Planned Parenthood has long been synonymous with abortion, profiting from the violent destruction of preborn children. But now, the nation&#8217;s largest abortion chain has added another sinister revenue stream — mutilating young people in the name of “gender-affirming care.” It is past time for Congress to cut off the more than half a billion dollars in taxpayer funding that Planned Parenthood receives annually. Americans should not be forced to subsidize an organization that ends the life of preborn babies and irreversibly harms confused young people.
Planned Parenthood’s <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/report-details-planned-parenthood-record-abortions-funding/">total revenue</a> for 2023-24 was $2.03B, nearly the same as the previous fiscal year of 2022-23 at $2.05B. They took in a staggering $498 million just in donations in 2022 — and instead of improving the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/planned-parenthood-clinics.html">horrific conditions</a> inside its clinics, it funneled much of it into advancing its radical political and legal agenda. In 2024 alone, the abortion giant spent <a href="https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/pressroom/statement-from-planned-parenthood-action-fund-on-presidential-election-results#:~:text=Planned%20Parenthood%20advocacy%20and%20political%20organizations%20made%20a%20record%2Dbreaking%20%2469.5%20million%20investment%20during%20the%202024%20election%20cycle.">$69.5 million</a> to defeat pro-life Republican candidates and policies.
<h3>Abortion: The Business of Death</h3>
According to its 2023-2024 <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/report-details-planned-parenthood-record-abortions-funding/">annual report,</a> Planned Parenthood performed 402,230 abortions in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year. This breaks down to an average of 1,102 daily abortions, nearly 46 hourly, and one every 78 seconds Its business model revolves around ending innocent lives, and they are unapologetic about it. The science is clear: from the moment of fertilization, a unique human life begins. Yet Planned Parenthood treats preborn children as disposable. Their so-called &#8220;care&#8221; consists of poisoning or dismembering the youngest members of our human family.
This brutality is not an unfortunate byproduct of their work — it is their core business. Despite offering <a href="https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-planned-parenthoods-2023-24-annual-report/">fewer legitimate healthcare</a> services each year, Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers continue to rise. Women in crisis deserve real support, not an organization that profits from their despair by ending their children’s lives.
Defunding Planned Parenthood is not about limiting healthcare access; it is about redirecting taxpayer dollars to organizations that actually serve women and children. Yet, year after year, Congress continues to funnel hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into this abortion behemoth.
<h3>Gender Transitions: The Business of Mutilation</h3>
As if poisoning and dismembering preborn children weren’t evil enough, Planned Parenthood has also become one of the largest providers of cross-sex hormones, pushing powerful, life-altering drugs onto vulnerable teenagers with little to no medical oversight. According to <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/how-did-planned-parenthood-become?utm_source=chatgpt.com">insurance claim data</a>, Planned Parenthood has prescribed gender transition hormones to at least 40,000 young adults in just one year, often after brief, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/undercover-investigation-planned-parenthood-prescribing-hormones-minors-minimal-oversight">superficial consultations</a>.
One of us, Chloe, knows firsthand the devastation of this industry. As a teenager, she was encouraged to believe that she was born in the wrong body. Medical professionals — including those at organizations like Planned Parenthood — fast-tracked her onto puberty blockers, testosterone, and eventually a double mastectomy, all before she was old enough to legally drive. She was told it would bring her happiness. It didn’t. It left her with permanent scars, a deep voice, a damaged body, and the realization that she had been betrayed by the very people who claimed to help.
Planned Parenthood is not providing informed, compassionate care. They are running a conveyor belt of gender transition services, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfoZCtbvdhM">pushing vulnerable young people</a> toward a medical pathway that results in permanent sterilization, sexual dysfunction, and lifelong regret. Many of those who detransition, like Chloe, find themselves abandoned by the medical community that once rushed them into these procedures.
<h3>No More Taxpayer Funding</h3>
The American people should not be forced to pay for the destruction of innocent lives or the mutilation of confused young people. Planned Parenthood has shown time and time again that it is not a legitimate healthcare provider. It is an ideological machine that profits off death and suffering.
According to a recent <a href="https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-planned-parenthoods-2023-24-annual-report/#_ftn14">report</a> from the Lozier Institute, &#8220;Taxpayer funding in the form of government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursements hit $792.2 million, over $2 million per day&#8230;&#8221;
European nations such as Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom are now restricting the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors, recognizing that the evidence supporting them is weak and the risks catastrophic. Yet, in the U.S., Planned Parenthood continues to push these treatments at record rates, all while receiving taxpayer dollars.
Enough is enough. Congress must act. Every dollar that funds Planned Parenthood is a dollar spent enabling the deaths of preborn children, the mutilation of young people caught in an identity crisis, and political attack ads on Republican leaders. That money should be invested in real healthcare — providers that support women, protect children, and offer genuine, life-affirming care and psychological help.
The fight to defund Planned Parenthood is not just a policy battle; it is a crossroads for our nation. Lives are at stake for both the preborn children who deserve the right to live and the young people being led down a destructive path from which they may never fully recover. We must demand that our lawmakers stand against this barbarism. It’s time to end taxpayer funding for an organization that kills and mutilates the most vulnerable in our community. Congress must defund Planned Parenthood now.
* * *
Lila Rose is a writer, speaker and activist. She is the founder and president of Live Action, a human rights nonprofit with the largest digital footprint for the global pro-life movement.
Chloe Cole, a poised and articulate 20-year-old woman, passionately advocates against the practice of transitioning minors.Driven by a noble mission to safeguard children from potentially harmful ideologies and medical interventions, Chloe draws from her personal experiences to shed light on the distressing consequences of gender-affirming care for adolescents. Having embarked on her own transition journey at the tender age of 12, only to subsequently detransition at 16, Chloe speaks with firsthand authority on the deeply traumatic effects experienced by minors undergoing such treatments. Follow her: @ChoooCole
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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After Raking In $800M In Taxpayer Dollars, Planned Parenthood Now Offers Trans Services

Abortion

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Congress

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Opinion

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The Supreme Court upholds Tennessee’s ban on transgender medical procedures for minors. The 6–3 decision is a landmark victory for parents and conservatives, and a defining blow to transgender activism. The United States continues to fortify the Middle East as Trump ramps up the pressure on Iran to surrender. And, as Trump escalates deportation plans, Democrats make headlines by getting themselves arrested.
It’s Thursday, June 19, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>SCOTUS Upholds Gender-Mutilation Ban</h2>
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Topline: In a major win for conservative activists and parent groups, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Tennessee law banning transgender drugs and surgeries for children.
In the case of United States v. Skrmetti — the justices decided that Tennessee’s law does not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The plaintiffs in the case — which included trans-identifying teens and their families — claimed that Tennessee’s law banning puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for minors discriminated against them on the basis of sex. More than 20 states have bans similar to Tennessee’s.
Chief Justice John Roberts penned the court’s <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-477_2cp3.pdf">opinion</a> and rejected the plaintiffs’ argument. He also said the plaintiffs “contort the meaning of the term ‘medical treatment,&#8217;” writing, “Notably absent from their framing is a key aspect of any medical treatment: the underlying medical concern the treatment is intended to address.”
“The main argument from the other side when we did the oral argument in front of the court was if you have a boy who wants testosterone to resolve a developmental defect, then they can get it,”  Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti told The Daily Wire. “But a girl who wants testosterone to deepen her voice can&#8217;t. The dissenting justices thought that this was some sort of discrimination. But with any medical treatment, you&#8217;re not just handing someone a drug, you&#8217;re giving them a treatment to treat a specific condition. And different drugs have different effects on different conditions. And we differentiate between those purposes all the time. So I thought that was a fatal flaw in the argument on the other side.”
Roberts noted that the number of minors requesting “sex transition treatments” has increased in recent years, and meanwhile, European countries have cracked down on these procedures and drugs. Medical skepticism around these drugs and procedures is only growing – last month, the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/gender-dysphoria-report-release.html">HHS</a> released a review saying the “science and evidence do not support” the use of these drugs and procedures for children.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion in which he said, “there is no medical consensus on how best to treat gender dysphoria in children,” and “recent revelations suggest that leading voices in this area have relied on questionable evidence, and have allowed ideology to influence their medical guidance.”
Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissent joined by the two other liberal-leaning justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Sotomayor claimed that teens needing transgender drugs “can be a question of life or death.” Advocates of these drugs and surgeries have <a href="https://www.heritage.org/gender/report/puberty-blockers-cross-sex-hormones-and-youth-suicide">pushed</a> a similar line to parents of trans-identifying children for years, even as newer evidence has shown that these treatments do not improve children’s mental health.
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<h2>Iran Says It Will &#8216;Never Surrender&#8217; While Trump Teases Possible Strikes</h2>
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Topline:  As the war between Israel and Iran approaches its seventh day, the Ayatollah says his country will never surrender.
On Wednesday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei let the world know he would never agree to President Donald Trump’s demand for an unconditional surrender. In a video statement, Iran’s theocratic leader said, “Those with wisdom who know Iran, its people and its history, never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because the Iranian nation will not surrender…The United States must know that our people will not surrender, and any military intervention by them will lead to irreparable consequences.” 
That video came a day after President Trump threatened to strike the Ayatollah, and as Israel continues to hammer Iranian nuclear and military facilities. To date, the Israelis have killed 11 of Iran’s 12 highest-ranking military leaders.
The expectation from military experts is that if Trump joins Israel’s offensive, the Iranians would respond by launching missiles at American military installations across the Middle East, particularly those in Iraq, Syria, and Kuwait, which are just across the border. 
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1935338837695189018">said</a> at the White House on Wednesday. “Nobody knows what I’m gonna do. I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble. And they wanna negotiate. And I said, &#8216;Why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction?'&#8221;
The president also made it clear that whatever course he takes, he intends to avoid a protracted war and is solely focused on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In the latest <a href="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/57_favor_u_s_military_action_against_iran_s_nukes">Rasmussen polling</a>, 57% of Americans support American strikes to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, compared to just 30% who oppose them. But 69% of Americans say that even if they support airstrikes against Iran, they prefer the two sides negotiate an agreement.
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<h2>Immigration Pushback Continues As Trump Admin Sticks To Its Guns</h2>
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Topline:  Blue cities are in rebellion against Trump’s immigration agenda. Protests and riots threaten immigration officers, while Democratic officials openly challenge the federal government.
Most of the pushback against immigration enforcement is in major cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. The resistance involves everything from activist coordination to impeding ICE operations and local officials getting in between ICE and local law enforcement. 
Chicago has suspended an online portal for illegal aliens to apply for IDs. The CityKeys program was shut down after ICE subpoenaed its records. The Chicago city clerk then shut it down and told the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/14/ice-subpoena-chicago-city-clerk-online-municipal-id/">Chicago Tribune,</a> “We’re going to fight giving over any data to the federal government.” Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson has been adamant that Chicago would “take to the streets” if it had to resist Trump. 
Comments like that haven’t stopped Trump from targeting these cities.
“Biden allowed 21 million people to come into our country,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1934638998640537748">said</a> earlier this week. “Vast numbers of those people were murderers, killers, people from gangs, people from jails. They emptied their jails out into the US. Most of those people are in the cities, all blue cities, all Democrat-run cities, and they think they&#8217;re going to use them to vote. It&#8217;s not going to happen.” 
Local law enforcement is also cracking down on anti-ICE riots  – a bevy of new charges were announced Tuesday from state and federal officials. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman outlined dozens of counts from curfew violations to assault of law enforcement. Hochman said that his district attorney’s office has charged at least 30 people. The U.S. attorney has brought an additional 20 counts. 
Lawmakers on both sides have condemned violence, but Democrats also seem to court their own run-ins with law enforcement. Earlier this month, New Jersey Congresswoman LaMonica McIver was charged after chaos erupted at an ICE detention center in Newark. More recently, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is a candidate for mayor, was arrested outside an immigration court on Tuesday. Police say he was impeding law enforcement. Then last week, Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) had to be forcefully removed from a Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles.

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Morning Brief: SCOTUS Makes Trans Ruling, Iran Talks Tough, And Dems On Thin ICE

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On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court handed Team Sanity the victory we’ve all been fighting for.
In United States v. Skrmetti, the high court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-upholds-tennessees-ban-on-transgender-drugs-for-children?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Supreme+Court+Upholds+Tennessee%E2%80%99s+Ban+On+Transgender+Drugs+For+Children">ruled</a> 6-3, upholding Tennessee’s ban on child castration, sterilization, and mutilation — the result of Matt Walsh’s investigation into Vanderbilt Hospital. This is a crushing defeat for the gender cult that would not have existed without The Daily Wire’s reporting and the support of our members.
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_content=na_subscriptions">Join the fight to protect our children and become a DailyWire+ member. </a></h3>
In 2022, Walsh <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1572313369528635392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1572313523232931840%7Ctwgr%5Ee812ea30b28c5a961e2c1f05bbd60185ad5fbd26%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fadolescent-chest-reconstruction-surgeries-increase-nearly-400-in-us-report">published</a> a deep dive into Vanderbilt University Medical Center, revealing their administration of irreversible hormone drugs and mastectomies on kids. The exposé on Vanderbilt’s gender procedures generated a firestorm of backlash among Americans who were horrified by the dangers of the radical gender treatments on children. 
Since Walsh began shining a light on the issue, more information has emerged on the dangers of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. Puberty blockers can affect bone growth and density and cause sexual dysfunction, voice damage, and infertility, among other issues, while cross-sex hormones can cause infertility, deadly blood clots, heart attacks, increased risk of both breast and ovarian cancers, liver dysfunction, worsening psychological illness, and other serious conditions.
Walsh, along with The Daily Wire, were among the first to sound the alarm on these health risks for children, and we have continued to advocate for protecting children from irreversible gender procedures. Walsh hosted a “Rally to End Child Mutilation” at the State Capitol, where lawmakers pledged action — and delivered, banning transgender drugs and surgeries on children in Tennessee. More Republican-led states soon followed.  
Of course, the Left fought back. The ACLU and the Biden administration sued to block Tennessee’s law on child gender procedures, but on Wednesday, the Supreme Court sided with Tennessee. They sided with us.
Because of your support, we changed history.
Victories like this are rare in journalism, and we should celebrate. The next step is a nationwide ban on this barbarism. That’s now more achievable than ever. But we need your continued support. 
This is what The Daily Wire does.
We don’t just report. We expose. We provoke. We fight.
We told the truth when no one else would. In 2022, we released “What is a Woman?” — a documentary that demolished gender pseudoscience with clarity, courage, and yes, humor. The left tried to cancel it. But millions watched anyway.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman">CLICK HERE TO WATCH WHAT IS A WOMAN?</a>
In 2024, we partnered with Turning Point USA to release Identity Crisis, a raw, gut-wrenching look at the damage gender ideology has done to children, families, and society. Detransitioners. Parents. Whistleblowers. All silenced by the media. But not by us.
These aren’t just documentaries. They’re weapons of truth.
And they’ve changed the game.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/identity-crisis">CLICK HERE TO WATCH IDENTITY CRISIS</a>

SCOTUS Hands Daily Wire Major Victory In Protecting Children From Gender Procedures

Daily Wire

Matt Walsh

Vanderbilt University

On December 4, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case for Tennessee Senate Bill 1. Today, the highest court in the land has spoken — and it got it right.
In a decision that will now set precedent throughout the entire country, the Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s right to protect our children from irreversible and unproven medical procedures under the guise of “gender-affirming care.” This is not just a victory for Tennessee, but for every state in the country seeking to preserve its duty to protect minors.
In today’s political climate, it’s more clear than ever that the Left has resisted so much that they now champion the mutilation of children. In their America, biology and truth are optional and children are subject to permanent, life-changing procedures.
Back in 2023 after Matt Walsh and the team at the Daily Wire uncovered disturbing details about so-called “gender affirming” care in our state, we said enough is enough. Now, two years later, that law was just affirmed by the United States Supreme Court.
To allow children – who cannot vote, get a tattoo, or enlist in the military – to permanently alter their bodies in the name of &#8220;affirming them” is not compassion, it’s exploitation.
As a State Senator, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and protect Tennesseans – that’s why my colleagues and I passed this legislation. With this historic ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States – with Tennessee right by their side – took a stand and made a bold statement: our country will not stand by while children are preyed upon for profit.
Tennessee has become a haven for families fleeing the Left-wing chaos in blue states. Families are moving here seeking common sense and stability that frankly does not exist anymore in areas of our country. With this Supreme Court ruling, Tennessee continues leading the nation and solidifying itself as a state with a backbone and the interest of children in mind.
This ruling is more than a legal win; it’s the start of a cultural shift in our country. The Supreme Court has decided that states can make decisions for the people through their duly elected representatives – especially on matters as serious as the health of our children.
A day like today wouldn’t be possible without the remarkable dedication and fight from our outstanding Attorney General, Jonathan Skrmetti. His conviction and commitment to the rule of law are why we are celebrating this milestone. While some Attorneys General chase headlines, General Skrmetti chases justice.
President Trump’s recent executive orders — protecting women’s sports and restoring a biologically based definition of sex across federal agencies — are major victories for conservatives and for common sense. Today’s Supreme Court decision is another powerful affirmation of truth and actual leadership. I’m deeply encouraged by President Trump’s bold stand on this issue and pray his administration continues to lead with courage and conviction.
This historic decision gives new found hope and strength to every state bold enough to push back on these policies that prioritize money over children’s safety. The Supreme Court has only affirmed what we know all along: Senate Bill 1 is lawful, necessary, and is now the law of the land. This is only the beginning, Tennessee.
***
Jack Johnson represents Senate District 27 which consists of Williamson County. Jack Johnson serves as the Tennessee Senate Majority Leader.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

SCOTUS Says Tennessee Can Protect Kids From Trans Procedures. Other States Should Follow Our Lead.

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LGBT Judge Lets Child Killer Walk Free In Shocking Court Decision

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Protesters cheered as children shouted obscenities during the &#8220;No Kings&#8221; demonstrations on Saturday.
In Washington, D.C., footage from The Daily Caller shows a young boy saying &#8220;F*** Trump&#8221; into a microphone. The crowd cheered while the mother appeared surprised by the leftist rallying cry her son had recited.
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🚨 Little kid says &#8220;f*ck Trump&#8221; during &#8216;No Kings Day&#8217; rally (mom tries to stop him)
How do YOU feel about this? <a href="https://t.co/0AziSHfFIX">pic.twitter.com/0AziSHfFIX</a>
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1934032961986499017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Leftists held more than 2,000 &#8220;No Kings&#8221; protests nationwide on Saturday.
In Portland, Oregon, the protests became violent as a mob stormed an ICE facility, injuring four federal officers, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/15/us-news/portland-anti-ice-riot-injures-several-police-officers/">reported</a>.
<a href="https://x.com/DailyCaller/status/1934000767905476905">Another video</a> from The Daily Caller from a Los Angeles protest shows a young girl beating a piñata that resembled President Donald Trump while onlookers cheered.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 Currently in Downtown LA: <a href="https://t.co/cnUvHUkwRu">pic.twitter.com/cnUvHUkwRu</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1934000767905476905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sends-another-2000-national-guard-troops-to-l-a">deployed</a> 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after anti-ICE riots had taken place in Paramount, California, and a section of downtown Los Angeles. Rioters looted businesses downtown and burned Waymo robotaxis.
The protests calmed after L.A. Democratic Mayor Karen Bass <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-anti-ice-demonstrations-calm-after-curfew-more-arrests-trump-praises-u-s-military">issued</a> a curfew for most of downtown, with local law enforcement arresting people who defied the order.
Trump took credit on social media for the protests calming down, praising the Marines and the National Guard.
&#8220;Los Angeles was safe and sound for the last two nights. Our great National Guard, with a little help from the Marines, put the L.A. Police in a position to effectively do their job,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;They all worked well together, but without the Military, Los Angeles would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years.&#8221;
Trump recently authorized ICE to increase deportation efforts in large Democratic-run cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-ice-to-step-up-operations-in-major-democrat-run-cities?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Orders+ICE+To+Step+Up+Operations+In+Major+Democrat-Run+Cities">reported</a>.
&#8220;These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens,&#8221; Trump said.

Anti-Trump Protests Across The Country

Leftists Cheer As Children Join Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ Protests, Use Profanity

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We all inherit a legacy from the men who came before us. Some of that legacy is good — sacrifice, protection, provision. Some of it is painful — absence, misunderstanding, or failure. As sons, it’s easy to focus on what our fathers didn’t give us. But if we stay there, we risk carrying that pain into the next generation. There’s a better option than blame or bitterness: forgiveness. We must let go of old wounds and decide what kind of fathers — and men — we want to become. Generational growth starts with generational grace.
It is easy to look back and critique what we think our father should have done differently without considering how he was raised, the relational dynamics between his parents, and the communication, leadership, or relationship skills he did or didn’t develop.
My dad and I struggled to connect on a deeper level for most of my life, but we found common ground in motorcycles. That became our language — our way of understanding each other when words fell short. Just before he passed, we told each other, “I love you.” And I believe with all my heart that if he had known how to do better by me, he would have — because he loved me.
Yet, like many men, he wrestled with the memory of the 35-year-old version of himself — the man he wished he had been. But there’s no victory in battling a version of ourselves that no longer exists. Forgiving others is hard; forgiving ourselves is often harder. That’s where grace steps in.
I know men who are currently battling their 35-year-old fathers. The problem is, their father is now in his 70s. Our fathers have had to grapple with their inadequacies and failures, just as we have had to find our path to overcome the effects of those shortcomings. But we must go further and forgive our fathers for the unintentional missteps in raising us.
Raising and providing for my own family has helped me see my father in a different light. As kids, we don’t realize what it takes to raise children or appreciate the degree of sacrifice it requires.
During a conversation with men in my small group, one of the guys said, “Being married is hard. Raising kids is hard.” There was a pause, and I asked, “Would you want it to be easy?” Every man said no, because there is no value without effort. There’s no value in easy. We put in the work because our families are worth it. That means accepting our shortcomings and learning from them.
As a 35-year-old father, I made mistakes. Looking back now, I see that those mistakes were the fuel that helped me grow. I didn’t like the man I saw in the mirror, so I decided that he had to change.
Your life is being recorded. Whether we recognize it or not, we are teaching our boys what it means to be good sons, brothers, husbands and fathers with every word we speak and action we do or don’t take. They internalize how a marriage should function, how a man should talk and act. They are learning how to take care of others and what a God-centered family looks like. They are inclined to mimic us, and one day, they’ll play that footage back.
Realizing this is humbling and compels this exhortation to forgive our fathers. We can’t let the mistakes they made rob us from enjoying what they did correctly. That’s a lesson I hope my son has learned.
I’ve chosen not to judge my father by the missteps of his younger self. When he died, he wasn’t 35 — he was in his sixties, and by then, he was a good man. A man who had grown, who had tried, and who had loved the best way he knew how.
Carrying around unforgiveness is like me carrying around a hundred-pound backpack. I can’t play with my kids or show up for my family in the ways they need me when I’m lugging around the baggage of my past. They would be getting less the father they deserve and a more restricted, and exhausted shell of myself. To be all that I was created by God to be and to live with intention and purpose in the design of fatherhood, I must shed the unnecessary weight of unforgiveness.
Forgiveness doesn’t come naturally. It requires grace — a strength beyond ourselves. It calls us to let go of past pain and offenses, not once, but daily. It&#8217;s a continual act of surrender that frees us to move forward.
You are not the 35-year-old version of your father. You’re a new man — shaped by his story, refined by grace and guided by a higher calling. Forgive your father. Honor his journey, but don’t repeat his missteps. It’s time to lead with faith, wisdom, and redemption.
* * *
This article is adapted from “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-Man-Americas-Only-Original/dp/B0DPBWLQJB">The Return of Man: America’s Only Hope is in our Original Hope</a>.”
Jimmy Graham, CEO of <a href="https://ableshepherd.com/">Able Shepherd</a>, is a veteran Navy SEAL and former CIA Global Response Staff Protective Officer with over two decades of experience in high-risk environments worldwide. He is author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-Man-Americas-Only-Original/dp/B0DPBWLQJB">The Return of Man</a>.”
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Caucasian father watching son repairing motorcycle in garage

Forgiving Our Dads Is Part Of Fathering The Future

family

fatherhood

Fathers

Parenting

Traversing the tragic road of chronic illness is never an easy feat, especially when the victim is your child. However, nothing is more important than teaching a kid to resiliently aim upwards when life throws a curveball. 
But how do parents encourage their child when certain activities are not an option due to health issues? In the final episode of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/parenting">Parenting</a>,” Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down with parents Greer and Catherine to discuss their four-year-old’s chronic illness, as well as how to uplift him in creative activities. 
“Three weeks ago,” the father, Greer, said, “my wife and I learned that our four-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition that is going to progress throughout his childhood and life to the point where he may lose the ability to use his feet, legs, hands, and arms.”
“We live on a cul-de-sac full of little boys,” the mother, Catherine, added. “He runs out and wants to play with them on the asphalt and, inevitably, he will bite the dust and faceplant on the asphalt. He wants to play with them and we want him to play with them.”
The parents went on to explain how their son is imaginative and creatively driven, as well as that he likes to play with older kids who will happily sit down and play games with him. 
Dr. Peterson informed the parents that their task is to help their son “find his way” in the non-physical activities he enjoys.
“You’ve already adapted to this,” Dr. Peterson said. “That’s worth knowing. The best predictor of future performance is past performance, and you already have a track record of that. You already know how to make the adaptations that are necessary for this particular child.” 
Watch “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/parenting">Resilience</a>” on DailyWire+ to find out how Dr. Peterson advises the parents to help their child adapt.

Parenting Ep 4

Navigating The Treacherous Road Of Chronic Illness With Your Children

DailyWire+

Dr. Jordan Peterson

Mothers

This Father’s Day, we should do more than hand out neckties and grill steaks. We should confront the truth: America leads the developed world in a heartbreaking and preventable trend — the collapse of fatherhood in the home.
According to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/12/u-s-children-more-likely-than-children-in-other-countries-to-live-with-just-one-parent/">Pew Research Center</a> study of 130 countries, nearly one in four children in the United States grows up in homes without a father or any other adult present. That is more than three times the global average. And the cost to our society is staggering.
America is the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, but when it comes to our children, we are falling short in the most fundamental way. 
Children who grow up <a href="https://takechargeus.com/the-truth-behind-the-crisis-the-moynihan-report/">without a father</a> are more likely to live in poverty, drop out of school, engage in crime, and struggle with emotional and behavioral issues. This is not a theory. These outcomes are well-documented across decades of research.
The cancer that is this crisis has been fostered for years as society has normalized the lack of a father’s involvement, especially in the black community. It is about a breakdown in our culture, a turning away from the values that once anchored families. We have abandoned the idea that fathers matter.
Government policies in the 1960s, while intended to provide support, ended up disincentivizing marriage and promoting dependence on the state. Nowhere has this been more destructive than in minority communities. In 1965, nearly 80% of Black children were raised in two-parent homes. Today, more than 70% grow up without their fathers.
At <a href="https://takechargeus.com/">TakeCharge</a>, we reject the idea that these outcomes are the inevitable result of systemic racism. Often, they are the result of choices — choices made by all levels of our American society that have chipped away at the foundational role of fathers.
Single mothers are not to blame. Many are doing incredible work under difficult circumstances. But a child should not have to rely on one parent when two are meant to be present. Fathers are not optional. They are essential.
<div id="attachment_934347" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-934347" class="size-large wp-image-934347" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-864x576.jpg" alt="gradyreese. Getty Images." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-857786372-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />gradyreese. Getty Images.</div>
The path forward begins with rebuilding what we have lost. We need to revive a culture that respects marriage, celebrates fatherhood, and teaches boys to become responsible men. The foundation of any strong society is strong families.
We must also return to the values that once made our communities thrive: faith, family, education, and personal responsibility. TakeCharge is committed to restoring these values. Through advocacy, education, and direct community engagement, we help families reclaim their identity and purpose.
This issue is not limited to any one group. Fatherlessness affects all races and income levels. But the consequences are particularly severe in low-income and minority communities, where the absence of fathers contributes to cycles of poverty and dysfunction.
That is why we support solutions rooted in personal responsibility, not dependency. We promote school choice, academic excellence, and the power of free enterprise. We believe the promise of America still works — but only when the family is restored.
This Father’s Day, we ask you to do more than say “thank you” to the fathers in your life. We ask you to join a movement to rebuild fatherhood in America. Encourage young men to see fatherhood as a gift and a calling. Support policies that promote marriage and family stability. Mentor a boy who needs a man to look up to. Advocate for cultural change that uplifts the role of dads.
Until we address the fatherhood crisis in America, no program or policy will be enough to fix what is broken.
Our families depend on fathers who show up, stand firm, and lead with love and responsibility. Let’s make this Father’s Day a turning point.
* * *
Kendall Qualls is the founder and President of <a href="https://takechargeus.com/">TakeCharge</a>, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring Black Americans to take charge of their lives by embracing the core principles of faith, family, education, and free enterprise.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Excited child sitting with american flag on shoulders of father reunited with family

A Fatherless Nation Cannot Prosper

Crime

Family Values

Social Issues

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles exposed a Catholic college for teaching psychiatric nurse practitioner students &#8220;how to greenlight the castration, sterilization, and mutilation of gender-confused kids and adults&#8221; in an exclusive thread on X.
Steph Williams, a lecturer who uses he/him and she/her pronouns, taught students at Mount Saint Mary College in New York how to halt puberty in children as young as nine, even if they did not experience gender dysphoria, Knowles revealed, based on a tip from advocacy group Do No Harm.
&#8220;Per Williams: If a 12-year-old girl menstruates and feels ‘stress,’ she might grow up to be a depressed alcoholic—unless we drug her,&#8221; Knowles said. &#8220;That’s the rationale for chemically halting puberty in gender-confused kids.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
2/ Psychiatric nurse practitioner students at Mount Saint Mary’s College in New York were taught how to greenlight the castration, sterilization, and mutilation of gender-confused kids and adults. 
Their lecturer? A he/him/she/her with no medical degree named “Steph” Williams. <a href="https://t.co/lVBAYENTk5">pic.twitter.com/lVBAYENTk5</a>
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1932846868880576880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Mount Saint Mary College was <a href="https://www.msmc.edu/about/">founded</a> by the Sisters of St. Dominic in 1959, according to its about page, and says its &#8220;roots in education&#8221; go back to Saint Dominic in the 13th century. The school&#8217;s website <a href="https://www.msmc.edu/life-at-the-mount/faith-service/">says</a> it is &#8220;a college in the Catholic and Dominican tradition.&#8221;
Williams is &#8220;a Director of LGBTQIA+ Relations and AmeriCorps Programming at Sun River Health&#8221; and &#8220;a certified organizational culture facilitator,&#8221; according to LinkedIn — but is not a licensed doctor, Knowles pointed out.
Using puberty blockers &#8220;buys the adolescent some time … to ensure that the person is indeed trans,&#8221; Williams said in a video obtained by The Daily Wire. If the child is not &#8220;trans&#8221; — which Williams said is very rare — she can discontinue puberty blockers and resume puberty as normal.
&#8220;Williams leaves out the significant potential harm of puberty blockers on bone density, fertility, and overall health,&#8221; Knowles said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
4/ And if they’re not “trans”? Don’t worry: “You just take yourself off the puberty blockers, and you start with your native puberty right off right where you left it.” 
Williams leaves out the potential harm of puberty blockers on bone density, fertility, and overall health. <a href="https://t.co/GuClqPyEoX">pic.twitter.com/GuClqPyEoX</a>
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1932846959007551950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Williams claimed adolescents under 18 did not take hormones, saying, &#8220;&#8216;The only adolescents who take hormone[s]&#8230; are folks who have other conditions.'&#8221; Those “other conditions” include precocious puberty and “really high hormones,” but “trans people do not take — unless there is something else going on — hormones before 18.”
Except, Williams said almost immediately, &#8220;It does happen, but it’s extremely, extremely rare.”
How rare? Between 2019 and 2023, “8,579 minors received hormones and puberty blockers,” according to <a href="https://stoptheharmdatabase.com/about/">Stop the Harm Database</a>. Stop the Harm also found that “62,682 sex change prescriptions were written for minors.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
6/ According to Williams, children as young as nine can begin pubertal suppression without even experiencing &quot;dysphoria.&quot; 
“And just like in adults, they don’t necessarily have to experience dysphoria.” 
They just need a history of gender confusion. <a href="https://t.co/vIZtnCgWVK">pic.twitter.com/vIZtnCgWVK</a>
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1932847158685753750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Williams also told students they did not need to understand all the material covered in class because the patient &#8220;is the expert&#8221; and &#8220;knows more&#8221; than the nurse practitioner.
Trans-identifying patients are defined by &#8220;self-declaration,&#8221; according to Williams&#8217; slideshow obtained by The Daily Wire.
&#8220;This is &#8216;gender-affirming care&#8217;: Children diagnosed by ideology. Puberty treated like a disease,&#8221; Knowles said. &#8220;And future nurse practitioners taught that their ignorance is a beneficial feature rather than a bug.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
8/ This is “gender-affirming care”: 
Children diagnosed by ideology, puberty treated like a disease.
And future nurse practitioners taught that their ignorance is a beneficial feature rather than a bug.
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1932847285265707181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Knowles slammed the medical standards of the trans agenda as &#8220;incoherent&#8221; and &#8220;rubber-stamping child abuse.&#8221;
&#8220;With &#8216;Catholic&#8217; institutions like Mount Saint Mary’s College, who needs paganism?&#8221; Knowles said.
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10/ With “Catholic” institutions like Mount Saint Mary’s College, who needs paganism?
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1932847289766228287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Transgender hormone therapy

Michael Knowles Slams Catholic College For Teaching Students ‘How To Greenlight’ Child ‘Mutilation’

Catholic

catholic university

College

Michael Knowles

Nursing

Last month, Marvin Lee Mutch, a convicted child murderer who was charged with drowning 13-year-old Cassie Riley in 1974, was arrested for possessing child sex abuse material, an illegally owned firearm, ammunition, and a controlled substance. After 40 years in San Quentin Prison, Mutch was released in 2016, thanks to the efforts of an organization called the Innocence Project. This isn’t the first time the group has argued for the release of a criminal who has gone on to harm new victims.
Consider Robert Roberson, a Texas death row inmate whose 2024 case flooded headlines. Described by the Innocence Project as a “child-like” autistic father, Roberson gained the sympathies of many prominent figures on both sides of the political aisle. Days before Roberson’s set execution date of October 17, 2024, CNN’s Jake Tapper conducted a sympathetic interview with the detective who worked on Roberson’s case, who called for Roberson to be spared the death penalty. Dr. Phil, RFK Jr., and Bret Weinstein, conservative allies whom I believe to be well meaning, also defended Roberson and called for a stay of his execution. The Innocence Project led the charge on Roberson’s behalf, persuading the public and Texas lawmakers that a grieving, autistic father had been wrongly blamed for the 2002 murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki. The group claimed Roberson’s conviction was based on “debunked” Shaken Baby Syndrome and an accidental bed fall. Who can blame one for rushing to Roberson’s defense when presented with this story? It tugs on the heartstrings and demands justice. However, to maintain this narrative that captivated so many well-meaning people, the Innocence Project left out the damning details that actually led to Roberson’s conviction.
Nikki, just 2 years old, died in Roberson’s care. According to the testimonies delivered during Roberson’s trial, Nikki’s injuries were consistent with brutal abuse. ER Nurse Andrea Sims testified Nikki had a handprint on her face, a “mushy” skull, and her entire brain shifted from trauma. Dr. John Ross, the pediatrician who examined Nikki, testified that he ruled out a fall, insisting the trauma had to have been caused intentionally. Nurse Kelly Gurganus described Nikki’s blue skin, unlike anything she’d seen, even in drownings. Dr. Thomas Konjoyan, the ER physician who examined Nikki, confirmed her brain was pushed to death by uncal herniation — an injury no bed fall could cause. 
It gets worse. Nurse Sims found three anal tears and abnormal rectal laxity, signs of sexual assault. Roberson confessed to a cellmate he put his penis in Nikki’s mouth and rubbed it on her. His ex, Della Gray, testified he abused her children, leaving bruises and a hickey on one. His own mother warned he’d kill Nikki. With 17 arrests, including felonies, Roberson is no victim. Yet the Innocence Project paints him as a misunderstood Forrest Gump.
Now, Roberson’s fate hangs in the balance as he awaits his new execution date. Attorney General Ken Paxton has signaled that he’ll continue seeking justice for Nikki. Will Texas legislators join him in this fight, or will they cave to IP’s anti-justice demands?
So why would the Innocence Project defend such a man? The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by O.J. Simpson’s lawyers Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, is a radical left-wing organization that uses these kinds of misleading cases of supposed wrongful convictions to erode public confidence in capital punishment. They freed O.J. despite blood evidence and use the same tactics to pursue their ultimate goal of abolishing the death penalty at all costs. And it seems to be working: since 1992, public support for the death penalty has dropped from 80% to 53%, fueled by their sob stories about “wrongly” convicted killers like Roberson. They erode trust in our courts, claiming a “broken system” while ignoring victims like Nikki.
Their leadership exposes their bias. Executive Director Christina Swarns, a former NAACP lawyer, saved cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose guilt is undeniable. Board member Alondra Nelson praises Black Panthers and pushes DNA testing for slave reparations. Yusef Salaam, of Central Park Five fame, campaigned for Kamala Harris. Cedric Alexander, an Obama advisor, demonizes January 6 protesters. Ekow Yankah wrote he won’t let his children befriend white people. Bankrolled by George Soros’s Open Society, Mackenzie Scott, and even taxpayer dollars through the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, they’re activists, not impartial advocates.
Conservatives should view The Innocence Project like BLM: a radical leftist group using toxic empathy to twist our compassion and godly desire for justice, just to push a dangerous agenda.
* * *
Allie Beth Stuckey is a conservative commentator, host of the podcast “Relatable,” and New York Times bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Empathy-Progressives-Christian-Compassion/dp/0593541944/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UANYF7F4G527&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SR4Z9YTZBiD-LIyJWIe2NqrPQSJrs7v_SeJwqdKhprgz4bRzXt9yi_yz87GrsiKreKNDkh5cktyvWqnwYqCvq-AAWTJyW9idmKxIIFSxmJU.Q-uGoH9skFCMDxfjq4I70mRhShGY4nULiXDRrFrj1Nw&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Toxic+Empathy%3A+How+Progressives&amp;qid=1749579102&amp;sprefix=toxic+empathy+how+progressives%2Caps%2C55&amp;sr=8-1">Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion</a>&#8220;
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Governor Gavin Newsom Announces He Will Sign Moratorium On Executions In California

The Innocence Project’s Toxic Empathy Betrays Victims Like Cassie Riley

Child Abuse

Innocence Project

Gender ideology’s war on America’s children has turned its guns on a particularly vulnerable group: children in foster care. Despite a court ruling <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/25/paxton-biden-lgbtq-foster-youth/">blocking</a> a Biden-era rule that imposed gender ideology as a condition of serving children who identify as LGBTQ, several states now <a href="https://lambdalegal.org/child-welfare-map/">demand</a> that prospective foster parents affirm the &#8220;gender identity&#8221; of hypothetical children they might foster one day. Vermont has taken this egregious stance even further, telling one Christian family that they presented too much of a risk, that they would raise children sharing their beliefs.
Decenda and Frank Cram were “blindsided” when Vermont state officials denied their application to become foster parents because of their “belief system.” State officials added that “if children in their home are raised with the same beliefs it could perpetuate further discrimination of the LGBTQ community.”
Two other Christian families – the Wuotis and the Gannts – also failed Vermont’s ideological litmus test and so were denied the chance to foster. Represented by <a href="https://adflegal.org/">Alliance Defending Freedom</a>, they are <a href="https://adflegal.org/article/vermont-imposes-gender-ideology-litmus-test-foster-parents/">pushing back</a>. Their case is currently under review by a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit court of appeals. The Crams <a href="https://conscience-project.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CP-Amicus-Brief-06.06-.pdf">shared their experience</a> as friends of the court in support of the families.
Decenda Cram, like many foster parents, was a foster child herself, entering care when she was only six years old. Her first foster parents were devout Christians and eventually adopted her. “I think ever since then,” she says, “I just thought someday I wanted to give back &#8230; I definitely wanted to return the favor in some way.”
Frank credits Christian neighbors for helping him turn around his own life. “If it wasn&#8217;t for a Christian family back when I was out in Arizona, I probably would&#8217;ve been getting in more and more trouble,” he explains.
The Crams, both devout Christians, hoped, in Frank’s words, to offer needy children “a home, unconditional love, understanding – the whole nine yards.” In October 2020 the couple applied to be foster parents. Decenda recalls that “we made it clear that we were Christians, and we asked if that was going to pose a problem with foster parenting. And we were reassured by a higher up in the state’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCF): ‘We don&#8217;t discriminate against anyone for any reason.’”
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Although they had not completed the licensing process, Decenda and Frank were called to take in a pair of sibling girls, ages nine and fourteen, in December 2020. The girls stayed with the Crams for a month and a half before one of the girls’ relatives assumed custody. We “worked out very well as a team in taking care of them,” says Frank. Decenda agrees, adding that “Frank and I worked beautifully as a parenting team.” Their initial DCF worker and the relative that the girls moved in with when they left us “all commended us for doing such a good job with the girls.”
<div id="attachment_931921" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-931921" class="size-large wp-image-931921" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-1024x576.jpg" alt="Nicholas Klein. Getty Images." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-768x431.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-1536x863.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-1488646082-2048x1150.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Nicholas Klein. Getty Images.</div>
Given their success caring for the two sisters, the Crams thought they would be licensed as foster parents. They were surprised when the licensing process turned hostile.
Decenda recalls a different official telling her during a phone interview that “Vermont has recently taken a stance.” This “stance” is that no foster families can be considered unless they are willing to fully embrace the LGBTQ community. Despite the clear desire and ability to provide a safe, loving home for children in need, the Crams were denied a license to foster.
According to the denial letter sent to the Crams in June 2021, the Cram’s “fundamental belief&#8221; about &#8220;God&#8217;s plan for all of us,” would “not meet the emotional or developmental needs of children.”
“It felt like I&#8217;d lost a child,” laments Decenda. Frank says that “It really broke my heart. It&#8217;s like, here we are. We&#8217;re willing to give our home and our time and effort to help these children.”
Vermont’s behavior is inexcusable: its exclusion of prospective foster and adoptive parents based on their sincerely held religious beliefs is blatant religious discrimination and adds to the injury already suffered by children in need.
The Crams are hopeful that the Second Circuit will order Vermont to stop its discriminatory policy so they can open up their home to children in need. As Frank says, “all things can work out by God&#8217;s grace.”
* * *
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is Director of <a href="https://conscience-project.org/">The Conscience Project</a> 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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