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&x27;ANTM&x27; doc sparks trend mocking the show&x27;s controversial photo shoots Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAYThu, February 26, 2026 at 8:30 PM UTC 0 The latest viral obsession is adding humor to the chaos surrounding the popular reality competition show "America's Next Top Model". The trend, which has been taking over TikTok and Instagram, shows social media users jokingly doing photo shoots after sharing something traumatic with the show's creator, Tyra Banks.

'ANTM' doc sparks trend mocking the show's controversial photo shoots

Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAYThu, February 26, 2026 at 8:30 PM UTC

The latest viral obsession is adding humor to the chaos surrounding the popular reality competition show "America's Next Top Model".

The trend, which has been taking over TikTok and Instagram, shows social media users jokingly doing photo shoots after sharing something traumatic with the show's creator, Tyra Banks.

It caught steam following the release of Netflix's "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model," which pulled back the curtain on the cultural phenomenon.

One of the show's staples was its over-the-top creative direction, which has been widely criticized over time.

1 / 0Wings, diamonds and fantasy: The most memorable Victoria's Secret Fashion Show looks

The Victoria's Secret Fashion show is back in 2025 with all-new lingerie ensembles, larger-than-life wings and iconic models. But before the runway show became an internationally televised fashion and music event, it started in 1995 as a more modest fashion show that advertised the brand's designs.Take a look back at the best looks over the decades, starring some of legendary models such as Tyra Banks, Joan Smalls, Claudia Schiffer, Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima.Let's start with Naomi Campbell in 2003.

'America's Next Top Model': Miss J endured stroke, weekslong coma after reality show

'POV: You told Tyra ' (insert trauma here)

In one TikTok, a woman is seen posing with peanut butter smeared on her face, captioned, "POV you told Tyra you had a peanut allergy."

The comedic videos have caught the attention of past contestants, including Joanie Sprague, the runner-up of Cycle 6. In her version, she posed with a ladder and wood panels.

"You told Tyra your father was injured in a construction accident, and this is your next photoshoot," the caption said. Other "ANTM" alumni commented on her post with laughing emojis.

"It's kind of laughing at Tyra and her craziness," Sprague said in an interview with USA TODAY. "It is true, Tyra will take the worst part of your life, and you're like, 'What the heck,' you know?"

She added, "The internet is always there to say, 'Hey, let's turn this into something and make everybody laugh.'"

Netflix doc exposes behind the scenes of 'ANTM'

Sprague is one of the former participants who spoke about their "ANTM" experiences on "Reality Check." The viral three-part docuseries shed light on the drama behind the scenes, from the extreme makeovers to the challenges.

"It was a time in the world where there was the show 'Fear Factor,' 'Survivor,' and all of these things of like pushing the limits," Banks said on the program. "The viewers wanted more, and more and more."

Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model.

In addition to the challenges, the show's photo shoots have been called out as inappropriate, dangerous and racially insensitive. They suspended the models from ledges, had them pretend to be homeless, swapped their ethnicities, and pushed them to pose with live animals, among other wacky ideas.

Speaking throughout "Reality Check," contestants accused the show of exploiting their dreams, trauma and fears for the sake of good television. In Cycle 8's crime scene photo shoot, Dionne Walters had to pretend she was shot in the head by another model.

"When I was a kid, my mom was shot, and she was paralyzed from the waist down," Walters shared in the doc. "They knew about it from the application process, but they still chose to have me do this particular photo shoot that involved gun violence. I thought it was a coincidence at the time, but I don't think it was."

'That was wild,' Joanie Sprague said about 'ANTM' photo shoot

Joanie Sprague in "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model."

Sprague recalled a photo shoot from her season, where the models were mermaids and placed upside down in a net over a Thailand market.

"That was some 'Fear Factor' stuff right there. That was wild," she told USA TODAY. "The harness and being upside down and you're really tight, and you can't breathe, that was just super weird."

Post-show, Sprague said she modeled for a few years, with brief stints in Hong Kong and Milan. When she returned to the United States, she wound up back in the television space, most notably on DIY Network's "Run My Renovation" and other shows. Now, she's a full-time carpenter and content creator who has her own workshop.

"I teach ladies woodworking, and I just love it. It's just become my lifestyle," Sprague said. "For the past 16 years, I've just been crushing it and just enjoying this new chapter."

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'ANTM' fans, alumni participate in viral photo shoot trend

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'ANTM' doc sparks trend mocking the show's controversial photo shoots

&x27;ANTM&x27; doc sparks trend mocking the show&x27;s controversial photo shoots Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAYTh...

"Survivor 50"&x27;s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn&x27;t Show (Exclusive) Staff AuthorThu, February 26, 2026 at 8:54 PM UTC 0 Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS Survivor's milestone 50th season premiere saw two contestants get eliminated in different ways After their exits, they are speaking out about how things really went down Find out what the episode didn't show Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Feb. 25 premiere episode of Survivor's 50th season. Survivor is one episode into its 50th season, but two contestants are already gone.

"Survivor 50"'s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn't Show (Exclusive)

Staff AuthorThu, February 26, 2026 at 8:54 PM UTC

Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS -

Survivor's milestone 50th season premiere saw two contestants get eliminated in different ways

After their exits, they are speaking out about how things really went down

Find out what the episode didn't show

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Feb. 25 premiere episode of Survivor's 50th season.

Survivor is one episode into its 50th season, but two contestants are already gone.

Jenna Lewis Dougherty, who was on the show's debut season in 2000 and returned for the first all-star season, was the first person to be voted out and have their torch snuffed by Jeff Probst at tribal council. In addition, season 48 winner Kyle Fraser had to be medically evacuated from the game after injuring his Achilles' tendon during the first immunity challenge.

Both Jenna and Kyle talked to PEOPLE after the episode debuted, sharing what really happened in Fiji.

Kyle Fraser on Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS

Kyle Fraser

It's been eight months since this all went down. How'd it feel to finally watch the episode?

Kyle: It was good. It's crazy to know that the world has seen it now, so I'm excited that I can be open about it now. I had fun watching the episode, I really did.

Since you had to keep your appearance on Survivor secret, did you have a cover story for your injury between filming and now?

Kyle: I told everyone that I was coming down for a rebound in basketball and tore my Achilles. Which, if you know me, is very funny because I'm notoriously bad at basketball. I played lacrosse in college, but I suck at basketball. My close friends figured it out, but my colleagues at work and stuff like that don't know my basketball skills. So it worked out.

When did you realize the injury was the end of your game?

Kyle: I really tried to be optimistic. But in the middle of the night when I had that first sleep, I woke up and I was in pain. I was resting my foot on two rocks — Aubry had helped me put up two rocks to elevate my leg. I just felt the functionality of my foot, and it just was not there. I thought, "I would stay as long as they let me, but they're probably not going to let me stay." It creeped in my head.

But when I woke up, I was like, "I need to keep playing the game. Because if I do get to stay, how would I feel if I just gave up?"

Kyle Fraser on Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS

Did you fight to stay?

Kyle: Oh, yeah. There was quite some negotiation with Jeff and Dr. Joe. I cited James from Heroes vs. Villains as precedent [for staying with an injury]. When Jeff brought up the liability thing, I actually came back at him. I was like, "I'm a lawyer. I'll sign a waiver." He appreciated the advocacy, but he was exactly right in making sure I was helped.

The episode didn't show it, but you went back down the wall to help Colby up. That's when you got injured. Was there any guilt from him?

Kyle: I think that he was sad, and there was guilt, but it was misplaced. Colby was at the bottom. He was the engine getting people up. He's gassed after lifting literally everybody up, and now the wall's covered in mud on top of it. After everything he did, it's near impossible for him to get up. So I'm like, 'I need to get down and help my teammate who's been helping us.' Because Colby's an athlete, because he's a good person, he was beating himself up a little bit, but it wasn't his fault. Every athlete eventually comes to the understanding that these things do happen, and this was not my day.

Jeff Probst, Kyle Fraser and Dr. Joe on Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS

Despite the injury, are you happy you went and played again?

Kyle: Oh, hell yeah. I had such a good time playing. And listen, this injury sucks. There's no doubt about it. But I've learned so much about myself. I've had time to learn about patience. I mean, this is an eight-to-12-month recovery. I go to [physical therapy] three times per week. I stayed in the gym three, four times per week. I'm stronger, from an upper-body perspective, than I've ever been in my life. I've learned more about myself as a person that I didn't know. It stinks, and the payoff isn't immediate, but I'm feeling the payoff as we speak. I get to say I'm a part of season 50. Who gets to say that? Only a couple people, so it's awesome.

You have a baby on the way! Will that interfere with you making the live finale and reunion?

Kyle: I don't know. Of course, I would love to be there. I'm still a part of the season, even though it was just for a blip. But first and foremost comes family. Who knows? There's a very narrow window where it could work out. If not, maybe they'll zoom me in like Brenda.

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Jenna Lewis Dougherty on Survivor 50Credit: Gail Schulman/CBS

Jenna Lewis Doughtery

Sorry to see that you're the first one out. How are you doing?

It's easier on this one. The other two, they came to air like a month or two months after we played. This one, it's been eight months. I've had a little time to decompress. But I will tell you, it's also been eight months of the guillotine hanging over my head, especially as you gear up and start doing pre-press. You're waiting to see what the edit's going to be because you're thinking about every dumb thing you said, every dumb thing you did. So once it was actually over, I'm like, "Okay." I felt better, actually.

It felt like you came in hot, especially putting Cirie's name on the chopping block in front of several people.

I will say, it was not me who said Cirie's name first. Not me at all. First day, I felt so uncomfortable. Seemed like everyone else had this rapport — which come to find out, everyone did have that rapport. There were a lot of pre-connections that I was unaware of, but I felt. So I was chatting with Christian day one, trying to bond and "What do you think of the group?' And in his Christian way, he said, I'm going to go over and sit down to who I think is the biggest threat.' He goes and sits next to Cirie while I talk to Devens about Fortnite. And he comes back over — and I will sit in a deposition with Christian — he said, "She's the biggest threat because if there's a swap or there's a merge, she's lost to the wind." That's almost a dead quote. "She's lost to the wind." So I'm like, "Okay, Christian could be an ally." I thought there was an opening there.

Rick Devens goes to the water hole and tells Cirie, "Jenna's saying your name." I probably was, but it was after I was trying to get inroads with Christian and Emily and Devens. Christian made sure I wasn't going to be aligned with Cirie and Ozzy, and it worked. I fell for it. I fell for it because I knew there were these factions that I just was not in on. Christian absolutely masterminded it.

Jenna Lewis Dougherty and Jeff Probst on Survivor 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS

And did you want Cirie gone yourself?

I did think she was a liability. Premerge, you cannot keep someone who is going to make you tank challenges.

Did anyone tell you about Ozzy as a possible candidate to be voted out, like Emily proposed?

Three of them came to me like, "We can do Ozzy." I was like, "Ugh. Are we really going to get rid of one of our biggest challenge beasts but also keep the one who's actively making us lose? I don't think that's a good tradeoff. If we're going to go for one of them, I think it should be Cirie."

Cirie's a lovely woman. I didn't have anything against her out there. I just thought she was a liability.

What about Savannah and Joe in all this?

Savannah and Joe just couldn't come together. Could not be cohesive. It's not like they 100% with either group. They couldn't get it together. I really tried. I mean, obviously — that's why they said I was playing so hard because I felt that I was on the outs of these two groups.

For two new school players – in fact, the two newest school players — they weren't playing fast.

When did you know it was you getting voted out?

I knew that I would definitely get Ozzy and Cirie's votes [going into tribal council]. I didn't know Christian, all this. I think he absolutely masterminded it.

As a mom, what do your kids think of you coming back on Survivor?

They are completely like, "Whatever, mom." I tried to show them old Survivor or even the cover of Time magazine and be like, "Hey, this is pretty cool. Don't you have a cool mom?" They could give two craps.

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

PEOPLE Survivor's 50 special edition; Jeff ProbstCredit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

Celebrate 50 seasons of Survivor with a new special edition of PEOPLE, featuring exclusive interviews with Jeff Probst and the milestone season's cast as well as a nostalgic look back at the show's history, fan favorite players and more.

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“Survivor 50”'s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn't Show (Exclusive)

"Survivor 50"&x27;s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn&x27;t ...

Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: &x27;No one&x27;s proud of selling their soul,&x27; star says Joey NolfiThu, February 26, 2026 at 4:11 PM UTC 0 Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on airCredit: ABC Talk show host Tamron Hall held actress and reality TV icon Lisa Rinna to the fire over onair heat the Real Housewives and Traitors star has generated on the small screen.

Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: 'No one's proud of selling their soul,' star says

Joey NolfiThu, February 26, 2026 at 4:11 PM UTC

Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on airCredit: ABC

Talk show host Tamron Hall held actress and reality TV icon Lisa Rinna to the fire over on-air heat the Real Housewives and Traitors star has generated on the small screen.

Rinna appeared on the Tamron Hall show on Thursday to discuss her new book, You Better Believe I'm Going to Talk About It, which Hall said contains numerous dramatic revelations about Rinna's conflicts with people in her life. Upon returning from a commercial break, the show played a voiceover clip of Rinna reading a passage from the book, in which she addresses light regret about hurting feelings while drumming up drama during her tenure on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills from seasons 4-12.

"I'm an actor, so I know what is needed to create drama on the show, yet you're still dealing with human beings. It hurts when you say something about someone, and vice versa. It's a very hard thing to process, even if it's a setup. At the end of the day, I never wanted to hurt anybody, and I didn't want to fight, but that's what the show was about: Women and conflict," Rinna said in the passage, to which Hall replied by challenging Rinna as she asked, "Going on that show was a choice. Why did you go on it?"

Rinna admitted that "at the time, I was as cold as a dead fish in my career. I was cold as ice," she said. "Trust me, I wasn't [in demand]. And I am a businesswoman, so I knew that Real Housewives was great real estate on television."

Lisa Rinna on 'Tamron Hall' showCredit: ABC

After she said that she "thought this could be good for business," Hall again pushed back on Rinna's assertion that she felt bad about hurting people amid various conflicts on the Bravo program.

"One might say the fires that started there? You had to know the house was hot. The franchise was built on conflict," Hall said, pointing out that Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Teresa Giudice made headlines all the way back in 2009 (four years before Rinna joined RHOBH season 4 in a supporting role) for almost flipping a table during a heated clash with cast member Danielle Staub. "You kind of know what you're walking into. I get, as you said, your career had slowed down, but what good was it to gain a man to lose his soul?"

Rinna replied, admitting that "no one's proud of selling their soul, but I think you have to acknowledge it and go, that's where I was at the time, I did it, I didn't know it would be quite as rough as it ended up being."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.

"Well, I'm still here," Rinna continued. "I'm still here. How can I make the world a better place and how can I bring joy and have more fun?"

Hall finished the segment by pointing out that some of the revelations Rinna made in the book, in her estimation, will lead to fractured relationships with people she'll "never talk to again." Rinna agreed, telling Hall, "Probably not. I've tried. Everyone I talk about — just about — in here, I have tried to make amends, or I have made amends. There are some people in our lives, you've probably all come across it, where amends are not able to be made. So, what do you do about that, when you want to move on, but that other person is like, no?"

Despite lamenting elements of her past clashes on Housewives, Rinna further weathered drama during her tenure on The Traitors season 4, where she went toe-to-toe with Bachelor alum Colton Underwood, who targeted her at a later stage in the elimination-heavy gauntlet.

Lisa Rinna, Colton Underwood, Eric Nam, Monét X Change, and Candiace Dillard Bassett on 'The Traitors' season 4Credit: Euan Cherry/Peacock

Speculation arose among fans that some of Rinna's words to Underwood hinted at his controversial past, including when she referred to him as "a stalker" in a Jan. 23 Threads post. Many assumed the reference pointed to a restraining order filed against Underwood in 2020 by his ex, Cassie Randolph, who alleged at the time that Underwood placed a tracking device on her vehicle (the order was ultimately dropped).

"I knew nothing. But I am not here to do anything to hurt anyone or make it worse for someone, because I've had that happen for me, and it's really rough when social media is turning on you. And I didn't want to be part of ... even though, listen, if you ask me to be a Housewife, I'm going to come at you however I'm going to come at you. And guess what? He got what he asked for because I definitely showed up as Lisa Rinna, the Housewife. But I didn't want it to further put gasoline on the fire," Rinna later told Entertainment Weekly of the ordeal. "I'm fine with Colton. I knew nothing about his past. He was a great nemesis for me in the game, and we're all good. At the end of the day, it's a game. His past is his past. It doesn't have anything to do with me. So there it is."

The Traitors finale and reunion — featuring Rinna — streams tonight on Peacock.

on Entertainment Weekly

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Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: 'No one's proud of selling their soul,' star says

Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: &x27;No one&x27;s proud of selling their soul...

&x27;Elite&x27; US Air Force fighter pilot accused of secretly training Chinese pilots Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAYThu, February 26, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTC 62 An ex "elite" United States Air Force fighter pilot has been arrested and accused of secretly training Chinese military pilots for combat missions overseas, federal prosecutors said. Former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., also known by the call sign "Runner," was arrested in Jefferson, Indiana on Feb. 26 in connection to allegations he taught members of the country's foreign military overseas, the U.S.

'Elite' US Air Force fighter pilot accused of secretly training Chinese pilots

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAYThu, February 26, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTC

An ex "elite" United States Air Force fighter pilot has been arrested and accused of secretly training Chinese military pilots for combat missions overseas, federal prosecutors said.

Former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., also known by the call sign "Runner," was arrested in Jefferson, Indiana on Feb. 26 in connection to allegations he taught members of the country's foreign military overseas, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a news release.

Brown, 65, was charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), officials said. The overseas training took place over a more than two-year period that began around August 2023, when officials said Brown "willfully conspired with foreign nationals and U.S. persons to provide combat aircraft training to pilots in the Chinese Air Force," also called the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

"The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation. He now stands charged with training Chinese military pilots," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement. "When U.S. persons – whether military or civilian - provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department. The National Security Division will use all tools at its disposal to protect our military advantages and hold to account those who would violate the AECA."

Brown was set to appear for his first court appearance in the Southern District of Indiana on Feb. 26.

FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle said Brown's arrest emphasized the FBI's "steadfast promise to defend the homeland against all foreign and domestic adversaries."

"Brown allegedly sold out his country to train Chinese pilots with his expertise in United States' combat aircraft techniques," Barnacle said in a statement. "Brown's alleged betrayal exposed sensitive military tactics, threatening the security of our nation, our armed forces, and our allies."

FBI conducts search warrants: The execution took place at LAUSD headquarters, superintendent home

Who is Gerald Eddie Brown Jr.?

A U.S. citizen, officials said Brown served for more than two decades in the U.S. Air Force, leaving active duty in 1996 with the rank of major.

During his military career, Brown "commanded sensitive units with responsibility for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions, and served as a fighter pilot instructor and simulator instructor on a variety of fighter and attack aircraft," officials said.

Those aircrafts included the following:

F-4 "Phantom II"

F-15 "Eagle"

F-16 "Fighting Falcon"

A-10 "Thunderbolt II" (Warthog)

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon performs during the Legacy of Liberty Air Show at Holloman Air Force Base on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Later in his career, Brown served as a commercial cargo pilot and, most recently, as a contract simulator instructor for two American defense contractors training U.S. military pilots on flying other aircrafts: the A-10 and the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

'Sensitive military and export-controlled data'

According to a criminal complaint, around August 2023, Brown worked with a co-conspirator to negotiate with a Chinese national to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors and to steal "sensitive military and export-controlled data" for China.

The Chinese national, Stephen Su Bin, pleaded guilty to charges in the case in 2016 and was sentenced to nearly four years in prison, the complaint continues.

Then in December 2023, Brown traveled to China to begin training military pilots for China, the charging documents continue. Officials said Brown spent several hours answering questions about the U.S. Air Force on his first day in the country. On his second day, Brown prepared and "presented a brief about himself for the PLAAF."

Officials said Brown remained in China until traveling back to the U.S. earlier this month.

It was not immediately known whether Brown had obtained legal counsel in the case.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Air Force pilot arrested for training Chinese pilots

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'Elite' US Air Force fighter pilot accused of secretly training Chinese pilots

&x27;Elite&x27; US Air Force fighter pilot accused of secretly training Chinese pilots Natalie Neysa Alund, US...

Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat? Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Jervis and Jayme Fraser, USA TODAY Thu, February 26, 2026 at 7:10 PM UTC 1 This is a developing story and will be as details emerge. A rare shootout on the high seas involving a Floridaregistered speedboat and ten Cuban nationals believed to be living in the United States has triggered investigations in Washington and Havana. Cuban authorities said that when the boat was intercepted in its territorial waters on Feb.

Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat?

Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Jervis and Jayme Fraser, USA TODAY Thu, February 26, 2026 at 7:10 PM UTC

This is a developing story and will be as details emerge.

A rare shootout on the high seas involving a Florida-registered speedboat and ten Cuban nationals believed to be living in the United States has triggered investigations in Washington and Havana.

Cuban authorities said that when the boat was intercepted in its territorial waters on Feb. 25 those aboard were carrying assault rifles, handguns, improvised explosive devices, bulletproof vests and other tactical military gear. Four were killed. Six were arrested. Another man was detained in Cuba accused of aiding the men on the boat.

Cuba's Interior Ministry has accused all of the people involved of taking part in a terrorist plot, though officials in Washington have not corroborated that accusation. Cuba has identified one of the four men killed as Michel Ortega Casanova. It said it was still working to identify the other three.

But what do we know about the ten men involved in the latest escalation between two Cold war-era foes?

US interventions in Latin America. What they say about Trump's Venezuela gambit

Who were the people involved in the Cuba speedboat shooting?

Among those detained, according to Cuban authorities, were:

Amijail Sánchez González

Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez

Conrado Galindo Sariol

José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló

Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara

Roberto Azcorra Consuegra

Duniel Hernández Santos was identified as the man arrested on Cuban soil.

Cuba has said that the majority of the participants in the incident have a history of criminal and violent activity. There does appear to be some accuracy to that assertion.

USA TODAY has reached out to Washington and inquired about their status in the United States. U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment.

Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, an exile group that opposes the Cuban regime, warned not to put too much credence into details of the incident emerging from the Cuban government.

His name appears on the same Cuban terrorist list as Sánchez González for allegedly starting an anti-Castro guerilla group − that was actually created six years before he was born.

"They have a history of lying and committing crimes," Gutierrez-Boronat said. "Why should we believe anything they say, especially at a moment like now when there's real pressure on them?"

1 / 0From Cuba to Panama: US interventions that shaped Latin America

This file photo shows a group of U.S. sailors from the battleship Connecticut and a gun they captured at Cape Haitien during the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915.

Amijail Sánchez González

Sanchez Gonzalez, 47, was arrested in Miami-Dade County in 2020 and charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, fleeing the scene of a crime, reckless driving and property damage, according to public records. He spent over a year in jail. Two years later, he was back in jail on charges of tampering with an electronic monitor, a felony offense. He was also one the two men detained this week who Cuba's Ministry of Justice previously added to its "international most wanted" list, which also includes members of Miami's exile community dating back to 1999, according to a justice ministry "gazette" sent to USA TODAY by a Cuban official.

Sanchez Gonzalez lives in a suburb of Miami-Dade County just south of Miami.

In the justice ministry gazette, Sánchez González was accused of inciting an act of sabotage against the Municipal People's Court of Central Havana in 2022. And in 2023, Cuban authorities said he smuggled firearms, ammunition and other supplies across the northern coast of Cuba's Matanzas Province "with the purpose of carrying out terrorist acts against military units." He was allegedly financed by supporters residing in the U.S.

Separately, in a 2023 news bulletin from Cuban officials identifying alleged wanted terrorists, Sanchez González was among those named. A translated report by government media at the time showed a photo of Sanchez González that matches social media photos and videos promoting Cuban liberation found by USA TODAY.

In one of those video posts, the man who appears to be Sanchez González calls out President Donald Trump for speaking about taking over Cuba as president but doing nothing to make liberation happen. The man uses Spanish curse words to punctuate frustration and urgency for change.

"We are going to fight for Cuba," he said multiple times in the post. Later, he said, "I have the balls to do what needs to be done now." He thanks America for welcoming him as a refugee and giving him a life back, including the opportunity to start a family. "But I want to die how real men die."

US and Cuba: A contentious relationship through the years

Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez

Cruz Gómez, also 47, was the other man added to Cuba's "international most wanted list."

Authorities opened up an investigation into him in 2025 for "sabotage activities" carried out in Villa Clara, Cuba, for which another Cuban citizen was arrested and prosecuted. A person with the same name as Cruz Gómez appears to have last resided at an address in Tampa, Fla., according to public records, which also associated that name with criminal activity, several arrests and the ownership of hunting and fishing licenses.

It was not immediately clear if they were one and the same person.

Neither Sánchez González nor Cruz Gómez were available to comment on the allegations. Attempts to reach potential family members or representatives in Cuba and the U.S. were not immediately successful.

A vintage car is parked outside the Provincial Clinical–Surgical Hospital "Arnaldo Milian Castro," where, according to local information, injured people on Feb. 26, 2026, were being treated after an armed incident involving a Florida-registered speedboat and a Cuban patrol vessel.

Nicolás Maduro: Here are the charges against Venezuela's leader

Conrado Galindo Sariol

Posts on an Instagram account that appears to belong to Galindo Sorial alternate between videos of him offering deals on cars in a Miami used car lot and photos and interviews with prominent Cuban exiles advocating for a free Cuba.

In a March 2025 interview on the Radio Martí podcast, a hardline Cuban exile advocacy show, Galindo Sorial described how his mother was a teacher and his father fought alongside Castro's troops in the Sierra Maestra but later became disillusioned with the regime.

Beginning around 1991, Galindo Sorial became involved with the opposition in Cuba, distributing anti-Castro pamphlets and writing underground articles against the regime, before landing in a prison in Camaguey. He later left for Miami.

In the interview, Galindo Sorial said he dreams of a free Cuba, where all Cubans have equal rights and the ability to defend their homeland.

"Cuba is a jewel of the Americas," he said. "Before I die, I would like to see her free."

Roberto Azcorra Consuegra

There is scattered information about the other men alleged to be involved in the speedboat operation.

According to public records, a man with the name Roberto Azcorra Consuegra, 45, last lived at an address in Miami. Over a period of five years, the address and name were associated with dozens of reports of criminal activity. The name and address also match the apparent owner of a Miami-based a carpet-cleaning company.

A man who appeared to be Azcorra Consuegra's father answered the phone to a USA TODAY reporter, identified himself and promptly hung up. However, it wasn't immediately clear if Azcorra Consuegra was even in Cuba.

In a television interview on Feb. 26 with a local NBC affiliate in Florida, a man who identified himself as Azcorra Consuegra said he was surprised to learn his name was on the list issued by Cuba's Interior Ministry because he was at that moment in South Florida and not on the island. He also denied knowledge of any plans to go to Cuba.

Asked why he believed the Cuban government would put his name on the list and accuse him of terrorism, Azcorra Consuegra said: "They know me. They know me well, they know it all."

U.S. and Cuba: What now?

Cuba's government has accused the 10 people aboard the speedboat it intercepted off its coast of planning "an armed infiltration with terrorist aims." The U.S. has said little about the incident, though its top diplomat, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has said that Washington was investigating the "highly unusual" incident.

Rubio said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn't "going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened."

The episode comes at a time of increased tension between the U.S. and Cuba, longtime adversaries. It also comes less than two months after American forces seized Cuba's close ally, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, in a raid that has had severe economic and humanitarian consequences for Cuba.

Venezuela has supplied Cuba's oil for more than two decades. In the wake of the U.S. operation, Washington imposed an oil embargo on Cuba. However, in recent days it has moved to ease those restrictions as Cuba's Caribbean-nation neighbors have warned that the embargo could destabilize the entire region.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers

Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Jervis and Jayme Fraser are all reporters of USA TODAY Investigations team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who were the 10 people in the deadly Cuba speedboat shootout?

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Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat?

Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat? Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Jervis and Jayme Fraser, USA TODAY ...

Judge lets White House ballroom project continue, but suggests path for future challenges Betsy Klein, CNNThu, February 26, 2026 at 6:55 PM UTC 0 This rendering shows architectural plans for President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom. National Capital Planning Commission/Shalom Baranes Associates A federal judge on Thursday rejected the nation's top historic preservation group's attempt to block to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project, but also suggested a possible roadmap for the group to revive the challenge.

Judge lets White House ballroom project continue, but suggests path for future challenges

Betsy Klein, CNNThu, February 26, 2026 at 6:55 PM UTC

This rendering shows architectural plans for President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom. - National Capital Planning Commission/Shalom Baranes Associates

A federal judge on Thursday rejected the nation's top historic preservation group's attempt to block to President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project, but also suggested a possible roadmap for the group to revive the challenge.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the Trump administration in December over the sprawling ballroom project and asked for a preliminary injunction, claiming the White House has been carrying out the construction unlawfully because Trump hadn't gotten approval from Congress or submitted his plans to the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts for review, which would give the public a chance to weigh in.

The president has been personally involved in ballroom details, from floor plans to marble selection. The sprawling ballroom project has an estimated size of approximately 89,000 square feet, according to lead architect Shalom Baranes. By contrast, the primary White House structure, the Executive Mansion, is just 55,000 square feet.

Trump has maintained that the project isn't subject to any oversight and that he should be able to continue with it without any serious scrutiny.

Thursday's ruling from senior US District Judge Richard Leon focuses on the Trust's choice to use the Administrative Procedure Act to challenge the project. The judge concluded the law was an an inappropriate tool for the Trust, in part because the White House office for the president's executive office and the office over his residence – which are managing the ballroom's construction – aren't agencies that a court could curtail under the law.

"Unfortunately for Plaintiff, its challenge fails because the White House office in question is not an 'agency' under the APA and because Plaintiff did not bring the ultra vires claim necessary to challenge the President's statutory authority to complete his construction project with private funds and without congressional approval!" Leon wrote.

The Trust, Leon said, raised "novel and weight issues" in the case and could potentially restructure the lawsuit to test the president's authority in a different legal approach.

In a Truth Social post, Trump called the ruling "Great news for America, and our wonderful White House!"

He added: "The Ballroom construction, which is anticipated to also handle future Inaugurations and large State Visits, is ahead of schedule, and under budget. It will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America!"

The Commission of Fine Arts approved the project after the lawsuit was filed.

CNN has reached out to the Trust for comment.

The lawsuit, filed last year after the East Wing had been completely demolished, has forced the administration to make public details about the project that had otherwise been kept under wraps, including plans for a reimagined two-story East Colonnade revealed in December filings; information about the preservation of existing artifacts from the now-destroyed East Wing; and an expected timeline for construction.

CNN's Austin Culpepper, Devan Cole, Tierney Sneed, Katelyn Polantz and Kit Maher contributed.

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Judge lets White House ballroom project continue, but suggests path for future challenges Betsy Klein, CNNThu, Febru...

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