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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump-backed clergy nets win over Washington state child abuse law — for now
Members of the Roman Catholic clergy in Washington, backed by the Trump administration, won a victory in court last Friday as they seek to dismantle a controversial aspect of a state law meant to curb child sex abuse. U.S. District Judge David Estudillo granted the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction on Friday, placing a hold on Senate Bill 5375, a law that requires faith leaders to report instances of child abuse relayed to them, including Catholic priests who hear such admissions during confessions. The law was set to go into effect on July 27. The Trump administration last month joined the legal fight to overturn the law, which it describes as "anti-Catholic," suing Washington state and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson. The governor, who is Catholic, has defended the law and said he's "disappointed" in the Church for seeking to block it. A hearing in the Trump administration's request for a separate preliminary injunction is set for this week, the Washington State Standard reported. Proponents of the law say it doesn't single out Catholics, given that the mandatory reporting requirement includes ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, elders or a 'spiritual leader of any church, religious denomination, religious body, spiritual community or sect,' as well as school employees and health care workers. But Estudillo, a Biden appointee, said the law's requirement regarding confessionals infringes upon priests' First Amendment rights. He noted that roughly 25 other states have carved out exceptions for the confessional in their mandatory reporting laws and called Washington's exemptions for other professions 'likely fatal to SB 5375.' To me, there's scant evidence that the law — which was created in response to abuse allegations among Jehovah's Witnesses — is anti-Catholic, and ample evidence that the law is simply anti-sex abuse. And the Trump administration's attempt to undercut it fit a disturbing pattern of undermining efforts to combat sex abuse. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump drops f-bomb as Israel and Iran face accusations of ceasefire violations
On Monday afternoon, Donald Trump published a bold, six-word declaration on his social media platform: 'CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!' The missive was soon followed by a series of follow-up posts in which the president not only touted a 'Complete and Total CEASEFIRE' between Israel and Iran, but also proceeded to take credit for the breakthrough. In the early evening, the president went even further during an exclusive phone interview with NBC News, in which he not only said he personally made the ceasefire happen, but he also made related predictions about the likely success of the developments. Asked how long the ceasefire would be, Trump said, 'I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It's going to go forever.' He added that the war is now completely over, saying he does not believe Israel and Iran 'will ever be shooting at each other again.' It's not like that's a quote that could ever come back to haunt him, right? The following morning, amid reports that Iran and Israel were being accused by the other of ceasefire violations, the American president's tone started shifting. He published new online items, for example, urging Israel to show restraint — effectively trying to apply the 'Vladimir, stop' approach to a different crisis. Soon after, Trump spoke briefly to reporters at the White House, where his frustrations appeared to boil over. NBC News reported: Trump said that both Iran and Israel violated the ceasefire he announced yesterday. 'I think they both violated it,' he said. 'I'm not sure they did it intentionally. They couldn't reign people back. I don't like the fact that Israel went out this morning at all, and I'm going to see if I can stop it.' The Republican added, 'We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f--- they're doing. Do you understand that?' As part of the same Q&A, Trump accused both countries of behaving in a 'ridiculous' way. So to summarize, roughly half a day after the American president said the Israel-Iran ceasefire would likely 'go forever,' and there was no reason to believe Israel and Iran 'will ever be shooting at each other again,' Trump was reduced to dropping an f-bomb on the White House South Lawn as his frustrations boiled over. The point is not to chide the president for having a potty mouth. Rather, the point is that he really ought to understand by now that premature triumphalism is folly, and assuming the complexities of Middle East conflicts can be resolved through the force of his will is absurd. Or put another way, Trump is getting a timely lesson in 'Middle East crises are complicated,' which seems like the sort of thing he should've already known. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rachel Maddow: 'Sad' and 'small' Trump is now a 'laughingstock on the world stage'
After millions took to the streets this past weekend to protest against President Donald Trump's administration, Rachel Maddow said Trump has become a 'sad' and 'small' political figure. On Monday night's show, Maddow referenced the thousands of 'No Kings' protests that took place across the country Saturday and compared them with the apparently sparse showing at Trump's military parade, which occurred in Washington, D.C., on the same day. Maddow said the lack of attendance likely irked crowd-obsessed Trump, who she said was upset that 'nobody came to his $45 million military birthday party.' But, according to Maddow, Trump's diminishing profile isn't just a domestic issue. She said the president's early exit from the G7 summit on Monday made him a 'laughingstock on the world stage.' Maddow said the president was 'so embarrassing himself' at the summit, where, she claimed, he was being treated like 'Putin's intern.' Maddow then ticked through other areas where she argued the president had embarrassed himself in recent weeks, including his back-and-forth on tariffs, which she said has become a 'punchline.' Americans are watching Trump 'fail and flail over and over again,' Maddow said. 'So for a would-be strongman, he's not strong,' Maddow concluded. 'He's a remarkably weak and feckless political figure who is nevertheless trying to overthrow the American form of government while pushing incredibly unpopular policies and executing everything incredibly poorly with a laughingstock full of a terribly, terribly staffed administration and Cabinet.' According to Maddow, that's good news for Trump's opposition: 'Everybody against him is getting stronger and more confident; everybody with him is starting to get a little worried about how long they can stay with him.' 'The opposition against him is big, deep, growing and increasingly unstoppable,' Maddow said. Watch Maddow's full takedown of Trump in the clip above. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA lawmaker expresses concern over Trump admin's mass deportation agenda
Donald Trump's administration has sought to portray its immigration crackdown as immensely popular and opposed only by liberal extremists. But as it turns out, the disturbing scenes and stories of agents doggedly pursuing immigrants and deporting them with abandon is making even some of the president's staunch supporters queasy. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., expressed horror over the detention and potential deportation of a Venezuelan man named Gregory Sanabria, who human rights organizations say was tortured under Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro's regime. The Trump administration recently rescinded temporary protection for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans who came to the U.S. under a Biden-era program. And fears about what this could mean for communities where large numbers of these immigrants reside have caused some GOP lawmakers in these districts — such as Diaz-Balart — to essentially plead with the administration for mercy. 'I'm increasingly concerned with the growing cases of people in the United States who have fled oppressive regimes and are being detained and held for possible deportation. Cases like Sanabria's, and so many others with legitimate claims of persecution, require a thorough review,' Diaz-Balart wrote on X on Sunday while sharing his letter, which specifically asks Noem to 'judiciously review' Sanabria's case and expresses concern that he might be forced to live under the Maduro regime again. There's a growing trend of Trump supporters reckoning with the reality of his immigration agenda and being taken aback by its apparent disregard for immigrants' humanity. Podcaster Joe Rogan and boxer Ryan Garcia are two of the most prominent Trump-friendly voices who have denounced the president's mass deportation agenda. And other examples abound. Florida businessman Vincent Scardina, who said he voted for Trump last year, gained attention after he got choked up during an NBC News interview in which he explained the emotional toll inflicted by the detention of one-third of his workers. And last month, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a story about a couple who say they voted for Trump but are now outraged after their green card-holding son was placed in detention. Indeed, many of the president's critics predicted that his anti-immigrant agenda would have far-reaching impacts that stood a high chance of devastating many of his own supporters. Belatedly as it seems, some people are beginning to realize just how prescient those predictions were. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Joe Scarborough baffled by Pete Hegseth's ‘bumper sticker' answers on Israel-Iran conflict
Donald Trump abruptly left Canada and cut his trip to the G7 summit short on Monday, as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate. Following Trump's early departure, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did little to calm the nerves of Americans who may be concerned about the possibility of the United States military getting drawn in. During an appearance on Fox News on Monday night, Hegseth was asked about the president's position on the hostilities, which Hegseth said had 'not changed.' He added, 'What you're watching in real time is peace through strength and 'America First.'' He also said that America's job is 'to be strong.' 'We are postured defensively in the region, to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal,' Hegseth said. 'And we certainly hope that's what happens here. And 'America first' means we're going to defend American personnel and American interests.' The defense secretary's answer — or lack thereof — didn't impress Joe Scarborough, who called out Hegseth on Tuesday's 'Morning Joe' for offering the public slogans instead of substance. 'What did that mean?' Scarborough asked after playing a clip of Hegseth's remarks. 'It's like a couple bumper stickers. He could have just held up bumper stickers. I don't understand what that means.' Scarborough questioned how U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran could fit in with Trump's 'America First' agenda. After he told co-host Jonathan Lemire he was 'deeply confused' by Hegseth's remarks, Scarborough asked him for his interpretation. 'That was the secretary of defense speaking a lot of platitudes without a lot of meaning behind it,' Lemire answered. Watch Scarborough and Lemire's full exchange in the clip above. This article was originally published on
