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Warnock likens pro-Trump Christian leaders to those who used Scripture to defend slavery

Sen.Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., compared Christian leaders who say their faith supports President Donald Trump to religious people who justified slavery in America.

During an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper that aired Sunday, Warnock, who serves as the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, was asked several questions about how hisChristian faithinfluences his politics.

After saying he prayed for the president but didn't endorse his "ungodly" administration, Tapper asked the Democratic Senator what he thought about pastors who go to theWhite Houseto show their support for Trump and believe he was put in office with a divine purpose.

"There are a lot ofreligious leaderswho go to the White House and not only pray for the President, but make a show of suggesting that he was chosen by God for this mission," Tapper said.

Sen. Raphael Warnock speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Battleground Dem Candidate Linked Public Displays Of Faith To Political Violence In 2023 Speech

"Yeah, they're wrong," Warnock responded, before comparing these leaders to those who skewed Scripture to justify American slavery.

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"And there were Christians who thought that slavery was, you know, somehow God-like—American chattel slavery—and they justified it. And they used Scriptures to support their position," he continued. "It just so happens that I'm the product of a countervailing tradition that was literally born fighting for freedom. That understood that God didn't create us to be slaves. That's why the Black Church was emerged."

Warnock went on to say the Black Church was a church that began by "correcting the American heresy that somehow tried to reconcile the faith of Jesus to slavery."

During the interview, Warnock said he prayed for Trump because he needed "a lot of prayer."

U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a Cabinet meeting in the White House Cabinet Room

Speaker Johnson Uses Bible To Justify Secured Borders After Being Asked About Pope's Rhetoric On Migrants

He also said the president needed to be held accountable for his "bigotry" and "cruelty that he is unleashing on American streets through his version of ICE."

"I have to be honest about what he's doing," he told Tapper. "His kind of unabashed, unvarnished bigotry; the cruelty that he is unleashing on American streets through his version of ICE. Those things have to be condemned. And so, for me, prayer and prophetic speech, which holds power accountable—those two things go hand-in-hand. I am not about to be the chaplain, blessing that which is ungodly and unjust."

Tapper also pressed Warnock on how he responds to conservative parishioners at his church who disagree with hispolitical views on immigration and abortion.

Senator Raphael Warnock standing in the Senate Subway of the US Capitol

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"I'm sure you encounter quite a bit, African American members of your church, Baptists who are more socially conservative than you, who say, 'I'm with you on the hunger, I'm with you on the kindness, but Laken Riley was murdered by an undocumented immigrant and I see nothing compassionate about having him in this country,'" Tapper said. "Or they talk about abortion, or other things that maybe are not in line with your politics."

"How do you confront that?" he asked.

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"Oh, we're Baptist," Warnock responded, before saying he welcomes a variety of viewpoints at his church .

"We could all use a little bit more grace these days," he added. "Grace for people who don't share our point of view."

When reached for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital that, "President Trump made a campaign promise to fight for religious freedom, and he has quickly secured major, commonsense victories for people of faith – from restoring biological truth to protecting parents' fundamental rights and keeping men out of women's sports."

Original article source:Warnock likens pro-Trump Christian leaders to those who used Scripture to defend slavery

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April 05, 2026

Warnock likens pro-Trump Christian leaders to those who used Scripture to defend slavery

Sen.Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., compared Christian leaders who say their faith supports President Donald Trump to religious p...

Frenchman executed by China for drug trafficking

A French citizen convicted of drug trafficking has beenexecutedin China after being kept on death row for more than 15 years.

Chan Thao Phoumy, 62, was executed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, despite French authorities' clemency appeals, the French foreign ministry said.

Chan, born in Guangzhou but later a naturalised ‌French citizen, was one ⁠of 89 suspects arrested in 2005 for drug trafficking before being jailed for ⁠life in 2007.

He was handed the death penalty in 2010 by a court in his home town for his role in a 100 million yuan (£11m) ‌drug operation that made, transported and dealt crystal methamphetamine in ⁠China.

China's ⁠threshold for the death penalty is 50g (1.8oz) of heroin or methamphetamine.

The ministry's statement expressed "consternation" and added: "We particularly regret that Mr Chan's defence did not have access to the final court hearing, which constitutes a violation of his rights."

"We extend our condolences to his family, whose grief we share," it said.

In a short statement that did not mention Chan by name, the Chinese embassy in Paris said that China "treats defendants of all nationalities equally, handles all cases impartially and strictly in accordance with the law".

France abolished the death penalty in 1981, and has become a vigorous campaigner against its use and for its abolition everywhere.

China's use of executions – carried out by firing squads or lethal injections – is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive. Amnesty International says China is the world's leading executioner, believed to sentence and put to death thousands of people annually.

In December, Chinaexecuted a former senior bankerfor accepting £116m in bribes in a corruption purge by Xi Jinping, the president.

Bai Tianhui, the former general manager of the asset management firm China Huarong International Holdings, was killed in the northern city of Tianjin.

According to prosecutors, Bai abused his position in the state-owned offshore investment company between 2014 and 2018, having accepted a "huge amount" of bribes totalling 1.1 billion yuan.

Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.

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April 05, 2026

Frenchman executed by China for drug trafficking

A French citizen convicted of drug trafficking has beenexecutedin China after being kept on death row for more than 15 ye...

Toddler injured by wolf at Zoo America after crawling under a fence to enclosure

A child sustained minor injuries Saturday morning after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approaching a wolf enclosure.

The entrance to Zoo America is seen outside (Zoo America)

The unsupervised 18-month-old breached the park's perimeter fencing and made their way to the wolves' primary metal enclosure, according to a statement from Zoo America, where the child reached their hand through the barrier.

"A wolf approached and made contact with the child's hand," the zoo said. "This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression."

At no point was the toddler ever inside the wolf's enclosure, according to Zoo America's review of the incident.

Zoo America did not indentify the family. Details of the injuries were not provided, though the zoo described them as minor.

Zoo America said that the safety of its visitors is a top priority but that guests are also expected to "remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times."

"Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing," it said.

Zoo America is part of the Hersheypark amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The sprawling entertainment campus boasts being the largest amusement park in the U.S. and includes its theme park, zoo, and boardwalk.

The zoo is accredited by the Association Of Zoos And Aquariums and has a dedicated conservation effort. It participates in the Species Survival Plan program, which works to foster sustainable and genetically diverse population of specifically designated species.

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April 05, 2026

Toddler injured by wolf at Zoo America after crawling under a fence to enclosure

A child sustained minor injuries Saturday morning after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approac...

'Brady Bunch' star Eve Plumb reveals teen date with on-screen brother Christopher Knight

A very "Brady Bunch" indeed…

Eve Plumb revealed she once went on a failed date with her on-screen "Brady Bunch" brother Christopher Knight.

After the sitcom ended, Plumb, who played middle sister Jan Brady, and Knight, who played middle brother Peter Brady, tried to go on a date, but it turned into an amorous bungle.

Eve Plumb said she went on a date with her TV brother, Christopher Knight, after

Plumb played Jan Brady, and Knight played Peter Brady on the show, which ran from 1969 to 1974. Courtesy Everett Collection

"It was sweet," the actress, 67, told Page Six in a recent exclusive interview. "It was fun, but we were really already by that time just too good of friends to make that transition into being romantic partners."

In her upcoming memoir, "Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond," the actress writes that "any attempts at making out that evening ended with laughter and resignation that we'd always be sister and brother, even in real life."

And that "sibling" bond continues.

Plumb said the date with Knight, seen here in 2022, was

The duo quickly realized that they would not become a couple. Courtesy Everett Collection

Knight and Plumb, seen here in 2022, remained friends and have monthly Zoom chats. Getty Images

"We've stayed friends to this day," she shared.

So much so that Plumb and her husband have a monthly Zoom call with Knight and his wife.

"We're due for one now," Plumb noted, explaining that it started during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued.

Plumb said she was busy shooting the TV movie,

Plumb was already a seasoned child actress when she won the role of Jan in the sitcom, which ran from 1969 to 1974 and spawned a spate of TV spinoffs, specials and two movies.

Jan's "middle-child" issues, like feeling overshadowed by older sister Marcia (played by Maureen McCormick), which prompted the now-famous whiny, petulant catchphrase, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" made her character maybe the most memorable of the six siblings.

Plumb did not appear in the short-lived spinoff series "The Brady Bunch Hour," which ran for only nine episodes. Geri Reischl filled in for Jan, leading many fans to believe Plumb disliked being associated with the sitcom — something she said is not true.

She did, however, take part in the 1981 short-lived spinoff,

Plumb, photographed in 2025, is also a painter. Getty Images for Disney

"At the time, I was shooting [the TV movie] 'Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway,' and decided that I would continue to try other avenues," she revealed.

Although, she did take part in the short-lived sitcom, "The Brady Brides," which saw Jan and Marcia sharing a house, both as newlyweds.

Plumb acknowledged that, as a child actress, she was lucky to have a stable home life and parents who encouraged her and meticulously looked after her earnings.

The former child star spoke to Page Six while promoting her new memoir. Page Six

She said she earned "enough" from the sitcom, "but it wasn't ever a lot of money, and so it was invested, and I didn't have to get a day job, which was fortunate."

Plumb has continued working and also has another career as an accomplished painter, which hasspawned a lifestyle brand.

The "Brady Brides" alum said she likes painting because "it's something that I have complete control over about when I do it, what I'm doing, how I do it, and it's fun!"

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April 05, 2026

‘Brady Bunch’ star Eve Plumb reveals teen date with on-screen brother Christopher Knight

A very "Brady Bunch" indeed… Eve Plumb revealed she once went on a failed date with her on-screen ...

Pepsi pulls music festival sponsorship amid backlash to Ye performance

Pepsi has pulled out of sponsoring anupcoming music festivalin London amid growing backlash over the involvement ofYe, the controversial rapper formerly known asKanye West.

A Pepsi spokesperson confirmed in a statement provided to USA TODAY on April 5, "Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival." The move came days after the announcement that Ye will headline all three days of the festival, which is scheduled to take place this July in London.

The booking sparked swift criticism given the widespread backlash Ye has faced in recent years for his racist and antisemitic comments, including saying he loves Adolf Hitler, identifies as a Nazi and planned to go "death con 3 on" Jewish people. In 2022,major brandscut ties with the rapper over his antisemitic statements. Since then, Ye has continued stirring outrage and in 2025 released a song titled "Heil Hitler."

Kanye West attends the Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.

USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Ye for comment.

The Wireless Festival will be held at Finsbury Park in London from July 10 to July 12. Festival organizers previously said that Ye's "UK comeback will be an extraordinary chapter in Wireless's story,"per the BBC. The rapper last performed in the U.K. in 2015.

Prior to Pepsi's statement,U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmertold theBritish tabloid The Sunit is "deeply concerning" that Ye has been booked to perform at the festival "despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism."

Starmer added, "Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe."

Ye to headline Wireless Festival:The announcement came after his recent apology for antisemitic remarks

The charity Campaign Against Antisemitism also condemned Ye's planned performance and called on Starmer to prevent the rapper from entering the U.K. in a statement provided to USA TODAY.

Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house, cut ties with the star after he made antisemitic remarks.

Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.