Trump DOJ report lays bare Biden administration’s alleged anti-Christian bias
The Department of Justice’s investigations and prosecutions of Christians during the Biden administration signal that the government discriminated against people based on their faith, according to a sweeping 200-page report released Thursday by the Trump DOJ. “The Biden Administration generally tolerated religious beliefs that were privately held but zealously pursued actions to limit Christians’ ability to act in accordance with their faith,” the report found. The document, released by a DOJ task force, serves as an internal deep dive into concerns critics have already publicly raised surrounding prosecutions of pro-life protesters, investigations into Catholics, the administration’s posture toward religious concerns with COVID-19 vaccines and more. The report contended that the Biden administration showed a pattern of making enforcement choices that de-prioritized religious liberty protections at the expense of Christians. PLANNED PARENTHOOD APOLOGIZES FOR ‘INADVERTENTLY’ GIVING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT COLORING BOOK TO CHILDREN “No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who chaired the task force, said in a statement. “As our report lays out, the Biden Administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans. That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to expose bad actors who targeted Christians and work tirelessly to restore religious liberty for all Americans of faith.” One little known detail revealed in the report found that federal government employees were systemically denied religious accommodation requests or subject to tedious processes when seeking exceptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. “The Task Force found that during the COVID-19 period, federal agencies frequently subjected employees seeking religious accommodations to invasive scrutiny of their beliefs,” the report stated, saying the practice was at odds with court precedent requiring employers to “presume sincerity” of beliefs. EXCLUSIVE: CONSERVATIVE GROUPS URGING TRUMP ADMIN TO EXPOSE ANTI-CHRISTIAN ‘PATTERN’ IN BIDEN FBI Former Attorney General Merrick Garland’s emphasis on reproductive healthcare was another top focus of the report. In the wake of the landmark Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Garland DOJ sought to prioritize access to abortion and to protect abortion clinics, while making weak attempts to engage with and protect faith-based pregnancy counseling centers that discourage abortion, the report found. The task force summarized how the Biden DOJ aggressively pursued Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances violations at abortion clinics, especially amid heightened polarization of the abortion debate as the Supreme Court weighed the Dobbs decision. The department frequently brought federal FACE Act charges against nonviolent pro-life protesters, including several elderly protesters, many of whom were found guilty of blocking doors to abortion clinics and later pardoned by Trump. Those prosecutions far outpaced charges brought against abortion advocates who targeted pregnancy counseling centers or churches, the report noted, despite the law being written to protect both types of facilities. Internally, Biden DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys “questioned whether to provide pregnancy resource centers with the same resources as abortion clinics, questioning whether these facilities fall under the FACE Act’s scope,” the report stated. Republican lawmakers frequently confronted Garland over concerns about whether the DOJ’s actions disadvantaged Christians. During a House hearing in 2023, Garland, who is Jewish and frequently references his family fleeing religious persecution in Europe in the 20th century, became emotional about the accusation. “The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous, so absurd,” Garland told lawmakers. The report, drafted in response to Trump’s executive order called Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias, laid out corrective measures the DOJ has taken, including engaging with faith-based groups, holding hearings featuring alleged victims of anti-Christian bias, shifting law enforcement priorities and revising legal interpretations of court precedents. Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative for comment.
WATCH: Chaos erupts as Florida Dem in pink jumpsuit grabs bullhorn mid-vote: ‘It’s illegal!’
Florida Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon went viral for taking a bullhorn to a legislative fight, storming down the aisle and causing confusion on the House floor during final passage of a Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed redistricting bill. Dressed in a pink jumpsuit and wielding a pink megaphone, Nixon approached the House speaker’s dais and shouted to fellow Florida representatives as the final vote was called. She shouted, “This is a violation of the Constitution! It is!” Nixon continued shouting into the bullhorn for the entirety of the vote. She insisted, “What y’all are doing is illegal!” and “I will not allow you to destroy our democracy!” As she shouted, several colleagues could be seen filming her on their phones. However, her protest was ultimately unsuccessful. While she continued shouting, “You are out of order!” and “This is a violation of the Constitution,” the Florida House granted final approval of the redistricting bill in an 83-28 vote. The Florida Senate also passed the measure this week, sending it to DeSantis’ desk for signature. DESANTIS’ REDISTRICTING FIGHT GETS MAJOR BOOST FROM HIS POTENTIAL GOP SUCCESSOR: ‘DOING THE RIGHT THING’ The new districts are expected to favor Republicans and could net the party an additional four seats. Republicans and Democrats are engaged in a nationwide redistricting battle as they vie for control of the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Texas, California and Virginia are among the states that have approved redistricting measures. Amid the controversy, DeSantis has defended the Florida redistricting push, telling Fox News Digital earlier this week that “Florida got shortchanged in the 2020 Census, and we’ve been fighting for fair representation ever since.” “Our population has since grown dramatically, and we have moved from a Democrat majority to a 1.5 million Republican advantage,” he said. DEMOCRATS WIN VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING FIGHT, THREATING REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY He asserted that the current Florida district map is “based on race,” which he called unconstitutional and said, “Should be prohibited.” “Our new map for 2026 makes good on my promise to conduct mid-decade redistricting, and it more fairly represents the makeup of Florida today,” said DeSantis. Currently, the Florida delegation to Congress is represented by 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with an eighth Democratic seat vacant following the resignation of former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. THOMAS LEAVES NOTHING LEFT UNSAID ON RACIAL GERRYMANDERING DECISION: ‘GO FURTHER’ The redistricting proposal comes after Virginia recently approved a constitutional amendment allowing the state to redraw its congressional districts and flip four GOP seats to the Democratic side. The proposed map was praised by Democrats, including Gov. Abigail Spanberger and former President Barack Obama. Fox News Digital reached out to Nixon for comment. Fox News Digital’s Kiera McDonald and Preston Mizell contributed to this report.
Maine Gov Janet Mills drops out of Democratic race for Senate, signaling she struggled to raise enough money
Maine Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the race for U.S. Senate in her home state on Thursday. Mills announced the move in a statement posted on X, saying she failed to raise enough funds to support her campaign. Mills was vying with other Democrats for a chance to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” Mills wrote. Mills’ departure leaves political newcomer Graham Platner the front runner in the Democratic primary. Platner has run a deeply controversial campaign, in addition to being the subject of various scandals, including his having a “Totenkopf” Nazi SS tattoo. MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE CITES COMBAT TRAUMA WHEN CONFRONTED ON ‘TERRIBLE’ POSTS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) declared Mills’ withdrawal as essentially a coronation for Platner in the Democratic primary. DEMOCRATIC MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER CONFRONTED BY MS NOW HOST ABOUT TATTOO CONTROVERSY “Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats just coronated a phony who is too extreme for Maine. Susan Collins has always put in the work for her constituents and delivered. Washington Democrats always fall short in Maine and will again, because they just nominated a dishonest radical,” NRSC Chairman Tim Scott said in a statement on Thursday. Mills had the full backing of the Democratic machine when she entered the Senate race last year, receiving endorsements from Sen. Chuck Schumer, R-N.Y., and prominent Democratic groups. EXPERT WARNS DEMOCRATS RISK BACKLASH OVER FAILURE TO CONDEMN VIOLENT RHETORIC IN THEIR RANKS Platner, meanwhile, has received backing from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., as well as Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
White House puts Whitmer on notice about who is ‘actually delivering’ on US manufacturing jobs
News that a local steel manufacturing company would soon pour $43.4 million into expanding its Michigan-based operations prompted praise from the White House — but not for the state’s Democratic governor. “Democrats like Gretchen Whitmer spent decades talking about fixing broken trade deals and creating manufacturing jobs here in America for American workers,” Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told Fox News Digital, referring to the Michigan governor who is often floated as a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028. “President Trump is actually delivering — and he’s delivering with the same agenda of tariffs, deregulation.” The investment underscores President Donald Trump’s recent restructuring on tariffs for steel, aluminum and copper — even as both parties claimed victory over Michigan’s expanding steel production. TRUMP’S LATEST MOVE PROVES HIS MANUFACTURING GOLDEN AGE IS JUST FOOLS’ GOLD “Michigan is on the move and open for business, competing for and winning big projects in industries like steel manufacturing,” Whitmer said in a statement. The investment, made by the Adrian Steel Company, would create at least 40 new jobs as the company expands its existing facilities in the southeast part of the state through a new 112,000-square-foot addition, according to the governor’s office. The venture is Adrian Steel’s largest expansion since 1953, Whitmer’s office claimed.. “The expansion will enhance Adrian Steel’s manufacturing capabilities with additional space dedicated to raw material storage, cutting, forming, welding, painting, assembly, office functions and shipping operations,” Whitmer’s office said in a press release. Whitmer’s office said the state had attracted the expansion, in part, through state-level incentives and added that the state will bolster Adrian Steel’s venture through a State Essential Services Assessment (SESA), a kind of tax break for manufacturers that could be worth up to $228,750. TRUMP SAYS HE’S LOOKING AT CERTAIN TARIFF EXEMPTIONS FOR AUTOMAKERS: ‘THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME’ In the past, Whitmer has criticized Trump’s tariffs, claiming that their overall effect has hindered industry development in Michigan. “The pain of these increased costs from tariffs has not been offset by any of the promised economic gain,” Whitmer said in a press release earlier this month. “Michigan’s industries have been hit hard, with a recent analysis finding that the tariffs cost U.S. automakers $35 billion last year. Tariffs are estimated to have cost working families $1,000 per year.” Under Trump’s re-worked tariff framework announced earlier this month, products made almost entirely of aluminum, steel or copper would pay a flat 50% tariff on their full value, while derivatives made only mostly of one of those elements would only pay 25%. The new parameters also create lower rates for foreign products sourced from American materials and drop the tariffs entirely for products comprised of less than 15% steel, aluminum or copper. TRUMP SAYS THOSE AGAINST TARIFFS ‘SERVING HOSTILE FOREIGN INTERESTS,’ ‘FULL BENEFIT’ YET TO BE SEEN “This buildout — and the continued health of these vital American industries — is only possible through the continued implementation and strengthening of the President’s Section 232 tariff programs,” the White House said. Whitmer’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Federal appeals court refuses to rehear Trump appeal of $83M E Jean Carroll defamation judgment
A federal appeals court declined to take up President Donald Trump’s request to rehear his appeal of the $83 million judgment in the defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday. Trump had sought a hearing by the full 12-judge Second Circuit Court of Appeals, but a majority of the judges denied Trump’s motion. The development now allows Trump to appeal the case directly to the Supreme Court. Lawyers for Trump argue he has presidential immunity from Carroll’s accusations. Trump’s quest for appeals began after a federal jury found that Trump defamed Carroll when he called her a liar for accusing him of sexually abusing her in the 1990s. TRUMP SHIFTS BATTLEGROUND IN FIGHT AGAINST ‘BRAZEN ELECTION INTERFERENCE’ BY IOWA POLLSTER If Trump appeals the $83 million case, it would be the second of his contests with E. Jean Carroll to appear before the justices. He also appealed a separate $5 million ruling against him to the court in November 2025. Carroll, a journalist and advice columnist, sued Trump twice after she released a book in 2019 in which she claimed that he raped her in 1996 in the dressing room of New York City’s Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower. Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s claims and said the case was “a complete con job.” He also said that Carroll was “not my type.” “I don’t know this woman, have no idea who she is, other than it seems she got a picture of me many years ago, with her husband, shaking my hand on a reception line at a celebrity charity event,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in October 2022. BBC SAYS IT WILL FIGHT TRUMP’S $10 BILLION LAWSUIT OVER EDITED JAN 6 COMMENTS Trump’s repeated criticisms of Carroll and denial of her claims led to the journalist’s defamation allegations. In May 2023, a jury found Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Carroll was awarded a total of $5 million in damages. The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether to take up that case. Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Hunter Biden’s ex-lawyer ordered to pay $50K to former Trump aide after harassment claims crumble
FIRST ON FOX: The Superior Court of California is ordering Kevin Morris, an attorney notoriously dubbed as Hunter Biden’s “sugar brother,” to pay $50,000 to former Trump aide Garrett Ziegler and Marco Polo, the conservative nonprofit research group he founded, to cover legal expenses. The ruling ends a protracted dispute over whether Ziegler impersonated a Democratic strategist to pry sensitive information out of Morris about the Hunter Biden laptop during a conversation over the phone in 2022. To Jennifer Holliday, Ziegler’s attorney, the judgment doesn’t even begin to make up for three years of legal battles. “It’s not really how I envisioned it would play out, and I don’t think that’s how the Constitution envisions that something like this would play out — which is why we filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the United States to review,” Holliday told Fox News Digital. FLASHBACK: SWALWELL WAS DUBBED HUNTER BIDEN’S ‘BIGGEST CHEERLEADER’ “I certainly hope that they will take a really hard look at what happened here because this is not a situation that should have ever happened,” she added. Holliday is asking the Supreme Court to evaluate California’s anti-SLAPP law, arguing the state’s protections for free speech actually only worsened the case by prolonging what she believes were weak accusations. A person familiar with Morris’ case called the conclusion a formality and downplayed the Supreme Court filing as unlikely to receive a review, noting that Ziegler’s representation had requested as much as $300,000 to conclude the case. Morris’s legal battle with Ziegler began when Morris picked up the phone and spoke with someone whom he thought was a Democratic operative about the laptop back in 2022. But when, after the call, he received an image depicting a squid, the phrase “NOTHING IS BEYOND OUR REACH,” and the words “Marco Polo,” Morris realized his mistake. Morris, who reportedly loaned Hunter Biden approximately $6.5 million to bankroll his lavish lifestyle, concluded the caller must have been Ziegler, a Republican strategist who had worked on combing through the contents of the laptop and who had gone on to found Marco Polo. He also previously worked in the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy as a policy analyst. TRUMP HOPES TO KEEP WINNING WHEN HE TAKES ABC NEWS, CBS NEWS TO COURT OVER ALLEGED ‘DISHONEST REPORTING’ Morris accused Ziegler of harassment, criminal harassment, criminal impersonation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The case soon soured for Morris when he failed to establish a connection between his phone call and Ziegler. With the suit in the rearview mirror, Holliday marveled that Morris had kept up his case for three years without ever offering evidence that the call had been linked to Ziegler. “There was no phone number that was ever presented to the court, to the Court of Appeal, to me, in discovery, anywhere,” Holliday said. Asked about whom the caller might have been, Holliday said she was not at liberty to discuss the issue. Asked about the case, Ziegler said Morris was an enabler of Hunter Biden who had knowingly brought a weak case against him. “Morris is the one responsible for all the bull—- that Hunter pulled over the last couple years,” Ziegler said, referring to funding Morris reportedly gave the younger Biden for his legal services, including paying his rent, buying his art and lending him a private jet, among other payments. Fox News Digital reported earlier this year that Morris donated $29,900 to now-former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., gubernatorial campaign weeks before the campaign collapsed after several sexual assault allegations emerged. Swalwell, who was dubbed as Hunter Biden’s “biggest cheerleader” in the House, met Morris multiple times during the House Oversight Committee investigations into Hunter’s business dealings. ABC NEWS WAS WISE TO SETTLE DEFAMATION SUIT WITH TRUMP TO AVOID ‘EMBARRASSING’ DISCOVERY, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY Ziegler’s representation has secured a debtor’s exam request for Morris if he hasn’t paid the $50,000 sum ordered by the court within 30 days. Fox News Digital reached out to Morris’s attorney.
Jasmine Crockett backs Colin Allred in Texas Democratic US House primary runoff
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas has endorsed former Rep. Colin Allred ahead of the candidate’s May Democratic primary runoff against Democratic U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson in the Lone Star State’s 33rd Congressional District. “Colin has the record, the grit, and the heart to stand up for working families and communities under attack by this administration. He will fight to abolish ICE and go toe to toe with Donald Trump to stop his extreme agenda,” Crockett declared in a statement. “I’ve seen Colin’s fight firsthand. We worked together to bring hundreds of millions in federal investments to North Texas for affordable housing, health care, and transportation. Colin doesn’t just talk about fighting for the community that raised him. He wins. That’s why I’m proud to stand with him,” Crockett noted. JASMINE CROCKETT’S SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT WHCD SHOOTING SHOW DIFFERENT TONES Sharing Crockett’s statement of support in a post on X, Allred wrote, “Proud to receive the endorsement of my friend @JasmineForUS. Jasmine has never been afraid to speak truth to power, fight for our communities, and stand up for Texans who deserve better. I’m grateful to have her support in this fight to lower costs, protect our rights, and deliver real leadership for Texas.” Crockett has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2023. ‘STRAIGHT OUTTA CONGRESS’: TOP PROGRESSIVE CONCEDES RACE AFTER VIRAL MOCKERY FOR ‘EMBARRASSING’ DEFEAT Last month she lost a Democratic Texas U.S. Senate primary to state Rep. James Talarico. Allred, who had been running in the Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary, dropped out of the contest the same day in December that Crockett jumped in. Allred had endorsed Crockett before she lost that primary race. DEMOCRAT ADMITS ‘OF COURSE’ JASMINE CROCKETT IS A FACTOR IN HIM DROPPING OUT OF TEXAS SENATE RACE “She’s tough. She speaks truth to power. She’s fearless in the face of vitriolic attacks from Donald Trump and the far right. She works day in and day out to protect our fundamental rights and strengthen our democracy. She’s a colleague, and she’s a friend. Her name is Jasmine Crockett. And I’m incredibly proud to be endorsing her in Texas’ U.S. Senate race,” he noted on Substack.
Pro-government rally in Tehran demands end to US threats
NewsFeed Hundreds of Iranians have rallied in Tehran to demand an end to US threats and the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. The blockade is causing Iran’s already devalued currency to sink further. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Israel seizes Global Sumud Flotilla boats 1,000km away from Gaza
NewsFeed Israeli forces have intercepted around a dozen Gaza-bound aid boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, more than 1,000km from Israel. Organisers call it an illegal attack on civilians in international waters. Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US charges Sinaloa state governor, 9 others over Mexican drug cartel links
United States prosecutors have brought charges against Mexico’s Sinaloa state Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine current and former officials, accusing them of links to the Sinaloa drug cartel in a move that could strain relations between the two countries. An indictment unsealed on Wednesday in New York alleges that Rocha Moya, 76, and nine others worked with cartel leaders to move large quantities of narcotics into the US in exchange for political support and bribes. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Prosecutors say that support extended to Rocha Moya’s 2021 election campaign, when members of the cartel’s “Chapitos” faction allegedly helped secure his victory. According to the indictment, cartel operatives kidnapped and threatened opposition candidates and stole ballot papers cast for his rivals to help secure his victory. Authorities said the scheme was aided by another defendant, Enrique Diaz Vega, who later became Rocha Moya’s secretary of administration and finance, who allegedly provided the cartel with a list of opponents’ names and addresses so they could be pressured into dropping out of the race. The US Justice Department said most of the suspects were aligned with the sons of the Sinaloa cartel cofounder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is serving a life sentence in the US. “The Sinaloa Cartel is not just trafficking deadly drugs, it is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to drive violence and profit,” said Terrance Cole, administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Advertisement “This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk,” Cole said in a statement. “The defendants allegedly used positions of trust to protect cartel operations.” Rocha Moya has rejected the charges, calling them baseless and without evidence. In a statement, he said the accusations were part of a broader political attack, not just against him, but against the governing Morena movement and its leadership. The state governor also told residents of Sinaloa that he would confront the claims “with dignity” and demonstrate that they lack any foundation. Translation: I categorically and absolutely reject the accusations made against me by the Southern District of New York Federal Prosecutor’s Office, as they lack any truth or foundation whatsoever. And this will be demonstrated, with full force, at the appropriate time. The Mexican government said in a statement that the US documents requesting the arrests and potential extraditions lacked sufficient evidence. Rare move signals shift in US strategy Indictments against sitting senior Mexican politicians are rare, and the case could point to a shift in Washington’s approach to tackling drug cartels, with increased attention on alleged links between organised crime and political figures. “It certainly is a change in US strategy to go after a sitting government official,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC. “It’s long been considered a very big step, almost a ‘nuclear option’,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more indictments to follow,” Felbab-Brown told Al Jazeera. “Although Rocha is the eye of the storm, the storm is much wider than him,” she said, describing the case as part of a broad sweep against the alleged crime-politics nexus in Sinaloa. Among those indicted, at least three officials, including Rocha and a Mexican senator, were affiliated with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party, while others held roles outside formal party structures, she added. Translation: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received requests for provisional arrest for the purposes of extradition, which will be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office. No evidence is attached to the documents.” ‘A political headache for Sheinbaum’ The case adds pressure on Sheinbaum, given Rocha Moya’s ties to the governing Morena party and his close relationship with former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Advertisement Rocha Moya, a longtime Morena figure and former senator, won the Sinaloa governorship in 2021 and has remained politically aligned with Lopez Obrador. “It’s a real political headache for Sheinbaum,” Felbab-Brown said, adding that how she responds in the coming days, including whether to act against the governor, could have significant diplomatic and domestic consequences. “If she does not act against him, including potentially arresting or extraditing him to the US, the US will feel very alienated at a time of USMCA negotiations,” she said, referring to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. “If she does act against him, it could undermine her ability to control the Morena party and perhaps even jeopardise her political position,” she added. The case comes as Mexico’s government has stepped up efforts to confront powerful drug cartels, with a series of high-profile operations targeting organised crime figures in recent months, including the killing by security forces of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who led the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum addresses the media in her daily news conference [File: Quetzalli Nicte-Ha/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)