Pope Leo says he’s unafraid of the Trump admin after president calls him ‘terrible’ on foreign policy
Pope Leo XIV fired back after President Donald Trump attacked him on social media, saying his calls for peace are rooted in the Gospel and should not be treated as a political argument with the White House. “I have no fear of the Trump administration,” the pope told reporters aboard the papal plane Monday en route to Algeria. “The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the Peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician,” he added. Trump had criticized the pope’s positions on Sunday in a scathing rebuke on Truth Social. POPE LEO URGES WAR LEADERS TO HALT FIGHTING AFTER DEADLY STRIKE ON SCHOOL SPARKS OUTRAGE “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump began in a lengthy post. “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church,” he concluded. The pope responded Monday, taking a shot at Trump’s Truth Social – “it’s ironic, the name of the site itself; say no more” – despite claiming “I will not enter into debate.” POPE LEO XIV TO VISIT FASTEST-GROWING CATHOLIC CONTINENT DURING 4-NATION AFRICA TRIP “The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone,” he also said, speaking in English, adding, “I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing. I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems.” “Too many people are suffering in the world today,” Leo added. “Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.” VATICAN DECLINES TO JOIN TRUMP’S GAZA ‘BOARD OF PEACE,’ CALLS FOR UN LEADERSHIP The pope’s stance against Trump’s peace efforts in the Middle East came after the president’s Sunday night Air Force One tarmac comments. “We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s okay to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters, echoing remarks from the Truth Social post. “We don’t want a pope that says crime is okay in our cities. I don’t like it.” “I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime,” Trump added. “He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.” POPE WARNS ESCALATING IRAN CONFLICT COULD TIP MIDDLE EAST INTO ‘IRREPARABLE ABYSS’ Leo claimed he was speaking for the church and not himself or Iran. “To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo said. “And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.” Trump claimed Leo has him to thank for being elevated to pope, the first American pope. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t.” “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.
Melania Trump’s Epstein remarks turn up the heat on DOJ, Acting AG Todd Blanche to do more
First lady Melania Trump’s call for public hearings for Jeffrey Epstein’s victims is piling fresh pressure on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who only days earlier signaled the administration wanted to move past the saga even as bipartisan lawmakers and survivors continue demanding more files, testimony and prosecutions. While the first lady called on Congress to take additional steps to let Epstein “survivors” tell their stories, Epstein victims and members of Congress themselves argued that the onus is with the Trump administration, not Congress. “First Lady asks Congress to bring Epstein survivors in for testimony. With all due respect, that’s Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche’s job!” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has been at odds with the president and his administration over how it has handled the Epstein case, said after the first lady’s remarks. “Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and I already gave brave survivors a chance to tell their horrific stories on Capitol Hill. Pam Bondi wouldn’t even acknowledge them. PROSECUTE!” “Actually, Congress did act,” added Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., in response to the First Lady’s Thursday night remarks calling on Congress to do more. “But Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is violating the law and refusing to release the Epstein files as required by law.” WHY MELANIA TRUMP IS DENYING ALLEGED SMEARS RELATED TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN–AND WANTS VICTIMS TO TESTIFY Meanwhile, in a letter released by over a dozen alleged Epstein victims, survivors also put pressure on the Justice Department to do more. “First Lady Melania Trump is now shifting the burden onto survivors under politicized conditions that protect those with power: the Department of Justice, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Trump administration, which has still not fully complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” a letter allegedly signed by 15 Epstein victims, posted to social media by Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., stated. “It also diverts attention from Pam Bondi, who must answer for withheld files and the exposure of survivors’ identities. Those failures continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers.” “Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs,” the letter concluded. MELANIA TRUMP’S FORCEFUL EPSTEIN DENIAL DRAWS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FROM LAWMAKERS Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Justice and White House for comment on the first lady’s remarks and remarks from victims and members of Congress calling on the Trump administration to do more, but did not hear back. However, in a statement to NPR following the first lady’s remarks, the Department of Justice said: “As we have always stated, we encourage any victims of Jeffrey Epstein — who wish to speak — to contact the FBI. Any survivor who has information on an abuser is encouraged to contact federal law enforcement.” Not long after taking the reins from former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Blanche insisted it was time for the Justice Department to move on from the Epstein case. “I think that to the extent that the Epstein files was a part of the past year of this Justice Department, it … should not be a part of anything going forward,” Blanche said Thursday in an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters. He added that the DOJ “has now released all the files with respect to the Epstein saga.” Still, several members of Congress think there is more to be done on the matter. Following the first lady’s remarks, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., indicated that House Oversight chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., agreed to call four named co-conspirators to testify. “And they won’t be the only ones,” the congresswoman added in a post on X. “There are a number of doctors we also have questions for, and the list continues to grow,” the Florida congresswoman continued. “I am calling on the DOJ to prosecute individuals who took plea deals under civil rights violations, and to consider additional charges where appropriate. If you traffic a young girl(s), you don’t get to pretend to be a victim. There is a massive difference.” Meanwhile, Khanna also demanded the first lady come testify in front of Congress, arguing her remarks show she is privy to “relevant” information, while Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said following the first lady’s Thursday night remarks that he and his colleagues still want to see Bondi testify to Congress. “Pam Bondi knows more about this cover-up and why the botched release of the files happened the way they did in doxxing survivors and putting their information out there, not protecting their identities. Pam Bondi must testify, that is her legal obligation.” “I think there’s enough Republicans that also agree — she has been subpoenaed — they had a legal subpoena,” Garcia told CNN. “The DOJ and Todd Blanche continue to cover up for Donald Trump, continue to want this to go away, but we are going to continue to push every single day.”
US military conducts more deadly strikes against vessels of alleged ‘narco-terrorists’
The U.S. conducted two deadly strikes on Saturday against “vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” according to U.S. Southern Command. “Applying total systemic friction on the cartels,” a Sunday night post on SOUTHCOM’s X account declares. “On April 11, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted two lethal kinetic strikes on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” the post continued. COAST GUARD SEIZES OVER 4,500 POUNDS OF COCAINE WORTH $34M FROM SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORIST VESSEL ON EASTER “Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” SOUTHCOM asserted. The post noted that one individual survived one of the strikes. ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED AS US FORCES STRIKE SUSPECTED DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN CARIBBEAN “Two male narco-terrorists were killed, and one narco-terrorist survived the first strike. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during the second strike. Following the engagements, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivor. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the post stated. War Secretary Pete Hegseth shared SOUTHCOM’S post about the strikes on his personal X account. CARTELS FEAR US RETALIATION AS TRUMP-ERA PRESSURE RESHAPES STRATEGY: ‘THEY FEAR THE UNITED STATES’ President Donald Trump’s administration has controversially carried out scads of such deadly attacks against alleged narcoterrorists.
Snubbed by Trump, GOP candidates fighting for re-election act like they have his backing anyway
President Donald Trump‘s overall poll numbers are sliding, but among Republicans, the president’s approval ratings remain sky-high. Trump’s grip on a Republican Party he reshaped over the past decade remains extremely firm, and his endorsements in GOP primaries are highly influential. “The Trump endorsement is king in any primary,” longtime Republican strategist and communicator Jesse Hunt told Fox News Digital. Veteran GOP consultant Matt Gorman highlighted that a “Trump endorsement is extremely powerful… it’s an undeniable force.” So what should a Republican running for re-election who is facing a primary challenge from a Trump-backed candidate do to survive? REPUBLICANS WIN BUT DEMOCRATS ALSO CLAIM VICTORY WITH BALLOT BOX SURGE IN TRUMP TERRITORY In two high-profile cases this year, incumbents fighting for their political lives are trying to make it appear the president is supporting them anyway. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is facing primary challenges from two Republicans in next month’s primary: Rep. Julia Letlow and former Rep. John Fleming, who is currently the state treasurer. Trump earlier this year weighed into the race by endorsing Letlow. Cassidy was one of only seven Senate Republicans who voted in early 2021 to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters who aimed to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. But since the start of Trump’s second term 15 months ago, Cassidy has been supportive of the president’s agenda and his nominees. In his first campaign commercial after Trump endorsed Letlow, Cassidy, a doctor, highlighted a bill he authored that passed into law and increases penalties for criminals convicted of manufacturing and distributing fentanyl. “President Trump said it was the most important legislation he would sign this year,” the senator said in the spot under pictures of Trump. In another spot, the narrator highlights that “Cassidy worked with President Trump to pass tax cuts,” under pictures of the president and the senator and the words “Trump & Cassidy” repeatedly flashing on the screen. MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATINGS KEEP SLIDING BUT DEMOCRATS’ BRAND IN TOILET In Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, Rep. Thomas Massie is facing a challenge from Trump-backed Ed Gallrein in next month’s primary. Massie has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress, repeatedly taking aim at the president over the Epstein files and foreign policy. Trump allies have spent big bucks to boost Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, and to take aim at Massie. Massie spotlighted an old picture of himself and Trump smiling together at the top of a campaign ad last month. In Texas, longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn is fighting for his political life as he faces off in a late May primary runoff election against state Attorney General John Paxton, who is a MAGA firebrand and major Trump supporter. While Trump has stayed neutral in the showdown between the two Texas Republican titans, Cornyn has repeatedly spotlighted his support for Trump in his statements and on the campaign trail. He has also figuratively hugged the president tight in his ads. COMBUSTIBLE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY IN TEXAS HEADING INTO OVERTIME The narrator in a recent spot noted that Cornyn “had his back” as it showed a picture of Trump and the senator standing next to each other giving the thumbs-up sign. “We’re especially grateful to your wonderful senators,” Trump says in an old clip used in the ad, as the president referred to Cornyn and fellow Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. While Cornyn’s ads aren’t a total stretch, since neither he nor Paxton has landed Trump’s endorsement, the messaging from Cassidy and Massie does not mention that their rivals are backed by the president. Hunt warns that could backfire by earning Trump’s wrath. “If you haven’t earned it but portray as though you have, it could be the end of your campaign,” Hunt said. “That’s if the President decides to take issue with it.”
The AI you use every day is biased — and it’s quietly shaping your worldview, new report says
Artificial intelligence has quickly become part of everyday life, helping people search for information, complete schoolwork, and make decisions. But what many users don’t realize is that AI systems are not neutral. They are shaped by hidden design choices that influence how they respond — and, ultimately, how people think. The concern is not just theoretical. A recent Fox News Digital report highlighted the controversy surrounding Google’s Gemini chatbot after the system identified multiple Republican senators as violating its hate speech policies — while naming no Democrats. The findings, based on a prompt evaluating all 100 U.S. senators, raised fresh questions about whether AI systems can reflect ideological assumptions embedded in their training data and design. GOOGLE GEMINI DECLARES ONLY GOP SENATORS VIOLATE HATE SPEECH POLICY, ZERO DEMOCRATS, AUTHOR CLAIMS That episode is not an isolated case. A new report from America First Policy Institute (AFPI) reveals that many AI systems consistently lean in particular ideological directions. These biases can affect how political issues, social topics and news sources are presented. Because users often trust AI as an objective tool, these subtle influences can shape opinions over time without users realizing it. Matthew Burtell, a senior policy analyst for AI and Emerging Technology at AFPI, said the pattern appears across the industry — not just in isolated cases. “What we found was a general ideological bias, not just in a particular model, but across the spectrum,” Burtell told Fox News Digital, adding that the models tend to lean center left. The implications go beyond bias alone. Research shows that AI systems are not just reflecting viewpoints — they can actively influence them. That combination — bias and persuasion — raises deeper concerns about AI’s role in shaping public opinion. “AI is persuasive, and it also leans left,” Burtell said. “So if you combine these two things, it may certainly have an influence on people’s beliefs about different policies.” Recent examples have fueled those concerns. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has faced criticism from some researchers who argue its responses to political and cultural issues can skew in a particular ideological direction, while Microsoft’s AI tools have drawn scrutiny for how they frame controversial topics and limit certain viewpoints. Those concerns have been reflected in testing as well. In 2024, Fox News Digital evaluated several leading AI chatbots — including Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and Meta AI — to assess potential racial bias. NEW AI COALITION TARGETS WASHINGTON, BIG TECH AS GROUP WARNS CHILD SAFETY RISKS OUTPACING SAFEGUARDS The report also raises serious safety concerns. AI systems have, in some cases, engaged in harmful interactions — especially with younger users. Without clear transparency about how these systems are designed and what safeguards are in place, parents and users cannot make informed decisions about which platforms are safe. To address these risks, the report calls for greater transparency from tech companies. This includes disclosing how systems are designed, what values they prioritize, how they are tested for bias and safety, and what incidents occur after deployment. WHITE HOUSE AI CZAR BLASTS BLUE STATES FOR INSERTING ‘WOKE IDEOLOGY’ INTO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The goal is not to control what AI systems say, but to give the public enough information to evaluate them critically. Ultimately, the report makes it clear that AI is not just a tool — it is a powerful force shaping how people access information and understand the world. Without transparency, users remain in the dark about the biases embedded in these systems. And as AI becomes more influential, that lack of visibility may have far-reaching consequences for individuals and society alike.
NYC mayor touts ‘socialist’ wins in first 100 days alongside Bernie Sanders
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked his first 100 days in office Sunday alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist, touting what he described as sweeping achievements driven by government intervention. Mamdani cited key wins, including securing $1.2 billion for universal childcare, advancing plans for five publicly owned grocery stores, pursuing legal action against landlords and boosting investment in services such as sanitation and infrastructure. In a reference to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her critique that socialists “eventually run out of other people’s money,” Mamdani defended his administration’s approach. “I have thought often of the Margaret Thatcher’s quote, the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money,” he said. “If anything, my friends, it seems that you eventually need a socialist to clean up the mess.” AOC, MAMDANI URGE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT PARENTS TO SIGN KIDS UP FOR FREE PRE-K Sanders also praised the mayor’s agenda, calling it an inspiration for strengthening communities. “This is the first time I was ever introduced by someone who talked proudly about democratic socialism,” Sanders said. “And it feels great.” Mamdani highlighted additional policy priorities during his first three months in office. To address rising food costs, he proposed opening five publicly owned, affordable grocery stores — one in each borough — by the end of his first term, a proposal critics say represents a departure from free-market principles. Critics say the plan departs from free-market principles. He added that the first location is expected to open next year. MAMDANI CLARIFIES NYC WON’T CHECK IMMIGRATION STATUS FOR UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE ENROLLEES The mayor also pointed to universal childcare as a major early win, though critics say the program relies on heavy taxation and could disrupt existing private daycare providers. Mamdani noted the initiative was fulfilled by his eighth day in office through a $1.2 billion partnership with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The administration has intensified enforcement in the housing sector, with Mamdani saying it issued more than 195,000 violations against landlords and secured more than $34 million in settlements, judgments and repairs for tenants. With murders at record lows, officials said the city has removed more than 1,000 guns from the streets and established its first Office of Community Safety to address gun violence and mental health. In addition, city workers also have filled more than 102,000 potholes in 100 days and are on track to repave more than 1,000 lane miles of streets by the end of the fiscal year.
Trump voices frustration with NATO, says Iranian navy ‘destroyed’ as US preps for blockade
President Donald Trump addressed several pressing international conflicts after stepping off Air Force One in Maryland on Sunday, declaring that Iranian naval forces had been destroyed ahead of a planned energy blockade and expressing sharp disapproval of NATO for its perceived lack of support. “Their military is destroyed,” Trump said. “Their whole Navy is underwater. You know that 158 ships are gone. Their navy is gone. Most of their mine droppers are gone.” “At 10 tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect,” Trump added. “Other nations are working so that Iran will not be able to sell oil.” Trump further underscored the United States’ energy independence, asserting that international vessels are bypassing traditional routes in favor of purchasing American oil. TRUMP, RUBIO FACE NATO CHIEF AS U.S. MOVES TO “REEXAMINE” ALLIANCE AFTER IRAN CLASH “There are many boats heading toward our country to fill up with oil and then go and take it,” he said. The president then expressed sharp disapproval of NATO countries, indicating that America’s financial commitment to support the alliance, particularly against Russia, is going to be under “very serious examination.” “But I’m very disappointed in NATO,” he said. “They weren’t there for us. We pay trillions of dollars for NATO, and they weren’t there for us.” While NATO countries are now stepping up to assist the U.S., Trump described the effort as too late. “Now they want to come up, but there’s no real threat anymore,” he said. “When you think of it, we’re guarding against Russia,” he added. “And I’ve long thought it was a little ridiculous, but we spent trillions of dollars doing it. And I think that’s going to be under very serious examination.” TRUMP PRESSES NATO PARTNERS ON SUPPORT AS HEGSETH BLASTS HESITATION Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO, accusing the alliance of providing limited assistance during the Iran offensive, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” and refusing to offer naval support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” he said to the alliance in a Truth Social post on March 31. Trump’s recent remarks also followed a meeting last week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, where the president again criticized the alliance for what he described as a failure to adequately support the American people. “It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it’s the American people who have been funding their defense,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously said, referring to the meeting. Among the European countries accused of withholding support amid escalating tensions, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reportedly shut down Spanish airspace to aircraft participating in strikes against Iran, including U.S. bombers, and denied Washington access to military bases located within the country. In France, President Emmanuel Macron blocked Israeli aircraft from traversing French airspace to transport U.S.-made munitions intended for the conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told Trump during a phone call that a “more European NATO” is beginning to take shape, signaling a potential shift in the alliance’s strategic direction. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Trump accuses Pope Leo of being ‘terrible’ on foreign policy over pontiff’s anti-war comments
President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being “terrible” on foreign policy as the pontiff continues to criticize the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and call for peace. In a Truth Social post, Trump said Leo is “weak on crime” and “terrible” for foreign policy over his anti-war comments in recent weeks following the start of the war in the Middle East. “He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,” Trump wrote. “I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!” “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” he continued. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.” The president went on to say that the pope “should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise.” “He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump,” he wrote. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.” “Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!” he added.
Eric Swalwell exits California governor race apologizing for past judgment while denying claims
Rep. Eric Swalwell said he is suspending his campaign for California governor, citing personal issues and ongoing allegations in a statement posted on X. “I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,” he added. The decision comes as pressure mounted over sexual assault allegations published in a bombshell report from the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday, with lawmakers from both parties calling on him to drop out of the race and resign from Congress. HOUSE REPUBLICAN PLANS MOTION TO OUST SWALWELL FROM CONGRESS AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS Figures calling on Swalwell to step aside included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Pelosi urged that consideration of the accusations against Swalwell take place outside the context of his campaign. “The young woman who has made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell must be respected and heard. This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that this is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign,” Pelosi said in a statement given to NBC. MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS DOG SWALWELL AS DEM RIVALS SEIZE OPENING IN CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE A number of other Democrats soon joined the former speaker’s calls, with a handful rescinding previous endorsements of the campaign. “I’ve read the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting, and I take it seriously,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said in a post to X. “What is described is indefensible. Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed,” he added. Rep. Ted Lieu, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, also said he would pull his endorsement. SWALWELL’S ‘I SHOULD BE WORKING’ GYM, POOL VIDEOS RESURFACE AS DEM RIVAL HAMMERS HIS MISSED HOUSE VOTES “In light of the recent allegations against Representative Eric Swalwell, I am withdrawing my endorsement of his campaign for Governor,” Lieu said in his own post. In its Friday report, the San Francisco Chronicle detailed graphic accounts from a woman accusing Swalwell of pursuing intoxicated women, pressuring employees into intimate situations and asking for explicit images from female contacts. Rumblings of misconduct from Swalwell first emerged earlier this month when Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer and a political media personality, began circulating testimony from women who said they had been sexually assaulted by the congressman. “The Democratic candidate currently leading in the California governor’s race has a known history of being predatory towards women,” Hunt claimed in a post to social media. Despite initially remaining moot on the allegations, Swalwell’s office broke its silence on the matter in comments made to the New York Post earlier this week. “This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell, said. With Swalwell exiting the race, the battle to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom becomes even more uncertain and turbulent ahead of the June 2 primary. Early voting will begin on May 4. Public opinion surveys indicated that Swalwell was the top polling Democrat in the race, ahead of former Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire Tom Steyer, who’s flooded the airwaves with ads since declaring his candidacy in November. Both Porter and Steyer on Friday had called on Swalwell to suspend his gubernatorial campaign and resign from Congress. The crowded field of Democrats also includes former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. There are two major Republicans in the race: conservative commentator and former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
JD Vance returns to Washington after 16 hours of Iran peace talks collapse in Pakistan
WASHINGTON, DC – Vice President JD Vance returned to Washington after peace negotiations with Iranian leaders fell short in Islamabad, Pakistan over the weekend. Vance touched down at Joint Base Andrews at roughly 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon after 34 hours of total roundtrip travel and more than 16 hours of negotiations in just under three days. The trip ended with no peace deal secured, leaving questions as to what comes next between the U.S., Iran and their respective allies in the air. President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social Sunday morning that the Navy will begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz, which was a pivotal term in negotiations between Vance and Iran. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, ‘There may be a mine out there somewhere,’ that nobody knows about but them.” VANCE SAYS US-IRAN TALKS END WITHOUT DEAL AFTER 21 HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS The vice president said he was “constantly in communication” with Trump and other top cabinet members throughout negotiations in Islamabad. The vice president delivered the news after more than 16-hours of discussions that ultimately resulted in Iranians leaders rejecting an offer from the U.S. that could have created a longer-lasting peace agreement between the two countries, potentially stabilizing the region. In response to a question posed by Fox News Digital during a press conference at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Vance said the negotiation team was “constantly” in contact with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and other top officials throughout overnight talks. “So, look, we were constantly in communication with the team because we were negotiating in good faith,” Vance said. “And we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.” Vance said they were leaving the country after their final offer was rejected by Iranian leaders. The negotiation marathon began just hours after an 18-hour Air Force Two flight from Joint Base Andrews in Washington, D.C., to Islamabad via a refueling stop in Paris, spanning Friday into Saturday. U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, accompanied Vance for the discussions. The two did not fly on board Air Force Two with the vice president but connected with Vance upon his arrival in Pakistan. TRUMP’S IRAN CEASEFIRE ROCKED WITHIN HOURS AMID REPORTED MISSILE, DRONE ATTACKS Top Pakistani officials issued a warm welcome, greeting Vance on a rolled out red carpet surrounded by an honor guard soldiers and a bouquet of flowers. Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Pakistan’s Minister for the Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi were among those who met Vance on arrival at the Pakistani air force base. Vance seemed energetic and eager to take on the talks after Trump tasked him with leading the initiative following weeks of fighting between U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran. The negotiations took place amid an agreed two-week ceasefire following Trump’s threat to decimate Iran if a long-term deal wasn’t reached. The vice president traveled from the air base to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, where streets were lined with signs highlighting the talks and displaying U.S., Pakistani and Iranian flags. Vance left the embassy and headed for the Serena Hotel Islamabad, the site where he would soon be spending a sleepless 16 hours of negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who were the key negotiators for Iran, met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the prime minister’s residence, before Vance, Witkoff and Kushner met with the prime minister at the Serena Hotel. Shortly after both parties met separately with Sharif, negotiations began. Vance, Witkoff and Kushner were joined by Deputy National Security Advisor to the President Dr. Andrew Baker, Special Advisor to the Vice President for Asian Affairs Michael Vance and a full suite of U.S. experts on relevant subject areas in Islamabad for the talks. WHITE HOUSE WARNS IRAN AGAINST BALKING AT DEAL: TRUMP READY TO ‘UNLEASH HELL’ Aside from a White House official confirming the conversations were in person and face-to face, little is known about how the negotiations actually took place. Some officials in Washington, D.C., were unaware of the exact details of discussion, and nearly a full day of talks were conducted behind closed doors. In the end, Vance relayed the results as “bad news,” giving minimal insight into what provisions and terms ultimately squashed a potential deal. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said at the press conference in Islamabad. “And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.” “So we go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on,” Vance added. “And we’ve made that as clear as we possibly could, and they have chosen not to accept our terms.” Vance’s “final offer” to Iran included six “red lines,” according to two U.S. officials. The demands included an end all uranium enrichment, dismantling all major nuclear facilities and retrieving highly enriched uranium. The fourth was to accept a broader regional peace and de-escalation framework that includes regional allies. This was followed by stopping funding proxy groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The sixth demand was to fully open the Strait of Hormuz, charging no tolls for passage. Trump posted to Truth