Al Drago

Photojournalist covering the White House, politics, & news in Washington, usually for @nytimes or @bloombergimages.

Exploring the rise of news deserts in N.C.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Darline Graham Nordone watches her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), photo bomb a local weatherman's live shot at the Iowa State Fair in 2015.

Nordone will be sworn-in this week to serve the remainder of Graham's term, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 71

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress, has died after a “brief and sudden illness,” according to his office. He was 71.

[@Shitty_Edits_Archives @shittyeditsarc]

LEETSDALE, Pa. — A train on a coast-to-coast tour as part of America’s 250th celebration will be in Western Pennsylvania this weekend, after a hoax caused some confusion about the stop.

But, within the last few days, someone claiming to be with the train company reached out to Channel 11 and other news outlets around the country, saying the tour was cancelled.

The person claimed that due to recent vandalism and safety concerns, the rest of the tour would be canceled. And — the train would be coming home under diesel power at an undisclosed time due to security reasons.

It turns out — it was all a hoax.

I think that’s terrible. It’s probably someone who wants to try to get a good parking spot and tell everyone it’s not happening. It’s a sad state of affairs that someone would do that,” Nick Luzy said.

A spokesperson with Union Pacific told Channel 11 they’ve received calls from other media outlets asking about the alleged tour cancellation, too.

They say there’s no truth to it — and at this point, they don’t know who is behind the hoax but they are considering criminal charges for the stunt.

“It’s so easy to do that now with AI and the internet. It’s so easy to deceive people,” Wendy Luzy added.

[Danny Freeman @DannyEFreeman]

On the #FourthOfJuly I present to you Philadelphia’s CHOSEN Ben Franklin, Kiya Burgess!!!

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

@CNN

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Kiya Burgess, from Philadelphia, center, celebrates after winning a Ben Franklin lookalike contest near Independence Hall on Friday.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Drones create a formation celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States, above the National Constitution Center on Thursday in Philadelphia.

The Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade tomorrow will be the largest professionally produced parade in the country.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Contestants riding a Giant Food shopping cart tandem bike fall into the Washington Channel during the Red Bull Spin Off at the Wharf on Saturday. @redbull

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

United States soccer fans celebrate after the first goal scored during the US vs. Australia World Cup game at the FIFA Fan Zone on the National Mall on Friday. US leads 1-0.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Fireworks explode in the air over UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House early Monday morning.
President Trump hosted a series of UFC matches on his 80th birthday, which the White House is calling "a once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit.”

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White walk out of the Oval Office during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

A worker in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after the pool was painted "American Flag Blue" on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

The numbers "86 47" are burned into the grass on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial on Thursday.

US Park Police is handling the investigation into the markings in the grass.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Evidence markers are placed on the ground at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 17th Street NW after multiple rapid-fire gunshots ring out outside the White House Saturday evening.

President Trump was reportedly inside the White House working on a peace deal with Iran.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

From the archives:

President Barack Obama jokes with NASCAR race car driver Kyle Busch at the White House, Sept. 28, 2016.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races across the sport's three national series than any driver in history, died today at the age of 41.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

“Freedom's Charge,” a bronze sculpture by Chas Fagan, depicting the Revolutionary War, stands in the Rose Garden of the White House, on Friday.

President Donald Trump is traveling to his winery in Charlottesville, Virginia for the evening.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Mueller, the former special counsel for the Department of Justice who investigated President Trump during his first term in office, died today at the age of 81.

@GaryGrumbach and I found him in 2019 in Georgetown, the first time he had been seen in public in nearly 2 years.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs dinner at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown, Monday, May 6, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Al Drago)

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Roy Cooper, former governor of North Carolina and Democratic US Senate candidate for North Carolina, and his wife Kristin Cooper arrive during a North Carolina primary election night event in Raleigh on Tuesday.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

A voter enters their ballot during the North Carolina primary election at the American Legion Post 7 in Durham, on Tuesday.

Senate candidates Roy Cooper & Michael Whatley will look for momentum from the primary in what looks to be one of the most expensive races of the midterms.

[Al Drago @Al_Drago]

Members of "The Hornets Nest" salute as Engine 4, carrying the casket of Battalion Fire Chief Keith T. Long, passes by during a procession to the cemetery on Friday.

Chief Long, who served @dcfireems for nearly 38 years, died in the Line of Duty, on February 4, 2026.

[Getty Images News @GettyImagesNews]

Scenes from the massive snow storm sweeping the U.S.
A family sleds in Washington, DC. 📸: @Al_Drago
An ice-covered statue in Nashville, Tennessee.📸: Brett Carlsen
A lone car drives the highway in Louisville, Kentucky. 📸: @jonpcherry
A vendor waits for customers in NYC.📸: @AndresKudacki