Thursday, July 31, 2025

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Trump Trial Day 17: Closing Arguments & Phantom Crimes.

Former President Donald J. Trump’s lead counsel, Todd Blanche, handled the defense team’s closing arguments on Tuesday. For over two weeks, a Manhattan jury has heard evidence from prosecutors and the defense alike regarding allegations that former President Trump allegedly made hush money payments to Stormy Daniels as part of an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.

After long days of testimony and some fairly explosive moments in the courtroom, Blanche’s summation began much like his opening argument a little over two weeks ago, stressing that the prosecution cannot meet the burden of proof. 

‘THE BURDEN OF PROOF.’

“I started out by saying something that I’m going to repeat to you right now. It’s as true right now as it was on April 22. And that is President Trump is innocent,” Blanche told jurors. He added: “He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof — period. The evidence is all in.”

The Trump defense attorney stressed the weakness of District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s case. Blanche told the jury, “The evidence should leave you wanting more. You should want and expect more than the testimony of Michael Cohen.”

“You should demand more than the testimony of Keith Davidson, an attorney who really was just trying to extort money from President Trump in the lead-up to the 2016 election,” the defense attorney added.

ALL ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS.

As he continued his closing argument, Blanche reiterated that at its core, District Attorney Bragg‘s case is one about documents and nothing else. He stressed that the testimony of Stormy Daniels has no bearing on the case or charges. “This case is about documents. It’s a paper case. This case is not about an encounter with Stormy Daniels 18 years ago,” he told the jury.

Blanche also stressed that the alleged encounter, according to former President Trump, never even occurred in the manner that Daniels claims.

Shifting back to Cohen, Blanche told the jury they must determine if the former President “had anything to do with how payments to Michael Cohen” were recorded or “booked on his personal ledger for his personal account at Trump Tower.” He reiterated to the jury that at the time, Trump wasn’t even living at Trump Tower but was instead serving as President of the United States and living in the White House in Washington, D.C.

“The invoices were all submitted by Michael Cohen,” Blanche argued. He continued: “You’re going to hear me talk a lot about Michael Cohen today, and that should not surprise you. You cannot convict President Trump of any crime beyond a reasonable doubt on the words of Michael Cohen.”

‘COHEN LIED TO YOU.’

While the defense’s closing began with a plodding start, Blanche finally delivered blows to Michael Cohen as the prosecution‘s star witness. “They were lies. Pure and simple,” he said of Cohen’s testimony. Blanche stressed that no evidence was presented that backed up Cohen’s assertions, and even more damning, there were no credible witnesses presented who could corroborate what Cohen claimed.

“There were key conversations, key interactions that he claimed he had with Dylan Howard, with Keith Schiller, Allen Weisselberg. Those are important,” Blanche told the jury before hamming home: “Keith Schiller, Dylan Howard, Allen Weisselberg were not witnesses in this trial.”

The defense attorney continued, explaining to jurors that to convict, the prosecution would have needed to demonstrate that there were false entries on the payment paperwork and that Trump had intended to defraud. “The records were not false, and there was no intent to defraud,” Blanche stressed.

“Cohen typically wrote ‘for services rendered.’ But here’s the thing, and I don’t even think there’s a dispute about this, Cohen was rendering services to Trump as his personal attorney,” Blanche contended. While acknowledging that invoices were at times stapled to checks presented to Trump to sign, the lead defense counsel added: “General practice is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“Cohen lied to you,” Blanche emphasized to the jury, pausing on each word before repeating: “Cohen lied to you.”

CATCH, KILL, & ELECTION INFLUENCE.

Blanche stressed that the alleged “catch and kill” plot with David Pecker and American Media, Inc. (AMI) was anything but. “This is the same thing AMI has been doing for decades. They had been doing it for President Trump since the 90s,” Blanche argued. He added: “This was good business for them — a mutually beneficial relationship with celebrities.”

Noting that AMI’s flagship publication is little more than a supermarket tabloid, Blanche said: “The idea, even if there was something wrong with it, the idea that sophisticated people like President Trump and David Pecker believed that positive stories in the National Enquirer could influence the 2016 election is preposterous.” He emphasized that the total circulation of the National Enquirer in 2016 was just 350,000.

“Millions and millions of people voted in the 2016 election, so the idea that they really thought that this meeting in 2015 at Trump Tower would ultimately influence the election makes no sense,” Trump’s lead counsel contented before continuing: “The idea that the National Enquirer could criminally influence the election by republishing stories that had already been out there in other forms should make you shake your head. It makes no sense.”

Blanche, now showing the jury a PowerPoint presentation, outlined how the alleged “catch and kill” scheme was never discussed during the August 2015 meeting with David Pecker. “It wasn’t even discussed at the time the conspiracy was formed. No financial discussion. No discussion about catch and kill. Think about that,” he said.

‘AN AXE TO GRIND.’

Closing out his summation, Blanche took full aim at Michael Cohen‘s credibility. The defense attorney argued that Cohen had made the payments to Stormy Daniels of his own accord in a scheme to ingratiate himself with Trump in the hopes he’d receive a high-ranking position in the White House. Hitting on Cohen’s motivation to lie to a court again, Blanche argued: “He told you he didn’t want a job in the administration. But that was a lie, another lie.”

“Mr. Cohen had an axe to grind because he didn’t appreciate what President Trump did and did not do for him,” he added. After reviewing the testimony of Cohen’s former legal adviser, Robert Costello, Blanche told the jury: “I don’t know how many lies is enough lies to reject Mr. Cohen’s testimony.”

Next, Blanche reminded the jury of the pivotal moment where he exposed Cohen for having lied regarding his alleged phone call with Trump regarding the Daniels payment. “That was his sworn testimony. It was a lie… This isn’t a little lie. This was a lie about the charged conduct involving Ms. Daniels,” Blanche said, adding: “He told you he talked to President Trump on October 24 at 8:02 PM, updating him about the Daniels situation. That was a lie, and he got caught red-handed.”

“He’s repeatedly lied under oath. He’s lied to his family. He lied to his wife about the home equity line of credit … he lied to his banker,” Blanche said of Cohen, concluding: “He’s literally like an MVP of liars.”

TEN REASONS FOR REASONABLE DOUBT. 

In the conclusion of his summation, Blanche laid out ten reasons for reasonable doubt to the jury that he had covered throughout his closing arguments. The list included:

  • Cohen created the allegedly fraudulent invoices, not Trump;
  • There’s no evidence Trump knew the invoices were sent;
  • There is “absolutely” no evidence that Trump had any intent to defraud;
  • The prosecution has not shown an attempt to commit or conceal another crime;
  • There is “absolutely” evidence of an agreement to influence the 2016 election;
  • AMI would have run the doorman’s story no matter what if it was true;
  • Karen McDougal did not want her story published. Thus, it was not a “catch and kill” plot;
  • Stormy Daniels‘s allegations were already public well before the 2016 election;
  • Prosecutors never present anything showing manipulation of evidence;
  • Cohen cannot be trusted: “He’s the human embodiment of reasonable doubt.”

MERCHAN INTEVENES. 

Democrat-aligned Judge Juan Merchan, for the most part, gave the defense enough room to make its case in its closing arguments. However, when Blanche, at the end of his summation, told the jury, “You cannot send someone to prison, you cannot convict somebody, based upon the words of Michael Cohen,” the prosecution was quick to object with an irate Merchan sustaining the objection.

“You know that making a comment like that is highly inappropriate. It is simply not allowed. Period. It’s hard for me to imagine that was accidental in any way,” Merchan said, scolding Blanche for making the “outrageous” comment at the end of his summation.

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the judge he believed Blanche’s comments were “a blatant and wholly inappropriate” effort to influence the jury and gain sympathy for former President Trump. Judge Merchan told the court that he’d give a curative instruction to the jury regarding Blanche’s prison comments.

After lunch, Judge Merchan released the instruction: “In the defense summation, Mr. (Todd) Blanche asked in substance that you not send the defendant to prison. That comment was improper, and you must disregard it. In your deliberations, you may not discuss, consider, or even speculate as to matters related to sentence or punishment.”

THE PROSECUTION AT BAT. 

Following Blanche’s summation, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass made his closing arguments before the jury. Unlike the defense’s closing, which lasted around two and a half hours, the prosecution announced that its summation would take four to four and a half hours. In reality, it went on for six, with much exasperation felt across the entire court, from jury to journalists, judge to stenographer.

“In his opening, Mr. Colangelo told you that this case, at its core, is about a conspiracy and a cover-up,” Steinglass told the jurors, adding: “We asked you to remember to tune out the noise and to ignore the sideshows. And if you’ve done that, you will see the people have presented powerful evidence of the defendant’s guilt.”

Steinglass’s opening was even slower and plodding than Blanche’s. His summation began with an extensive review of phone records and recall of alleged conversations that Michael Cohen had testified to. “Some of the conversations in this case took place in person, so there wouldn’t be a phone call or recording. The fact that there isn’t a record of a particular phone call does not mean a particular conversation did not take place,” the lead prosecutor told the jury.

THE COHEN PROBLEM.

Steinglass tried to patch some of the holes in the prosecution‘s case that had been exposed in Blanche’s closing. He told the jury that the District Attorney’s case wasn’t reliant on the testimony of disgraced attorney Michael Cohen. “The conspiracy to unlawfully influence the 2016 election — you don’t need Michael Cohen to prove that one bit,” Steinglass insisted.

Instead, the prosecutor told jurors that David Pecker‘s testimony — which was by no stretch a slam dunk for Bragg‘s team — was the truly “utterly damning” evidence. “Mr. Pecker has absolutely no reason to lie here; he still considers Mr. Trump a friend and mentor, and yet his testimony was utterly devastating,” Steinglass continued, claiming that Pecker’s words “eliminates the whole notion that this was politics as usual.”

STORMY DAMAGE CONTROL. 

Shoring up another weakness in the prosecution’s case, Steinglass next addressed the testimony of Stormy Daniels. “To be sure, some witnesses want to see Donald Trump convicted,” he told jurors before excusing their motivation, stating: “They’ve been attacked by the defendant on social media.”

Continuing, Steinglass defended Daniels‘s credibility, telling the court: “They’ve shamed her. They’ve tried to suggest her story has changed over the years. It has not, at least not in any way that’s significant.” However, Steinglass conceded: “To be sure, there were parts of her testimony that were cringeworthy.”

Steinglass told jurors that some aspects of Daniels‘s story ring too true to have been fabricated. He pointed to the layout of the hotel room and alleged contents of former President Trump‘s toiletry bag.

THE UNDERLYING CRIME?

Once Steinglass believed he had done enough to put out the fires in the prosecution‘s case set by defense attorney Todd Blanche’s closing, he pressed into the core of Bragg‘s case against Trump.

For over two weeks, the prosecution has avoided describing the underlying crime allegedly committed by former President Trump. Steinglass finally broached the subject in his closing, though he still never exactly stated what federal infraction was committed.

Michael Cohen is understandably angry. That to date, he’s the one who’s paid the price for his role in this conspiracy,” the prosecutor said. In this simple statement, Steinglass insinuated to the jury that former President Trump is guilty of the same crimes as Michael Cohen. However, while Cohen did plead guilty to a campaign finance infraction, his federal prison stint was due to tax fraud crimes he had committed in an unrelated case.

In essence, Steinglasss hoped to confuse the jury into believing the federal tax charges against Cohen were actually regarding the hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. “Anyone in Cohen’s shoes would want the defendant to be held accountable,” he told the jury, adding: “and when it went bad, the defendant cut him loose, dropped him like a hot potato and tweeted out to the world that Mr. Cohen was a scumbag.”

THE THIEF.

Shifting back to damage control, Steinglass addressed the shocking revelations that Michael Cohen had stolen upwards of $60,000 from the Trump Organization. “It’s true he was never charged with that. He’s also the one who brought it to everyone’s attention,” the prosecutor told jurors.

“Blanche said Cohen stole $60,000 because it was grossed up. So that means the defendant is trying to have it both ways, right? They’re denying the $420,000 was a reimbursement at all,” Steinglass argued. He continued: “Claiming payment for legal services rendered in 2016. But if that’s true, then there was no theft. He’s getting paid for legal services in 2017. They can call him a thief and claim this wasn’t really reimbursement, but not both.”

MAKING UP A CRIME.

Referring to the August 15 Trump Tower meeting, Steinglass said before the court: “The real game changer of this meeting was the catch-and-kill component. And that’s the illegal part. Because once money starts changing hands on behalf of a campaign, that’s federal election campaign finance violations.”

“Blanche said there is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy,” Steinglass said before contending: “In reality, this agreement at Trump Tower was the exact opposite. It was the subversion of democracy.”

“Once AMI purchased stories on the candidate’s behalf, those purchases became unlawful campaign contributions,” Bragg’s lead prosecutor said. In an incredibly bizarre moment, Steinglass insisted that the payment made by AMI for the Trump doorman’s false story “was overt election fraud.”

The prosecutor’s assertion mimics that which the American people have already seen with the Congressional Democrats‘ witch hunt against former President Trump over the Russia collusion hoax. They insinuate a crime where there is none and call it election interference. When in reality, the actual election interference is their frivolous prosecution of the former President.

COHEN’S CRIMES OR TRUMP’S? 

The next phase of Steinglass’s closing returned to Cohen. Again, the prosecution deployed the strategy of arguing Cohen’s crimes were former President Trump‘s crimes despite never offering convincing evidence that the former President knew of Cohen’s activities.

Steinglass presented the jury with the false paperwork that Cohen had submitted to his bank in creating Resolution Consultants, LLC. The prosecutor told the jury that Cohen had used false business records to open the account. It is important to note that Blanche, in his closing, emphasized that the jury only had Cohen’s word, a serial perjurer, that former President Trump knew of Cohen’s actions.

Pressing further, Steinglass moved through a list of phone calls between Cohen and former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg. The prosecutor claimed before the court that these calls were evidence enough of the scheme unfolding — though again, Steinglass did not provide evidence connecting Trump to the calls.

Pointing to a single call between Trump and Cohen that occurred before Cohen opened the business account, Steinglass told jurors, “This is damning right here.”

‘BORING!’

When the court took a short break at 5:00PM, former President Trump took to Truth Social to give his review of the prosecution’s closing argument against him. “BORING!” he posted.

NO CRIME? NO PROBLEM!

Following the brief evening break, Steinglass returned to his closing arguments. He asserted the prosecution did not have to prove former President Trump himself knowingly created false business record entries.

“We don’t have to prove that the defendant made and created the false entries himself,” the prosecutor contended before adding that Trump is guilty of creating false business records by virtue of being a part of the “reimbursement scheme. That is causing false entries.”

He next moved to the defense’s claim that the handwritten notes between Weisselberg and Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney did not simply address legal services rendered by Cohen. Instead, Steinglass contended: “They are the smoking guns. They completely blow out of the water the defense claim that the payments [are for] legal services rendered. I’m almost speechless that they’re trying to make this argument.”

Again, the prosecution tried to flip the U.S. legal system on its head. Steinglass told jurors it was the defense who had to prove the notes weren’t regarding reimbursement for Cohen‘s hush money payments to Daniels. It is important to note that in U.S. courts, the burden of proof is on the prosecution, not the defense.

PROSECUTION LOSES THE PLOT.

Pushing past 6PM, Steinglass’s summation continued to meander, almost taking the form of a filibuster. He read extensively from books published by Donald Trump, citing quotes about loyalty. From there, the prosecutor then began reading Trump’s social media posts in an effort to highlight how the former President treats those he views as disloyal.

The prosecution has used the loyalty argument on several occasions to insinuate that Trump didn’t need to direct his employees to commit crimes but rather that he created an environment where they understood they needed to, at times, act illegally on his behalf without his direct guidance. Again, this line of argument does not meet the burden of proof required for a conviction in a conventional criminal trial.

Hitting the final stretch, Steinglass, for the third time in his summation, walked the jury through a timeline of events — perhaps this final time not simply to reiterate his point but to remind them of key points of the prosecution’s case in the event they forgot after nearly five hours of testimony. It is honestly impressive the jury was even awake at this point.

After a series of unwelcome jokes about the length of his closing arguments and almost another hour rehashing the prosecution’s case, Steinglass’s summation ended.

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

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Another Ivy League School Bends the Knee to Trump.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump secured a historic settlement with Brown University to restore fairness, merit, and safety in higher education.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Brown University, and state workforce development organizations.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The agreement was announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Congratulations to Brown University on the settlement made with the United States Government. There will be no more Anti-Semitism, or Anti-Christian, or Anti-Anything Else! Woke is officially DEAD at Brown.” — President Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The agreement ensures compliance with anti-discrimination laws and restores federal grants to Brown University.

IN FULL

Another major Ivy League university has entered into a settlement agreement with the Trump White House to end unlawful racial discrimination in admissions and university programming. The settlement with Brown University will see the Ivy League institution provide the federal government with extensive data on admissions and hiring practices to ensure compliance with the Trump administration’s merit-based academic policies.

“Congratulations to Brown University on the settlement made with the United States Government. There will be no more Anti-Semitism, or Anti-Christian, or Anti-Anything Else!” President Donald J. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Thursday morning. He added, “Woke is officially DEAD at Brown. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

In another major policy coup for President Trump, Brown says it will adopt the definitions of “male” and “female,” laid out in Executive Order 14168. This will, in effect, bar biological males at Brown from competing in women’s athletics, using women’s facilities and housing, or participating in female-specific programming. Importantly, the Ivy League school also says its medical institutions will no longer perform gender reassignment surgeries on minors or prescribe puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

Additionally, the university has agreed to pay $50 million over ten years to help fund state workforce development organizations. These groups must comply with anti-discrimination laws and support regional economic growth and career opportunities.

Brown has also pledged to “improve the campus climate for Jewish students and combat anti-Semitism.” Consequently, the Trump White House will restore the university’s federal grants and reinstate its eligibility for future government funding. The settlement agreement also establishes a three-year monitoring period, ensuring Brown’s compliance.

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NEW IMAGES: What Trump’s New White House Ballroom Will Look Like.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced plans for a new White House State Ballroom to address the need for a larger event space on the White House complex.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, McCrery Architects, Clark Construction, AECOM, White House Staff, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Secret Service.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Construction is set to begin in September 2025 on the site of the East Wing of the White House.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House.” – Jim McCrery, CEO of McCrery Architects.

🎯IMPACT: The new ballroom will provide a 650-person seating capacity, significantly improving the White House’s ability to host major events while preserving its historic and architectural integrity.

IN FULL

President Trump’s White House has announced a solution to what it calls a 150-year-old problem: the Commander-in-Chief’s inability to host large-scale events on the White House complex. President Donald J. Trump and his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced today the construction of a new state ballroom.

The proposed White House State Ballroom will be approximately 90,000 square feet and accommodate 650 seated guests—a significant increase from the East Room’s 200-person capacity. President Trump has met with White House staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the U.S. Secret Service to finalize design and planning details.

“The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical. The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942,” reads a White House statement.

McCrery Architects, known for their classical designs, will lead the architectural efforts. CEO Jim McCrery expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House.” Clark Construction and AECOM will head construction and engineering, respectively.

The project is expected to begin in September 2025 and will be completed well before President Trump’s term ends. The ballroom will be funded through donations from President Trump and other patriotic donors, with the U.S. Secret Service overseeing necessary security enhancements. The structure will replace the East Wing, maintaining architectural harmony with the White House while addressing the needs of future administrations.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles remarked, “President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail. The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.”

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4.4-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes California.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck Southern California on Thursday morning, shaking the Los Angeles region.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), residents of Southern California

📍WHEN & WHERE: California, July 31, 2025

🎯IMPACT: While felt widely, the quake caused no reported injuries or structural damage.

IN FULL

Southern California experienced a magnitude 4.4 earthquake Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The seismic event was recorded roughly four miles west of Muscoy, California, about 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It occurred at 9:32 AM. Pacific Time and had a depth of just over three miles.

Although the quake was relatively moderate in magnitude, it was widely felt throughout the Los Angeles metro area. Residents from several communities reported mild to moderate shaking.

No injuries or property damage were immediately reported following the earthquake. Emergency response officials confirmed no significant transportation or infrastructure disruptions across the affected zones.

Southern California sits along several active fault lines and experiences frequent seismic activity, making preparedness a constant concern.

Image by ray_explores.

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Two Fed Governors Break Ranks on Interest Rate Decision in Historic Dissent.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Two Federal Reserve governors dissented on holding interest rates, marking a break from an over 30-year-old norm.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal Reserve Vice Chairman of Supervision Michelle Bowman, Fed Gov. Christopher Waller, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was made during a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “But we had two dissenters…. you want that clear thinking—expression of your thinking, and we certainly had that today,” said Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

🎯IMPACT: The dissent highlights internal disagreements on monetary policy amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

IN FULL

Two members of the Federal Reserve‘s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), in a historically rare event, broke with the central bank panel’s decision to keep its benchmark lending rate at a range of 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent on Wednesday. FOMC members Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller both voted to reduce rates by 25 basis points, setting expectations on Wall Street that the cost of borrowing will finally begin to fall after the committee’s next meeting in September.

A total of nine FOMC members voted to maintain interest rates at their current levels. However, the dissent by Bowman and Waller is significant, as the committee rarely sees disagreement among its members—having not occurred in at least three decades. Even more notable is that Waller and Bowman have both been publicly critical of the Federal Reserve and its chairman, Jerome Powell, for their reluctance to begin another rate-cutting cycle.

“We should not wait until the labor market deteriorates before we cut the policy rate,” Waller, a member of the central bank’s board of governors, said in a speech earlier in July.

However, some Fed observers are dismissing the significance of the Waller and Bowman dissent against Wednesday’s FOMC rate decision. They contend that both committee members are merely engaging in public politicking to garner favor with President Donald J. Trump in the hope of being tapped to replace Powell as chairman when his term expires next year—or if he is potentially removed earlier.

Last week, President Trump made a rare visit to the Federal Reserve’s headquarters, where he met with Powell and toured renovations being made to the central bank’s offices. Despite the strained relationship between Trump and Powell, the America First leader has recently indicated that he is content to allow the Fed chief to serve out his term.

“This was quite a good meeting all around the table. People thought carefully about this and put their positions out there,” Powell said on Wednesday following the conclusion of July’s FOMC meeting. He continued: “The majority of the committee was of the view that inflation is a bit above target. Maximum employment is at target. That calls for modestly restrictive [interest rates] in my way of thinking.”

The Federal Reserve chairman added: “But we had two dissenters …. you want that clear thinking—expression of your thinking, and we certainly had that today.”

Responding, President Trump said, “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell has done it again!!! He is TOO LATE, and actually, TOO ANGRY, TOO STUPID, & TOO POLITICAL, to have the job of Fed Chair,” indicating he may be considering removing him once again.

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This Country Is Mass Deporting Millions of Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly one million Afghan migrants without proper documentation in Iran have been deported back to Afghanistan in recent weeks, with another million deportations targeted.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afghan illegal immigrants, Iranian authorities, and the Taliban.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Iran, ongoing since 2023, with significant escalations in recent weeks.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve always striven to be good hosts, but national security is a priority.” – Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani

🎯IMPACT: The deportations show that mass deportations are perfectly possible over a short timeframe, in countries with far fewer resources than in the West.

IN FULL

Iran has initiated a sweeping deportation campaign targeting Afghan migrants without legal documentation, resulting in the removal of nearly one million illegal immigrants over the past month alone. According to Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, this figure represents approximately half of the estimated two million Afghans currently residing in the country.

The sudden surge in deportations comes in the wake of recent national security incidents linked to Iran’s conflict with Israel. Iranian authorities claim that some Afghan refugees were involved in serious security breaches, including piloting drones, collecting classified intelligence, and executing acts of sabotage. In one report aired on June 26, state-run television broadcast a confession from an Afghan national allegedly involved in a plot to bomb a power station located in southeast Tehran.

“We’ve always striven to be good hosts, but national security is a priority,” stated Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. However, some critics argue the crackdown is being used to shift blame for intelligence failures onto the Afghan refugee population.

The Taliban has publicly urged its western neighbor to reconsider the pace of these expulsions, proposing a slower, more structured process. Afghans have already been returned to their homeland en masse from Pakistan, to its east.

The speed and scale of the removals appear to prove that mass deportations are not a logistical impossibility, as anti-deportation activists in the U.S. and other Western countries often contend. Notably, Afghans appear to be a disproportionate threat to public safety wherever they go, with British crime statistics indicating that they are over 22 times more likely to be convicted of sex crimes than locals, for instance.

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Trump Tariffs on the Line as Court Decision Looms.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court is reviewing President Donald J. Trump’s global reciprocal tariffs, just before another round of duties is set to take effect.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, five small businesses, and 12 Democrat-controlled states.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If our Country was not able to protect itself by using TARIFFS AGAINST TARIFFS, WE WOULD BE ‘DEAD,’ WITH NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL OR SUCCESS.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The decision could set a significant precedent for presidential authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump’s global reciprocal tariffs are under review by the full 11-judge bench of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. The hearing comes just hours before a new wave of trade duties is set to take effect.

The court will determine whether Trump exceeded his authority by imposing reciprocal tariffs on various U.S. trading partners. The appeal follows a May ruling by a three-judge panel of the Court of International Trade, which blocked the tariffs, stating that Trump’s use of emergency powers under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was unjustified. That decision has been stayed pending the outcome of this new hearing.

On Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social, calling this case “America’s big case” and defending his use of tariffs, stating, “To all of my great lawyers who have fought so hard to save our Country, good luck in America’s big case today. If our Country was not able to protect itself by using TARIFFS AGAINST TARIFFS, WE WOULD BE ‘DEAD,’ WITH NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL OR SUCCESS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The challenge to Trump’s use of emergency powers has been brought by five small businesses and 12 Democrat-controlled states. They argue that the IEEPA is meant to address “unusual and extraordinary” threats in national emergencies, which they claim the tariffs fail to meet.

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Trump Warns Canada That Recognizing a Palestinian State Could Derail Trade Deal.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump warned of potential trade consequences for Canada after its decision to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the governments of France and the United Kingdom.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Truth Social late Wednesday night, amid ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh’ Canada!!!” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: The Trump administration has taken a more assertive stance against Western allies supporting Palestinian statehood, complicating ongoing U.S.-Canada trade negotiations.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump issued a sharp warning to Canada late on July 30, suggesting that the country’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state could jeopardize ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh’ Canada!!!”

The comment comes in response to Canada’s recent declaration that it plans to support the recognition of “Palestine” during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session scheduled for September. Canada’s move places it alongside France and the United Kingdom, both of which have already signaled their intent to recognize Palestinian statehood.

This stance has sparked backlash, given Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. The jihadist group is still holding around 50 Israeli hostages.

Notably, there is currently no explicit agreement on the future borders of a Palestinian state. Critics argue that such recognition at this moment could be seen as legitimizing terrorism following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. President Trump, for instance, has dismissed efforts to recognize “Palestine” outright, labeling it a “reward for Hamas.”

Up until now, Trump had refrained from publicly targeting allied nations for their positions on Palestinian statehood. However, his statement Wednesday night marks a notable shift, indicating a more confrontational posture—despite his own disagreements with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and some discontent with the Israeli government among his MAGA base.

The dispute arises during a sensitive period in Canada–U.S. relations. The two countries are in the midst of what Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has described as “intense” trade negotiations. A tariff deadline looms on August 1, and tensions are already high. Carney’s decision to proceed with recognizing Palestine could further strain the talks.

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Trump Labels India and Russia ‘Dead Economies’ Amid Trade Dispute.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced new tariffs on India, set to take effect tomorrow, while criticizing India’s economic ties with Russia and high Indian tariffs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Indian government officials, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and the BRICS bloc.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tariffs take effect Friday; statements made on Truth Social and in Indian government responses over the past two days.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Analysts estimate a $10 billion impact on Indian exporters.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump took aim at two key members of the BRICS economic bloc early Thursday morning, slamming Russia and India, the latter specifically for having not reached a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. A number of nations, including Japan and South Korea, along with the European Union (EU), have scrambled to reach deals ahead of Trump’s tariff deadline on August 1 after trade duties were initially announced at the America First leader’s “Liberation Day” event in April.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He continued, with special ire for Russia’s former president and the current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev: “Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

Medvedev has written in a July 28 social media post, “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia… Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran,” adding: “Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe [Biden] road!”

Trump announced that India would face a 25 percent tariff plus penalties for trading with Russia starting Friday. The Indian government has since responded, emphasizing that any deal must be “mutually beneficial” and protect its farmers and small businesses. Analysts at Mumbai-based Axis Bank estimate the tariffs could have a $10 billion impact on Indian exporters.

This dispute comes months after Vice President J.D. Vance visited India in April, calling the U.S.-India relationship a “win-win partnership” and advocating for stronger ties in energy and defense trade. However, Vance—and much of the America First movement—has also been critical of India’s abuse of the United States’s H1-B visa system, which Indians have used to flood the U.S. with cheap foreign labor.

While BRICS sees itself as being capable of launching an alternative competitor to the U.S. dollar, the bloc’s member states—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—all lack stable or internationally attractive currencies. Additionally, most BRICS member economies either heavily rely on exports to the United States, are entirely leveraged on resource extraction, or, in the case of Iran, barely function.

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Report: Trump Warns Donor ‘My People Are Starting to Hate Israel.’

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump reportedly warned a Jewish campaign donor about a shift in sentiment towards Israel among his MAGA base.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, an unnamed Jewish donor, and the Israeli government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Reported by the Financial Times, July 31, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “My people are starting to hate Israel.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The comments highlight the Israeli government’s growing public relations issues in America, on the political right as well as the left.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump recently expressed concerns to a Jewish campaign donor regarding a shift in sentiment towards Israel among his MAGA base, according to reports. Sources say Trump warned the donor, described as “prominent,” that “My people are starting to hate Israel.”

These remarks come amidst growing criticism of Israel, including from Trump and other Republicans, following images depicting hunger in Gaza. Some in the GOP, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), have gone so far as to label the situation a “genocide,” echoing commentary that until now has been more prominent on the political left.

On social media, Greene stated, “It’s the most truthful and easiest thing to say that October 7 in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza.”

President Trump has himself become more critical of Israel in recent weeks, disagreeing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there is no starvation in Gaza, demanding an explanation after Israeli forces bombed the only Catholic church in Gaza, and chastising the Israeli government for attempting to ramp up hostilities with Iran again shortly after a ceasefire deal had been brokered.

However, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has dismissed claims of a rift between Trump and Netanyahu, saying, “The disconnect is with the media [that] wants there to be an anti-Israel message that they keep getting across; but it’s a false message,” Huckabee asserted.

Nevertheless, Huckabee did himself recently threaten visa retaliation against Israel for the mistreatment of Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.

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Identified: Over $160 Billion in Cost Overruns on Federal Boondoggles.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has released a report identifying over a dozen federal projects that are significantly over-budget or delayed by years, including the renovation of Jerome Powell’s Federal Reserve.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Joni Ernst, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and Vice President J.D. Vance.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Report released Wednesday, covering projects nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to bail out gravy trains and bridges to nowhere because bureaucrats continue to get bamboozled.” – Joni Ernst

🎯IMPACT: Ernst’s report highlights $162.9 billion in cost overruns, calling for greater accountability in federal spending.

IN FULL

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Wednesday outlined federal infrastructure projects that have faced significant delays or cost overruns. The report, assembled after a letter from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to Vice President J.D. Vance, identified 14 projects that are either $1 billion over budget or more than five years behind schedule.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to bail out gravy trains and bridges to nowhere because bureaucrats continue to get bamboozled,” Ernst said regarding her report’s findings. She added, “I will not allow taxpayers to continue to be taken for a billion-dollar ride. It is time to bring these boondoggles to a squealing halt.”

The report highlights $162.9 billion in cost overruns, with California’s high-speed rail project alone accounting for $95 billion. Other projects include the Columbus Crossroads corridor, which is 19 years behind schedule, and the Honolulu Rail Transit Project, which has seen a $4.8 billion overrun with its completion date pushed back to 2031.

In addition to transportation projects, Ernst’s report addresses overruns in defense spending and federal agency programs, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs’ electronic records system, which is nearly $34 billion over budget. Ernst noted that flaws in the system may have caused harm or even death to veterans.

Already, the Republican-led Congress has passed one rescission request made by the Trump White House, clawing back $9 billion in spending. Sen. Ernst’s report will likely serve as the basis for additional rescission requests in the future. President Donald J. Trump has signalled he will soon send a second rescission package to Capitol Hill.

Ernst has proposed a Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act to ensure “that all government projects $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule will automatically be publicized.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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