Thursday, April 23, 2026

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US Naval Academy Drops 400 Titles from Library Collection Amid Bid to Excise DEI.

PULSE POINTS:

What Happened: Nearly 400 books were removed from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library following a directive from the defense secretary’s office to eliminate materials promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. Naval Academy, the office of the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, Pentagon officials, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, and other military academies.

📍 Where & When: The removal occurred at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The directive was given late last week, and the removal was completed by Monday.

💬 Key Quote: Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, stated, “All service academies are fully committed to executing and implementing President Trump’s executive orders.”

⚠️ Impact: The action aligns with efforts to remove diversity-related content from federal entities, raising concerns among lawmakers and citizens about the elimination of historical content.

IN FULL:

The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis removed around 400 books from its library after being instructed by the defense secretary‘s office to remove materials promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This decision aligns with ongoing Trump administration initiatives to scrap such content.

Officials at the academy were tasked late last week with conducting a library review, evaluating around 900 books. The academy swiftly moved to eliminate almost 400 titles by Monday, ahead of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit.

A Pentagon representative, Sean Parnell, indicated, “All service academies are fully committed to executing and implementing President Trump’s executive orders.”

The directive impacted not only the Naval Academy but also prompted curriculum reassessments at the Air Force Academy in Colorado and West Point in New York. Due to their collegiate status, these institutions had previously been exempt from DEI-related executive orders targeting K-12 education.

Previously, President Donald J. Trump’s administration scrapped a bizarre $2.3 million virtual reality DEI program for U.S. military personnel. The program, which used a VR avatar, attempted to simulate difficult conversations and teach de-escalation strategies.

By Popular Demand.
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Trump DOJ Moves to Revoke Citizenship of Hundreds of Naturalized Immigrants.

The Trump administration is ramping up efforts to revoke the U.S. citizenship of hundreds of naturalized citizens, assigning cases to regular prosecutors to expedite the process.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has identified 384 foreign-born Americans for potential denaturalization, assigning the cases to regular prosecutors to increase the pace of revocations. The move marks a significant shift from the traditional, much slower process of handling such cases through the immigration litigation office at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
📰 DETAIL:  Under federal law, citizenship can only be stripped if it was obtained fraudulently or through serious misconduct, and the government must prove its case in court, making such actions difficult and time-consuming. Officials say the push is aimed at rooting out individuals who lied or concealed disqualifying information during the naturalization process. The initiative reflects a broader policy shift to prioritize denaturalization, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) increasing referrals and the DOJ at the highest volume in history. Traditionally, denaturalization cases were handled by specialized immigration litigators, but expanding responsibility to regular prosecutors could significantly increase the number of cases processed. The move follows earlier directives encouraging agencies to refer hundreds of potential denaturalization cases each month.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Citizenship fraud is a serious crime; anyone who has broken the law and obtained citizenship through fraud and deceit will be held accountable.” – Abigail Jackson, White House spokesman.
🎯 IMPACT: This initiative could lead to a significant increase in denaturalizations, potentially stripping citizenship of many who were able to acquire citizenship by fraudulent means. The move is part of President Donald J. Trump’s promises to crack down on both illegal immigration and immigration fraud. Notably, Vice President J.D. Vance said in March that the administration thinks Somalia-born Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) “definitely committed immigration fraud” and that an investigation into possible remedies is underway.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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The Trump administration is ramping up efforts to revoke the U.S. citizenship of hundreds of naturalized citizens, assigning cases to regular prosecutors to expedite the process.

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By Popular Demand.
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DOJ Recovers $700M from Chinese Crypto Scammers.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the recovery of $700 million from Chinese cryptocurrency scammers and efforts to return it to its American victims.

PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that $700 million seized from Chinese cryptocurrency scammers will be returned to American victims. The funds, which had been restrained to prevent further movement within blockchain systems, are now being processed for redistribution.
📺 DETAIL: U.S. Attorney Pirro outlined a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against scam centers in Southeast Asia, including criminal charges against two Chinese nationals managing a cryptocurrency fraud compound in Burma. $700 million in stolen assets have been secured, but while the funds are safe, distributing them will take time. Pirro said the department remains committed to reuniting victims with their stolen money following verification. “It is a long and rigorous process to get that money into the hands of those victims that they belong to. We’re on it,” Pirro said.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We have charged the Chinese bosses who ran a scam compound in Burma, where trafficked workers were beaten and forced to steal from Americans. We have seized a Telegram channel that was luring workers into a forced labor compound in Cambodia where they were ordered to pose as U.S. banks and NYPD to steal Americans’ life savings.” – Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
🎯 IMPACT: The return of these funds could provide financial relief to victims of sophisticated crypto scams, though the process is expected to take significant time due to the complexities of identifying rightful recipients. Notably, the case reflects only a small part of the crypto scam industry that is stealing Americans’ wealth. In 2023 alone, the FBI estimated that Americans lost as much as $5.6 billion to crypto scammers.

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U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the recovery of $700 million from Chinese cryptocurrency scammers and efforts to return it to its American victims.

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By Popular Demand.
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Trump: King’s Visit Could Mend US-UK Relations.

President Donald J. Trump has expressed optimism that the upcoming state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom to the United States could mend relations between the two countries.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to embark on a four-day state visit to the United States starting Monday, meeting with President Donald J. Trump and giving an address to Congress. Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, President Trump said the monarch’s trip, intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, could “absolutely” mend relations between the two countries, which have frayed over the Iran war.
📺 DETAIL: President Trump expressed optimism about the upcoming state visit of Charles and Camilla to the United States, describing the state visit as highly likely to strengthen British-American relations. Asked by the BBC if the visit could mend relations between Britain and the U.S., which have frayed due to differences over the Iran war, Trump said, “Absolutely. He’s fantastic. He’s a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I know him well, I’ve known him for years. He’s a brave man, and he’s a great man. They would absolutely be a positive,” Trump said of the King.
🎯 IMPACT: The visit comes as geopolitical challenges strain the oft-described “Special Relationship” between Britain and America. President Trump previously called for greater British involvement in the Iran war and criticized British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s energy and immigration policies. The Trump administration has also taken a critical of the British censorship regime, even sanctioning a pro-censorship activist linked to Starmer.
📺 FLASHBACK: In September last year, President Trump was invited to the United Kingdom by King Charles and Queen Camilla for an unprecedented second state visit. No U.S. President has received more than one state visit to the United Kingdom.

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President Donald J. Trump has expressed optimism that the upcoming state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom to the United States could mend relations between the two countries.

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By Popular Demand.
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Amnesty Bill Author Admits It Is for ‘Big Business to Have Cheap Labor.’

Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) has admitted that her proposed “Dignidad” (Dignity) mass amnesty bill is in large part about “help[ing] big business to have cheap labor.”

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar is promoting her Dignidad (Dignity) mass amnesty bill as a solution to labor shortages, confirming at a Wednesday press conference in Washingston, D.C.: “When people tell me that I am trying to help big business to have cheap labor, I’m going to answer them: It’s not [just] big business; it’s not only agricultural or construction or hospitality or health care or manufacturing—it’s more.” The bill would grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants and block deportations.
📺 DETAIL: Salazar suggested the Dignidad amnesty would lower costs by driving down wages, arguing, “Americans want affordability, and they want affordable vegetables and fruits.” Notably, regularizing millions of illegals and giving them the right to work would likely have a particular impact on the job opportunities and pay for younger and lower-skilled Americans, at a time when goals such as getting on the property ladder are already increasingly out of reach.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The President is a very smart guy. He comes from hospitality and from construction. Do I have to tell him that those [migrants] are needed [in] those five sectors, construction, hospitality, agriculture, health care, and manufacturing?” – Rep. Salazar
🎯 IMPACT: Salazar’s amnesty would dramatically undermine the “mass deportations” pledge President Donald J. Trump ran on in 2024, putting the interests of illegals and big business ahead of American workers. Notably, the Wednesday press conference was organized by a subsidiary of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), whose executive director, Rebecca Shi, is a Chinese immigrant. Shi, whose mother was subject to a deportation order for 19 years, stated openly at the conference, “Work permits for long-term immigrants lower costs.”

Image by World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell.

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Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) has admitted that her proposed "Dignidad" (Dignity) mass amnesty bill is in large part about "help[ing] big business to have cheap labor."

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By Popular Demand.
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500,000 Biobank Health Patients’ Data Are Being Sold in China.

Sensitive health data from the UK Biobank, involving 500,000 participants, was found listed for sale on Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce platform, raising concerns about international data security.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Sensitive medical data from 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank health data project was listed for sale on Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce platform, the British government confirmed on Thursday. The leak has prompted an investigation by UK Biobank and the British government. While the data did not include any names or contact details, it did include other types of personal information, such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, lifestyle habits, and biological sample measures.
📺 DETAIL: Data from the UK Biobank, a major taxpayer-funded health research project which stores de-identified biological samples for half a million people, was found listed for sale on Alibaba, one of the largest retail companies in the world. The UK Biobank uses biological samples from volunteers to conduct research into diseases such as cancer, dementia, and Parkinson’s. The data was from participants aged between 40 and 69, who were recruited between 2006 and 2010. The breach was reported to the British government on Monday. The data was acquired legitimately by three accredited academic institutions, however, soon after it was downloaded, it appeared on Alibaba.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We want to reassure you that all the data are de-identified; they do not contain any personally identifying information,” claimed Professor Sir Rory Collins, UK Biobank’s chief executive.
🎯 IMPACT: The listings have since been removed from Alibaba, and the individuals involved in the leak have had their UK Biobank access suspended. In response to the breach, the charity has implemented stricter security measures, such as daily monitoring of file exports, and announced a full forensic investigation. The data breach constitutes a blatant violation of contractual agreements by the three academic institutions that requested the data. The breach also raises broader concerns about the security of sensitive health data and may affect people’s willingness to volunteer for medical projects, potentially slowing the pace of medical progress.
📺 FLASHBACK: In late 2021, the Chinese Communist Party penalized Alibaba for alerting the world to a highly threatening software vulnerability. In response, the Chinese Communist Party’s National Network Security Information Sharing Platform suspended Alibaba for informing the Chinese government first.

Image by David Lally.

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Sensitive health data from the UK Biobank, involving 500,000 participants, was found listed for sale on Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce platform, raising concerns about international data security.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Three Asylum Seekers Convicted of Beach Gang Rape.

Three asylum seekers, present in Britain despite their applications being rejected, have been found guilty of a brutal gang rape on Brighton Beach.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Three asylum seekers have been convicted of raping a woman on England’s Brighton Beach after she became separated from her friends during a night out. Abdulla Ahmadi, 25, Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, were found guilty at Hove Crown Court after a five-week trial. The attack was described as “cynical, predatory, and callous.”

📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, following 12 hours of deliberation and a five-week trial, Ahmadi, Al-Danasurt, and Alshafe were found guilty of gang raping a woman on Brighton Beach on the southern coast of England. In the early hours of early October last year, the three men led an incapacitated woman to a secluded area behind some beach huts, where she was assaulted. Ahmadi and Alshafe committed the rape while Al-Danasurt encouraged the attack and filmed it. The migrants falsely claimed that the interaction was consensual. Ahmadi and Alshafe were found guilty of two counts of rape each, while Al-Danasurt was convicted as a secondary party of four counts of rape.

💬 KEY QUOTE: “It wasn’t consensual, it was not consensual, they are evil and they have ruined my life… It’s the filmer’s face I see every time I close my eyes, laughing at me.” – Victim
🎯 IMPACT: The three men came to Britain as asylum seekers and were living in Home Office-provided asylum accommodation at the time of the attack. All three rapists had their asylum applications rejected, but remained at large in the country pending appeals. Ahmadi and Alshafe met while illegally entering Britain on small boats in June 2025. Al-Danasurt had arrived in Britain in late September 2024. Ahmadi is Iranian, while Al-Danasurt and Alshafe are both Egyptian. 
📺 FLASHBACK: Housing asylum seekers has reached a cost of up to around £15 million (~$20.3 million) a day in recent years. Those denied asylum have a chance to appeal, extending their time in the country, and they usually remain at large while their claims and appeals are processed. Even when a final rejection is made, failed asylum seekers regularly remain in the country for several years afterward, often never being deported at all.

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Three asylum seekers, present in Britain despite their applications being rejected, have been found guilty of a brutal gang rape on Brighton Beach.

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By Popular Demand.
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92% of DACA Migrants Arrested Under Trump Have Criminal Convictions or Pending Charges.

Around 92 percent of arrested Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) migrants, protected from deportation under the former Biden regime, are either convicted criminals or face criminal charges.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Documents reveal that out of 270 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) migrants arrested under President Donald J. Trump after being protected from deportation under the former Biden regime, 250 are either convicted criminals or face pending criminal charges.
📺 DETAIL: A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document reveals that between January 1 and September 28 of last year, the Trump administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 270 DACA recipients and found that 130 were convicted criminals, 120 had charges pending, and a further 14 were in violation of immigration laws. During that timeframe, 174 DACA migrants were removed from the United States, 71 of whom were convicted criminals, and 66 of whom had pending criminal charges. DACA was introduced by former President Barack Obama in 2012 but was declared unlawful by a federal judge in September of 2023. The ruling was upheld in January 2025.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “DACA does NOT confer any form of legal status in this country. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons, including if they’ve committed a crime.” – Department of Homeland Security statement.
🎯 IMPACT: The DHS data reveals that many criminal migrants were able to avoid deportation due to their DACA status and that, despite some media reports, the vast majority of those being arrested and deported are involved in criminal activity. President Donald J. Trump and his administration are likely to continue to deport DACA recipients in violation of U.S. laws going forward.

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Around 92 percent of arrested Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) migrants, protected from deportation under the former Biden regime, are either convicted criminals or face criminal charges.

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By Popular Demand.
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Senate Advances DHS, ICE Funding in Narrow 50-48 Vote.

The Senate narrowly passed a $70 billion budget plan to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, advancing efforts to end the Department of Homeland Security’s partial shutdown.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Senate passed a $70 billion budget plan for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol in a 50-48 vote, aiming to end a partial government shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill, advanced through reconciliation to bypass the filibuster, now heads to the House for further consideration.
📺 DETAIL: The budget plan includes funding for ICE and Border Patrol through the end of President Donald J. Trump’s term. The vote took place at 3:30 AM on Thursday, amidst ongoing negotiations to address the DHS shutdown that began on February 14. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY) joined 46 Democrats in voting against the funding, while Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mark Warner (R-VA) did not vote. Democrats have been pushing for restrictions on ICE operations, citing fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators by federal law enforcement in Minnesota.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).
🎯 IMPACT: The bill’s passage by the Senate marks significant progress toward resolving the DHS shutdown. It will now go before the House of Representatives, where the Republicans have tight majority but are not constrained by the filibuster like their Senate counterparts.
📺 FLASHBACK: Last month, the Senate approved a bill to reopen DHS without ICE and Border Patrol funding, but it was blocked by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who insisted on including funding for both agencies.

Image by Ron Cogswell.

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The Senate narrowly passed a $70 billion budget plan to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, advancing efforts to end the Department of Homeland Security's partial shutdown.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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Illegal Immigrant Jailed for Stealing Noem’s Gucci Bag, Committing Wire Fraud.

A Chilean illegal immigrant has been sentenced to three years in prison for wire fraud and theft, including stealing former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s handbag.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Mario Bustamante Leiva, a 50-year-old Chilean illegal immigrant, was handed a three-year prison term for wire fraud and theft. Among his crimes was the theft of a Gucci handbag belonging to Kristi Noem, the former Homeland Security Secretary. He admitted guilt to three separate wire fraud charges plus one count of first-degree theft, after he preyed on women at restaurants in Washington, D.C., in April 2025.
📺 DETAIL: Leiva was caught on surveillance cameras methodically targeting women dining in restaurants, stealing their purses, and using their credit cards and personal information to make fraudulent purchases. Noem was dining at Capital Burger with her family when Leiva stole her purse, which contained several credit cards and $3,000 in cash. He later used Noem’s credit cards for unauthorized purchases, and prosecutors noted that Leiva’s actions were premeditated and executed with precision.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Bustamante Leiva came to Washington illegally to prey on citizens of the District. He methodically targeted women at restaurants, stealing their purses, and monetizing the stolen cards within minutes. His pattern of theft ends here. He will serve his prison term and be deported.” – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
🎯 IMPACT: Leiva faces deportation upon completing his prison sentence. The case highlights concerns about the risks posed by illegal immigrants engaging in criminal activity in the U.S., many of whom commit crimes far more serious than theft and fraud. For instance, new data released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this month showed that 75 percent of defendants in Fairfax County, Virginia, murder trials so far in 2026 are illegal immigrants. In 2024, former President Joe Biden’s last full year in office, Chairman of the House National Security, Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Glenn Grothman put the number of illegal aliens known to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with criminal records or pending criminal charges at 617,000, greater than the population of Wyoming.
Surveillance photo of Bustamante Leiva with Kristi Noem’s purse and wallet.

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A Chilean illegal immigrant has been sentenced to three years in prison for wire fraud and theft, including stealing former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's handbag.

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By Popular Demand.
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Trump Admin Reclassifies Medical Marijuana as Less Dangerous Drug.

President Donald J. Trump has reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana, easing restrictions on research and allowing tax deductions for state-licensed medical marijuana companies.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s Acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche, signed an order on Thursday reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, marking a historic shift in federal drug policy.
📰 DETAIL: The reclassification does not legalize marijuana federally but changes its regulation, allowing for tax deductions for state-licensed medical marijuana companies and easing research barriers. This move aligns with President Trump’s directive to expedite the reclassification process, which had been stalled under the former Biden government. Blanche credited the move to Trump’s “decisive leadership.”
🎯 IMPACT: The order legitimizes medical marijuana programs in 40 states, providing a tax break for operators and facilitating research. It also sets up a system for state-licensed producers to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), potentially influencing future federal marijuana policies. In a social media post outlining the reform, Blanche said there would be “a new, expedited hearing with set deadlines, to fully reschedule marijuana” in the near future.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.” – Todd Blanche
👀 FLASHBACK: The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 marked the beginning of federal marijuana prohibition, which has persisted despite widespread state-level decriminalization and legalization for medical and recreational use. President Trump signed an executive order removing federal legal hurdles to medical marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) research and tasking Blanche with expediting today’s rescheduling in December.

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President Donald J. Trump has reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana, easing restrictions on research and allowing tax deductions for state-licensed medical marijuana companies.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.