Parents tell SCOTUS: LGBTQ storybooks in classrooms clash with our faith
The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday from religious parents who say young children can’t be expected to separate a teacher’s moral messages from their family’s beliefs—raising the question of whether exposure to LGBTQ-themed storybooks in elementary classrooms constitutes “coercion.” Eric S. Baxter, the attorney representing Maryland parents in Mahmoud v. Taylor, told the justices that Montgomery County Public Schools violated the First Amendment by denying opt-out requests for books that “contradict their religious beliefs,” even while allowing exemptions for other religious objections — such as books depicting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. “There’s no basis for denying opt-outs for religious reasons,” Baxter said during oral arguments. “Parents, not school boards, should have the final say on such religious matters.” Justice Clarence Thomas asked Baxter about whether children were merely “exposed” to the books or actively instructed by them. “Are the books just there and no more, or are they actually being taught out of the books?” he asked. Baxter said that teachers were required to use the materials in class. “When the books were first introduced in August of 2022, the board suggested they be used five times before the end of the year. One of the schools, Sherwood School, in June for Pride Month said that they were going to read one book each day.” SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TRUMP FIRING DECISION Parents, supported by religious freedom organizations, argue that this policy infringes upon their First Amendment rights by compelling their children to engage in instruction that contradicts their religious beliefs. The Fourth Circuit Court, a federal appeals court, ruled last year that there was no violation of religious exercise rights, stating that the policy did not force parents to change their religious beliefs or conduct and that parents could still teach their children outside of school. Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Baxter whether exposure to same-sex relationships in children’s books could be considered religious coercion. “Is looking at two men getting married… is that the religious objection?” she asked, referencing the book, “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding.” “The most they’re doing is holding hands.” Baxter maintained that it depends on the family’s faith. “Our parents would object to that,” he said. “Their faith teaches… they shouldn’t be exposed to information about sex during their years of innocence without being accompanied by moral principles.” LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS Justice Samuel Alito inquired about the developmental capacity of young children as young as 4 to question classroom teachings and moral instruction. “Would you agree that there comes a point when a student is able to make that distinction?” he asked. “That my teacher… isn’t necessarily going to be correct on everything. It is possible for me to disagree with him or her on certain subjects?” Baxter agreed. “That’s right,” he said. “And many of our clients’ objections would be diminished as their children got older.” But Baxter stood strong on the point that age matters, especially in this case. He argued even Montgomery County school officials had acknowledged some books were not age-appropriate and criticized their attitude toward religious perspectives. “In a situation where Montgomery County’s own principals objected that these books were inappropriate for the age, they were dismissive of religion and shaming toward children who disagree,” Baxter said. “The board itself withdrew two of the books for what it said were content concerns, because it finally agreed that what parents and petitioners — and its own principals — are saying was accurate.” SCOTUS RULINGS THIS TERM COULD STRENGTHEN RELIGIOUS RIGHTS PROTECTIONS, EXPERT SAYS Mahmoud v. Taylor is one of three major religious cases the Supreme Court has on the docket for this year. Earlier this month, the high court heard a case brought by a Wisconsin-based Catholic charity group’s bid for tax relief, which could alter the current eligibility requirements for religious tax exemptions. At issue in that case is whether the Wisconsin branch of Catholic Charities, a social services organization affiliated with Catholic dioceses across the country, can successfully contest the state’s high court determination that it is ineligible for a religious tax exemption because it is not “operated primarily for religious purposes.” The third case is about whether a Catholic online school can become the first religious charter school in the U.S.
Supreme Court to hear case on LGBTQ-themed storybooks and parents’ right to opt out
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a closely watched case that could reshape the role of parental rights and religious freedom in public education. At issue is whether a Maryland school district violated the First Amendment by requiring elementary school students to engage with LGBTQ+ storybooks that include topics about gender transitions and same-sex relationships, without allowing parents to opt out. The policy was implemented to disrupt “cisnormativity” and promote inclusivity, according to Supreme Court documents. Initially, the school allowed parents to opt their children out of these lessons, but later reversed this decision, eliminating the opt-out option and not notifying parents when such content was being taught. SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TRUMP FIRING DECISION Parents, supported by religious freedom organizations, argue that this policy infringes upon their First Amendment rights by compelling their children to engage in instruction that contradicts their religious beliefs. The Fourth Circuit Court, a federal appeals court, ruled last year that there was no violation of religious exercise rights, stating that the policy did not force parents to change their religious beliefs or conduct and that parents could still teach their children outside of school. Thomas More Society attorney Michael McHale told Fox News Digital in a previous interview that “while there is an opt-out statute in state law, the school initially abided by it.” “The school decided to yank the opt-out exception, so to speak, and it really triggered the issue of whether the Constitution requires an opt-out in that circumstance,” McHale said. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS “For the Fourth Circuit to say there was no religious burden, it really seems radical, and given how pressing that issue of school curriculum on sexual orientation, gender identity is, I think it raises an issue worth the Supreme Court’s attention,” he said. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders related to gender policies in federal institutions. McHale said these actions could reduce legal conflicts involving religious rights, such as disputes over whether teachers must use students’ preferred pronouns in schools. SCOTUS RULINGS THIS TERM COULD STRENGTHEN RELIGIOUS RIGHTS PROTECTIONS, EXPERT SAYS Mahmoud v. Taylor is one of three major religious cases the Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for this year. Earlier this month, the high court heard a case brought by a Wisconsin-based Catholic charity group’s bid for tax relief, which could alter the current eligibility requirements for religious tax exemptions. At issue in that case is whether the Wisconsin branch of Catholic Charities, a social services organization affiliated with Catholic dioceses across the country, can successfully contest the state’s high court determination that it is ineligible for a religious tax exemption because it is not “operated primarily for religious purposes.” The third case is about whether a Catholic online school can become the first religious charter school in the U.S.
House Dem jumps into crowded Michigan Senate race
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., launched a bid to represent the Great Lakes State in the U.S. Senate with an ad slamming President Donald Trump. In a video announcing her candidacy, Stevens is flanked by vehicles as she criticizes the administration’s tariff policies and vows to protect Michigan’s auto industry. “[Trump’s] chaos and reckless tariffs are putting tens of thousands of Michigan jobs at risk,” Stevens said in her campaign launch video. She also accused the Trump administration of bringing “chaos.” “Haley will work to bring down costs for Michigan families, continue to boost Michigan’s manufacturing and auto industries, and stand up to the Trump-Musk chaos agenda,” a statement on Stevens’ campaign website reads. REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES SECOND STRAIGHT BID TO FLIP DEMOCRAT-HELD SENATE SEAT IN KEY BATTLEGROUND In the campaign launch ad, Stevens highlighted her work to improve America’s auto industry under the Obama administration – and even included a clip of former President Barack Obama giving her a shoutout. Stevens is the third prominent Democrat to throw her hat in the ring since Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., announced that he would not seek a third term. The congresswoman is set to compete against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. LONGTIME HOUSE REPUBLICAN WEIGHS RUN TO FLIP DEM-HELD SENATE SEAT IN KEY BATTLEGROUND On the Republican side, former Rep. Mike Rogers, who lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., in 2024, is also running in 2026. Additionally, earlier this month, longtime Michigan Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga told Fox News that his phone “hasn’t stopped ringing” since Peters’ announcement. Michigan will be a major target for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) to flip in 2026 as the party looks to expand its majority in the Senate. When she was elected in 2018, Stevens flipped a Republican-held U.S. House seat, which could make her a formidable candidate for Senate. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
JD Vance champions ‘roadmap’ toward US-India trade deal, says partnership critical to deterring ‘dark time’
Vice President JD Vance touted progress made toward a U.S.-India trade deal on Tuesday, saying a partnership between the Trump administration and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would ensure a 21st century that’s “prosperous and peaceful.” Speaking in the northwestern Indian city of Jaipur, Vance also warned of “dire” consequences in the Indo-Pacific and a “dark time” for the world should the partnership between the U.S. and India fail. “Critics have attacked my president, President Trump, for starting a trade war in an effort to bring back the jobs of the past, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Vance said, referring to Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and commitment to revitalize U.S. manufacturing. “He seeks to rebalance global trade so that America, with friends like India, can build a future worth having for all of our people together.” President Donald Trump and Modi announced in February that the U.S. and India aim to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by the end of the decade. VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS’ LAST VISITORS “Both of our governments are hard at work on a trade agreement built on shared priorities, like creating new jobs, building durable supply chains and achieving prosperity for our workers,” Vance said on Tuesday. “In our meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Modi and I made very good progress on all of those points, and we’re especially excited to formally announce that America and India have officially finalized the terms of reference for the trade negotiations. I think this is a vital step toward realizing President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal between our nations. I believe there is much America and India can accomplish together.” Vance noted that his trip to India was the first time he had visited the birthplace of the parents of his wife, Usha Vance. The vice president, the second lady and their three children visited Modi for dinner on Monday. In his speech Tuesday, Vance said his children have only built a rapport with two world leaders – Trump and Modi, who the second family first met in February at the AI Action Summit in Paris. “Our kids just like him,” Vance said, arguing that children are “brutally honest” and typically good judges of character. “I just like Prime Minister Modi too. And I think it’s a great foundation for the future of our relationship.” “President Trump and I know that Prime Minister Modi is a tough negotiator. He drives a hard bargain. It’s one of the reasons why we respect him. And we don’t blame Prime Minister Modi for fighting for India’s industry,” Vance said. “But we do blame American leaders of the past for failing to do the same for our workers. And we believe that we can fix that to the mutual benefit of both the United States and India.” JD VANCE GEARS UP TO TALK ECONOMIC PRIORITIES DURING TRIPS TO ITALY, INDIA Vance appeared to reference China – though not directly – in addressing the high-stakes nature of trade negotiations between the U.S. and India. “This audience knows better than most: neither Americans nor Indians are alone and looking to scale up their manufacturing capacity,” Vance said. “The competition extends well beyond cheap consumer goods and into munitions, energy infrastructure and all sorts of other cutting-edge technologies. I believe that if our nations fail to keep pace, the consequences for the Indo-Pacific, but really the consequences for the entire world will be quite dire.” “We believe a stronger India means greater economic prosperity. But also greater stability across the Indo-Pacific, which is, of course, a shared goal for all of us in this room,” the vice president continued. “I believe that if India and the United States work together successfully, we are going to see a 21st century that is prosperous and peaceful. But I also believe that if we fail to work together successfully, the 21st century could be a very dark time for all of humanity.” In the past, Vance argued, Washington has approached Modi with an “attitude of preachiness or even one of condensation,” using India “as a source of low-cost labor” while criticizing the prime minister’s government. Vance said the Trump administration recognizes that “cheap, dependable energy is an essential part of making things and is an essential part of economic independence for both of our nations.” He said America is “blessed with vast natural resources and an unusual capacity to generate energy,” arguing that India would benefit from purchasing expanding U.S. energy exports by being able “to build more, make more, and grow more, but at much lower energy costs.” “We also want to help India explore its own considerable natural resources, including its offshore natural gas reserves and critical mineral supplies,” he said. “We believe that American energy can help realize India’s nuclear power production goals, and this is very important as well as its AI ambitions, because as the United States knows well, and I know that India knows well there is no AI future without energy security and energy dominance.” “Americans want further access to Indian markets. This is a great place to do business, and we want to give our people more access to this country,” Vance said. “And Indians, we believe, will thrive from greater commerce in the United States. This is very much a win-win partnership. It certainly will be far into the future.”
Dems fume over ‘due process’ for Abrego Garcia despite long history of party bucking the legal principle
Democrats are facing pushback as they continue to call for due process for illegal immigrant and suspected MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia after years of seemingly ignoring due process for their political rivals. During the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election and the first Trump term, many Democrats called for President Donald Trump to be put in jail despite only facing allegations of impropriety at the time. “He needs to be imprisoned & placed in solitary confinement,” Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters said in October 2019. “But for now, impeachment is the imperative.” “I don’t want to see him impeached, I want to see him in prison,” then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told fellow Democrats in 2019, according to Politico. VANCE SOUNDS OFF ON DEPORTATION, ‘RATIFICATION OF BIDEN’S ILLEGAL MIGRANT INVASION’ VIA ‘FAKE LEGAL PROCESS’ Democrats also assured the public that January 6 prisoners were receiving due process in terms of their treatment in jail despite Republican claims to the contrary and arguing that the defendants were being held for too long. “They want to have a conversation about whether or not their iPads are working or if they have enough time on their iPads,” Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said in 2023, according to the Dallas Observer. “This is what I’m hearing. As someone who’s been a public defender, let me tell you something: They know nothing about what bad conditions are.” During a Jan. 7 press conference, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said about the January 6th protesters, “No leniency. No leniency for these people. They have the cameras all over. They have their pictures. No matter what part of the country they came from, we ought to go after them right now.” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called for Kyle Rittenhouse to be thrown in jail as his trial was still developing. “Lock up Kyle Rittenhouse and throw away the key,” Jeffries posted on X, then known as Twitter, during the trial where Rittenhouse was facing a homicide charge for his actions during a George Floyd riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse was ultimately acquitted. APPEALS COURT DENIES DOJ BID TO BLOCK RETURN OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON Democrats fought vigorously against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and amplified allegations of sexual assault against him before any due process had been completed investigating those claims. Speaking to CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, called for an independent FBI investigation of claims against Kavanaugh, before explaining why the presumption of innocence and due process should not apply to his case. “I put his denial in the context of everything that I know about him in terms of how he approaches his cases,” Hirono told host Jake Tapper, in response to a question about whether Kavanaugh was entitled to a presumption of innocence. “His credibility is already very questionable in my mind…. When I say that he’s very outcome-driven, he has an ideological agenda, and I can sit here and talk to you about some of the cases that exemplify his, in my view, inability to be fair.” Over the past few weeks, Jeffries and other Democrats have been vocal proponents of due process when it comes to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to a violent gang who was deported to El Salvador. Many Democrats have railed against the Trump administration over issues like due process and questions about the kind of treatment Garcia could be receiving in the prison he is allegedly being housed in. “Mistakenly removing a U.S. resident that has protection from deportation legally granted to him by an immigration court and then making no effort to get him back not only places Mr. Abrego Garcia’s life in danger, but also violates the basic principles of due process and the rule of law,” Waters said in a recent letter to Trump. The face of the resistance to Garcia’s deportation has been Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who traveled to El Salvador to meet with Garcia last week which drew strong criticism from the White House. Van Hollen also opposed Kavanaugh’s confirmation using the unsubstantiated sexual assault allegations against him. In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said, “If the hill that Democrats want to die on is demanding the return of a violent illegal alien, wifebeater, and foreign terrorist, we are happy to dig that grave for them.” Some on social media have called out Democrats in recent days for alleged hypocrisy on the issue of due process, with many pointing out the millions of illegal immigrants who entered the country under President Joe Biden with little to no concern from his party. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I’m here to remind you that Democrats have never actually cared about due process,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X while quoting the Jeffries post on Rittenhouse. “Hope this helps.” “Democrats do not care about due process, not one bit,” Breitbart senior editor Joel Pollak posted on X. “That’s why we now have millions of illegal aliens in the country to begin with – and also why they trashed the civil liberties of hundreds of witnesses and defendants under Biden.” “The entire purpose of flooding us with immigrants was to make due process impossible,” Twitchy’s Amy Curtis posted on X. “That some are okay with this, and don’t care about undoing the damage done by Democrats does not surprise me.” “It’s important to remember that when it came to BLM mob demands and accusations of sexual assault against men (believe all women), the left/Democrats proudly dismissed Due Process,” conservative commentator Chad Felix Greene posted on X. “They only care about Constitutional rights when they believe it benefits them politically.”
Federal judge orders ICE to reinstate legal status of 133 foreign students
A federal judge in Georgia has ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the legal statuses of 133 international students by 5 p.m. Tuesday after their F-1 student visas were suddenly terminated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security (DHS). The students, many of whom are in good academic standing and close to graduation, had their records terminated on Homeland Security’s SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) and they allege this was done without prior notice, proper explanation or an opportunity to respond. SEVIS is a database Homeland Security uses to monitor non-immigrant students. U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Calvert, a Biden appointee, granted temporary restraining orders on behalf of the plaintiffs and ordered ICE and DHS to reinstate student statuses retroactively to March 31, 2025. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS SUE OVER TRUMP ADMIN REVOKING VISAS “Plaintiffs are likely to show that Defendants’ termination of the SEVIS registration exceeds the bounds of statutory and regulatory authority and is therefore unlawful,” Calvert wrote. The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU and other groups in the Northern District of Georgia with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons listed as defendants in the case. The Department of Justice responses to the lawsuit are currently sealed in the court docket. The plaintiffs argue that the SERVIS terminations were used as a coercive tool rather than a lawful enforcement action and that many of the students have no criminal records and were given short notice to leave the U.S. despite maintaining valid student visas. Furthermore, several of the students are enrolled in STEM programs or work placements, suggesting they are high-achieving international students. “DHS’s act of unlawfully terminating SEVIS records appears to be designed to coerce students, including each plaintiff, into abandoning their studies and ‘self-deporting’ despite not violating their status,” the plaintiffs wrote. TRUMP COLLEGE CRACKDOWN: LIST OF STUDENTS DETAINED AMID ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUSES The government argues that the revocations were valid under existing laws and regulations, particularly when students were flagged during criminal record checks or had their visas revoked. They cited grounds for deportability, even when there had been no arrest or conviction. The judge also rejected the government’s claim that granting relief to these students would affect the executive’s “control over immigration.” Calvert found that the terminations exceeded legal authority and likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, the judge found that the plaintiffs had demonstrated a substantial threat of irreparable harm, including loss of legal status, education, employment and mental distress, and that the balance of harms and public interest favored the students. The decision was welcomed by Akiva Freidlin, the senior staff attorney at the ACLU-Georgia. “The Constitution protects everyone on American soil, so the Trump administration cannot ignore due process to unjustifiably threaten students with the loss of immigration status, and arrest and deportation,” Friedlin said in a statement. READ THE ORDER BELOW. APP USERS, CLICK HERE. “We believe this ruling shows the students are likely to prevail on their claims and we are pleased the court ordered the government to halt its unlawful actions while the lawsuit continues.” The case will now be heard for a preliminary injunction, potentially offering longer-term relief, on Thursday, April 24.
House Dems demand ‘proof of life’ of Abrego Garcia after being denied meeting in El Salvador
House Democrats who traveled to El Salvador to seek the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding “daily proof of life” after being denied a meeting with the Salvadoran national who was deported from Maryland. Reps. Robert Garcia of California, Maxwell Frost of Florida, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona and Maxine Dexter of Oregon flew to El Salvador Monday following a visit to the country by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., last week. “We had a meeting this morning with the embassy here in El Salvador and from what we have heard there is no reason for me to believe that our administration, the Trump administration, is doing anything to facilitate his safe return home,” Ansari said. “Since we were not able to get the answers we need today from the embassy, we have written a letter, just as of 30 minutes ago, to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding daily proof of life for Mr. Abrego Garcia, demanding he sees – he has access to counsel, and of course, finally, demanding his safe return home,” she added. “And we will not stop until this is complete.” REPUBLICAN SENATOR SAYS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEPORTING KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA WAS A ‘SCREW-UP’ Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old immigrant who crossed the border illegally, settled in Maryland and obtained protected legal status, was deported to El Salvador last month. Officials acknowledged in court his deportation was an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he was correctly removed and contend he’s a member of the notorious MS-13 gang. Frost said Monday that the traveling Democrats “formally requested” to meet with Abrego Garcia but “we were told at our meeting that the government here has denied our request to see him because this is not an official trip.” READ THE DEMOCRATIC LETTER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: “We are also worried about our own constituents; we represent people across the entire nation,” Frost told reporters in El Salvador. “We are getting hundreds and hundreds of calls – people saying ‘Go to El Salvador, do something, do something about the fact that president of the United States in the Oval Office is talking about sending U.S. citizens here to El Salvador to the prison here.’” ABREGO GARCIA TRANSFERRED FROM NOTORIOUS EL SALVADORAN MEGA-PRISON “We don’t want to wait until things get worse. We are here to build off of the work of Sen. Van Hollen, who heroically came down here and showed his family and the world for the first time since he was taken down here, that he is alive, that he was alive and he was well at that time,” he added. “What we want to know is where is he at now? What is his condition now? His family deserves to know, the people deserve to know.” Abrego Garcia’s wife Jennifer Vasquez, a U.S. citizen, released a statement Monday saying “we’re deeply grateful to the members of Congress and advocates for justice now on the ground in El Salvador, building on the leadership of Senator Van Hollen.” “Their presence sends a powerful message: the fight to bring Kilmar home isn’t over,” she said. Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
Trump froze funding for Harvard. Money to these universities may also be on the chopping block
The Trump administration is feuding with elite educational institutions, announcing mid-April it would cut off more than $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard University, and this week threatening cuts to another $1 billion of its federal grants and funding. Harvard, in return, is now suing the administration over the funding freeze, which it calls “unlawful and beyond the government’s authority.” The White House responded that Harvard’s “gravy train of federal assistance” is coming to an end. But Harvard isn’t the only school the Trump administration is fighting. Other institutions are facing similar circumstances – starting with New York City’s Columbia University. The Trump administration unveiled plans in March to freeze roughly $400 million in funding for Columbia, prompting the university to enact changes, including expelling and suspending several students involved in protests and demonstrations on campus in support of Palestinians. Additionally, Columbia complied with several other demands from the Trump administration to place additional oversight over the Middle Eastern studies department and ban masks that conceal an individual’s identity. TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES OVER $2.2B IN FUNDING TO HARVARD AFTER SCHOOL DEFIES DEMANDS Still, acting president Claire Shipman issued a statement April 18, providing updates on the university’s work with the Trump administration’s Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, while also claiming that Columbia would push back against efforts that would “require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution.” The Trump administration also announced earlier in April that it would halt more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell University and approximately $790 million for Northwestern University amid investigations into alleged civil rights violations. “These developments are deeply disturbing,” Northwestern University said in an April 10 statement. “They impact the critical research we perform every day, the lives of those who do it and those who benefit from it. They also cut to the core of what makes Northwestern one of the world’s greatest universities.” “This situation is changing rapidly, but we are working quickly and deliberately to gather facts to help us understand and respond to this emerging crisis,” Northwestern said. Roughly $510 million in funds for Brown University could also be on the chopping block, a White House official told the Associated Press April 3, due to allegations of antisemitism at the school. The University of Pennsylvania also faced a freeze on approximately $175 million in federal funding, due to the school’s transgender student athlete Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as transgender and competes in women’s events. The funding pause stemmed from when the school “infamously permitted a male to compete on its women’s swimming team,” the Daily Pennsylvanian reported that the White House said. HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed April 18 that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution. Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a statement that the Trump administration tacked on additional requests that go beyond addressing antisemitism on campus, and the institution would not comply because the demands were unconstitutional. Specifically, Garber said the new requests “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,” including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus, and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. “It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” Garber wrote. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.” The Trump administration stood up the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in February, which aims to eradicate bias on campuses that have experienced incidents targeting Jewish students since October 2023. “It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,” the task force said in a statement. The Associated Press and Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Pontiffs and presidents: White House-Vatican relationship stretches a century, including fighting communism
The Vatican and White House have for decades kept a close relationship, with various popes and presidents meeting in the nation’s capital and in Vatican City across the years. Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, following years of health issues, including chronic lung disease. Francis was the head of the Roman Catholic Church from 2013 until his death, and had met with three U.S. presidents across his tenure. Francis’ last high-profile meeting with a U.S. leader was held just hours before his death, when Vice President JD Vance traveled to Italy for the Easter holiday and met with the pope on the most holy day for Christians. “I know you’ve not been feeling great, but it’s good see you in better health,” Vance told the pontiff Sunday. FAITH LEADERS REFLECT ON POPE FRANCIS’ DEATH, PAPACY AND LASTING LEGACY: ‘MADE HIS MARK’ “I pray for you every day,” Vance said. “God bless you.” Following Francis’ death, Fox News Digital took a look back on high-profile meetings and friendships the Vatican and White House have forged across the years. Amid the Cold War in 1982 – just years before the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 – President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II met at the Vatican. PHOTO GALLERY: POPE FRANCIS THROUGH THE YEARS The meeting marked the first time a president and pope met alone behind closed doors, a 1982 article detailing the visit reported, and came roughly a year after both had survived assassination attempts just weeks apart in 1981. The meeting marked the beginning of the pair’s close friendship as they worked to defeat the growing threat of communism on the world stage. Two years later, the pair met again in Fairbanks, Alaska, where they delivered messages of peace in a world on the edge as tensions between the communist Eastern Bloc and the capitalist Western Bloc flared. “In a violent world, Your Holiness, you have been a minister of peace and love. Your words, your prayers, your example have made you – for those who suffer oppression or the violence of war – a source of solace, inspiration, and hope,” Reagan said. “For this historic ministry the American people are grateful to you, and we wish you every encouragement in your journeys for peace and understanding in the world.” The two world leaders’ friendship was rooted in their disgust of communism, socialism and atheism that had gripped the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The pope and the Reagan administration worked closely to promote the Solidarity labor movement in Poland, John Paul II’s home country, which encouraged citizens to reject communism in the satellite state of the USSR, the Associated Press previously reported. The Vatican has denied a formal alliance with the U.S. during the promotion of the Solidarity labor movement, but has said in more recent years that Pope John Paul II and Reagan shared a common goal of fighting totalitarianism, the Associated Press reported in 2004. REAGAN, JOHN PAUL II UNITED IN PURPOSE In 1989, Poland became the first country in the Eastern bloc to hold semi-free elections, which resulted in a resounding win for the Solidarity movement and led to the dissolution of the communist government in Poland. The win had a domino effect on other nations as 1989 became known as the year communism fell, including the destruction of the Berlin Wall later that year and the eventual end to the Soviet Union in 1991. “Pope John Paul II and President Reagan worked together to bring an end to atheistic Soviet communism,” former Republican Gov. Scott Walker wrote in a 2020 Washington Times op-ed of Reagan and Pope John Paul II. “The two had a divine plan to stop the Soviet empire that was engaged in a war on religion and individual liberties. The work of a pope and a president helped bring about the collapse of communism and yielded more freedom and opportunity for people all over the world.” Democrat Woodrow Wilson in 1919 became the first U.S. president to meet with a pontiff, opening the doors to normalizing an open line of communication between Washington and Vatican City. Wilson was traveling in Europe following the end of World War I and “called upon his Holiness Pope Benedict XV,” according to an article published in America, a Catholic magazine, that year. VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS’ LAST VISITORS “The President’s arrival was announced by the Master of the Chamber to the Pope, who awaited Mr. Wilson in the Throne Room,” the magazine reported at the time. “The President was admitted immediately to the presence of the Holy Father, who welcomed him most cordially. They spent about a half hour together. It is not, of course, officially known what were the subjects which they discussed.” The meeting, which came at a time of ongoing anti-Catholic sentiment stemming from the influx of Catholic immigrants at the turn of the century, set the standard for presidents forging relationships with the Vatican – though such meetings did not become normalized until decades later. Presidents meeting with the pope did not become common until 1959, when President Dwight Eisenhower visited Pope John XXIII while on a tour of various countries, including Italy, Office of the Historian documents show. The second meeting between a pope and president set a new tradition. Every president since Eisenhower has met with the current pope, totaling 32 meetings both in the U.S. and in Vatican City since 1959, Fox Digital found. It wasn’t until 1979, during President Jimmy Carter’s administration, that the pontiff traveled to Washington and joined the president for a meeting at the White House. Pope John Paul II was invited to the White House amid his first papal pilgrimage to the United States in 1979, when he was well-received by U.S. Catholics and nicknamed “John Paul, Superstar” by Time magazine due to the lage crowds he drew amid his visits to Boston, New York and Denver. POPE
Trump issues full-throated endorsement of Sen. Steve Daines: ‘HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!’
President Donald Trump endorsed Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., calling the lawmaker “a Great Man, and TREMENDOUS Senator” in a post on Truth Social. “I love Montana, won every one of my Races there by a landslide, and would only recommend the best to represent you in the Senate!” the president declared. “Senator Steve Daines, of the Great State of Montana, has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” TRUMP CAN USE TARIFFS AS ‘IMPORTANT LEVERAGE,’ SAYS SEN. STEVE DAINES Daines served as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair prior to current chair, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. “As Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Steve worked tirelessly with me in the last Election to help elect smart, tough, and sincere America First Patriots. In the Senate, Steve is fighting hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes, Secure the Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Military/Vets, Unleash American Energy Dominance, Restore PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump declared in his post. NRSC CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY GOP SENATE SEATS HE’S GUNNING FOR DURING 2026 MIDTERMS Daines, who has served in the Senate since 2015, thanked Trump for the endorsement. “I’m honored to have your support as we fight to protect Montana values, secure our border, cut taxes, and Make America Great Again! Together, we’ll deliver results for our state and nation,” Daines noted in a tweet. Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., also backed Daines for re-election. US SENATOR BLASTS PRESIDENT OF MEXICO, SAYS TOXIC SEWAGE DUMP THREATENS ‘NATIONAL SECURITY’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Steve Daines is a champion for the America First agenda and hardworking Montanans. Working with President Trump, he helped deliver our Republican Senate majority and is fighting to cut taxes, secure the border, unleash American energy, and lower costs for families in The Treasure State,” Sheehy said in a post on X. “I’m proud to join @realDonaldTrump in endorsing my friend @SteveDaines so he can keep fighting for Montana,” the senator noted.