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April 16, 2025
William Upton
Lawfare

Trump-Obsessed Tish James Is Pursuing a New Lawfare Strategy.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: New York’s Democrat Attorney General Letitia James is investigating whether President Donald J. Trump’s tariff pause facilitated insider trading by administration officials or another individual who may have been informed ahead of the April 9 announcement. James’s latest lawfare efforts come as she faces a criminal referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of mortgage fraud uncovered by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, Letitia James, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte, and Democrat Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Adam Schiff, and Ruben Gallego.

📍 Where & When: The investigation was confirmed on April 16, 2025, prompted by a series of U.S. market trades before the tariff pause.

💬 Key Quote: “It’s entirely appropriate to have an investigation to make sure that Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s family, Donald Trump’s inner circle didn’t get advance information and trade on that information,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

⚠️ Impact: Democrats in the Senate are running cover for James’s latest law effort against Trump.

IN FULL:

New York’s Democrat Attorney General, Letitia James, is launching a new lawfare campaign against President Donald J. Trump, insinuating potential insider trading instances linked to the White House’s recent pause of reciprocal tariffs. Confirmed to be underway on April 16, the New York AG’s inquiry purports to determine whether Trump or his associates had prior knowledge of the tariff actions, which preceded a significant upturn in the stock market. However, there is mounting speculation that James’s investigation of Trump is meant to distract from her own criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of mortgage fraud.

President Trump’s announcement of the tariff pause, to allow bilateral trade negotiations with over 70 nations to take place, was preceded just hours before by two posts on Truth Social where the America First leader stated, “BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before” and “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT.” The subsequent surge in the financial markets—with several trades logged just before the pause was announced—make up the core of the newest allegations underpinning the lawfare effort.

Speaking with Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union earlier this week, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) appeared to have foreknowledge of Letitia James’s investigation. “It’s entirely appropriate to have an investigation to make sure that Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s family, Donald Trump’s inner circle, didn’t get advance information and trade on that information,” the Massachusetts Democrat said. How Trump could engage in insider trading on a decision and announcement that he would make is unclear.

Closer examination reveals James’s inquiry—and the justifications for it provided by a number of Democrat lawmakers—is little more than partisan gamesmanship. Ignored by James is the fact that rumors of a potential pause had circulated on social media platforms for days prior to the announcement—with the “Walter Bloomberg” X (formerly Twitter) account posting that a pause was under consideration by Trump on Monday, April 7. However, following a swift White House denial, the post was deleted.

Additionally, the two Trump posts on Truth Social on the morning of April 9 could easily be interpreted as an indication that the White House would announce changes to the imposition of trade tariffs, which any observant investor would have responded to by making options trades. Further, because Truth Social is widely accessible, the posts are considered public information and, therefore, could not constitute the secretive exchange of information typically associated with insider trading. The fact is that options traders frequently make bets on short-term market shifts, and the trades on April 9 could easily have occurred without any foreknowledge—though the social media buzz and Trump’s Truth Social posts could have influenced the moves.

The Trump White House is correctly dismissing Senate Democrat allegations and the New York Attorney General’s inquiry as little more than partisan lawfare rather than substantive legal accusations of malpractice. For Letitia James, though, the confirmation of her investigation into Trump and the tariff pause may serve an ulterior purpose—namely, distracting from her own criminal referral to the DOJ on allegations made by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte that the New York Attorney General engaged in several instances of mortgage fraud. James has dismissed the allegations, ironically accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the government against her.

In 2024, Letitia James and the New York Attorney General’s office were behind several lawfare actions targeting Trump to derail his presidential re-election bid. However, those efforts proved unsuccessful, with Trump winning the election in a landslide.

Image by Matt Cohen.

By Popular Demand.
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21 minutes ago
TECH

AMD Lands Major AI Chip Deal with OpenAI, Shares Soar.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: AMD has signed a multi-year deal to supply artificial intelligence (AI) chips to OpenAI, potentially generating tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: AMD, OpenAI, and their respective executives, including AMD’s Forrest Norrod and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The deal was announced recently and will begin generating revenue in 2026. OpenAI is based in San Francisco.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We view this deal as certainly transformative, not just for AMD, but for the dynamics of the industry.” – Forrest Norrod

🎯IMPACT: AMD’s shares surged by more than 34 percent, adding approximately $80 billion to its market value, while OpenAI secures critical AI infrastructure for future projects.

IN FULL

AMD has entered into a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to supply artificial intelligence (AI) chips, a deal that is expected to generate tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, will also have the option to acquire up to 10 percent of AMD, underscoring the significance of the agreement.

Shares of AMD soared more than 34 percent following the announcement, marking the company’s largest one-day gain in over nine years and adding $80 billion to its market capitalization. Forrest Norrod, AMD’s executive vice president, described the deal as “transformative” for both the company and the broader AI industry.

The agreement includes the deployment of AMD’s upcoming MI450 chips, with shipments beginning in the second half of 2026. These chips will power a one-gigawatt facility that OpenAI plans to build, with AMD estimating over $100 billion in new revenue over four years as a result of this and other customer agreements. Despite these advancements, analysts note that Nvidia remains the market leader in AI chips and continues to dominate the sector.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that the partnership with AMD will enable the company to meet its growing AI infrastructure needs. OpenAI has been exploring various avenues to secure enough computing power for its ambitious projects, which include developing its own silicon for AI use and partnering with other companies like Broadcom and Microsoft.

As part of the deal, AMD issued a warrant allowing OpenAI to purchase up to 160 million shares of AMD at a minimal price, contingent on achieving specific milestones. This structure could potentially allow OpenAI to influence AMD’s corporate strategy. Meanwhile, Nvidia‘s recent deal with OpenAI involves a $100 billion investment but does not include a stake in the company.

Image by FritzchensFritz.

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51 minutes ago
Immigration

Whoopi Goldberg Urges Super Bowl Attendeeds to Thwart ICE by Doing Brownface and Fake Latino Accents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Whoopi Goldberg urged Super Bowl attendees to darken their skin and put on Latino accents for next year’s Super Bowl to stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from arresting illegal aliens.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kristi Noem, Whoopi Goldberg, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, a.k.a. Bad Bunny, and ICE.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Goldberg made her comments on The View in October 2025; the Super Bowl is set for February 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Everybody, get a little cocoa butter, sit in the sun, that’s the first thing. And this is the only time you can probably ever do this: Give yourself a Latin accent, and just see if [Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem] can tell who’s who.” – Whoopi Goldberg

🎯IMPACT: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned that the Super Bowl is not off limits for immigration enforcement efforts, after “Bad Bunny” suggested he would not perform at events where illegals might be arrested.

IN FULL

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be “all over” the Super Bowl in February, particularly in light of halftime performer Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, a.k.a. Bad Bunny, saying he does not want to perform at events where illegal aliens could be arrested. In response, Whoopi Goldberg suggested on The View that Super Bowl attendees should darken their skin and put on Latino accents to confuse ICE agents.

“Everybody, get a little cocoa butter, sit in the sun, that’s the first thing. And this is the only time you can probably ever do this: Give yourself a Latin accent, and just see if [Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem] can tell who’s who,” Goldberg said.

Noem has emphasized her responsibility to ensure Super Bowl attendees are “law-abiding Americans who love this country.” Her comments have drawn both support and criticism.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advisor Corey Lewandowski has previously warned, “There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you. Know that it is a very real situation under this administration, which is contrary to how it used to be.”

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1 hour ago
Crime
Immigration

Chicago Police Slammed for Order to Abandon ICE Agents Under Attack.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Chicago police officers were reportedly instructed not to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents surrounded by violent rioters who had rammed their vehicles.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Illinois State FOP, Chicago Police Department (CPD), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and violent rioters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on a Saturday morning in Chicago, with new details emerging on Monday, October 6, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Let me be clear, both the National FOP and the Illinois FOP believe that when an officer calls for assistance, you answer, no matter what.” – National FOP President Patrick Yoes

🎯IMPACT: The incident has sparked condemnation from police unions and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and raised concerns about cooperation between local and federal law enforcement.

IN FULL

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is facing mounting scrutiny over a dispatch order telling officers to stand down and not report to the scene of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were surrounded by violent rioters after having their vehicles rammed. Patrick Yoes, president of the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), and Chris Southwood, president of the Illinois State FOP, slammed the alleged order as a “shocking” violation of law enforcement duties, especially for officers to aid each other in danger.

“Let me be clear, both the National FOP and the Illinois FOP believe that when an officer calls for assistance, you answer, no matter what,” Yoes said, slamming Chicago police leadership for their lack of action.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said he is investigating the matter of the dispatch call and made it clear to rioters that federal, state, and local law enforcement are allowed and will defend themselves if attacked. “If you box them in with vehicles… it is reasonable for them to believe that they are being ambushed,” Superintendent Snelling said. “It’s reasonable for them to use force.”

Regarding the Saturday morning attack, Snelling attributed the called-off assistance to a miscommunication but said he would have more answers about the involvement of Chief of Patrol Jon Hein. Despite Snelling’s assertion that the failure to respond to the ambush was a miscommunication, transcripts of the dispatch call tell a different story.

“Younger male Hispanic wearing all black … wanted for the hit-and-run, this guy fled from the scene,” a female dispatcher can be heard saying after the ICE agents requested assistance, adding: “When the offending vehicle crashed, they ran the federal agent off the road, they fled on foot westbound.”

An unidentified Chicago police officer then instructed the dispatcher to tell units to respond, but hold several blocks away. Moments later, that same officer informed dispatch: “Per the Chief of Patrol: Clear everybody out, we’re not responding over there.” The dispatcher repeats the order to patrol units en route: “Per the Chief of Patrol, all units clear out from there, we’re not sending anybody out to that location.”

After a few more minutes, a male patrol officer can be heard replying, “We’re going to clear out as soon as we can, we’re like blocked in over here so we’re going to do the best we can to get out of here as soon as we can.”

The order not to respond was backed by an internal written dispatch which reads: “PLEASE [sic] CHIEF OF PATROL NO UNITS WILL RESPOND TO THIS AS RELATED FROM 04-Oc5-2025/12:34:44… CALLER IS 1 OF APPROX 30 ARMED PATROL AGENTS (ICE) WHO ARE BEING SURROUNDED BY A LARGE CROWD OF PEOPLE REQUESTING CPD.”

Forty-one minutes after the call for assistance and subsequent stand-down order, Chicago police units finally arrived to aid the ICE agents who had already dispersed much of the crowd using tear gas and pepper spray. At least one of the attackers, armed with a semi-automatic weapon, was shot by federal law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reports that she was “named in a [Customs and Border Protection] intelligence bulletin last week for doxing agents and posting online ‘Hey to all my gang let’s fuck those mother fuckers up, don’t let them take anyone.’”

Image via Chicago Police.

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2 hours ago
News

FBI Confirms Jack Smith Spied on GOP Senators’ Communications in Jan 6 Investigation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team reportedly tracked the private communications and phone calls of nearly a dozen Republican Senators as part of their investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: GOP Senators including Lindsey Graham, Marsha Blackburn, Ron Johnson, Josh Hawley, Cynthia Lummis, Bill Hagerty, Dan Sullivan, Tommy Tuberville, and Rep. Mike Kelly, as well as FBI officials including Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The surveillance reportedly occurred in 2023, following the opening of the “Arctic Frost” investigation in April 2022. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill after the discovery.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is a disgrace that I have to stand on Capitol Hill and reveal this—that the FBI was once weaponized to track the private communications of U.S. lawmakers for political purposes. That era is over.” – Dan Bongino

🎯IMPACT: The discovery highlights concerns over the misuse of federal law enforcement for political purposes under the Democrats, prompting further review of the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” case.

IN FULL

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is accused of having tracked the private communications and phone records of at least twelve Republican Senators as part of his investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots, according to a document in possession of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The document, titled “CAST Assistance” and dated September 27, 2023, was discovered by FBI Director Kash Patel. “CAST” refers to the FBI’s cellular analysis survey team.

The investigation, known as “Arctic Frost,” reportedly targeted  Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA). An FBI special agent on Smith’s team conducted preliminary toll analysis on the lawmakers’ phone records, revealing call locations and numbers dialed. The calls were reportedly related to the certification of the 2020 election.

“It is a disgrace that I have to stand on Capitol Hill and reveal this—that the FBI was once weaponized to track the private communications of U.S. lawmakers for political purposes,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who briefed lawmakers on the discovery. “That era is over.”

Director Patel emphasized that his team would ensure transparency and accountability, stating, “The American people deserve the truth, and under my leadership, they will have it.” The document noted that the records were subpoenaed from major telephone providers in 2023, following the opening of the “Arctic Frost” investigation in April 2022.

Smith, appointed as special counsel in November 2022, charged President Donald J. Trump in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol riots, but later sought to dismiss the case after Trump’s election. The case reportedly cost taxpayers over $50 million.

FBI officials, under the direction of Patel and Bongino, have launched a broader review of the “Arctic Frost” case. The review comes in response to an oversight request by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). “We promised accountability for those who weaponized law enforcement, and we will deliver it,” Patel stated.

Bongino reiterated, “Under our leadership, the FBI will never again be used as a political weapon against the American people.”

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3 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
News

Portland Abandons Effort to Prosecute Conservative Journalist Nick Sortor Amid Antifa Disorder.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Conservative journalist Nick Sortor, subjected to a dubious arrest by Portland Police while covering a disorderly demonstration at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility by anti-ICE agitators, will not be prosecuted for disorderly conduct.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nick Sortor, Portland Police, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, and Antifa.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Multnomah County DA confirmed Sortor would not be charged on October 6, 2025, following his arrest in Portland, Oregon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “VICTORY: Following our demand for discovery related to the
[Portland Police’s] coordination with Antifa, the Multnomah County DA has announced they will DECLINE to prosecute me” – Nick Sortor

🎯IMPACT: Nick Sortor will still appear in court, although the case is not proceeding to prosecution, and has vowed that “this is ONLY the beginning.”

IN FULL

Conservative journalist Nick Sortor, subjected to a dubious arrest by Portland Police while covering a disorderly demonstration at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility by anti-ICE agitators, will not be prosecuted for disorderly conduct.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office stated, “After a careful review of the investigation, including reports and video, we do not believe the crime of Disorderly Conduct can be proven against Mr. Sortor beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Sortor, who will still appear in the Portland Justice Center court, emphasized that this decision is “ONLY the beginning” of the situation. He noted that the efforts to prosecute him were only abandoned “Following our demand for discovery related to the [Portland Police’s] coordination with Antifa.”

Portland Police have justified the arrest by citing probable cause based on the information available at the scene. However, other journalists present on the night have said that Sortor did not instigate any disorder, with the violence perpetrated mainly by anti-ICE agitators.

The Portland ICE facility has been subjected to a de facto siege by Antifa and Antifa-aligned agitators for weeks, with Portland and Oregon State officials accused of discouraging local law enforcement from assisting federal personnel due to Democratic opposition to the Trump administration enforcing federal law.

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3 hours ago
News
UK

UK Conservative Party Faces Dismal Conference Turnout as Members Demand Pact With Farage.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Attendance at the annual Conservative (Tory) Party conference in Britain is embarrassingly low, as evidenced by photos of the main hall.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Conservative Party members, party leader Kemi Badenoch, Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride, and Nigel Farage and his Reform Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Conservative Party conference, October 6, in Manchester, England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “More people have joined Reform in the past 24 hours than were in the room for Kemi’s conference speech.” – Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: The low turnout highlights the Conservative Party’s rapid collapse after 14 years in government from 2010 to mid-2024, with Farage’s party set to supplant them on the British right.

IN FULL

The Conservative (Tory) Party’s annual conference in Manchester, England, is seeing strikingly low attendance. This is the first party conference since the Nigeria-raised Olukemi “Kemi” Badenoch assumed leadership in November 2024.

The Tories governed Britain from 2010 to mid-2024, securing the party’s biggest parliamentary mandate since Margaret Thatcher under Boris Johnson in 2019. However, a series of scandals, the mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, and especially the unprecedented “Boriswave” of mass migration the party unleashed on the country from 2021 onwards saw it suffer a crushing loss in the 2024 general election, despite the now-governing Labour Party earning fewer votes than it did in the previous election. The Tories are now polling at a mere 16 percent nationally.

Sky News’ Amanda Akass highlighted the sparse crowd during Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride’s speech, sharing a photo of the nearly empty room. GB News called it the “quietest” Tory conference in nine years.

For The Telegraph, formerly so strongly aligned with the Conservatives that it was nicknamed ‘The Torygraph,’ acting comment editor Poppy Coburn said, “Having gone to [the] 2023 Conservative Conference in Manchester, this year feels utterly depressing. You can really feel the membership exodus.”

Matthew Torbitt, a homelessness campaigner who had been due to speak at a fringe event at the conference, noted on X (formerly Twitter), “To give you an understanding of how quiet the Conservative conference is, the fringe I was due to be speaking at on Wednesday has been cancelled. The footfall is so low it’s been decided it would be largely pointless.”

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage quipped that “More people have joined Reform in the past 24 hours than were in the room for Kemi’s conference speech.” Notably, recent polls indicate the Conservatives would win just 45 parliamentary seats out of 650 in a hypothetical election, with two-thirds of party members wanting an electoral pact with Farage.

Image by UKinUSA.

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4 hours ago
Politics

Desperate Dem Jeffries Demands Speaker Johnson Debate Him on House Floor.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) dismissed an outlandish demand by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for a primetime debate on the House floor over the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Speaker Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The debate request was made on Monday morning amidst the ongoing government shutdown, caused by the Democrat minority in the Senate blocking spending legislation.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The House has done its job. I’m not going to let Hakeem try to pretend for theatrics.” – Mike Johnson

🎯IMPACT: The government shutdown continues as negotiations stall, with Democrats pushing for significant changes to President Donald J. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including money for illegal immigrant healthcare and an early extension of Obamacare subsidies.

IN FULL

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) declined a challenge to a prime-time House floor debate against Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) over the Senate Democrats’ ongoing government shutdown. Jeffries wrote to Johnson on Monday morning, challenging him to a debate on the House floor “any day this week,” to be broadcast live “to the American people.”

Johnson called the demand a “publicity stunt,” stating, “When the poll says that about 13 percent of the people approve of your messaging, then you make desperate pleas for attention, and that’s what Hakeem Jeffries has done.” He added that the House had already debated and passed its bill in a bipartisan manner before sending it to the Senate.

The short-term federal funding bill, aimed at keeping the government running through November 21, passed the House largely along party lines—with some Democrats joining the Republican majority—but has since stalled in the Senate. Johnson noted, “The ball is in the Senate’s court now,” and criticized Jeffries’ call for a debate as theatrical.

“The House has done its job. I’m not going to let Hakeem try to pretend for theatrics,” Speaker Johnson said. Notably, polling consistently shows voters oppose the Democratic Party’s shutdown of the federal government.

Jeffries, in his letter to Johnson, accused Republicans of shutting down the government over healthcare issues and failing to engage in bipartisan negotiations. Senate Democrats have rejected the GOP-led funding plan four times, with Democrats pushing for an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies set to expire by the end of 2025. In addition, Senate Democrats are demanding the repeal of a number of provisions enacted under President Donald J. Trump‘s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including the barring of money to fund illegal immigrant healthcare.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Chicago Mayor Establishes ‘ICE-Free Zones’ Across His Crime-Ridden City.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced an executive order creating “ICE-free zones” in the city.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Trump administration, and the White House.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday, in Chicago, Illinois.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The order establishes ICE-free zones. That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids.” – Mayor Brandon Johnson

🎯IMPACT: The executive order directly challenges federal immigration enforcement efforts and has drawn sharp criticism from the White House.

IN FULL

On Monday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) issued an executive order establishing “ICE-free zones” in the city, amid heightened federal efforts to curb illegal immigration. Johnson declared, “Today, we are signing an executive order aimed at reining in this out-of-control administration. The order establishes ICE-free zones. That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids.”

The move will raise concerns about Johnson’s priorities, with his crime-ridden city having seen at least 30 people shot, five of them fatally, over the weekend.

As a sanctuary city, Chicago has been a key target of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions. The White House sharply criticized Johnson’s move to establish “ICE-free zones,” stating: “This is SICK. He is aiding and abetting criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers.”

The Trump administration is currently moving to deploy National Guard forces from out of state to assist federal immigration enforcement personnel operating in Chicago, to the chagrin of Democrat state governor J.B. Pritzker, who signed a bill extending financial aid to illegal immigrants in August.

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5 hours ago
News
World

Chinese Vessels Pushed Out of Contested Waters.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Taiwan expelled three Chinese Coast Guard vessels from waters near the contested Pratas Island in the South China Sea.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Taiwan Coast Guard Administration and Chinese Coast Guard vessels.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Near Pratas Island, South China Sea; incidents occurred on September 30 and October 3, 2023.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Coast Guard Administration will continue to dispatch vessels to patrol and defend the Dongsha area, firmly safeguarding our national sovereignty.” – Taiwan Coast Guard Administration

🎯IMPACT: Tensions between Taiwan and China remain high as maritime forces continue to clash over disputed waters.

IN FULL

Taiwan says it repelled three Chinese Coast Guard ships from waters near the disputed Pratas Island in the South China Sea. The incidents took place on September 30 and October 3, 2023, amid ongoing territorial disputes fueling tensions between the two sides.

Pratas Island, known as Dongsha Island to both Taipei and Beijing, is managed by Taiwan as a marine national park and hosts a small marine garrison. Though Taiwan operates as a self-governing state, China claims the island as its own and has threatened to take control, possibly by force.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration reports that on September 30, two Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered restricted waters near Pratas Island at 8:22 AM. The Taiwanese cutter Tainan issued warnings, and the ships left by around 6 PM. On October 3, another Chinese vessel entered the restricted zone, prompting the cutter Taipei to intervene and escort it out. The ship departed around 12:02 AM.

Since January, Taiwan’s Coast Guard has expelled 159 Chinese fishing boats and seized twelve smaller vessels near Dongsha. The Coast Guard stated: “Recently, Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly intruded into the waters around our Dongsha Islands. The Coast Guard Administration will continue to dispatch vessels to patrol and defend the Dongsha area, firmly safeguarding our national sovereignty.”

China has not commented on these incidents. The maritime clashes underscore the broader Taiwan-China conflict, particularly as Beijing deploys forces into contested waters to assert its territorial claims.

Image by Makoto Lin / Office of the President.

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5 hours ago
Crime

Supreme Court Rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s Appeal in Epstein Sex Trafficking Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Supreme Court declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal in her sex trafficking case, effectively upholding her 2021 conviction.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ghislaine Maxwell, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Supreme Court’s decision was announced on Monday. Maxwell is currently serving her sentence in a federal facility in Bryan, Texas.

🎯IMPACT: Maxwell’s conviction remains intact, and her 20-year prison sentence continues without further legal recourse.

IN FULL

The United States Supreme Court will not take up Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal seeking to overturn her 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges. This decision leaves in place the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, which had previously rejected her appeal.

One of the closest associates of Jeffrey Epstein, the 63-year-old Maxwell, was sentenced in 2022 to 240 months in prison for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with the now-deceased pedophile financier over the course of a decade.

Attorneys for Maxwell argued her conviction should be overturned, claiming Epstein’s 2007 plea deal with the federal government effectively granted her immunity. Additionally, her legal team argued that the statute of limitations had expired for the crimes for which she was prosecuted. Lower courts rejected both claims.

Maxwell, who was initially serving her sentence in a federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, was recently transferred to a minimum-security all-women facility in Bryan, Texas. This move came shortly after a meeting with Department of Justice (DOJ) Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, though the DOJ has denied providing her with any special treatment.

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