Dem Tries To Reinstate Dreaded TSA Policy With A Nasty Twist

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.