On its own, the phrase “Christ is king” sums up a core tenet of the Christian faith, that Jesus is the divine ruler of the universe. Many churches celebrate a Christ the King Sunday each year. But the ancient proclamation can morph into something political, controversial or even sinister, depending on the context. In recent years, “Christ is king” and similar phrases have been chanted at political rallies, posted on social media and proclaimed in speeches by voices on the right. At times the phrase is used to support the notion of America as a Christian nation. At other times, activists have paired the phrase with anti-Zionist or negative Jewish stereotypes.

The Justice Department is suing the University of California over allegations that UCLA failed to protect Jewish employees from antisemitic harassment amid pro-Palestinian protests that roiled the campus in 2023 and 2024. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in California, is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign to punish top universities that it says have been soft on antisemitism." The suit accuses UCLA of failing to discipline those who were involved in protests, including dozens who were arrested in 2024 for failing to leave a campus encampment. UCLA says it has taken “concrete and significant steps” to strengthen campus security, enforce policies and combat antisemitism, though it did not mention the federal government’s lawsuit.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is opening up about his Jewish faith at a pivotal moment in his political rise. The Democratic governor is eyeing a reelection this fall in one of the nation’s most important swing states. If he wins, it could propel him into the very top of his party’s presidential nomination fight. But he’s also navigating physical and political risks that have threatened his family’s life and his standing in a party that’s deeply divided by Israel's war in Gaza. Shapiro spoke about these challenges in a recent interview with The Associated Press.