WASHINGTON—The mood at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast was reverent, polished, and familiar: suits and ties, rosaries tucked into jacket pockets, speeches invoking faith and public life. But just beneath the surface, a different conversation was unfolding. As bleary-eyed folks chatted at tables before the early-morning event, a growing divide within the conservative Catholic movement came into focus, one shaped by generational change, foreign policy, and competing visions of what the faith demands in public life. “When I post apologetics on Instagram, I get one of two camps,” Jessica Newell, a Gen Z pro-life operative, told The Daily Wire. “One group who’s skeptical of Israel and brings it to that or the other that is very curious.” Newell described what many younger Catholics at the event see as a widening divide. “There’s the Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens side of the conservative Catholics and the Matt Walsh, Michael Knowles side,” she said. “And it boils down to transient politics versus eternal values and value judgments.” At the Prayer Breakfast, the divisions were not visible from the podium. The language there remained unified around faith, life, service, and country. Daily Wire host Michael Knowles, who delivered the keynote address, took the event as an historic fulfillment. Speaking ahead of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Knowles traced the arc of Catholicism in America from marginalization to prominence. He noted that early American Catholics faced legal discrimination in several states and hostility from movements like the Know-Nothing Party, yet argued that the American system ultimately proved uniquely suited for the faith to take root and flourish. “Here we find ourselves, a quarter millennium later, a people and a place so improbably and perfectly suited for each other that not only can a Catholic become president, but an American can even be the pope,” Knowles said. Highlighting the increasing presence of Catholics in public life, he pointed to the growing number of Catholic figures in Congress, the judiciary, and the executive branch. “If you count vice presidents and first ladies, we have now had baptized Catholics in the White House for 17 consecutive years,” he added. In a letter delivered to attendees, Pope Leo XIV offered his “cordial greetings and good wishes,” emphasizing the longstanding Christian tradition of praying for one’s nation. Citing St. Paul, the Holy Father’s message underscored the power of intercession, reminding attendees that prayer for political leaders is both a biblical mandate and a continuing responsibility. “You have gathered for fellowship as well as to pray for the United States,” the message read, adding that such prayer, “united to that of Christ,” remains “powerful and effective.” A message from President Donald Trump, read by White House Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley, struck a similarly affirming tone. The president reiterated his administration’s commitment to religious liberty, writing in a letter to the attendees at the event, “My administration remains firmly committed to defending the right of every Catholic to worship God freely and without fear,” while also marking the celebration of the feast of St. Joseph. Other speakers reinforced the centrality of faith in both personal and national life. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) reflected on surviving the 2017 congressional baseball shooting, describing how prayer sustained him in the face of possible death. “Prayer is such a powerful thing because it’s a direct conversation with God, and God is listening,” he said. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) defended the role of religion in the public square, pushing back on modern interpretations of “separation of church and state.” Referencing Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists, Johnson argued the founders intended to protect religious practice from government interference, not to exclude faith from public life altogether. “A free society and a healthy republic depend upon religious and moral virtue,” he said. Other moments throughout the event pointed to the global and cultural reach of the Catholic community. Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned Hong Kong publisher and free speech advocate Jimmy Lai, appealed for continued American support for her father’s release. Actor Jonathan Roumie spoke about portraying Christ in “The Chosen” as a deeply spiritual responsibility. And the founders of the Hallow app were honored for their work in expanding digital evangelization. Taken together, the official program projected unity: a vision of Catholicism as deeply embedded in the American experiment, increasingly influential, and sustained by prayer. But on the ground, among the next generation of activists, the fault lines are already clear. As the debate sharpens and the coalition pulls apart and collides, the question facing conservative Catholics is no longer whether a divide exists, but what will come of it. Surveys from Pew Research Center show younger conservatives diverging from older Republicans on foreign policy, particularly on questions of intervention and international alliances. Nowhere is that divide more visible than on Israel. “We definitely see a lot more people willing to be anti-Israel because the pro-life movement is a bit edgier, more anti-establishment,” said Kristin Dorsey, another Gen Z pro-life advocate. That shift comes in the wake of frustration following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. While the ruling was a major victory for pro-life activists, many younger organizers say Republican politicians failed to seize the moment. Coverage from Politico and CNN has documented similar frustrations among pro-life leaders, who argue the movement has received little in the way of sustained legislative follow-through. At the same time, Catholic teaching itself does not mandate political support for any nation-state, including Israel. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes just war principles, the preservation of human dignity, and prudence in foreign policy. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has consistently called for peace and restraint in Middle East conflicts. That tension has increasingly spilled into conservative politics. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was recently criticized for what was described as an attack on Catholics for not embracing Christian Zionism — which, as Matt Fradd recently explained, is contrary to Catholic doctrine. Younger attendees at the breakfast expressed skepticism about the country’s latest foreign entanglement. “I think it was misguided. I think we lost a lot of steam,” one Zoomer attendee said of U.S. involvement in Iran, declining to give his name but identifying himself as a convert to Catholicism. Reporting from the Associated Press has noted similar debates within conservative circles following escalations involving Iran and Israel. “I feel like we’re at an inflection point,” said Jack, another Gen Z attendee. “Young men are tired of being put last … and we’re willing to speak out about it, loudly if we have to.” Despite sharp disagreements on foreign policy and political strategy, there was one issue where attendees showed notable alignment: immigration. “Look, this is a Christian nation,” said Gregory, a millennial convert. “We are going to be just and merciful, but we’re going to enforce our laws.” While some differed on the scale and method of deportations, none of the attendees interviewed rejected strong border enforcement outright. That consensus exists in tension with broader Church teaching, which emphasizes the dignity of migrants while also recognizing the right of nations to enforce their laws — a balance highlighted in a November 2025 statement from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For older Catholics, the rising intensity among younger activists is both encouraging and concerning. “They’re going to learn that what they want isn’t as simple as they say it is,” said Pat, a longtime pro-life advocate. “Having principles and being loud is really good — that’s what youth is for. But sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.” Pat also dismissed the centrality of Israel in the debate: “I think they obsess over Israel. I think it’s a non-issue. They’re an allied nation like any other.” Even among clergy, there is recognition that something is shifting. “The youth and the converts are the future,” one priest said, requesting anonymity. “They’re on fire. I think it’d be wise for the clergy to realize that and try to guide them and help them,” he added. “They’re the ones who are going to be getting the big political wins when it comes to abortion, same-sex marriage, and everything else going into the future.”

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve this week held interest rates steady, a shock to observers who assumed geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices may have moved the board to cut rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed in a Wednesday briefing that the board was holding steady as events in the Middle East played out. “In the near term, higher energy prices will push up overall inflation,” Powell said, “but it is too soon to know the scope and duration of the potential effects on the economy.” Fed Governor Stephen Miran, a Trump appointee, dissented from the decision, favoring a rate cut rather than maintaining the current range of 3.5% to 3.75%.  “The thing I really want to emphasize is that nobody knows,” Powell added. “The economic effects could be bigger, they could be smaller or they could be much smaller or much bigger. We just don’t know.” Stressing the unusually high level of uncertainty facing policymakers became a theme of Powell’s press briefing.  Powell said the Federal Reserve is guided by past oil price spikes, which have typically been temporary and had little lasting impact on inflation. However, after five years of inflation running above its 2% target, he added that the Fed remains vigilant for signs of more persistent price pressures. He also noted that the United States’ position as a net energy exporter could help offset some negative impacts. Higher oil prices may weigh on consumers worldwide, but they also boost profitability for domestic energy companies, potentially leading to increased drilling and investment. Over the longer term, sustained elevated oil prices could drive further expansion in domestic energy production, as firms respond to stronger incentives to increase supply. One moment of certainty was the continued pattern of the Federal Reserve fighting persistent inflation and a weakening labor market. Since September, Powell has emphasized the challenge of balancing the Fed’s dual mandate which is maintaining price stability while maximizing employment. “We are balancing these two goals in a situation where the risks to the labor market are to the downside which would call for lower rates and the risks to inflation are to the upside which would call for higher rates and not cutting.” Ultimately, the Federal Reserve chose to leave rates unchanged in an effort to balance these competing pressures. Powell’s March meeting marked his second-to-last as Fed chair before his successor, Kevin Warsh, is sworn in. Powell confirmed that he will serve out the remainder of his term until Warsh is officially confirmed as chair.

Planned Parenthood’s Illinois chapter has agreed to pay $500,000 after the federal government investigated allegations that the branch discriminated against its white employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said there is reasonable cause to believe the organization segregated its employees by race into “affinity networks.” Many firms have “affinity networks,” which allow employees to join employee groups with those to whom they feel similar. However, at other companies, these networks are voluntary, not mandatory. Planned Parenthood had mandatory “affinity caucuses” segregated by race, and employees of other races were not allowed to participate. Every week, staff were required to attend one- to two-hour sessions of segregated racial affinity caucuses or DEI training. At DEI training sessions, white employees were reportedly the target of harassment and derogatory statements such as: they “are white and do not feel racism the same way that non-white patients feel” and “white supremacy is exerted at every level of oppression.” EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said, “Segregating employees by race violates the core promise of our nation’s civil rights laws.” Lucas added in her statement that Title VII guarantees equal treatment for every employee and “those protections equally apply to white workers.” Planned Parenthood employees alleged that the company even restricted the benefits of white employees. “Planned Parenthood also denied white employees access to time off that it granted only to black employees,” the report read. Along with the $500,000 settlement, Planned Parenthood fired the manager responsible for the misconduct that the investigation uncovered. The EEOC says the investigation was prompted after multiple employees brought forward their concerns. The Daily Wire obtained a press release from the Illinois Planned Parenthood affiliate that may have been the start of the organization’s discriminatory practices. Planned Parenthood of Illinois said in a response to a BuzzFeed News article, “despite not having the details of this particular incident, we recognize that Planned Parenthood has been complicit in upholding systemic racism. Moving forward, Planned Parenthood of Illinois is deeply committed to being anti-racist and ensuring that our work is not performative, that there is no divide between our words and actions.” They added, “As part of this work, we’ve created spaces for honest conversations about race and are providing multiple channels through which staff have opportunities to share their lived experiences with leadership.” The Illinois Planned Parenthood is not the only affiliate to release statements on racism in their organization. Nineteen out of the 49 Planned Parenthood affiliates have issued statements. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest said, “We must confront how white supremacy of the past and present continues in the institutions we are a part of today including our own organization.” The Virginia affiliate said that they acknowledge “our past and our present participation in white supremacy and are committed to stopping, learning, growing and living our values through the hard and uncomfortable work of progress.” None of the statements released by the Planned Parenthood chapters specifically addressed discrimination allegations against white employees or white patients.

A University of Pennsylvania professor who was sanctioned by a court for acting in “bad faith” is set to teach a course on “misinformation” next year. Michael Mann, a prominent climate activist and director of Penn’s Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media, announced that he will again co-teach a course on climate change communication alongside Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The course, previously offered at the University of Pennsylvania, focuses in part on combating what Mann describes as a “surplus of misinformation” surrounding climate change. “The problem isn’t so much a deficit of information; it’s a surplus of misinformation,” Mann said at a journalism conference, arguing that outright climate denial is fading and being replaced by what he calls “doomism, division, deflection, and delaying action.” Mann recently confirmed the course’s return on a university podcast, describing it as a “real pleasure” to collaborate across Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences and the Annenberg School for Communication. But Mann’s role as an authority on misinformation should draw scrutiny given his own legal history. A District of Columbia judge previously sanctioned Mann and his legal team, finding “by clear and convincing evidence” that they had acted in bad faith by presenting erroneous evidence and making false representations related to damages claims. “Here, the Court finds… that Dr. Mann… acted in bad faith when they presented erroneous evidence and made false representations to the jury and the Court,” the ruling stated. The court ordered Mann to pay more than $28,000 in legal fees. The controversy adds to a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric and political activism from Mann, who has repeatedly targeted conservatives in public statements and on social media. Mann has compared prominent figures such as Peter Thiel, Charles Koch, and Rupert Murdoch to the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks, and previously wrote that the Republican Party should be “destroyed.” He deleted the posts, but they were saved in screenshots. Michael Mann has been trafficking in violence-justifying (wink wink) Tweets for a long time He is celebrated and rewarded for it in the climate community His latest won’t change that pic.twitter.com/YMpnmxAdWX — The Honest Broker (@RogerPielkeJr) September 12, 2025 As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, Mann faced backlash for amplifying a social media post referring to conservative activist Charlie Kirk as “Hitler Youth,” a controversy that preceded his resignation as vice provost at Penn. He remains on faculty and continues to lead his research center. The resignation came after Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) called on the university to take “immediate, decisive action.” Mann has also drawn criticism for comments interpreted as invoking political violence, including a post referencing “second amendment territory” in relation to President Donald Trump, he has since deleted the post, but it was digitally archived to verify. The course’s co-instructor, Jamieson, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, which has itself faced scrutiny over its handling of climate-related materials. Critics have pointed to the academy’s refusal to remove a controversial climate chapter from its judicial reference manual, even after the Federal Judicial Center declined to include it, citing concerns about bias. Mann has also recently praised the late biologist Paul Ehrlich, whose 1968 book “The Population Bomb” famously predicted mass starvation and societal collapse due to overpopulation — predictions that failed to materialize. Despite that track record, Mann continues to position himself as a leading voice on climate communication and misinformation. The announcement of the course raises broader questions about credibility, academic standards, and whether individuals with documented histories of misleading claims should be tasked with defining “misinformation” for the next generation of students.

Former intelligence official Joe Kent is suspected of leaking classified information to “disaffected MAGA media” personalities like former Fox News host Tucker Carlson — and FBI Director Kash Patel may be poised to declassify information regarding a probe into former intelligence official Joe Kent in an effort to prove that the investigation was not retaliation for his resignation. A report published Thursday by NOTUS also stated that FBI Director Kash Patel was considering declassifying as much information as possible in order to show that the investigation into Kent was already underway when he announced his plan to leave the administration. A law enforcement source told NOTUS that FBI counterintelligence had already begun a criminal investigation into Kent’s alleged actions long before he announced his resignation. An administration official told the outlet that Kent had “leaked classified information from a server to a member of the media.” Kent, according to a Wednesday report first published by Semafor, was already under the FBI’s microscope before he abruptly resigned on Tuesday and stated that he could no longer support President Donald Trump’s administration as it waged war against the Iranian regime. The Green Beret veteran declared on Tuesday that he could not remain on the job — as director of the National Counterterrorism Center — as long as the Trump administration continued military action alongside Israel against Iran. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he claimed. But shortly after Kent tendered his resignation, several sources revealed that he had not been part of the planning with regard to Iran — and had not been briefed on the intelligence that led President Trump to determine that Iran was, in fact, an imminent threat. By Wednesday evening, reports began circulating that Kent was being investigated by the FBI — and a strategic declassification of the relevant information could provide evidence that the investigation predated Kent’s exit from the administration.