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The Supreme Court is set to consider arguably the highest-profile cases of the term Thursday to determine whether former President Trump can claim presidential immunity against criminal charges brought by the Biden Justice Department.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought charges against Trump following his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and Trump's alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election result, argued in briefs submitted to the high court that "presidents are not above the law."

Trump's legal team conversely argued, "A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President…[t]he threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial decisions, taking away the strength, authority, and decisiveness of the Presidency." 

Legal experts told Fox News Digital that while all nine justices might be skeptical of Trump's sweeping immunity claims, they are likely to give guidance on where presidential immunity from criminal prosecution ends for actions taken while in the Oval Office – which could have a profound impact in the criminal cases against the former president.

SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO DEBATE TRUMP IMMUNITY CLAIM IN ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

Jonathan Turley, a practicing criminal defense attorney and professor at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital the case is "surrounded by rather steep constitutional cliffs."

"This case may be rather maddening for the justices because it is surrounded by rather steep constitutional cliffs. If the court goes one way, a president has little protection in carrying out the duties of his office. If they turned the other way, he has a little accountability for the most serious criminal acts," Turley said. 

"This is a court that tends to be incremental. They tend not to favor sweeping rulings," he said.

The Justice Department argued in lower court that a president has virtually no immunity when he leaves office, and the lower court agreed.

Turley says the justices "could reject the lower court decision and send it back for a more nuanced approach on constitutional immunity."

"The justices may find that presidents do require immunity, even with regard to some criminal acts," Turley said, adding that "any remand would work significantly in the former president's favor on a tactical level."

Turley explained that if the case were to be remanded back down to Judge Tanya Chutkan in the D.C. District Court, that process would make a trial before the November election "even less likely." 

"There are both constitutional and tactical aspects to the ruling, but I think these justices are likely to approach this argument with an eye toward balancing these interests, and if that's the case, they could well come up with a different approach than the lower court or the former president," Turley said.

LEGAL EXPERTS SAY JACK SMITH’S RUNWAY TO TRY TRUMP BEFORE 2024 ELECTION ‘JUST GOT A LOT SHORTER’

The thrust of Trump's legal argument is that Supreme Court precedent says absolute immunity from civil liability exists for a former president for his official acts, and that the same immunity should apply to a criminal context. 

"There’s a real likelihood that the Supreme Court will give some concrete guidance on the exact amount of protection a president is entitled to," Jim Trusty, former legal counsel for Trump and a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital.

"There are still likely to be factual issues that the lower courts will then have to decide as to where President Trump’s actions fit within this continuum of protected or unprotected conduct," he explained.

John Shu, a constitutional law expert who served in both the George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, gave a similar view.

"The chances of the Supreme Court giving the office of the president some amount of level of immunity are pretty good," Shu told Fox News Digital.

But Shu also said "there's also a decent chance that whatever immunity the court carves out, it may not encompass Trump’s alleged acts."

RED STATE AGS BLAST SPECIAL COUNSEL PUSH FOR SCOTUS TO RUSH TRUMP CASE: ‘PARTISAN INTERESTS’

"They won’t be making purely legal arguments, but political power arguments as well, and they’ll have to get at least five Supreme Court justices to agree with them," Shu said.

Trusty said the questions put to each of the parties in Thursday's oral arguments "could be pretty transparent as to each justice’s view of immunity."

So far, Shu observed, Trump’s attorneys have argued that the president has absolute immunity, even after he leaves office, for any and all acts.

"I don’t think the court will go that far," Shu said.

Similarly, Trusty said he expects the court to "give very little credit to the notion of absolutely unlimited immunity, as President Trump’s lawyers have argued."

"But I do think there is a strong possibility that the court confirms the notion that immunity protects the president and that their ruling could set in motion the eventual dismissal of the Jan. 6, Mar-a-Lago and Georgia cases," he said.

The Supreme Court will hear the case, Trump v. United States, on Thursday at 10 a.m.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement, "Without immunity for official acts, there can be no Presidency. No President in American history has faced prosecution for his official acts — until now."

"Allowing political opponents to prosecute the President once he leaves office will distort the President’s most important decisions. Even during his Presidency, his enemies will blackmail and extort him with threats of lawless criminal charges and imprisonment once his term ends. The Framers of our Constitution wisely created a system that prevented this endless, destructive cycle of recrimination for 234 years," he continued.

"The Supreme Court should uphold Presidential immunity and put an end to Jack Smith’s deranged, unconstitutional witch hunt against President Trump, once and for all," he said.

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You've been asked to be a maid of honor at someone's wedding, and you might be wondering what exactly you're expected to do now.

Every bride is going to handle wedding-related responsibilities differently, but generally, the bride-to-be does rely heavily on their maid of honor for support and to assist with the planning and day of wedding events. 

As a maid of honor, you will likely be a large part of the planning process and be a point of contact for wedding-related questions.

CREATIVE BRIDESMAID PROPOSALS TO POP THE QUESTION TO YOUR BRIDAL PARTY

As a maid of honor, here are some of the tasks that may be designated for you before and on the wedding day. 

See these 10 tasks.

One of the biggest days for a bride leading up to her wedding is choosing a dress. This is an event that the maid of honor, along with others very close to the bride, are usually a part of. 

Be supportive of the bride and provide your honest input when asked. 

Remember, this can be a challenging decision (and possibly a long day), so do your best to remain as excited and supportive as possible.

The bride has much of the planning in her hands. One responsibility typically handed off to the maid of honor is outputting communications to others. 

A GUIDE TO WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING FOR YOUR SPRINGTIME NUPTIALS 

If the couple getting married has a wedding website, there may be a contact person listed for guests to contact in the event of questions. The bride and groom may ask you to be that person. 

Familiarize yourself with the answers to questions that could be asked time and time again, like whether a guest can bring their child to the wedding or if there's going to be an open bar. 

If you don't know the answer to something, make sure to ask the bride or groom before providing one. 

You may also be a point of contact between the bride and groom on their wedding day. 

Many couples make the decision not to see each other until they walk down the aisle. 

However, they may want to send small gifts or notes to each other on the morning of their wedding.

The maid of honor is usually the one who plans the bachelorette party and bridal shower. 

When organizing the events, keep the interests of the bride at the front of your mind. You may have a dream for your own bachelorette party, but it's not your time to shine.

Also, don't bear the burden of planning all on your own. If you need help, don't hesitate to lean on other members of the bridal party for assistance.

If there are going to be speeches at the wedding, as the maid of honor, you're probably on the list of people to write one. 

Writing a speech, and then getting up in front of a group of people isn't always an easy task. 

A GUIDE TO FINDING THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE FOR YOUR BIG DAY

When it comes to the actual writing of the speech, give yourself plenty of time to put it together. Go through old pictures and videos to pull inspiration from. 

Don't make it too long, as short and sweet tends to capture people's attention more. If you need tissues to get you through your speech, don't forget to grab one before taking hold of the mic.

In many modern weddings, a member of the bridal party is often given the role of "iPhone photographer." This person could be you. 

Many brides like to have a person, in addition to their photographer, capturing behind the scenes moments of the day on their phone. 

These photos will be available to them immediately, unlike the photos from a photographer. 

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You don't have to be a professional photographer by any means to take on this job. Just make sure you're capturing moments that the bride will enjoy looking through later. 

On the actual wedding day, another important task of a maid of honor is keeping tabs on important the itinerary throughout the day. 

Make sure that tasks are completed, and you are ready to help the bride otherwise, so the day runs as smoothly as possible. 

Unfortunately, even an event as happy as a wedding can bring tension. Planning a wedding is exciting, but also stressful. When there's so many people involved in one event with different thoughts and opinions, tensions can quickly run high. 

As a maid of honor, do your best to assist in working out any problems that may arise. The bride and groom should be as focused on their love for each other as possible, not worried about missteps.

The maid of honor is usually in charge of keeping the wedding rings safe. 

Make sure to keep the rings on you at all times throughout the day. 

Since the maid of honor stands the closest to the bride, they usually hold their bouquet during the ceremony.

Also, make sure to straighten out their veil and dress when they are at the altar, so they aren't in disarray for the ceremony photos. 

The most important role of the maid of honor is to be a support system and an aid to the bride. 

Cold feet or nerves are common at a wedding. Be prepared to deal with this should it come.

Do whatever you can to make the planning and the day easier for the bride. Be careful not to overstep, and always show your unwavering support.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is looking to quickly pass a $95 billion package with aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan roughly six months after President Biden made his request for additional aid in October 2023.

"Now it’s the Senate’s turn, and the finish line is now in sight," Schumer said in a statement following the House's passage of separate aid bills for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. As part of the package, it also passed a measure requiring the app TikTok to divest from Chinese-owned ByteDance, as well as a measure called the REPO Act, which would allow $5 billion in Russian assets held in U.S. banks to be transferred to Ukraine.

BIDEN ADMIN NOTES 'URGENT' CONCERN OVER ISRAEL IN GAZA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

The House passed the measures on Saturday, more than two months after the Senate passed a different version of the foreign aid package. 

With this goal of swift Senate passage in mind, Schumer didn't wait until the House had approved the package before he began working on it.

"A few moments ago, Democrats and Republicans locked in an agreement enabling the Senate to finish work on the supplemental with the first vote on Tuesday afternoon," the majority leader previewed in his statement. 

"The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in his own statement about the need to pass the aid. 

But as Schumer hopes to expedite the aid bills, discontent on both sides of the aisle threatens to upend his timeline.

DEMOCRATS JOIN REPUBLICANS IN CONDEMNING ANTISEMITISM AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

According to a source familiar, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is leading a push to table the so-called "amendment tree," which would prevent Schumer from predetermining which amendments would be considered. Instead, it would allow senators to take their amendments to the chamber floor in regular order. In Senate terms, "filling the amendment tree" refers to a process by which a certain number and type of amendments are offered under Senate precedents. Once these amendments are offered and the "tree is filled," no other amendments are allowed.

One of the amendments Lee wants to see implemented in the package is a provision requiring Ukraine to repay the aid, some of which would be granted in the form of a loan, which would be eligible to be forgiven under the House-passed measure.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is supportive of this effort, signaling potential bipartisan backing, the source said. Sanders dislikes the package for his own reasons and plans to offer his own amendments to it.

Sanders' two amendments include one to stop "unfettered military aid to Netanyahu’s war machine" and another that would restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency "so that children in Gaza don’t starve."

FETTERMAN HAMMERS 'A--HOLE' ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS, SLAMS OWN PARTY FOR RESPONSE TO IRANIAN ATTACK: 'CRAZY'

If the senators are successful in preventing the amendment tree being filled by Schumer, preventing consideration of other amendments, the voting process would be lengthened. And if any amendments were to pass, the bills would need to be reconsidered by the House.

It's unclear what level of support they have garnered for this effort. It would take a simple majority of 51 votes to table the amendment tree. 

Despite this opposition to the current package, a senior GOP Senate source told Fox News Digital that the previous aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan passed with 70 votes. Only 29 voted against it. And while certain changes have been made, the source said the bills are likely to move quickly as Schumer intends.

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The death of "American Idol" alum Mandisa has left family, friends and fans devastated as an investigation is underway.

Authorities are "conducting an active death investigation stemming from a body that was discovered Thursday evening at a residence," Franklin Police Department Public Information manager Max Wintz told Fox News Digital last week.

On Monday, the Franklin, Tennessee, Police Department shared an update on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "The Franklin Police Department is continuing to investigate the death of a woman found inside a Beamon Dr. residence last Thursday evening. Over the weekend, a medical examiner identified the deceased individual as Mandisa Hundley, 47."

The post continued, "At this time, there is no indication the death was the result of suspicious or criminal activity."

"The Franklin Police Department sends its condolences to Hundley’s family, friends, and fans," it concluded.

While her loved ones await answers, Mandisa’s life and faith are being celebrated.

Born Mandisa Hundley in California, she attended Fisk University in Nashville where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music in 2000 and was a member of the famous Fisk University Jubilee singers, according to The Tennessean.

'AMERICAN IDOL' ALUM, GOSPEL SINGER MANDISA DEAD AT 47; POLICE INVESTIGATING

After graduating, Mandisa worked as a session and backup vocalist for big names like Trisha Yearwood and Shania Twain.

In 2005, she auditioned in Chicago for "American Idol" and competed in the show’s fifth season alongside other future stars like Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler and winner Taylor Hicks.

During the competition, she showcased her stunning gospel vocals and firm Christian faith.

Judge Simon Cowell made several critical remarks about Mandisa’s weight throughout the show, leading to her delivering a powerful speech. 

FORMER 'AMERICAN IDOL' STAR TRIES TO PINPOINT WHY SO MANY CONTESTANTS ARE NOW CHRISTIAN ARTISTS

"Simon, a lot of people want me to say a lot of things to you," she said. "But this is what I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me, and I cried, and it was painful. It really was. But I want you to know that I've forgiven you and that you don't need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you."

Cowell hugged her immediately and said he felt "humbled."

In an interview with CBN after her time on the show, Mandisa recalled the moment she stood up to Cowell and how it was guided by her faith.

"It’s funny because the producers were setting me up," she told the outlet. "As soon as we got there, we were all in a room, and the producers said, ‘This episode is all about reaction.’ Then the producers looked directly at me and said, ‘If Simon says something mean about you, you tell him off. You let him have it. They know that you’re going to tell them off, so you just say whatever you want to, and we can bleep out anything that is not TV-friendly.’ I just thought, ‘Oh, trust me. I’ve got some words for him.’ It’s not what they expected, but I did it because it was what the Lord wanted me to do."

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She added, "I knew telling him that I forgave him would kind of disarm him, if you will, and that he would be graced. I didn’t know if he had ever felt that before."

Mandisa finished ninth on "American Idol," and the show is planning a tribute to her next Monday.

In a statement, "American Idol" praised her, saying, "Mandisa was an adored icon on ‘American Idol’ and in the music industry. She had become a platinum-selling artist and had won several Grammys for her music. Her passing has left everyone on the show heartbroken, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family."

Though she stood her ground against Cowell’s comments about her weight, she admitted over the years that her weight had been something she struggled with for most of her life.

'AMERICAN IDOL' TRAGEDIES: CJ HARRIS' DEATH MARKS PAINFUL HISTORY FOR REALITY COMPETITION SHOW

"Food has always been a problem for me," Mandisa told The Oklahoman in 2008. "When Simon first made the comments, it was a nightmare. But God turned it around. Those words became the impetus I needed to kick-start my plan to live a more healthful lifestyle and get my eating under control."

"The part of me that wanted to give everything to the dream of pursuing ‘American Idol' was constantly kept in check by the hurt little girl who's heard too many mean things in gym class," she said in the interview.

According to The Oklahoman, in her 2007 book "Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame," Mandisa wrote, "Instead of calling on the Lord to lift me, I kept dialing Papa John's [pizza] in an effort to fill my needs."

She told the Denver Post that her faith helped her refocus her weight-loss efforts, saying, "I had dieted before, I had lost weight. My faith taught me about obedience in the Lord, and I want my body to be a temple not a hindrance. And my weight has been a hindrance my whole life."

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In her interview with CBN, she spoke about the origins of her turning to food for comfort following her parents’ separation and her father moving away.

"As a child I started to wonder if it was my fault," Mandisa told the outlet. "Did I do something that made Dad leave? I was only 2 years old, but as I grew up, I just started questioning that sort of thing. I started feeling like I had to perform in order to warrant his love. At that point, I think I started wrestling with feelings of abandonment and – not having a father figure in my life – he is still a very big part of my life, just not right there with me. I just started turning to food in order to comfort."

She focused on forgiveness, saying, "When I realized that he was able to go on and live a very happy life, it was holding me back. I did not want my unforgiveness to have that effect on me, and I have learned that forgiveness is just as much for the person that is forgiving [than] for the person being forgiven."

In her interview, she also revealed she had been raped as a teenager, a trauma that further fueled her food addiction.

CARNIE WILSON SAYS FAITH AND FAMILY ARE HER 'SURVIVAL' AFTER 'DYSFUNCTIONAL' ROCK ‘N’ ROLL UPBRINGING

"When that happened at 16, it was like a floodgate opened. I started to eat and eat and eat. I think I was sort of shielding myself off from anybody else that could harm me," she said.

Mandisa did not elaborate on the incident, but CBN wrote that she was able to forgive her rapist.

Reflecting on the nature of forgiveness and the Cowell moment on "Good Morning America" in 2022, Mandisa said, "It’s really more for the person forgiving than the person being forgiven. And it really set me free, and that’s a lesson I’ve taken away from my time on ‘American Idol’ ever since."

In 2007, after her time on "American Idol," Mandisa released her first album, "True Beauty," which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums charts and No. 43 on the Billboard charts, a rare feat for a Christian artist.

'AMERICAN IDOL' ALUM COLTON DIXON RECALLS 'FAITH OR FEAR' MOMENT WHEN TWIN DAUGHTER WAS BORN WITH 'NO PULSE'

"True Beauty" was nominated for best pop/contemporary gospel album at the 2008 Grammys, and she went on to earn two more nominations for her albums "Freedom" and "What If We Were Real."

In 2014, she won the Grammy for her album "Overcomer" but was absent from the ceremony.

She explained on her website the next day that she’d missed the show because of her schedule and worries about having her appearance critiqued.

"I have been struggling with being in the world, not of it lately. I have fallen prey to the alluring pull of flesh, pride, and selfish desires quite a bit recently," she wrote at the time.

ROMA DOWNEY TURNED TO FAITH AFTER CHILDHOOD TRAGEDY: 'LIFE BROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES'

It was at that time she also faced a personal loss that rattled her faith and sent her into a three-year depression.

Her friend, Kisha, the inspiration behind the award-winning album, died from breast cancer, and as she explained during an episode of "Women of Faith on TBN" in 2023, Mandisa felt completely lost and disconnected.

"I don’t think I realized it at the time, but I was disappointed because I thought God tricked me," she said. "I thought that He said one thing, and then I thought well maybe He didn’t, maybe I just can’t hear [Him.] So, I just shut Him out, I shut everybody out. I didn’t answer my phone, I didn’t respond to text messages. At one point, my pastor and another great friend of mine were banging on my door. I just completely ignored them because I didn’t want anything to do with Jesus or Jesus people. So, it was a really, really dark time for me."

Mandisa said she turned to food in her grief, noting she had been on a weight-loss journey "ever since Simon made fun of me on national television."

DELTA BURKE ONCE TURNED TO CRYSTAL METH AS WEIGHT-LOSS METHOD: 'WOULDN'T EAT FOR 5 DAYS'

She said she lost 120 pounds at the time of her friend’s death, but she gained it all back plus 75 more and began having borderline suicidal thoughts in her depression.

As she explained, the negativity from "the enemy" she heard was: "Jesus does not want you to be in this kind of pain. You are a child of God and there’s no way this is the abundant life he wanted you to live. So, if you were to take your life right now, you could be in Heaven with them."

What stopped her was faith she would be in Heaven, but "He’s going to be the one to choose, it’s not going to be by my own hand."

"It was completely overwhelming. I could see no hope whatsoever. I thought, ‘I don’t know if I could live this way anymore,’" Mandisa described later in the interview. "While I wasn’t ready to end it myself, I was asking God to. In those few times when I would talk to God, the only thing I said was, ‘Just kill me. Clearly, you don’t have a purpose for me. I can’t see a way out of this, so why don’t you just take me, end my life.’ Thank God, He didn’t, and thank God that He still has a story."

WILLIE NELSON DOCUSERIES REVEALS INFIDELITY, DEPRESSION, ROMANCE: 'I HAD A GIFT FOR COMPLICATING THINGS'

What further helped her emerge from her depression was the support of her friends, who staged an "intervention" of sorts.

"Those are my friends, they fought for me, and they essentially said, 'We’re not going to let you do this any longer." So they forced me to get counseling, which finally helped me deal with my grief. So again, if you’re in that dark place, you need to have the family of God."

In 2022, Mandisa released a memoir titled "Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy," detailing her struggles with depression.

That year, during her appearance on "Good Morning America," she said, "My dream is that this book will be a tool used in living rooms and coffee shops all over the world to help prompt discussions about our mental health."

"I've learned firsthand that talking about it helps it lose some of its power," she continued, hoping it encourages friends to have discussions that can "lead to healing."

She also discussed her song, "It’s Not Over," with Jasmine Murray and Rita Springer, saying, "It gives me hope and encouragement because God is still writing my story. He’s not done yet. So, it’s one I sing often to myself."

At the time of the memoir’s release, Mandisa also posted encouraging words of faith and support for mental health struggles on her Instagram.

Mandisa shared one quote from her book in a post, writing, "The upside of this struggle is that through it, I understand that God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my weakness."

In the caption, she added, "I share about the good, the bad and the dark, challenging times I’ve experienced along the way. And along the way, I learned how to trust God fully even when I couldn’t see or hear Him. During those times it wasn’t an easy path to follow, but it’s been well worth it! He proves His love over and over."

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After an anti-Israel protest escalated at New York University on Monday – requiring city police presence – the university released a statement explaining while it supports students' rights to protest, safety remains its priority.

This comes after the New York City Police Department arrested numerous people following a request from NYU for police to clear Gould Plaza of people refusing orders to leave the area, including many suspected of having no affiliation with the university.

"Today's events did not need to lead to this outcome," NYU spokesperson John Beckman said in a statement.

Mass arrests began around 8:30 p.m. and, within an hour, the demonstration had largely fizzled out. The university is one of several campuses nationwide that has been embroiled in protests against Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

NYU ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS FORM HUMAN CHAIN AS POLICE MOVE IN FOR ARRESTS

Roughly 50 anti-Israel protesters started a demonstration on the plaza in front of the business school Monday morning without notice or authorization from NYU, according to Beckman.

The university closed access to the plaza, placed barriers and emphasized that it would not allow additional protesters to join the demonstration because it was already "considerably disruptive of classes and other operations in schools around the plaza," Beckman said.

"Nonetheless we made no move to clear the plaza at that point because high among the University's aims was to avoid any escalation or violence," Beckman said. "So, the University was deeply disturbed when, early this afternoon, additional protesters, many of whom we believe were not affiliated with NYU, suddenly breached the barriers that had been put in place at the north side of the plaza and joined the others already on the plaza. This breach was in violation of directions from Campus Safety Officers and in violation of multiple University rules."

"This development dramatically changed the situation," he continued. "We witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community, and that demonstrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control or people can get hurt."

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT ORDERS VIRTUAL CLASSES AS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS TAKE OVER: ‘WE NEED A RESET’

The university told protesters that they needed to leave the plaza by 4 p.m. for there to be no consequences from the school or police.

Many protesters still refused to leave, and the university was made aware of "intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents."

In response to these reports and safety issues raised by the breach, the university requested assistance from the NYPD, who initially urged people on the plaza to leave peacefully before ultimately making several arrests.

"We will continue to support individuals' right to freedom of expression, and, as we have said since October, the safety of our students and maintaining an equitable learning environment remain paramount," Beckman said, referring to the initial response to protests following Hamas terrorists' Oct. 7 attack against Israel, which started the ongoing war in the Middle East.

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There were only remote classes at Columbia University on Monday as protests, clashes and arrests rendered the campus a cauldron of tension and fear.

A surge in antisemitism, attacks and harassment has made life extremely uncomfortable for Jewish students at colleges across the country, and Columbia has become ground zero after police arrested more than 100 protesters there late last week.

It’s hard to fathom that the gated Upper Manhattan campus, so familiar to me from my days earning a master’s in journalism there, felt compelled to keep students away as the Biden White House condemned anti-Jewish hatred heading into the first night of Passover.

I believe we’re at a long-overdue turning point. Just four months ago, Harvard President Claudine Gay and Penn President Liz Magill couldn’t bring themselves to denounce antisemitism at a congressional hearing, which ultimately cost them their jobs. Now Columbia President Minouche Shafik, under pressure after a similar hearing, has cracked down on demonstrators who break the rules.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS: 5 DRAMATIC MOMENTS FROM A WEEK OF CHAOS

Antisemitic incidents have surged since Hamas terrorists committed unspeakable acts of brutality on Oct. 7 in launching the war against Israel. But whatever your view of the war, including rising civilian casualties and widespread hunger in Gaza, my sense is that a growing number of Americans are just fed up with out-of-control protests by those who would wipe Israel off the map.

Elie Buechler, a rabbi who heads the Orthodox Union’s learning center at Columbia and its sister school Barnard College, sent a WhatsApp message to nearly 300 Jewish students on Sunday saying police had not guaranteed their safety "in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy," and that they should stay home "until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved."

"It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus," the rabbi wrote. 

There was some backlash against Buechler, as if he was advocating surrender, but he said it pained him to have to make this recommendation.

COLUMBIA RABBI TELLS JEWISH STUDENTS TO LEAVE CAMPUS, WARNS THAT SCHOOL, NYPD 'CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY'

I’m all for free speech and the right to protest, but when pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up 50 tents in the middle of campus, the school warned them that they would be automatically suspended and arrested if they refused police orders to vacate.

The initial media coverage focused on the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, Isra Hirsi, who was one of those arrested. There is no evidence she was treated differently than anyone else. Hirsi, a member of the anti-Israel group Apartheid Divest, told Teen Vogue she has nowhere to live and no way to get food after she was evicted from her $90,000-a-year Barnard dorm and dining hall.

The Minnesota congresswoman said she is "enormously proud" of her daughter.

Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, said he is "horrified and disgusted with the antisemitism at and around the Columbia University campus."

ISRAEL’S SUCCESS, IRAN’S FAILURE AND THE CHANCES OF IGNITING THE MIDEAST POWDER KEG

Shafik, in banning in-person classes, denounced the "intimidating and harassing behavior" on campus. "Anti-Semitic(sic) language, like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken." 

She added that some people not affiliated with Columbia have "exploited" these tensions "to pursue their own agendas."

Shafik said she was trying "to balance the rights of students to express political views" with protecting other students "from rhetoric that amounts to harassment and discrimination."

Some of the school’s 5,000 Jewish students were cursed out, according to the Columbia chapter of Chabad, with protesters shouting "all you do is colonize, "go back to Europe" and "go back to Poland." 

Some demonstrators, according to a post by one student, tried to burn a stolen Israeli flag, while some Jewish students found themselves splashed with water. Police officers were also called the KKK and there were chants about a free Palestine "from the river to the sea."

This is beyond outrageous. Some of these protesters, who tried to put up tents once again, are not just against Israel, they clearly despise Jews. That is at the root of this deep-seated bigotry that has made life intolerable for Jewish students at Columbia and beyond.

(There is a slice of Jewish students who say they agree with the protesters that Gaza death tolls are unacceptable, though I don’t get how they square that with calls for Israel’s destruction.)

DISCIPLINE SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THESE THREATS: PHILIPPE REINES

A student identified as Katie told FOX’s Martha MacCallum: "It's sickening. And truly, it's heartbreaking to think that I go to school with people who have these horrible anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, and anti-American beliefs. It's really quite disturbing to think that these people are allowed to be around me and my classmates and to see my friends, people I recognize on these videos being screamed at that these people condone their rape and murder. And it's just so beyond disturbing."

Katie, describing herself as an Iranian who escaped religious persecution in the country that directly and unsuccessfully bombarded Israel for the first time, said Columbia has "hired professors who have said that these attacks on Oct. 7 were awesome, were great victories for the Palestinian martyrs and who have been known to be antisemitic, and that Professor Joseph Massad teaches the class on Israeli-Palestinian conflict at Columbia. And you wonder how these students get indoctrinated with these beliefs….I think it's a rejection of American values."

The woman, who was poised and passionate, added that the ongoing ordeal prompted her to move off-campus. 

"It changed my life as a student completely. I worked my whole life to get into Columbia. Worked hard to go. This is my dream school. I came to hear from people with differing beliefs and to learn from them. And it has made the entire experience miserable," she said. "Quite frankly, I cannot wait to get out of there and I will never return."

There comes a time when millions who had looked away or stayed silent rise up and say enough. I think we are on the brink of that moment. 

There is something about the combination of Columbia, the New York media market, the arrests, the tent city and the bile directed at Jewish students that has tipped the scales.

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Jon Bon Jovi is leaving his health to God, as he is two years into his recovery from an intense vocal cord surgery.

In an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of the "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story" docuseries release, the rock band's frontman bluntly explained that recovering from vocal cord surgery "sucks."

"It sucks," Bon Jovi said. "But, if I put it into comparison to athletes, and when Kobe and the achilles, or Michael Strahan and the pec, Tom Brady with the knee, Tiger Woods preparing for yet another Masters. It doesn't get any easier for any of those guys." 

He continued, "And I know their work ethic and mine are very similar. No one anticipates injury like that. And it's up to God to fix it or not, but I'm certainly right next to the Lord himself working on it."

BON JOVI DOESN'T WANT TO BE ‘THE FAT ELVIS,' WILL BE ‘CRUSHED’ IF VOCAL SURGERY PUTS AN END TO TOURING

Bon Jovi, whose full name is John Francis Bongiovi Jr., paused his live singing career in 2022 and underwent throat surgery after suffering an atrophied vocal cord. 

WATCH: Jon Bon Jovi says 'it's up to God' to repair his vocal cords following surgery

The band Bon Jovi celebrates their 40th anniversary as a band this year. To mark the historical accomplishment, the band teamed up with Hulu to create a four-part docuseries, "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story."

Two years ago, Bon Jovi realized that the band's anniversary was coming up and decided to "archive everything that I had," he told Fox News Digital. 

"And then [I] asked the band to contribute what they had. I thought about how we are going to mark this anniversary because you only get one 40th anniversary and who knows where we'll be at 50," he continued. "So, it was an opportune time to discuss it."

BON JOVI: A LOOK AT THE ICONIC ROCK BAND THEN AND NOW

Jon Bon Jovi was joined by "Tico" Torres during his interview with Fox News Digital. Torres, born Hector Samuel Juan Tico Torres, explained that he's thrilled to still be creating music 40 years into his career. 

WATCH: Tico Torres was excited to 'reinvent' Bon Jovi in their new upcoming album

Bon Jovi's 16th studio album, "Forever," will be released June 7.

"We're still here, you know, think about it," Torres said. "We get to create music and, like this new record, it was exciting to do, and the fact that we can reinvent ourselves and say what we have to say from inside together is amazing to be able to do that." 

He continued, "I mean, there are few bands in the world that do it, but it's nice to be part of that genre where you can keep going and keep creating. We grew up together. We're guys from Jersey and we're family. You know what else we got to do?"

Jon chimed in and shared why he thinks Bon Jovi has been able to withstand the test of time. 

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"Well, first of all, it's a love of music," he began. "I think that we all innately love music, and we also love each other's company. So, there's no one else I'd rather create with than the group of guys that I create with, and I think that really is the easiest answer. I love that we get to do this together."

WATCH: Jon Bon Jovi says there was 'never anything malicious' with Richie Sambora's exit from the band

The upcoming docuseries touches on Richie Sambora's infamous exit from Bon Jovi. He served as the lead guitarist in the band from 1983 to 2013.

When Jon and Torres were asked if they would do anything different looking back on Sambora's exit, Jon said, "Yeah. If I can accept the blame for working too hard, then I will."

Jon continued, "It was never anything malicious, and we never had a fight, and there was never any animus. Richie had issues that he has now addressed publicly and privately with substance abuse and some anxieties and being a single dad." 

The band's frontman struggled with his bandmate's exit, but noted that "we had to continue to do what we do, and he chose not to want to do it any longer. Unfortunately for him and for us."

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"Being in a rock band is not a life sentence, and he chose not to want to do it any longer," he concluded.

As far as a future reunion with Sambora, Torres called the moment when Bon Jovi reconnected with Sambora and the late Alec John Such at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 "something special." Such, who was a founding member and bassist in the band, died in 2022.

"Alec, [who is] no longer with us, he's up there watching us, but he was the catalyst of putting the band together – introducing me and Richie, Jon," Torres said.

"There's a lot of, you know, back to Richie. It's a situation where it's hard to go on without a brother," he continued. "It wasn't our decision. It was his decision in that sense and you got to respect that."

WATCH: Jon Bon Jovi says upcoming 'Thank You, Goodnight' docuseries has been in the works for two years

"Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story" premieres on Hulu on April 26.

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