FRIDAY EDITION

Snopes Debunker

Photo shows Pope Leo XIV wearing white with his hands together in prayer.

Did Pentagon threaten Pope Leo XIV and Vatican? We inspected

A rumor that senior U.S. defense officials summoned a top Vatican diplomat to the Pentagon and threatened the Catholic Church in January — reportedly saying the U.S. has the military power to "do whatever it wants" and that the "Church had better take its side" — spread widely online.

We found the claim stemmed from an article published earlier this week that the Department of Defense disputed. Reporter Taija PerryCook unpacked the facts behind the claim.

A close up of the bottom-halves of a bunch of soldiers in camo and black boots marching beside each other

What to know about automatic US military draft registration planned by December 2026

In the past, eligible men have had to self-register for the draft by law. A change will make it so they are automatically registered.

Snopes App

Get the Snopes app, check the facts anywhere

For more than 30 years, Snopes has been fighting misinformation. Now it's in your pocket. When you're not sure if something is true or false, just open the app and Snopes it. Save articles to your reading list, switch to night mode, see fact-check ratings at a glance, and even play our daily crossword. Available on iOS and Android for phones and tablets.

Rep. John Larson, an older white man with white hair, speaks into a microphone on the left of the image. On the left, President Trump, a white man, pauses as he stands before a microphone.

Did Connecticut congressman file articles of impeachment against Trump?

Rep. John Larson filed 13 articles of impeachment against the president. He also called for the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment.

An image shows a Chick-fil-A in Manhattan, New York City.

Did Chick-fil-A respond to backlash about not celebrating Pride month? Don't bite

The company's X account hasn't posted since 2022.

An image shows a man with facial hair and a backward hat holding a small microphone, all superimposed in TikTok fashion over a picture of an ancient-looking helmet.

Were Roman helmets found on North Carolina golf course?

Users discussed an alleged "wild" archaeological find in the Tar Heel State, with one person saying the discovery would rewrite American history.

Staff pick

Children sit on a rug while a drag queen reads from a picture book and three others sit on a nearby bench.

Ohio bill aims to ban public drag shows, but it hasn't become law yet

Rumors Ohio passed a law effectively banning drag performances in public spaces have spread online.

The bill is real, but it hasn't been signed into law as posts claimed. Reporter Joey Esposito has the full story.