Politics
Trump says ‘America needs God’ in Good Friday message touting ‘resurgence of religion’
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President Donald Trump delivered a Good Friday message from the Resolute Desk celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ while declaring that religion is experiencing a “resurgence” across the United States in his second term.
“As I have often said, to be a great nation, you must have religion, and you must have God,” Trump said.
The president framed his message with faith as a central pillar of American strength, pointing to what he described as a broader cultural shift toward religion.
The video, shared via Truth Social on Good Friday, honored the Christian faith tradition and what he claims is a renewal of religion in the United States.
TRUMP ADMIN ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION ACROSS FEDERAL WORKFORCE
President Donald Trump bows his head in prayer during the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., Feb. 5, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
President Trump has often recalled his Presbyterian upbringing, attending Sunday school. He has previously credited his faith to his devout Scottish mother and a “very strong” but “great-hearted” father in remarks at the 2024 National Faith Summit.
“In churches across the nation on Sunday, the pews will be fuller, younger and more faithful than they have at any time in many, many years,” Trump said. “Religion is growing again in our country for the first time in decades.“
The president has invited prayer and faith back into the public square with both an America 250 prayer initiative and the establishment of the White House Faith Office early in his second term.
TRUMP TO SPEAK AT MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN EDUCATION
President Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., Feb. 5, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Trump said he’s “proud to join with Christians” during Holy Week in his address.
“This Holy Week, I’m proud to join with Christians across the country and around the world to celebrate the most glorious miracle in all of time — the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Trump said.
“In his life, Christ displayed true humility. In His death, He modeled true love.”
The president also invoked scripture in his address, quoting John 3:16.
TARGETED FOR THEIR FAITH OVERSEAS, PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS GET A WHITE HOUSE WELCOME UNDER TRUMP
President Donald Trump calls people to the podium to stand with him during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White House May 1, 2025, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)
“As it says in Gospel of John, for God so loved the world that He gave His only son, for whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life,” Trump said.
President Trump’s outspoken approach to the Christian holiday serves as a foil to his predecessor. Former President Joe Biden most recently shared a brief three-paragraph statement during his tenure to celebrate the season in 2024.
Trump has been more candid in his approach to his faith since he survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
“I believe that my life was saved that day in Butler for a very good reason,” he declared during his address to a joint session of Congress in 2025. “I was saved by God to make America great again. I believe that.”
The president ended his remarks by wishing everyone a blessed holiday.
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“Happy Easter to all. May God bless you. May God bless the United States of America,” Trump concluded.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Politics
Video: Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
new video loaded: Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
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transcript
Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
President Trump said he had canceled the next wave of attacks on Iran after two days of U.S. airstrikes, claiming that peace negotiations had progressed.
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Most importantly, we have a deal that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, which was the whole purpose of what we had to go through to get this. So it was a big, very big thing. The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend. In Europe, I won’t be able to be there, but JD will be there — vice president and some of the people.
By Meg Felling, James McManagan and Julie Yoon
June 11, 2026
Politics
Mamdani touts massive taxpayer-funded investment for trans healthcare: ‘First step’
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As part of the Pride Month celebration on Tuesday evening, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani touted the work his administration has done to expand services for LGBTQ+ communities, calling New York City a “haven” for people with alternative gender identities.
In particular, Mamdani doubled down on promises of $15 million in funding for trans communities.
“The threats will continue and so will our relentless protection of trans people across this city,” Mamdani said, referring to challenges he said LGBTQ+ communities face.
“As a first step, my administration has made a $15 million investment in gender affirming care over the next two years, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to make sure every trans and gender non-conforming New Yorker can live with the dignity, safety and freedom they deserve.”
MAMDAMI MARKS PRIDE MONTH, SAYS HONORING ‘QUEER AND TRANSGENDER’ CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD TAKE MORE THAN 30 DAYS
Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a May Day rally at Washington Square Park in New York City on May 1, 2026. On Monday, Mamdani called for ICE to be abolished following the arrest of an illegal immigrant. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
Mamdani’s speech builds on similar efforts in other cities and looks to follow through on campaign promises Mamdani made on the road to his mayoral victory.
It’s unclear where, exactly, the $15 million request is being allocated from or how it will be disbursed as New York City Council members continue consideration of the 2027 budget.
Progressive-led subsidized transgender initiatives have also advanced in San Francisco.
Like New York, San Francisco established an Office of Transgender Initiatives and, through its Department of Public Health, has funded guidance for hormone therapy, surgery and mental health case management.
MASSACHUSETTS TOWN VOTES TO BECOME A TRANSGENDER ‘SANCTUARY CITY’ AFTER WILD CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers his 100 Days Address outlining progress on his core campaign promises in Queens, New York City, on April 12, 2026. (David ‘Dee’ Delgado/Reuters)
If implemented, Mamdani’s initiative would go further, directly funding procedures.
Despite pushing the envelope on city-led programs for trans services, the New York funding falls short of the vision Mamdani painted while on the campaign trail.
“The Mamdani administration will budget $65 million in funding to explicitly support and expand access to Gender Affirming Care (GAC) in NYC,” Mamdani’s campaign website read.
That plan detailed that up to $57 million would go to public hospitals, community clinics, health centers and non-profits that could perform procedures.
Although Mamdani’s plan for the $15 million remains hazy, he said his support of the LGBTQ community was proven — and would only grow.
GRAMMY-WINNING MUSICIAN FIGHTS TRUMP’S TRANS EXECUTIVE ORDER BY DONATING TO PEOPLE SEEKING GENDER SURGERIES
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attends the 2025 New York City Pride March on June 29, 2025 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
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“As your mayor, I was proud to establish New York City’s first-ever office of LGBTQIA+ affairs within the first 100 days of our administration,” Mamdani said.
“This office focuses on the well-being of queer New Yorkers so that you know you have a champion and advocate within city government.”
Politics
House Democrats ask new ICE director to roll back policy limiting oversight visits
WASHINGTON — Dozens of House Democrats are asking the new director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to roll back a policy that they say hinders their ability to speak with detainees during oversight visits.
The new policy requires that lawmakers identify detainees by name at least two business days before a visit and provide a signed consent form from each detainee. It’s the latest point of conflict in an ongoing battle over when and how lawmakers can inspect immigration facilities.
In a letter Thursday to acting ICE Director David Venturella, Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and 77 other members of Congress, including two dozen from California, argued that they need to conduct constant oversight of immigration facilities because of historic levels of reports regarding the mistreatment of detainees, deaths in custody and substandard facility conditions.
“This Administration has enabled a revolving door of arbitrary policies, directives, and guidance on member access to facilities or on communication with detainees designed to hinder any productive oversight,” they wrote.
The letter was written in response to the new policy, which was outlined in a memo last month.
In the letter, Levin and the other members wrote that detainees have a hard time accessing the visitation form because it is at times unavailable at a detention center’s law library. They said it limits their ability to speak broadly with detainees, particularly those from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.
Detainees previously used a sign-up sheet to meet with members of Congress or just started talking to detainees they encountered during facility tours.
In the memo outlining ICE’s new policy, then-acting director Todd Lyons said the increased visits by members of Congress have become a burden and a time suck. Homeland Security didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment, but previously said that the policy doesn’t prevent lawmakers from speaking with detainees.
Levin said the increase in visits was necessary because the agency slashed staffing of its oversight offices. The letter notes that for next fiscal year, the president requested additional cuts to the Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
“These actions, coupled with the constant changes to policies surrounding member access to facilities, reveal a clear attack on the levers that ensure government transparency at every level,” the members wrote.
Democratic House members sued the Trump administration last July after they were repeatedly denied access to immigrant detention facilities in California and across the country.
Homeland Security officials previously implemented a policy requiring lawmakers to give seven days’ notice before a visit, but that policy was temporarily blocked in federal court.
This week, lawyers said a Belizean man who helped organize hunger strikes at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center was moved to facilities out of state and scheduled to be deported after he spoke to three members of Congress about conditions at the detention center in San Bernardino County.
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