❓WHAT HAPPENED: Weekly jobless claims in the U.S. fell modestly, dropping by 3,000 to 224,000 for the week ending August 9.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Labor Department reported the data, which reflects trends in layoffs and unemployment benefits.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The report covers the week ending August 9, with data released on Thursday.
🎯IMPACT: The data indicates a stable labor market, with the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits falling to 1.96 million.
IN FULL
The number of Americans who are filing for unemployment benefits fell modestly last week, continuing to reflect a stable labor market. The U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday that benefit applications for the week ending August 9 dropped by 3,000 to 224,000, coming in well below the forecasted 230,000 new applicants.
Importantly, weekly jobless claims are regarded as a key indicator of layoffs and the overall health of the labor market. Since the U.S. economy began recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, claims have largely stayed within a historically healthy range of 200,000 to 250,000.
The report also noted that the four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose slightly by 750 to 221,750. Despite this minor increase, the trend remains consistent with a robust labor market.
Additionally, the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits for the week ending August 2 fell by 15,000 to 1.96 million. The ongoing stability of the job market may increase pressure on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates—a major point of contention between the central banker and President Donald J. Trump.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the Trump administration for its efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine and expressed optimism about upcoming meetings on nuclear arms control.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, and senior officials from both nations.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Meetings between Trump and Putin are set to take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, following remarks by Putin on Thursday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The current American administration… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict,” Putin said.
🎯IMPACT: The potential for a peace deal hinges on agreements over Ukraine and nuclear arms control.
IN FULL
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the Trump administration on Thursday for its “energetic” and “sincere” efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking at a press briefing, he voiced optimism about planned meetings in Anchorage, Alaska, which he said could establish “long-term conditions for peace between our countries, as well as in Europe, and in the world as a whole.”
“The current American administration… is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict,” the Russian leader continued, also stressoing the need for nuclear arms control agreements, referencing the 2011 New START treaty, which limits strategic nuclear weapons but is due to expire in 2026. Trump has often expressed his view that “nuclear warming” is the greatest threat facing mankind.
President Donald J. Trump appears hopeful that a deal can be reached, but he has voiced skepticism over Putin’s intentions in recent weeks. “We get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said last month, adding: “He’s very nice all of the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” He has also warned of “severe consequences” for Russia if the Ukraine conflict continues, including sweeping secondary sanctions on its trading partners.
Trump has said he believes the Alaska meeting “sets up the second meeting,” where the details of a peace deal can be hammered out—”but there is a 25 percent chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting.”
The America First leader has said he expects press conferences following the meeting, although they may be separate rather than joint “if the meeting doesn’t end well.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Dash cam footage shows South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial candidate William “Mullins” McLeod being arrested in May, wearing only underwear and shoes, while behaving erratically and making bizarre statements.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: William “Mullins” McLeod, South Carolina gubernatorial Democratic candidate, and Charleston police officers.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrest occurred in May in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The footage was recently released through a Freedom of Information Act request.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil. Superman sounds good.” – William “Mullins” McLeod
🎯IMPACT: McLeod faces calls from his own party to withdraw from the 2026 gubernatorial race, with party leadership urging him to focus on his well-being.
IN FULL
A leading South Carolina Democratic Party candidate for governor is facing calls to drop out of the race despite having only announced his run on Monday, August 11. Prominent Charleston Democrat and attorney, William “Mullins” McLeod, is under mounting scrutiny after bizarre dash cam footage from his May arrest was released.
The footage, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA), shows McLeod being arrested in downtown Charleston while wearing only underwear and shoes. Police reports indicate he was “yelling at the top of his lungs” and exhibiting behavior consistent with being under the influence of a stimulant narcotic.
During the arrest, McLeod referred to himself as “God” and “Superman” and threatened to “kick [an opponent’s] f**king teeth in.” He also issued threats toward current and former South Carolina politicians, including Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson. McLeod repeatedly refused to provide his name to officers, stating, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me. I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil.”
McLeod, who launched his campaign for governor earlier this week, is facing calls from South Carolina Democratic Party leadership to step down. Christale Spain, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, stated, “After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor.” At one point, McLeod can be heard saying the n-word in the dash camera footage.
McLeod has branded his arrest as “unlawful” and defended his actions, saying, “The only thing I’d ask the voters is to please give me a little bit of grace and know that long before we go to election day, they’ll know exactly what happened.” He added that his arrest was a violation of his “God-given, constitutional right to be in a public place.”
McLeod is currently facing misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced plans to seek long-term extensions from Congress to maintain federal control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Congressional Republicans, and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made at the Kennedy Center on the evening of August 13, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously,” said President Trump.
🎯IMPACT: Federal oversight of D.C. police could extend beyond the 30-day limit, requiring bipartisan support in Congress.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump announced late Wednesday that the White House will pursue “long-term extensions” from Congress to maintain control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). This move is part of the administration’s broader effort to address crime in the nation’s capital. “I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously,” Trump stated.
On Monday, the President signed an Executive Order directing the D.C. mayor to provide the MPD’s services for federal use. The order utilizes provisions of the 1973 Home Rule Act, which allows the President to federalize D.C. police forces for 48 hours, extendable up to 30 days with congressional notification. Any further extensions require a joint resolution from Congress.
Speaking at the Kennedy Center, Trump emphasized the need for a long-term solution. “We’re going to need a crime bill that we’re going to be putting in and it’s going to pertain initially to D.C. We’re going to be asking for extensions on that, long-term extensions, because you can’t have 30 days,” he said. While Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, at least seven Democratic votes would be needed in the Senate to meet the 60-vote threshold for passage.
The President remarked that he could extend the federal takeover without Congressional approval in the event of a national emergency, but clarified, “I don’t want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will, but I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. air and naval forces are deploying to the Southern Caribbean Sea following President Donald J. Trump’s directive targeting Latin American drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the Pentagon, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The operations are set to take place in the Southern Caribbean Sea, with recent developments over the past week.
💬KEY QUOTE: “To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself.” – Pam Bondi
🎯IMPACT: The deployment aims to combat narco-terrorist organizations and reduce the flow of deadly drugs into the United States.
IN FULL
U.S. air and naval forces are deploying to the Southern Caribbean Sea after President Donald J. Trump ordered the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug cartels. Sources familiar with the plan report that, following Trump’s directive, the Defense Department has started deploying troops to counter “threats to U.S. national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organizations in the region.”
President Trump signed an order last week to send U.S. troops to conduct anti-cartel operations abroad, though the specific cartels targeted remain undisclosed. After taking office, Trump designated seven drug cartels and two international criminal gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), most of which operate primarily in Mexico. However, the reported troop deployment to the South Caribbean Sea suggests a focus on Central and South America.
Venezuela, located along the South Caribbean Sea, has recently drawn the Trump administration’s attention. Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, the State Department designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and the Cartel de los Soles as FTOs.
Trump has intensified pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, increasing the bounty on him to $50 million and highlighting his connections to transnational gangs and drug cartels. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Maduro of collaborating with the Mexican Sinaloa cartel “to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country.” Bondi stated earlier this month, “To date, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself.”
Trump has already deployed the military and expanded military zones along the U.S.-Mexico border to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking, with increased aerial surveillance of Mexican cartels to gather intelligence on traffickers smuggling drugs like fentanyl into the U.S.
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President Donald J. Trump shook up the annual Kennedy Center Honors—opting to unveil nominees like Sylvester Stallone and George Strait himself at a live press conference rather than through a press release.
The details: Trump revealed that this year’s 48th annual honorees will include:
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💪 Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone
🤠 Legendary country singer George Strait
🎸 Legendary rock band KISS
🎭️ Phantom of the Opera star Michael Crawford
🪩 Iconic disco-era singer Gloria Gaynor [I remember my mom playing her cassettes].
Back up: During the Biden regime, the Kennedy Center hosted a drag show titled “Dragtastic Dress-up” which was aimed at LGBTQ children.
Zoom out: Since taking office, Trump has sought to reform the Kennedy Center. He replaced the entire board, which then elected him as chairman. And he appointed Richard Grenell as its president.
Anti-woke awards: Trump said he turned down some suggested winners for being too “woke” and added: “Look at the Academy Awards. It gets lousy ratings now. It’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump.”
Big picture: The Kennedy Center Honors used to be a big-time event. But in recent years, its prestige and viewership have slipped. Trump appears to be righting the ship.
President Donald J. Trump shook up the annual Kennedy Center Honors—opting to unveil nominees like Sylvester Stallone and George Strait himself at a live press conference rather than through a press release.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Multiple major companies announced billions of dollars in investments to expand U.S.-based manufacturing and create thousands of American jobs.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: AbbVie, Apple, Century Aluminum, Ford, GE Appliances, and President Donald J. Trump’s administration.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcements made over the past week, boosting U.S. manufacturing plants across multiple states.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Historic trade victories and pro-American policies are bringing factories, jobs, and prosperity back to our country like never before.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: Significant job creation, increased manufacturing capacity, and billions in investments aimed at revitalizing American industry.
IN FULL
The American manufacturing economy is seeing a surge of investment driven by President Donald J. Trump’s tariff and deregulation policies. Over the past several weeks, numerous major companies—including AbbVie, Apple, Century Aluminum, Ford, and GE Appliances—have announced they will either shift production from overseas back to the United States or will expand existing domestic manufacturing facilities.
“Under President Donald J. Trump’s bold leadership and unwavering commitment to putting America First, our nation is witnessing an unprecedented surge in manufacturing investments and job creation,” the Trump White House said in a statement on Wednesday. “Historic trade victories and pro-American policies are bringing factories, jobs, and prosperity back to our country like never before—delivering big wins for hardworking Americans.”
AbbVie announced a $195 million investment to expand its American-based drug production capacity. Apple revealed plans to increase its U.S. investment to $600 billion over the next four years, bringing additional components of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing back home. This move will directly create 20,000 new American jobs and many thousands more across its suppliers.
Century Aluminum announced it will invest $50 million to revive its South Carolina manufacturing plant for the first time in a decade, returning its production to 2015 peak levels. Ford disclosed a $5 billion investment across its Kentucky and Michigan plants to develop a new midsize truck and advanced batteries.
Meanwhile, GE Appliances announced a $3 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing, onshoring 1,000 jobs and expanding its plants across five states.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court overturned a block on an Arkansas law prohibiting transgender medical procedures for minors, allowing the legislation to take effect.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Arkansas lawmakers, and Republican officials, including Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on August 12 and pertains to Arkansas—the first state to pass such legislation.
💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a win for common sense—and for our kids,” Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
🎯IMPACT: The decision allows Arkansas to enforce its law, which has inspired similar legislation in over two dozen states.
IN FULL
An Arkansas law that bars medical professionals from inflicting transgender-related drug and hormone therapies or mutilation surgeries on minors can now be enforced, following a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In an 8-2 ruling issued Tuesday, the court overturned a previous block on the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, which was originally passed four years ago.
The SAFE Act prohibits doctors from performing surgeries such as breast or genital removal on minors, prescribing puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, and referring children for such treatments. Lawmakers have cited the procedures’ often irreversible effects on fertility, bone density, and physical development as justification for the law.
“The question is whether this Nation’s history and tradition, as well as its historical understanding of ordered liberty, support the right of a parent to obtain for his or her child a medical treatment that, although the child desires it and a doctor approves, the state legislature deems inappropriate for minors. This court finds no such right in this Nation’s history and tradition,” the court’s majority wrote in their opinion.
The ruling closely follows a recent Supreme Court decision upholding Tennessee’s similar ban on transgender procedures for minors. The Eighth Circuit judges referred to that case multiple times in their opinion.
The Arkansas law had been blocked since July 2021 by a district judge, following a lawsuit brought by four transgender minors and two medical providers. The plaintiffs argued the law violated the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses. However, the appeals court rejected their arguments, stating, “To the contrary, the Act does not classify based on transgender status. Like the Tennessee law upheld by the Supreme Court, the Act effectively divides minors into two groups. In one group are minors seeking drugs or surgeries for the purposes that the Act prohibits. In the other group are minors seeking drugs or surgeries for purposes the Act does not prohibit.”
Arkansas Republican leaders praised the court’s decision. “I applaud the court’s decision and am pleased that children in Arkansas will be protected from experimental procedures,” said Attorney General Tim Griffin.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders added, “Arkansas’ first-in-the-nation law to protect kids from life-altering gender experiments is back in effect!”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The town of Mason, Tennessee, approved plans to convert a former prison into a migrant detention facility operated by CoreCivic.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mason town officials, CoreCivic, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and local residents.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Mason, Tennessee, at a town meeting on Tuesday night.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m looking for the best interest of the town,” said Mason Mayor Eddie Noeman, emphasizing the potential for job creation.
🎯IMPACT: The decision increased ICE’s capacity and could boost Mason’s economy.
IN FULL
The small town of Mason, Tennessee, has approved a plan to convert a former prison into a migrant detention facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following the approval of its contract, CoreCivic, a private prison company, will operate the site.
The facility, which had been closed since 2021 after former President Joe Biden ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end contracts with private detention centers, is now being revived. On January 20, President Donald J. Trump rescinded Biden’s order, clearing the way for such facilities to reopen.
At an August 12 town meeting, tensions ran high as dozens of pro-illegal immigrant protesters descended. However, with a population of just 1,337 and a median household income of around $47,000, Mason sees the project as an economic opportunity. Mayor Eddie Noeman, an Egyptian-American immigrant, emphasized the town’s decision “has nothing to do with anything going on inside” the facility but is instead about “creating jobs and benefiting the town.”
As the Trump administration intensifies efforts to deport illegal immigrants, other states have also partnered with ICE to repurpose facilities. For instance, in Indiana, part of the Miami Correctional Center was recently transformed into a migrant detention site known as the “Speedway Slammer.” A site in Florida nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” has also been opened in recent weeks, with President Donald J. Trump personally inspecting it.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s Democratic mayoral nominee, held an anti-Trump campaign event in Staten Island as part of his “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, Staten Island District Leader Jasmine Robinson, and Staten Island Democratic Association President Ali Ansari.
📍WHEN & WHERE: August 13 at the Istanbul Bay Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant in Staten Island.
💬KEY QUOTE: “As we gather here on an island, where nearly 1 in 4 were born outside of this country, an island where 30 percent of its residents speak a language other than English, it’s an island that we know is not immune from this horrific crackdown,” Mamdani said of Trump’s deportation drive.
🎯IMPACT: Mamdani is setting himself up to turn America’s largest city into an anti-Trump stronghold should he claim the mayoralty.
IN FULL
Foreign-born Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani took his outspoken opposition to President Donald J. Trump’s immigration policies to Staten Island on Wednesday, continuing his citywide “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour. The event was hosted at Istanbul Bay Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant, where Mamdani took aim at Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
“As we gather here on an island where nearly one in four were born outside of this country, an island where 30 percent of its residents speak a language other than English, it’s an island that we know is not immune from this horrific crackdown,” Mamdani told the crowd. “And we know that it has nothing to do with safety. It has to do with punishment.”
A central pillar of Mamdani’s campaign has been shielding illegal immigrants from the law and confronting federal immigration efforts head-on. According to the Ugandan immigrant’s campaign platform, his policy proposals include removing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from all municipal properties and bolstering sanctuary protections across New York City.
Mamdani’s defiance of Trump’s immigration stance has become a driving force behind his candidacy, which surged following his win in the June Democratic primary. During the primary, the Muslim radical and self-described socialist aligned himself with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who made headlines after being briefly detained by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents for disrupting an arrest involving a migrant.
Describing his goals for the city, Mamdani has said he envisions a New York that rejects “Donald Trump’s fascism,” and wants to put an end to mass deportations. Mamdani has also stated he is willing to abolish private property and prisons. He has previously called the New York City Police Department (NYPD) “racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.”
The NYC election is scheduled for November 4. Mamdani will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. State Department released its annual Human Rights Report, highlighting serious and growing restrictions on freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The State Department, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government in the United Kingdom, and individuals targeted by the British government for their speech.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The report was released on August 12, 2025, with the relevant sections focusing on events in the United Kingdom.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Societies are strengthened by free expression of opinion, and government censorship is intolerable in a free society.” – State Department Press Secretary Tammy Bruce
🎯IMPACT: The report underscores growing concerns about free speech collapsing in Britain.
IN FULL
The Trump administration has raised concerns about the collapse of free speech protections in the United Kingdom, warning that government censorship is becoming more widespread. In its annual Human Rights Report, the U.S. State Department cited “credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression” in Britain, adding that the situation had “worsened” in 2024 following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s election win last July, returning the leftist Labour Party to power for the first time in 14 years.
The report criticized the United Kingdom’s controversial Online Safety Act, which allegedly aims to tackle harmful online content, such as child pornography, but has drawn criticism for stifling political speech on issues such as immigration. It also examines the British government’s response to the mass murder of young children by the son of two asylum seekers in Southport, England, accusing officials of using the incident to suppress speech.
While not named in the report, Lucy Connolly, a former childminder and wife of a Conservative Party councillor, was reportedly of interest to the White House. Connolly was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for a post on X after the Southport killings, in which she wrote: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while you’re at it, take the treacherous government and politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it.”
Critics claim her sentence is part of a “two-tier justice” system, with some voices facing harsher consequences than others for speech. For instance, Salman Iftikhar, a Pakistani businessman with the British equivalent of a green card, received only 15 months for physically accosting a white air stewardess and telling her she would be “dragged by [her] hair” from the specific hotel where cabin crew were staying and “gang raped and set on fire”. He added that “the white sheep-shagging bitch will be dead. The floor of [her] hotel will be blown up and it will disappear.”
The U.S. report also referenced Adam Smith-Connor, a 51-year-old veteran convicted in 2023 for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in memory of his aborted son. His case was cited by Vice President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where he warned that Britain was facing a “crisis of censorship.”
State Department Press Secretary Tammy Bruce said: “We consider freedom of expression to be a foundational component of a functioning democracy,” adding: “Societies are strengthened by free expression of opinion, and government censorship is intolerable in a free society.”
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