Ranking House Intelligence Committee Democrat Representative Jim Himes (CT) has called on President Joe Biden to “step away” from his presidential campaign in remarks released immediately after the 46th President’s post-NATO conference presser on Thursday evening.
Himes, who has been reported to have privately urged Biden to step away from the campaign, went public with his thoughts, stating, “President Joe Biden is a remarkable leader of unparalleled public service, undeniable achievement, and unconditional patriotism.
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“His administration created historic job growth and put people over politics by cutting healthcare costs, passing gun safety reforms, rebuilding our infrastructure, and restoring a brutally divided nation’s sense of decency. It has been the honor of my career to work with him on the achievements that secured his remarkable legacy in American history.
It is because of those traits, and in consideration of that legacy, that I hope President Biden will step away from the presidential campaign.
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders.”
By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Blue-collar workers have experienced a 1.7 percent real wage increase in the first five months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, the largest increase for any presidential administration in nearly 60 years.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, blue-collar workers, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The wage growth occurred across the United States from December 2024 to May 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost 2 percent in the first five months. … No president has done that before.” – Scott Bessent.
🎯IMPACT: Blue-collar workers are seeing significant wage growth, reversing decades of stagnation and decline under previous administrations.
IN FULL
Blue-collar workers saw real wage growth of 1.7 percent in the first five months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, marking the largest increase for any administration in nearly 60 years. The wage growth sharply contrasts with the negative growth experienced under former President Joe Biden, according to the latest U.S. Department of the Treasury data.
Since Richard Nixon in 1969, Trump is the only president to record positive growth for blue-collar workers in the first five months of his term. During his first term, Trump also achieved a 1.3 percent increase. The current wage growth recovery follows a 1.7 percent decline during Biden’s initial months in office, when inflation outpaced earnings.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the achievement, stating, “We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost two percent in the first five months. … No President has done that before.” He attributed the improvement to falling inflation, which has increased take-home pay, as well as Trump’s focus on manufacturing and efforts to remove illegal immigrants from the workforce. “Biden opened the border, and it was flooded,” Bessent said, adding: “And for working Americans, that’s a disaster because it’s pressure on their wages.”
Trump’s tariff policy has also been designed to make American workers more competitive relative to cheap labor overseas, causing several major companies to reshore production to the U.S.
🚨 @SecScottBessent says blue-collar wages under President Trump have seen the highest increase in nearly 60 years.
“We’ve see real wages for hourly workers, nonsupervisory workers, rise almost 2% in the first five months. No president has done that before.” pic.twitter.com/7rDOpf1v9U
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 17, 2025
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines blue-collar workers as non-supervisory and production workers. Year-to-date wage growth for this group from December 2024 to May 2025 is more than double the 0.8 percent growth seen during Nixon’s administration. Comparatively, Barack Obama’s first term saw a 0.3 percent decline, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush each recorded a 0.6 percent decline, and Ronald Reagan saw a 0.9 percent decline. George H.W. Bush oversaw a 3.0 percent decline, while Jimmy Carter’s administration recorded zero growth.
Trump’s administration is also pushing for the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which it argues will further boost blue-collar wage growth. The bill includes measures such as eliminating federal income taxes not only on tips, but on overtime pay for over 80 million hourly workers, while providing tax incentives for manufacturers to build factories in the United States.
These initiatives are expected to create up to six million jobs in construction and manufacturing, reversing decades of offshoring.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new Democracy Institute poll shows a majority of 2024 U.S. voters—especially working-class and Trump-aligned—oppose going to war with Iran, including deploying ground troops. Still, the number of people who support the idea of ground troops is surprisingly high.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: 1,500 U.S. voters were polled between June 14–16, 2025, including 1,250 working class voters and 1,150 Trump 2024 voters.
📍WHEN & WHERE: National survey conducted in the U.S., June 14–16, 2025.
🎯IMPACT: The results signal potential political danger for any administration or candidate pushing military escalation against Iran.
IN FULL
A national Democracy Institute poll has revealed that most American voters, especially those who support Donald Trump, are staunchly opposed to a war with Iran involving ground troops. Just over one in three Americans, however, appear to support the move.
The survey, conducted June 14–16, 2025, asked whether the U.S. should go to war—including committing boots on the ground—against Iran. Only 35 percent of all 2024 voters said “yes,” while a majority—53 percent—said “no.”
Among working-class voters, resistance to war is higher. Just 29 percent support the idea of war with Iran, while 60 percent are opposed.
The opposition peaks among Trump 2024 voters, where only 26 percent favor a war, and a commanding 64 percent are against it. These figures underscore a continued America-First philosophy within Trump’s base, echoing themes from his 2016 and 2024 campaigns: putting America first, avoiding endless wars, and focusing on domestic renewal.
The poll’s margin of error sits at ±3 percent across the groups surveyed, which included 1,500 national voters, 1,250 working-class voters, and 1,150 Trump 2024 voters. It reflects a growing skepticism not only about regime change abroad, but also about Washington’s handling of foreign entanglements more broadly.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was detained by federal agents after grabbing onto a group of alleged illegal immigrants being taken into ICE custody and demanding to see a warrant following an immigration hearing.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brad Lander, ICE agents, and individuals attending an immigration hearing.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday morning, June 17, 2025, at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City.
💬KEY QUOTE: “While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad Lander was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” the Lander campaign confirmed in a statement.
🎯IMPACT: Lander is accused of interfering in a federal immigration enforcement action. However, his actions could help boost his political profile in a crowded Democratic primary field for New York City Mayor.
IN FULL
Brad Lander, the New York City Comptroller and a Democratic candidate for mayor, was detained by federal agents on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred after Lander demanded to see a warrant for individuals who had been detained following an immigration hearing and grabbed onto them.
Video of the incident, shared by Lander’s press secretary Chloe Bristow, shows the comptroller being handcuffed and taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Bristow confirmed that Lander remains held at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.
BREAKING: Mayoral Candidate Brad Lander was just arrested by ICE officers inside Federal Court building.
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 17, 2025
According to Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, the Democratic mayoral candidate was “escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza” when he was approached by federal immigration agents. Subsequently, Lander demands that the officers present a judicial warrant, appearing to hold onto the migrants to hinder their arrest.
Barnette noted that this is her husband’s third time this month escorting alleged illegal immigrants after immigration court hearings in Lower Manhattan.
“You have no authority to arrest U.S. citizens,” the Democrat can be heard shouting in one video of the incident, demanding: “Where are you taking me and with what authority?”
“I’m not obstructing, I’m standing right here in the hallway,” Lander claims in another video as he’s being handcuffed and led to an elevator, adding: “I asked to see the judicial warrant. You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”
Last month, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and several Democratic members of Congress were detained after allegedly assaulting ICE officials at the Delaney Hall detention facility in New Jersey. The incident resulted in a federal grand jury indicting Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) on three federal charges for interfering with ICE agents.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Israel claims to have killed Irian’s top military commander, Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, after eliminating his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, just days ago.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Iranian military, and Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Shadmani was reportedly killed in a strike on an Iranian military command center in Tehran late Monday night.
💬KEY QUOTE: Shadmani’s death “adds to a series of eliminations of Iran’s most senior military leadership and degrades the chain of command of the Iranian armed forces,” the IDF said in a statement.
🎯IMPACT: Maj. Gen. Shadmani is believed to have been a close military advisor to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, commanding both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army.
IN FULL
The Israel-Iran conflict, now in its fifth day, has seen extensive military operations by both sides. Overnight, Israeli forces conducted targeted strikes on key Iranian military sites, including a command center in Tehran, where Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, Iran’s wartime chief of staff, was killed. Shadmani had been appointed just days earlier, following the death of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, in another Israeli strike on Friday.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strike that killed Shadmani occurred “in the heart of Tehran” late Monday, with the target presenting a “sudden opportunity.” In a statement, the IDF declared that Maj. Gen. Shadmani’s death “adds to a series of eliminations of Iran’s most senior military leadership and degrades the chain of command of the Iranian armed forces.”
Shadmani was believed to be one of the closest military advisors to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, commanding both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army. Since the start of the conflict at the end of last week, the IDF has moved to systematically eliminate Iran’s top military leaders, along with a number of scientists believed to be integral to the country’s nuclear weapons program.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued a warning to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying “we” control the Islamic Republic’s skies, describing the theocrat as an “easy target,” and demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender.”
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the statements on June 17, 2025, aboard Air Force One and on Truth Social, following his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada.
💬KEY QUOTE: “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.” – President Trump.
🎯IMPACT: The comments raise tensions in the already volatile conflict and signal that the Trump administration is increasingly considering direct intervention.
IN FULL
President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving the G7 summit early to return to Washington on June 17, 2025. During the flight, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling him an “easy target” and demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” in its conflict with Israel.
Trump elaborated on his stance via Truth Social, stating, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
In a subsequent post, Trump added, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Previously, the President had published a post stating that “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” signalling he is ready to intervene directly in the conflict, rather than only supporting Israel defensively and logistically.
The strong language on Khamenei follows reports that Trump recently vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate the 86-year-old mullah. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the reports of disagreement with Trump over the Ayatollah, stated on Monday, “I wouldn’t rush to conclusions.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for Iran to completely give up in its conflict with Israel, rejecting French President Emmanuel Macron’s claims that he reached out to Iran for a ceasefire.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Israel, Iran, and President Macron.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Air Force One and via Truth Social early Tuesday morning, June 17.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m not asking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire.” – President Trump.
🎯IMPACT: The remarks come as Israel continues its operations against Iran’s militaryleadership, with Iran launching ballistic missiles in response.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump has called for Iran to completely give up in its conflict with Israel, rejecting claims he reached out to the Iranians for a ceasefire. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I’m not asking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”
He added that he wants “a real end” to the conflict and for a “complete give-up” on the part of Iran. Early Tuesday morning, Trump took to Truth Social to deny reports that he had reached out to Iran for peace negotiations, stating, “I have not reached out to Iran for ‘Peace Talks’ in any way, shape, or form. This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS! If they want to talk, they know how to reach me. They should have taken the deal that was on the table – Would have saved a lot of lives!!!”
The statement followed claims by French President Emmanuel Macron that Trump had contacted Iran to broker a deal. Trump dismissed these claims, instead reiterating his position that Iran should have accepted a previous agreement. “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
In a separate post addressing Macron’s claims directly, the America First leader said, “Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong!”
He stressed that Macron had “no idea” why he was returning to D.C., and that what he was working on was “much bigger” than a ceasefire. “Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong,” he added.
The remarks come as Israel continues its operations against Iran’s military leadership, successfully targeting several top officials in recent strikes. In retaliation, Iran has launched ballistic missiles at Israel, though most have been intercepted by its anti-missile defense systems. Reports indicate that around two dozen Israeli casualties have occurred as a result of the strikes.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Kraft Heinz announced it will remove petroleum-based artificial dyes from its U.S. products by the end of 2027.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kraft Heinz, North America President Pedro Navio, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on Tuesday, with changes to be completed by 2027, across the United States.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio.” – Pedro Navio, Kraft Heinz North America President.
🎯IMPACT: The move aligns with the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda spearheaded by RFK Jr. and President Donald J. Trump.
IN FULL
Kraft Heinz announced on Tuesday that it will remove petroleum-based artificial dyes from its U.S. products by the end of 2027. The company stated that nearly 90 percent of its U.S. product portfolio already avoids the use of synthetic FD&C (food, drug, and cosmetic) colors, but the remaining items will transition to natural alternatives over the next few years.
Pedro Navio, Kraft Heinz’s North America President, explained in a statement, “The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio.” The company also plans to work with licensees of its brands to encourage them to follow suit in eliminating artificial dyes.
The announcement follows a push from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to phase out synthetic food dyes. “For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” RFK Jr. complained in April, branding the dyes “poisonous compounds” that “offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development.”
The same month, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary indicated the agency’s intent to eliminate these dyes by 2026, initially relying on voluntary compliance from food manufacturers.
Kraft Heinz’s decision is part of a broader industry trend, with many U.S. food manufacturers reformulating products to meet consumer demand for natural ingredients. In Europe and Canada, where synthetic dyes require warning labels, natural substitutes are already widely used.
The FDA currently permits 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. However, one such dye, Red 3, is set to be banned in food by 2027 due to links with cancer in laboratory rats. Natural alternatives to synthetic dyes include pigments derived from beets, algae, and purple sweet potatoes, among other sources.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s deputies reversed a brief U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) exemption policy for hotel, farm, and restaurant companies.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and business lobbying groups such as the American Business Immigration Coalition.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Instructions were shared during an 11 AM call on Monday with representatives from 30 field offices across the U.S.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We continue to enforce the law … there is no safe harbor.” – Tricia McLoughlin, Homeland Security spokeswoman.
🎯IMPACT: The policy restoration supports American workers and pressures businesses to invest in higher wages and productivity tools.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump’s deputies have reversed a short-lived U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) exemption policy for hotel, farm, and restaurant companies, according to a report from The Washington Post. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) informed agency leaders on Monday that immigration raids at agricultural businesses, hotels, and restaurants must continue, as per instructions shared during an 11 AM call with representatives from 30 field offices nationwide.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLoughlin said, “We continue to enforce the law … there is no safe harbor.” The restoration of the policy is seen as a victory for American workers, many of whom have been displaced by employers favoring cheaper migrant labor willing to work for lower wages. Wealthy donors, investors, and lobbyists, who had been advocating for an end to the enforcement crackdown, have been dealt a significant setback.
The American Business Immigration Coalition had lobbied heavily for the policy exemption. Rebecca Shi, the coalition’s chief executive, said the temporary pause in enforcement had led many employers to believe the administration was “open to a solution.”
Trump initially seemed open to a de facto amnesty for illegals working in specific fields, such as farming and leisure, but received substantial backlash from the America First base.
Limiting illegal immigration and cracking down on illegal alien workers appears to have encouraged companies to offer better pay and conditions and invest in productivity-enhancing technology. On June 6, for instance, JBS, a major meatpacking firm, was reported to have signed a union contract providing pay raises, sick leave, and pensions for 26,000 workers.
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By Popular Demand.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Doctor Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to four charges related to the drowning death of actor Matthew Perry, stemming from the acute effects of ketamine use.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Dr. Mark Chavez, Matthew Perry, and U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Martin Estrada.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The plea agreement was filed on Monday, June 16, 2025, in federal court, with Plasencia expected to enter his guilty plea at some point in the next few weeks.
💬KEY QUOTE: Estrada told he court that Plasencia and the ketamine dealers “took advantage of Mr. Perry,” selling him an estimated “50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000 in cash.”
🎯IMPACT: Plasencia will face a maximum of 40 years in prison under the plea agreement.
IN FULL
Doctor Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine in relation to the death of actor Matthew Perry, best known for his starring role on the hit sitcom Friends. The plea agreement, filed in federal court late Monday, June 16, will see Plasencia face a maximum of 40 years in prison for his role in the October 28, 2023, death of Perry, who drowned in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. The drowning was determined to be the result of the acute effects of ketamine use.
According to Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Dr. Plasencia and his co-conspirators procured an estimated “20 vials [of ketamine] for approximately $50,000 in cash.” The drugs were given to Kenneth (Kenny) Iwamasa—Perry’s live-in assistant—to deliver to the 54-year-old actor. Estrada told he court that, on another occasion, Plasencia and the ketamine dealers “took advantage of Mr. Perry,” selling him an estimated “50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000 in cash.”
The prosecution alleged that it was Plasencia who taught Iwamasa how to inject Perry with the ketamine, which he obtained from Dr. Mark Chavez. Estrada detailed how Chavez used bogus prescriptions, supposedly for a former patient, to acquire the ketamine that was subsequently sold to Perry. “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Dr. Plasencia allegedly wrote to Chavez at one point, adding: “Let’s find out.”
Aside from Plasencia’s plea agreement, Dr. Chavez agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Meanwhile, Iwamasa entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, causing death, last August. Notably, drug dealer Eric Fleming also pleaded guilty last August to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming and his boss, Jasveen Sangha, are alleged to have provided additional drugs for Perry. Sangha is set to face trial this coming August.
Newly declassified documents reveal the FBI received intelligence in 2020 alleging a Chinese plot to mass-produce fake U.S. driver’s licenses to commit mail-in ballot fraud benefiting Joe Biden.
The details: The intelligence report was created in August 2020, just months before the presidential election. It detailed plans from the Chinese Communist Party to manufacture fake American driver’s licenses and ship them into the United States so Chinese citizens could fraudulently use mail-in-ballots to vote in the presidential election to help Joe Biden.
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Corroboration: U.S. Customs and Border Protection reportedly intercepted roughly 20,000 fake licenses at the time.
FBI Director Kash Patel told Just the News that despite the allegations being substantiated, “they were abruptly recalled and never disclosed to the public.”
Zoom out: At the time, then-Director Christopher Wray testified to Congress that there were no known plots of foreign interference in the election.
What happens next? Patel said in a post on X that he “declassified the material and turned the documents over to the [Senate Judiciary] Chairman Grassley for further review” after he requested the records.
Real talk from G: To this day, President Trump maintains that the 2020 election was stolen. With these documents, I think we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. There’s a reason for four years; this newsletter never referred to Joe Biden as president. Not because he wasn’t installed. But because he didn’t deserve it.
Newly declassified documents reveal the FBI received intelligence in 2020 alleging a Chinese plot to mass-produce fake U.S. driver’s licenses to commit mail-in ballot fraud benefiting Joe Biden.
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By Popular Demand.
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