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Saturday, October 11, 2025

Month: August 2025
August 19, 2025
Economy
Politics

Bank Execs Reveal Pressure to ‘Debank’ Customers Under Biden, Obama Regimes.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order outlawing debanking practices. Senior banking executives have since revealed that the Biden and Obama governments pressured them to debank customers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Banking executives, President Donald J. Trump, and former Presidents Obama and Biden.

📍WHEN & WHERE: From the Obama administration to the present day, in the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Those pressures were very, very real. When your regulator gives you a suggestion, it’s not a suggestion, it’s an order.” – Senior Banking Executive

🎯IMPACT: President Trump’s order aims to prevent banks from denying services based on political views, addressing concerns of political discrimination.

IN FULL

In the wake of President Donald J. Trump’s executive order banning “debanking,” top banking executives have alleged that both the Barack Obama and Joe Biden regimes pressured financial institutions to cut off services to individuals and industries based on political or ideological views.

“Debanking,” the practice of closing bank accounts or denying services, often without explanation, has drawn growing criticism from conservatives and religious groups in recent years. Although linked initially to anti–money laundering regulations, it is now being weaponized for political discrimination.

Two anonymous executives from major U.S. banks said regulators exploited vague federal laws to push banks to deny services. They pointed to programs like “Operation Choke Point,” launched under the Obama regime to target fraud-prone industries, as laying the groundwork. That pressure, they said, continued under Biden.

“Those pressures were very, very real. When your regulator gives you a suggestion, it’s not a suggestion, it’s an order. The political stuff is very real, those pressures are real,” one of the senior executives said.

President Trump has issued an executive order prohibiting banks from denying services based on political beliefs. The order directs federal agencies to investigate claims of politically motivated debanking.

JPMorgan Chase and other major financial institutions have updated internal policies, stating they do not close accounts based on political affiliation. Still, bank executives said that regulators continue pressuring them to flag “suspicious activities,” potentially resulting in indirect debanking.

Trump’s own businesses became the subject of a high-profile debanking case. In March 2025, the Trump Organization sued Capital One, alleging that over 300 business accounts were closed in 2021 due to “unsubstantiated, ‘woke’ beliefs.” The lawsuit alleged the bank believed “the political tide at the moment favored doing so.” Trump’s team said the closures caused “considerable financial harm.”

Debanking has also been used against populists internationally. In the United Kingdom, Reform Party leader Nigel Farage was debanked by Coutts, which claimed his views were “not compatible” with the bank’s values. After public backlash and an attempt to deceive the press about the reasons for the account closure, the bank apologized and paid Farage a settlement.

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August 19, 2025
Immigration
NatSec

Trump Moves to Bar Immigrants Engaged in ‘Anti-Americanism.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its guidance on discretionary factors in benefit requests, focusing on anti-American and anti-Semitic activity.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: USCIS and spokesman Matthew Tragesser.

📍WHEN & WHERE: August 19, 2025, USCIS Policy Manual update.

💬KEY QUOTE: “America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.” – Matthew Tragesser

🎯IMPACT: Enhanced vetting on social media for anti-American activities, affecting benefit requests.

IN FULL

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will now place additional scrutiny on “certain benefit requests where an exercise of discretion is required,” including whether an applicant has “any involvement in anti-American or terrorist organizations.” The updated guidance also expands USCIS reviews to social media vetting for benefit requests, incorporating reviews for anti-American activities. According to the agency, such activities will be considered overwhelmingly negative in any discretionary analysis.

Matthew Tragesser, a spokesman for USCIS, stated, “America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible.”

“Immigration benefits—including to live and work in the United States—remain a privilege, not a right,” he added.

The guidance emphasizes that compliance with immigration laws is crucial in determining favorable discretion. It also updates the Policy Manual to provide additional guidance for cases involving support for terrorist organizations, anti-American ideologies, anti-Semitic terrorism, and related activities.

In addition, USCIS states that the new guidance will “clarify how an exercise of discretion is applied when adjudicating an EB-5 investor petition or application in cases involving threats to the national interest, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, and criminal misuse.”

While U.S. immigration law already restricts certain benefits for foreign nationals with ties to certain political ideologies and terrorist groups, the new measures aim to increase the scrutiny of these associations.

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August 19, 2025
Crime

DOJ Investigates Manipulation of Crime Stats by D.C. Police Leaders.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating whether the leadership of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has manipulated crime data to make rates appear lower.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The investigation involves the U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, and focuses on Commander Michael Pulliam, among other officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The probe, revealed on Tuesday, August 19, follows the suspension of MPD Commander Pulliam earlier this year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing!” — President Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The investigation raises broader questions about the reliability of crime statistics in Democrat-run jurisdictions.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a formal investigation into allegations that the leadership of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) manipulated crime data to present a lower crime rate, according to two senior law enforcement officials. The investigation is being led by the U.S. Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, following the suspension of MPD Commander Michael Pulliam after he was accused by the D.C. Police Union of altering crime statistics earlier this year. Pulliam has denied the accusations.

President Donald J. Trump addressed the investigation on Truth Social, writing, “D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing!” He also touted his administration’s efforts to increase safety in the area through federal law enforcement and National Guard mobilization.

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has defended the city’s crime statistics, claiming violent crime has decreased by 26 percent compared to last year. However, Gregg Pemberton, head of the D.C. Police Union, expressed skepticism last week during a media interview. “I think there are some concerns about the accuracy of the numbers,” Pemberton said, suggesting there may be a pattern of manipulating data to downplay crime levels.

“What we know, what our members know, is that we go call to call to call out on the streets at night, going from robbery to carjacking to stabbing to shooting, and we just know that crime is ubiquitous, and it’s all in every quadrant of the city,” Pemberton stressed. He described recorded decreases in crime as “preposterous” and unreflective of the reality on the ground.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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August 19, 2025
News

Trump Appointee Jeff Miller Is Lobbying for Universities Undermining Trump’s Agenda.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Jeff Miller, a strategist and lobbyist appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum by President Donald J. Trump, was hired by Cornell and Northwestern University to negotiate settlements over their handling of anti-Semitism and pro-Hamas agitators.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jeff Miller, investigative reporter Laura Loomer, Cornell University, Northwestern University, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: These developments occurred in 2025, in tandem with Cornell and Northwestern’s negotiations with the Department of Justice (DOJ) over anti-Semitism and federal funding.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Perhaps President Trump should remove this lobbyist from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.” – Laura Loomer

🎯IMPACT: Miller could undermine Trump’s efforts to hold universities accountable for anti-Semitism, raising questions about his appointment.

IN FULL

Jeff Miller, a strategist and lobbyist with significant ties to President Donald J. Trump, has been hired by Cornell University and Northwestern University. This comes as these institutions face penalties from the Trump administration over their handling of antisemitism and pro-Hamas activities on campus.

Despite being appointed by President Trump to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and serving on the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Miller is now representing these universities in their negotiations with the Department of Justice (DOJ). Investigative reporter Laura Loomer has described the move as “a striking display of hypocrisy and a desire to monetize access to Trump for the purpose of undermining Trump.”

The Trump administration has been stringent with universities like Cornell and Northwestern, freezing substantial federal funding, among other penalties, due to accusations of fostering hostile environments for Jewish students and discriminating against Asian and white applicants. The DOJ has demanded settlements, with Columbia University recently agreeing to an over $200 million payout. Cornell and Northwestern are in talks for similar agreements.

Miller’s firm, Miller Strategies, has seen rapid growth since Trump’s reelection, representing major companies and universities which often have anti-conservative stances. His involvement with Cornell and Northwestern, institutions that have publicly clashed with Trump, is seen as a betrayal of his role in Trump’s administration, as well as a betrayal of his Jewish advocacy—a point stressed by Loomer, who is also Jewish.

“What makes Miller’s involvement particularly contentious is his Jewish identity and his role on the board of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, as well as his position on the national board of the Republican Jewish Coalition,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “These affiliations position him as a prominent figure in Jewish advocacy, making his decision to represent universities accused of failing to protect Jewish students unforgivable.”

She added that Miller is “effectively aiding anti-Trump institutions that have been criticized for enabling antisemitic environments, which is antithetical to his public commitment to combating antisemitism and preserving Holocaust memory, which is what Trump appointed him to do.”

Loomer and others are calling on President Trump to reconsider Miller’s position at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, as his actions appear to contradict the administration’s goals of holding universities accountable for antisemitism.

Image by Claude-Étienne Armingaud.

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August 19, 2025
Crime

MS-13 Gangster Caught in D.C. After Trump Takeover.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federalized law enforcement, under the direction of President Donald J. Trump, made 52 arrests in Washington, D.C.—including an MS-13 gang member with prior convictions—on Monday night as part of a broader crime crackdown.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal and local law enforcement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Trump administration, with criticism from Democrat D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Washington, D.C., on Monday night, August 18, 2025, as part of ongoing operations since August 7, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “At the direction of [President Trump], our nation’s capital is a SAFER place—and we are just getting started.” – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi

🎯IMPACT: Over 450 arrests have been made since August 7, despite significant pushback from local Democratic leaders over federal involvement in D.C.’s policing.

IN FULL

Monday night saw a new round of arrests totalling 52 suspects by federal and local law enforcement in Washington, D.C., under the direction of President Donald J. Trump. Among those apprehended is an alleged member of the violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang with prior convictions for driving while intoxicated and drug possession. Notably, MS-13 was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by President Trump in February.

“At the direction of [President Trump], our nation’s capital is a SAFER place—and we are just getting started. [Fifty-two] arrests were made last night, including an MS-13 gang member, and [nine] firearms were taken off the streets,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. She added, “Since our mission began, there have been a total of 465 arrests, 68 guns seized, and charges for homicide, narcotics, and firearm offenses. Nearly half of these arrests occurred in the high-crime areas of D.C. Residents and tourists alike appreciate this extraordinary effort by our DC and Federal law enforcement partners.”

The White House reported that out of 212 non-immigration arrests, 101 occurred in Wards 7 and 8, areas known for higher crime rates. Federal authorities also cleared four homeless encampments on Monday.

Meanwhile, Washington D.C.’s Democrat mayor, Muriel Bowser, criticized the federalization of the city’s police force, calling it “an intrusion on our autonomy.” Speaking at a community town hall, she urged residents to resist what she described as an “authoritarian push” and to work towards electing a Democratic-controlled Congress to counter the Trump White House. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb echoed her concerns, tweeting that the deployment of armed soldiers undermines public safety and democracy.

The Trump administration has defended its actions, with Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating that ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been deployed to “clean up the streets of our nation’s capital.” She added, “Our message is clear: Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States.” Bondi also recently issued an order overriding D.C.’s sanctuary policies, ensuring compliance between local police and federal immigration authorities.

The D.C. Police Union also appears happy with the Trump takeover, noting that serious crimes such as carjacking are down by as much as 83 percent.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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August 19, 2025
Health
News

Hegseth and RFK Jr. Kick Off ‘Pete and Bobby Challenge’ With Gym Showdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched the “Pete and Bobby Challenge” with a Pentagon gym showdown, promoting fitness through a timed pull-up and push-up challenge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Monday at the Pentagon Athletic Center.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s all about making America healthy again. We’re going to be fit, not fat.” – Pete Hegseth

🎯IMPACT: The challenge aims to inspire Americans to improve their physical fitness and foster a healthier, more capable nation.

IN FULL

On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched the “Pete and Bobby Challenge” with a fitness demonstration at the Pentagon Athletic Center. The challenge, requiring 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups against the clock, was showcased in a promotional video featuring the two officials working out alongside military personnel.

Hegseth, aged 45, completed the challenge in 5:25, while Kennedy, 71, finished in 5:48. Both urged Americans to participate, with Kennedy saying, “Pete and I are going to do our part and encourage America’s youth to do this challenge… in any order you want in less than 10 minutes.”

Hegseth stated in the video, “It’s all about making America healthy again. We’re going to be fit, not fat,” emphasizing physical readiness for military recruits by stressing, “We want recruits that are ready to go.”

Hegseth has consistently advocated for high physical fitness standards in the military. In a March memo, he called for a review of current fitness requirements, stating, “We must remain vigilant in maintaining the standards that enable the men and women of our military to protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.”

In April, he called a study that found over two-thirds of National Guard and Reserve personnel are obese or overweight “completely unacceptable,” adding: “This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are here.”

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August 19, 2025
Immigration
NatSec

What Is the New World Screwworm, and Why Is the USDA Spending $750 Million to Stop It?

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. government plans to breed thousands of sterile flies in southern Texas to combat flesh-eating maggots threatening American cattle. Once contained well south of Panama, illegal immigration and cattle smuggling have seen the New World screwworm regain a foothold in Mexico and the southern United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R).

📍WHEN & WHERE: A $750 million factory will be built at Moore Air Force Base near Edinburg, Texas, with plans to release sterile flies within a year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Farm security is national security,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

🎯IMPACT: The effort aims to protect livestock, secure the food supply, and bolster national security by preventing the spread of the New World screwworm. The parasitic, flesh-eating fly larva can decimate cattle populations and even burrow through human skin.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is set to construct a $750 million factory in southern Texas to breed thousands of sterile flies in an effort to combat the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasitic maggot that poses a serious threat to American cattle and, in some cases, humans as well. The factory will be located at Moore Air Force Base near Edinburg, Texas, approximately 20 miles north of the border. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to release the sterile flies into the wild within a year.

The New World screwworm, a parasitic larval phase of the New World screwworm fly—described by the USDA as a “devastating pest”—burrows into the eyes and flesh of living animals, causing severe and often fatal damage. The parasite can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, and occasionally humans, posing a significant threat to the ranching community, the national food supply, and national security overall. The pest was largely eradicated in the United States by the 1970s through similar sterile fly programs, and later sterilization efforts pushed the insects’ population below the isthmus of Panama.

However, recent outbreaks in Mexico have raised concerns. It is believed the parasitic maggots bypassed the sterile fly zone set up in Panama through the flow of illegal immigrants heading north from South America and through illegal cattle smuggling. The parasite has gained footholds in the Caribbean as well, with a significant outbreak in Honduras that has impacted the island’s human population. An outbreak of the screwworm in the Florida Keys in 2016, linked by some to illegal immigrant arrivals from Cuba, was swiftly eradicated.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized the importance of the initiative, stressing, “Farm security is national security.” Rollins outlined additional measures, including $100 million in funding for traps, lures, therapeutic treatments, and border patrols utilizing “tick riders” on horseback and dogs trained to detect the parasite. The USDA also confirmed that the border will remain closed to imports of cattle, horses, and bison from Mexico until the parasite is pushed back closer to Panama. Notably, the screwworm outbreak in Mexico has driven a spike in beef prices in the U.S.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined Rollins at a news conference in Austin, Texas, highlighting the urgency of the situation for border and livestock-producing states. The USDA noted that sterile flies remain the most effective method for controlling the spread of the pest, which has already caused significant damage to Mexico’s cattle industry. Mexico’s agriculture ministry has announced plans to take steps to address the issue.

Image by CSIRO.

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August 19, 2025
Health
News

U.S. Measles Outbreak Has Reached This Many Cases, Deaths:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. has recorded the most measles cases in over 30 years, with over 1,300 cases reported nationwide. However, only three fatalities have been confirmed.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local health officials, and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

📍WHEN & WHERE: 2025, with outbreaks centered in West Texas and additional cases reported in at least 39 states.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The federal government’s position, my position, is that people should get the measles vaccine.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: The outbreak has already been declared over in Texas.

IN FULL

The United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in more than three decades, according to figures released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over 1,300 cases have been reported nationwide, spanning at least 39 states. West Texas saw over 760 confirmed infections—but health officials have now declared the outbreak over in the Lone Star state, with only two known fatalities.

Measles spreads easily and can result in serious complications, including brain inflammation and death. During the 2023–2024 school year, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners declined to 92.7 percent, down from 95.2 percent in 2019–2020.

The outbreak in Texas mainly affected children and adolescents who were either not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated. A third fatality linked to the outbreak occurred in New Mexico. These were the first reported deaths from measles in the United States since 2019.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., previously a noted skeptic of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, encouraged Americans to receive the measles shot in response to the outbreak. “The federal government’s position, my position, is that people should get the measles vaccine,” Kennedy stated in an interview on April 8.

Still, he reaffirmed his opposition to vaccine mandates, emphasizing that he opposes government-imposed vaccine requirements.

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August 19, 2025
Crime
Immigration

ICE Captures Illegal Immigrant Accused of Killing Teen Couple.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal alien accused of killing two high school sweethearts in a drunk driving crash in Dane County, Wisconsin.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The victims were 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling. The accused is Noelia Martinez-Avila, a 30-year-old illegal alien from Honduras.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on July 20 in Dane County, Wisconsin. ICE arrested Martinez-Avila on August 13.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren’t for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

🎯IMPACT: Martinez-Avila remains in ICE custody and faces charges of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. Her next hearing is set for September 22.

IN FULL

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested an illegal immigrant from Honduras accused of killing high school sweethearts Hallie Helgeson, 18, and Brady Heiling, 19, in a drunk driving crash in Dane County, Wisconsin. On July 20, illegal immigrant Noelia Martinez-Avila, 30, was allegedly drunk driving when she crashed into Helgeson and Heiling. Helgeson was killed at the scene, while Heiling was critically injured but survived until July 25.

Martinez-Avila had a prior criminal record, including multiple driving violations, but was reportedly shielded from federal immigration enforcement due to Dane County’s sanctuary policy, which does not honor ICE detainers. ICE agents arrested Martinez-Avila on August 13, charging her with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. ICE officials noted that local law enforcement gave them less than an hour’s notice to make the arrest.

“Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them — and they would still be alive today if it weren’t for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila — a criminal illegal alien from Honduras,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. She added, “Despite this sanctuary jurisdiction giving ICE less than an hour notice to make the arrest, ICE arrested Martinez-Avila and ensured this public safety threat is not released on U.S. streets.”

Martinez-Avila remains in ICE custody and is scheduled for her next court hearing on September 22.

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August 19, 2025
Corruption
News

Ousted DOJ Official Warns of ‘MAGA-in-Name-Only’ Types, And Names Names…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Roger P. Alford, a former Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) official, has outlined concerns about antitrust enforcement and influence-peddling within the department.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Roger P. Alford, Assistant Attorney General, Gail Slater, Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and other DOJ officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Events discussed occurred during Alford’s recent but brief tenure in the DOJ.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I experienced nothing remotely like this when I served at the DOJ in the first Trump administration.” – Roger P. Alford

🎯IMPACT: Allegations of influence-peddling and favoritism raise concerns about the integrity of antitrust enforcement, with broader implications for justice and governance.

IN FULL

Roger P. Alford, who served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the first Trump administration and, until recently, as its principal deputy assistant attorney general in the second Trump administration, has expressed deep concerns about the DOJ’s susceptibility to influence-peddling. In an article published by UnHerd, Alford warned that while some DOJ officials like his former superior Gail Slater uphold MAGA values and the rule of law, there are also “MAGA-in-name-only lobbyists and… DOJ officials enabling them… pursuing a different agenda.”

Alford alleged that senior DOJ officials sidestepped the Antitrust Division to broker a settlement swayed by lobbyists during the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)-Juniper merger. He referenced a “literal backroom meeting over cocktails,” describing such actions as betraying President Donald J. Trump’s populist agenda and the ideal of equal justice under the law.

The National Pulse previously reported that Alford was one of two Antitrust officials pushed out of their roles amid the merger, with Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam commenting, “What if I told you this was happening because greedy, fake-MAGA world grifters and lobbyists are upset that the antitrust team was actually doing their job instead of taking cash from big corporates to turn a blind eye to monopolistic practices?”

“To be clear, I have absolutely no reason to think the White House or other departments are involved in the current HPE-Juniper merger scandal. Nor do I think Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is involved,” Alford wrote.

“But I can’t say the same about a small set of actors in senior leadership within the DOJ. I met with the most senior officials of the DOJ regularly, and my concerns aren’t based on conjecture,” he continued, singling out Attorney General Pam Bondi‘s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, and Associate Attorney General-Designee Stanley Woodward for particular criticism.

“I believe that in the HPE-Juniper merger scandal, Mizelle and Woodward acted inconsistent with the populist values of the Trump administration,” he added.

Read the whole article, here.

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