Friday, October 17, 2025

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12-Year-Old Carjacker Turned In By His Mother in Democrat D.C.

A 12-year-old boy charged with armed carjacking was arrested after his mother reported him to the D.C. police following an image being shared by authorities. The child’s mother and authorities linked him to the crime through articles of clothing found in his room matching those in the surveillance photo, depicting the juvenile running from the scene.

Surveillance footage indicates the two boys approached an off-duty federal security officer’s vehicle from behind with their hands on their waistbands, threatening the officer before opening the vehicle’s doors. The boy’s alleged companion, 13-year-old Vernard Toney Jr., was shot and killed by the driver D.C. police believe the two had targeted.

The incident, described by a magistrate judge as a “really, really poor report,” marks the 12-year-old’s first interaction with the D.C. court system.

It was revealed in court that the boy has been dealing with serious behavioral and anger issues, and has expressed knowledge of where to obtain firearms. The 12-year-old was ordered to be held at the city’s secured juvenile facility until a subsequent appearance scheduled for Monday.

The United States capitol has seen carjackings become endemic over the past several years, with the total number of recorded incidents expected to reach 1,000 by the end of the year.

By Popular Demand.
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Mexico Has Started Shutting Its New Shelters for Deportees Due to Low Occupancy.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Mexico’s government is dismantling a large migrant shelter in Nogales due to low occupancy, after earlier preparations for a potential surge in deportations from the United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nogales Mayor Juan Francisco Gim, President Claudia Sheinbaum, the Sonora state government, and U.S. officials under the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Nogales, Mexico; announcement made on Tuesday during a press conference.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump has kept his promise and created the most secure border in history. Word of the closed border has spread so far and wide that migrants aren’t even bothering to try and make the journey—they know they will be turned away,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson.

🎯IMPACT: The dismantling of shelters raises questions about the scale of U.S. deportations, although current figures indicate the Trump administration may be on pace to match the previous annual high set in 2012.

IN FULL

Mexican officials have begun dismantling a large migrant shelter in Nogales, citing a sharp drop in occupancy despite earlier preparations for an expected surge in deportations from the United States. Nogales Mayor Juan Francisco Gim confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that the facility would be scaled back significantly. “President [Claudia Sheinbaum] said we only have to keep 200 beds, and we have that capacity and more,” Gim stated.

The Nogales shelter was part of the Mexico Embraces You program, launched to provide temporary accommodations for deportees in border cities such as Nogales and Ciudad Juárez. However, the number of migrants using these shelters has declined, prompting federal and local officials to repurpose the sites. In Nogales, tents that had been set up on municipal sports fields are now being removed.

White House spokesman Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s immigration policy, saying, “President Trump has kept his promise and created the most secure border in history. Word of the closed border has spread so far and wide that migrants aren’t even bothering to try and make the journey—they know they will be turned away.”

The United States is seeing a significant rise in deportations under the Trump administration, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) potentially on track to match the previous annual record set under Barack Obama in 2012. In addition to the growing number of formal deportations, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the overall foreign-born population in the U.S. dropped by 2.2 million between January and July 2025.

Researchers suggest that as many as 1.6 million of those were illegal immigrants who either left voluntarily or were removed.

Image by Mexico City Government.

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By Popular Demand.
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FBI Catches Alleged October 7 Terrorist Living in U.S. on Visa.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accused a Louisiana resident of participating in the Hamas-led terror raid on Israel on October 7, 2023, and lying on his U.S. visa application.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, the FBI, and Hamas jihadists.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The terror raid took place on October 7, 2023, in Israel. Al-Muhtadi later relocated to the U.S., living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Lafayette, Louisiana.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There is kidnapping, and it’s a game, which will be a good one,” Al-Muhtadi said, according to FBI-reviewed phone calls.

🎯IMPACT: Al-Muhtadi faces charges of visa fraud and conspiring to support a foreign terrorist organization.

IN FULL

Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a Louisiana resident and legal U.S. permanent resident, has been accused by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of participating in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terror raid on Israel that left over 1,200 people dead and more than 250 kidnapped, including American citizens.

According to a federal complaint, Al-Muhtadi was allegedly part of a group that crossed into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip during the attack. He is described as an operative for the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a faction aligned with Hamas. The FBI claims Al-Muhtadi entered the United States in 2024 after falsely denying any ties to terrorist organizations on his visa application. He initially settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before moving to Lafayette, Louisiana, where he currently resides.

The FBI alleges Al-Muhtadi played an active role in coordinating the attack. In recorded phone calls reviewed by investigators, he reportedly encouraged associates to “get ready” and “bring the rifles” on the morning of the assault. He also allegedly said, “There is kidnapping, and it’s a game, which will be a good one.” His phone was reportedly traced to a cell tower near Kfar Aza, a village in southern Israel where dozens were killed and others abducted during the October 7 attack.

Investigators say Al-Muhtadi maintained longstanding ties to a Hamas-affiliated paramilitary group, evident in his social media and email accounts. Despite warnings to avoid posting about Hamas online, he allegedly stated that he could post “whatever he wanted,” including images of Hamas leaders, without fear of “repercussions.”

Al-Muhtadi has been charged with visa fraud and conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He is currently being held at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center in Louisiana as the investigation continues.

The arrest comes amid rising global concerns over Hamas activity beyond the Middle East. On October 1, German authorities arrested three suspected Hamas operatives in Berlin who were allegedly preparing attacks against Jewish targets. Weapons and ammunition were recovered during the arrests, including an AK-47 and several pistols.

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By Popular Demand.
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Kremlin Suggests Musk-Built ‘Putin-Trump Tunnel’ Linking Russia to Alaska, Trump Responds.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Kremlin envoy proposed a rail tunnel between Russia and Alaska, suggesting it could be built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kirill Dmitriev, Elon Musk, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposal was floated on X (formerly Twitter), following discussions between Putin and Trump in Alaska in August.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Elon Musk, imagine connecting the U.S. and Russia, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, with the Putin-Trump Tunnel – a 70-mile link symbolising unity.” – Kirill Dmitriev

🎯IMPACT: The proposal aims to connect continents and promote economic and political collaboration, though challenges related to logistics and the Ukraine war make it appear unlikely.

IN FULL

A senior Russian official has proposed building a tunnel beneath the Bering Strait to connect the Russian Far East with Alaska, reviving a decades-old vision of linking Eurasia and North America. Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s special envoy for economic and investment cooperation, introduced the idea on social media, referring to the project as the “Putin-Trump Tunnel.” The 70-mile rail link, he claimed, could be constructed in just eight years using tunneling technology developed by Elon Musk’s Boring Company.

Dmitriev said the project could cost as little as $8 billion, far below traditional estimates of around $65 billion, and could be jointly funded by Russia and international partners. He presented the tunnel as a symbolic and strategic project, saying it would unite Russia and the United States while enabling shared access to Arctic resources. “Elon Musk, imagine connecting the U.S. and Russia, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, with the Putin-Trump Tunnel – a 70-mile link symbolising unity,” Dmitriev posted on X. He added that it would establish Musk’s Boring Company as “the most exciting infrastructure innovator ever.”

Dmitriev’s tunnel idea echoes earlier visions of a transcontinental link between Siberia and Alaska, including the so-called “World Peace Bridge” proposed in the 1960s. Asked about the tunnel during a press event alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, President Donald J. Trump called the proposal “interesting,” while Zelensky said he was “not happy” about it.

Notably, the tunnel suggestion comes amid renewed dialogue between President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war. The two met in Alaska in August, where they discussed a possible ceasefire in Ukraine and a framework for future negotiations.

Recent reports indicate the meeting was fractious, with Putin engaging in a “rambling historical discursion spanning medieval princes such as Rurik of Novgorod and Yaroslav the Wise, along with the 17th-century Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytsky… to support his claim Ukraine and Russia are one nation.” Trump is said to have been unimpressed by Putin’s intransigent attitude, raising his voice “several times.”

More recently, however, Trump has agreed to a second meeting with Putin, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán saying it will be hosted in Budapest.

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By Popular Demand.
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Senate Dems’ Government Shutdown Is Halting Billions in Army Corps of Engineers Projects in Democrat Cities: Vought.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought has announced a pause on over $11 billion of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects due to the Senate Democrats shutting down the federal government.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russ Vought, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Trump administration, and Senate Democrats.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday; projects impacted in cities including New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to manage billions of dollars in projects.” – Russ Vought

🎯IMPACT: Federal projects paused, thousands of layoffs expected.

IN FULL

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will immediately pause, and potentially cancel, over $11 billion in projects due to the ongoing government shutdown, according to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. The Project 2025 veteran made the announcement in a post on X, stating, “The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to manage billions of dollars in projects.”

These paused funds pertain to what Vought described as “lower-priority projects” in cities including Democrat-run New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore.

Vought has been vocal about the consequences of the shutdown, but also describes the funding lapse as an “opportunity” to streamline federal operations. President Donald J. Trump has echoes this sentiment, meeting with Vought to discuss which “Democrat agencies” can be defunded.

The White House has indicated that the shutdown will result in significant federal workforce reductions. While over 4,000 reduction-in-force notices have already been issued, Vought has suggested the total layoffs could exceed 10,000. However, a federal judge appointed by Bill Clinton temporarily blocked the administration from firing government workers during the shutdown on Wednesday afternoon.

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By Popular Demand.
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Senate GOP Leader Thune Attacks ‘Bureaucrat’ RFK Jr. on MSNBC.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) criticized President Donald J. Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during an appearance on MSNBC.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Thune, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and MSNBC’s Ali Vitali.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The comments were made during an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe show.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I think that if I were a woman, I’d be talking to my doctor and not taking advice from RFK, or any other government bureaucrat for that matter.” – John Thune

🎯IMPACT: Thune’s remarks highlight ongoing issues with GOP lawmakers being out of step with the Trump administration and its priorities.

IN FULL

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has taken shots at President Donald J. Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe show. Speaking to Ali Vitali, Thune boasted that the Senate GOP was at odds with the White House on multiple issues, including the use of Tylenol during pregnancy, which President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have warned could increase the risk of autism.

Asked if he “feel[s] the way RFK Jr. Is talking about [Tylenol] is dangerous,” Thune bluntly stated, “I think that if I were a woman, I’d be talking to my doctor and not taking advice from RFK, or any other government bureaucrat for that matter.”

He stressed he could provide “plenty of examples” of issues where he disagrees with the Trump administration, and implied he believes he and the Senate GOP have a mandate to go against the President, as the Senate is “a co-equal independent branch of the government.”

President Trump has previously expressed particular frustration that Thune and the Senate GOP allowed Senate Democrats to obstruct the appointment of many of his nominees for months. However, Thune finally began stopping the Democrats from preventing the President from exercising his electoral mandate in recent weeks, by considering his nominees in batches.

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By Popular Demand.
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John Bolton Pleads Not Guilty to Classified Information Charges.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Former National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 charges related to mishandling classified information.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Bolton, Judge Timothy Sullivan, and federal prosecutors in Maryland.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bolton appeared in a Maryland federal court on Friday morning, October 20, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago,” claimed Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell.

🎯IMPACT: Bolton faces decades in prison if convicted, with his next court date set for November 21.

IN FULL

John Bolton, the former National Security Adviser to President Donald J. Trump turned anti-Trump activist, pleaded not guilty on Friday to 18 counts of mishandling classified information. The charges arise from claims that he improperly kept and disseminated national defense details via his personal email and a messaging app. A Maryland grand jury’s indictment alleges he shared over 1,000 pages of personal notes from his White House tenure.

Bolton appeared in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, before Judge Timothy Sullivan, who permitted him to stay out of custody provided he turns over his passport. His next hearing is set for November 21. Each of the 18 charges could result in up to 10 years behind bars.

Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, claims his actions were probed and dismissed long ago. “The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago,” Lowell argued.

The probe into Bolton’s treatment of classified materials traces to the publication of his book, The Room Where It Happened. Bolton has charged that Trump is weaponizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) against his rivals. Trump dismissed the allegations and labelled the longtime war hawk a “bad guy.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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BREAKING: Prince Andrew Renounces Royal Titles.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Prince Andrew has announced he will no longer use his royal titles or honours.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prince Andrew, King Charles III, and the Royal Family.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 17, 2025; United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” – Prince Andrew

🎯IMPACT: Prince Andrew further detaching himself from his family may mitigate any further damage he can inflict on it.

IN FULL

Prince Andrew has announced his decision to no longer use his royal title or the honours previously conferred upon him following discussions with his older brother, King Charles III.

“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” the statement reads.

Prince Andrew is best known for his ties to deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, which significantly damaged his family’s reputation. This saw him step back from official duties in 2019, while Queen Elizabeth II was still on the throne. He has attempted to remain largely out of the limelight since then, but reports have emerged in recent days that he held meetings with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spymaster Cai Qi, now the effective chief of staff to Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, in 2018 and 2019.

Reports suggest that the King regarded this latest scandal as the final straw, causing him to ask his brother to renounce his titles.

Image via Royal Navy.

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Trump Shrinks Budget Deficit by $41 Billion, Boosted by Tariff Revenues.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. budget deficit decreased by $41 billion to $1.775 trillion in fiscal year 2025.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Treasury Department, and American taxpayers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The smaller deficit was aided by a record $195 billion in net customs receipts for the fiscal year.” – Treasury Department Report

🎯IMPACT: The deficit reduction marks the first decrease since 2022, driven by increased tariff revenues.

IN FULL

The U.S. budget deficit dropped by $41 billion to $1.775 trillion for fiscal year 2025, according to the Treasury Department. This decline occurred even as overall revenues rose, with a key factor being the tariffs enacted by President Donald J. Trump.

The Treasury reported that the fiscal year, which concluded on September 30, represented the first annual deficit decrease since 2022. Officials credited the improvement to record net customs receipts of $195 billion, up $118 billion from the year before, driven by the new Trump tariffs.

Customs receipts for September alone hit a peak of $29.7 billion. These results cover nearly nine months of Trump’s second term, during which his tariff measures have been influential.

Meanwhile, the White House is preparing to relax tariffs affecting the U.S. auto sector, which could aid car manufacturers seeking exemptions from steeper import fees. The Commerce Department intends to reveal a five-year extension to lower automakers’ tariff expenses on imported vehicle components.

The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to review a legal dispute over Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs next month. An unfavorable decision could significantly alter the economic landscape, as well as America’s leverage in international trade.

Fresh tariffs on kitchen cabinets, vanities, timber, and select wood products have just gone into effect, to level the playing field for American producers.

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By Popular Demand.
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UK Govt Considers Delaying Local Elections AGAIN Amid Fears Farage Will Win.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The British government is considering delaying municipal elections for over five million voters amid concerns that victories for Nigel Farage’s Reform Party could disrupt the governing Labour Party’s plans for local government reform.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Conservative (Tory) Party county council leaders, Reform, Labour, and Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Seven English county councils in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Surrey, Essex, East and West Sussex; elections currently scheduled for May 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now it looks like the Labour government will accede to these demands and once again democracy will be denied in all of these counties. That is a complete total outrage.” – Nigel Farage.

🎯IMPACT: Potential postponements could extend Conservative (Tory) council terms and hinder Reform’s electoral progress.

IN FULL

The British government is considering delaying local council elections for over five million residents following requests from seven Conservative (Tory) county council leaders for a second time. The move would delay elections to 2027.

The Conservative council leaders, representing Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, Surrey, Essex, East Sussex, and West Sussex, expect Reform to win, and argue that holding elections now would be a waste of resources if incoming councils are soon replaced local government reforms proposed by the governing Labour Party.

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has pushed back against the attmept to postpone the elections again on X, saying, “Now it looks like the Labour government will accede to these demands and once again democracy will be denied in all of these counties. That is a complete total outrage, it’ll mean that people elected back in 2021 will be serving six, seven, who knows how long their terms will be.”

Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice also strongly condemned the potential delay. “Trying to cancel hundreds more council elections for a second year… Destroying democracy,” he said, accusing the government of being “terrified” of Reform’s rising support.

In early 2025, the Labour government also delayed council elections in nine areas until 2026, citing a supposed need to align them with planned structural changes. Critics called that decision undemocratic, and some peers in the House of Lords attempted to overturn the measure, though the effort was ultimately defeated.

In May 2025, Reform made major gains in local elections, winning hundreds of council seats and securing a parliamentary by-election victory.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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RFK Jr. Warns Against Falling Sperm Counts and Testosterone Levels Amid Birthrate Collapse.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that American teenagers have lower sperm counts and testosterone levels than men in their sixties during a White House event addressing fertility issues.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald J. Trump, and Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 16, at the White House during an event promoting greater fertility drug access under the Trump administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Today, the average teenager in this country has 50 percent of the sperm count, 50 percent of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: The remarks have renewed the debate over declining U.S. fertility rates.

IN FULL

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has issued a stark warning about the state of American fertility, calling the ongoing decline a national security concern. Speaking alongside President Donald J. Trump, Kennedy pointed to a dramatic drop in birth rates over the past several decades, emphasizing the urgency of the crisis. “When my uncle [John F. Kennedy] was President, the fertility rate in this country was 3.5 percent,” he said. “Today, it is 1.6 percent. The replacement rate, in other words the amount of fertility that you need in order to keep your population even, is 2.1 percent. We are below replacement right now. That is a national security threat to our country.”

Kennedy, 71, also highlighted the deteriorating reproductive health of America’s youth, stating, “Today, the average teenager in this country has 50 percent of the sperm count, 50 percent of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man. Our girls are hitting puberty six years early, and that’s bad, but also our parents aren’t having children. Parents who want to have children do not have access.”

Highlighting issues such as exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Kennedy praised President Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative for taking concrete steps to address such hidden health hazards.

Recent CDC data supports Kennedy’s concerns. The total fertility rate in the United States fell to 54.4 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 in 2023. While the raw number of births slightly increased, the general fertility rate continued to decline, especially among younger women. Demographers warn that if left unchecked, this could lead to long-term economic and social consequences.

Joining Kennedy at the event, Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz expressed optimism about reversing the trend. “The fundamental creative force in society is about making babies,” Oz said. “We’ve been under-babied for years.”

Kennedy’s remarks reflect a broader push within HHS to reorient U.S. public health around long-term well-being and national resilience. Since taking office, he has led efforts to reduce America’s dependency on foreign pharmaceutical supplies, challenged corporate influence in health policy, and rejected global mandates that don’t align with U.S. priorities, while successfully pressing major companies to eliminate synthetic dyes and other dubious ingredients from the national food and drugs supply.

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