The commissioner’s admission came in a letter dated June 19, published Monday by Hawley on X.

Manfred revealed the league issued “a routine oral warning” to the Giants pitchers after they added Scripture to hats featuring the team’s Pride logo. But the warning came before MLB learned San Francisco failed to clearly inform players they could wear standard caps instead.

“The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be.”

At least one Giants player opted out of the Pride Night cap entirely. Relief pitcher Sam Hentges wore the franchise’s standard hat during the game instead of the Pride edition.

.@MLB Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs pic.twitter.com/rnPy2F7fyR

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 22, 2026

Hawley characterized Manfred’s response as MLB admitting the league was “wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses.”

The Missouri Republican sent Manfred a letter June 16 demanding answers on why the league warned pitchers for “publicly expressing their Christian faith” during Pride Night.

The controversy escalated when Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced the Justice Department referred the case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Dhillon argued MLB’s handling raised concerns about religious discrimination.

His daughter Claire Lai published a Father’s Day tribute sharing what her father continues to teach her despite the communist government’s efforts to silence him.

“In many ways, my life came to a standstill at 23 when he was first charged.”

Jimmy Lai was born in mainland China shortly before the communists seized power. His father fled to Hong Kong, leaving the family behind. His grandmother was forced to kneel on broken glass every morning in public — a warning to families of those who ran.

Lai escaped to Hong Kong at age 12, worked as a laborer, and built a business and media empire on grit and integrity. His newspaper Apple Daily defended the freedoms Hong Kongers were promised by the communist government.

After pro-democracy demonstrations brought nearly a quarter of Hong Kong’s population to the streets, the government cracked down. Lai was arrested, tried, and convicted for supporting a marketplace of ideas and information.

Claire Lai described her father’s gentleness despite his tough upbringing. When her brother and cousin cut her hair as a child, he comforted her and promised professionals could make it grow back. When she failed to finish her first college exams due to poor time management, he comforted her on the phone for an hour while she cried.

Family visits were reduced early on to 24 hours a year — roughly 30 minutes per week.

During his trials, Claire found a gap in the glass defendant’s box where she could insert her hand and squeeze her father’s hand. Guards turned a blind eye.

“I would use one hand to pinch my other before squeezing my father’s hand so he couldn’t feel me trembling. I didn’t want him to sense my sadness over what had happened to my once robust father.”

Lai has now spent 2,000 days in prison. His health is rapidly failing. Without intervention, the treatment will continue for the rest of his natural life and will certainly shorten it, according to his daughter.

In his most recent letter, Lai asked if Claire had a good birthday and said how much he wished he could celebrate it with her. He reminded her not to regard helping someone as a burden but as a privilege.

Lai prays for the people who wrong him — whether guards or those who have celebrated his imprisonment. He remembers every generous gesture he has received, even those from when he was a boy.

Claire Lai wrote that her life came to a standstill at 23 when her father was first charged. The empty seat at the head of the table. His favorite foods prepared without him. The things filed away in the “we’ll do it later, with dad” category.

This Father’s Day, she gives thanks for the virtues he continues to teach her from his prison cell.

The American-born pontiff prayed at Cabrini’s tomb in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, the northern Italian town where the saint was born, and urged young Catholics to learn from her life serving immigrants who had left their homelands seeking better opportunities.

“What could be more relevant today than a missionary charism dedicated to serving migrants?”

But Leo also invoked his predecessor, Pope Francis, whose papacy was defined by calls to welcome migrants.

“Let us ask ourselves: if Mother Francesca were alive today, what would her missionary spirit tell her?” Leo said. “And what would a pope like Francis — who, as the son of Italian immigrants, made service to migrants one of the key priorities of his pontificate — ask of her?”

The remarks came as Leo continues making migration a central focus of his public ministry — a position that has sparked months of friction with Trump over immigration and foreign policy.

Last week, Leo traveled to Spain’s Canary Islands — a major destination for migrants departing West Africa — where he met migrants and called for greater efforts to welcome people fleeing hardship and conflict.

During that trip, Leo urged world leaders to create “legal and safe pathways” for migration and warned against reducing migrants to statistics.

Leo’s migration advocacy has drawn criticism from Trump, who has accused the pontiff of venturing into politics and sharply disagreed with his comments on immigration and foreign affairs.

The public disagreements have become one of the most closely watched relationships between the Vatican and Washington during Leo’s papacy.

Leo has rejected suggestions that his remarks are political attacks, arguing instead that his appeals stem from Catholic teaching on human dignity, peace and care for vulnerable people.

Saturday’s visit centered on Cabrini, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen and spent decades serving Italian immigrants through schools, hospitals and orphanages before her death in Chicago in 1917.

The Vatican has announced Leo will travel to the Italian island of Lampedusa on July 4 — a date likely to draw attention in the United States given the pope’s American roots. Lampedusa has become one of Europe’s most recognizable migration flashpoints because of the thousands of migrants who attempt dangerous crossings from North Africa each year.

The island also carries symbolic importance within the Catholic Church because it was the destination of Pope Francis’ first trip outside Rome after becoming pope in 2013.

The pitchers etched “Gen 9:12-16” on their hats during the game.

MLB claims the actions violated its uniform rules, but Uthmeier argues the league has been “selectively enforcing” its own rules.

“Players who promote secular messages get a pass, while players who promote religious messages get a reprimand.”

Uthmeier wrote in a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred that if the pattern of religious discrimination is true, it could amount to a de facto league policy violating Florida law.

“My office will not tolerate religious discrimination against any players in Florida,” he wrote.

The three pitchers were warned about future violations after the Genesis reference appeared on their caps. The Bible passage references God’s covenant with Noah after the flood — a passage frequently cited by Christians during Pride Month as an alternative interpretation of the rainbow symbol.

Florida’s investigation will examine whether MLB applies uniform rules evenhandedly or targets religious expression while permitting secular messages on uniforms.

Nearly ten years ago, Kaepernick kneeled for the anthem and the left’s corporate press rallied to his defense. The San Francisco Chronicle ran headlines declaring Kaepernick “absolutely has a constitutional right” to express his opinion. The New York Times published multiple pieces framing his protest as an exercise of First Amendment freedoms.

Then-President Obama told reporters Kaepernick was exercising his constitutional right, noting “a long history of sports figures making political statements.”

But when Giants pitchers added Scripture references to their hats Friday night, that same constitutional protection vanished.

“I’m thankful we live in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want, and express what we want.”

One pitcher explained the verses carried no hate at all — just a statement of faith. He noted the rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant and promise in Scripture.

The San Francisco Chronicle — the same outlet that once celebrated Kaepernick’s “constitutional right” — published a column by Ann Killion with the headline: “Giants pitchers didn’t just deface Pride uniforms. They alienated their fans and city.”

Killion wrote that the pitchers “decided to say a giant F-you to a good chunk of their fan base” and accused them of taking “a decidedly un-Christian stance of exclusion and judgment.” She labeled the pitchers “homophobic.”

The Athletic, a New York Times subsidiary, ran a piece titled “Giants pitchers’ Bible verses on Pride Night caps show how they’ve missed the point.” Writer Grant Brisbee claimed the pitchers made the night about “us versus them” and blamed them for creating conditions where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel “without value” or face assault.

The pitchers didn’t stop anyone from participating in Pride Night. They didn’t harm anyone. They didn’t prevent gay people from watching baseball. They simply expressed sincerely held religious beliefs.

The pattern is clear: the left didn’t champion Kaepernick because of deep commitment to the First Amendment. They championed him because they agreed with his message — that America is fundamentally racist and unjust. The First Amendment defense was a shield for an unpopular protest.

Now that athletes express views outside left-wing orthodoxy, the same First Amendment defense has disappeared. The same crowd that loved athletic activism suddenly hates it.

They never loved athletic activism. Just athletes who agreed with them.

The Giants held a Pride Night recently, with players wearing hats featuring the franchise logo in rainbow colors. Multiple pitchers, staying true to their Christian faith, inscribed Scripture passages on the caps.

Starting pitcher Landen Roupp, one of the hurlers who wrote a verse, explained his decision to the media after the game. He said the verse represented God’s covenant.

“It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy. That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I’m thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want … and express what we want.”

Roupp added there was no hate behind the gesture — just a public declaration of his beliefs.

“There’s no hate at all. It’s just what I stand for, and what I stand in. I believe in God,” Roupp said.

After three San Francisco Giants pitchers appeared in Friday’s game with Bible verses written on their Pride Night caps, MLB issued a warning that similar behavior will not be tolerated.

More details: https://t.co/7HLiCoQMC6pic.twitter.com/bMtChVZw8P

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 16, 2026

The expressions of Christianity drew criticism from sportswriters on the political left, prompting Major League Baseball to step in.

According to The Athletic, an MLB official warned the Giants pitchers that writing on their hats violates league rules.

“The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” MLB chief communications officer Pat Courtney said in an official statement.

The league’s warning raises questions about whether players will face discipline for similar faith-based expressions moving forward.

Starting pitcher Landen Roupp inscribed “Gen 9:12-16” on his hat, with the verse reference extending into the SF logo. Relief pitcher JT Brubaker featured “Gen 9:13-15” in large lettering across his cap, while reliever Ryan Walker — just back from the minors — added a smaller version to his hat’s side.

Relief pitcher Sam Hentges refused to wear the Pride Night cap entirely, opting for the Giants’ standard hat instead.

“It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us. It’s just something I believe in and I stand firm in that. Thankfully we live in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want.”

The Genesis 9 passage describes God’s covenant with Noah after the flood — the origin of the rainbow symbol as a promise from God.

Landen Roupp had Genesis 9:12-16 written on his pride hat tonight.

“It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us.”

“It’s just something I believe in and I stand firm in that. Thankfully we live in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want.” pic.twitter.com/asu2tdEW1x

— KNBR (@KNBR) June 13, 2026

The Giants’ Pride Night featured same-sex couples renewing marriage vows with a drag queen officiating. An LGBTQ-affirming nondenominational church performed the national anthem. Players wore rainbow-colored caps as part of the celebration.

The pitchers’ Bible-verse display comes as conservative fans and players push back against Pride promotions across professional sports.

The event marked the fourth annual Eucharistic procession organized by the Catholic Information Center.

Fr. Charles Trullols, CIC director, led the procession under the theme “One Nation Under God.” The group began with 9 a.m. Mass outside the CIC’s office before the 10 a.m. walking procession looped through northwest D.C., passing the White House and concluding back at the CIC around noon.

Hundreds — if not thousands — of people gathered for a Eucharistic Procession outside the White House today.@DailyCallerpic.twitter.com/NzXT4h2AAP

— Spencer Lombardo (@SpencerLombardo) June 6, 2026

The procession is part of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, a 2,000-mile journey involving nine “Perpetual Pilgrims” who began walking May 24 in St. Augustine, Florida, and will end July 5 in Philadelphia. The route covers at least 18 Catholic archdioceses and dioceses across 14 East Coast states.

“A Eucharistic procession is a public expression of our devotion and belief in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,” Fr. Trullols said. “This year’s procession is especially meaningful to me, as Pope Leo XIV leads a Eucharistic procession this weekend in my home country of Spain, which historically suppressed Eucharistic processions in the 1930s.”

“As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we join the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in remembering and giving thanks for being One Nation Under God.”

Mary Zakrajsek, one of the Perpetual Pilgrims, told the Daily Caller News Foundation the pilgrimage deepened her awareness of Christ’s presence.

“As we take Jesus across our nation’s land, I am confident that God’s graces pour out,” Zakrajsek said. “In each Eucharistic procession, I pray that Jesus will bless, heal, and renew the community we journey through. And He will.”

Raymond Martinez II, a seminarian from the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas, said the pilgrimage taught him that anyone can show up for Christ.

“We’ve seen people as old as 96 and as young as a few weeks old, people in walkers and wheelchairs as well as children in strollers and on scooters,” Martinez said. “Each person who has come has been able to encounter Our Lord.”

The Perpetual Pilgrims also joined Fr. Trullols Friday night at the Washington Monument to bless the United States ahead of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Last night, Catholic Information Center Director Fr. Charles Trullols blessed America ahead of her 250th birthday at the Washington Monument.

In a few hours, Fr. Charles and the Perpetual Pilgrims plan to lead thousands in a Eucharistic Procession near the White House.… pic.twitter.com/iIvGguj0Dz

— Spencer Lombardo (@SpencerLombardo) June 6, 2026

Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress, said the procession was both an act of faith and a prayer for the country.

“This procession is both an act of faith and a prayer for the country: that amid division and uncertainty, Americans remember that human dignity, freedom, and unity are rooted in something greater than politics or ideology,” Shanks said.

Approximately 10,000 people have participated in partner Eucharistic processions across the pilgrimage route, according to the National Eucharistic Congress.

The terminated employees included four intelligence analysts and one supervisory analyst, according to their attorney David Laufman.

“This action is manifestly unjust, completely unsupported by the facts, and subverts standard FBI policy and procedure. These individuals deserved far better for the exceptional and faithful public service they rendered to protect our country.”

The January 2023 intelligence product from the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia field office ignited a political firestorm after it warned of threats from so-called “Radical Traditionalist Catholic” ideology and suggested new avenues for source development within Catholic communities.

Republicans in Congress seized on the memo as evidence the FBI under the Biden administration targeted conservatives based on religious beliefs.

Then-Director Chris Wray denied the charge. The document was quickly retracted and an internal review launched. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the memo “appalling.”

An internal FBI review found all individuals involved “failed to adhere to analytic tradecraft standards” and created the appearance that investigative activity was based on religious affiliation — a violation of First Amendment principles.

A 2024 Justice Department inspector general report summarized the earlier FBI review by noting departures from proper tradecraft but found “no evidence of a malicious intent or an improper purpose.”

The firings are part of a broader personnel purge under Patel, a Trump loyalist who has pushed out dozens of employees over the past year. In February, the FBI fired counterintelligence agents who participated in the investigation into President Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

The FBI declined to comment on the terminations.

Her single “Get Around Boy” landed on the prestigious “Top 5 Most Added” list in April.

But Lemmings isn’t chasing radio spins alone. She’s chasing something bigger.

“I REMEMBER I FELT THE CALLING BY GOD TO PURSUE THIS.”

Her father toured in a band, and when Lakelin wanted in, he connected her with Ash Bowers — the former lead singer of his band who became a hit songwriter for Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Dustin Lynch before moving into management. Bowers signed her at 19 as executive vice president for Quartz Hill Music Group.

Lemmings’ new track “Life of Mine” echoes the melody of the beloved hymn “This Little Light of Mine.” It’s deliberate.

“There are so many drinking songs and cheating songs and all this kind of stuff, and some of them are great, but I feel like there was a need for just positive, good country music,” Lemmings told The Daily Wire.

She’s putting out an album this summer. Her track “American Dreamin” drops later in June, focusing on the things that shaped her in small-town Tennessee: family, faith, and country music.

“I’M NOT A COUNTRY CHRISTIAN ARTIST, I’M JUST A COUNTRY ARTIST THAT’S CHRISTIAN.”

CMA Fest holds special meaning for Lemmings. She grew up attending the free Riverfront Stage shows. In 2023, she saved up money to see it at Nissan Stadium as a fan. Now she’s performing at the premier Nashville country festival as an artist.

“It’s a way to connect with fans,” she said.

Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley both played small stages for even smaller crowds not long ago. Lemmings knows their rapid rise wasn’t luck — it was work.

“I think for me that goes to show that I need to buckle up because it can happen quicker than you think,” she said.

Her self-titled album drops in July.