Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is on just nine percent in the Republican primary race in Ohio, trailing entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, now on 12 percent.
Former President Donald Trump is dominates the field in the Buckeye State, according to Ohio Northern University polling, on 64 percent. DeSantis — who has presented himself as Trump without the baggage, but campaigned as Jeb Bush without the name recognition — is now in third place behind Ramaswamy, a candidate who lacks the prior celebrity or record in high office of his competitors – but is beating all expectations for his candidacy.
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The Ohio polling also punctures the DeSantis camp’s narrative that the Floridian has a better chance of beating President Joe Biden than Trump, having him eke out a narrow 41-39 victory over the octogenarian Democrat while Trump smashes him by a much wider margin of 49 to 39 percent.
Media outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch, already backing off their previous support for DeSantis amid insider reports that he can “smell a loser”, had suggested Ramaswamy was displacing the Florida Governor as Trump’s main competitor before the Ohio polling was released.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Top Trump officials have denied a CNN report claiming U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites failed to destroy core components. Notably, the report was penned by Natasha Bertrand, who was also a key figure in the promotion of the bogus Steele Dossier and the infamous letter from 51 intelligence officials alleging the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Natasha Bertrand, and unnamed CNN sources.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: U.S. military strikes occurred last weekend on three Iranian nuclear facilities; CNN report published June 24, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program.” – Karoline Leavitt
🎯IMPACT: The conflicting reports on the strikes raise questions about the motivations behind leaked assessments, possibly by deep state factions in favor of more extensive U.S. involvement in a war with Iran.
IN FULL
Top Trump administration officials have denied a CNN report alleging that U.S. military strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites failed to destroy core components of the country’s nuclear program. The CNN report is supposedly based on an early U.S. intelligence assessment. Notably, its lead author is Natasha Bertrand—a journalist notorious for laundering information for partisan actors within the intelligence and security community, such as an infamous, discredited letter from 51 intelligence officials wrongly suggesting that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation ahead of the 2020 election.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the CNN report, calling it “flat-out wrong” and attributing the leak to a “low-level loser” in the intelligence community. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program,” Leavitt said.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also refuted the claims, stating, “Based on everything we have seen, and I’ve seen it all, our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. Our massive bombs hit exactly the right spot at each target and worked perfectly.” He added that the impact of the strikes is “buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran.”
CNN’s report claimed the strikes “did not destroy the core components of the country’s nuclear program” and suggested they may have only set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back by months. The report cited a supposed early assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which is still ongoing and subject to change as more intelligence becomes available.
In addition to the aforementioned intelligence community efforts to undermine the Hunter Biden laptop story, Bertrand has also pushed the bogus Steele Dossier that spurred the Russiagate investigation into Trump.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell faced bipartisan pressure from House Democrats and House Republicans to begin cutting interest rates during a Tuesday hearing on Capitol Hill.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Democrat and Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, President Donald J. Trump, and Federal Reserve Board of Governors members Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Powell testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “From our side, we’d love to see the rates go down,” said Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA), adding: “I know a number of my colleagues on the other side would love to see the rates go down. I think it’s pretty unanimous.”
🎯IMPACT: With President Trump, GOP and Democrat lawmakers, and Federal Reserve governors increasingly opposed to Powell’s refusal to cut rates, he may be forced to begin climbing down from his position.
IN FULL
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is facing mounting pressure both internally at the central bank and externally from the White House and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers on Capitol Hill to begin reducing U.S. interest rates. Appearing before Congress on Tuesday, Powell was peppered by House Republicans and Democrats alike to explain his reasoning for not moving to reduce the cost of borrowing.
“From our side, we’d love to see the rates go down,” Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA) told the Fed chairman during a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Tuesday. The California Democrat added: “I know a number of my colleagues on the other side would love to see the rates go down. I think it’s pretty unanimous.”
Just before the hearing, President Donald J. Trump urged lawmakers to grill Powell, posting on Truth Social: “I hope Congress really works this very dumb, hardheaded person, over.”
The bipartisan pressure faced by Powell was compounded in recent days, which saw two members of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, who sit on the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), announce their support for the central bank to begin cutting rates in July. On Friday, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller acknowledged that fears over President Trump’s tariffs reigniting inflation were overblown. “I think we’re in the position that we could do this as early as July,” Waller stated, adding: “That would be my view, whether the committee would go along with it or not.”
Waller was joined on Monday by his fellow Fed governor and FOMC member, Michelle Bowman, who echoed her colleague. “It is likely that the impact of tariffs on inflation may take longer, be more delayed, and have a smaller effect than initially expected,” Bowman said in a speech at a research conference in Prague. She added: “Should inflation pressures remain contained, I would support lowering the policy rate as soon as our next meeting.”
Despite increasing internal and external pressure on Powell to slash rates, the Federal Reserve chairman remains obstinate. “As long as the economy’s strong, we can take a little bit of a pause,” Powell told House lawmakers in response to their push for a July rate cut. While the central bank chief acknowledged that the hard data suggests he should have continued reducing rates after the Fed’s last cut in December, Powell—repeating a mantra he has stated for months—insisted: “The difference, of course, is at this time, all forecasters are expecting pretty soon, that some significant inflation will show up from tariffs.”
However, there has been no evidence of a resurgence of inflation due to the tariffs imposed by the Trump White House. In fact, as Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has noted, the tariffs may actually be having a deflationary effect, which should—under normal circumstances—spur the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, charged with human smuggling in Tennessee, was ordered released after a judge questioned the strength of the government’s allegations against him.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, federal prosecutors, U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The charges stem from incidents between 2016 and 2025, with recent hearings held in Nashville, Tennessee.
🎯IMPACT: Abrego Garcia faces potential deportation, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) expected to detain him as an illegal alien if he is released from jail.
IN FULL
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member, has been ordered released pending trial after a federal judge called into question the strength of the Trump administration’s human smuggling charges against him. On Sunday, the U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes denied a request from federal prosecutors to keep Abrego Garcia in jail until trial, with the conditions of his release set to be established at a court hearing on Wednesday. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has a detainer against him as an illegal alien, so it is likely he will be taken back into custody by them immediately.
After initially being deported to his home country of El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States after protracted lawfare efforts spearheaded by Democrats who contend his deportation violated a 2019 immigration judge ruling, which ordered him removed from the United States but stipulated that he could not be returned to El Salvador, specifically. At the time, attorneys for the illegal alien had convinced the immigration court that he potentially faced violent retribution from a rival Salvadoran gang if he were to return home. Subsequently, Abrego Garcia was never removed by the former Biden government and instead allowed to remain in the United States. In 2021, he was he subject of a protective order filed by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, who alleged that he had beaten her.
The federal judge’s determination not to hold Abrego Garcia due to the supposed weakness of the government’s case—as well as an assertion that the Salvadoran nation may not be a member of MS-13—does not appear to conform with previous evidence. In the 2019 court order, the immigration judge found a preponderance of evidence indicated that Abrego Garcia was a member of the violent Salvadoran criminal gang. Additionally, footage of a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee strongly suggests that the Salvadoran illegal immigrant was materially involved in human smuggling, driving a modified vehicle which belonged to a human trafficker and was filled with migrants.
Body camera footage from the stop showed officers discussing suspicions of smuggling, with one officer stating, “He’s hauling these people for money.” A Homeland Security special agent testified that witnesses claimed Abrego Garcia earned over $100,000 annually from smuggling activities.
Federal prosecutors, who say witnesses have linked Abrego Garcia to the abuse of women and girls as well as firearms and narcotics trafficking, say they plan to appeal Judge Holmes’s decision to release the Salvadoran before his trial. Additionally, they informed the judge that if Abrego Garcia is released, he will immediately be detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with deportation proceedings promptly reinitiated against him.
The alleged MS-13 gang member could be deported to a country other than El Salvador, though such a move would likely only happen after a court battle.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Dozens of children were rescued as part of a major operation targeting child sex trafficking in Florida.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Marshals Office for the Central District of Florida, the Trump Justice Department, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and 20 other state and federal agencies.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation, dubbed “Operation Dragon Eye,” took place in Florida and was announced Monday, June 23, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.” – Attorney General James Uthmeier
🎯IMPACT: Sixty critically missing children were located, eight suspects were arrested, and long-term care protocols for the victims were initiated.
IN FULL
Florida authorities have announced the successful rescue of dozens of children as part of “Operation Dragon Eye,” a coordinated effort to combat child sex trafficking. The initiative was led by the U.S. Marshals Office for the Central District of Florida, under the Trump Justice Department, and supported by the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. It involved 20 state and federal agencies working together to locate 60 critically missing children and apprehend individuals involved in trafficking, drug distribution, and child endangerment.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier emphasized the importance of protecting children, stating, “The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission. As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority. If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.” The operation revealed the harsh realities of sex trafficking, including instances of young girls who were pregnant, one of whom was carrying the child of her trafficker.
Authorities confirmed that the rescued children, ranging in age from nine to 17, were deemed “critically missing” due to risks such as violence, substance abuse, and sexual exploitation. Each child received immediate medical evaluations and psychological support, with long-term care plans established. U.S. Marshal William Berger noted, “The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) also played a pivotal role, with Commissioner Mark Glass assuring families of missing children that efforts would not cease. “Sixty kids saved. That number sends the message that Florida will never be a safe place for traffickers,” Glass said. He added, “At FDLE, we will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. And to any family still missing their child, we will never stop searching until we make sure they are brought home safely.”
Eight arrests were made during the operation, with charges ranging from human trafficking to drug possession. The Office of Statewide Prosecution is handling the criminal cases, with Special Counsel Rita Peters leading the prosecution. Florida remains among the top three states for reported human trafficking cases, alongside California and Texas. State leaders, including Governor Ron DeSantis (R), have increased funding and enacted stricter penalties to combat trafficking.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) called for an investigation into the deaths of five babies whose remains were found at a D.C. abortion clinic in 2022.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Riley Moore, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Biden-era Department of Justice (DOJ), and pro-life organizations like CatholicVote.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The babies’ remains were discovered in 2022 in Washington, D.C.; a renewed call for justice was made on June 23, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “General Bondi, will you commit to working with me and this committee to conduct a full and fair investigation into the deaths of these children to ensure justice is served for the D.C. Five?” – Rep. Riley Moore.
🎯IMPACT: Renewed demands for accountability and justice for the D.C. five, highlighting the Biden-era DOJ’s controversial actions.
IN FULL
Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) has called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the deaths of the “D.C. Five,” five babies whose remains were recovered from a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic in 2022. The discovery raised allegations of infanticide and violations of the Partial-Birth Abortion Act and the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act.
The babies’ remains were found at a facility operated by Cesare Santangelo, a late-term abortionist. During a June 23, 2025, hearing, Moore accused the Biden regime’s Department of Justice (DOJ) of suppressing the case by ordering the destruction of the babies’ remains without proper autopsies. “Public reporting suggests that President Biden’s DOJ directed the D.C. chief medical examiner to destroy the remains of the children without performing an autopsy, which the CME appears not to have done yet,” Moore said.
The Catholic Congressman asked Bondi, “General Bondi, will you commit to working with me and this committee to conduct a full and fair investigation into the deaths of these children to ensure justice is served for the D.C. Five?” Bondi said that the case remains under investigation but declined to provide further details.
Pro-life organizations have also called for accountability. A May 27 letter to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro urged a criminal investigation into the suspected infanticide. Tom McClusky, CatholicVote’s Director of Government Affairs, stated, “What happened in D.C. was atrocious; a group of pro-lifers exposed the illegal activities of a D.C. abortion facility, and the D.C. government instead protected the criminals and attacked the pro-lifers.”
The Biden-era DOJ was criticized for prosecuting pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, sentencing some to lengthy prison terms, while failing to investigate the deaths of the D.C. Five.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Congressman Robert Garcia (D-CA) has been tapped to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) as the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, beating out his fellow far-left colleague, Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). Garcia, in his second term of office, was previously the subject of an inquiry by federal prosecutors over implied threats against President Donald J. Trump and Elon Musk.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, House Democrats, the House Oversight Committee, and the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Garcia was elected as ranking member on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: In February, Garcia was accused of threatening Musk and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff during a televised interview, stating, “What the American public want is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy.”
🎯IMPACT: Despite his history of radical and inflammatory statements, the 47-year-old Garcia is being billed by his Democrat colleagues as a “coalition builder” and “cool and calm under the storm.”
IN FULL
Congressman Robert Garcia (D-CA), an openly gay lawmaker who migrated to the United States from Peru as a minor, has been elected by his House Democrat colleagues as the ranking member on the powerful House Oversight Committee. Garcia succeeds the late Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who passed away in May following a battle against esophageal cancer.
The 47-year-old California Democrat and close ally of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is being billed by his party as a “coalition builder” and “cool and calm under the storm.” However, Garcia’s public statements and divisive political positions render descriptions highly questionable. The National Pulse reported in February that Garcia was the subject of an inquiry by then-U.S. Attorney Ed Martin over alleged threats the Democrat lawmaker had made towards the Trump administration, particularly Elon Musk and staff working at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“What the American public want is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight,” Garcia said during a panel discussion on CNN, adding: “This is an actual fight for democracy.” Rather than recognizing the inflammatory nature of his attacks on Musk and DOGE, Garcia instead accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of targeting him.
Meanwhile, late last year, Garcia spearheaded an effort to use the threat of Congressional action to pressure major U.S. corporations to maintain discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, despite mounting consumer and shareholder backlash. “Inclusion is a core American value, and a great business practice,” Garcia and nearly 50 House Democrats joining him wrote. “By embracing this value, you create safer and fairer workplaces without sacrificing quality or financial success.”
Garcia defeated a crowded field of fellow Democrats in the Oversight Committee’s ranking member election, including the far-left progressive Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA).
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new detention center for illegal immigrants in Florida’s Everglades, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” is under construction.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The facility is set to open in July 2025 on a former airfield in the Everglades.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.” – James Uthmeier.
🎯IMPACT: Once completed, the detention facility will be able to host an estimated 5,000 illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, with its remote location—surrounded by the Everglades—making escape challenging.
IN FULL
Florida has announced the construction of a detention center for illegal immigrants on a former airfield in the Everglades. Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the facility will primarily consist of tents and is estimated to cost $450 million annually to operate. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide funding support, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier highlighted the remote location of the site, surrounded by wildlife such as alligators and pythons, as a novel security measure. “Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide,” Uthmeier said in a video posted to social media.
Alligator Alcatraz: the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. pic.twitter.com/96um2IXE7U
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 19, 2025
The new facility will be able to hold an estimated 5,000 illegal immigrant detainees once completed, with its remote location making escape difficult. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are working at turbo speed to deliver cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens.”
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava requested more time to evaluate the project, citing potential ecological impacts on the Everglades. Notably, the southern 20 percent of the massive subtropical wetland—approximately 1.5 million acres—is federally protected as part of the Everglades National Park. Far-left environmental groups like Friends of the Everglades have opposed the development. However, the fact that an airfield already exists at the site suggests “green” objections are a only a pretext to hinder the Trump administration’s deportation agenda.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump said he does not want “regime change” in Iran, after facilitating a ceasefire between the Islamic Republic and the State of Israel.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iranian leaders.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the comments on Tuesday aboard Air Force One.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Regime change takes chaos—and ideally, we don’t want to see so much chaos.” – Donald Trump.
🎯IMPACT: The ceasefire has temporarily halted hostilities, with Trump coming out strongly against early violations and retaliatory actions by both sides.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump stated on Tuesday that he does not want “regime change” in Iran, following a weekend of military actions targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and subsequent ceasefire negotiations. When asked aboard Air Force One if regime change in Iran was a goal, Trump said, “No. If there was, there was. But no, I don’t want it.”
The President highlighted the potential for Iran to rebuild, saying, “Regime change takes chaos, and ideally, we don’t want to see so much chaos… The Iranians are very good traders, very good business people, and they’ve got a lot of oil. They should be fine. They should be able to rebuild and do a good job,” he said, cautioning, “They’re never going to have nuclear, but other than that, they should do a great job.”
Trump’s remarks followed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. Shortly before this went into effect, Israel launched heavy strikes on the Iranian capital of Tehran, with Iran retaliating with a missile strike that killed four civilians in Israel’s Beersheba. Both parties conducted some follow-up strikes after the ceasefire officially took effect at 7:00 AM.
President Trump was angered by these actions, with most of his ire directed at Israel. He argued that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not act in “good faith” by launching a massive attack on Iran just hours before the ceasefire was due to take effect. In a phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump delivered a “firm and clear” message urging restraint.
Trump’s public comments against regime change will reassure anti-war members of the America First coalition, concerned by a Truth Social post from the President suggesting he was open to it following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘regime change,’ but if the current Iranian regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change?” he wrote.
Having now brokered a ceasefire and denounced regime change, it now seems likely this message was mainly intended to pressure Iran into coming to the negotiating table.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal agents arrested 11 Iranian nationals, including a watchlisted individual, over a 48-hour period as part of targeted operations across eight states and nine cities.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and 11 Iranian nationals, including Mehran Makari Sahel and Ribvar Karmi.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrests took place over 48 hours starting Sunday, June 22, in states including Minnesota, Mississippi, and Alabama.
💬KEY QUOTE: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized proactive measures to counter potential threats, stating, “We have to watch for all of it, and to be diligent on all of it, and we’ll continue to do so.”
🎯IMPACT: The arrests highlight continued federal efforts to target threats to public safety presented by illegals, especially following President Donald J. Trump’s authorization of military strikes against Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
IN FULL
In a series of operations spanning eight states and nine cities, federal agents arrested 11 Iranian nationals, including one individual on the U.S. known or suspected terrorist list. Among those arrested was Mehran Makari Sahel in St. Paul, Minnesota, alleged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to have ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah.
Five of the arrestedmigrants had prior criminal convictions, including charges for grand larceny, drug possession, and firearm offenses. One migrant, Yousef Mehridehno, was apprehended in Mississippi after living in the U.S. illegally for nearly eight years. Federal authorities determined he had lied on his visa application and added him to the terrorist watchlist earlier this year.
Ribvar Karmi, arrested in northern Alabama, was found carrying an Iranian Army identification card and is alleged to have served as a sniper for Iran’s military from 2018 to 2021. He entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, designated for migrants engaged to American citizens, and now remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In addition to the 11 Iranian nationals, federal agents also arrested U.S. citizen Linet Vartaniann on charges of threatening law enforcement and harboring an illegal alien. ICE officials allege she threatened to “shoot officers in the head” during a confrontation at her home.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) activated its National Terrorism Advisory System following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear weapons facilities over the weekend. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized proactive measures to counter potential threats, stating, “We have to watch for all of it, and to be diligent on all of it, and we’ll continue to do so.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The head of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund urged Democrats to focus on kitchen-table issues rather than identity politics in the upcoming election cycle.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Evan Low, Jared Polis, Sarah McBride, Aime Wichtendahl, and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
📍WHEN & WHERE: June 24, 2025, San Francisco and national political scene
💬KEY QUOTE: “We want to talk about kitchen-table issues, not about identity.” – Evan Low
🎯IMPACT: LGBTQ+ candidates are winning even in red states by de-emphasizing identity and focusing on pragmatic issues like education, affordability, and governance.
IN FULL
Evan Low, CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, is pushing Democrats to focus less on cultural identity battles and more on the issues voters care about day-to-day—what he calls “kitchen-table issues.” He’s advising candidates to steer clear of hot-button topics like transgender participation in sports, which he says are not priorities for most Americans.
“This is not a top 1, top 5, top 10 or top 30 issue,” he said of transgender sports.
Low’s comments come as the Democratic Party wrestles with how to appeal to working-class voters post-2024, while President Trump continues using gender identity as a key wedge. Yet Low insists identity politics shouldn’t be front and center, even as LGBTQ+ individuals face regular targeting by Republican messaging. “We are running to serve the people, not to distract on issues that divide,” he stated.
According to the Victory Fund’s new “Out in America” report, shared in advance with POLITICO, 1,334 openly LGBTQ+ individuals now hold office—nearly triple the number from Trump’s first term. Most are Democrats, with less than three percent identifying as Republicans.
The trend has extended to top offices. Govs. Jared Polis, Maura Healey, and Tina Kotek have all secured governorships, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made history as the highest-ranking openly gay official in U.S. history under President Trump.
Polis, however, compared his sexuality to religion. “You answer any questions, and then you move on and talk about what you want to do,” he said. “It’s similar to how you deal with your faith. You’re not running just to represent that faith.”
Victory Fund leaders argue that being LGBTQ+ and simply running is a powerful act, but success lies in addressing universal concerns. Executive Director Elliot Imse said, “We are not going to win elections by pandering just to the nine percent of voters.”
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