Most Americans believe the CIA and other intelligence agencies will pick the winner of the 2024 presidential election. A majority of Americans also believe that the CIA and other intelligence agencies influence media coverage of politics.
According to a recent poll by Rasmussen Reports, 52 percent of Americans believe it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that US intelligence agencies will decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Only 10 percent of Americans think it is “not at all likely” intelligence agencies will do so.
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The poll also found that 64 percent of Americans believe it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that “US intelligence agencies are influencing news media coverage of political issues.” Once again, only 10 percent of Americans believe spy agency interference in political coverage is “not at all likely.”
Forty-nine percent of Americans say that US intelligence agencies have their own political agenda, while just 36 percent believe they generally perform impartially. The belief that US intelligence agencies have their own political agenda was more pronounced in Republican and conservative voters, with 62 percent and 66 percent, respectively, believing such to be the case.
In January, a former CIA analyst warned that intelligence agencies might interfere in the 2024 election. Last week, it was reported that the CIA has been waging its own private war against Russia in Ukraine.
By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Muslim cleric in England admitted to forcing two minors into marriage, violating a law banning child marriages that had come into effect months earlier.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ashraf Osmani, 52, two minors, judge Akhlaq Choudhury, and prosecutor Jennifer Newcomb.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Marriage took place in November 2023 at Northampton’s Central Mosque, sentence handed down recently.
💬KEY QUOTE: “You were entirely in charge of the marriage process at the mosque, and ignorance of the law is no defence,” said Mr Justice Akhlaq Choudhury, but handed him a derisory sentence.
🎯IMPACT: Osmani received a 15-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, meaning he will spend no time in custody unless he commits further crimes in that 12-month period.
IN FULL
A Muslim cleric in Britain has admitted to carrying out illegal religious marriages involving two children. Ashraf Osmani, 52, conducted an Islamic Nikah ceremony at Northampton’s Central Mosque in November 2023, despite the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act having taken effect nine months earlier. The legislation makes it a criminal offence to arrange or facilitate a marriage involving anyone under 18, even with parental consent.
Osmani pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a child to enter into a marriage. In mitigation, he claimed he was unaware of the change in the law. That explanation was rejected by the trial judge, Mr Justice Akhlaq Choudhury, who told him: “You were entirely in charge of the marriage process at the mosque and ignorance of the law is no defence.” The judge described Osmani’s conduct as negligent and said he should have been fully aware of his legal responsibilities.
Prosecutor Jennifer Newcomb told the court that the marriage came to light after the girl’s foster parents discovered a marriage certificate in her bedroom. Osmani later admitted in a voluntary police interview that he knew the girl was in foster care and that her foster parents did not approve of the relationship. Newcomb said Osmani believed he was preventing the teenagers from committing sin by carrying out the ceremony, but stressed that child marriage is illegal and undermines protections designed to safeguard minors.
Defense lawyer James Gray argued that the children had not been harmed and described Osmani as someone committed to encouraging moral behaviour in others. The judge imposed a 15-week prison sentence, saying the punishment was intended to deter others from ignoring the law. However, he suspended it, meaning the imam will not actually serve any time in custody.
The case has drawn attention to broader debates in Britain around marriage practices linked to culture and religion. While under-18 marriage is now illegal, first cousin marriage remains lawful and is common in some communities, particularly among Pakistani Muslims.
The issue has become controversial amid concerns about genetic risks to children, despite the socialized National Health Service (NHS) downplaying those risks. The debate has reached the political level, with some Members of Parliament (MPs) calling for a ban, and, more recently, there has been international criticism of the British government for resisting such proposals by the Trump administration.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The House Oversight Committee will move forward with a vote on Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, in contempt of Congress after the couple scuttled the latest efforts to secure their testimony as part of the committee’s investigation into deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The House Oversight Committee, Chairman James Comer (R-KY), former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Attorneys for the Clintons sent their latest letter on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, with a contempt of Congress vote now slated to move forward on Wednesday, January 21.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment. The absence of an official transcript is an indefensible demand that is insulting to the American people who demand answers about Epstein’s crimes.” — James Comer
🎯IMPACT: By continuing to comply with the House Oversight subpoenas, the Clintons will face an initial contempt of Congress vote on Wednesday.
IN FULL
The House Oversight Committee will move forward with a vote on Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, in contempt of Congress after the couple scuttled the latest efforts to secure their testimony as part of the committee’s investigation into deceased pedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Attorneys for the Clintons demanded accommodations that Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) contends are “far outside the normal and well-established operating procedures,” including that only Bill Clinton be interviewed, that the interview occur at Clinton’s office in New York City, and that there would be no transcript taken.
“The Clintons’ latest demands make clear they believe their last name entitles them to special treatment,” Comer said in response to the latest demands, adding, “The absence of an official transcript is an indefensible demand that is insulting to the American people who demand answers about Epstein’s crimes.”
Earlier this month, both Bill and Hillary Clinton defied a congressional subpoena that compelled their testimony before the House panel. The testimony was slated for January 13 and 14; however, an attorney representing the Clintons stated that neither would appear before the House panel and argued that the congressional subpoena is “legally unenforceable.”
Attorneys for the Clintons, in the new January 20 letter, alleged that Chairman Comer was insisting on a hearing format “that would allow members of the committee to harass our clients, and indicated you would proceed with plans to hold our clients in contempt if they did not agree.” Notably, the latest letter is more focused on process, with the objection raised under the Supreme Court’s findings in the Watkins decision in their previous notice refusing the subpoena no longer the focus. However, their attorneys continue to insist Comer’s subpoenas are “invalid and legally unenforceable.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Canadian military has reportedly determined it would last as little as two days if the United States launched an invasion of the country.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Canadian military officials, President Donald J. Trump, and the Canadian armed forces.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged plan was published in Canadian media on January 20.
💬KEY QUOTE: “After his 2024 election and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to the United States’ northern neighbor as the 51st state and said a merger would benefit Canada.” – Canadian military report.
🎯IMPACT: The report shows Canada has little defense against a U.S. invasion, but hopes to engage in guerrilla-style warfare if it is conquered.
IN FULL
Canada’s military has developed a theoretical response model in the unlikely event of a U.S. invasion. Realizing that the country would last a mere two days against American military might, it hopes to adapt to Taliban-like tactics. Two unnamed senior government officials told Canadian media that the framework focuses on tactics similar to those of insurgencies. The officials conceded that U.S. forces could swiftly overcome Canadian positions on land and at sea, and that any resistance would likely shift to ambushes and “hit-and-run tactics.”
“After his 2024 election and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to the United States’ northern neighbor as the 51st state and said a merger would benefit Canada,” the reports said.
Canadian officials emphasized that the insurgency model is “a conceptual and theoretical framework, not a military plan, which is an actionable and step-by-step directive for executing operations.” They also said that clear signs, such as a halt to bilateral cooperation in NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, would likely precede any U.S. military preparations. Canada would likely seek support from allies like Britain and France in such a scenario, though both are geographically distant.
The military planning comes amid broader tensions between Ottawa and Washington. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently pledged support for Greenland, stating that he would put “boots on the ice.” His remarks came in the wake of a new strategic partnership between Canada and China on energy and trade in which Carney agreed to allow the Chinese Communist Party to flood the Canadian market with cheap electric vehicles.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued subpoenas to several Democrat politicians as part of a federal investigation into alleged attempts to obstruct federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Minnesota government offices, including the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Minneapolis Mayor’s Office.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Subpoenas were served on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Minnesota.
🎯IMPACT: The investigation could reveal potential misconduct or interference with federal law enforcement operations.
IN FULL
The Department of Justice (DOJ) served grand jury subpoenas to five Minnesota government offices, including the offices of Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-MN), as well as Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s (D) office. This is part of a federal investigation into an alleged conspiracy to obstruct or coerce federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.
Delivered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the federal subpoenas seek records and communications from these offices, especially those pertaining to the ongoing violent anti-ICE protests in the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul area. While the subpoenas were delivered on Tuesday, the scope of the federal investigation remains unclear.
Both Frey and Walz have been accused of fanning hostilities in the state, especially after anti-ICE activist Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot while attempting to run over a federal agent. At the time, Mayor Frey called the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) assertion that Good was shot in self-defense “bulls**t” and “garbage.” He went on to demand that “ICE get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
Similarly, Walz, in the immediate aftermath of Good’s death, declared, “I feel your anger, I’m angry.” However, in recent days, the Minnesota Governor and former vice presidential nominee has attempted to distance himself from the political violence perpetrated by leftists in his state. The National Pulse reported on Monday that, following left-wing protestors storming a St. Paul church, Walz is now claiming that he has “repeatedly” urged residents to protest “peacefully.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. fell by more than 20 percent last year, according to provisional data.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), President Donald J. Trump, former President Joe Biden, and law enforcement officials.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Data covering deaths through August 2025; significant drops occurred in states like Louisiana, Florida, and Vermont.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Securing the borders has a lot to do with the drop.” – Joseph Giacalone, retired police sergeant and criminal justice professor.
🎯IMPACT: Stronger border enforcement, military strikes on drug boats, and other measures have coincided with a significant decline in overdose deaths.
IN FULL
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that drug overdose deaths in the United States fell by more than 20 percent last year, according to provisional data covering fatalities through August 2025. The decline marks a sharp reversal after years of rising or stagnant overdose numbers nationwide. The data shows overdose deaths were increasing before President Donald J. Trump’s first term, leveled off during that administration, and then surged during former President Joe Biden’s tenure before beginning to fall late in his term, as President Trump was preparing to reclaim the White House.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) sergeant and adjunct professor at Penn State Lehigh Valley, said the timing of the decline raises questions about policy expectations. “The fall begins at the end of the Biden administration, but the question is, was it in anticipation of a tough-on-crime president coming in?” he said.
Giacalone argued that border security has played a decisive role in reducing the flow of lethal drugs into the country. “Securing the borders has a lot to do with the drop. Less chance for drug dealers and their mules to bring drugs into the country,” he said. “Nothing made a bigger impact than shutting down the floodgates at the border.” He added that aggressive enforcement actions can discourage traffickers, saying, “Deterrence matters in criminal justice policy.”
Federal enforcement agencies have continued to report major drug interdictions. In one recent case, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized a massive shipment of methamphetamine hidden in a commercial load at the southern border. Other federal operations have dismantled open-air drug markets and led to criminal charges against dealers linked to fatal overdoses. The U.S. military has also begun conducting deadly strikes against drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the East Pacific.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to put “boots on the ice” in Greenland in defense of Danish sovereignty in the territory in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, where he also urged the world’s “middle powers” to combine against the U.S.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mark Carney, WEF summit attendees.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: January 20, 2026, at the WEF summit in Davos, Switzerland.
💬KEY QUOTE: “On Arctic sovereignty, we stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future.” – Mark Carney
🎯IMPACT: Carney’s remarks, coming just days after Canada signed a strategic partnership with Communist China, signal its growing hostility towards the United States under Carney’s Liberal Party, formerly led by Justin Trudeau.
IN FULL
At the globalist World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the formation of new strategic partnerships with China and Qatar in a speech targeting the United States as a “great power” using “tariffs as leverage” to pursue its own interests at the expense of the “rules-based international order.” Specifically, he declared his full support for Denmark in resisting President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to purchase Greenland, going so far as to pledge “boots on the ice.”
“On Arctic sovereignty, we stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future,” he said. “Our commitment to NATO’s Article 5 is unwavering, so we’re working with our NATO allies, including the Nordic-Baltic Eight, to further secure the alliance’s northern and western flanks, including through Canada’s unprecedented investments in over-the-horizon radar, in submarines, in aircraft, and boots on the ground—boots on the ice,” he continued, adding that “Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland” and wants “focused talks” on securing the Arctic.
Carney also urged fellow “middle powers” to combine, by implication, against the United States, so they do not have to be too accommodating to greater powers in bilateral negotiations. “In a world of great power rivalry, the countries in-between have a choice: compete with each other for favour, or combine to create a third path with impact. We shouldn’t allow the rise of hard power to blind us to the fact that the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules will remain strong if we choose to wield it together,” he argued.
He argued that “great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone,” but middle powers need to unite to avoid negotiating from a position of weakness. This statement comes amidst the backdrop of the U.S. expressing interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark.
Carney’s comments follow a recent deal with China, focusing on sectors such as energy and trade, which may further complicate relations with the U.S. and highlight Canada’s evolving strategic priorities.
However, this comes just days after Carney agreed a lopsided partnership with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), allowing China to flood the Canadian auto market with tens of thousands of electric vehicles in exchange for a deal on agri-products, energy, and tariffs.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) announced her U.S. Senate bid against Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), following her endorsement by President Donald J. Trump.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Letlow, Sen. Cassidy, President Trump, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Letlow announced her decision during a breakfast in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday morning.
🎯IMPACT: The race will likely become one of the more expensive primary contests of the 2026 cycle and is the second serious primary race an incumbent Republican senator faces, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) already challenging Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).
IN FULL
Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) announced Tuesday morning at a breakfast event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that she will challenge incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in the 2026 midterm elections. The announcement comes after President Donald J. Trump announced he would back Letlow’s candidacy in a post on Truth Social this past Saturday.
“Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!” Trump wrote. While Letlow has not yet made any public statements about her Senate bid, her candidacy is expected to receive significant backing from Louisiana Republican leaders, along with President Trump. Months ago, Governor Jeff Landry (R-LA)—a staunch Trump ally—identified Letlow as an ideal challenger to Sen. Cassidy.
While Cassidy has attempted to reposition himself as a soft pro-Trump senator, the Louisiana lawmaker was one of a handful of Republicans to vote to convict President Trump during the 2021 Democrat-led impeachment over the January 6 Capitol protests. “Our Constitution and our country are more important than any one person. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty,” Cassidy said at the time.
Additionally, Sen. Cassidy is a top primary target for members of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and vaccine skeptics—along with other allies of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
The National Pulse previously reported that between 2019 and 2024, Sen. Cassidy received an estimated $667,000 in political contributions from the pharmaceutical industry. Federal disclosures reveal that an influx of campaign donations began on February 10, 2023, shortly after Cassidy’s appointment as the ranking member of the Senate Health Committee. Contributions from the period included $5,800 from Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, $5,000 from Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks, $2,900 from Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio, and $2,500 from Biogen CEO Christopher Viehbacher, all of whom are members of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) board.
A reliable Trump vote in the House, Letlow was elected to the House in a 2021 special election after her husband died of COVID complications shortly after winning the congressional seat. Trump’s backing of Letlow pits the White House against the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which has endorsed Cassidy as part of its tradition of backing incumbents.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: While arriving at Davos, Switzerland, for the globalist World Economic Forum (WEF) summit on Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) slammed the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado, as “pathetic.”
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gov. Newsom, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, and European leaders.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I mean, handing out crowns—I mean, this is pathetic—Nobel Prizes that are being given away. I mean, it is just pathetic.” — Gavin Newsom
🎯IMPACT: Newsom slammed European and other world leaders for engaging in diplomacy with the Trump administration, calling their actions “pathetic.”
IN FULL
While arriving at Davos, Switzerland, for the globalist World Economic Forum (WEF) summit on Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) slammed Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado as “pathetic.” Speaking in a press gaggle at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Newsom criticized foreign leaders who have shown appreciation for U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s mediation of foreign conflicts and the removal of Venezuela’s Marxist dictator, Nicolás Maduro.
“I can’t take this complicity, people rolling over—I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all of the world leaders,” Newsom said, feigning indignation. He continued, “I mean, handing out crowns—I mean, this is pathetic—Nobel Prizes that are being given away. I mean, it is just pathetic.”
Machado, one of Venezuela’s top opposition leaders to the former Maduro regime, publicly dedicated and gifted her Nobel Prize to President Trump earlier this month for his decisive action in removing the country’s Marxist dictator. “I told him this: 200 years ago, General Lafayette gave Simon Bolivar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolivar kept that medal the rest of his life,” Machado said on Capitol Hill last week, adding: “It was given by General Lafayette as a sign of the brotherhood between the people of the U.S. and the people of Venezuela in their fight against tyranny. Two hundred years on in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of George Washington a medal, in this case, a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Newsom continued at Davos, stating, “I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. I mean, this is from an American perspective. It’s embarrassing.” The California Governor, widely seen as a top contender for the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nomination, went on to say that President Trump is playing European leaders “for fools.”
When pressed on the fact that Europe’s leaders believe this is the reality of diplomacy with President Trump, Newsom shot back, “This is diplomacy with Donald Trump? He’s a T. rex. You mate with him, or he devours you.”
NEW – Governor Newsom says Europeans should “stand tall and firm, have a backbone… I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders… Diplomacy with Donald Trump? He’s a T-Rex. You mate with him, or he devours you.” pic.twitter.com/haa3UNwOFr
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched an investigation into housing policies in Minneapolis, Minnesota, citing concerns over potential violations of federal civil rights law.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Assistant Secretary Craig Trainor, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was announced this week and focuses on alleged unlawful prioritization of ethnic minorities and foreigners over white people in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda.” – Scott Turner
🎯IMPACT: The investigation could lead to corrective action or enforcement measures if violations of federal law are found.
IN FULL
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified the City of Minneapolis that its Office for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) has opened an investigation into the city’s housing policies, citing potential conflicts with federal civil rights laws. According to HUD, the review will examine whether elements of Minneapolis’ long-term housing strategies and equity initiatives violate the Fair Housing Act or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner criticized Minnesota’s political leadership in announcing the investigation, stating, “Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda. This undermines our American values, united by a common heritage, language, and commitment to equal treatment under law.” Turner said HUD will not permit housing programs that rely on racial or ethnic preferences and added, “As HUD Secretary, I will continue to deliver on President Trump’s promise to provide affordable housing for American families.”
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor said the agency is examining whether Minneapolis housing assistance improperly prioritizes race or national origin over financial need. He alleged that policies advanced under state Governor Tim Walz (D) and city Mayor Jacob Frey (D) raise serious legal concerns.
Trainor remarked, “Under the feckless leadership of Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota has become a Third World failed state, where criminals engage in massive, unchecked fraud and decent Minnesotans are held captive to the riotous impulses of left-wing cultural arsonists.”
HUD’s notice references several city planning documents, including the “Minneapolis 2040” comprehensive plan. That plan includes commitments to prioritize housing investments in designated “cultural districts” and to advance so-called racial equity goals by focusing resources on black, indigenous, people of color, and immigrant communities. Federal officials said the investigation will determine whether these provisions amount to unlawful racial or ethnic preferences.
The investigation marks the start of a formal review and does not represent a final determination. HUD said enforcement actions or corrective measures could follow if violations are found.
The inquiry comes amid broader federal scrutiny of Minnesota. Recent federal reviews have identified extensive fraud concerns, including improper distribution of housing and welfare funds, payments made to deceased recipients, and large-scale financial crimes investigations. The Trump administration has also halted federal loans to thousands of Minnesota borrowers over suspected fraud and expanded financial crimes enforcement targeting the state.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government has approved China’s plans for a massive new embassy in central London, despite concerns about potential spying and security risks, including from the White House.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The decision was confirmed by Housing Secretary Steve Reed, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, with input from intelligence agencies including MI5 and GCHQ.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The embassy will be located at Royal Mint Court near the City of London, close to sensitive fiber-optic cable infrastructure.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk.” – Britain’s domestic spy chiefs Sir Ken McCallum, of MI5, and Anne Keast-Butler, of GCHQ.
🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the decision risks facilitating China’s surveillance efforts and compromising Britain’s national security, and by extension that of America and other Five Eyes partners.
IN FULL
The British government has approved China’s plans to build a new mega-embassy at Royal Mint Court in London, close to the City of London and near sensitive fibre-optic infrastructure, which could serve as an espionage facility, despite objections from the White House. Housing Secretary Steve Reed, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s left-wing Labour Party, signed off on the development, claiming that bringing China’s diplomatic operations together in one location would provide “clear security advantages.”
The proposal had been delayed several times as the government sought to balance closer engagement with Beijing against warnings about potential national security risks. Government ministers said the decision was taken with the full involvement of the intelligence services. In a joint letter, the director general of the British domestic spy agency MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, and the director of GCHQ, Anne Keast-Butler, appeared to tacitly acknowledge the danger but claimed that eliminating every possible risk was “not realistic.”
The Trump administration has previously expressed concern that the embassy, and in particular its hundreds of previously undisclosed secret underground rooms, which will be sited close to the aforementioned cables, could be used to surveil communications—a direct threat to U.S. national security, as Britain is a partner in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. “In a world where leverage with China matters, the UK is giving up all its leverage in the hope of a trade deal,” a U.S. official warned in comments to the British press.
Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has also criticised the embassy decision, arguing that Labour is allowing a “serious threat to national security” in “a desperate attempt by the Labour government to cosy up to the Chinese Communist Party.” Notably, Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasury Secretary) Rachel Reeves and other senior officials have visited China in recent months as part of efforts to improve Sino-British relations.
China purchased the Royal Mint Court site in 2018 for $324 million. Once completed, the 20,000-square-metre complex will be the largest Chinese embassy in Europe.
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