Barclays Bank – one of the top 20 in the world – has paid more than $25,000 in compensation to Dr. Mike Davidson, an executive of a Christian trust, after arbitrarily closing the charity’s bank accounts due to pressure from LGBTQ+ activists.
Activists claimed the Core Issues Trust and the International Federation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice were pushing “conversion therapy” onto people who voluntarily seek to change their sexual preferences or gender identities.
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Barclays – a leading sponsor of London’s gay pride parade – succumbed to the pressure and sent a letter to Davidson, notifying him of the bank’s decision to close their accounts. Meanwhile, Davidson received hundreds of calls and messages from strangers telling him that he and the trust’s staff would be “raped and killed” amongst other threats.
Davidson’s lawyers alleged the closure was “an act of unlawful discrimination” as his professional and public work was damaged by the withdrawal of banking services on the basis of religious beliefs and political views.
Barclays “wholly denied” the claims of discrimination yet made an offer of £21,500 (GBP) to settle the matter before the case was due to be heard in the English High Court this week.
Davidson said following the settlement: “We reject Barclays [B]ank’s implied accusations of ‘conversion therapy’, directed at our work and charity. This case must serve as a warning to the government of what is coming if it proceeds with publishing and enforcing its ‘conversion therapy’ ban.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s advisers have paused efforts to replace Joe Biden holdover and suspected leaker Ricky Buria as acting chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, allowing him to continue in the role.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ricky Buria, Pete Hegseth, Trump administration officials, and former Pentagon staff such as Joe Kasper and Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent months, primarily at the Pentagon and the White House.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Hegseth has since defended Buria at every turn, even as the White House told the defense secretary he could keep Buria but that he would never become chief of staff,” according to The Guardian.
🎯IMPACT: Buria remains in a key Pentagon role despite White House reservations, while questions linger regarding his role in internal controversies.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump’s advisers have decided to halt efforts to find a new chief of staff for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, allowing Joe Biden holdover Ricky Buria to continue in an acting capacity, sources claim. While Buria is not expected to be formally approved for the role, the push to replace him has lost momentum.
Buria’s efforts to amass power within the Defense Department were first exposed by The National Pulse. These efforts appear to have been largely successful, despite his history of donating to Democrats such as Mike O’Brien—who claims President Trump “hates veterans”—through the highly controversial ActBlue platform.
His influence has grown as he filled a power vacuum created by the departure of key aides earlier this year, including Joe Kasper and Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short, amid a contentious leak investigation. Concerningly, Buria himself is accused of being a significant source of leaks, with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations reportedly investigating his alleged disclosures to media that are generally hostile to the Trump administration.
According to The Guardian, “Hegseth has… defended Buria at every turn, even as the White House told the defense secretary he could keep Buria but that he would never become chief of staff.”
Nevertheless, Buria has effectively taken on the role regardless, with West Wing staffers reportedly referring to him as “Chief Ricky.”
Hegseth’s decision to retain Buria has effectively handed him the responsibilities of the chief of staff role, despite the White House’s reservations. The situation reflects ongoing tensions and unresolved issues within the Pentagon’s leadership under the Trump administration.
A favorite of Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Buria has maintained links with several Biden-era staffers. Biden Department of Defense official Anne Powers publicly referred to Buria as her “partner in crime” on LinkedIn.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has accused former President Barack Obama of manufacturing evidence to suggest Russian interference in the 2016election and released more documents to support her claims.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tulsi Gabbard, Barack Obama, James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Hillary Clinton, and others.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Claims focus on a December 9, 2016, National Security Council meeting and subsequent events, with recent developments occurring in July 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It is essential that for the future of our nation and our democratic republic, that accountability must occur.” – Tulsi Gabbard
🎯IMPACT: The allegations have sparked further political division, with critics accusing Gabbard of distraction tactics and supporters calling for accountability in intelligence operations.
IN FULL
U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has said that former President Barack Obama orchestrated a scheme to manufacture evidence implicating Russia in aiding President Donald J. Trump during the 2016 presidential election. Gabbard has released additional documents to substantiate her claims, which involve senior Obama administration officials, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan, and former DNI James Clapper.
“We will be releasing further documents tomorrow that will refute that statement,” she said on Tuesday night. “We will be pulling a whole host of statements that were made by the Obama administration, by Hillary Clinton, by senior Democrat officials, by their friends in the media that state, over and over again, after this January 2017 manufactured intelligence document was created, that repeat the narrative.”
The newly declassified evidence comes from a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence staff report, with Gabbard saying it “exposes how the Obama Administration manufactured the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that they knew was false, promoting the LIE that Vladimir Putin and the Russian government helped President Trump win the 2016 election.”
“In doing so, they conspired to subvert the will of the American people, working with their partners in the media to promote the lie, in order to undermine the legitimacy of President Trump, essentially enacting a years-long coup against him,” she added.
President Trump has said it is “time to go after people” for attempting to negate his first presidency, telling the media on Tuesday, The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold… They tried to rig the election, and they got caught—and there should be very severe consequences for that.”
🧵 New evidence has emerged of the most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history. Per President @realDonaldTrump‘s directive, I have declassified a @HouseIntel oversight majority staff report that exposes how the Obama Administration… pic.twitter.com/0sS4Df8yoI
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump says the U.S. has struck a significant trade deal with Japan ahead of his August 1 deadline to avoid higher tariff rates.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, key industries in both nations, and American and Japanese consumers.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The trade deal was announced late Tuesdady, July 22, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We just completed a massive Deal with Japan, perhaps the largest Deal ever made. Japan will invest, at my direction, $550 Billion Dollars into the United States, which will receive 90% of the Profits. This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it.” — President Trump
🎯IMPACT: Japan will open its domestic markets to U.S.-made goods and will invest $550 billion in American-based supply chains involving pharmaceuticals, defense technology, and semiconductors, among other products.
IN FULL
U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced late Tuesday that he has struck a significant trade agreement with Japan. The announcement came as a major shock to pundits in both nations, with critics of Trump’s tariff policies insisting a trade deal with Japan would be impossible to complete before the August 1 deadline for reciprocal U.S. tariffs to take effect.
“We just completed a massive Deal with Japan, perhaps the largest Deal ever made. Japan will invest, at my direction, $550 Billion Dollars into the United States, which will receive 90% of the Profits. This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social late Tuesday. “Perhaps most importantly, Japan will open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things. Japan will pay Reciprocal Tariffs to the United States of 15%.”
The America First leader added, “This is a very exciting time for the United States of America, and especially for the fact that we will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Japan’s acquiescence to U.S. demands that the East Asain nation open its markets to a bevy of American products is significant. For decades, Japan has largely blocked foreign imports from its domestic market—especially regarding foreign competition to its automobile industry. This position has frustrated numerous U.S. presidents and major American companies that have sought access to Japan’s consumer base of 124.5 million people.
Critically, Japan is also pledging a $550 billion investment in the U.S., mainly focused on establishing U.S.-based supply chains for certain pharmaceuticals, defense technology, and semiconductors.
If a deal had not been reached, Japan would have faced a 25 percent tariff on its exports to the U.S. starting on August 1. The lower tariff rate is being celebrated as a significant political win for Japan’s embattled Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his Liberal Democratic Party, which was reduced to a governing minority in the country’s parliament after the populist Sanseitō party surged in elections last weekend on a ‘Japanese First’ platform.
The deal with Japan comes on the heels of two other U.S. trade agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines, both announced earlier on Tuesday. With Japan’s agreement now finalized as well, pressure on China to make further concessions to the Trump White House in order to end its trade conflict with the U.S. is likely mounting.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. State Department criticized the European Union (EU) censorship regime, calling it “Orwellian.”
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. State Department, Vice President J.D. Vance, and American social media companies.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The criticism was made in a social media post on Tuesday, following remarks by Vance earlier this year.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This Orwellian message won’t fool the United States. Censorship is not freedom.” – U.S. State Department
🎯IMPACT: The statement links EU’s Digital Services Act to censorship concerns, affecting tech and social media companies.
IN FULL
The Trump administration has openly criticized European Union (EU) speech restrictions on social media, describing them as “Orwellian” censorship in a recent social media post by the U.S. State Department. The department linked these actions to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
“In Europe, thousands are being convicted for the crime of criticizing their own governments,” the department stated. “This Orwellian message won’t fool the United States. Censorship is not freedom,” it added, sharing the message alongside a graphic reading, “All the DSA protects is European leaders from their own people.”
The State Department’s remarks come as American social media giants such as Facebook parent company Meta and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) face legal challenges under the DSA, which went into effect in 2022. These companies have been scrutinized under the EU’s stringent content moderation rules for failing to censor their users sufficiently.
Earlier this year, Vice President J.D. Vance voiced concerns about EU censorship at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, saying, “The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor. And what I worry about is the threat from within.”
President Donald J. Trump later concurred, telling reporters, “I think it’s true; in Europe, they’re losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech. I see it.”
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee got in line with the Trump administration and effectively banned men from competing in women’s sports.
The details: The revised policy doesn’t mention “transgender” athletes specifically, but confirms the committee would be in compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, signed in February.
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In its policy update, the committee said: “We’re ensuring women have a fair and safe competition environment
Zoom out: The shift comes after global backlash over recent competitions – namely Algeria’s Imane Khelif, who failed gender testing but won gold in the women’s welterweight boxing division at the Paris Games.
The numbers: A recent NBC poll found 75% of Americans oppose men competing in women’s sports – including two-thirds of Gen Z.
Looking ahead: The 2028 Summer Olympics will be hosted in Los Angeles while Trump is still in office.
The last word goes to former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who wrote on X: “It’s hard to applaud an organization for merely following the law, but nonetheless, this is a win.”
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee got in line with the Trump administration and effectively banned men from competing in women’s sports.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons discussed the agency’s focus on worksite enforcement actions targeting crimes like human trafficking and child exploitation.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Todd Lyons, acting ICE Director, and ICE enforcement teams.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Remarks were made during a broadcast of NewsNation’s Cuomo this week.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We want to go ahead and [tackle] those American businesses that are illegally taking credit off the men and women that they have working for them. We are going after the businesses as well.” – Todd Lyons
🎯IMPACT: ICE is emphasizing enforcement against businesses involved in illegal practices, alongside its focus on criminal warrants.
IN FULL
Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons has stated the agency’s current focus on worksite enforcement actions will see the agency go after bosses who employ and exploit illegal aliens. These operations are aimed at locations with potential human trafficking, child exploitation, or other criminal activities.
Lyons stated, “We hear all the time, from the left and the right, hey, we’ll support you if you have a criminal warrant, search warrant signed by a judge. And when you see a lot of the worksite that we’ve done, like the marijuana grow farm or the events on June 6 that led to the riots and the protesting of us in L.A., they were actual federal criminal warrants that ICE was going to a location that either had possible human trafficking, child exploitation, or some type of criminal event. That’s what ICE is focused on right now.”
He further explained that the agency is not solely focused on illegal immigrants working illegally. “We want to go ahead and [tackle] those American businesses that are illegally taking credit off the men and women that they have working for them. We are going after the businesses as well,” Lyons said.
The ICE raid of a marijuana farm in California earlier this month saw agents discover illegal immigrant children being exploited. Despite this, the state’s Democrat Governor, Gavin Newsom, took aim at ICE’s methods, complaining that they were using tear gas on women and children.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. steel industry is experiencing a resurgence under President Donald J. Trump, following years of decline under the Biden government.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cleveland-Cliffs, Steel Dynamics, Nucor, and U.S. Steel, alongside President Donald J. Trump.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Q2 2025, across key U.S. steel-producing states including Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have started to see the positive impact that tariffs have on domestic manufacturing, protecting domestic jobs and national security.” – Lourenco Goncalves, CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs.
🎯IMPACT: Increased steel production, higher earnings for steel companies, and stronger national security through protective tariffs.
IN FULL
The American steel industry is seeing a revival under President Donald J. Trump, who has imposed tariffs on foreign nations that attempt to tilt international trade in their favor. Despite being hammered by unfair foreign competition enabled by the former Biden government—resulting in job losses and threats to U.S. national security—a number of major players in the U.S. steel industry have seen significant economic improvements in the second quarter of 2025.
Ohio’s Cleveland-Cliffs steel manufacturer says it hit a record number of shipments in Q2. “Cliffs is a major supplier of steel to the automotive manufacturers, and the Trump Administration continues to show strong support to both the domestic steel and the domestic automotive sectors,” CEO Lourenco Goncalves stated, adding: “We have started to see the positive impact that tariffs have on domestic manufacturing, protecting domestic jobs and national security. We expect this trend to continue, promoting the resurgence of the American automotive industry supported by a thriving domestic steel industry.”
In addition, Indiana-based Steel Dynamics reported a 39 percent increase in operating income and a 19 percent increase in adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) in Q2 2025. EBITDA is a financial metric that focuses on the core earnings generated by a company’s business activities, excluding factors related to financing (interest), government obligations (taxes), and non-cash accounting adjustments (depreciation and amortization) to determine said company’s operational performance and profitability. Meanwhile, North Carolina-based Nucor announced that it expects Q2 earnings to be four times higher than the preceding quarter.
The National Pulse reported on Tuesday that General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra, in a letter to shareholders, said the company is in the process of moving billions of dollars of production back into the U.S., as well as retrofitting some of its American manufacturing facilities to produce more internal combustion engine autos instead of electric vehicles. Barra emphasized that the auto giant will likely undertake additional measures beyond an already planned $4 billion U.S. production investment to “greatly reduce our tariff exposure.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Laura Anne Jones, a lawmaker in the Welsh Parliament, or Senedd, has defected from the Conservatives to the Reform Party, becoming its first Member of the Senedd (MS).
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Laura Anne Jones, Nigel Farage, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar, and Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales) leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd on Tuesday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’ve just suddenly felt that the Conservative Party was unrecognisable to me. It wasn’t the party that I joined over three decades ago.” – Laura Anne Jones
🎯IMPACT: The defection reduces the Conservative presence in the Welsh Parliament to 14 and raises the prospect of further defections, with polls indicating Reform will come out well ahead of the Conservatives in the Welsh elections next year.
IN FULL
Laura Anne Jones, a Senedd (Welsh Parliament) lawmaker, has left the Conservative Party to join the populist Reform Party, as announced by party leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show. This move makes her the first Member of the Senedd (MS) for Reform in Wales and represents the party’s highest-profile defection in the region.
Jones stated that she could no longer justify Conservative policies to voters. “I’ve just suddenly felt that the Conservative Party was unrecognisable to me. It wasn’t the party that I joined over three decades ago,” she said, adding that Reform “is listening to the people of Great Britain.”
The announcement has sparked anger among Welsh Conservatives. Darren Millar, leader of the Senedd Conservative group, expressed disappointment, saying voters in South Wales East would feel “very let down by her announcement.” He added, “We wish Laura all the very best in her new high tax and high spend party.” However, despite his snide remarks, polls suggest Reform is likely to place well ahead of the Conservatives in next year’s Senedd elections.
Nigel Farage praised Jones for her experience, stating, “She knows how the place works, and that’s very important for us.” Jones has previously been critical of the Labour-led Welsh government—roughly equivalent to a U.S. state government—for its policies, particularly on issues like education, healthcare, and support for farmers.
The defection is just the latest for Reform and comes just weeks after former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry joined the party, a major blow to current Tory leader Olukemi “Kemi” Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba was replaced after New Jersey federal district courtjudges, predominantly appointed by former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, voted against extending her term.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alina Habba, Desiree Grace, President Donald J. Trump, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D), and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Decision announced Tuesday, July 22, in the Federal District of New Jersey.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Their rush reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law.” – Todd Blanche
🎯IMPACT: Desiree Grace will temporarily assume the role; Habba could still resume the role should she be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a full term.
IN FULL
Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba‘s position in the District of New Jersey came to an abrupt end—for now—after federal district court judges, predominantly appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, voted not to extend her term. The judges voted behind closed doors on Monday to replace her with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace. Grace will temporarily take over the role effective immediately, according to a court order made public on Tuesday, July 22.
Habba, known for her previous role as President Donald J. Trump’s personal attorney and legal spokeswoman, has aggressively pursued legal action against a group of New Jersey Democratic Party lawmakers who are accused of physically assaulting federal immigration officials earlier this year. In May, she ordered the arrest of Newark’s Democratic mayor, Ras Baraka, for allegedly trespassing in an immigration detention facility. The charges were later dropped, and a judge criticized her actions as an attempt to “satisfy public clamor.” Baraka has since filed a defamation lawsuit against Habba.
Additionally, in June, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) pleaded not guilty to charges brought by Habba alleging McIver forcibly impeded federal officers during the attempted arrest of Baraka. The charges include allegations that McIver physically obstructed officers, using her arms to block and strike them.
President Trump recently nominated Habba for a full four-year term, emphasizing her commitment to cracking down on street crime. She has also received endorsements from law enforcement groups. However, Democrats in the U.S. Senate say they will uniformly oppose the nomination, citing a lack of prosecutorial experience and accusing her of politicizing the role.
Habba’s path to Senate confirmation currently appears blocked as New Jersey’s Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, submitted blue slips opposing her nomination. However, the blue slip process is merely a courtesy extended to a nominee’s home-state senators by the relevant committee chairman and can be ignored.
Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Habba on Tuesday, accusing the federal judges of pursuing a partisan agenda. “The district court judges in NJ are trying to force out [Habba] before her term expires at 11:59 PM Friday. Their rush reveals what this was always about: a left-wing agenda, not the rule of law,” Blanche stated on X (formerly Twitter). He added: “When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system. Alina is President Trump’s choice to lead—and no partisan bench can override that.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued an endorsement for GOP Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, despite previously vowing never to support him again.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Senator Rounds, and voters in South Dakota.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The endorsement was made this week via Truth Social.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Mike Rounds has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” — President Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The endorsement marks a significant shift in Trump’s stance toward the senator and could influence South Dakota’s political landscape.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump is backing U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) for re-election despite having pledged not to endorse the South Dakota lawmaker just three years ago. In 2022, Trump slammed Rounds after the senator described the 2020 election as “fair” during an appearance on ABC’s This Week. At the time, Trump referred to Rounds as a “weak and ineffective leader” and stated, “I will never endorse this jerk again.”
However, in a Truth Social post on Monday, President Trump announced he would once again endorse Sen. Rounds, after backing his candidacy in 2020 as well. “Senator Mike Rounds is an incredibly strong advocate for the wonderful people of South Dakota, a State I love, and WON BIG, in 2016, 2020, and 2024!” Trump wrote, continuing: “An America First Patriot, Mike is fighting tirelessly to Advance the Great Values of the Mount Rushmore State, Champion our Farmers and Ranchers, Strengthen the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Ensure American Energy DOMINANCE, Help Secure our already Highly Secure Border, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”
President Trump concluded the post by stating: “Mike Rounds has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
While endorsements during U.S. midterm elections often focus on party unity and retention of Congressional majorities, Trump’s decision to back Rounds is surprising. The South Dakota Republican threw his support to fellow Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) during the 2024 Republican presidential primary and has clashed with President Trump’s policy agenda, especially the administration’s immigration stance at times.
Most recently, Rounds sought to reduce the size of federal funding cuts to NPR and PBS in President Trump’s rescission request. Along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rounds argued that public broadcasters are an essential service for Native American tribes and rural areas. Ultimately, the cuts to NRP and PBS were enacted, and Rounds voted in favor of the measure.
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