He may be the first American Pope, but Leo is far from onboard with President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda. At least that’s the case as far as deportations and ICE. While the Trump Administration is expanding operations aimed at fixing America’s long-broken illegal immigration problem… The Pope from Chicago has kicked off his own modern-day crusade AGAINST the Trump Administration on the issue of mass deportations. It isn’t all that surprising that the head of the Catholic Church would try to strike a balance between upholding a nation’s laws while simultaneously preserving human dignity. But is that actually what Pope Leo XIV is doing?  You be the judge. Just today, the Pope met with a group of American Bishops for the express purpose of pushing back against President Trump.  (While publicly feigning non-involvement, as we’ll get into…) CNN’s correspondent covering the Vatican shared these photos from the Pope’s meeting which highlights one particular member of the US Bishop delegation. Bishop Mark Seitz is widely seen as the one spearheading the Pope’s crusade against President Trump’s immigration policy: Pope Leo today met Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, and was presented with letters & video from immigrants in the US. Leo said “the church cannot remain silent” in its response to President Trump’s immigration policies (photos: Hope Border Institute) pic.twitter.com/c3KKjz4ICj — Christopher Lamb (@ctrlamb) October 8, 2025 Is it just me, or does the quote attributed to the Pope on that post — about the Church not remaining silent — seem to invoke something like Bonhoeffer’s call to speak up against Hitler? During that meeting, the Pope strengthened his stance against the Trump Administration on the issue of immigration. He specified that American Bishops should push back and speak up against the way ‘immigrants’ are being treated by the Trump Administration. He was presumably referencing the ILLEGALS which ICE is currently bent on rounding up and sending home, which the Pope says does not line up with a pro-life worldview… as covered by the Reuters News Agency: Pope Leo told U.S. bishops visiting him at the Vatican on Wednesday that they should firmly address how immigrants are being treated by President Donald Trump’s hardline policies, attendees said, in the latest push by the pontiff on the issue. “Our Holy Father … is very personally concerned about these matters,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who took part in the meeting, told Reuters. “He expressed his desire that the U.S. Bishops’ Conference would speak strongly on this issue.” “It means a lot to all of us to know of his personal desire that we continue to speak out,” said Seitz. The Vatican did not immediately comment on the pope’s meeting. But Leo has been ramping up his criticism in recent weeks. The pope questioned on September 30 whether the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies were in line with the Catholic Church’s pro-life teachings, in comments that drew heated backlash from some prominent conservative Catholics. The White House has said Trump was elected based on his many promises, including to deport criminal illegal aliens. The Pope’s comments calling into question the Trump Administration’s orthodoxy on the issue of being pro-life was picked up by White House reporters. Last week Gabe Gutierrez representing NBC News in the WH press pool questioned Karoline Leavitt — herself Catholic — on that Papal pushback. She framed her response primarily in regards to the allegations that there were actually cases of INHUMANE treatment of illegals (not to be confused with simply deporting them lawfully) which primarily centered around events that happened under the Biden Administration. Here’s a clip of her full response on that issue, though she didn’t speak directly to the current ICE deportations: Karoline Leavitt — Donald Trump’s Catholic press secretary — rejects Pope Leo’s claim that migrants are treated inhumanely in the United States. pic.twitter.com/YWjSyeQiy8 — Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) October 1, 2025 There’s one key reason I shared that clip. Notice the point made by the White House Press Secretary is that the Trump Administration is attempting to ‘enforce our nation’s laws’ with regard to ICE and mass deportations. As I stated earlier, the Pope would be expected to strike some sort of a balance between that, and emphasizing human dignity — as would any righteous government, I might add. But again I ask, is that the balance the Pope is attempting to maintain in his criticism of the Trump Administration’s handling of illegals? I want the Pope’s own words from just a few days ago hanging in the air as we look at that issue: No one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need! Human dignity must always come first! — Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) October 5, 2025 That post from the Catholic Pontiff is NOT a clear-cut attack on ICE deportations in accordance with US law. But it is designed to carry that flavor, while contrasting upholding the law against maintaining human dignity. Oops — there’s another one of those binary choices we’re always being told we MUST ACCEPT. Is it not possible to protect human dignity at the most basic level while also enforcing a nation’s laws? I’d even argue… you CAN’T have one, without the other. But the meeting today with American Bishops went further than just flowery platitudes about peace in the Midwest of America. Mark Seitz, the Bishop from El Paso mentioned earlier, brought with him a stack of letters and video clips which he shared with the Pope. The purpose of those was obvious; they were intended to provide undeniable emotion-based evidence as to the un-Christian behavior of the Trump Administration. Those communications reportedly included the horror stories of families traumatized by President Trump’s immigration policy, as covered by the Associated Press: The Texas bishop on the front lines of the U.S. immigration crackdown met Wednesday with Pope Leo XIV and brought him a packet of letters from immigrant families “terrorized” by fear that they and their loved ones will be rounded up and deported as the Trump administration’s tactics grow increasingly combative. El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz also showed Leo a video detailing the plight of migrants, and told The Associated Press afterward that Leo vowed to “stand with” them and the Catholic leaders who are trying to help them. “He had a few words for us, thanking us for our commitment to the immigrant peoples and also saying that he hopes that the bishops’ conference will speak to this issue and continue to speak to it,” said Seitz, chair of the migration committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “We don’t want to get into the political fray, we’re not politicians, but we need to teach the faith,” and especially the Gospel message recognizing the inherent dignity of all God’s children, and to care for the poor and welcome the stranger, Seitz said. History’s first U.S. pope has followed in Francis’ line. Last weekend, Leo celebrated a special Holy Year Mass for migrants, denouncing the “coldness of indifference” and the “stigma of discrimination” that migrants desperate to flee violence and suffering often face. Asked by reporters this week about the crackdown in Chicago, Leo declined to comment. (Emphasis added.) For all that talk about not wishing to wade into politics and governance, the Holy See certainly has a lot to say about politics and governance in the US! Check out this clip from Vatican News showing exactly that; the Pope declining to wade into those waters, remaining silent… While sending American Bishops to do just the opposite: Wait WHAT???? Pope Leo XIV says ‘no comment’ on USA political matters! What about last week when he waded into the political award to pro-abortion Senator Dick Durbin??? Maybe he learned a lesson? Catholics sure learned a lot from his comments. pic.twitter.com/vs7DJOptda — John-Henry Westen (@JhWesten) October 7, 2025 The problem with that stance is that it’s not a stance at all. Or, rather, it’s an attempt at taking a stance on a hot button political issue in the US… while feigning non-involvement. But the moral highroad the Pope is attempting to navigate doesn’t actually exist when word and deed do not match. To claim non-involvement while speaking to the issue through another format isn’t virtuous; it’s duplicitous. The underpinning of the moral highroad is a thing that happens on the ground level — where laws and real life collide, both words and deeds. The moral highroad materializes where the abhorrence of lawlessness and the upholding of human dignity are indeed one and the same. As they must be, if either is to exist at all. I’d like to show one more video if you’ll hang with me, which highlights the problem with the Pope’s logic; or I should say… his logical fallacy. Check out this moment from just a few days ago when the Pope was asked about the convergence of a pro-life stance and the death penalty: Pope Leo XIV said that if you support the death penalty, then you are “not pro-life.” That means that Moses and parts of the Pentateuch are not pro-life. It means dozens of Popes were not pro-life and were heretics. That’s obviously false. pic.twitter.com/0VFVZ1Nugs — Dr Taylor Marshall (@TaylorRMarshall) October 1, 2025 According to Pope Leo’s logic, if you say you’re pro-life and against abortion but support the death penalty, then you’re not really pro-life. If pro-life meant a worldview in which no killing was ever justified, that might be a true statement. But that’s not what pro-life means anymore than MURDER equals CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. One is a lawless act of sin; the other a righteous obedience of Biblical principles by authorities instituted among men by God. The failure to make that distinction in principle is the sort of thing that will wreck one’s theology, as well as a person’s views on society and governance. Thus, Pope Leo XIV has aligned himself against President Trump on the basis of oversimplifying the principles in play. The law distinguishes between what is legal and illegal; and still insists on emphasizing the dignity of human life across the board. But would it DIGNIFY humanity to sink so low as to allow the distinction between what is legal, and what is illegal, be blurred so far that both are treated the same? If those who enter this country illegally are treated identically to those who enter in by legal means — does that lack of distinction not bring low the DIGNITY of HUMANITY? At least, that’s the way it works in my Bible. RELATED REPORTS: Pope Leo Makes Absurd Claim About Being “Pro Life” Pope Leo Makes A RIDICULOUS “Blessing”

The Kennedy family is in mourning this morning. Joan Kennedy, the first wife of Ted Kennedy has died at the age of 89. Joan Kennedy was married to Kennedy for 22 years and during those years she suffered through many challenges due to her husband’s immoral actions. People Magazine reported more on Joan Kennedy’s death: Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of Sen. Ted Kennedy, died early in the morning on Oct. 8, PEOPLE confirms. She was 89 years old. GoLocalProv published an obituary announcing the news, revealing that she died peacefully in her sleep at her Boston home. Joan, a talented classical pianist with a master’s degree in education, divorced Ted in 1983, but continued to be known as the long-suffering wife of the youngest Kennedy son to whom she was married for 22 years. Joan was born in New York City on Sept. 2, 1936, and raised in the suburbs by a Roman Catholic family. She met Ted in 1957, when his older sister Jean Kennedy introduced them. Both Jean and Joan were students at Manhattanville College. Within the year, the two became engaged. Although both Joan and Ted expressed reservations about getting married, Ted’s father, the powerful patriarch Joe Kennedy, insisted they go through with it. They wed on Nov. 29, 1958, in Bronxville, N.Y., the tiny suburb where Joan grew up. Joan was 22 years old. Together, they had three children, Kara, Ted Jr. and Patrick. BREAKING: Joan Kennedy, wife of Sen. Ted Kennedy who was by his side during Chappaquiddick scandal, dead at 89 pic.twitter.com/ScXVvphWi7 — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 8, 2025 Hand it to Joan Kennedy, she STOOD BY Ted KennedyShe suffered a miscarriage shortly after Ted plunged a car off a Massachusetts bridge & killed Mary Jo Kopechne.She stood by Ted’s side as he attended the funeral, & later pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. pic.twitter.com/POAIl74jEj — Marla Hohner (@marlahohner) October 8, 2025 ABC News reported Joan was an advocate for sobriety after suffering from alcoholism for many years: She also became one of the first women to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression. “I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty,” Ted Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.” Virginia Joan Bennett was born into a prominent Bronxville, N.Y., family and as a teen she worked as a model in TV ads. She was a classmate of Jean Kennedy, the future senator’s sister, at Manhattanville College, where her exceptional beauty caught Ted Kennedy’s eye when he visited the campus for a building dedication in 1957. They married a year later, but Joan Kennedy struggled from the start to fit in to the high-powered family. “Joan was shy and a really reserved person, and the Kennedys aren’t,” Adam Clymer, author of “Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography” said in an 2005 interview with the AP. Kennedy is survived by her two sons, nine grandchildren and other 30 nieces. Her daughter, Kara, died in 2011.

Kristi Noem isn’t buying what Zach Bryan is selling. The country music star trashed ICE and called law enforcement ‘cocky motherf***ers’ in a teaser of his unreleased song, “Bad News”. Beyond that, the lyrics paint a picture of a dystopian and declining America under the Trump Administration. The controversy surrounding the song has already created enough backlash that Bryan has come out with MULTIPLE STATEMENTS attempting to defend himself and the veracity of his lyrics. DHS Secretary Noem didn’t pull any punches when she hit back against the singer and his song this week. In fact, there is currently no love being lost between the DHS and Zach Bryan at all. Just to stir the pot, the Department of Homeland Security dropped a tongue-in-cheek video yesterday, trolling the singer by using one of his own songs in an ICE highlight reel! Here’s that DHS hype video as shared on X to get things started: We’re having an All Night Revival pic.twitter.com/o7q8DExPra — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 7, 2025 For her part, Noem made it clear what she thought of the song. She spoke about it with podcaster Benny Johnson while on the ground in Portland yesterday, while accompanying ICE agents conducting operations targeting — among others — child predators in the country illegally. She pridefully claimed to have never spent a ‘single penny’ on Bryan’s music, according to this from the New York Post: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem put country music superstar Zach Bryan on blast over his controversial new song targeting ICE raids — as the singer said the tune is about “how much I love this country.” “I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country,” Noem told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Tuesday. “To every single individual that has stood up and fought for our freedoms. He just compromised it all by putting out a product such as that, that attacks individuals who are just trying to make our streets safe.” Bryan claims kids are scared, houses aren’t being built, but everyone has a telephone, even as bars stopped being the social spot of the town. “The middlе fingers rising, and it won’t stop showing Got some bad news Thе fading of the red, white and blue.” Noem spoke out against the song during a short media briefing in Portland after federal agents arrested several illegal immigrants, including an accused child rapist, earlier in the day, according to Johnson. “Zach, I didn’t listen to your music. I’m happy about that today,” Noem said. “That makes me very happy that I never gave you a single penny to enrich your lifestyle, if you truly believe what that song stands for.” Noem called out Bryan’s apparent hypocrisy for releasing the anti-law enforcement song while having police protect him at his concerts. “That’s what’s so special about law enforcement, is that they don’t pick and choose who they defend when they do their jobs. They will even defend and protect people that don’t respect them or stand up for them so that’s who I’ll point to when I tell my grandkids to grow up like someone.” For everyone who prefers a video, here’s the clip of the conversation Sec. Noem had with Benny Johnson talking about the “Bad News” song: BREAKING: Secretary Kristi Noem flames country singer Zach Bryan. I just asked Noem about the new Zach Bryan song attacking ICE. Noem went scorched-earth calling the woke singer “completely disrespectful” to the law enforcement that protect him. Secretary Noem: “I hope Zach… pic.twitter.com/MPXuVshPnM — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 7, 2025 As I stated earlier, she made the comments while riding along on ICE operations that included busting a known threat to children. The video doesn’t show the man’s face, but Benny Johnson shared this clip of Noem talking to one of the recent arrestees. The man is accused of being a pedophile on top of illegally entering the country and had just been busted by those ICE agents that Zach Bryan is so down on: BREAKING: Secretary Kristi Noem tells arrested illegal pedophile from Portland that he will be prosecuted and deported to his FACE. The child molester was arrested just one hour ago. Team Trump is NOT messing around here. Watch this: pic.twitter.com/Pe9Ko3Vgk0 — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 7, 2025 Of course, the left-leaning media loves the fact that a ‘country’ music artist is seemingly anti-Trump and perfectly fine with an open border policy. MSNBC aired a clip of the teased song, along with lauding Zach Bryan as the epitome of the country music genre. (Something I would take issue with on SEVERAL levels…) That characterization seems like reaching too far to me, considering Bryan has never lined up with anything remotely resembling “conservative” in his lyrics or public statements. Here’s that clip from MSNBC… if you can stomach to even hear it: Meanwhile, Bryan has twice come out with statements on his Instagram account amid the backlash. In the first statement shared to his Instagram stories, he said people were missing the “full context” of the song, as covered in this report from Fox News: On his Instagram account, Bryan previewed a new song titled “Bad News” that appeared to lament the policies and general spirit of America under President Donald Trump. In a statement posted on an Instagram Story, Bryan wrote that “Bad News” was written months ago and that people need the “full context” of the song. “This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media,” Bryan said. “This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back.” Hours later, he posted an additional statement expressing heartbreak over being scrutinized for the last few months. Bryan, who has a history of being at odds with law enforcement, is known for his liberal commentary. I personally find it hilarious when people make a statement, and then feel compelled to issue multiple subsequent statements to clarify what they really meant. Only to DOUBLE DOWN on what they said to begin with… which is what caused the uproar in the first place! Here’s the full text of Bryan’s first attempt at calming the disquiet over his new lyrics as shared to his Instagram story: “On the ‘new’ song: I wrote this song months ago. I posted this song three months ago as a snippet. This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media. This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle. Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back. I served this country, I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space. I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou asshole, just a 29 year old man who is just as confused as everyone else. To see how much shit it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared. Left wing or right wing we’re all one bird and American. To be clear I’m on neither of these radical sides. To all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in just know I’m trying my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes. Everyone have a great day and I love each and every one of ya!!!” Obviously, that didn’t calm things down. Because he almost immediately put out this SECOND statement: “The last few months of my life I’ve been scrutinized by more people than I ever thought possible. I feel like I’ve tried my hardest in so many ways and it’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore. Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time. I am SO proud to have served in a country where we can all speak freely and converse amongst each other without getting doxxed or accosted on the internet or worse; the violence and heartbreak we’ve faced in the last few months! God speed ol sons I’m out!” There once was a time when the prevailing wisdom would have agreed with him, at least regarding the need to “find our way back” and exit “this divided space”. But like some others, Bryan seems to have missed the memo that some things are no longer up for debate. Like… common-sense and justified legitimate laws. Like… the the responsibility and obligation of law enforcement and the Executive Branch to ENFORCE those laws. The internet was quick to jump in and help deliver that memo to Bryan… In the form of good ole’ fashioned social media pushback. Here are a few of the responses Zack Bryan has received following the teasing of his controversial lyrics. Popular X account DC_Draino noted the possibility of a boycott in Bryan’s future: We were just invaded by over 10 million illegal aliens and who does Zach Bryan cheer for? The illegals I smell a boycott brewing https://t.co/qZKTe3Rudh — DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) October 6, 2025 Another account responded by prophesying the overall deterioration of the singer’s career: Zach Bryan’s musical career after this… pic.twitter.com/V5yiflmlcH — Tyler (@USAFtylerMAGA) October 6, 2025 Another X user agreed that Bryan’s career would be “over” following this flap. She was even more direct in expressing her off-the-cuff response to Bryan’s ICE-hating lyrics: Dear Zach Bryan, Fvck you. Sincerely, American Patriots ICE agents risk their lives daily. Violent leftists throw bricks at them, attack them, spit at them, even shoot at them. And this is the song he released. Career over. pic.twitter.com/uGjkdN4snv — Kentucky Girl (@Notwokenow) October 6, 2025 And my personal favorite social media response to Bryan’s open defiance of President Trump’s immigration plan came from an X user responding to that previous post. Here’s one of the SOLUTIONS that Kristi Noem probably wishes she would have thought of when offering up Zach Bryan alternatives: In a world full of Zach Bryan’s be an Oliver Anthony pic.twitter.com/s5g1KFblHf — Providence Wire (@providence_wire) October 6, 2025 It’s worth mentioning that the song hasn’t even been released yet… only teased. And already the backlash has been this severe. Maybe MSNBC is missing something by hyping Bryan’s apparent popularity? I’ll give him this much — we’re on dangerous ground because of the divisive political atmosphere currently boiling in the United States. But you don’t put out a fire by pouring gasoline on the flames. And you’ll never successfully mitigate backlash by doubling down on what caused it in the first place. Like Noem, I have never dropped a dime into Zach Bryan’s pocket; and I certainly don’t intend to after this story. But unlike Noem, I’m not much of an Aldean fan. So as I cue up some Hank Williams Jr at my writing desk — “A Country Boy Can Survive” — and finish out this story… I encourage you to do the same, and wash out that bad taste from Bryan’s tone-deaf lyrics.

I was not expecting this today… I actually didn’t think any real investigation was still ongoing, I figured it was long since chalked up to “Climate Change” but an arrest has just been made in the deadly Palisades Fires from last year. BREAKING: Arrest made in deadly Palisades Fire investigation – NBC — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) October 8, 2025 Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli made the announcement: Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January.⁰The complaint alleges that Rinderknecht’s started a fire in Pacific Palisades on New Year’s Day –… pic.twitter.com/UzrFa0Lmrz — Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 8, 2025 Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January. The complaint alleges that Rinderknecht’s started a fire in Pacific Palisades on New Year’s Day — a blaze that eventually turned into one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history, causing death and widespread destruction. Among the evidence that was collected from his digital devices was an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city. While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done, we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy. Rinderknecht’s initial appearance is scheduled for today at 1:30 p.m. EDT in U.S. District Court in Orlando. Rinderknecht is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Now look, I’m not sticking up for this kid (he looks like a deranged leftist) but does it seem odd to anyone else that simple generating an image on ChatGPT is now “evidence”? How is that evidence? If I generated a picture on ChatGPT of Superman flying, it doesn’t mean that I can fly or that I cause people to fly. That seems like a real stretch for “evidence” if you ask me.  I hope they have a lot more to fall back on. You can watch the Press Conference here: BREAKING: The DOJ has ARRESTED “29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January.” HUGE! Lock him away for LIFE! https://t.co/uD1z6KrocA pic.twitter.com/gxqDHUbVGA — Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) October 8, 2025

President Trump has been making many changes to the Oval Office and it’s nearly unrecognizable now compared to prior administrations. And we’ve seen bits and pieces of it during press briefings in the Oval Office and meetings with world leaders, but we’ve never actually seen a full video panning around the entire Oval Office with no interruptions and no one in the way. Until now. Check out this awesome look inside the Oval: Pretty sweet, right? Now if you’d like more a guided tour, I’ve got you covered there too! This was really good, almost feels like you’re there with them: Share!