GET THE APP
Monday, December 1, 2025

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

Just now
War

Trump to Consider ‘Next Steps’ on Venezuela at Major White House Meeting Tonight.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump will meet with his top national security officials to discuss “next steps” on Venezuela in a closed-door Oval Office session.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Key attendees include Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 5:00 PM (ET) in the Oval Office.

🎯IMPACT: The administration has intensified its stance in the region, including recent strikes on drug-trafficking vessels and warnings to avoid Venezuelan airspace.

IN FULL

Key national security and U.S. military officials will gather at the White House this evening for a 5:00 PM meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald J. Trump to discuss ongoing anti-cartel operations in the Caribbean and potential “next steps” regarding Venezuela and its Marxist narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro. The closed-door meeting is expected to include Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, along with key aides.

The meeting comes as government sources have begun telling media that American forces will likely soon begin striking cartel targets on Venezuela’s outlying islands and the mainland. Around 30 percent of the U.S. Navy is currently deployed in the Caribbean with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group positioned near the Lesser Antilles island chain—well within striking distance of Venezuela.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, President Trump announced the closure of Venezuelan airspace, stating that “airlines, pilots, and criminal networks” should avoid the region. The move suggests an imminent escalation in U.S. naval and air operations, following a similar pattern of actions prior to the 1989 invasion of Panama to oust then-dictator Manuel Noriega and the 1983 intervention in Grenada.

Meanwhile, Democrat lawmakers on Capitol Hill—aiming to hamper the Trump administration’s efforts against the cartels—initiated a congressional inquiry over the weekend into allegations that Secretary Hegseth authorized a so-called “double tap strike” against a Venezuelan cartel drug boat on September 2. The inquiry is based on a report by The Washington Post alleging that Hegseth issued a verbal order to “kill everybody” aboard the drug boat. The Secretary of War maintains that the strike was “lawful under both U.S. and international law.”

President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, dismissed the report, stating, “He said he did not say that, and I believe him 100 percent. I wouldn’t have wanted that, not a second strike.”

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

31 minutes ago
Health
News

White House Discloses Details of Trump’s MRI.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The White House released details regarding President Donald J. Trump’s recent MRI, describing the results as “perfectly normal.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump and Physician to the President Sean P. Barbabella.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Details were released on Monday, December 1, 2025, by the White House.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The findings confirm that Trump remains in excellent overall health.” – Sean P. Barbabella

🎯IMPACT: The report highlighted the President’s continued good health following advanced imaging tests.

IN FULL

Details regarding President Donald J. Trump‘s recent MRI were released by the White House on Monday afternoon. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the results of the scan as being “perfectly normal” and simply part of a routine physical. According to a summary provided by Physician to the President Sean P. Barbabella, the MRI was ordered merely as a precautionary scan.

“Men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health,” Barbabella wrote in a statement read by Leavitt during Monday’s White House press briefing. The Physician to the President added that “this level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age.”

Importantly, Barbabella’s report noted that the MRI scan revealed no evidence of arterial narrowing, inflammation, clotting, or abnormalities in the heart, major blood vessels, or any abdominal organs—with all appearing healthy and functioning within expected medical parameters. Barbabella concluded that the physical exam and MRI confirm that President Trump “remains in excellent overall health.”

The National Pulse reported earlier on Monday that President Trump personally cleared the release of the MRI results. “If they want to release it, it’s OK with me to release it. It’s perfect,” he said, speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday while addressing rumors pushed by the corporate media that the scan had been of his brain.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

1 hour ago
Crime

Alleged CEO Assassin Luigi Mangione Moves to Block Key Evidence Ahead of Murder Trial.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Luigi Mangione appeared in court as his attorneys sought to block key evidence in his upcoming trial for the alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luigi Mangione, 27, the accused, and Brian Thompson, 50, the victim, along with prosecutors and defense attorneys.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Pre-trial hearings began on December 1, 2025, in New York, nearly one year after the December 4, 2024, shooting in Manhattan.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Mr. Mangione is one young man, alleged to have acted alone, fighting for his life in three separate cases, against the full force and might of the entirety of the United States Government that is actively and persistently using him as a pawn to further its political agenda. This is the very definition of prejudicial where the consequence is death,” Mangione’s attorneys argued in court filings.

🎯IMPACT: The hearings could determine whether critical evidence, including a journal and a weapon, will be admissible in Mangione’s trial.

IN FULL

Luigi Mangione, the far-left Ivy League graduate accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in court on Monday as his attorneys sought to suppress key evidence that prosecutors claim ties him to the murder. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors have pointed to items found in Mangione’s backpack during his arrest, including a 9mm handgun allegedly used in the killing, a silencer, and a journal in which Mangione reportedly justified the murder as an act of rebellion against the healthcare industry. Mangione’s legal team argues that the evidence was obtained unlawfully, as police did not have a warrant to search his belongings.

The defense also seeks to exclude statements Mangione made to police, claiming officers questioned him before reading his Miranda rights. They further allege that comments by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have prejudiced the case, citing public remarks and social media posts that they argue have tainted the jury pool.

“Mr. Mangione is one young man, alleged to have acted alone, fighting for his life in three separate cases, against the full force and might of the entirety of the United States Government that is actively and persistently using him as a pawn to further its political agenda,” defense attorneys wrote in a motion asking that the death penalty be prohibited in the case. They argued: “This is the very definition of prejudicial where the consequence is death.”

Thompson, 50, was shot in Manhattan on December 4, 2024, while walking to a hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a masked gunman firing at him from behind. Prosecutors say the ammunition used bore the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” phraseology linked to criticisms of the insurance industry.

Mangione’s arrest and subsequent trial have drawn significant public attention, with his far-left supporters portraying the assassin as a symbol of resistance against corporate corruption. The pre-trial hearings, which began on Monday, are expected to last through the week as the court considers arguments over the admissibility of evidence and witness testimony.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

2 hours ago
Corruption
UK

UK PM’s Former Anti-Corruption Czar Sentenced for Corruption.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, was sentenced to two years in prison by a court in her family’s native Bangladesh on corruption charges.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tulip Siddiq, her aunt and former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Bangladeshi authorities.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The trial took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the verdict delivered recently.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is trial by media, which is deeply unfair.” – Tulip Siddiq

🎯IMPACT: Siddiq’s sentencing is a major embarrassment to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who previously appointed Siddiq to the role of Anti-Corruption Minister in his administration.

IN FULL

A Bangladeshi court has sentenced Tulip Siddiq, a Bangladeshi-heritage Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, to two years’ imprisonment on corruption charges. Her conviction in absentia is a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who previously appointed Siddiq to the role of Anti-Corruption Minister in his administration.

The case centers on claims that Siddiq used her influence to obtain a land plot for her family through her aunt, the ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Labour politician called the proceedings “flawed and farcical,” claiming, “There’s been absolutely no summons sent to me, there’s no charge sheet, I’ve had no correspondence from them. I’m not difficult to find, I’m a parliamentarian.”

Siddiq faces several additional charges in Bangladesh, linked to property transfers and embezzlement, all of which she denies. There is no extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh, so Siddiq has not been required to travel to Dhaka to face trial.

A Labour Party spokesman confirmed that she is not under any party investigation or disciplinary process and continues to hold the Labour whip in the House of Commons.

Bangladeshi politics has increasingly been encroaching on British politics in recent years, particularly as the large Bangladeshi diaspora in Britain has concentrated in certain areas. In the London Borough of Tower Hamlets—represented by a Bangladeshi immigrant and a daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants in Parliament—residents have been complaining in recent weeks that multiple elected officials in the municipal government are frequently absent, as they are also campaigning for office in Bangladesh.

Image by House of Commons.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

2 hours ago
News
TECH

Congress Pushes for Nationwide Internet Age Verification Plan.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new federal bill, the App Store Accountability Act (ASA), seeks to require app stores to verify users’ ages and share that information with apps.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The bill is sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative John James (R-MI), with support from companies like Pinterest, Meta, and Snap.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ASA was introduced in Congress earlier this year and is part of a larger package of child safety legislation, with hearings scheduled in the House this week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The need for a federal standard is urgent.” – Pinterest CEO Bill Ready.

🎯IMPACT: The bill could streamline age verification for consumers, but faces legal challenges and privacy concerns, particularly over data sharing and First Amendment issues.

IN FULL

Republican lawmakers are proposing a new way to enforce accountability on tech companies to comply with age verification laws, despite resistance from websites like Pornhub. The App Store Accountability Act (ASA), introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative John James (R-MI), proposes a different model: requiring app stores themselves to verify users’ ages and pass that information to apps when they are downloaded.

The bill is part of a broader push in Congress to tighten safeguards for minors online and has earned support from major tech companies, including Facebook parent company Meta, Pinterest, and Snap. Pinterest CEO Bill Ready argues that one standard would simplify the process and reduce the confusion created by a patchwork of state requirements. “The need for a federal standard is urgent,” he said.

“I think most people at most of these companies probably do want to protect kids,” Sen. Lee said, adding that support from tech companies like Pinterest “makes a big difference.”

However, the proposal faces resistance from civil liberties groups and digital rights advocates. Critics warn that compulsory age verification could limit access to lawful online content, raising First Amendment concerns. They also cite significant privacy risks, arguing that systems requiring users to submit sensitive personal information could expose them to data breaches or misuse.

Some major websites have rejected attempts to enforce online age verification. Pornhub has withdrawn its services from states that require government-issued ID or similar credentials for access to adult material. The company argued that these laws push users toward unregulated platforms while forcing supposedly legitimate sites to collect data they would prefer not to hold.

In 2025, the Supreme Court upheld a state age-verification law for explicit content in Texas, with the majority concluding that states may require age checks to prevent minors from viewing harmful material.

Supporters of federal action contend that the ASA would avoid the growing compliance difficulties posed by differing state regulations. Sen. Lee has stated, “I don’t believe that there’s anything unlawful, unconstitutional, or otherwise problematic about this legislation,” arguing that an app-store-centered approach would reduce repeated verification across multiple platforms.

Image by Ted Eytan.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

3 hours ago
News
UK

Mamdani Allies Ousted from Party Leadership in Far Left Farce.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Members of Britain’s far-left “Your Party” voted to adopt a so-called collective leadership model for its first two years, rejecting a single-leader structure that could have seen former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn or former Labour Party lawmaker Zarah Sultana take charge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Your Party members, and other key figures like Members of Parliament (MPs) Iqbal Mohamed and Adnan Hussain.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was made during the party’s inaugural conference in Liverpool, England, over the weekend.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This party will be led by its members, not MPs. This is only the beginning.” – Zarah Sultana

🎯IMPACT: The new party’s structure could pose significant organizational challenges, but the bloc still poses challenges to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, potentially splitting its voter base with its strong appeal to Muslim and far-left voters.

IN FULL

Members of the far-left British political group “Your Party” have voted to adopt a collective leadership structure for their first two years, rejecting a proposal that would have installed a single leader, such as New York City Mayor Zorhan Mamdani ally and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, or Muslim Member of Parliament (MP) Zarah Sultana. The decision at the party’s inaugural conference in Liverpool, England, was passed by a narrow 51.6 to 48.4 percent.

Sultana, who has been at odds with Corbyn over recent months, praised the outcome, stating, “This party will be led by its members, not MPs. This is only the beginning.” Although both she and Corbyn were listed as officers when the organisation was incorporated earlier this year, the party has been dogged by infighting from the outset. Sultana refused to attend the main conference venue, citing a “toxic culture” and accusing internal rivals of conducting a “witch hunt.” Her boycott came shortly after several members were expelled over alleged connections to the rival far-left Socialist Workers Party.

The turmoil deepened when Member of Parliament (MP) Iqbal Mohamed, who previously praised cousin marriages, resigned during the conference, saying he had been targeted with “false allegations and smears.” His departure followed the earlier withdrawal of another Muslim senior figure, Adnan Hussain, who stepped back due to factional battles and what he described as “veiled prejudice” toward Muslim members. Several of Your Party’s potential MPs are ex-Labour Muslim lawmakers, like Sultana, or Muslim independents elected on a pro-Gaza platform in the 2024 general election.

Despite the internal chaos, early polling suggests Your Party could still become a meaningful challenge to Britain’s political mainstream. A summer poll showed the group attracting roughly 10 percent support, largely from Labour and Green voters who want even more leftist policies. Analysts warn that such numbers could sap support from the establishment Left at a moment when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is attempting to maintain party cohesion.

Notably, Corbyn actually earned more votes as Labour leader in Britain’s 2017 and 2019 elections than Starmer did in 2024, with the latter owing his landslide victory largely to the establishment right Conservative (Tory) Party’s collapse.

Your Party delegates also debated a range of final names for the new organisation, including the placeholder “Your Party,” “Our Party,” “Popular Alliance,” and “For The Many,” with an official choice expected soon.

Corbyn has recently drawn attention in the United States for his involvement in Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. Corbyn’s participation in a phone-banking event for Mamdani has reportedly prompted a review by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into whether the campaign received inappropriate foreign assistance.

Mamdani’s campaign is also under examination following allegations that it accepted donations from individuals with foreign addresses, raising questions about possible violations of U.S. election law.

Image by Raph_PH.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

3 hours ago
Lawfare

Appeals Court Upholds Alina Habba’s Removal as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court upheld a decision barring Alina Habba from serving as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alina Habba, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Third Circuit Court of Appeals judges, and New Jersey district judges.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday, December 1, at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in New Jersey.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The delegation of all the powers of a U.S. Attorney to Habba was expressly prohibited.” – Third Circuit Court ruling.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling reinforces the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and limits the Attorney General’s ability to bypass it.

IN FULL

Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba has been disqualified from continuing in the position after a federal appeals court upheld a lower court decision on Monday. A three-judge panel for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, comprised of two Bush appointees and one Biden appointee, agreed with the plaintiffs and with New Jersey’s federal district court that Attorney General Pam Bondi had unlawfully attempted to circumvent the Federal Vacancies Reform Act when she extended Habba’s appointment as a U.S. Attorney.

The plaintiffs argued that Bondi‘s appointment of Habba as Acting U.S. Attorney, after her term as interim U.S. Attorney ended, violated their “constitutional right to be prosecuted only by a duly authorized United States Attorney” and that “the illegitimacy of Ms. Habba’s appointment undermines… fundamental due process rights.”

Habba, who had been named by President Donald J. Trump as the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in March, was briefly forced out of the role in late July after federal district court judges in the state voted not to extend her term. At the time, then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace took over as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.

Subsequently, Attorney General Bondi fired Grace just two days later and named Habba as her replacement as Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. This move, according to the appeals court panel, violated procedures set out in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, with the judges writing that “only the first assistant in place at the time the vacancy arises automatically assumes the functions and duties of the office.” The judges agreed with the lower court’s findings that federal law barred Bondi’s “delegation of all the powers of a U.S. Attorney to Habba.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

4 hours ago
Media
News

Ellen is Coming Back to Trump’s America (Even Though She Promised Not To).

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who fled to England citing Donald J. Trump’s presidency, are reportedly planning to return to California.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, and their friends in California.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The couple moved to England a year ago but now plan to return to California to escape the British weather.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Ellen was adamant that she and Portia were going to stay in the UK while Trump was in the White House, but evidently she’s changed her mind somewhat.” – source close to Ellen and de Rossi.

🎯IMPACT: The couple’s decision to return to California puts them alongside a number of Democrat-aligned celebrities who have threatened to leave the United States because of President Trump’s election, with most having failed to depart the country permanently.

IN FULL

Former talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, who fled to England roughly a year ago due to the reelection of President Donald J. Trump, are now expected to return to California to avoid the British winter. The couple settled in England’s Cotswolds following the 2024 elections, with DeGeneres explaining at the time that “life is just better” in the United Kingdom.

She had also previously remarked, “We got here the day before the election… and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis,” adding, “We’re staying here.”

Although they allegedly adapted to rural life, sources close to the pair say the couple has begun to miss their friends and California’s warmer climate, particularly as they prepare for another cold British winter. One insider noted, “Ellen was adamant that she and Portia were going to stay in the UK while Trump was in the White House, but evidently she’s changed her mind somewhat.”

Earlier this year, the couple sold their 43-acre property in Swinbrook, Oxfordshire, choosing instead to move to a hilltop mansion equipped with facilities for Portia’s horses. DeGeneres described the need for such a home, explaining, “When we decided to live here full-time, we knew that Portia couldn’t live without her horses. We needed a home that had a horse facility and pastures for them.”

Though a source close to the couple claimed that their travel plans do not amount to a permanent return to the United States, it was confirmed that they intend to spend the holidays in California, leaving the duration of their stay open-ended.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

4 hours ago
Politics

Democrats Aim for Surprise Win in Tennessee MAGA Stronghold.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A special election is being held in Tennessee’s Republican-heavy congressional district to replace Mark Green (R-TN), who resigned in July.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, Democrat candidate Aftyn Behn, the House Majority PAC, President Donald J. Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and Tennessee voters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The election takes place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it.” — Aftyn Behn in 2020.

🎯IMPACT: A Democratic win could shrink the Republican House majority and disrupt President Trump’s legislative agenda.

IN FULL

On Tuesday, voters in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district will head to the polls in a critical special election to replace former Congressman Mark Green (R-TN), who resigned this past July. While the district, which overwhelmingly voted for President Donald J. Trump by a 22-point margin in the 2024 presidential election, is largely seen as a Republican stronghold, data shows the current race as being nearly neck-in-neck.

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps is facing Democrat state representative Aftyn Behn, with both national parties throwing significant resources into the election contest. A Democrat victory would significantly weaken the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, reducing it to just a single seat. It may portend a Democrat wave election in the 2026 midterms.

Concerningly for the GOP, polling suggests a tighter-than-expected race, with an Emerson College Polling survey showing Van Epps leading Behn by just two percentage points. The district, which includes rural areas, parts of Nashville, and Clarksville, has seen both parties heavily invest in campaign ads and outreach. Black voters, who comprise approximately 15 percent of the district, are considered key to a potential Democratic victory, although turnout remains uncertain.

The tight contest has prompted President Trump to intervene, posting a slew of social media statements over the weekend, urging Republican voters to the polls on Tuesday. Additionally, Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) held a tele-rally for Van Epps, with the President emphasizing the need for voters to turn out.

Behn, who is backed by the Democratic Party’s House Majority PAC, has described herself as the “AOC of Tennessee” and has campaigned openly as a radical progressive—though she has honed her campaign to focus on affordability. However, Behn—who Van Epps has branded as a “crazy leftwing radical”—has found herself recently on the defensive after it was revealed she stated during a 2020 podcast, “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it.”

Image by Sixflashphoto.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

5 hours ago
William Upton
Crime
News

DC Sets ‘Juvenile’ Curfew.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced two new juvenile curfew zones for the city over the weekend as high-traffic neighborhoods continue to struggle with youth-driven crimes and acts of violence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The MPD, D.C. teenagers, and National Guard troops.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The curfews were enacted over the weekend.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Within a Juvenile Curfew Zone, persons under 18 are prohibited from gathering in a group of nine (9) or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment unless engaged in certain exempted activities.” — The MPD

🎯IMPACT: Washington, D.C. has a city-wide curfew in place for those under the age of 18 that begins at 11:00 PM.

IN FULL

The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced two new juvenile curfew zones for the city over the weekend as high-traffic neighborhoods continue to struggle with youth-driven crimes and acts of violence. The first of the new curfew zones covered much of the greater Navy Yard neighborhood, which has seen the brunt of recent incidents. Meanwhile, a second curfew zone covered the U Street corridor, a popular bar and nightlife district where former Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) employee Sean Charles Dunn assaulted a federal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent recently.

“The Juvenile Curfew Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 gives the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department the authority to order a Juvenile Curfew Zone in an area where large groups of youths are gathering or intend to gather in a manner that poses a risk of substantial harm to public safety,” the MPD said in its statement, adding: “Within a Juvenile Curfew Zone, persons under 18 are prohibited from gathering in a group of nine (9) or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment unless engaged in certain exempted activities.”

Washington, D.C. has a city-wide curfew in place for those under the age of 18 that begins at 11:00 PM. Despite the ongoing issues in the city with youth crime, incidents overall have fallen since President Donald J. Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard soldiers to the city to assist with crime prevention.

Efforts to crack down on violent crime in D.C. have been hampered in the past by the city’s radical, progressive-dominated city council. The council’s anti-police policies and soft-on-crime agenda led to an explosion in crime during the former Biden government, which has only abated since Trump’s National Guard order. It is widely speculated that clashes between the D.C. City Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser led to the latter’s recently announced decision to forgo a run for a fourth term in office.

Last week, National Guard specialist Sarah Beckstrom was tragically shot and killed by a radical Islamist in D.C., while Air Force staff sergeant Andrew Wolfe continues to fight for his life. Both were shot at point-blank range during an ambush attack just blocks from the White House.

Image by Elvert Barnes.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

6 hours ago
News
UK

An Unprecedented Fight Has Broken Out Over Britain’s Finances.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: British Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasury Secretary) Rachel Reeves faced accusations of misleading the public about the state of the country’s finances ahead of her Budget announcement.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rachel Reeves, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the governing Labour Party, and Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The controversy unfolded following Reeves’s recent Budget announcement in the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The British people are now facing the heaviest tax burden in generations on the basis of what increasingly looks like a sustained misrepresentation of the true fiscal position.” – Reform Party leader Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: Calls for investigations into Reeves’s conduct have been made, including letters to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the independent adviser on ministerial ethics.

IN FULL

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves—roughly equivalent to U.S. Treasury Secretary—is facing calls to resign after apparently misleading the public about the state of the country’s finances in the lead-up to her Budget announcement, to justify punishing tax rises. The controversy stems from the British government briefing the press about a supposed £30 billion (~$40bn) “black hole” in the public finances that would have to be covered by tax rises.

It has emerged that the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had informed Reeves that the public finances were in better condition than previously thought, and there was actually a £4.2bn (~$5.5bn) surplus. Reeves appears to have pushed the “black hole” narrative, regardless, as a cover for tax hikes that have been used to increase welfare spending, in particular child benefit payments—previously capped at two children—which will disproportionately benefit ethnic minority families in high-migration areas.

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has called for an inquiry into whether Reeves broke the Ministerial Code, writing to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer‘s Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, to request a formal investigation. “The British people are now facing the heaviest tax burden in generations on the basis of what increasingly looks like a sustained misrepresentation of the true fiscal position,” he wrote, adding: “As you will also be aware, the Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride MP, has written to the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority raising concerns about possible market abuse arising from the ‘repeated disclosure of market-sensitive details’. That regulatory inquiry and an investigation under your auspices serve different but complementary purposes; both are now plainly necessary.”

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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