The world mourns Pope Francis’ death
Happy Monday! Rebecca Morin here.
World leaders react to Pope Francis’ death
“A good man.” “The most consequential leaders of our time.” “The rare leader who made us want to be better people.” United States leaders and leaders across the globe mourned the death of Pope Francis, 88, on Easter Monday following a lengthy bout of double pneumonia. President Donald Trump, speaking during the White House egg roll, paid respects to the pope, saying he “he loved the world.” He also ordered U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the pontiff. Former President Joe Biden, a Catholic, also honored the pope. See what world leaders said.
- Vice President JD Vance shared his condolences, which came a day after he met with the pope in the Vatican. Vance, a Catholic convert who tussled with Francis in the past over immigration, said "my heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.”
- In a world quickly turning against migrants, Argentina-born Pope Francis, the Catholic Church's first Latin American pope, traveled to Juarez, Mexico, to bless them. As the number of displaced people worldwide surged and conservative views took root, Francis never stopped standing up for migrants.
- At the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, President Trump said his administration is "bringing religion back in America" just hours after the death of Pope Francis.
A politics pit stop
- A landlord says her mail wasn't delivered because she is Black. Supreme Court to weigh in.
- Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of breaking one-day Easter ceasefire.
- Virginia's 2025 governor race is set. What to know about the high stakes election.
- Judge orders transgender passports despite 'irrational' Trump policy.
- Iran, US hold talks in Rome in bid to reach nuclear deal.
Hegseth’s second Signal chat
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under scrutiny once again. Hegseth shared the timing of U.S. air strikes on Houthi rebels with his wife and brother on Signal, an encrypted commercial messaging app, according to several reports. President Trump is standing behind Hegseth, while the Defense secretary dismissed the reports as "anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees." What to know about the second Signal chat.
More Democrats travel to El Salvador to push for Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release
Democrats’ fight to get Kilmar Abrego Garcia home isn’t over. Four House Democrats, Reps. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., and Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., traveled to El Salvador on Monday to demand the return of Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father who was wrongly deported by the Trump administration. Their trip comes on the heels of Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s journey to El Salvador last week, where he met with Abrego Garcia, who had been transferred from the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, to a prison with better conditions. Follow today’s updates.
- Van Hollen says he's 'vouching for the man's rights'.
- GOP senator knocks Abrego Garcia deportation.
- El Salvador proposes swapping US-deported Venezuelans for 'political prisoners'.
- Venezuelans ask Supreme Court to keep blocking their deportations.
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