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Reaction spread rapidly Wednesday after a report from The Free Press alleged that the Trump administration attempted to pressure the Vatican into backing its position in the escalating conflict with Iran.
According to the report, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby met with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States representing Vatican leadership under Pope Leo. The administration was reportedly frustrated with remarks made earlier in the year during a State of the World address, in which the Pope urged nations to respect international borders—comments some interpreted as a subtle critique of U.S. policy.
The report claimed Colby warned Cardinal Pierre that the United States possessed overwhelming military power and suggested the Catholic Church should align itself accordingly. It also alleged that the conversation intensified, with a U.S. official referencing the historical Avignon Papacy—a period when popes were heavily influenced by the French crown.
While the Vatican Embassy confirmed that a meeting took place, it declined to comment on the substance or tone of the discussion. The Pentagon, however, pushed back strongly on the report, calling the account “highly exaggerated and distorted.” Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said he had not reviewed the report but noted he had previously met Cardinal Pierre and expressed interest in discussing the matter further.
As the story circulated, several Catholic media figures raised questions about its accuracy. JD Flynn, editor of The Pillar, said his team had been unable to independently verify key elements of the account.
“That shouldn’t lead anyone to a conclusion of any kind,” Flynn wrote. “Except that your pals down at the pillar haven’t confirmed this report.”
Further doubt was cast by Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, who said he spoke directly with Cardinal Pierre about the meeting.
“As expected, he confirmed that recent media characterizations of his meeting with Undersecretary Colby are ‘fabrications’ that were ‘just invented,’” Burch wrote. “Given the intelligence and seriousness of Mr. Colby, I was likewise not surprised when His Eminence acknowledged there were no threats of any kind in the meeting.”
Burch added that Cardinal Pierre described the discussion as “frank and cordial” and said there was no reference to the Avignon Papacy.
Jonathan Liedl, managing editor of the National Catholic Register, also pointed to potential weaknesses in the reporting, particularly regarding sourcing.
“None of the sources upon which the story is based were apparently even at the meeting. They were ‘briefed’ on it. So we get little floating nuggets like ‘the Avignon papacy was invoked!’ without needed context,” he wrote in a thread on X.
“To confirm dramatic characterizations of the meeting and some alleged reference to Avignon, you certainly should [speak to someone who was there]. If you don’t, it runs the risk of looking like gossip,” he added.
Separately, First Lady Melania Trump brought renewed attention to the long-running controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein by issuing a rare public statement denying any connection to him or his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect,” Melania said. “I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation. I’ve never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach. To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell.”
She also denied that Epstein introduced her to President Donald Trump, saying the two met by chance at a party.
The statement reportedly caught some off guard. According to journalist Jacqueline Alemany, the president himself indicated he had not been briefed in advance.
“Just got off a quick call w President Trump who said he didnt ‘know anything about’ FLOTUS’ statement prior to her on camera appearance, but that he was in a meeting about the war & couldn’t speak further. ‘She didn’t know him,’ he added before hanging up, referring to Epstein,” Alemany wrote.
In a separate development, Sen. Tammy Duckworth criticized a recent Department of Homeland Security policy decision regarding airport security procedures. Duckworth raised concerns after reports suggested that screening technology may not fully detect threats concealed in footwear, calling the rollback of the long-standing shoe removal requirement a serious risk.
“Allowing a potentially catastrophic security deficiency to remain in place for seven months and counting betrays TSA’s mission,” she said. “At a minimum, TSA’s failure to swiftly implement corrective action warrants the immediate withdrawal of Secretary Noem’s reckless and dangerous policy that increases the risk of a terrorist smuggling a dangerous item onto a flight.”
The policy in question traces back to 2006, following a failed bombing attempt involving explosives hidden in a passenger’s shoes.
A popular vegetarian restaurant chain is warning it could close amid financial uncertainty, as an expert points to shifting demand for meat and dairy.
Clover Food Lab, a Boston-area vegetarian fast-casual chain, recently filed a warning that it may close and lay off 182 workers if it’s unable to find a new buyer, according to local outlet WBZ-TV.
“Clover is expected to close on May 29, 2026, unless we secure a buyer for the company by that date,” the company’s filing said.
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Clover Food Lab told Fox News Digital it filed a WARN notice to comply with Massachusetts law in case a sale is not completed.
“We simply want to comply with all regulations in the case of a change of operations,” the company said in a statement.
“We are optimistic that Clover will continue to serve our locally sourced farm-to-table fast food in Clover’s next chapter.”
The chain began as a food truck at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. Eventually, it expanded to multiple locations across Massachusetts serving locally sourced, plant-based food.
The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2023, citing COVID-related financial troubles, before coming back in 2024 with an ambitious plan to expand across the region.
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The developments come as consumers appear to be moving away from the plant-based trends of the 2010s and focusing on high-protein foods, especially meat and dairy.
That shift is reflected in the broader marketplace, where demand for protein-rich foods and beverages continues to grow.
Market research firm IMARC Group recently found that the global dairy-based protein market was valued at about $15 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $22 billion by 2033.
The Trump administration’s 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also eased earlier restrictions on red meat and full-fat dairy, allowing them as part of a balanced diet in moderation.
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Meat and dairy are regaining ground with consumers, said Adam Yee, a North Carolina-based food scientist and consultant who studies food trends and develops products.
Yee told Fox News Digital that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics show per capita meat consumption on the rise, and he cited “a lot of factors” behind the shift.
“One is that meat and dairy are perceived as cleaner products with more protein,” Yee noted.
Scrutiny over ultra-processed foods is another major factor, he said, as plant-based meat tends to be made with a long list of ingredients.
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Generally, consumers “would rather choose meat and dairy than the alternatives,” Yee added, citing both cost and the fact that meat is more satisfying.
“Meat and dairy just have an easier time communicating [their] value and delivering in taste than plant-based products,” he said.
He added, “Clover Food Lab is suffering from a general decline in restaurant sales, but the factors that are increasing meat and dairy sales, and decreasing plant-based sales, are definitely crushing them.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Plant Based Foods Association for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
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Athena Strand’s mother reveals final words with slain child as jury weighs death penalty for FedEx driver
The mother of 7-year-old Athena Strand took the stand Wednesday in the second week of the emotional trial of a former FedEx driver who admitted kidnapping and murdering the young girl.
Tanner Horner, 34, pleaded guilty to capital murder just moments before his Texas trial was set to begin, with jurors now weighing whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
On Wednesday, jurors heard from Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, as she testified about her final moments with her daughter, according to FOX 4.
“Do you remember the last thing you said to Athena?” a prosecutor asked her, the outlet reported.
“I told her that I loved her and that I would see her on Friday,” Gandy replied. “We had a quick drop-off because her daddy was going to take them to the Christmas lights.”
Wearing pink, Athena’s favorite color, Gandy recalled how she immediately drove back to Texas from her home in Oklahoma upon learning about her daughter’s disappearance.
“It felt like I was dying,” Gandy said, according to FOX 4. “I couldn’t breathe, but I knew I had to keep going. I almost tapped on the brakes because I thought I was having a heart attack. But I just told myself that if I kept going, it would be OK, and I would find her.”
She then went on to describe how she delivered the news of Athena’s death to her 3-year-old sister.
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“I didn’t know how to tell her, and I didn’t think I was strong enough to tell her. So I lied to her for a long time. I would tell her that she was just staying with her daddy for a little bit longer. And when she asked to FaceTime or to call her, I would tell her that she was at school or she was sleeping,” Gandy said. “Until about a year ago, she didn’t know the whole truth.”
Upon being asked if she had watched the video of Horner strangling Athena to death, Gandy said she was only able to watch a few minutes of it and apologized to the jurors who were required to see the footage.
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“Not anyone in this room besides Tanner Horner asked for what’s on that video, and Athena definitely did not,” Gandy said.
Defense attorney Steven Goble did not cross examine Gandy, instead offering his condolences as the grieving mother took the stand.
“I am very sorry for your loss,” Goble said, FOX 4 reported.
Horner admitted to abducting Athena while delivering a package containing a Barbie doll to her father’s home in Paradise in 2022. Her body was found on Dec. 2, two days after she was reported missing.
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Horner initially told investigators that he strangled the young girl after accidentally striking her with his delivery vehicle, adding that she wasn’t seriously injured when he panicked and placed her in his van.
On Monday, medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer testified that Athena’s cause of death was blunt force injuries, smothering and strangulation, adding the young girl likely suffered before she died.
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Following the murder, Horner wrote a letter to Athena’s heartbroken family, writing: “To Athena’s family. I wanted to start by saying how sorry I am about Athena. The entire time I’ve known my legal counsel, they continued to tell me how. I don’t need to apologize, didn’t apologize, and the trial? And frankly, I can’t hold it in any longer. I can’t tell you how many countless nights I’ve stayed awake, unable to sleep. I pray for you. For all of you. So many were affected by my breakdown. Not just your family, but my own as well. You’ll never get to see your baby girl grow up. And I’m sorry.”
Before leaving the stand, Gandy addressed questions from the prosecution regarding why she has been in the courtroom for every day of Horner’s trial.
“There were handprint bruises around my daughter’s neck, and because she no longer has a voice,” Gandy said. “And I want people to know that she’s not just some story, she’s not just some number.”
“She’s not just some picture you see in a headline,” Gandy added. “She was loved. She is loved. And she is missed. And she was real. And she had a life, and she wanted to live. And no one can take that from her. Not a single person can take that from her. And I will be her face, and it will be her voice. And I will make sure that every person in this world knows that she was. And we want her in our lives.”
Less than a week before Virginians head to the polls to decide the fate of the state’s congressional map, a representative from a district at the center of the controversy pushes back.
In an interview with the Ruthless Podcast released on Thursday morning, Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., rebuffed the efforts by Virginia Democrats to change the layout of the congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“Their goal is the long game,” Cline said of the Democrat-backed redistricting attempt. “It is the short game of the next election, but it’s also the long game of trying to turn rural Virginia into either a non-impact on politics or convert. You either assimilate or you’re destroyed.”
Under the proposed map, Cline’s district in the western part of the state would be divided into five new seats. Josh Holmes, a co-host of the podcast, explained that this would dilute the impact of rural voters.
“They are attempting to split into five different districts to minimize a rural vote that they can overcome with Northern Virginia suburban NGO defense contractors,” Holmes said during the interview.
Virginia Democrats are following a national trend. Cline noted how this redistricting playbook has been used by Democrats across the country.
“They definitely want to turn us into New England,” the congressman first elected in 2018 said. “Massachusetts used to have Republican members of Congress, a much more balanced delegation. Now it’s 9-0. But Republicans vote, what, 40 percent of the population there. They do it in Illinois. Most of the states where they control, they’re trying to just draw Republicans completely out.”
Cline’s comments come as the polling on the referendum is tightening. A recent poll from the Washington Post showed support for redrawing the state’s maps, leading by only 5 points. The projections show a closer race than last year’s gubernatorial election, where Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Sears by more than 15 points.
Voters will get their chance to weigh in on the redistricting fight on Tuesday. Virginians will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment enabling the General Assembly to redraw the state’s congressional map.
Democrats claim that creating new maps would restore fairness to apportionment. Republicans argue that this is a gerrymander by turning the delegation from a six-five Democrat-majority to a 10-one Democrat-majority in a state where Kamala Harris only beat Donald Trump by six points.
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Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., who currently represents the Southwest part of the state, would likely become the only Republican remaining in Virginia’s delegation.
Cline appeared on Ruthless as a part of the Ruthless Midterm Interview Series, an ongoing initiative to interview major GOP candidates. The hosts have already interviewed candidates in 12 states, with more scheduled as primaries across the country take place ahead of the November midterms.
After Tuesday’s election on the map, Virginians will return to the polls on August 4th for the Republican and Democratic congressional primary elections. The general elections will take place on November 3rd.
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