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
Why Texas Republicans are trying to rein in high home prices and rents
There’s political urgency for Republicans to deal with housing affordability, especially as surveys find most Texans say housing costs are a top concern.
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.
Trump Energy chief recounts evolution of US environs over 55 ‘Earth Days’: ‘A handily energized society works’
EXCLUSIVE: In honor of Earth Day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright released a video retelling his own experiences growing up in a much dirtier world in Denver, and watching wildlife and greenery return to the mountains as he grew older, and how the effects of smarter energy were at the forefront of that continuing change: Wright was a young kid in Denver when the first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, on Belmont Plateau in West Philadelphia. But, while the green movement was getting its roots in industrial Pennsylvania, Colorado was dealing with similar air quality struggles in its capital city. “We couldn’t see the mountains from my house one out of three, one out of four days, air quality, lung issues were quite common,” Wright says in the video, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital. ENERGY CHIEF ENVISIONS US NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE, RESTORING PIT PRODUCTION, LOCALIZING NUKE POWER “Since then, Denver has exploded in population and economic activity, but the air’s gotten dramatically cleaner. That’s technology and wealth at work.” Wright said the six explicitly-named pollutants in the Clean Air Act — carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone and particulate matter — have all dropped by about three-quarters in the past 55 years. In that time, he said, “economies have expanded, population has grown, travel and leisure have sprung up all around the world.” “But yet, in wealthy societies, we’ve made cleaner air, cleaner water, and a return of large wildlife,” Wright added. ENERGY CHIEF SLASHES RED TAPE THAT LED TO 60% COST INFLATION, BURDENED WORK IN CRITICAL LABS As a natural outdoorsman growing up in the Rocky Mountain State, Wright rarely saw large wildlife while adventuring out as a kid. But, when he returns home, it’s not uncommon for him to see moose, mountain lions or bears — a development he ascribes to the difference Earth Day and responsible energy development have had on the country. “The return of wildlife, the cleaning up air, the cleaning of our water are truly something to celebrate, and they’ve been driven by wealth and by increasing energy available in societies,” he said. “Are we done yet? Heck no.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He lamented that in much of the world, people are unable to enjoy clean and reliable energy or water, particularly in impoverished countries. Wright said that while Westerners use stoves or grills, 2 billion people worldwide still rely on animal dung, wood or incinerated waste to cook — which in turn creates indoor air pollution that kills 2 million people per year, per the WHO. “So of course we’ve got progress to be made,” Wright said. “But let’s keep our eyes on the big picture: healthy humans, long opportunity-rich lives, clean air, clean water, and thriving ecosystems. Wealth and a handily energized society are the key to achieving those goals.”
Dem senator hosts businesses concerned ‘enormous uncertainty’ of tariffs could kill crucial tourism industry
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., hosted his latest in a series of roundtables with small businesses around the Green Mountain State, and the attendees said the Trump administration’s tariff actions will hurt their operations directly and damage the state’s key tourism industry. “These tariffs are a self-inflicted wound,” Welch, who also co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to repeal them, told Fox News Digital on Monday. “And they’re already raising prices for businesses, farmers and working families across rural America. Everyone will be affected by President Trump’s trade war, it doesn’t matter what your political point of view is or where you live.” The latter appeared to be the tenor at Welch’s latest roundtable in Stowe, near the Quebec border. OPINION: WHAT FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE SCREAMING ABOUT TRUMP’S TARIFFS “I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t know how they’re going to affect us,” said Jen Kimmich, who runs Alchemist Brewery. “What we do know is that these tariffs are happening. We do know prices are going to go up, but we don’t know how much.” Kimmich shared an example of how intertwined her brewery is with global manufacturing. Her aluminum is produced in the U.S., but the manufacturer sources some recycled metal from Brazil, metal that then transits through Canada to be made into sheets before crossing back into Vermont. Alchemist raised its prices by 5% and absorbed another 10% hit, Kimmich told Welch. TRUMP’S TARIFF 2-STEP Her brewery’s specialty malt, she said, is exempted for now because it is a food product from the United Kingdom. The brewery, like the other businesses represented collectively, said the sudden decrease in visitors from across the northern border has hurt the tourism industry as well as stores where Canadians might regularly shop in Vermont. “At every single level, these tariffs make no economic sense,” she said. “The tariffs are unfair, and they’re already creating enormous uncertainty. I’m working to help Vermont maintain the strength of its small businesses.” Christa Bowdish, proprietor of the Old Stagecoach Inn, said in a statement that 95% of her business is via tourism and the rest from locals. “Of that 95%, typically 15% are Canadian. We were all excited about having a banner ski season, and it was good, but it wasn’t amazing,” she said, adding that while January’s figures were up, skiing in February was down and the trend has continued. At the same time, Bowdish said web traffic from Canada has been falling, which she suspects is tied to the tariff situation. Bowdish also shared with Welch a letter from a Canadian tourist who canceled their trip because of American political rhetoric toward Canada. “This is long-lasting damage to a relationship, and emotional damage takes time to heal. While people aren’t visiting Vermont, they’ll be finding new places to visit, making new memories, building new family traditions, and we will not recapture all of that,” the innkeeper told Welch. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Power Play Sports owner Caleb Magoon added, “The big challenge for me is going to be supply chain issues. At my two stores, because we’re general sporting goods stores, I work with over 100 vendors who are making products literally across the globe, from Dubai to China to right down the road in Waterbury.” Meanwhile, representatives of ski and snowsports businesses expressed uncertainty about how the tariffs would affect them, since many do not open their doors for the year until November. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a response to the senator’s and business owners’ concerns.
J-K Landslide: Jammu-Srinagar national highway to be partially restored from Wednesday
Landslides triggered by flash floods killed three people on Sunday in the Ramban district, while over 100 were rescued. Nearly 4 to 5 km of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was completely washed away, and the debris buried many vehicles under it.
Palestinian activist Khalil denied release for son’s birth, wife says
Mahmoud Khalil’s wife Noor Abdalla accuses US government of trying to silence pro-Palestinian activism. Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist who has been detained in the United States pending his deportation, has missed the birth of his son after being refused temporary release to attend the birth, his wife has said. Noor Abdalla said on Monday that she gave birth to the couple’s first child in New York without Khalil present after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement made the “purposeful decision” to make her family suffer. “My son and I should not be navigating his first days on earth without Mahmoud,” Abdalla, a US citizen, said in a statement. “ICE and the Trump administration have stolen these precious moments from our family in an attempt to silence Mahmoud’s support for Palestinian freedom.” “I will continue to fight every day for Mahmoud to come home to us,” Abdalla added. “I know when Mahmoud is freed, he will show our son how to be brave, thoughtful, and compassionate, just like his dad.” ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University who played a prominent role in last year’s campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, was detained by immigration authorities on March 8 as part of US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism. Advertisement The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil, who is being detained at an ICE facility in Louisiana, claiming that his advocacy has undermined US efforts to “combat anti-Semitism” and “protect Jewish students from harassment and violence”. Khalil, who is a permanent US resident, has denied engaging in anti-Semitism. An immigration judge in Louisiana earlier this month ruled that the Trump administration could proceed with deportation proceedings against Khalil, finding that the government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable”. Khalil’s lawyers have said they will appeal the decision. Adblock test (Why?)
Pistons snap record playoff losing streak, win Game 2 against Knicks
Detroit Pistons end their NBA-record, 15-game postseason losing streak with a road victory against the New York Knicks in their Eastern Conference playoff series. The Detroit Pistons snapped their NBA-record 15-game playoff losing streak with a 100-94 victory over the New York Knicks to level their Eastern Conference first-round series at one game apiece. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Dennis Schroder added 20 points off the bench, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds left, as the Pistons thwarted the Knicks’ fourth quarter rally on Monday. The Pistons, in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, notched their first playoff victory since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. Two days after the Knicks authored a 21-0 scoring run to rally in Game 1, the Pistons were pushed to the finish in a fast-paced, physical encounter at Madison Square Garden. They led by as many as 15 in the third quarter, but the Knicks had cut the deficit to eight going into the final period. New York star Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 37 points in the fourth and fed Josh Hart for a dunk that tied it at 94-94 with 1:15 to play. Advertisement But Schroder answered immediately, drilling a three-pointer that put the Pistons ahead for good. The Knicks came up empty on three straight possessions, while Schroder and Jalen Duren connected at the free throw line to seal Detroit’s win. Detroit’s Tobias Harris scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, and Duren had 12 points and 13 boards. Mikal Bridges scored 19 for the Knicks as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were held to 10 apiece. “We did what we were supposed to do. And that was it,” said Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff, whose team hosts Game 3 on Thursday. “To win a game on the road to get home court was what we came here for. “So we approached it with a businesslike mentality, learned from the fourth quarter the other night. But we just did what we were supposed to do.” New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (#11), who led all scorers with 37 points, drives towards the basket against a Pistons defender in the fourth quarter of Game 2 on April 21, 2025 [Angelina Katsanis/AP] Leonard dominates Nuggets Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers beat the Denver Nuggets 105-102 on Monday to level their Western Conference first-round playoff series at one win apiece. Denver’s Christian Braun and Nikola Jokic missed three-point attempts to end the game. Jokic wound up with a triple-double. James Harden added 18 points, Ivica Zubac contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Norman Powell scored 13 points for Los Angeles. Leonard, 33, bounced back from a seven-turnover performance in the opener on Saturday, a 112-110 Denver win in overtime. He hit his first six shots on Monday, missed a pull-up jumper early in the second quarter and did not miss again until early in the fourth. Advertisement “Tough fight,” Leonard said postgame on TNT. “This is what the playoffs are about.” The best-of-seven series shifts to California for Game 3 on Thursday in Inglewood. Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, US [Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images via AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
Russia’s Putin hints at direct talks with Ukraine
Russian president signals ‘positive’ outlook on bilateral peace talks after Ukraine proposed a 30-day ceasefire. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has indicated that he is open to the prospect of direct talks with Ukraine. Putin told Russian state TV on Monday that he had a “positive attitude towards any peace initiatives” and that he hoped Kyiv would “feel the same way”. Moscow and Kyiv have held no bilateral talks since the immediate aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion. However, the United States has been raising the pressure on them to agree to a ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s comments, following the expiry of a 30-hour Easter truce – which each side accused the other of violating – meant he was open to direct talks. “When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side,” said Peskov, quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not respond directly to Putin’s proposal, he signalled in his nightly video address that Ukraine was “ready for any conversation” about a ceasefire that would stop attacks on civilians. Now, after Easter, the whole world can clearly see the real issue — the real reason why the hostilities continue. Russia is the source of this war. It is from Moscow that a real order must come for the Russian army to cease fire. And if there is no such firm Russian order for… pic.twitter.com/jS9cTiRQqd — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 21, 2025 Advertisement On Sunday, Zelenskyy had proposed a follow-up to the truce that would “cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days”. Putin said Russia would “analyse everything and take the corresponding decisions” but questioned how it would work, as he accused Ukraine of using civilian buildings such as restaurants and universities for military purposes. Zelenskyy pressed Putin further on Monday, saying Ukraine stood by its offer – “at the very least, not to strike civilian infrastructure” – and that he expected a “clear answer” from Moscow. The possibility of direct talks comes after US President Donald Trump threatened to walk away from efforts to broker a ceasefire unless progress is made. At the same time, he continued on Monday to express hope that a deal is close and could even be reached this week. Negotiators from the US, Ukraine, United Kingdom and France are due to meet in London on Wednesday for another round of talks on ending the war, Zelenskyy said. The discussions are a follow-up to a similar meeting in Paris last week. Amid the push for an end to the fighting, in which Trump appears ready to accept many of Moscow’s demands and gains, Russia is eager to press home its military advantage on the battlefield. Ukraine’s air force reported another overnight barrage on Tuesday, with Russia launching 54 drones. Meanwhile, Russian media said the military had retaken the Gornal St Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery, one of the last positions held by Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
State of War: How Trump is fighting a 9-front battle
President Trump is fighting a war with many battlefields. It’s a nine-front crusade, although I could easily double that number. If there’s a common thread here, it’s the president taking on elite institutions that he has long resented or reviled. That’s why his first three months seem stuck on hyperspeed – critics would say chaos – because he’s broken with the traditional model of tackling one or two issues at a time. Voters gave him a second term to shake things up. It’s the first Trump term on steroids. EDUCATION DEPT. TO RESUME COLLECTIONS ON DEFAULTED FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2020 The president is surrounded by loyalists who encourage his flood-the-zone approach, unlike some of the more traditional figures (Rex Tillerson, Jim Mattis, Gary Cohn) who tried to restrain him the last time he lived in the White House. One advantage is that he uses Truth Social as a weapon, unloading on those who displease him. And yet he still finds time to abolish rules limiting shower pressure, call for the abolition of pennies, and come out against changing clocks (though his stance on daylight savings is unclear) – all matters that affect people’s daily lives. Here, in no particular order, are Donald Trump’s nine battlegrounds: 1. TOP PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES Although Trump himself went to the Wharton School, he is constantly attacking Columbia and other top Ivy colleges. Harvard, where he has frozen more than $2 billion in federal funding and another $7 billion is at risk, is fighting back. Plus, the IRS is looking at revoking the university’s tax-exempt status. The White House now admits that the letter a Trump official transmitted to Harvard was “unauthorized” and should not have been sent. Harvard officials were stunned because they thought they were in the process of negotiating a settlement with the administration. 2. LAW FIRMS One giant law firm after another, under pressure from Trump, has caved and reached settlements with the White House. This involves agreeing to provide up to $100 million or even $125 million in pro bono services on matters important to the administration. The alternative is an executive order pulling its members’ security clearances, making it impossible to serve their corporate clients without access to secret data. A few firms have fought back, and some attorneys have resigned in protest, but most are volunteering to settle. 3. MEDIA President Trump has sued CBS, NBC and Gannett. He won a $16-million lawsuit against ABC–approved by Disney–after George Stephanopoulos repeatedly called him a rapist when he was actually held liable for sexual abuse. Even if the suits go nowhere, journalists and news outlets have to hire lawyers and go through an ordeal. MARK ZUCKERBERG ON THE STAND: ‘CRAZY,’ ‘SCARY’ IDEAS LED HIM TO BUY INSTAGRAM AND WHATSAPP Trump has long used the press as a foil, but now he ridicules the likes of CNN’s Kaitlan Collins when she tries to ask questions. He refused to take a question from an NBC reporter, saying the network has no credibility. And yet Trump provides an absolutely stunning degree of access. He takes questions virtually every day and has taken over the press pool (with the AP still excluded). The coverage is overwhelmingly anti-Trump–sometimes that’s self-inflicted–but that also boosts clicks and ratings. It’s a love-hate relationship. 4. FEDERAL RESERVE The markets nose-dived again yesterday as Trump stepped up his personal assault on Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in an obvious attempt to pressure him into resigning. Powell’s job is to worry about inflation, not to goose the economy because the president wants him to cut interest rates. The entire tariff war has spooked Wall Street and alienated such allies as Canada (the 51st State???), Mexico and the European Union. He repeatedly promised a tariff war during the campaign, but no one expected tariffs of this magnitude, even against China, which has retaliated. Now Trump says he’ll even work out a deal with China. The 90-day pause briefly seemed to stabilize things, but whether the president can strike deals with 90 countries in 90 days remains to be seen. 5. COURTS Donald Trump has a long history of attacking judges and prosecutors. Now he is going up to the line, and perhaps crossing it, when it comes to challenging court rulings, even with a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court. The other day, the president deflected questions about the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, telling reporters to speak to the lawyers. The next day, he unloaded at length on Abrego Garcia, saying he’s a violent man who deserves to be in prison and criticizing Chris Van Hollen’s trip to visit him in a carefully staged photo op. Abrego Garcia may well be a gang member, but a previous court ruling had found he should not be sent to El Salvador. Politically, this is a winning issue for Trump. But when SCOTUS ruled 9-0 that he should “facilitate” Garcia’s return, Trump pretty much ignored it. TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘NOT HAPPY’ WITH FED CHIEF JEROME POWELL In a separate case, the Supreme Court, 7-2, ordered Trump not to move a second wave of Venezuelan migrants from where they are being held. This time, the administration agreed to follow the ruling. 6. FORMER AIDES The president is going after two of his appointees from the first term. He has ordered an investigation of his former cybersecurity chief, Chris Krebs, for “falsely and baselessly” denying that the 2020 election was rigged. He called Krebs a “significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his government authority,” meaning Krebs found what every other probe, including one by Attorney General Bill Barr, found–no evidence of significant fraud. Trump also ordered a probe of Miles Taylor, better known as “Anonymous,” for the New York Times op-ed he wrote ripping the president. Taylor, a former Homeland Security official, “wrote a book under the pseudonym ‘Anonymous,’ making outrageous claims both about your administration and about others in it,” the president was told in a memo. So he too