Bernie Kerik, former NYPD commissioner and Trump ally, dies at 69

Bernie Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner who was hailed as a hero after 9/11, has died at 69 years old.

His death was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday night, who wrote that Kerik “passed away after a private battle with illness.”

“Rest easy, Commissioner. Your watch has ended, but your impact will never fade,” Patel wrote.

Kerik’s rise to national prominence came during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, where he became a steady figure alongside then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. 

KASH PATEL FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM SENATOR AFTER BEING GRILLED ON J6 PARDONS: ‘BRUTAL REALITY CHECK’

Kerik worked to coordinate emergency response in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center.

His 35-year career has been recognized in more than 100 awards for meritorious and heroic service, including a presidential commendation for heroism by President Ronald Reagan and two Distinguished Service Awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Kerik, who served as the NYPD’s top cop from 2000 to 2001, pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight felonies, including tax fraud and lying to the White House while being vetted for the role of Homeland Security chief in 2004.

He spent nearly three years in prison before transitioning to home confinement and eventually supervised release. In 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik for his past convictions.

Following his release from prison, Kerik was a vocal critic of the criminal justice system and a staunch ally of Trump. 

Kerik later worked with Giuliani to investigate claims of election fraud after the 2020 election and was subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.

EX-NYPD COMMISSIONER PARDONED BY TRUMP AGREES TO DEAL WITH SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH IN 2020 ELECTION PROBE

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Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1955, Kerik dropped out of high school but later earned his GED before joining the U.S. Army.

After returning to civilian life, he entered law enforcement and rose through the ranks, eventually leading the city’s Department of Correction. In 2000, he was appointed NYPD commissioner by Giuliani.

Undocumented teen who killed Colorado woman in crash arrested with family by ICE

An illegal immigrant teenager who was spared jail time after he was convicted of killing a Colorado woman in a high-speed crash has been arrested, along with his family, by immigration authorities. 

The 16-year-old from Colombia was sentenced to probation and community service for the July 2024 death of Kaitlyn Weaver, 24, in Aurora after striking a plea deal with prosecutors. 

The teen, who has not been publicly named because of state laws that shield the identity of underage criminal suspects, was arrested May 20 along with his family, who were also living in the United States illegally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

ICE CAPTURES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WANTED FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING MOTHER IN DUI CRASH 

“The minor was convicted in Colorado’s 18th Judicial District and was sentenced to probation and community service,” an ICE spokesperson told Fox News. “As part of its routine operations, ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality.”

The teen will remain in ICE custody pending an immigration hearing, the agency said. 

PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TEEN OFF EASY AFTER CRASH THAT KILLED 24 YEAR-OLD WOMAN

Weaver died after she was sitting in her vehicle at a stop sign and the teen T-boned Weaver’s vehicle at an intersection. He was in a Jeep with other minors racing in a residential neighborhood at speeds of up to 90 mph, authorities said. 

Weaver was kept on life support for two days before she was taken off after her organs were donated. 

Her father, John Weaver, told Fox News Digital that he was told by U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., that ICE would be taking action against the teen.

“I appreciate ICE taking enforcement action, and I really appreciate the outpouring of support from everyone,” Weaver said Thursday.

The teen was arrested and initially charged with vehicular homicide. At the time, the Weavers were told by the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s office that the case was a “no plea offer” case, John Weaver said. 

They then offered the teen a plea deal if he admitted his guilt. 

At the time, the Weaver family attorney, Matthew Durkin, called the deal “abhorrent,” in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that Weaver was killed during the prime of her life. 

John Weaver noted at the time that the teen was in the U.S. illegally and unlicensed. 

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“We had a collision where the immigration system and the criminal justice system collided, and now my daughter’s dead,” he said. 

The teen has a pending asylum claim, but, according to ICE, asylum claims do not prevent detention.

Trump reacts to tariff ruling and slams Federalist Society in fiery social media post

President Donald Trump wrote a fiery, lengthy post on social media Thursday night in response to the intense legal battle surrounding his proposed tariffs.

On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit allowed Trump’s tariffs to temporarily remain in effect, just one day before the US. Court of International Trade on Wednesday ruled that Trump overstepped his authority over tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

On Truth Social, Trump wrote that the U.S. Court of International Trade “incredibly” ruled against the “desperately needed” tariffs, but the order was stayed by the federal court.

“Where do these initial three Judges come from? How is it possible for them to have potentially done such damage to the United States of America?” the Republican’s post read. “Is it purely a hatred of ‘TRUMP?’ What other reason could it be?”

TWELVE STATES SUE TRUMP OVER TARIFFS, CLAIMING THEY’RE ‘ILLEGAL’ AND HARMFUL TO US ECONOMY

Trump then took aim at Leonard Leo, a chairman on the Federalist Society’s board of directors. Trump said that he used the conservative legal organization to pick out judges when he was “new to Washington.”

“It was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges,” Trump wrote. 

“I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real ‘sleazebag’ named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions.”

Trump added that he was “so disappointed” in the Federalist Society “because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations.”

DISTRICT JUDGES’ ORDERS BLOCKING TRUMP AGENDA FACE HEARING IN TOP SENATE COMMITTEE

“This is something that cannot be forgotten!” the Republican said. “With all of that being said, I am very proud of many of our picks, but very disappointed in others. They always must do what’s right for the Country!”

The president then rounded out his lengthy post by calling attention back to his pending tariffs, which he claimed would lead to a “rich, prosperous, and successful United States of America.”

“The ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade is so wrong, and so political!” Trump said. “Hopefully, the Supreme Court will reverse this horrible, Country threatening decision, QUICKLY and DECISIVELY.”

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“The President of the United States must be allowed to protect America against those that are doing it Economic and Financial harm. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Marine general warns African terror groups gaining capacity to attack US homeland

A top United States military general warned Thursday that terror groups in Africa are ramping up their ability to conduct attacks in the U.S. 

Gen. Michael Langley, the four-star Marine General who leads U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), said the Sahel region of the continent is now the “flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability. It is the epicenter of terrorism on the globe.”

Several terror groups have expanded drastically in the last three years. Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, is three times the size it was in 2022, he said, and has spread across Mali, Burkina Faso, and parts of Niger, which the U.S. military pulled out of last year. 

ISIS INCREASINGLY UNOPPOSED FOLLOWING US WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN, COLLAPSE OF SYRIA

Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, a faction affiliated with Al-Qaeda, is now four times the size it was in 2022, expanding mainly in Burkina Faso.

“We’re keeping a good eye on this because they could have the capacity to attack the homeland,” Langley said in a call with reporters. 

“Throughout my travels across West Africa and through dialog here at the conference, the concerns shared by my peers match my own,” he added. “One of the terrorist’s key goals now is access to the west coast of Africa. If they gain access to the vast coastline, they can diversify their revenue streams and evolve their tactics, more easily exporting terrorism to American shores.”

LONE WOLF ATTACKS SURGE IN THE WEST AS TERRORISM INTENSIFIES GLOBALLY

He noted that the terror groups engage in illicit activity like smuggling, human trafficking and arms trading, which fund their nefarious actions and destabilize the region.

U.S. forces over the weekend conducted an airstrike against the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab in Somalia. The East African country has been wracked for decades by attacks and insurgency from Islamist terrorists, both from ISIS and al-Shabab. 

The U.S. is in a race with China and Russia to gain influence and trust with the local governments of several African nations to help protect citizens from terror groups. 

Langley said there is an increasing concern about the number of African soldiers going to Beijing for military training and replicating a U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.

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“They’re trying to replicate what we do best in our IMET program,” said Langley. “And then they also said they’re going to increase security and training in a number of countries. So, they’re trying to replicate what we do.”

Trump’s lawsuit with Paramount carries on as he turns down big settlement offer

President Donald Trump and Paramount Global are still at an impasse as they attempt to resolve his $20 billion lawsuit against the company through mediation. 

Fox News Digital confirmed that Trump rejected a $15 million offer to settle his lawsuit, according to a source familiar with the matter. The president’s legal team is also demanding at least $25 million and an apology from CBS News. Trump’s attorneys even floated another lawsuit against the company.

Trump’s settlement rejection was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. 

Trump’s attorney did not respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment. Paramount declined to comment. 

‘60 MINUTES’ STAFF STAND BY KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S MAJOR PARAMOUNT LAWSUIT

Last October, Trump sued CBS News and Paramount for $10 billion over allegations of election interference involving the “60 Minutes” interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris that aired weeks before the presidential election (the amount has since jumped to $20 billion).

The lawsuit alleges CBS News deceitfully edited an exchange Harris had with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker, who asked her why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t “listening” to the Biden administration. Harris was widely mocked for the “word salad” answer that aired in a preview clip of the interview on “Face the Nation.” 

However, when the same question aired during a primetime special on the network, Harris had a different, more concise response. Critics at the time accused CBS News of deceitfully editing Harris’ “word salad” answer to shield the Democratic nominee from further backlash leading up to Election Day.

The raw transcript and footage released earlier this year by the FCC showed that both sets of Harris’ comments came from the same response, but CBS News had aired only the first half of her response in the “Face the Nation” preview clip and aired the second half during the primetime special. 

CBS News has denied any wrongdoing and stands by the broadcast and its reporting. 

‘60 MINUTES’ PRODUCERS RAIL AGAINST TRUMP’S ‘BULLS—‘ LAWSUIT, DREAD PROSPECTS OF PARAMOUNT MAKING SETTLEMENT

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder who recused herself from settlement discussions in February, made clear that she wanted to settle Trump’s lawsuit in hopes of clearing the pathway for Paramount’s multibillion-dollar planned merger with Skydance Media, which seeks approval from the Trump administration’s FCC. 

However, there has been newsroom drama in recent months involving Redstone’s efforts to “keep tabs” on the network’s reporting of Trump, at least until the merger closes. That led to the abrupt resignation of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who claimed he could no longer maintain editorial independence.  

Also fueling settlement rumors was last week’s ousting of CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who cited disagreement with the company behind her departure.  

CBS NEWS STAFFERS RATTLED BY CEO’S ABRUPT EXIT AS TRUMP LAWSUIT LOOMS OVER NETWORK

CBS News journalists remain defiant, including “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley, who went viral with his commencement address at Wake Forest University repeatedly slamming Trump as well as his lawsuit.

“Why attack universities? Why attack journalism? Because ignorance works for power,” Pelley told Wake Forest graduates. “First, make the truth seekers live in fear, sue the journalists and their companies for nothing. Then, send masked agents to abduct a college student who wrote an editorial in her college paper defending Palestinian rights and send her to a prison in Louisiana charged with nothing. Then move to destroy the law firms that stand up for the rights of others.”

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“With that done, power can rewrite history with grotesque false narratives. They can make criminals heroes and heroes criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality. Diversity is now described as illegal. Equity is to be shunned. Inclusion is a dirty word. This is an old playbook, my friends. There’s nothing new in this,” he continued. 

Vessel with 11 decomposed bodies washes ashore in Caribbean, sparks investigation

Police have launched an investigation into a vessel that washed ashore on an Eastern Caribbean island that contained human remains of at least 11 people in an advanced state of decomposition.

The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) said it received a report at about 10:45 a.m. Monday that a suspicious vessel had been discovered along the coastline of the island of Canouan near Little Bay and Cherry Hill.

Officers from the Canouan police station responded and discovered the remains of 11 people on the boat.

Police said the boat measured 45 feet long, 12 feet wide and 6 feet deep, and it was found grounded in the area.

FAMILY OF AMERICAN FOUND DEAD ON BAHAMAS BEACH FEARS ‘EVIDENCE WILL DISAPPEAR,’ PLEADS FOR HELP

The remains of the people onboard were in what police called an “advanced state of decomposition,” and some of the remains were not fully intact.

Investigators recovered several passports from the boat, which appear to be from the West African country of the Republic of Mali.

While passports have been recovered, police have not officially identified any of the bodies, and the investigation remains ongoing.

BAHAMAS OFFICIALS REVEAL AMERICAN MAN’S CAUSE OF DEATH AFTER BODY FOUND ON BEACH

The RSVGPF said it is working closely with regional and international partners to confirm the origins of the boat and the identities of those onboard.

The human remains have since been transported to the island of St. Vincent, where they are being held at the Kingstown mortuary for further forensic and investigative procedures.

“This incident is deeply concerning, and we understand the public’s interest in the matter,” police said. “We assure you that the RSVGPF is treating this investigation with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity.”

AMERICAN MAN ON BAHAMAS FAMILY VACATION FOUND DEAD AFTER LEAVING DINNER TO GET JACKET: REPORT

The department added that it is committed to pursuing every lead and ensuring all appropriate protocols are followed.

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory for the country of Mali in July 2023.

The State Department’s reasoning for not traveling to the country is due to crime, terrorism and kidnapping.

“Violent crime, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, is common in Mali. Violent crime is a particular concern during local holidays and seasonal events in Bamako, its suburbs, and Mali’s southern regions,” the advisory states. 

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“Terrorist and armed groups continue plotting kidnappings and attacks in Mali,” the advisory on Mali adds. “They may attack with little or no warning, targeting nightclubs, hotels, restaurants, places of worship, international diplomatic missions, and other locations frequented by foreigners. Attacks may target Malian government offices and infrastructure, in addition to locations frequented by Westerners.”

Conservative legal minds push back on latest Mahmoud Khalil decision

A federal district judge on Wednesday said that the Trump administration’s effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil may be unconstitutional, but some conservative legal experts are not buying it.

Khalil is a pro-Palestine, anti-Israel activist who led protests at Columbia University. An immigration judge recently said he could be deported, but U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz for the District of New Jersey said that the order is likely to be dismissed as “unconstitutionally vague.” Still, Khalil will remain in custody.

“The district court held what we already knew: Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio’s weaponization of immigration law to punish Mahmoud and others like him is likely unconstitutional,” lawyers for Khalil said after the judge’s ruling.

FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS ATTEMPTED DEPORTATION OF ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL MAY BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL

However, various conservative legal experts disagree with the judge.

“A judge just handed Hamas a win on American soil. Mahmoud Khalil lied his way into our country, concealed ties to a foreign regime, and then led a pro-Hamas takeover at Columbia University. Now, a judicial activist wants to block his deportation? That’s not justice — it’s national suicide. President Trump has both the constitutional authority and the moral obligation to remove threats like Khalil,” Republican attorney Mehek Cooke told Fox News Digital in a statement.

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“The Supreme Court has made this power crystal clear. In Kleindienst v. Mandel (1972), the Court upheld the executive’s broad discretion in immigration matters. That authority was reaffirmed in Trump v. Hawaii (2018), where the Court ruled that the President has sweeping power to exclude noncitizens deemed detrimental to U.S. interests,” she continued.

ANTI-ISRAEL RINGLEADER MAHMOUD KHALIL’S FREE SPEECH LAWSUIT AGAINST US GOVERNMENT MUST BE HEARD: JUDGE

“By declaring the Immigration and Nationality Act ‘unconstitutionally vague,’ Judge Farbiarz isn’t interpreting the law — he’s rewriting it. That violates the separation of powers and dangerously ties the hands of our Commander in Chief. Citizenship is a privilege — not a sanctuary for liars and Hamas sympathizers. I am confident this will be overturned on appeal,” Cooke added.

Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said it is a “ridiculous, meritless claim by a rogue federal judge,” and said that even though Kahlil is a legal resident of the U.S., he can still face consequences.

“Aliens have no constitutional right to be in the U.S. Moreover, under federal immigration law, 8 U.S.C. 1227, aliens like Khalil, including permanent resident aliens, can be removed if the alien ‘endorses or espouses terrorist activity’ or support ‘a terrorist organization.’ Khalil’s blatant support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, makes him immediately deportable. This is another biased, partisan judge refusing to abide by federal immigration law and interfering in the president’s constitutional and statutory authority,” he told Fox News Digital in a statement.

LAWYERS FOR COLUMBIA ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST MAHMOUD KHALIL BLAST RUBIO EVIDENCE LETTER: ‘TWO PAGES, THAT’S IT’

The White House also condemned the ruling, continuing its frequent clashes with federal judges over immigration policy.

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“Mahmoud Khalil was given the privilege of coming to America to study, but he squandered that opportunity by siding with Hamas terrorists and organizing protests that disrupted college classes and harassed Jewish-American students. Secretary of State Rubio has the right to revoke green cards or visas for any individuals who are adversarial to United States foreign policy and national security interests,” Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Todd Chrisley spotted shopping after Trump’s full pardon from prison

Todd Chrisley looked happy as he went on his first public outing on Thursday following his release from prison. 

The 56-year-old was seen heading into a Nordstrom in Nashville, Tennessee, with his family, including his daughter, Savannah, who had fought for her parents’ release. Earlier in the day, Savannah was seen with her mom Julie.

The “Chrisley Knows Best” star, along with his wife Julie, received a full pardon from President Donald Trump this week following their 2022 conviction on fraud and tax evasion charges. 

The couple were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced. 

JULIE CHRISLEY MAKES FIRST PUBLIC OUTING AFTER TRUMP PARDON

Trump announced the pardon on Tuesday. 

“It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. Is that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow,” Trump told Savannah and her brother, Chase, in a phone call from the Oval Office on Tuesday that was posted onto an X account of a White House aide. The post was captioned in part, “Trump Knows Best!”

Savannah has been advocating for their release since the pair went to prison in January 2023 and reached out to Trump for a pardon earlier this year after their conviction was upheld by a three-judge panel last summer. 

“Reunited and it feels so good,” Savannah wrote in an Instagram Story post earlier Thursday along with a photo. 

TODD CHRISLEY JOKES ABOUT PRISON AS HE REUNITES WITH DAUGHTER SAVANNAH

On Wednesday evening, Todd first walked out of a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, after serving two and a half years, according to lawyer Alex Little’s office. The release came shortly after Trump signed pardons for both Todd and Julie. 

Little’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Julie was released from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday night, shortly after Todd was released.

“Julie has also been released from prison and is now on her way home to Nashville as well,” Little’s office said.

Savannah got emotional outside the federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, awaiting her father’s release on Wednesday.

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Speaking to reporters, Savannah said, “Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane, and I am so grateful that I’m going to leave here with my dad.” 

Savannah claimed that prosecutors had her father’s head “on a dart board” before his prison sentence. She read Trump’s pardon to the reporters, which stated an immediate release, and she said she hopes “the prison is going to do that shortly.”

Savannah said Trump’s pardon for her parents “literally came out of nowhere.”

“I was in such shock and awe that the president himself took the time to tell me my family is coming back together,” she said. During her interview, Savannah explained why her constant fight to get her parents released from prison wasn’t just for them.

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“I’m literally fighting for every man that has been left behind here,” she said, referring to the prisoners in the federal prison in Pensacola.

Savannah posted a video on her Instagram on Tuesday saying she got the call from the president that he was signing pardon papers for her parents while she was walking into a Sam’s Club. 

“So, both of my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow, and I still don’t believe it’s real!” she exclaimed.

She said she will be “forever grateful” to Trump and his administration as well as her lawyers and everyone else who “put in countless hours” to “make sure that my parents got home.” 

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“My parents get to start their lives over!” she added, saying she “vowed to stand next to you and your administration, exposing the corruption and continue fighting for the men and women who are in prison … Thank you, thank you, thank you and I will repay your kindness to every person that I meet, so thank God for a president like Donald J. Trump. Thank you, God, for a president who wants to restore families and loves people … and took the time to call me from the Oval Office to let me know my parents are getting their lives back.”

Girls’ championship rule changes prompt backlash in ongoing trans athlete dispute

EXCLUSIVE: The California high school track and field state championship is shaping up to be one of the most unprecedented high school sports events in recent history. 

Amid a national controversy involving a trans athlete competing in the girls’ category, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced a series of sweeping rule changes in the days leading up to the event to accommodate female competitors. 

But now multiple families of girls who have already been displaced by a trans athlete at previous meets have spoken out against the federation, expressing dissatisfaction with the changes. 

On Tuesday, the CIF announced it would expand the size of the championship competition pool and inviting “biological female” athletes who missed out on making the title meet by one spot due to a trans athlete finishing ahead of them in last week’s qualifying round. 

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Then on Wednesday, the federation announced it would also recognize female athletes on the medal podium if a girl who misses out on a medal finish does so because they came behind a trans athlete.

Crean Lutheran track and field star Reese Hogan finished in second place to trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School in the triple jump at the Southern Sectional final on May 17. Then, on the medal podium, after Hernandez stepped off, Hogan stepped up to the first-place spot for a photo-op to a roaring applause. The stunt went viral as Hogan was praised by women’s sports rights activists as a heroine. 

But CIF’s latest rule changes won’t be giving Hogan the first-place medal for that event. 

Hogan’s family provided a statement from her to Fox News Digital that read, “The recent CIF rule changes clearly acknowledge a misstep on their part. However, what they’ve proposed falls short of what we truly need for all girls across all sports. I placed second in CIF, and I know that if I hadn’t been competing against a boy, I would have claimed the top spot on the podium.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t revisit that moment to rectify this injustice. This issue transcends a single meet, sport, or individual; it’s fundamentally about the rights of all females to compete fairly among themselves. We deserve that opportunity, and we will continue to advocate for it.”

Hogan has previously told Fox News Digital she finds the situation involving Hernandez “sad.”

“It’s just kind of sad just watching. He’s obviously a really talented athlete, we’ve all seen him jump and stuff, and I wish him the best of luck, but in a boys’ division,” Hogan previously told Fox News Digital about competing against the athlete. “It’s pretty obvious the certain advantages that he has, and it’s obviously just sad as a woman to watch that.”

Meanwhile, the family of Hogan’s Crean Lutheran teammate, Olivia Viola, also isn’t satisfied with the rule changes. 

“While we are grateful that a few female athletes will regain their ability to compete at states and females will earn their rightful titles at this weekends competition, unfortunately CIFs trial program doesn’t actually fix anything. Women are still being forced to compete against biological males. The title IX civil rights of our daughters, sisters, friends and teammates are still being violated,” Viola’s family said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“Unfortunately, with each step our state leaders take, comes the realization that California really has no intention of protecting our girls in the ways that are necessary. The pilot program essentially admits that allowing biological males to compete in the female category was a mistake. Now it’s time for full course correction. There is a fundamental truth here that must be upheld. Separating competitive athletics into two XX-XY gender categories must be a non-negotiable.”

TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS-ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUND

President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation when he sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts and orders to local authorities to prevent a trans athlete from competing in the girls’ category on Saturday. The first rule change came just hours after Trump’s post.

The Department of Justice announced it would launch an investigation into the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state’s law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women on Wednesday. The second rule change took place shortly after that announcement. 

On Tuesday, the family of another girls’ track star who has been displaced by Hernandez in the track and field postseason, Katie McGuinness of La Canada High School, told Fox News Digital they are grateful for Trump’s intervention. 

“We are grateful that President Trump is fighting for female athletes and giving them a fair shot to compete on a level playing field. CIF’s ‘solution’ to this situation, which allows additional girls to compete at the state championship who otherwise didn’t qualify because the transgender athlete took their spot, isn’t good enough – it’s still an unfair competition and an injustice to the girls competing,” the family said in a statement.

“Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports is unfair, unjust and defies common sense,” the family added. 

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Katie previously spoke out against CIF for allowing the situation to get this far in an interview on Fox News’ “America Reports” last week. 

“I have nothing against this athlete as a person, and I have nothing against the trans community,” McGuinness said. “My message today is really specifically to CIF and for them to act quickly and in a timely manner because this is a really time-sensitive issue.”