Trump, DeSantis meet privately for several hours in Miami
Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met privately in Miami, Florida on Sunday, a Republican with knowledge of the meeting confirmed to Fox News. During the several-hour long meeting, DeSantis agreed to help Trump as the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee tries to close his fundraising gap with President Biden in their 2024 election rematch, the source confirmed. DeSantis, who was convincingly re-elected in 2022 before launching an unsuccessful bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has built up a formidable network of wealthy donors who could be helpful to Trump as the general election campaign heats up. News of the meeting was first reported by the Washington Post, which said the get-together between the two rivals was orchestrated by Steve Witkoff, a Florida real estate broker known to both Trump and DeSantis. RFK JR. CHALLENGES TRUMP TO DEBATE AFTER ‘DEMOCRAT PLANT’ ACCUSATION The meeting appears to be the first time DeSantis and Trump have spoken, let alone met in person, since the governor ended his White House bid in January, after a disappointing second place finish in the Iowa caucuses, far behind Trump. The former president and his allies spent nearly a year attacking DeSantis as the two squared off for the GOP nomination that also included other contenders. DeSantis and Trump did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital on the matter. TRUMP’S LAST GOP RIVAL LANDS NEW GIG AFTER FAILED 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BID DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign just two days ahead of the New Hampshire primary and has since endorsed Trump. But to date, DeSantis hasn’t campaigned on behalf of Trump. During a February call with supporters, the governor took aim at Trump and his top political advisers. “I think he’s got people in his inner circle who were part of our orbit years ago that we fired, and I think some of that is they just have an ax to grind,” DeSantis said at the time. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? TRUMP’S FORMER OPPONENTS LINING UP NEW JOBS AFTER FAILED 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BIDS Responding, top Trump campaign aide Chris LaCivita called DeSantis a “sad little man.” While many on Trump’s team and in his wider political orbit detest DeSantis, the former president may be more forgiving, if it benefits him. Trump said in January after DeSantis endorsed him that he would “officially retire” the derogatory “Ron DeSanctimonious” nickname he used repeatedly to attack the Florida governor for nearly a year.
Defiant Kristi Noem defends killing farm pup amid criticism from Dems and GOP
A defiant Kristi Noem hit back at critics following outrage over her upcoming memoir that reveals she once killed a dog. “I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back. The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons learned,” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem began in a social media post published Sunday on X. “The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did,” Noem continued. Outrage spread across social media platforms late last week after the Guardian reported on an excerpt of Noem’s upcoming memoir, “No Going Back,” which is set to be released on May 7. The excerpt detailed Noem describing taking her 14-month-old female dog Cricket to a “gravel pit” near her farm and shooting her because it was “less than worthless,” “untrainable” and had killed and eaten several chickens. SOCIAL MEDIA DISTURBED BY GOV. NOEM’S STORY ABOUT SHOOTING HER 14-MONTH-OLD DOG: ‘NOT NORMAL’ She explained that Cricket had ruined a pheasant hunt when she went “out of her mind with excitement, chasing all those birds and having the time of her life.” “It was not a pleasant job, but it had to be done. And after it was over, I realized another unpleasant job needed to be done,” she continued. In the book, Noem also described killing a “nasty and mean” goat at the same gravel pit, according to the report. KRISTI NOEM SHARES VISION FOR AMERICA IN NEW BOOK AMID SPECULATION ABOUT RUNNING AS TRUMP’S VP The report garnered pushback online, from both Democrats and conservatives, who appeared shocked and outraged over the killing of the dog. “Omg – now my blood is boiling. Remember, I’m a country boy who lives on a ranch . There’s a huge difference between putting an old horse down who is suffering, than shooting a 18 month dog for being untrainable. But then to plug your book at the end,” wildly popular conservative X account Catturd tweeted. “Seriously, is it just me? [I’m[sic] have no words,” he added. New York Post columnist Miranda Devine commented, “No. Not normal. Shameful.” “Anyone who has ever owned a birddog knows how disgusting, lazy and evil this is. Damn,” Democratic Montana gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse posted. Noem has been floated as a potential running mate in former President Trump’s effort to regain control of the White House come November. Critics, however, speculated the controversy over killing her dog may have ended her career in politics. BLUE STATE GOVERNORS SHARE PICS OF THEIR DOGS TO DUNK ON GOV. NOEM’S STORY OF SHOOTING HER OWN DOG Noem initially addressed the controversy on Friday, posting on X that her family loves animals, “but tough decisions” are often made on farms. SOUTH DAKOTA GOV. NOEM SEEKS TO BOLSTER TEXAS SECURITY EFFORTS AT US-MEXICO BORDER “We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years,” she posted, while encouraging people to purchase her memoir for “real, honest, and politically INcorrect stories that’ll have the media gasping.” On Sunday, Noem said she does not shy away from difficult decisions, and believes “people are looking for leaders who are authentic.” “What I learned from my years of public service, especially leading South Dakota through COVID, is people are looking for leaders who are authentic, willing to learn from the past, and don’t shy away from tough challenges. My hope is anyone reading this book will have an understanding that I always work to make the best decisions I can for the people in my life,” she said. “Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it’s hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor. As I explained in the book, it wasn’t easy. But often the easy way isn’t the right way,” she concluded.
Kirby: US remains hopeful for ‘6 weeks of peace’ with hostage deal that ‘Hamas has not fully rejected’
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Sunday that the United States remains hopeful for “six weeks of peace” with a hostage deal that “Hamas has not fully rejected.” Speaking with host George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” Kirby said Israel assured the Biden administration that the Jewish state will not launch a campaign in the final Hamas terrorist stronghold of Rafah in the Gaza Strip “until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them.” “If we’re able to get this hostage deal in place, we are still working at that. Hamas has not fully rejected it,” Kirby said. “They are considering this proposal on the table. If we can get that in place, then that gives you six weeks of peace. It gives you no fighting for six weeks, and that includes no fighting in Rafah. And what we’re hoping is that after six weeks of a temporary cease-fire, we can maybe get something more enduring in place.” Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a planned Israeli ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya gave no details of Israel’s offer but said it was in response to a Hamas proposal two weeks ago, the Associated Press reported. ISRAEL DEBUNKS ‘HAMAS LIBELS’ ABOUT MASS GRAVE SPREAD BY MEDIA FOR INTERNET CLICKS, SAYS NETANYAHU SPOKESMAN Negotiations this month centered around a six-week cease-fire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. A separate Hamas statement said leaders from the three main militant groups active in Gaza discussed attempts to end the war, which began on Oct. 7 after Hamas launched a bloody incursion into southern Israel and killed some 1,200 people. It didn’t mention the Israeli proposal. The statement came hours after an Egyptian delegation ended a visit to Israel where it discussed a “new vision” for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the AP. Kirby also addressed the planned deliveries of aid to flow into Gaza from an offshore pier now under construction by the U.S. military. “The Israelis have started to meet the commitments that President Biden asked them to meet,” Kirby said. “This pier is now being constructed. It will take probably two to three weeks before we can really see it in operation. I mean, it’s a fairly complicated procedure to get that in place. And we’re working closely with the Israelis about how the operation of the pier would work.” UN, HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA GROUPS RELY ON HAMAS DEATH TOLL IN ‘SYSTEMATIC DECEPTION’: EXPERT Stephanopoulos also pressed Kirby on the anti-Israel protests festering with antisemitism unfolding at American college campuses – and specifically about bringing in police to break up demonstrations. “The president knows that there are very strong feelings, George, about the war in Gaza,” Kirby said. “He understands that, he respects that. And as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly. But it has to be peaceful. We’ll leave it to local authorities to determine how these protests are managed.” “But we want them to be peaceful protests,” he added. “And obviously, we don’t want to see anybody hurt in the process of peacefully protesting. But again, the president understands that. We absolutely condemn the antisemitism language that we’ve heard of late, and we certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there in these protests. We understand they’re important, but they do need to be peaceful.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
White House denies secret plot to oust Karine Jean-Pierre as Biden faces more bad news
The Biden administration is denying there was a secret internal plot to get rid of White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, a scheme first reported Thursday by The New York Post. Deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates forcefully rejected claims from multiple sources with knowledge of the plans, which included longtime Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn, supported by White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, recruiting prominent outside Democrats to urge Jean-Pierre to voluntarily make her exit. “Not only are these claims wildly false, but the reality is the polar opposite. Karine was never approached by anyone with such a message. She spends four hours preparing every day. And neither Jeff nor Anita did any such thing; both have been unflinchingly supportive of her,” Bates told The Post. REPUBLICAN MAKES MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT IN PUSH TO GROW GOP SUPPORT FROM ONCE-SOLID DEM VOTING BLOC According to The Post’s sources, Jean-Pierre’s bosses were unhappy with her habit of reading prepared answers directly from her binder, which they viewed as falling short of making an adequate case for President Biden as he prepared to launch his re-election campaign. “Every press secretary uses the binder. Why is she being singled out?” Bates added. One of the sources told The Post that the effort included having outside people Jean-Pierre knew and trusted convince her it was the right time to move along, and that it would make sense for her career to leave at around the same tenure as previous secretaries — about a year and a half. The other source told The Post, “Jeff and Anita were trying to find Karine a graceful exit” in an effort to avoid removing her against her will. NEW POLL REVEALS HOW VOTERS’ VIEWS ON ABORTION HAVE CHANGED AS DEMS SEEK TO MAKE ISSUE A CENTRAL 2024 THEME “There’s a huge diversity issue, and they’re afraid of what folks are going to say,” the source said, adding that although at least one person from outside the administration spoke to Jean-Pierre, that the plan had not yet, and was unlikely to, lead to her departure. “She has been pretty consistent in telling people from the minute she got the job that she was going to stay through the election,” the source said. “I think Karine has decided to stay come hell or high water and that’s that.” Both sources went on to tell The Post that the press secretary relied too much on her notes to be able to provide the quick-thinking pushback needed in the role, with one arguing she “doesn’t have an understanding of the issues,” despite Jean-Pierre thinking that she’s “doing an amazing job.” A February report by NBC News detailed a job offer Jean-Pierre received and rejected in December from EMILYs List, a pro-abortion group, and, according to an email shared with The Post, Dunn appeared to have accepted that same month that Jean-Pierre wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. NEW POLL SHOWS BIDEN’S 2024 LEAD VANISHING WITH TRUMP ON TRIAL “KJP isn’t going anywhere, so this is a ridiculous piece,” Dunn wrote in the email to a Washington Post reporter regarding a separate piece. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for additional comment. The White House’s denial concerning Jean-Pierre comes as Biden received more bad news about his re-election bid. A new CNN poll released Sunday found former President Trump holding a continued advantage (49%-43%) in a head-to-head matchup, with that lead growing to nine points (42%-33%) when including independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (16%) and Dr. Cornel West (4%), as well as Green Party candidate Jill Stein (3%). Additionally, 55% said they saw Trump’s presidency as a success, but 61% said they saw Biden’s presidency as a failure. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fetterman blasts ‘germ of antisemitism’ in college protests, ‘living in a pup tent for Hamas’ not helpful
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., in a new interview, blasted the “germ of antisemitism” seen in anti-Israel protests unfolding on American college campuses. “It’s a great American value to protest, but I don’t believe living in a pup tent for Hamas is really helpful,” Fetterman said on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.” “I want to be clear, there is a germ of antisemitism in these protests, and sometimes it flares up. And again, including one of the leaders in Columbia who said some just awful things, talking about ‘Well, they’re lucky we’re not killing Zionists’ and things like that, and he defends himself by saying, ‘Well, those were taken out of context.’” “And I’m like, that’s very similar to the way the college presidents, the same kind of language, and those kind of monocultures that create situations and that replicates. And now it’s not a surprise when you’re kind of seeing this manifest itself in a campus like this,” Fetterman said. FETTERMAN HAMMERS ‘A–HOLE’ ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS, SLAMS OWN PARTY FOR RESPONSE TO IRANIAN ATTACK: ‘CRAZY’ The senator seemed to be referencing Khymani James, a Columbia protest leader who went viral online for suggesting the murder of Zionists, whom he likened to “White supremacists” and “Nazis.” Fetterman reiterated support for Israel’s right to defend itself as a nation, going further to say the Jewish state also has the right “to go after and eliminate Hamas, or at least force them to surrender.” “I’m confused why we’re not talking about that more,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said. “And if you are going to protest, why aren’t we protesting… I can’t end that war, Joe Biden can’t end that war, Netanyahu can’t end that war, but Hamas could end it right now, immediately. They could release the last hostages, and they could surrender.” FETTERMAN HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR ‘SAFE, PURE, TAXED’ MARIJUANA IN 4/20 PUSH TO LEGALIZE WEED “And all of the misery and the death and destruction ends right there, too. So, for true peace, you cannot allow Hamas to function,” he added. “It’s very reasonable to make sure that Hamas needs to be neutralized.” Fetterman recalled how before the primaries he said, “I support peace and I support a two-state solution, but if the stuff hits the fan, I’m going to lean in on Israel, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.” Since enduring a stroke, Fetterman said he’s become more empathetic, especially when it comes to people with disabilities. The senator used a speech-to-text app on a tablet sitting on the studio table to better comprehend questions during the interview. Nodding to newfound support from some Republicans, Fetterman added, “I’ve been saying that for years… I really don’t identify myself as progressive. It’s not that I’ve changed, but that that word has changed.”
Man who threatened to blow up GOP Senate candidate’s office donated to Dem opponent
A Wisconsin man who has been charged with making a bomb threat against the office of a Republican Senate candidate has donated to the campaign of the candidate’s Democratic opponent. Joseph Quade, 72, was charged with making terrorist threats after sending a message to the Wisconsin campaign office of Eric Hovde, warning that it “might blow up” in an April 4 email, according to a report from the Wisconsin State Journal. “Hey (EH), you think your building might blow up tomorrow? I don’t think you should have any of your people come to work,” read the message, according to the report, which added that the message was sent in a voice memo attached to an email. BOMB THREATS PROMPT EVACUATIONS OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN SEVERAL STATES, BUT NO EXPLOSIVES FOUND Quade reportedly later told police that he did not remember sending the message, but admitted that he can get “a little political” when he drinks and there was a chance he was responsible for the threat. Hovde, a Wisconsin businessman, is seeking to unseat incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. According to Federal Elections Commission data reviewed by Fox News Digital, Quade was a financial backer of the Baldwin campaign, making two donations of $25 and one of $50 to support the senator’s re-election bid. His most recent donation, for $25, was on Dec. 29. Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a Baldwin campaign spokesperson said that “violence has no place in our politics and anyone who threatens violence has no place in our campaign.” POLICE INVESTIGATE BOMB THREAT AT BWI AIRPORT TERMINAL, SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: REPORTS “We will be donating this individual’s contributions to charity,” the spokesperson, Andrew Mamo, said. Wisconsin, one of the country’s most important battlegrounds in 2024, will play an outsized role in determining the balance of power in Washington in November. Baldwin, who is seeking her third term, won her 2018 re-election bid by just under four percentage points and holds a similar lead in recent polling over Hovde, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average. Quade faces a maximum of 3.5 years in prison if convicted. His next court appearance is set for May 2.
Palestinian President Abbas says only US can halt Israel’s attack on Rafah
More than a million Palestinians are sheltering in the southern Gaza city after being displaced by Israeli attacks. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says only the United States could stop Israel from attacking the border city of Rafah in Gaza, adding that the assault, which he expects within days, could force much of the Palestinian population to flee the enclave. “We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime,” Abbas told a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday. Israel, which has threatened for weeks to launch an all-out assault on the city, saying its goal is to destroy Hamas’s remaining battalions there, stepped up air attacks on Rafah last week. Western countries, including Israel’s closest ally the US, have pleaded with it to hold back from attacking the southern city, which abuts the Egyptian border and is sheltering more than a million Palestinians who fled Israel’s seven-month-long assault on much of the rest of Gaza. Abbas said that even a “small strike” on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee Gaza. “The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen,” he said. Abbas reiterated that he rejects the displacement of Palestinians into Jordan and Egypt and said he is concerned that once Israel completes its operations in Gaza, it will then attempt to force the Palestinian population out of the occupied West Bank and into Jordan. Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Ramallah, said that Abbas’s remarks were significant as it was the first time a senior leader in the PA made such a statement, but added that the Palestinians expect more from the leader of the PA. “Abbas is simply echoing the things that the Palestinians we have been speaking to said for the last six months,” he said. “The reaction to Abbas’s remarks on the Palestinian streets is likely to mirror a broader political response. The people we have been speaking to say that what they see is a speech from their leader, far too late and far too weak.” Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7 in which Israel said 1,139 people were killed and 253 taken captive. More than 34,400 Palestinians have since been killed, according to the Gaza health ministry, and most of the population is displaced. Hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in Rafah have nowhere to flee in the face of Israel’s offensive that has levelled large swaths of the urban landscape in the rest of the territory. United Nations officials and human rights groups warn that an attack on Rafah will be catastrophic. Adblock test (Why?)
Hinglaj Yatra Hindu festival brings mountainous region in Pakistan to life
The dramatic surroundings of Hingol National Park in Balochistan province are the setting for Pakistan’s largest Hindu celebration, Hinglaj Yatra, which started on Friday and ends on Sunday. Muslim-majority Pakistan is home to 4.4 million Hindus, just 2.14 percent of the population, and the ancient cave temple of Hinglaj Mata is one of the few Hindu sites in the country that continues to draw large numbers of pilgrims every year. The journeys begin hundreds of kilometres away, mostly from neighbouring Sindh province. Hundreds of packed buses set off from cities like Hyderabad and Karachi, travelling along the Makran Coastal Highway that hugs Pakistan’s south and southwest. But there is scant parking and vehicular access to the holy sites, so many pilgrims disembark and complete their travel by walking over parched and rocky terrain, sometimes barefoot and carrying children or luggage. It’s a few kilometres from the main road to the mud volcano and then, from there, almost 45km (28 miles) to Hinglaj Mata. Kanwal Kumar, 28, was visiting the temple for the first time with her husband. “We have yet to conceive a child after six years of marriage, so we are hopeful for help from the goddess,” she said. “We believe that no one returns empty-handed. All wishes are granted by Hinglaj Mata.” While there is no ban on Hindu worship in Pakistan, openly practising the faith is not routine, as ties between Pakistan and Hindu-majority India are riddled with animosity and suspicion. Versimal Divani, the general-secretary of Hinglaj Mata, lamented that only Hindus in Pakistan can attend the festival. “We can visit this temple in our beloved country whenever our heart desires,” said Divani. “But this is not the case for the rest of the world’s Hindus. I would like the Pakistani government to issue them visas so they can come here and take blessings with them. It’s good for people-to-people contact and it’s good for the economy, too.” Adblock test (Why?)
Two Russian journalists arrested over alleged work for Navalny group
Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin deny ‘extremism’ charges related to group founded by late anti-Putin dissident. Two Russian journalists have been arrested by their government on “extremism” charges and ordered by courts to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges for which they will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin. Each faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged “participation in an extremist organisation”, according to Russian courts. They are just the latest journalists arrested amid a Russian crackdown on dissent and independent media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. The Russian government passed laws criminalising what it deems false information about the military, or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative. A journalist for the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, Sergei Mingazov, was detained on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, his lawyer said on Friday. Gabov and Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic, died under murky circumstances in an Arctic penal colony in February. Gabov, who was detained in Moscow on Saturday, is a freelance producer who has worked for multiple organisations, including the Reuters news agency, the court press service said. Karelin, who has dual citizenship with Israel, was detained on Friday night in Russia’s northern Murmansk region. Karelin, 41, has worked for a number of outlets, including for The Associated Press. He was a cameraman for German media outlet Deutsche Welle until the Kremlin banned the outlet from operating in Russia in February 2022. “The Associated Press is very concerned by the detention of Russian video journalist Sergey Karelin,” the AP said in a statement. “We are seeking additional information.” Russia’s crackdown on dissent is aimed at opposition figures, journalists, activists, members of the LGBTQ community, and Russians critical of the Kremlin. A number of journalists have been jailed in relation to their coverage of Navalny, including Antonina Favorskaya, who remains in pre-trial detention at least until May 28 following a hearing last month. Favorskaya was detained and accused by Russian authorities of taking part in an “extremist organisation” by posting on the social media platforms of Navalny’s foundation. She covered Navalny’s court hearings for years and filmed the last video of Navalny before he died in the penal colony. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokeswoman, said that Favorskaya did not publish anything on the foundation’s platforms and suggested that Russian authorities have targeted her because she was doing her job as a journalist. Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, is awaiting trial on espionage charges at Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison. Both Gershkovich and his employer have vehemently denied the charges. Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip and has spent over a year in jail; authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have to support the espionage charges. The United States government has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, with officials accusing Moscow of using the journalist as a pawn for political ends. The Russian government has also cracked down on opposition figures. One prominent activist, Vladimir Kara-Murza, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Adblock test (Why?)
Retired SCOTUS Justice Breyer weighs in on mounting calls Sotomayor should retire: ‘Spring chicken’
Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer brushed off calls that Justice Sonia Sotomayor should step down from the bench, saying she is a “spring chicken.” “I think anybody can say what he wants, you know. And I was 83 years old, just about I think, when I retired. But Justice Sotomayor is not, she is a spring chicken,” Breyer told Fox News host Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.” There have been calls in recent months, including in op-eds such as the one published in the Atlantic, that Sotomayor retire under the Biden administration. The recent push for the justice to resign comes ahead of the presidential election, with left-leaning pundits and academics arguing President Biden and the Democrat-controlled Senate could approve a candidate before the presidential election. “I think there is a difference. She is a spring chicken and I’m an old rooster. There we are. But people can say what they want. The decision about what to do is up to the judge,” Breyer said. FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER SOUNDS OFF ON DOBBS DECISION: ‘TOO MANY QUESTIONS’ “You can stay there until you are 150 years old if you want,” he said of the lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court. “But in my mind, at least there did come a time and I guess 83, 84, 85 – I don’t know exactly how many 80s you want in there – but it’s time for another person,” he said. Sotomayor is 69 years old and has served on the court since 2009, when President Barack Obama appointed her to the position following the retirement of Justice David Souter at the age of 69. Sotomayor, who has Type 1 diabetes, is the oldest liberal-leaning Supreme Court justice, but younger than both Justice Samuel Alito, 74, and Justice Clarence Thomas, 75, who are both conservative. FORMER JUSTICE BREYER THROWS COLD WATER ON THEORY DOBBS LEAK CAME FROM A JUSTICE: ‘I’D BE AMAZED’ Liberal pundits argue that if Sotomayor does not retire under the Biden administration, Republicans could take control of the White House and Senate following the election, meaning Sotomayor would have to remain on the bench until Democrats resume control to ensure a liberal-leaning justice is nominated, or risk losing the seat to a new, younger conservative justice if presumed GOP nominee Donald Trump takes the White House. Breyer also reflected on his friendship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia in his interview with “Fox News Sunday,” despite the two having wildly different legal opinions. The interview comes as Breyer touts his new book, “Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism,” which is critical of conservative justices for their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. FORMER SCOTUS JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER CALLS DOBBS RULING LEAK ‘UNFORTUNATE’ IN NEW INTERVIEW Breyer is a pragmatist, meaning he views laws as being created by specific social contexts, while textualism interprets laws and the Constitution based on its “plain meaning,” not its intent, law definitions show. Breyer said that years ago, he and Scalia, a conservative stalwart who identified as a textualist, visited students in Lubbock, Texas, at a football stadium where the two justices debated legal opinions while illustrating to students the pair were still close friends despite the ideological differences. BREYER WAS RELENTLESSLY BULLIED BY THE LEFT TO GET OUT BEFORE REPUBLICANS SEIZE THE SENATE “They’d never seen a Supreme Court judge, and we talked about it, and before you know it… it was clear to them, we liked each other. It was also clear we didn’t agree. So I said, ‘Look, this document, written more than 200 years ago, 1788, 1789.’ I’d say, ‘Look, hey, things have changed. The values don’t change. The freedom of speech stands for certain values, but what it’s applying to changes.’ So I say, you know, ‘Nino, George Washington did not know about the internet,’” he recounted. “And Nino says, ‘I knew that,’” Breyer recounted of his debates with Scalia, whom he affectionately calls “Nino.” Scalia suddenly died of a heart attack in 2016 at the age of 79. “So he says, ‘Stephen, the problem with your approach, looking at these different things is it’s too complicated. It’s too complicated. You’re the only one who can do it.’… But then I say to him, ‘If we follow your approach, we’ll have a Constitution that no one would want.’ And so there you have the essence of the argument,” he added.