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Friday, June 27, 2025
ken paxton acquitted

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4 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Breaking
SCOTUS

Trump Ally Paxton Wins SCOTUS Porn Ban Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓What Happened: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring pornography websites to verify user age, delivering a win for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

👤Who’s Involved: Justices of the Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Free Speech Coalition (plaintiff), Texas children, pornographers.

📍When & Where: Supreme Court of the United States, decision issued June 27, 2025.

💬Key Quote: “[F]rom the late 19th century onward, this Court has consistently recognized the government’s power to proscribe obscenity… In addition to their general interest in protecting the public at large, States have a specific interest in protecting children from sexually explicit speech.” – Justice Clarence Thomas.

🎯Impact: The ruling reinstates a Texas law requiring age verification for pornographic websites, sets a precedent for other states, and signals a broader shift toward state authority over regulating content online.

IN FULL

The Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for accessing online pornography on Friday, June 27, delivering a 6-3 victory to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and setting a precedent for similar legislation in 19 states. The ruling, penned by Justice Clarence Thomas, rejected arguments from the so-called Free Speech Coalition and pornographers that the law—H.B. 1181—infringes on privacy rights, affirming Texas’s power to protect minors from explicit content.

“[F]rom the late 19th century onward, this Court has consistently recognized the government’s power to proscribe obscenity,” Justice Thomas wrote for the majority, adding: “In addition to their general interest in protecting the public at large, States have a specific interest in protecting children from sexually explicit speech.”

The ruling affirms that the “power to require age verification is within a State’s authority to prevent children from accessing sexually explicit content,” and “H.B. 1181 is a constitutionally permissible exercise of that authority.”

The decision reverberates beyond Texas, impacting laws in states like Louisiana, Utah, and Arkansas, where similar measures to protect children from pornography are in place. The ruling also bolsters Paxton, an ally of President Donald J. Trump currently attempting to primary Republican-in-name-only Texas Senator John Cornyn.

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By Popular Demand.
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12 minutes ago
Immigration

DHS Is Paving the Way for the Deportation of 500,000 Haitians.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Haitian nationals currently under TPS.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday, takes effect September 2.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary.” – DHS spokesman

🎯IMPACT: More than 500,000 Haitians with TPS are affected and encouraged to use DHS resources to return to Haiti.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, which will take effect on September 2. A notice from DHS stated that Secretary Kristi Noem had determined the situation in Haiti no longer justified the continuation of TPS for migrants from the country. The decision was based on an assessment that environmental conditions in Haiti had improved sufficiently for safe return.

“This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary,” a DHS spokesman said, adding: “The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home. We encourage these individuals to take advantage of the Department’s resources in returning to Haiti, which can be arranged through the CBP Home app. Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible.”

Currently, more than 500,000 Haitians hold TPS. Consequently, Sec. Noem’s decision clears the way for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to begin deportations after the September deadline. In the meantime, DHS is encouraging Haitians impacted by the TPS determination to utilize existing resources for their return to Haiti.

Haitians granted TPS by the former Biden government became a point of political contention during the 2024 election. Large numbers of Haitian nationals were settled in small towns across the United States, resulting in cultural clashes, increased crime, and consternation among American citizens.

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By Popular Demand.
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52 minutes ago
Jack Montgomery
News

Illegals Warned: Self-Deport or Face $1,000-a-Day Fines.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is reviving and expanding fines for illegal immigrants of up to $1,000 per day.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: United States, rule to be published June 28, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order… Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late.” – Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: The policy signals a renewed crackdown on illegal immigrants, enabling DHS to fine violators immediately, potentially altering migrant behavior and undermining activist-led opposition to deportation enforcement.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is seeking to expedite fines for illegal immigrants—up to $1,000 per day—under a new rule seen by ABC News and set to be published in the Federal Register. The proposed regulation eliminates the current 30-day notice requirement, permitting immediate financial penalties against violators.

Jointly proposed by the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS), the rule covers migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, defy final orders of removal, or fail to leave voluntarily after a judge’s directive. The fines range from $100 to $500 for illegal entry, up to $10,000 for ignoring a deportation order, and $1,000 per day for failing to comply with removal.

“DHS believes that the nature of the failure-to-depart and unlawful entry penalties supports the need for more streamlined procedures,” the rule reads. Trump first introduced the policy during his first term, but the Biden government paused it. Trump reinstated it after taking office in January.

“The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it,” explained Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people’s immigration laws. Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late.”

According to DHS, migrants who use the Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home app to leave the country voluntarily will have their fines waived. As of June 13, the department has issued 10,000 fine notifications under the reactivated policy.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
News
War

Trump Saved Iranian Supreme Leader From ‘Ugly and Ignominious Death.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump criticized Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for claiming victory in the conflict with Israel, calling the statement false and abandoning plans to lift sanctions on Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the governments of Iran, Israel, and the United States.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made this week, with Trump posting on Truth Social and Khamenei speaking publicly and on X.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'” – Donald Trump.

🎯IMPACT: Trump ceased negotiations on sanction relief for Iran, citing the Supreme Leader’s hostile rhetoric and false claims.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has denounced Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei‘s claim that Iran had emerged victorious in its recent conflict with Israel. Trump described Khamenei’s statement as a “lie” and outlined the significant damage sustained by Iran during the conflict.

“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. He further detailed the destruction of three Iranian nuclear sites by the U.S. and his decision to spare Khamenei’s life despite his location being known.

“I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'” he wrote.

Trump also revealed that he “demanded that Israel bring back a very large group of planes, which were heading directly to Tehran, looking for a big day” in the final hours of the war. “Tremendous damage would have ensued, and many Iranians would have been killed,” he stressed.

The America First leader noted that he had been considering lifting sanctions on Iran to aid in its recovery, but abandoned these plans following Khamenei’s remarks. “Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them,” Trump warned.

Khamenei claimed that the Islamic Republic delivered a “hand slap to America’s face” and dismissed the bombing of its nuclear sites as “showmanship.” He also claimed that Israel had been “practically knocked out and crushed” by Iran during the conflict.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
William Upton
Politics

The Senate GOP Has Canceled Friday’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Vote.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has cancelled a Friday vote on President Donald J. Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ after a number of key provisions were determined to violate the Byrd Rule by the Democrat-appointed Parliamentarian. Senate Republicans are now aiming for a vote over the weekend after more changes to the legislation are made.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Republicans, Majority Leader John Thune, President Trump, and the Senate Parliamentarian.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The reconciliation legislation was originally slated to move to the Senate floor on Friday, June 27, 2025.

🎯IMPACT: The delay could jeopardize President Trump’s July 4 deadline to sign the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ into law. If the Senate is unable to make changes to comply with the Parliamentarian’s rulings, key provisions could be stripped from the legislation.

IN FULL

Senate Republicans are delaying a final vote on the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill‘ until this weekend as lawmakers scramble to make changes to the legislation in order to conform to rulings issued by the Senate Parliamentarian on Byrd Rule compliance. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had aimed for a Friday vote on the bill.

The rush to revise provisions in the reconciliation bill to conform to the Byrd Rule likely means the Senate will not be able to move a final version of the legislation to the floor until at least Saturday afternoon, barring any further rulings from the Parliamentarian. The National Pulse reported on Thursday that Thune had ruled out several maneuvers to overrule the Parliamentarian, as well as the possibility of firing her outright.

Notably, despite pulling the Friday vote, Thune is allowing a roll call vote this evening on a War Powers Resolution aimed at constraining President Trump’s ability to take any further military action against Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The lack of urgency shown by Senate Republican leaders has rankled pro-Trump lawmakers in both legislative chambers. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) slammed Thune in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, writing, “The UN-ELECTED Parliamentarian is no different than the radical far left judges and Jerome Powell!!!! Thune needs to over rule her or FIRE HER!!!”

Meanwhile, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) was even more blunt in a media interview, stating: “We need to start voting… and the jackassery has to stop.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
William Upton
Breaking

BREAKING: Trump Terminates Trade Talks With Canada.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has broken off trade talks with Canada after America’s northern neighbor announced it would implement a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Canada, the United States, and U.S. technology companies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Friday, June 27, 2025, on Trump’s Truth Social platform.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,” President Trump wrote.

🎯IMPACT: President Trump indicated the U.S. would retaliate against the Canadian tax on U.S. technology companies by imposing a new round of tariffs on Canadian businesses.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States is ending all trade negotiations with Canada “effective immediately” after the country announced it would impose a digital services tax on American technology companies. The United States and Canada had been engaged in protracted trade talks for weeks, with the negotiations being frustrated by the steep tariffs America’s northern neighbor imposes on U.S. farmers.

“We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He continued: “They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also. Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.”

“We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump added.

In recent weeks, the Trump White House has made significant progress in bilateral trade negotiations with a number of countries. After announcing a global 10 percent tariff in April, the United States has struck trade agreements with both the United Kingdom and China. Additional talks with key trade partners like India and Japan remain ongoing, and agreements with both nations appear imminent.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Health
Politics

SCOTUS Just Upheld This Obamacare Provision.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as “Obamacare.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The ruling was issued by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh authoring the opinion. Other justices in the majority included John Roberts, Sonya Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was handed down in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025, with the case focusing on the appointment and oversight of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Health Secretary may review recommendations from the task force before they take effect,” the court ruled, acknowledging the oversight role of the Health Secretary.

🎯IMPACT: An estimated 150 million Americans benefitted from the preventive healthcare provision in 2020 alone, which includes services like cancer screenings and immunizations.

IN FULL

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that a crucial provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as “Obamacare,” is constitutional. The case specifically examined the appointment process for members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel responsible for determining which preventive health services private insurance companies must cover at no cost to patients. Notably, this task force is responsible for having implemented Obamacare’s contraception mandate.

The court’s decision, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh and supported by five other justices, also clarified that members of the task force can be removed at will by the Health Secretary, currently Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Additionally, the Health Secretary has the authority to review the task force’s recommendations before they are implemented. However, the case specifically revolved around the provision of PrEP, a pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, which some plaintiffs argued violated their religious beliefs.

The plaintiffs, represented by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell, received backing from Republican and conservative groups. Despite this, the Obamacare provision was defended by the Biden government, with significant opposition to ending the provision coming from public health groups, hospitals, and Democratic attorneys general. The case continued under the Trump administration following the 2024 presidential election.

The Supreme Court has now ended one of the last significant legal challenges to Obamacare, suggesting any future attempts to undo the law through the courts will prove unfruitful.

Image by Domenico Convertini.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
William Upton
Breaking

BREAKING: SCOTUS Rules Schools Cannot Impose LGBT Ideology on Children Against Parents’ Wishes.

The United States Supreme Court ruled six to three on Friday in favor of a group of Maryland parents seeking opt-outs to prevent their children from being exposed to LGBTQ books and materials “designed to ‘disrupt’ children’s thinking about sexuality and gender.” According to the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board, teachers are not required to notify parents when using LGBTQ materials, prompting the parents to sue and seek an injunction against the policy.

“Today, we hold that the parents have shown that they are entitled to a preliminary injunction. A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining’ the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. “And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents’ acceptance of such instruction. Based on these principles, we conclude that the parents are likely to succeed in their challenge to the Board’s policies.”

“The practice of educating one’s children in one’s religious beliefs, like all religious acts and practices, receives a generous measure of protection from our Constitution,” Alito explained, adding: “And this is not merely a right to teach religion in the confines of one’s own home. Rather, it extends to the choices that parents wish to make for their children outside the home. It protects, for example, a parent’s decision to send his or her child to a private religious school instead of a public school.”

“Specifically, until all appellate review in this case is completed, the Board should be ordered to notify them in advance whenever one of the books in question or any other similar book is to be used in any way and to allow them to have their children excused from that instruction,” the ruling concludes.

Image by Quinn Dombrowski.

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The United States Supreme Court ruled six to three on Friday in favor of a group of Maryland parents seeking opt-outs to prevent their children from being exposed to LGBTQ books and materials "designed to 'disrupt' children’s thinking about sexuality and gender." According to the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board, teachers are not required to notify parents when using LGBTQ materials, prompting the parents to sue and seek an injunction against the policy. show more
By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
William Upton
Breaking

BREAKING: SCOTUS Limits Lawfare Against Trump, Stays Birthright Citizenship Injunction.

The United States Supreme Court has put an end, in part, to the use of nationwide injunctions from federal courts limiting the executive branch. On Friday, the high court—considering a combination of three cases—granted the Trump administration’s request to partially stay the injunctions, stating that the orders “are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue.”

Writing for the six-judge majority, Justice Amy Coney Barrett argued, “[F]ederal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them. When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too.”

This ruling marks a significant victory for President Donald J. Trump, as lower federal courts will now only be allowed to grant injunctive relief in their respective jurisdictions and cannot issue blanket nationwide blocks against executive branch directives.  Notably, the ruling also signals the potential likelihood that the Trump White House will succeed on the merits of the three cases used to win the stay order. Critically, one of the cases involves President Trump’s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship.

While the decision largely curtails nationwide injunctions, there remains—as noted by Justice Samuel Alito—a modicum of ‘wiggle room’ for lower courts to issue injunctions beyond their jurisdiction.

Image by Billy Wilson.

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The United States Supreme Court has put an end, in part, to the use of nationwide injunctions from federal courts limiting the executive branch. On Friday, the high court—considering a combination of three cases—granted the Trump administration's request to partially stay the injunctions, stating that the orders "are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue." show more
By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Politics

NYC’s Mamdani: Race Rioting ‘Has to Happen.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani defended the Black Lives Matter riots in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020, describing the violence as necessary and grounded in racial justice solidarity.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, Minneapolis rioters, local business owners, and social media users.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Minneapolis and New York City, May 30, 2020; Mamdani’s social media post resurfaced June 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While politicians & pundits condemn the uprising in Minneapolis from TV studios thousands of miles away, those at the center of it – even those who are hurting – understand why it’s happening. And why it has to happen. Black + brown solidarity will overcome white supremacy.” – Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

🎯IMPACT: Mamdani’s comments on Minneapolis highlight his promotion of racial grievance politics and pro-criminal stance, with opponents accusing him of condoning riots and racial unrest in pursuit of radical politics.

IN FULL

In a resurfaced post on Twitter, now X, from May 30, 2020, New York City Assemblyman and current Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appeared to justify the Minneapolis riots that followed the death of George Floyd. While referencing the destruction of local businesses and escalating violence, Mamdani stated: “While politicians & pundits condemn the uprising in Minneapolis from TV studios thousands of miles away, those at the center of it – even those who are hurting – understand why it’s happening. And why it has to happen. Black + brown solidarity will overcome white supremacy.”

The post was a response to journalist Molly Hensley-Clancy, citing a restaurant business destroyed during the riots whose owner stated, “Let my building burn, justice needs to be served.”

Critics say Mamdani’s statement shows explicit sympathy for violent rioters and a willingness to frame destruction as a justified tool of political expression.

Mamdani has a long history of advocating for the abolition of police, so-called “decarcerations” of jail and prison inmates, and systemic dismantling of the criminal justice and law enforcement apparatus, stating in 2020, “White supremacy has many faces, from the police & prison systems in America to occupation & apartheid in Palestine.”

The Uganda-born “Twelver” Muslim previously wrote that “as socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system.”

He has also stated, “As socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system that props up the exploitation of the market by surveilling, caging & killing those fighting to survive under capitalism. We can abolish that system.”

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Wake Up Right
Health

RFK Jr. Pulls Funding From Bill Gates-Backed Global Vaccine Group.

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced the U.S. would cut off funding to GAVI, a Bill Gates-backed global vaccine alliance, until it takes steps to “re-earn the public’s trust.”

The details: In a short pre-recorded speech shown at a GAVI meeting in Brussels this week, Kennedy criticized the global vaccine group, primarily due to its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kennedy says the organization:

  • Pushed “social media companies to silence dissenting views” and “stifle free speech.”
  • Made “questionable recommendations” such as “encouraging pregnant women to receive COVID-19 vaccines.”

DPT vaccine: Kennedy singles out GAVI’s promotion of the DTP vaccine in developing countries, citing major peer-reviewed studies showing that girls who receive it are up to 10 times more likely to die from all causes within their first six months of life. Notably, the DTP vaccine is no longer used in the developed world.

  • GAVI responded to this in a statement saying it “continues to have full confidence” in the DTP vaccine.

The numbers: The United States contributes roughly $300 million annually to GAVI.

No more cash: RFK Jr. says the U.S. will not contribute to GAVI until it can “re-earn the public trust” and “justify the $8 billion that America has provided in funding since 2001.”

Ties to Gates: GAVI has strong ties to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is its largest private donor, contributing $7.7 billion to it over the last 25 years. Bill Gates has been a vocal mouthpiece for COVID-19 vaccines.

The last word goes to Kennedy, who said: “Business as usual is over. Unaccountable and opaque policy-making is over… I invite all of you to join us in a new era of evidence-based medicine.”

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HHS Secretary RFK Jr. announced the U.S. would cut off funding to GAVI, a Bill Gates-backed global vaccine alliance, until it takes steps to "re-earn the public's trust." show more
By Popular Demand.
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