Flashback: Biden’s Easter celebrations frequently marred by gaffes, controversy
Former President Joe Biden and his administration found themselves embroiled in a series of gaffes and controversies around the Easter holiday, including that time the Easter bunny abruptly whisked the 46th president away from a gaggle of reporters in 2022. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump joined families and children on the White House’s South Lawn on Monday morning for the 147th annual event, which dates back to Rutherford B. Hayes’ presidency in 1878. As the Easter Egg Roll tradition continues this year, Fox News Digital looked back on the handful of Easter controversies involving Biden and his administration throughout his term in office. During the 2022 Easter Egg Roll, a person dressed in a bunny suit was seen approaching Biden as he spoke candidly to members of the media about Afghanistan and Pakistan. The bunny stepped in front of Biden while he was speaking to the media and waved their hands with great animation before directing Biden away from the reporters. “Pakistan should not, and Afghanistan should be…” Biden was heard saying before the bunny approaches. “Oh, the Easter bunny!” someone can be heard saying off-camera, as Biden appeared visibly caught off guard by the interruption. ‘EASTER BUNNY’ WHISKS BIDEN AWAY AS HE STARTS DISCUSSING AFGHANISTAN: VIDEO Biden was then seen walking away from the reporters. The bunny incident unfolded ahead of the fierce scrutiny Biden faced from Democrats and conservatives over his mental acuity and age in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Footage of the Easter bunny directing Biden at a public event was rehashed as concern mounted last summer over whether the president had the mental and physical ability to continue running for re-election and potentially remain in the Oval Office. Biden ultimately dropped out and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat Party’s nominee. Harris ultimately failed to rally enough support to defeat Trump at the polls. The Biden administration landed in hot water with the religious faithful and conservatives during the 2024 Easter season when honoring “Transgender Day of Visibility” on Easter Sunday. “On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” said a White House statement recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday, Fox Digital previously reported. “Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back,” it added. 3 MONTHS AND 28 DAYS: LGBTQ EVENTS CLOG CALENDAR AS WHITE HOUSE FACES BACKLASH OVER EASTER ANNOUNCEMENT International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by activists more than 10 years ago and is celebrated each year on March 31, while Easter — the most holy holiday for Christians — moves its day of celebration each year, but is always observed on a Sunday. Conservatives, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ripped the White House’s decision to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, calling it an attack on Christianity. “The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Johnson posted to X last March. “Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day”—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.” Former White House spokesman Andrew Bates defended at the time that Biden, as a Christian, was working to bring “people together” with the event. “As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates told Fox Digital last year. Biden suffered another Easter gaffe last year at the White House’s Egg Roll when he apparently flubbed the pronunciation of “Easter” and appeared to say “oyster” instead while introducing a pair of Easter bunnies. CRITICISMS MOUNT THAT BIDEN IS A ‘SHADOW’ OF HIMSELF AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE: ‘NOT THE SAME MAN’ FROM VP ERA “God bless you all, enjoy the day, and I’m coming down to do that Easter Egg roll in just a minute,” Biden said while standing on the White House’s Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn. “Thanks everybody. And by the way, say ‘hello’ to oyster bunnies. Come on up, bunnies. Get up here so they can see you,” Biden appeared to say. The apparent gaffe drew mockery online as some users wished each a “Happy Oyster.” It stirred concern over the president’s mental acuity over the mispronunciation. Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre delivered a flat April Fools’ joke in 2024 when the White House hosted the Easter Egg Roll. A person dressed as the Easter bunny was spotted in the press briefing room on April 1, 2024, before Jean-Pierre joined the media and delivered a joke that Biden was set to revoke the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act bans executive branch staffers, except the president and vice president, from engaging in certain forms of political activity. “Happy Easter Monday. So, I have something at the top for all of you and I think you’ll be really interested in this. So, President Biden is scheduled to announce he is revoking the Hatch Act,” Jean-Pierre said, grinning, while delivering the April Fools’ joke. “So as a gift to all of you, so now I can actually take all your questions about 2024.” “No? I thought you would love that,” she responded as journalists demured. “All right. OK. April Fools’, April Fools’, April Fools’ — it is April 1st.” DEMS LEFT WITH EGG ON THEIR FACE AS DNC APPEARS TO SNUB BIDEN ON EASTER The administration’s Hatch Act joke followed repeated instances of administration officials citing the law while dodging questions about Biden’s 2024 campaign. This year, the Democratic National Committee shared an Easter message celebrating Democratic presidents across the year, but notably did not include a photo of Biden. Instead, the post featured former Presidents Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Barack
Education Department to resume collections on defaulted federal student loans for first time since 2020
The Department of Education is poised to resume collections on defaulted federal student loans in May for the first time since 2020. While the first Trump administration paused referring federal student loans to collections in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the extended lapse has prompted Trump administration officials to worry that the federal student loan portfolio is “headed toward a fiscal cliff if we don’t start repayment in collections,” according to a senior department official. “The result has been that the federal government student loan portfolio has continued to grow, and we’ve got a record number of borrowers that are at risk of or in delinquency and default,” the senior department official told reporters Monday. The official said that only 40% percent of borrowers are up to speed on their loan repayments, while the remaining 60% are behind. STAFFING REDUCTIONS AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAVEN’T HIT FAFSA OFFICE AMID TRUMP CUTS, AGENCY SAYS Altogether, the official said that there are 4 million borrowers who are in the late-stage delinquency stage on payments, meaning that they are between 91 days and 180 days late on payments. “The Trump administration, [the] current administration, believes that American taxpayers can no longer serve as collateral for student loans,” the senior department official said. “Student loan debt must be paid back.” Likewise, the official said the agency would roll out a communications plan to let borrowers know their status and encourage them to enroll in auto-debit to drive down the number of delinquent borrowers. The policy takes effect May 5, when the Education Department will partner with the Treasury Offset Program to start collecting overdue payments. The official also said the Department of Education is preparing to join with lawmakers on efforts to reform higher education and the student loan repayment system in place. “Going forward, we totally believe that Congress has a role to play in fixing the higher education system that puts students in a position where they can afford their loan payments,” the senior department official said. “So we’re looking forward to working with Congress on their efforts to streamline loan repayment as well as lowering college costs.” Bipartisan legislation in the works includes the Employer Participation Repayment Act, which Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced in February that would make permanent a provision set to expire in 2026 authorizing employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free to their employees’ student loans. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and Scott Peters, D-Calif., introduced the legislation in the House. TRUMP STILL NEEDS CONGRESS’ HELP WITH PLAN TO ABOLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Nearly 43 million student borrowers have federal student loan debt, which amounts to an outstanding federal student loan balance of $1.6 trillion, according to data from the Department of Education. The Department of Education’s announcement comes after the Trump administration unveiled plans in March to overhaul the agency, aligning with campaign promises by the president to eliminate the federal government’s influence over education to “stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth.” Even so, President Donald Trump announced that functions of the department overseeing Pell Grants, student loans and others that provide services for those with special needs would continue at other agencies.
Army suspends commander after Trump, Vance, Hegseth vanish from command board
The commander of Fort McCoy was relieved of duty after the U.S. Army base failed to install photos of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on a wall displaying their chain of command. Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez was suspended as garrison commander of Ft. McCoy in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “This suspension is not related to any misconduct,” the U.S. Army Reserve Command said in a statement, “We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review.” Hegseth on Sunday reposted an X post claiming: “Commander of Fort McCoy, whose base chain-of-command board was missing photos of Trump, Vance and Hegseth, has been SUSPENDED.” It came after the Defense Department (DOD) announced a probe into why a wall displaying the chain of command had empty frames on the wall where Trump, Vance and Hegseth’s images would typically be displayed. AXED PENTAGON AIDES CLAIM THEIR CHARACTER WAS ‘SLANDERED,’ LITTLE DETAILS WERE SHARED ABOUT LEAK INVESTIGATION A new image they posted of the wall showed the frames had been filled. “Regarding the Ft. McCoy Chain of Command wall controversy…. WE FIXED IT! Also, an investigation has begun to figure out exactly what happened,” the department’s rapid response account posted on X. Ramirez assumed the garrison commander role in July of last year. Previously, she had served as chief of the Reserve Program, United States Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and in other roles throughout the Army and Army Reserves. The move came after a series of leadership shake-ups across the U.S. military. Earlier this month, the Pentagon fired the base commander for Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland after she “undermined” Vance. EX-PENTAGON AIDE URGES TRUMP TO FIRE HEGSETH, CITING ‘FULL-BLOWN MELTDOWN’ AND ‘TOTAL CHAOS’ After the vice president’s visit, Col. Susannah Meyers emailed base personnel on March 31, writing, “I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base.” She added that she had “spent the weekend thinking about Friday’s visit — the actions taken, the words spoken, and how it must have affected each of you.” The Space Force said in a public statement Meyers had been relieved of command “due to loss of confidence in her ability to lead.” “Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties,” the statement read. And Hegseth fired four former aides after in-fighting and a leak investigation came to a head late last week. The secretary blamed “disgruntled employees” for leaking reports about a second Signal chat that discussed Houthi strikes, this one including his wife, brother and personal lawyer on the chain.
Pope Francis and US presidents: A look back at his legacy with the nation’s leaders
U.S. presidents mourned the death of Pope Francis, who served as the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years, on Monday following the Vatican’s announcement of the pope’s passing. “Rest in Peace Pope Francis!” President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday. “May God Bless him and all who loved him!” The College of Cardinals elected Pope Francis, 88, to serve as the pope following Pope Benedict XVI in March 2013. His election marked the first time a non-European served as pope in more than 1,000 years. Pope Francis, born with the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio, originally hailed from Argentina. Pope Francis, who was hospitalized in February due to complications stemming from bronchitis and pneumonia, died Monday at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met with Pope Francis on Sunday in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel just hours before the pope’s death. Vance acknowledged the visit in a post on X Monday while expressing his condolences to Christians who loved the pope, and shared a link to the transcript of one of the pope’s 2020 homilies. POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Vance said in a post on X on Monday. “But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.” Trump also signed an executive order Monday ordering all U.S. flags be flown at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels to remember Francis. The order also applies to all U.S. embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations. Here’s a look at Pope Francis’ legacy with other U.S. leaders: Pope Francis met with former President Barack Obama at the Vatican in March 2014. The two met again in September of the following year during Pope Francis’ visit to the White House, where the pope delivered a statement urging action on climate change. Following his visit to the White House, Francis also visited New York City and Philadelphia. Obama issued a statement Monday morning lauding the pope for his leadership. POPE FRANCIS EXPOSES CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS ELECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN LENGTHY INTERVIEW “In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another,” Obama said in a post on X Monday morning. “Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example,” Obama said. “May we continue to heed his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope.’” Trump met with Pope Francis in 2017 during a trip to the Vatican, and told reporters later that they had a “fantastic meeting.” However, the two remained at odds with one another over Trump’s border policies for the last decade. “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,” Pope Francis said in February 2016 amid Trump’s push on the campaign trail to build a border wall and crack down on illegal immigration. In response, Trump said: “For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful.” Pope Francis routinely issued similar statements, and in February penned a letter to U.S. Catholic bishops and voiced concern about the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans. “The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,” Pope Francis said in the letter. Former President Joe Biden, the second Catholic U.S. president, visited the Vatican in October 2021, where he and Pope Francis met to discuss topics including climate change and advocacy for the poor, according to a readout of the meeting. Biden had previously met Pope Francis on several other occasions, including during the pope’s visit to the U.S. in 2015. Biden also met with Pope Francis in June at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Apulia, Italy, where the two discussed the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, according to a readout of the meeting. Biden, who awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, described him as a “consequential” leader on Monday who was a “Pope for everyone.” “He was unlike any who came before him,” Biden said in a post on X Monday morning. “Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him. For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths.” Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Pandemic, price tags and privacy concerns: Why it took 20 years to implement REAL ID
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s announcement that REAL IDs will be required to fly starting May 7 has forced Americans to finally get compliant – 20 years after Congress passed the law. On May 11, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act into law to enhance national security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Passed by the U.S. Congress, the act set federal standards for issuing identification cards, like driver’s licenses. Starting next month, REAL ID will be required to access federal facilities, enter nuclear power plants and board commercial aircraft. REAL ID’s rollout has faced nearly two decades of political pushback, setbacks and delays. In the two years after it was passed, the National Governors Association (NGA), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) called for delaying its implementation, citing logistical concerns. ‘MASS SURVEILLANCE’: CONSERVATIVES SOUND ALARM OVER TRUMP ADMIN’S REAL ID ROLLOUT Since its passing, states and advocacy groups have rejected its implementation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – a longtime opponent of REAL ID implementation – called it “discriminatory, expensive, burdensome, invasive, and ultimately counterproductive” in 2007 as disapproval grew nationwide. By 2009, at least 25 states had enacted legislation opposing the REAL ID Act. TOP TRUMP AGENCY REVEALS KEY REASON WHY REAL ID WILL BE ENFORCED States rejected REAL ID for a range of reasons, including costs, states’ rights and privacy concerns. Three years after the law was passed, REAL ID’s first deadline was set for May 11, 2008. But in the face of opposition, DHS extended the deadline to May 11, 2011, under President Barack Obama’s administration. DHS later implemented a four-phase plan that extended beyond the 2011 deadline. By 2016, 23 states were fully compliant with the REAL ID Act, 27 states and territories were granted extensions, and six were noncompliant without extensions, according to a DHS letter. By Jan. 22, 2018, travelers would no longer be allowed to use a state-issued ID for domestic travel, and by Oct. 1, 2020, REAL ID “or another acceptable form of identification” would be required for domestic air travel. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Donald Trump extended the REAL ID deadline to Oct. 1, 2021. That deadline was later extended to May 3, 2023, by President Joe Biden’s administration “due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” The Biden administration finally extended the deadline to May 7, 2025, to give states “additional time to ensure their residents have driver’s licenses and identification cards that meet the security standards established by the REAL ID Act.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Noem announced the May 7, 2025, deadline would hold as the Trump administration seeks to prevent illegal immigrants from traveling within the United States. “Starting May 7, you will need a REAL ID to fly. REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a REAL ID so you won’t be denied from your flight or face travel delays!” Noem said.
Media personality Steve Hilton enters California gubernatorial race
EXCLUSIVE: The California 2026 gubernatorial race just got a major shakeup with Republican Steve Hilton entering the race to be Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successor. The former Fox News contributor and author of “Califailure” said he’s hoping to “Make California Golden Again,” especially for the “working people” of the state. “A big decision that I’ve made, which I can now share with you, that I am, in fact, going to be running for governor of California for 2026. I love this state. It’s the best place in the world as far as I’m concerned,” Hilton told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. THIS IS HOW WE’LL KNOW IF CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S EPIPHANY ON ‘LIBERAL GOVERNANCE’ IS REAL “But after 15 years of one-party rule, this state is barely recognizable. And I honestly think that the 2026 election in California is a life-or-death moment because if we continue with this one-party rule by the Democrats, things are just gonna really start to deteriorate very rapidly,” he added. Hilton was born in the U.K. and graduated from New College at Oxford. He served as a senior advisor to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was the leader of the Conservative Party. “[California] really reminds me of Britain in the 1970s. The UK was called the ‘sick man of Europe’, Hilton explained in a campaign announcement video obtained by Fox News Digital. “There’s no other way of looking at California today than the ‘sick man of America’.” After moving to California in 2012, Hilton embraced the American entrepreneurial spirit and co-founded Crowdpac.com, a Silicon Valley tech start-up company. Hilton’s contribution to the conservative media across various outlets throughout his time in the U.S. landed him his own show, ‘The Next Revolution’, on Fox News Channel. The Sunday night program aired weekly from 2017 to 2023. Newsom is termed out, and candidates are lining up for a shot for his spot in Sacramento. On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Health and Human Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Rep. Katie Porter are among the long list of names seeking the job. On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has been on the campaign trail for the job. Although Democrats have a supermajority in the legislature, a recent poll of likely California voters indicated that 48% would consider backing a Republican for governor, according to the Sacramento Bee. “We have a combination of idiots and ideologues who’ve been running this state into the ground, ruining what I consider to be the greatest state and the greatest nation on earth, and it’s time for change,” Hilton said. FOR KAMALA HARRIS, CHANCES OF A POLITICAL COMEBACK MAY BE BLEAK Most notably, former Vice President Kamala Harris is weighing a run following her 2024 presidential loss. Harris would quickly be considered the Democratic front-runner if she were to decide to join in. The Golden State is facing serious questions about its future in the wake of not only the fires that ripped through Los Angeles County, but as it navigates issues such as crime, homelessness, and fiscal management for programs like Medi-Cal. Hundreds of thousands of Californians have moved out of the state each year at an accelerated rate after the pandemic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The cost of living for many Californians is higher than in the rest of the nation, including when it comes to taxation and gas prices. LOS ANGELES ISSUES ONLY 4 PERMITS TO REBUILD HOMES AFTER DEVASTATING PALISADES FIRE: REPORT “We have the highest taxes in the country, but also the highest rate of poverty. You have one-third of Californians who can’t meet their basic needs. We have the highest housing costs. It’s the number one reason people are leaving the state,” Hilton said. The Republican said that the Golden State was once known for “upward mobility” and being the land of opportunity, but it’s become much more difficult to survive. “California represented the best of America. I think for many people, when they thought of the American dream, they thought of California and the California Dream,” he added.
State Dept defends human rights abuse report changes, says streamlined process eliminates ‘political bias’
The State Department is pushing back against criticism of its changes to the process of reporting human rights abuses. NPR reported last week that the Trump administration was scaling back annual reports meant to inform congressional decisions on allocating foreign aid to countries, claiming the State Department was “changing its mind on what it calls human rights.” Fox News Digital is told the 2024 Human Rights Report has been restructured to remove redundancy, increase readability, and return the focus to human rights abuses – instead of a “laundry list of politically biased demands and assertions.” RUBIO ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF STATE DEPARTMENT EFFORT THAT ‘WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD ALREADY’ “NPR’s report that the State Department is scaling back the Human Rights Report is misleading and misguided,” a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital. “This year’s modifications are critical for removing report redundancy, increasing readability, maintaining consistency to U.S. statutes, and returning focus to human rights issues rather than political bias.” Fox News Digital is told the restructuring of the reports “will be more responsive to legislative mandates that underpin the report” and “does not reflect a change in U.S. policy on promoting respect for human rights around the globe or in any particular country.” The State Department notably has attempted to streamline the reports to better align with statutory requirements under both Republican and Democratic administrations. NPR and Politico reported on an internal memo that purportedly showed the 2024 Human Rights Report, which was finished in January but has been adjusted under the new administration, will no longer include references to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) or sections on discrimination or abuse against the LGBTQ+ community. STATE DEPARTMENT’S ‘GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER’ ACCUSED OF CENSORING AMERICANS SHUTS ITS DOORS The annual reports – known as “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” – normally come out in March or April. NPR said sections that called out countries for “forcibly returning a refugee or asylum-seeker to a home country” or the “serious harassment of human rights organizations” would be absent this year. NPR also stressed that prior reports had sections detailing countries’ “involuntary or coercive medical or psychological practices,” “arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy,” “serious restrictions to internet freedom,” “extensive gender-based violence,” and “violence or threats of violence targeting people with disabilities,” but the new report would not. Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International, USA, criticized the changes under the Trump administration. He told NPR: “What this is, is a signal that the United States is no longer going to [pressure] other countries to uphold those rights that guarantee civic and political freedoms – the ability to speak, to express yourself, to gather, to protest, to organize.” During President Donald Trump’s first term, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited what he categorized as a “proliferation of human rights” on the global stage. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We wanted to go back to first principles, back to our founding documents, our Declaration of Independence, our Bill of Rights to focus on those things that are central to the understanding of rights here in America,” he said in July 2020. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is overseeing changes at the department during Trump’s second term. Last week, he announced the closure of the State Department’s Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI), formerly known as the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which he accused of costing taxpayers more than $50 million per year and spending “millions of dollars to actively silence and censor the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.”
What American Catholics thought about Pope Francis
Pope Francis, who changed the face of the papacy, was broadly popular with the more than 60 million U.S. Catholics, according to recent public opinion polling. Seventy-eight percent of American Catholics expressed a favorable opinion of the pope in a Pew Poll conducted in early February, shortly before Francis’ lengthy hospitalization for a case of double pneumonia. The 88-year-old pope died on Monday Francis’ popularity among American Catholics was constant throughout his dozen-year tenure as pope, with his favorability peaking at 90% in a February 2015 poll by Pew. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE FOX NEWS UPDATES ON THE PASSING OF POPE FRANCIS “Pope Francis enjoyed broad support among American Catholics – certainly exceeding the popularity of any elected officials in the U.S.,” veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance, the president of New England College, told Fox News. U.S. Catholics also generally viewed Francis more positively than his immediate predecessor in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI. FIVE WAYS POPE FRANCIS IMPACTED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH Benedict’s favorability ratings ranged between 67% and 83% in Pew polling during his eight years as pope. While popular with many Catholics, Francis’ attempts to make the church more inclusive made him an enemy to some in the conservative wing of the church. And there was plenty of pushback against the pope’s moves to overhaul a very divided church. Those divisions may have contributed to a partisan divide when it comes to U.S. Catholics’ views of Francis. According to the February Pew Poll, 88% of U.S. Catholics who identified as Democrats or leaned toward the Democratic Party had a positive view of the pope. But favorable opinions of Francis dropped to 69% among U.S. Catholics who said they were Republicans or leaned toward the GOP. “His reform agenda, emphasizing values that sought to lift up the poorest, most marginalized individuals in the world, played better with Catholic Democrats than Republicans,” Lesperance noted. “And despite being critical of the current administration’s position on building the wall, mass deportations, and migrants, the late pope enjoyed the support of nearly two-thirds of Catholic Republicans. His legacy will be one of reform and social justice for Catholics across the globe.”
DHS chief Kristi Noem’s purse stolen with thousands of dollars in DC restaurant: sources
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse was stolen with thousands in cash on Sunday night at a restaurant in Washington D.C., multiple sources from the agency confirmed to Fox News Digital. The purse was taken by a White man wearing a mask, and the bag contained $3,000 in cash as well as personal documents including her passport, keys, driver’s license and a DHS badge, an agency spokesperson confirmed. “Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren – she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” the spokesperson said. Crime in the capital city continues to be a major issue, including theft. When it comes to violent crime, it hit a 30-year low last year, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office at the time. TOP DEM ASKS NOEM HOW TSA WILL PREVENT ‘MAJOR DISRUPTIONS’ AS MANY TRAVELERS STILL LACK REAL ID President Donald Trump has put the pressure on Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser to not only increase law enforcement presence but to clean up homeless encampments in the city itself. The president created a task force will the goal of improving public safety and making it “the pride of every American to whom it belongs.” “Washington, D.C., must become CLEAN and SAFE again! We need our Great Police back on the street, with no excuses from the Mayor, or anyone else. The House should take up the D.C. funding “fix” that the Senate has passed, and get it done IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted to Truth Social last month. DC TO BEGIN RECONSTRUCTING BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA “We need to clean up our once beautiful Capital City, and make it beautiful again. We will be TOUGH ON CRIME, like never before. I will work with the Mayor on this and, if it does not happen, will have no choice but to do it myself. Washington, D.C., will be better, safer, and more beautiful than ever before!” he added. The task force includes various law enforcement goals, including aiming to “keep dangerous criminals off the streets by strengthening pre-trial detention policies.” DRUGGED SUSPECT IN ‘ALTERED MENTAL STATE’ STABS SIX, ALONG WITH HIMSELF, DURING DC RAMPAGE: POLICE As for Noem and DHS, they continue to make waves for the major crackdown on illegal immigration, including sending suspected gang members to a prison in El Salvador. Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Ex-Pentagon aide urges Trump to fire Hegseth, citing ‘full-blown meltdown’ and ‘total chaos’
A recently departed top Pentagon aide goaded President Donald Trump to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from his Cabinet, describing “total chaos” and “dysfunction” within the top brass of the military. “The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president – who deserves better from his senior leadership,” John Ullyot, a former senior communications official for the Pentagon, wrote in an op-ed for Politico published on Sunday. “Trump has a strong record of holding his top officials to account. Given that, it’s hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remaining in his role for much longer.” Ullyot departed the Pentagon’s public affairs office last week because he did not want to be second-in-command to chief spokesperson Sean Parnell. AXED PENTAGON AIDES CLAIM THEIR CHARACTER WAS ‘SLANDERED,’ LITTLE DETAILS WERE SHARED ABOUT LEAK INVESTIGATION On Friday, the Pentagon fired three Hegseth aides – Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick – three of the secretary’s “most loyal” advisers, according to Ullyot. He called the purge “strange” and “baffling.” Following them out the door is chief of staff Joe Kasper, who the three men frequently found themselves at odds with, three defense officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. “In short, the building is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership.” He called himself a “strong backer” of Hegseth, but admitted: “The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon – and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration.” The shake-ups came just as reports broke about a second Signal chat where Hegseth discussed plans to strike Houthis in Yemen, this one allegedly including his wife, brother and personal lawyer. That chat reportedly discussed flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen – similar information to that shared in the chat of Trump Cabinet members where national security advisor Mike Waltz unintentionally added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. “Another day, another old story,” Parnell said in a statement after the latest Signal chat reporting. “There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story.” PENTAGON’S WEEK OF POWER STRUGGLES: LEAK FALLOUT AND SHOUTING MATCHES HIT HEGSETH’S INNER CIRCLE “Unfortunately, after a terrible month, the Pentagon focus is no longer on warfighting, but on endless drama,” Ullyot wrote. “The president deserves better than the current mishegoss at the Pentagon. Given his record of holding prior Cabinet leaders accountable, many in the secretary’s own inner circle will applaud quietly if Trump chooses to do the same in short order at the top of the Defense Department.” Trump allies eviscerated Ullyot on social media after the op-ed was published. “This guy is not America First,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X. “I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today. He’s officially exiled from our movement.” “If you’re echoing Democrat talking points, you no longer support President Trump or his administration. There’s no gray area here,” added Trump advisor Jason Miller. The White House, meanwhile, “stands strongly” behind Hegseth, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday. “The President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon,” she said. This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and working against the monumental change that you are trying to implement.” Hegseth also brushed off the reporting on the Signal chat Monday, blaming it on “disgruntled employees” and “anonymous smears.” “This is why we’re fighting the fake news media,” he said when pressed on the chat by reporters at the White House Easter Egg roll. “This group right here is full of hoaxsters.”