Slovakia, was also hit with ‘several’ cruise missiles in late August. 

‘The scope of air attacks from Russia to Ukraine is really rising. They are using more drones, more rockets, and they are still expected to rise,’ Sakaliene said.

‘We have to admit and adapt to this new reality. High intensity war by Russia against Ukraine is ongoing,’ the defense minister said. ‘That means that more and more UAVs are going to wander off into the territories of the bordering countries, and even further.’

Russia has increasingly turned to gray-zone tactics, which involve incidents that fall below the threshold of open warfare, but which allow Russia to test NATO’s resolve and response capabilities.

Over the last month, Poland saw three separate incidents in which its airspace was violated by Russian drones, including UAVs carrying explosive components that crossed into its airspace from both Ukraine and Belarus. 

Just three days after the drone swarm bombarded Polish air defense systems, a Russian drone crossed into Romanian airspace and prompted a French fighter jet and Polish helicopter to respond under NATO’s Operation Eastern Sentry – a defensive posture the alliance launched just one day prior. 

These events came after Lithuania in late July was forced to sound the alarm following two separate incidents in which Russian Gerber drones violated its borders, including one which was carrying explosives.

But these tactics are not the only threats that security experts in recent weeks have flagged as concerning behavior from Moscow. 

Earlier this month, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) based in Washington, D.C. drew attention to an op-ed published by former Russian president and current Security Council chair Dmitry Medvedev on Sept. 8 in the state-sponsored news outlet TASS, which used language that directly mirrored rhetoric by the Kremlin in the lead up to its invasion of Ukraine. 

In his article, Medvedev accused Finland of being ‘Russophobic’ and claimed, ‘the thirst for profit at the expense of Russia was installed in Finnish minds back in the days of Hitler.’ 

He further claimed that Helsinki has attempted to erase the ‘historical and cultural identity’ of ethnic Russians and said joined NATO under the ‘guise’ of defense, but in actuality, was covertly preparing for war against Russia, reported the ISW.

Medvedev’s comments were not stand-alone threats. Multiple Kremlin officials, including Putin who said ‘there will be problems’ after Finland joined NATO, have claimed the alliance will use Finland as a ‘springboard’ to attack Russia. 

‘Russia has been steadily setting conditions to attack NATO over the past several years: Moscow is standing up new divisions and optimizing its command and control headquarters on NATO’s eastern flank,’ George Barros, Senior Russia Analyst with ISW told Fox News Digital. ‘The Kremlin information warfare apparatus is fabricating claims and justifications for why Finland, the Baltic States, and Poland are not real countries. 

‘These are the prerequisite preparations for future war that Moscow is preparing,’ he warned. 

Sakaliene echoed these concerns and additionally pointed to Russia’s use of ‘soft power,’ often employed through social media and traditional media, to influence public perception, which she warned is ‘alarmingly effective.’

‘We see a picture of a very aggressive country which is investing a disproportionate amount of its funds into their military capacity,’ the defense minister said. ‘Despite heavy losses every week, every month, they are moving forward in Ukraine, and at the same time, they are expanding their capabilities. 

‘It raises considerable doubts if all that mass of military power is being accumulated only for Ukraine,’ Sakaliene said. 

More than 100,000 heavy hearts are set to converge on Arizona’s State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., today to commemorate the life of Charlie Kirk — the fiery young activist who ignited fierce loyalty, sharp, yet civil debate, and whose shocking assassination has left a movement in mourning.

Those in attendance at Kirk’s service, which begins at 11 a.m. local time in Glendale, will hear from Republican political heavyweights including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, close allies, and family members who will pay tribute to the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. 

Kirk’s widow, Erika, will speak about his legacy and her new role at the helm of the powerful national organization he built. The service is anticipated to be both a moment of mourning and a declaration of continuity, signaling how his movement intends to carry forward without its founder.

Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The gathering was the first stop on TPUSA’s planned ‘American Comeback Tour,’ and, at first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 

The charismatic Kirk, known for his signature debates on college campuses, sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan ‘Prove Me Wrong,’ taking open-mic questions from a crowd of thousands. Moments later, a single shot ended his life.

In the wake of his death, many Americans are learning for the first time of the unlikely rise of the young activist who vaulted from obscurity in suburban Illinois to become a defining voice for a generation of conservatives and one of the movement’s most formidable power brokers.

At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found Turning Point USA. By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to Trump.

His death leaves behind an energetic movement that indisputably reshaped conservative youth politics.

With backing from Republican donors like Foster Friess, Kirk turned the scrappy campus operation into one of the fastest-growing conservative nonprofits in America. Today, it’s a political juggernaut — its revenue, according to tax filings, soared from just $2 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024.

Add in revenue from its political action arm, Turning Point Action, and the haul climbs well above $95 million.

After his death, TPUSA has seen a massive surge in inquiries for new college chapters as the organization works to advance Kirk’s vision.

Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of ‘The Charlie Kirk Show,’ said the organization has received more than 54,000 requests to establish new campus chapters in the week since the assassination — a surge that would add to its existing network of 900 nationwide.

He also told Fox News Digital that he has ‘personally received hundreds of offers to work’ for TPUSA. 

Kirk’s widow, recently tapped to head the organization, vowed to carry on her husband’s mission in her first public comments since his death.

‘To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,’ Kirk said on Sept. 12. ‘I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever,’ she added.

Kirk said that TPUSA’s annual ‘AmericaFest’ conference in Phoenix this December will continue as scheduled.

After facing intense criticism from Democrats during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, embattled FBI Director Kash Patel remained defiant, saying that he is ‘proud’ to lead the nation’s premier investigations agency.  

Speaking with reporters after the hearing, Patel, who was confirmed to the role by the Senate in late February, touted its historic recruiting efforts, saying that the agency ‘has the most applicants to become FBI agents and intel analysts in the history of the FBI.’

One of the major criticisms he received from Democratic senators during the hearing was for initially misstating on social media that conservative leader Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer was in custody.

Patel has conceded that he could have worded his social media post better, but that he does not regret it because he issued it in the name of transparency.

Speaking after the hearing, Patel added that ‘the American people are seeing and hearing what the FBI is doing on a daily basis, crushing violent crime and defending the homeland.’

‘So, I’m proud to be the director of the FBI that has seen the most significant, expansive application pool in history,’ he said.

In his opening statement to the committee, Patel listed a series of accomplishments the agency has achieved since President Donald Trump took office, including tens of thousands of arrests, a realignment of the agency and an emphasis on cracking down on illicit drugs.

Patel acknowledged the growing criticism over his direction of the FBI and challenged lawmakers on the panel to come after him, saying, ‘I’m not going anywhere’ and ‘if you want to criticize my 16 years of service, please bring it on.’ 

Patel was also scrutinized over a wave of firings at the FBI, which some have alleged were politically motivated.  

Ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., criticized Patel’s deference to Trump, saying the director ‘installed MAGA loyalists’ to key positions and initiated internal ‘loyalty tests,’ including polygraph tests. Durbin claimed that some FBI officials who failed those tests needed waivers to continue working at the bureau.

Durbin also noted that Patel has little experience working in law enforcement, calling his inexperience ‘staggering’ and accusing him of fast-tracking similarly unqualified recruits to fill the FBI’s open jobs.

Patel was also grilled by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, for requiring FBI field agents to perform push-ups as part of their physical fitness standards.

Hirono expressed concerns that female agents may be negatively impacted by the push-up requirement, saying, ‘There are concerns about whether or not being able to do these kinds of harsh pull-ups is really required of FBI agents.’

Patel responded, ‘If you want to chase down a bad guy, excuse me, and put him in handcuffs, you had better be able to do a pull-up.’

In a particularly tense exchange, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., drilled into Patel, saying, ‘I think you’re not going to be around long’ and ‘I think this might be your last oversight hearing, because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution of the United States of America, Donald Trump has shown us in his first term, and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you.’

Patel shot back that Booker’s ‘rant of false information does not bring this country together,’ before adding, ‘It’s my time, not yours.’

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr, Ashley Oliver and Alex Miller contributed to this report.

AI browsers are no longer just an idea; they’re already here. Microsoft has built Copilot into Edge, OpenAI is testing a sandboxed browser in agent mode and Perplexity’s Comet is one of the first to fully embrace the concept of browsing for you.

This is agentic AI stepping into our daily routines, from searching and reading to shopping and clicking. Instead of simply assisting us, these tools are beginning to replace us.

But with this shift comes a new era of digital deception. AI-powered browsers may promise convenience by handling shopping, emails and other tasks, yet research shows they can stumble into scams faster than humans ever could. This dangerous mix of speed and trust is what experts call Scamlexity, a complex, AI-driven scam landscape where your agent gets tricked, and you pay the price.

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Falling for the same old tricks

AI browsers are not immune to classic scams. In fact, they can fall for them even faster. When researchers at Guardio Labs told an AI browser to buy an Apple Watch, it confidently completed the purchase on a fake Walmart store set up in minutes. It autofilled personal and payment details without hesitation. The scammer got the money, while the human never saw the red flags.

Handling phishing emails from ‘your bank’

Old phishing tactics also remain effective. In testing, researchers at Guardio Labs sent a fake Wells Fargo email to the AI browser. The browser clicked the malicious link with no verification and even helped the user fill out login credentials on the phishing page. By removing human intuition from the loop, the AI created a perfect trust chain that scammers could exploit.

PromptFix: A modern AI injection scam

The real danger comes from attacks designed specifically for AI. Researchers at Guardio Labs created PromptFix, a scam disguised as a CAPTCHA page. While humans would only see a checkbox, the AI agent read hidden malicious instructions in the page code. Believing it was ‘helping,’ the AI clicked the button, triggering a download that could have been malware. This type of prompt injection bypasses human awareness and targets the AI’s decision-making directly. Once compromised, the AI can send emails, share files or execute harmful tasks without the user ever knowing.

The growing risks of AI browsers

As agentic AI becomes mainstream, scams will scale at an alarming speed. Instead of fooling millions of people individually, attackers need only to compromise one AI model to reach millions at once. Security experts warn this is a structural risk, not just a phishing problem.

Tips to protect yourself from AI browser scams

AI browsers can save time, but they can also put you at risk if you rely on them too much. Use these practical steps to stay in control and reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

1) Stay in control of your AI

Always double-check sensitive actions like purchases, downloads or logins. Keep final approval in your hands instead of letting the AI complete tasks on its own. This way, you prevent scammers from sneaking past your awareness.

2) Use a personal data removal service

Scammers rely on exposed personal details to make their tricks more convincing. A trusted data removal service can help scrub your information from broker sites, reducing the chance that your AI agent hands over details that are already floating around online. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. 

These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

3) Use strong antivirus software

Install and keep strong antivirus software updated. It adds an extra line of defense that can catch threats your AI browser may miss, including malicious files and unsafe downloads. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

4) Consider using a password manager

A trusted password manager helps you generate and store strong, unique passwords. It can also alert you if the AI agent tries to reuse weak or compromised passwords when logging into sites.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials. 

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com.

5) Watch your accounts closely

Review your bank and credit card statements often. If your AI agent shops or manages accounts for you, always cross-check receipts and login records. Quick action on suspicious charges can stop a scam from spreading further.

6) Beware of hidden AI instructions

Scammers hide malicious instructions in the code your AI reads, and the agent may follow them without question. If something feels wrong, stop the task and handle it manually.

Kurt’s key takeaways

AI browsers bring convenience, but they also bring risk. By removing human judgment from critical tasks, they expose a wider scam surface than ever before. Scamlexity is a wake-up call: The AI you trust could be tricked in ways you never see coming. Staying safe means staying alert and demanding stronger guardrails in every AI tool you use.

Would you trust an AI browser to handle your banking and shopping, or is the risk of Scamlexity too high? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda is a bold roadmap for American renewal, aggressively implementing conservative ideas to drive economic growth and energy self-sufficiency. It’s squarely focused on delivering for what Trump terms the ‘forgotten Americans’ — the working men and women whose interests have long been ignored by elites from both political parties. This agenda is exactly what Trump ran on last year. Yet today, a group of Democrat trial lawyers are trying to short-circuit Trump on issue after issue — working to achieve through lawfare what they failed to at the ballot box.

Weaponizing the law against political opponents — known as lawfare — is most commonly associated with the actions of the FBI against President Trump during the Obama and Biden years. We now see this playbook being used by activist attorneys to systematically block key elements of the Trump agenda from being enacted – all while collecting big legal fees.

Most recently, lawfare has come for an executive order Trump signed in August that aims to democratize access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans. The EO aims to allow the 90 million-plus everyday Americans who save for retirement through traditional 401(k) plans to invest in assets typically reserved for the wealthy and well-connected – namely, private equity and cryptocurrencies. These investments have regularly outperformed the public stock market and help diversify investors’ portfolios, which many believe are too heavily exposed to the ‘Magnificent 7’ Big Tech stocks. This is why major investors like large state pension funds tend to hold around one-third of their assets in private market investments.

The order directs the Department of Labor (DOL) to reexamine fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and propose rules that could include a legal safe harbor for plan sponsors choosing to include high-quality alternative investment options. A few days later, the DOL rescinded Biden-era language that had discouraged such options, opening the door for American savers to these asset classes, which are typically limited to so-called ‘accredited investors,’ with high income and net worth.

Yet trial lawyers are already plotting lawsuits to cancel this reform before it can start, and aim to win a big payday in doing so. As a prominent plaintiffs’ lawyer stated recently to Bloomberg Law: ‘I would joke and say that I hope employers add alternative investments, because I have some kids I need to put through college.’ Indeed, unless the Trump administration insists on strong rulemaking and clear safe harbor in place, these lawyers plan to use the court system to extract multimillion dollar settlements that benefit themselves, while denying average Americans the wealth-building tools that have long been reserved for the elite.

On energy, President Trump made a decisive move with his executive order unleashing American energy, encouraging exploration on federal lands, eliminating burdensome electric vehicle mandates, revoking outdated climate-related directives, and streamlining permitting processes. Yet, environmental trial lawyers have mounted a fierce counteroffensive, using lawfare to hold up these vital changes, resulting in delays that keep energy prices higher, stifle job growth in America’s heartland, and prolong reliance on America’s adversaries for energy resources.  

The pattern continues with Trump’s drive for a smaller, more efficient federal workforce. In March, he signed an executive order to address workforce efficiency, instructing agencies to terminate collective bargaining agreements – some of which were signed in the final days of the Biden Administration to hamstring President Trump. Labor union lawyers have deployed lawfare to preserve the entrenched system and challenge the order in multiple federal courts, securing court stays. Their efforts delay essential efficiencies, perpetuating a bloated federal workforce that drains taxpayer dollars and slows government responsiveness.

This well-coordinated effort shows the threat to Trump’s agenda from those trying using the courts to override the will of the American voter. These trial lawyers, motivated by both ideology and profit, seek to accomplish through the courts what they couldn’t in the 2024 election: Stop Trump at any cost. Our movement’s challenge is to fight back, reclaiming policy-making from the courts and restore it to the people’s representatives.