The judge presiding over the criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump in Manhattan, Judge Juan M. Merchan, is refusing to recuse himself from the proceedings despite his political donations and family connections. The judge rejected all the arguments put forth by Trump’s legal team in a decision dated August 11th and released on Monday.
Merchan, who presided over the trial involving The Trump Organization last year as well as the case against Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon, donated to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign while his daughter currently works for a marketing firm which helps Democratic Party candidates and openly campaigned for Kamala Harris in 2020.
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The trial in Manhattan is scheduled for March 2024, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg has indicated a willingness to change the date if requested by other prosecutors involved in cases against Trump.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Skyler Philippi, 24, pleaded guilty to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and planning to attack Nashville’s energy infrastructure, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Skyler Philippi, law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville field office, and DOJ prosecutors.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The planned attacks targeted Nashville, Tennessee, and reconnaissance was conducted as recently as September 2024. The plea deal was announced on September 9.
💬KEY QUOTE: “For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure.” – Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg
🎯IMPACT: The thwarted attack could have caused widespread power outages, affecting thousands of Americans, businesses, and hospitals.
IN FULL
Skyler Philippi, a 24-year-old from Columbia, Tennessee, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and plotting a drone attack on Nashville’s power infrastructure. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the plea agreement on Tuesday, emphasizing the seriousness of the planned act of domestic terrorism.
Federal prosecutors said Philippi began planning in June 2024, initially considering a mass shooting at a YMCA in or near his hometown. By the following month, his focus had shifted to attacking electrical substations in an effort to “shock the system” and cause widespread disruption. He studied prior attacks, explored using a drone to deliver explosives, and expressed interest in materials such as TATP and C-4.
“For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure. He acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target, and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said.
In August, Philippi reportedly sent a manifesto to an undercover agent. He also admitted to having previously been affiliated with violent neo-Nazi groups, including the Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance, both known for violent action. By September, he had conducted surveillance on a specific substation and attempted to acquire explosives, including black powder and C-4.
On November 2, 2024, Philippi met with undercover agents in a meeting that included what prosecutors described as a “Nordic ritual.” During that meeting, he declared it was “time to do something big.” He was arrested at the scene in possession of an armed explosive device and a powered-up drone, ready for deployment.
U.S. authorities have faced criticism for supporting foreign forces with similar ideologies to Philippi overseas. In June 2024, for instance, former President Joe Biden approved arms for Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, a military unit internationally scrutinized for its neo-Nazi character.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: New polling reveals that Kamala Harris voters place little value in children or having their own family compared to supporters of President Donald J. Trump.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Generation Z voters aged 18-28, divided by gender and voting history, including supporters of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Poll conducted recently; demographic focus on U.S. voters aged 18-28.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Democrat women want to die alone without children.” – Charlie Kirk
🎯IMPACT: The poll highlights a widening gender and political divide among the younger generation, with implications for leftist ideology if its adherents decline to reproduce.
IN FULL
New polling has revealed a stark divide among Generation Z voters regarding the value they place on having children. The survey found that 34 percent of male Trump voters ranked having children as the most important aspect of a successful life. In contrast, only six percent of female voters who support former Vice President Kamala Harris said the same.
Female Trump voters were more likely than their Democratic counterparts to value parenthood, with 26 percent ranking it highest, compared to just nine percent of male Harris supporters.
The sharp difference is perhaps unsurprising, given that the Democrats gleefully advertised a mobile abortion van during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) last year, along with free vasectomy procedures for men. Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk said of the new polling, “Democrat women want to die alone without children.”
This divide is part of a larger pattern in recent research. A May 2024 poll found that just 23 percent of Gen Z adults consider having children to be “very important,” a sharp contrast to 52 percent of Baby Boomers. The same survey also noted that Gen Z respondents were less likely to prioritize religion, patriotism, or community than any previous generation.
Gen Z’s attitudes come amid a declining birthrate and fertility rate in the U.S., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that in 2023, the number of births decreased by two percent. Figures show the overall birthrate for the U.S. is just 1.6 births per woman, far below the 2.1 births per woman replacement rate.
Even lower birthrate levels are seen in Europe, where countries like Spain and Italy face catastrophically low birthrates. Advocates of mass migration use low birth rates as justification to replace the native peoples to shore up local economies and prop up welfare and retirement programs, although research increasingly suggests that migrants mostly end up being a net drain on their host countries, making their economic and welfare issues even worse.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump White House has ended international agreements tied to combating “disinformation” initiated under the former Biden government.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the former Biden government, Global Engagement Center (GEC), and over 20 nations in Europe and Africa.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Agreements were voided at the beginning of September 2025; partner nations were informed last week.
🎯IMPACT: Partner nations must now decide whether to continue without U.S. coordination.
IN FULL
The Trump administration has finally moved to withdraw the United States from a number of international agreements signed under the former Biden government aimed at combating so-called “disinformation” on the Internet and in the media. Critics of the agreements have long contended that the anti-disinformation operations—often overseen by opaquely funded and ideologically driven non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—are actually conduits for political censorship.
One of the products of the agreements was the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), which Secretary of State Marco Rubio shuttered in March. While the end of the GEC ended—for the most part—the U.S. federal government’s direct role in the international disinformation agreements, it remained a partner in the global framework.
However, according to European officials, partner governments were informed last week that the United States would no longer take part in the international cooperative framework. While 22 countries signed on to the former Biden government’s global censorship initiatives, the exit of the U.S. from the agreements under the Trump White House leaves their future in doubt.
The National Pulse reported in late May that Secretary Rubio announced a new policy blocking U.S. entry for foreign officials and their families involved in censoring Americans or interfering with U.S. tech companies. These new visa restrictions target foreign judges, bureaucrats, regulatory officials, and others orchestrating censorship efforts—some of which operate under the former Biden government’s international framework.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday granted the federal government a stay, halting District Court Judge Amir Ali’s orders in two cases that would have forced President Donald J. Trump to disburse foreign aid monies slated to be cut through the rescission process.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Chief Justice John Roberts, U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali, and President Donald J. Trump.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The stay was issued on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: Chief Justice Roberts wrote, regarding Judge Ali’s order, that it “…is hereby partially stayed for funds that are subject to the President’s August 28, 2025 recission proposal currently pending before Congress pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court.”
🎯IMPACT: The stay effectively halts Judge Ali’s order, which would have forced the Trump White House to disburse $11.5 billion in foreign funds before they expire at the end of September.
IN FULL
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday granted the federal government a stay, halting District Court Judge Amir Ali’s orders in two cases that would have forced President Donald J. Trump to disburse foreign aid monies slated to be cut through the rescission process. Judge Ali, a foreign-born Canadian-American jurist with radical political associations, has attempted to aggressively intervene against the Trump administration’s efforts to cut payments to international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foreign governments, and the now-defunct United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The latest—and now stayed—order from Judge Ali would have forced the Trump White House to disburse $11.5 billion in foreign funds before they expire at the end of September. Notably, the Trump administration has maintained that the President is legally allowed to hold the funds until their expiration, whether Congress acts on the proposed cuts or not, in a process called a pocket rescission.
“IT IS ORDERED that the September 3, 2025 order of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, case Nos. 1:25-cv-400 and 1:25-cv-402, is hereby partially stayed for funds that are subject to the President’s August 28, 2025 recission proposal currently pending before Congress pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court,” the Chief Justice’s order states, adding: “It is further ordered that a response to the application be filed on or before Friday, September 12th, 2025, by 4 p.m. (EDT).”
Last week, Judge Ali ruled that President Trump’s use of the pocket rescission was likely illegal. “To be clear, no one disputes that Defendants have significant discretion in how to spend the funds at issue, and the Court is not directing Defendants to make payments to any particular recipients,” the far-left judgewrote, adding: “But Defendants do not have any discretion as to whether to spend the funds.” Ali, a Biden appointee, insisted that only Congress—and not the executive branch—has the authority to rescind appropriated funds.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating filing additional charges—including federal hate crime charges—against Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson, the DOJ, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., and Iryna Zarutska.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Ferguson’s comments were made at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Looking into it, yes. We’re looking into every available charge in this case. If we find facts that this was gender motivated or race-motivated, we will absolutely bring a federal civil rights charge in this case.” — Russ Ferguson
🎯IMPACT: Brown already faces state murder charges in addition to the current and potential federal charges, which the DOJ confirmed could carry the death penalty.
IN FULL
The United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Russ Ferguson, indicated during a Tuesday afternoon press conference that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating filing additional charges—including federal hate crime charges—against Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train. Already, the DOJ has filed one federal count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system against Brown.
When asked during the press conference directly if the DOJ was considering federal hate crime charges against Brown, who may have been motivated by anti-white hatred, Ferguson stated, “Looking into it, yes. We’re looking into every available charge in this case. If we find facts that this was gender motivated or race-motivated, we will absolutely bring a federal civil rights charge in this case.”
“If the facts don’t show that, we won’t. We’re only going to bring a charge that the facts support,” the U.S. Attorney added, stressing that the investigation is ongoing and that only a criminal complaint has been filed so far, and that his office has not yet submitted a criminal indictment.
Federal Hate Crime charges are possible against Decarlos Brown Jr. in the murder of Iryna Zarutska. pic.twitter.com/po7Jpg3UFB
Surveillance footage from the LYNX Blue Line captured the moments leading up to the attack, showing Brown pulling out a folding knife and stabbing Zarutska, who was still in her pizzeria work uniform, three times. Zarutska, 23, had fled Ukraine with her family in 2022 to escape the war. Footage of Brown following the unprovoked attack appears to show him saying, “I got that white girl,” to himself, still clutching his bloodied knife.
Brown’s criminal record includes convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He served over six years in prison before his release in 2020 and faced additional charges earlier this year. President Donald J. Trump called Brown a “lunatic” and used him as an example of the need for tougher sentencing policies.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The White House issued a rebuke of Israel’s strike in Doha, Qatar, and assured Qatari leadership it would not happen again.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Trump White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Qatari leadership.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Washington, D.C. and in Doha, Qatar.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, that is working very hard, and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals.” – Karoline Leavitt
🎯IMPACT: The incident has escalated tensions between President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
IN FULL
The Trump White House issued a stern warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following an Israeli bombing on Tuesday morning that targeted Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald J. Trump has reassured Qatar that such actions will not be repeated.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, that is working very hard, and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said during the White House press briefing Tuesday afternoon. She added: “The President views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack.”
“The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States and feels very badly about the location of this attack.”
The White House comments appear to imply that Israel acted unilaterally in its strike on the Qatari capital. Notably, the rebuke comes amid already heightened tensions between Trump and Netanyahu. Trump has increasingly pushed the Israeli leader to conclude military operations against Hamas in Gaza as the conflict has dragged on for nearly two years, with Israeli operations previously expanding into Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.
Early Tuesday morning, explosions rocked the Katara District of Doha, the capital of Qatar. According to Israeli officials, the blasts formed part of an assassination plot aimed at high-ranking Hamas members residing in the wealthy Gulf state. The Qatari Foreign Ministry has responded to the attack, calling it a “criminal assault” and “blatant violation of all international laws and norms [that] poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar.”
It remains unclear whether the strike was actually successful in eliminating any of its intended targets, though some initial reports suggest Hamas leaders were able to evade the attack.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have charged Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system following the stabbing death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a North Carolina train.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., Iryna Zarutska, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on August 22 aboard a Charlotte light-rail train, with federal charges announced on October 24.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served, and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again.” – FBI Director Kash Patel
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights the consequences of soft crime policies and has reignited calls for stricter sentencing and federal intervention.
IN FULL
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard a Charlotte light-rail train, has been federally charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
“The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served, and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again. I want to thank Attorney General [Pam] Bondi for her pursuit of today’s federal charges, which are the first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family—as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals.”
Attorney General Bondi stated that her office will seek the maximum penalty for Brown, who has a lengthy criminal history, including 14 arrests over a decade. “I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder,” Bondi said. “We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”
Surveillance footage from the LYNX Blue Line captured the moments leading up to the attack, showing Brown pulling out a folding knife and stabbing Zarutska, who was still in her pizzeria work uniform, three times. Zarutska, 23, had fled Ukraine with her family in 2022 to escape the war. Footage of Brown following the unprovoked attack appears to show him saying, “I got that white girl,” to himself, still clutching the murder weapon, and dripping blood throughout the carriage.
Brown’s criminal record includes convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He served over six years in prison before his release in 2020 and had additional charges earlier this year. The case has drawn national attention, with President Donald J. Trump calling Brown a “lunatic” and advocating for tougher sentencing policies.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Israel ordered the demolition of Palestinians’ homes in West Bank towns and revoked hundreds of Palestinians’ work permits following a deadly attack at a Jerusalem bus stop by Palestinian gunmen.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israeli authorities, affected Palestinian families, two slain Palestinian gunmen, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The Jerusalem attack occurred on September 8, with follow-up actions announced on September 9 targeting the West Bank towns of Qatanna and Qubeiba.
💬KEY QUOTE: “In the horrific attack, it was again proven that firearms save lives, when two armed civilians… neutralised the… terrorists.” – National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
🎯IMPACT: The demolition orders and permit revocations affect the livelihoods of hundreds of Palestinians, with the United Nations (UN) and others complaining that such measures amount to unlawful collective punishment.
IN FULL
Earlier this week, two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in Jerusalem, killing six people before being shot dead at the scene. The attackers were identified as residents of the West Bank towns of Qatanna and Qubeiba. In response, Israeli authorities have announced a series of punitive measures targeting the attackers’ hometowns and families.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the homes of the gunmen’s relatives will be destroyed, along with every structure built without permits in their two hometowns. In addition, Israel will revoke work permits for 750 Palestinians from the area, cutting off a vital source of income for many families. Katz said the actions are intended to deter future attacks. However, the United Nations (UN) and various nonprofits complain that such measures amount to collective punishment and violate international law.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir emphasized the role of armed civilians in stopping the attack. “In the horrific attack, it was again proven that firearms save lives, when two armed civilians, who had received weapons under the reform we are leading, neutralised the… terrorists,” he said, adding that more communities will be added to the list of those eligible for civilian gun licenses, expanding Israel’s armed civilian program.
On Tuesday, Israel also expanded its military campaign against Hamas further beyond Gaza by bombing Doha, Qatar, targeting what officials described as the senior leadership of Hamas. According to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA), the operation was aimed at those “directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre” and who have been “orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Michigan judge dismissed charges against 15 people accused of signing a document saying President Donald J. Trump won the state in the 2020 election, citing a lack of evidence to prove criminal intent.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D), District Court Judge Kristen Simmons, and 15 defendants including Kathy Berden and Meshawn Maddock.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Tuesday in a Michigan court.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a fraud case, and [you] have to prove intent. And I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent.” – Judge Kristen Simmons
🎯IMPACT: The decision ends the prosecution’s case against the 15 accused.
IN FULL
Fifteen people accused of signing a document asserting President Donald J. Trump defeated former President Joe Biden in Michigan during the 2020 election will not face trial, following a state judge’s ruling that prosecutors failed to demonstrate criminal intent. The decision came Tuesday from Michigan District Court Judge Kristen Simmons, who stated, “This is a fraud case, and [you] have to prove intent. And I don’t believe that there’s evidence sufficient to prove intent.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) had charged the group with eight felony counts, including forgery, alleging that they knowingly submitted a signed document claiming Trump had won. Among the defendants were Republican National Committee (RNC) member Kathy Berden and former Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Meshawn Maddock. Nessel expressed her dissatisfaction with the ruling, saying, “The evidence was clear. They lied. They knew they lied, and they tried to steal the votes of millions of Michiganders.”
The charges stemmed from a 2020 meeting at the Michigan Republican Party headquarters, where the defendants signed the document before it was submitted to the National Archives and the United States Senate ahead of the presidential election certification. Prosecutors argued that the group intended to deceive officials by making the document appear to be an official state government form. However, Judge Simmons concluded that the evidence did not support that claim. She noted that the document lacked the governor’s signature or a fraudulent seal, indicating it was not presented as an official document.
Judge Simmons emphasized that the defendants appeared to genuinely believe they were fulfilling their constitutional duties amid concerns about alleged election irregularities. “Right, wrong, or indifferent, it was these individuals and many other individuals in the state of Michigan who sincerely believe, for some reason, that there were some serious irregularities with the election,” she said.
The ruling effectively ends the case against the 15 accused.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration renewed its push to return control of education to the states after new data revealed continued declines in the reading, math, and science scores of high school seniors nationwide.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, President Donald J. Trump, and Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The National Center for Education Statistics released the data on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, as part of the ongoing National Report Card.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Clearly, success is not about how much money we spend, but who spends it. That’s why President Trump and I are committed to reversing course and returning control of education to the states so local communities with parents in the driver’s seat can better innovate, adapt, and tailor education to their students’ needs.” – Secretary Linda McMahon
🎯IMPACT: Education achievement levels continue to drop, with federal programs failing to close gaps, prompting calls for state-level solutions and school choice policies.
IN FULL
Reading levels among 12th-grade high school students in the United States have hit a record low, while math scores are the worst in 20 years, according to the “Nation’s Report Card,” released by the National Center for Education Statistics. The Trump administration is citing the data as key evidence for reform at the Department of Education and the devolution of much of its authority to state governments.
“Despite billions in federal spending and countless well-intentioned programs, the achievement gap between students is widening, not shrinking. And this trend did not begin with COVID, it goes back a decade,” Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a video message posted to X (formerly Twitter), adding: “Clearly, success is not about how much money we spend, but who spends it. That’s why President Trump and I are committed to reversing course and returning control of education to the states so local communities with parents in the driver’s seat can better innovate, adapt, and tailor education to their students’s needs.”
McMahon emphasized that the data confirmed a “devastating trend” of American students testing at “historic lows.”
Today’s @NAEP_NCES 12th grade math and reading and 8th grade science scores confirm a devastating trend: American students are testing at historic lows.
Nearly HALF of America’s high school seniors are testing at below basic levels in math and reading. The status quo is… pic.twitter.com/FMxGX5cu66
Concerningly, the National Report Card numbers found that the average reading score for 12th graders in 2024 was three points lower than it was pre-pandemic and ten points lower than it was over 30 years ago. Similarly, math scores are down three points compared to pre-pandemic numbers and down five points from scores in 1992.
“Low academic skills don’t just hurt grades, they weaken our economy, workforce, and national security. Without strong foundations in these core subjects, America’s freedom and economic competitiveness will be in jeopardy,” Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) said in a statement. “Republicans and the Trump administration are prioritizing students—working to ensure every child gains the skills essential to be successful. This is crucial to America’s success,” he added.
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