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Trump Trial Day 9: Stormy Rages.

The ninth day of the Manhattan-based hush money trial of former President Donald J. Trump devolved into a gossip-filled and sordid affair. District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s prosecutors called one of the trial’s most anticipated and controversial witnesses — smut peddler Stormy Daniels. A pornographic entertainer, Daniels alleged she engaged in a brief affair with Trump following a 2006 celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

Daniels’s testimony was a tale of two different ‘characters’ in the witness box. Throughout the prosecution’s questioning, Daniels presented herself as relatively charming and engaged in gossip about her alleged affair with Trump. Before the court started its day, Democrat Judge Juan Merchan warned the prosecution not to delve too far into details as it could be seen as prejudicial.

The jurors saw a very different Daniels in the defense’s cross-examination. She appeared angry, combative, childish, and vindictive. Arguably, Daniels came across so poorly that she gravely undermined any damage her morning’s testimony inflicted.

PROSECUTION DEFINES DANIELS. 

The initial round of questioning focused on establishing professional and biographical details about Daniels. She told prosecutors she preferred to go by her pornographic alias rather than her legal name, Stephanie Clifford. Daniels said she began her career in adult entertainment after misunderstanding a friend who told her she was a “dancer.” According to the smut performer, as an exotic dancer, she could make more in two nights of work “than I could shoveling manure eight hours a day.” As if those were the only two career options before her. The themes of quick and easy money, greed, and selfishness pervaded much of Daniels’s testimony.

PROSECUTION CROSSES THE LINE. 

Despite Judge Merchan‘s aforementioned warning to the prosecution, she often strayed into an attempted character assassination of Trump. Daniels testified she met Trump in 2006 at the Lake Tahoe golf tournament. Later, she claimed one of his bodyguards, Keith Schiller, gave her Trump’s contact information after she had declined a dinner invitation. Daniels said her publicist later encouraged her to accept the dinner offer.

What happened next was likely both fictitious and prejudicial. Daniels went into every detail about her meeting with Trump prior to “dinner.” The details she provided can only be described as over the top. It quickly became apparent that the prosecution intended for Daniels’s testimony to smear the reputation of President Trump, rather than asking her to address details of the charges he faces.

For nearly an hour, the court allowed prosecutor Susan Hoffinger to lead Daniels through unverifiable recollections of her alleged conversations with Trump. Finally, even Judge Merchan appeared annoyed with the prosecution and interjected, telling Hoffinger, “The degree of detail we’re going into here is just unnecessary.” After the court took a short break, he added, “When she comes back to the stand, we can move it along more quickly.”

DANIELS GOES OFF THE RAILS.

With Daniels back on the stand, Merchan quickly lost control of the prosecution, witness, and court. Led by Hoffinger, Daniels dove into a personal and graphic description of her alleged liaison with Trump — explicitly against Merchan’s morning orders. Daniels remained engaging, however, with the jury captivated by her story. She often spoke while looking directly at jurors and used hand gestures to further engage with them from the stand.

In a new spin on the affair story, Daniels insinuated she felt there was a power imbalance between her and Trump, also noting that he was a lot bigger than her. While she acknowledged she didn’t feel threatened, the pornographic entertainer insinuated to the prosecution that the encounter wasn’t consensual. Prior public recollections by Daniels never intimated such details.

After another long run of questioning regarding her alleged ongoing contact with Trump following the initial liaison, Daniels told Hoffinger that she was threatened to stay quiet about her affair with Trump by an unknown man in a Las Vegas parking lot in June 2011. She said the incident “scared” her. “He approached me and threatened me not to continue to tell my story,” Daniels told the prosecutor. There has been no evidence offered to suggest this event ever took place. Daniels has admitted she never notified law enforcement or told her husband or daughter about the alleged threat.

It is important to note that in the past, Daniels denied the encounter and affair with Trump entirely. When asked by Hoffinger if going public with her story was to make money, Daniels dubiously replied: “My motivation wasn’t money. It was to get the story out.”

MOTION FOR MISTRIAL. 

After the lunch break, attorneys for Trump moved for an immediate mistrial given Daniels’s testimony and the prosecution blatantly ignoring the guidelines.

“I don’t think anybody, anybody, can listen to what that witness said, think that has anything to do with the charges, and the entire testimony is so prejudicial that you run the very high risk of the jury not being able to focus on the evidence that actually does matter,” Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche argued.

Judge Merchan denied the motion. However, he did acknowledge that Daniels’s testimony likely crossed the line. “As a threshold matter, I agree, Mr. Blanche, that there were some things that probably would’ve been better left unsaid,” Merchan said. He additionally chastised the defense for not raising more objections, noting that even he had to step in and cut Daniels off at one point.

“Whether these are new stories or not new stories, the remedy is on cross-examination,” Merchan continued.

The judge did concede that he would be giving the jury limiting instructions regarding Daniels’s claims regarding the June 2011 threat in Las Vegas. While Trump’s legal defense lost the mistrial motion, the objection was necessary to preserve the issue as grounds for appeal.

STORMY GETS CROSSED. 

After a brief period of additional questioning by Hoffringer regarding her interactions with Michael Cohen, Daniels’s testimony before the prosecution ended. Next up was Trump’s defense attorney, Susan Necheles, to conduct the cross-examination. Almost immediately, Daniels’s demeanor completely changed. The smiling and chatty porn star became angry and combative when Necheles began her questioning.

Necheles began the cross-examination by questioning whether Daniels had rehearsed her testimony. A now combative Daniels fired back, “No.” Trump’s defense attorney continued, recalling prior comments made by Daniels: “You agreed you were subjected to grueling prep sessions which included brutal mock cross-examination?”

“It is not rehearsing my testimony,” Daniels responded with a raised and angry voice. Necheles asked Daniels if she had been untruthful in her prior statement. “I was incorrect; I did not know what true court would be like,” she answered.

MOTIVATED BY ‘HATE.’ 

Necheles pressed Daniels about her motivations for speaking out about Trump. “Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” she asked.

“Yes,” Daniels replied.

Pushing further, Necheles asked Daniels if she wanted to see former President Trump put in jail. The pornographic performer responded, “I want him to be held accountable.”

This was a marked change from past statements made by Daniels, including a 2023 interview with Piers Morgan. When asked then if Trump should go to jail, Daniels demurred while referencing unknown crimes he’s allegedly committed against her. “I don’t think that his crimes against me are worthy of incarceration,” Daniels said, while adding: “The other things that he has done — if he is found guilty, then absolutely.”

Moments later, Daniels was asked about her tweets suggesting she wanted to see former President Trump in jail. The pornographic actress laughed about her social media posts. When asked why she found them funny, Daniels quickly covered up for herself, saying it was just the words she had chosen to use in the posts.

VINDICTIVE AND CHILDISH. 

As Necheles pushed forward, she next pressed Daniels on her losing a series of lawsuits against the former President, in which she was later ordered to pay his legal fees. “He prevailed, but I was not found to have lost,” Daniels said of the matter, later admitting she still owes Trump about $560,000 in fees.

“You didn’t take any money out of your pocket and pay it to President Trump, did you?” Necheles asked. Daniels replied, “No.”

“You have money, right?” Trump’s defense attorney followed up. Daniels responded snarkily: “We all have money.”

Remaining on the subject of her debts owed to Trump, Daniels acknowledged her authorship of a 2022 social post in which she claimed she’d rather go to jail than “pay a penny.”

The porn star defended her defiance of the court-ordered financial judgment. “My motivation was because I was telling the truth,” Daniels contended.

Necheles next addressed a social media post in which Daniels wrote, “I’ll never give that orange turd a dime.” Trump’s defense attorney observed that Daniels often calls the former President names on social media. Becoming almost childish, Daniels claimed she only called Trump names “Because he made fun of me first.”

DANIELS DENIES ILLEGALLY HIDING MONEY.

Returning to the subject of the money Daniels owes Trump, Necheles asked the porn star and exotic dancer why she failed to report her husband’s finances on the forms she had to submit to the court following its judgment against her. “I won’t fill out information that endangers my family or my daughter,” Daniels replied defiantly.

“Isn’t it true that you’ve been hiding your assets because you don’t want to pay the judgment against you?” Necheles asked Daniels next, and she replied, “No.” Daniels went on to deny having set up a trust in her daughter’s name to hide income, an accusation leveled earlier today by Daniels’s former attorney, Michael Avenatti.

Before the court adjourned for the day, Daniels acknowledged that she had made a lot of money selling her story. When pressed if the most money came in when she discussed “sex,” the porn star at first denied that was the case but eventually acknowledged that she did get more attention when she brought up sordid details.

The trial will resume on Thursday with Trump’s defense team continuing its cross-examination of Stormy Daniels.

You can read The National Pulse’s Day Eight trial coverage here, and if you find our work worthwhile, consider joining up as a supporter.

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
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DATA: Republican Support for Gay Marriage Is Crashing.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Republican support for gay marriage has significantly dropped, according to a recent Gallup poll, but Democratic support remains high.

👥 Who’s Involved: Gallup poll respondents, including Republicans, Democrats, and independents; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

📍 Where & When: United States; Gallup poll released Thursday, May 29, 2025.

⚠️ Impact: The poll reflects a growing partisan divide on gay marriage and related moral issues, with implications for future legal challenges and cultural debates.

IN FULL:

Support among Republicans for same-sex marriage has dropped sharply over the past three years, according to a new Gallup poll released Thursday. The survey found that just 41 percent of GOP voters now back the legalization of gay marriage, a significant decline from 55 percent in 2021 and 2022.

In contrast, 88 percent of Democrats expressed approval for same-sex marriage, marking a 47-point gap between the two parties—the largest divide recorded since Gallup began polling on the issue in 1996. Among independents, 76 percent voiced support for gay marriage.

Historical data from Gallup shows that in 1996, only 16 percent of Republicans, 33 percent of Democrats, and 32 percent of independents supported the legalization of same-sex unions.

The new poll also highlighted differences in moral perceptions of gay and lesbian relationships. While 86 percent of Democrats said such relationships are morally acceptable, only 38 percent of Republicans agreed—a sharp drop from 56 percent in 2022. Among Americans who attend religious services weekly, 33 percent found same-sex marriage morally acceptable, with only 24 percent deeming gay and lesbian relationships socially acceptable.

The issue of same-sex marriage has also been revisited in legal debates. Justice Clarence Thomas, in his concurring opinion in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, called for reconsideration of substantive due process precedents, including Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case that established a constitutional right to gay marriage.

Thomas argued that the legal principle of substantive due process, which has been used to protect unenumerated rights like privacy and same-sex marriage, lacks constitutional grounding. He described it as “an oxymoron that lack[s] any basis in the Constitution,” and emphasized that such decisions should be revisited to determine whether other constitutional provisions might support the rights they claim to protect.

“Substantive due process exalts judges at the expense of the People from whom they derive their authority,” Thomas wrote, adding that it has led to “constitutionally unmoored policy judgments.”

Image by Tim Evanson.

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UK to Allocate 3% of GDP to Defense as Trump Pressures NATO Allies.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The British government has committed to increasing defense spending to three percent of GDP by 2034, with an interim target of 2.5 percent by April 2027.

👥 Who’s Involved: Defence Secretary John Healey, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, former international development minister Anneliese Dodds, President Donald J. Trump, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

📍 Where & When: NATO meeting scheduled for next month in The Hague, Netherlands.

💬 Key Quote: John Healey stated, “It allows us to plan for the long term. It allows us to deal with the pressures.”

⚠️ Impact: The increase in defense spending will be offset by cuts to foreign aid, and follows a pressure campaign from President Trump to have European NATO members pay more towards their continent’s defense.

IN FULL:

The British government has committed to raising defense spending to three percent of GDP by 2034, with an interim target of 2.5 percent by April 2027, according to Defence Secretary John Healey. Healey, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, described the move as part of a “certain decade of rising defence spending” and expressed confidence in meeting the targets, stating, “It allows us to plan for the long term. It allows us to deal with the pressures.”

The announcement follows Prime Minister Starmer’s earlier pledge to strengthen Britain’s resilience in a “more dangerous world.” The British government is conducting a strategic defense review (SDR) to assess the roles, capabilities, and reforms needed for the armed forces. The review aims to ensure that the spending increases remain “deliverable and affordable” within the planned 2.5 percent trajectory.

Funding for the defense budget boost will come from a reduction in foreign aid, which will be cut from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income (GNI). The decision, which has angered many in Starmer’s leftist party, follows pressure from U.S. President Donald J. Trump to make European NATO members pay more towards their continent’s defense.

NATO leaders are preparing to meet in The Hague next month, where defense spending is expected to dominate discussions. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking earlier this month in Dayton, Ohio, suggested that the alliance could agree on a collective target of five percent of GDP for defense spending.

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Trump Economy Hits Highs Not Seen in Decades.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The S&P 500 recorded its best monthly numbers since 2023—and its best gains for the month of May since 1990.

👥 Who’s Involved: The S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial Average, President Donald J. Trump, and China.

📍 Where & When: U.S. stock markets, May 2025.

⚠️ Impact: All three major U.S. stock indices saw strong gains in May, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq achieving their best months since November 2023, amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions.

IN FULL:

The S&P 500 capped off May with its strongest monthly performance in over a year and a half, gaining six percent across the month, despite closing Friday nearly flat. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 both posted their best monthly results since November 2023. Moreover, it saw the best gains for the month of May, specifically, since 1990.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose slightly by 0.13 percent on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite slipped just 0.3 percent.

Notably, the market’s rebound in May followed a challenging April, during which investor sentiment was rattled by media clamoring over President Donald J. Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on China. The tariffs are part of ongoing trade negotiations with Beijing and other foreign trade partners.

Earlier on Friday, President Trump accused China of going back on a “fast deal” he claimed to have made, but remained hopeful about eventually securing an agreement. Tensions with China have persisted, but Trump’s optimism suggests a potential resolution might still be on the horizon.

The market gains follow data released by the Department of Commerce, which shows inflation continuing to cool and record revenue collected from President Trump’s tariffs.

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Musk Says Departure ‘Not the End of DOGE, But Really the Beginning.’

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Elon Musk expressed optimism about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its mission as his time as a special government employee came to an end.

👥 Who’s Involved: Elon Musk, the DOGE team, President Donald J. Trump, and the federal government.

📍 Where & When: Musk’s comments were made alongside Trump in the Oval Office on May 30.

💬 Key Quote: “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning… The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time… It is permeating throughout the government, and I am confident that, over time, we will see a trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction,” Musk said.

⚠️ Impact: President Trump and Musk say most DOGE staffers will remain in post after Musk’s departure, so they can continue to search for efficiency savings.

IN FULL:

Tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed optimism that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can continue to find savings as his time as a special government employee came to an end. “This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,” he said in the Oval Office alongside President Donald J. Trump, at a press event marking the end of his tenure.

Musk suggested the DOGE ethos “is permeating throughout the government,” although its performance under his de facto leadership has been mixed. The Tesla and SpaceX mogul initially insisted he could rapidly achieve trillions of dollars in savings, but later revised his figures downward by over 90 percent. However, he said in the Oval Office that he expects DOGE to achieve a trillion dollars in savings “over time” following his departure.

Despite suspicions of a rift with President Trump, especially after Musk publicly attacked the “one big, beautiful bill” the administration has championed, the America First leader praised the South Africa-born entrepreneur at the press event, suggesting he would remain an advisor and friend at least on an informal basis.

Members of the press grilled Musk on reports that he regularly uses ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms during questions in the Oval Office. He dismissed allegations on the basis that they originated in The New York Times, “the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on… Russiagate.”

WATCH:

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DHS Cracks Down on 500 Sanctuary Cities for Impeding Deportation Efforts.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a list of 500 sanctuary jurisdictions it says are obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

👥 Who’s Involved: DHS, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the Trump administration, sanctuary cities, counties, and states.

📍 Where & When: Across the U.S.; list released Thursday, May 29, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

⚠️ Impact: DHS claims sanctuary policies endanger communities and law enforcement while protecting illegal immigrants accused of criminal activity.

IN FULL:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a list of 500 sanctuary jurisdictions it accuses of obstructing federal immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration. The list, published Thursday on the department’s website, includes cities, counties, and states across the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized sanctuary city policies, stating, “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens.” The DHS alleges that such jurisdictions shield individuals in the country illegally from federal immigration authorities, creating risks for both communities and law enforcement.

The department explained that the list was compiled based on several factors, including whether jurisdictions identify themselves as sanctuary areas, their compliance level with federal immigration enforcement, restrictions on sharing information with immigration authorities, and legal protections for illegal immigrants.

“Sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endanger American communities,” the DHS statement read.

This move by the DHS comes amid increased pressure from the Trump administration on local governments to align with federal immigration law enforcement. While law enforcement in Republican governed states are increasingly complying with President Donald J. Trump’s mass deportation efforts, Democrat-controlled states continue to by-and-large resist immigration enforcement efforts.

The DHS claims that sanctuary policies allow individuals accused of criminal activity to avoid facing legal consequences, putting public safety at risk. Critics of sanctuary policies argue that they undermine the rule of law and prioritize the protection of illegal immigrants over the safety of citizens.

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Disgraced Dem Senator Admits Lawfare Started with Obama and Biden.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Disgraced former Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) says that it was his own Democratic Party, under the former Obama-Biden administration, that weaponized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to execute lawfare campaigns against political enemies.

👥 Who’s Involved: Former Sen. Robert Menendez, former President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and federal prosecutors.

📍 Where & When: Menendez made the allegations in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 30, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “People talk about the Trump DOJ, but it was the Democrats who started weaponizing the Justice Dept,” Menendez wrote.

⚠️ Impact: The claims made by the New Jersey Democrat underpin allegations by Republicans and President Donald J. Trump that the Democratic Party used the DOJ to target its political enemies and prevent Trump’s reelection in 2024. However, it is essential to note that Menendez himself has political motivations to undermine the successful DOJ corruption prosecution against him.

IN FULL:

Former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in January this year on charges of bribery, extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, is claiming that it was his own Democratic Party that weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to execute politically motivated lawfare campaigns. In a series of posts made Friday on X (formerly Twitter), the disgraced New Jersey Democrat pointed the finger at former President Barack Obama for upending the allegedly nonpartisan culture of the DOJ and weaponizing the agency to target political enemies.

“People talk about the Trump DOJ, but it was the Democrats who started weaponizing the Justice Dept,” Menendez wrote, revealing: “When, as the Chairman of the SFRC, I didn’t go along with Obama’s Iran deal, I was indicted, and the next day after being stripped of my position, Obama announced the Iran deal.”

Menendez continued: “Obama told me that he could not have the Democratic Chairman of the SFRC be against him. By having me removed as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama removed my major opposition to his Iran deal. It was a bad deal for the U.S. and for our ally, Israel.”

The once-powerful Democrat Senator argued that the 2015 corruption indictment brought against him by the Obama DOJ was never meant to achieve a conviction but merely to damage his reputation and prevent him from derailing the Iran deal. Notably, the 2015 charges were eventually dropped by federal prosecutors.

Menendez concluded, writing: “So when Democrats talk about weaponizing the Justice Dept, they should look into their own past actions. Obama was willing to use the Justice Department to pursue and preserve the legacy issue he felt would earn him the Nobel Prize he had received.”

The National Pulse reported in September 2023 that Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges stemming from their efforts to assist a donor facing legal proceedings and the political interests of the Egyptian government. After a lengthy investigation, Menendez was convicted on 16 counts of public corruption in July 2024.

Image by Christopher Dilts for Organizing for America.

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Trump Tariff Triumph as Trade Deficit HALVED in One Month.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Key economic indicators reveal inflation is decreasing, personal incomes are rising, and the trade deficit has seen a record reduction.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, the Federal Reserve, and the Commerce Department.

📍 Where & When: United States, April 2025, with the data released by the Commerce Department on May 30, 2025.

⚠️ Impact: The figures surpass economists’ expectations and suggest significant economic shifts, including positive tariff-related impacts on trade.

IN FULL:

The United States’ trade deficit was cut by nearly half in April, falling from $162.3 billion in March to just $87.6 billion. According to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday, the goods trade gap contracted by 46 percent last month.

Notably, goods imports decreased by $68.4 billion to $276.1 billion, the single largest drop in goods imports on record. Meanwhile, exports jumped by $6.3 billion to a total of $188.5 billion.

The data comes on the heels of government inflation numbers showing prices are holding stable despite predictions from the Federal Reserve and tariff opponents who have argued that President Donald J. Trump’s imposition of aggressive trade duties on imports would cause inflation to accelerate. Instead, consumer data shows inflation continuing to cool, though signals of potential deflationary pressures are raising some alarms.

President Trump has repeatedly emphasized that he intends to use an array of tariff measures to encourage the reshoring of American manufacturing jobs as leverage to negotiate new bilateral trade deals with key economic partner nations, and to boost federal revenues in place of income taxes. The Commerce Department data suggests the trade and economic policy transition is working with minimal disruption thus far.

The National Pulse reported earlier this week that tariff revenues in May have already exceeded $22.3 billion. In April, the federal government collected $17.4 billion in trade duties.

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Trump Blames Federalist Society ‘Sleazebag’ for Recommending Bad Judges.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump blamed Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society for recommending bad judges early in his first term, linking their influence to a U.S. Court of International Trade ruling that attempted to overturn his tariff policy.

👤Who’s Involved: President Trump, the Federalist Society, Leonard Leo, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the New Civil Liberties Alliance.

📍 Where & When: Truth Social platform, with Trump’s post on May 30, 2025, following the trade court’s now-stayed ruling.

🧾Key Quote: “I was new to Washington, and it was suggested that I use The Federalist Society… but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real ‘sleazebag’ named Leonard Leo,” Trump wrote.

⚠️ Impact: Trump warns that the tariff ruling threatens presidential power and America’s economic defense against adversaries like Communist China.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump has blamed the Federalist Society for recommending bad judges to him near the beginning of his first term, when he had few contacts in Washington, D.C. The America First leader explained the situation on his Truth Social platform after the obscure U.S. Court of International Trade attempted to overturn his tariff policy in its entirety in a now-stayed ruling.

“Where do these… Judges come from? How is it possible for them to have potentially done such damage to the United States of America? Is it purely a hatred of ‘TRUMP?’ What other reason could it be?” Trump wrote.

He continued: “I was new to Washington, and it was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges. I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real ‘sleazebag’ named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions.”

Trump said that Leo, who is still co-chairman of the Federalist Society, “openly brags how he controls Judges, and even Justices of the United States Supreme Court—I hope that is not so, and don’t believe it is!”

The President said he was “so disappointed in The Federalist Society” for its “bad advice… on numerous Judicial Nominations,” warning that if the U.S. Court of International Trade’s tariff ruling is ultimately upheld, it will “destroy our Nation!”

On the prospect of Congress having to approve every tariff, he described a process in which “hundreds of politicians would sit around D.C. for weeks, and even months, trying to come to a conclusion,” hamstringing his ability to act in the American interest against foreign governments.

“If allowed to stand, this would completely destroy Presidential Power—The Presidency would never be the same!” Trump argued, insisting, “The President of the United States must be allowed to protect America against those that are doing it Economic and Financial harm.”

“Hopefully, the Supreme Court will reverse this horrible, Country threatening decision, QUICKLY and DECISIVELY,” he said.

The New Civil Liberties Alliance, which is affiliated with Leo, is among the organizations mounting a lawfare campaign against Trump’s tariff polices, attempting to overturn levies imposed on imports from Communist China.

In 202s, Leo’s Marble Freedom Trust—a 501(c)4 nonprofit that operates as a funding organ for a network of conservative legal and policy groups—effectively received a $1.65 billion contribution through a financial deal executed by Chicago businessman Barre Seid.

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DATA: Key Pro-Trump Demo Is NOT Motivated to Turn Out for GOP in 2026.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Polling reveals ‘mid-propensity voters’ (MPVs) who supported Trump in 2024 may not turn out for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

👥 Who’s Involved: J.L. Partners conducted the polling; President Donald Trump; mid-propensity voters; Republican strategists.

📍 Where & When: United States, polling conducted in April and May 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “If you are a Republican operative, the best way to get the message across is to make these elections about putting the GOP in the best position to carry the agenda that Trump has championed forward into years to come,” said James Johnson, Co-Founder of J.L. Partners.

⚠️ Impact: Republicans face a challenge in motivating a key voter bloc that is vital for maintaining congressional majorities and advancing the MAGA agenda.

IN FULL:

A newly released analysis from J.L. Partners highlights concerns for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections, as a critical group of ‘mid-propensity voters’ (MPVs) who supported President Donald J. Trump in 2024 appear less motivated to vote in 2026.

The analysis defines MPVs as voters who supported Trump but rank their likelihood of voting in midterm elections between four and seven out of 10. These voters, who comprise 20 percent of the electorate, are predominantly younger (aged 18-29) and disproportionately black. Despite their support for Trump in 2024, many are politically unaligned, with 42 percent identifying as Independent or unaffiliated.

In the 2024 election, 36 percent of MPVs backed Trump, compared to 32 percent for former Vice President Kamala Harris, while 29 percent did not vote at all. According to J.L. Partners, the most compelling argument for these voters to participate in the midterms is ensuring Republican congressional majorities to advance the Trump platform and position the party for the 2028 presidential race.

James Johnson, Co-Founder of J.L. Partners, explained, “It might seem odd, but it is intuitive when you think about it… they are thinking through a presidential election prism.” Johnson emphasized the importance of framing the midterms as a continuation of the Trump agenda, stating, “If you are a Republican operative, the best way to get the message across is to make these elections about putting the GOP in the best position to carry the agenda that Trump has championed forward into years to come.”

Republicans face historical challenges in maintaining voter enthusiasm during midterms, when opposition parties typically gain momentum. Trump’s team is reportedly preparing for potential Democratic efforts to impeach him if they regain the House majority.

John McLaughlin, Trump’s longtime pollster, stressed the urgency of delivering on campaign promises, including tax cuts, to maintain voter support. “We need to pass the tax cuts and avoid a recession,” McLaughlin said. “That’s the high stakes here. We cannot lose the midterms.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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As China Stands Against Bitcoin, Vance Vows Trump Admin Will ‘Champion’ It.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Vice President J.D. Vance highlighted China’s opposition to Bitcoin as a reason for the U.S. to embrace cryptocurrency, emphasizing its strategic importance.

👥 Who’s Involved: Vice President J.D. Vance, President Donald J. Trump, the Department of Labor, the U.S. Senate, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

📍 Where & When: Bitcoin 2025 Conference, Las Vegas, May 28.

💬 Key Quote: “The People’s Republic of China doesn’t like Bitcoin. Well, we should be asking ourselves, why is that? Why is our biggest adversary such an opponent of Bitcoin, and if the Communist Republic of China is leaning away from Bitcoin, then maybe the United States ought to be leaning into Bitcoin.” – J.D. Vance.

⚠️ Impact: U.S. policy shifts toward cryptocurrency include rescinding restrictions, promoting digital assets, and establishing a Bitcoin national strategic reserve.

IN FULL:

Vice President J.D. Vance has called for the United States to embrace Bitcoin, citing China’s opposition to the decentralized cryptocurrency as a strategic opportunity. Speaking at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on May 28, Vance emphasized the importance of leveraging America’s advantage in digital assets.

“The People’s Republic of China doesn’t like Bitcoin. Well, we should be asking ourselves, why is that? Why is our biggest adversary such an opponent of Bitcoin, and if the communist Republic of China is leaning away from Bitcoin, then maybe the United States ought to be leaning into Bitcoin,” Vance stated.

The event coincided with the Department of Labor’s withdrawal of guidelines discouraging fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans. Vance argued that Bitcoin serves as a hedge against inflation and political persecution, referencing cases where individuals were denied financial services due to their political beliefs.

“With President [Donald] Trump, crypto finally has a champion and an ally in the White House,” Vance noted, adding that the administration views digital assets not just as an investment but as a driver of personal liberty.

China banned cryptocurrency trading in 2019 and intensified its crackdown in 2021, positioning itself against the technology. Meanwhile, President Trump recently signed an executive order to establish the U.S. as a leader in digital assets and financial technology, creating a working group chaired by David Sacks to oversee progress.

The administration has also rolled back prior restrictions, including overturning reporting requirements for digital asset transactions and rescinding policies that limited banks’ cryptocurrency-related activities. In March, Trump hosted a White House summit to engage industry leaders on crypto policy.

WATCH:

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By Popular Demand.
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