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Martina McBride called a 'coward' after dropping out of America 250 celebration
Martina McBride is facing backlash after pulling out of the Great American State Fair after claiming she was misled when agreeing to perform.
On Thursday, McBride shared a lengthy post on her social media accounts, announcing the news. "I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th," she wrote.
The "Independence Day" singer went on to write that she was "presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event" and the upcoming show "turned out to be misleading."
She emphasized thoroughly throughout her statement that she was informed it was a "nonpartisan event" that would be celebrating "all 50 states."
TRUMP-BACKED MEGA EVENT TO BRING ALL 50 STATES TO DC IN WORLD’S FAIR-STYLE BASH
McBride believed the Great American State Fair was "a bigger version" of other state fairs she's performed at over the years, but "things started changing."
"I’ve spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real issues. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one," McBride added.
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"It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs."
Social media lit up after McBride shared her statement.
"Coward. It's the 250th birthday of America it's not political. Never cave to the woke mob. You just did," one user wrote on X.
Another added, "I admired you. I thought better of you. You bowed down to pressure when pushback came. Sad. Yuck."
"Wow. So you got pushback from people who were NEVER your fans to begin with, and you caved. You aren’t brave. You aren’t standing up for anyone. You’re a coward. Shame on you @martinamcbride," a third wrote.
A few social media users pointed out that in 2009, McBride performed at the White House during a special concert honoring Stevie Wonder. The event was hosted by then President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
"Martina McBride says she WON’T perform for America’s 250th celebration because Trump is President and she doesn’t want to be ‘political.’ Meanwhile, Here she is performing at the White House for President Obama. Another hypocritical fraud," the user wrote on X, including a video of her 2009 performance.
Another user wrote, "@martinamcbride is a has-been, who became famous and wealthy because of the people in the USA. She performed for Obama in 2009 and can’t find it in herself to be honest that she’s cancelled for the June event because she doesn’t support or like the current @potus."
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Bret Michaels, Young MC, Morris Day and the Time, and C+C Music Factory have also pulled out of the Great American State Fair. Rappers Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice are still scheduled to perform.
The Great American State Fair is a large-scale national celebration being held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., stretching from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument. The event runs from June 25 through July 10, 2026, as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration (America 250).
McBride is a Grammy-nominated country music singer, songwriter, and author. With a career spanning more than three decades, she has earned numerous awards and chart-topping hits, including "Independence Day," "A Broken Wing," and "This One's for the Girls." Widely recognized as one of country music's most influential female artists, McBride is celebrated for her inspiring music and advocacy for women and families.
'Yellowstone' spinoff 'Dutton Ranch' shocks viewers with brutal episode, fans go crazy
"Dutton Ranch" fans were hit with an absolutely brutal episode Friday.
The "Yellowstone" spinoff follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they try to build a new life in Texas.
It's been an immediate hit with fans of Taylor Sheridan's original saga, and it's putting up monster viewership numbers on Paramount+.
The gritty series is simply exceptional, and the latest episode perfectly captures what makes it outstanding.
TAYLOR SHERIDAN'S NEW 'YELLOWSTONE' SPINOFF 'DUTTON RANCH' SETS RATINGS RECORD WITH PREMIERE
*WARNING: THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS BELOW*
Episode dropped Friday on Paramount+, and it picked up right where episode three ended:
Rip and Beth face total disaster after their herd is found to have foot-and-mouth disease.
'DUTTON RANCH' STAR SHARES INCREDIBLE BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT EXPLOSIVE 'YELLOWSTONE' SPINOFF
It's a death sentence not just for the cattle, but possibly for the dreams they brought with them from Montana.
Rip gathers up the men, and they shoot the entire herd in what can only be described as a brutally dark and emotional scene. You could feel the pain and bleakness of the event with every round fired at the animals doomed to death.
It was every bit as shocking as it was sad. There's also a little more that unfolded in that story arc, but let's not spoil everything for anyone not caught up.
Fans were also quick to fire away (no pun intended) with reactions on Reddit. Check out some below:
Talk about an emotionally devastating ride. Just gut-wrenching start to finish, and the closing moments with Rip will crush any hard-working man. Now, we sit and wait to see what comes next. Let me know your predictions at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.
Spanberger ripped over ignored ICE detainer after illegal alien with 18 prior charges accused of sex assault
An illegal alien with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested on sex crime charges in Virginia after a federal immigration enforcement detainer request could have seen him deported from the United States.
Cristobal Liobardo Vasquez-Sanchez, 25, a Salvadoran national, racked up 14 criminal charges this year alone before his May 22 arrest on charges of sexual battery and object sexual penetration by force. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had previously issued a detainer for Vasquez-Sanchez, but that request was denied.
At the direction of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia ended state agency cooperation with ICE and has demanded judicial warrants where immigration experts say such warrants are wholly irrelevant.
Just days before Vasquez-Sanchez's alleged sexual assault, Spanberger issued an executive order adding further roadblocks for federal immigration officers to operate in the state.
SEXUAL PREDATORS, DRUG TRAFFICKERS AMONG ICE'S 'WORST OF THE WORST' ROUNDUP IN VIRGINIA
Local reports say that Vasquez-Sanchez came across his victim in a parking garage stairwell in Arlington, where the alleged assault occurred. The victim was able to run away and find help, and the suspect fled but was later captured.
In January, Vasquez-Sanchez was arrested and booked on a violation of pretrial release conditions while he was out on bond stemming from another crime. The following month, he was charged with larceny.
On April 15, he was arrested and charged with public intoxication, assault and battery and assault on a law enforcement officer. Five days later, he was again arrested on a violation of pretrial release conditions.
Between April 26 and May 19, he was charged with public intoxication four times. Stemming from the May 19 incident, he was also charged with disorderly conduct and fleeing from law enforcement.
On Dec. 31, 2025, he was charged with larceny, and on July 19, 2026, he was charged with assault and battery, destruction of property with intent and public intoxication.
Despite the litany of charges, Vasquez-Sanchez was never detained pretrial, and instead released back onto the street each time.
ICE has now lodged another detainer against the suspect.
"Governor Spanberger’s decision to end cooperation with ICE in Virginia has allowed criminals to be released back into American communities. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers need to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities," Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.
"While Governor Spanberger continues to allow the release of pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto Virginia’s streets, DHS law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals."
But Spanberger's office says the state does support deporting violent criminals.
"Governor Spanberger has repeatedly made clear that violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported. Under the Governor’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody — however, this individual is in local custody," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"Virginia state law enforcement agencies also continue to assist federal authorities in the apprehension of criminal offenders as part of task forces and ongoing interagency cooperation. As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia families and communities."
Lawsuit accuses GKN Aerospace of negligence, trespass after Memorial Day chemical evacuation in California
The aerospace company at the center of a chemical emergency that forced thousands of California residents to flee from their homes over the Memorial Day weekend is facing another lawsuit.
The lawsuit contends that United Kingdom-based GKN Aerospace engaged in negligence, trespass and nuisance, alleging it failed to maintain safety protocols despite prior regulatory warnings and a history of environmental violations.
The legal action, among dozens of others, came after a malfunctioning storage tank containing flammable methyl methacrylate overheated and became compromised, prompting evacuation orders across parts of several Orange County, California, cities during the holiday weekend.
A crack unexpectedly formed in the tank, relieving pressure and helping avert a catastrophic explosion, which allowed most evacuees to return home, officials said at the time.
The plaintiffs' "trespass" claim is particularly notable, arguing that the chemical vapors, odors and airborne contaminants migrating into their community constituted an invasion of their property.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensation and punitive damages for emotional distress, the temporary loss of property use and the long-term diminution of property value caused by chemical stigma.
During the emergency, authorities ordered some 50,000 people living in parts of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove — where the GKN facility has been located since 1966 — Stanton and Westminster to leave their homes.
DISNEYLAND REMAINS OPEN AS EVACUATION ZONE SHRINKS AROUND CHEMICAL TANK SCARE
President Donald Trump granted a federal emergency declaration on Monday in response to the incident.
The lawsuit claims that GKN "consciously disregarded the rights and safety of Plaintiffs and other nearby residents by failing to implement, fund, maintain, inspect, repair, and enforce adequate safety systems despite the known risks associated with MMA and the facility's hazardous materials operations."
The Garden Grove facility, which manufactures windows and canopies for commercial and military aircraft, as well as spacecraft, had a prior regulatory history concerning environmental and air quality compliance, the lawsuit states. Specifically, it points to a reported 2025 settlement involving air quality violations that resulted in a substantial civil penalty.
"Plaintiffs are informed and believe that this prior history placed Defendants on additional notice that their hazardous materials operations required strict compliance, careful monitoring, and conservative safety practices," the complaint states.
Exposure to MMA can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological issues and irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
At least 44 lawsuits have been filed related to the incident, the Orange County Register reported.
Fox News Digital has reached out to GKN for comment.
In a statement issued earlier in the week, the company apologized for the emergency.
"I recognize how challenging this has been, particularly over the Memorial Day holiday," said GKN Senior Vice President Steve Carlin, who oversees the Garden Grove site's programs. "We are committed to understanding what occurred and identifying ways we can support those affected."
Disney accuses Trump's FCC of attempting to 'suppress speech' with license renewal investigation
Disney and ABC attacked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday for attempting to "suppress speech" through its early license renewal order for local stations.
In a license renewal application for WABC-TV in New York, the company noted that the process was done "under protest in response to an unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional" order given by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr last month.
Though Carr has claimed the order was done as part of an ongoing investigation into Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, Disney and ABC maintained that it was meant to stifle broadcast stations through bureaucracy.
ABC FIRES BACK AT FCC PROBE OF 'THE VIEW,' CALLS OUT AGENCY'S 'CHILLING EFFECT ON FIRST AMENDMENT'
"The Order is inconsistent with a legitimate exercise of investigative authority and is plainly incompatible with the First Amendment," the filing said. "Worse, the Order opens the door to an assault on the Station’s license, while the Commission searches for a legal pretext to achieve its desired goal. This effort to suppress speech under the guise of bureaucratic process must not prevail."
The filing cited Trump administration officials, including Carr, repeatedly attacking ABC as evidence that the early renewal order, despite the Disney-owned stations' licenses not being up for several years, was a targeted coercion effort.
"Simultaneously forcing every station in a media company’s portfolio to file premature license renewal applications is not a regulatory tool. It is an extraordinary demonstration of power and coercion directed at disfavored editorial voices, which sends a clear warning to every broadcaster in America. This is a threat to the First Amendment that this Commission and this proceeding must not be permitted to normalize," the filing read.
DISNEY UNDER FIRE AS ABC GRAPPLES WITH ANOTHER JIMMY KIMMEL CONTROVERSY
The company also referenced FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez's letter to Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro earlier this month accusing the Trump administration of launching a "censorship" campaign against ABC.
"The ultimate injury here is not to the Station or its parent company. It is to the public. When a broadcaster must weigh regulatory retaliation before making editorial decisions, the public loses access to journalism that is free from government influence. The Order—both on its own terms and as a signal to other broadcasters—advances exactly that result. A press that edits itself to avoid government displeasure is not a free press. The Commission should not be the instrument of that outcome," the filing read.
In an X post, Carr pushed back against the allegations that the FCC ordered early license renewals "for no reason" or to suppress speech.
"The FCC has been investigating Disney for over a year now after reports surfaced alleging that it had been discriminating against people based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics in violation of federal nondiscrimination laws," Carr wrote.
He continued, "The allegations include concerns about Disney hiring, promoting, compensating, and providing or denying workplace opportunities based on protected characteristics. Disney only filed these applications to renew their ABC broadcast licenses after the FCC informed the company that their responses to the agency's investigation had been disingenuous, deficient, and improper."
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Carr added, "If Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination, if it failed to operate its ABC broadcast stations in the public interest as required by their FCC licenses, they will be held accountable."
Carr ordered eight Disney-owned ABC affiliates to file for early license renewal to prove that they have been operating in the public interest. The order came after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made a joke referring to first lady Melania Trump as an "expectant widow" just days before an armed assailant stormed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.
Umpire Dan Bellino's baffling foul tip call on Seiya Suzuki renews calls for robot review in MLB
It is probably time to bring in the robots to police MLB umpires missing foul tips.
Late in Thursday night's Cubs-Pirates game with home plate umpire Dan Bellino, who has 15 years of MLB service, made one of the most baffling foul tip calls you're ever going to see.
With the count 2-1 on Seiya Suzuki, Pirates pitcher Yohan Ramirez delivered an off-speed pitch off the inside of the plate that had Suzuki nearly offering at it before pulling the bat back.
"Strike!" Bellino says, to which Suzuki instantly pleads that he didn't tip the ball. Bellino will hear nothing of the sort. Strike it is.
Replay shows that Suzuki's bat was easily a foot above the ball when it crossed the plate. But, because foul tips aren't reviewable, the count stood at 2-2. "Oh god, not even close," a Cubs announcer could be heard saying on the team's broadcast. "Foul tip, Craig," Bellino could be heard over a field mic as the Cubs skipper, Craig Counsell, voiced his displeasure from the dugout.
On the next pitch, Suzuki struck out. Inning over.
Why aren't foul tips reviewable? That's a great question that MLB might have to answer for down the road. If calls at bases can be reviewed, balls and strikes can be reviewed and fan interference on home runs can go to the video team, what makes the difference in this case?
Umpires in Nationals-Mets game seemingly forget the rules, causing extra-innings delay
Ryan Clark says NFL players supporting Trump is more polarizing than supporting Obama
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark says we cannot compare Jaxson Dart's introduction of President Trump to athletes who supported, say, Barack Obama.
According to Clark, it's different.
"Let’s be honest. Who you supported in 2008, 2012 is nowhere near as polarizing as who you support today," Clark said on his podcast.
"[Trump] has clearly picked a side, [and] standing next to him gives the impression that you have to. Which means you stand in direct opposition to the majority of your teammates," Clark continued.
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Clark acknowledged that Abdul Carter "should have handled things differently," but added that his "disappointment is understandable."
Polling data does show that Trump's presidency has, in fact, contributed to the nation's divide. I don't dispute that. However, the same can be said about Obama's presidency.
For Clark to describe 2008 and 2012 as if they were not politically divisive times reflects a serious misunderstanding of the era.
The same applies to his claim that Trump has "picked a side."
All politicians pick a side. That's part of the job. And if Clark is referring to race when he suggests Trump "stands in opposition" to most of the NFL, that argument is also based on faulty logic.
JAXSON DART FACES MORE BACKLASH FOR INTRODUCING TRUMP THAN NFL PLAYERS FACE FOR VIOLENT CRIMES
OutKick founder Clay Travis responded to Clark's comments on X.
"Trump had record-high Black male voting support, roughly one in four, and won Hispanic and white men. A majority of NFL players who voted likely supported him too. Almost all coaches and owners voted Trump. Yet sports media has spent a full week attacking Dart. Shameful and dishonest," Travis posted.
Clay also argued that sports media is disconnected from society at large because it so disproportionately supported Kamala Harris.
"Sports media voted 90-10 for Kamala. They hate athletes who support Trump in public. But what the majority chooses is not controversial. Period. Trump won the popular vote and an electoral landslide. You may not like him, but supporting him in public isn’t remotely controversial," he added.
More broadly, the fact that Clark spent this much time seriously dissecting Dart simply for introducing the sitting president tells you all you need to know.
Where is this level of scrutiny for Packers running back Josh Jacobs, who faces allegations of strangling and suffocating a woman? Or for the many active NFL players who have been arrested for committing violent crimes?
Simply put, Jaxson Dart did not create this controversy. Abdul Carter and members of the sports media did.
And the idea that publicly supporting Obama is acceptable while publicly supporting Trump is somehow beyond the pale speaks to the double standard that critics like Clark continue to apply.
House Republican Don Bacon says he wants 'pariah state' Russia booted from UN Security Council
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who has repeatedly referred to Russia as a "pariah state," reiterated his call for the United Nations Security Council to remove Russia from the panel.
"The United Nations General Assembly should vote on removing the Russians from the Security Council. Russia is a pariah state and should be treated that way," Bacon asserted in a Friday post on X.
The Russian Federation is one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
ISRAEL ACCUSES UN OF PLACING IT ON SAME SEXUAL VIOLENCE BLACKLIST AS HAMAS TERRORISTS, SEVERS TIES
The other permanent members include the U.S., the United Kingdom, China and France.
In a February 2022 post on X, Bacon wrote, "It is obscene reality that Russia now Chairs the UN Security Council. We should kick the Russians out of as many international organizations and forums as possible. Russia is a pariah state and should be treated as such."
In a December 2023 post, he declared, "The United Nations is an embarrassment with Russia sitting on the Security Council. Russia invaded its neighbor and is committing crimes against humanity. Kick Russia off the Security Council."
DRONE STRIKES APARTMENT BUILDING IN NATO MEMBER ROMANIA AS RUSSIA ATTACKS NEIGHBORING UKRAINE
Bacon wants the U.S. to provide more military assistance to Ukraine.
"Russia is losing on the battlefield and in the Black Sea. Its economy is in tatters. All it can do is bomb Ukrainian cities and civilians. This is why we must pass Russian sanctions and military aid to Ukraine. The House will vote on this in two weeks," he declared in a Sunday post on X.
PENTAGON SLASHES NATO COMBAT COMMITMENTS AS TRUMP PUSHES EUROPE TO DEFEND ITSELF
The lawmaker, who has served in Congress since early 2017, announced last year that he would not run for re-election in 2026.
Five artists President Donald Trump should call to perform at Freedom 250 concert this summer
With the news that musical acts like Marina McBride and Bret Michaels have pulled out of performing at the Freedom 250 concert this summer, the White House is likely scrambling to find artists to fill the void.
I mean, seriously, how could you ever replace a guy who had three seasons of "Rock of Love" air on VH1?
Fear not, everyone, for I have procured a list of five ready-made, blockbuster acts who would not only be happy to oblige to Donald Trump's requests to rock the nation for its 250th birthday, but would absolutely bring the house down in the process.
Not everyone on this list is an unabashed Trump supporter, but they all certainly have a love for their country and wouldn't mind getting that phone call to take the stage at Freedom 250.
TRUMP LAUNCHES MASSIVE ‘FREEDOM 250’ PUSH TO IGNITE AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Let's start with a fairly obvious one, as The American Badass hasn't exactly been shy about giving the one-finger salute to whiny liberals all across the country.
The man known as Robbie Ritchie was the centerpiece to conservative group Turning Point USA's alternative Super Bowl Halftime show, so he's no stranger to putting his name on something politically charged.
I'd pay good money to see Kid Rock call Trump up on stage to help him out with "Bawitdaba," which I'm sure would break the internet in the process.
TURNING POINT USA'S PATRIOTIC SUPER BOWL ALTERNATIVE EARNS PRAISE AS MILLIONS TUNE IN OVER BAD BUNNY
If the White House is looking for a good replacement to some of the performers who dropped out of next month's festivities, Kid Rock needs to be near the top of their list.
One guy who definitely isn't afraid to speak his mind when it comes to a bevy of different topics is Megadeth frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine.
The strawberry-maned metalhead has said in the past that he is politically homeless, but has also expressed admiration for Donald Trump as both a politician and a businessman and was also famously anti-Hillary throughout the 2016 election when that kind of thing landed you in some blistering hot water in Hollywood.
I'm sure Mustaine would jump at the opportunity to play an event as big as Freedom 250, if only for the added bonus of having it to hold over the heads of his rivals James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Lars Ulrich of Metallica.
Megadeth ripping through a rousing rendition of "Hangar 18" as fireworks fly and fighter jets blaze overhead would be absolute cinema, so I need this to happen ASAP.
We couldn't have all rock and metal acts without having a little rap flavor added to the mix, right?
NELLY LOOKING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP TO 'STEP UP, SERVE, AND LIFT US ALL' AFTER RAPPER FACED BACKLASH
Many people might think Nicki Minaj would be the obvious choice, what with her public backing of the Trump administration recently, but I wanted to go with a different member of Young Money.
I'm not even sure what Lil Wayne's political affiliation is these days, but I do know he has largely shied away from some of the leftist talking points many of his rap brethren have been all too eager to spout since time immemorial.
There is also the presidential pardon Trump issued to Wayne back in 2021, when he was facing up to 10 years in prison thanks to a weapons charge.
Mr. Carter would probably love to return the favor to Trump for keeping him out of the slammer, and I can't think of a better way than serenading America with a live performance of "Lollipop."
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past two decades, you'll know that KISS frontman and bassist Gene Simmons is both an unwavering conservative and friend of President Trump, so it would make sense to have The Hottest Band in the Land rock the White House at Freedom 250.
There's usually three or four other members that have to sign off on things like this, but luckily for KISS fans, the other band members basically does everything Simmons and fellow frontman Paul Stanley tell them to, and if they don't comply, the Demon and Starchild can just find someone else to go along with the plan.
Stanley isn't a conservative, per se, but he has accepted honors from Trump in the past, so I'm sure he would be on board.
Could you imagine "KISS: Alive V From The White House" getting recorded at Freedom 250?
That album would go triple platinum before you could even blink!
GENE SIMMONS TELLS AMERICANS TO 'SHUT UP AND STOP WORRYING' ABOUT POLITICS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS
This was probably the most obvious one on the list, considering Ted Nugent's hardcore right-wing leanings and his "don't-give-a-damn" attitude.
The more it pisses people off that he's doing this, the more likely the Motor City Madman is to accept the invite.
Nugent is probably the only guy who has taken more swipes at Barack Obama than Trump has himself, so he would probably be in for Freedom 250 before even picking up the phone.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
If Trump and Co. want one, sure-fire addition to their concert lineup that won't flake out on them because of public backlash, Uncle Ted is that guy.
He could run through plenty of his solo catalog like "Stranglehold" and "Cat Scratch Fever," and if he really wanted to stretch his set out into full-blown arena headliner status, he could call some of his fellow Damn Yankees bandmates Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades (both reported closet conservatives) to put on a little impromptu reunion show.
I've been to a Ted Nugent concert before and it is both electric and politically incorrect, a perfect combo to help ring in America's 250th birthday.
Pope Leo meets with Chicago's far-left mayor, George Floyd's family lawyer at the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV met with Chicago's far-left mayor Brandon Johnson as the mayor led a Chicago delegation that included George Floyd family lawyer Antonio Romanucci in a Thursday trip to the Vatican.
Johnson gifted Pope Leo with an array of apparel from Chicago, including a Chicago Cubs hat.
Joining Johnson in the delegation were a number of political, spiritual and business leaders from Chicago, including Antonio Romanucci, according to CBS News.
Romanucci served as co-counsel to Ben Crump as attorneys for George Floyd's family in their record lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng.
WHITE SOX INSTALLING POPE LEO XIV GRAPHIC NEAR HIS 2005 WORLD SERIES SEAT
Also present in the delegation were multiple city aldermen, president of the Chicago Teachers Union Stacy Davis Gates and United Airlines director Kristopher Anderson, in addition to more than 40 other leaders.
Pope Leo, a noted fan of Chicago's other baseball team, the White Sox, refused to don the Cubs hat, joking that he was already wearing a hat, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
During the visit, Johnson also presented Pope Leo with a key to Chicago and an invitation to visit Chicago, the city in which the Pope was born and raised, FOX 32 reported.
Johnson recounted the day — Oct. 5, 1979 — that Pope John Paul II visited Chicago and officiated Holy Mass in Chicago's Grant Park, a day he called "the most spiritually inspiring day in Chicago history" in a letter to Pope Leo.
Johnson invited Pope Leo to officiate a Holy Mass in Grant Park again in 2027.
"Your Holiness, you were a young priest-in-training at the time. Perhaps you were there. Perhaps you would consider a repeat Papal visit nearly 50 years later to share your own message of hope, unity and service," he wrote.
The mayor's office also conveyed their wishes to work with the Pope on political issues, offering up a series of gifts that stressed the mayor's political priorities.
The mayor offered Pope Leo letters from families of detained immigrants, a pin from the Southwest Community ICE Watch, a sanctuary city pin and a hat reading "Immigrants Make America Greater" from the Chicago Sister Cities International program, FOX 32 reported.