GET THE APP
Friday, August 22, 2025

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
TECH

Elon Musk, X Settle Lawsuit with Former Twitter Employees.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Elon Musk and his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have reached a tentative settlement with former employees who sued for $500 million in severance pay.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Elon Musk, X (formerly Twitter), and former employees led by Courtney McMillian.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The settlement was reported on Wednesday in a court filing in San Francisco.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The parties have reached a settlement agreement in principle and began negotiating the terms of a long form settlement agreement,” according to court documents.

🎯IMPACT: The settlement, once finalized, could resolve disputes over severance pay for approximately 6,000 former employees.

IN FULL

Elon Musk and his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have tentatively settled a lawsuit with former employees seeking $500 million in severance payments. On Wednesday, a court filing showed that both sides asked a San Francisco U.S. appeals court to postpone an upcoming hearing to finalize the settlement documents.

The lawsuit, spearheaded by ex-Twitter employee Courtney McMillian, alleges that around 6,000 workers were denied benefits outlined in the company’s severance plan. Employees claimed the company offered some of them only one month’s severance pay at most, while others received none, despite promises of up to six months’ salary.

According to court filings, “the parties have reached a settlement agreement in principle and began negotiating the terms of a long form settlement agreement.” The settlement’s specifics remain undisclosed and await court approval.

The layoffs at Twitter followed Musk’s 2022 acquisition of the company, part of aggressive cost-cutting that slashed over half the workforce. This move preceded a broader tech industry trend, with companies like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft also cutting thousands of jobs over the following years.

Musk is known for using significant workforce reductions to lower costs. He attempted similar reforms to the federal workforce at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the early months of the Trump administration, albeit with limited success.

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.

38 minutes ago
Christopher Tomlinson
Immigration
UK

Britain Set for Nationwide Anti-Migration Protests This Weekend.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Multiple anti-migration protests are expected across Britain this weekend, as police also have to contend with the notoriously violent Afro-Caribbean Notting Hill Carnival in London.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Anti-migration protesters, British police, Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, the Labour Party government, and asylum seekers living in taxpayer-funded hotels.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The protests are scheduled to take place this weekend across Britain.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our streets are becoming more dangerous, yet this disaster only gets worse. The public are right to be very angry with this government.” – Nigel Farage.

🎯IMPACT: The timing of the protests alongside the Notting Hill Carnival could stretch British police resources to their limit.

IN FULL

The United Kingdom is heading for a turbulent weekend, with demonstrations against mass migration set in numerous cities, including Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Leeds, and Perth. Anti-mass migration demonstrators and far-left pro-migration activists are expected to face off over the government’s ongoing use of taxpayer-funded hotels to house poorly vetted asylum seekers,  putting public safety at risk.

The wave of protests stems from a High Court injunction halting the use of a hotel in Epping Forest, England, to house migrants, which had also attracted protests after residents were accused of sexually assaulting local children. Further legal challenges against migrant hotels are now expected elsewhere in the country, as the government mounts its own legal efforts to overturn the Epping ruling.

The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels is estimated at over 32,000, an increase of eight percent during Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first year in office. “New figures out today show record numbers claiming asylum under Labour. Our streets are becoming more dangerous, yet this disaster only gets worse,” commented Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, adding: “The public are right to be very angry with this government.”

Notably, the protests are expected to coincide with London’s Notting Hill Carnival, a massive annual cultural event drawing over a million attendees. While championed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan and other diversity advocates, the Afro-Caribbean carnival always places significant pressure on police force. Last year’s carnival was marked by serious safety concerns: ten people were stabbed, two of them fatally, with police making at least 349 arrests during the event for offences ranging from drug possession to assaults on emergency workers. Sixty-one police officers were also assaulted.

The combined polcing demands of the protests, counter-protests, and carnival are raising concerns that law enforcement may struggle to maintain order this weekend.

Image by Bob Bob.

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
Economy

Is Jerome Powell Finally Poised to Cut Interest Rates?

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled possible interest rate cuts amid ongoing economic uncertainty during his speech at the Fed’s annual Jackson Hole conference.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jerome Powell, Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) members, and President Donald J. Trump, who has been vocal about his desire for lower rates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Friday, August 22, 2025, at the Federal Reserve’s annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a potential interest rate cut being enacted in September.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[W]ith policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.” — Jerome Powell

🎯IMPACT: Powell’s remarks caused stocks to surge, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing over 600 points, while Treasury yields dropped significantly. Moreover, the Jackson Hole speech appears to tee up an interest rate cut at September’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

IN FULL

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell addressed potential interest rate cuts during his speech at the central bank’s annual Jackson Hole conference on Friday. He cited “sweeping changes” in tax, trade, and immigration policies as factors creating uncertainty for policymakers. Powell noted that while the labor market ostensibly remains strong, data suggest employment could be weakening and this may necessitate a change in the Fed’s interest rate policy.

“[W]ith policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” Powell said. Although he stopped short of explicitly endorsing a rate cut, Wall Street interpreted his comments as a sign of potential easing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained over 600 points following the speech, and the two-year Treasury note yield dropped by 0.08 percentage points.

Powell emphasized the independence of the Federal Reserve from elected officials, stating, “FOMC members will make these decisions, based solely on their assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks. We will never deviate from that approach.” This comes amidst pressure from President Donald J. Trump, who has repeatedly called for aggressive rate cuts.

The Fed has maintained its benchmark borrowing rate between 4.25 percent and 4.5 percent since December, citing uncertainty over the long-term impact of tariffs on inflation. Powell expressed that while tariff impacts may be “short-lived,” current economic conditions allow the Fed to proceed cautiously.

Importantly, the Fed chairman finally acknowledged that the central bank’s current rate policy could be hampering employment. “This slowdown is much larger than assessed just a month ago, as the earlier figures for May and June were revised down substantially,” Powell said, with the caveat: “But it does not appear that the slowdown in job growth has opened up a large margin of slack in the labor market—an outcome we want to avoid.”

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
Crime

Biden Judge Frees Teens Accused of Brutal Assault on Ex-DOGE Staffer ‘Big Balls.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two teens charged with attempted carjacking and assaulting former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine have been released by a Joe Biden-appointed judge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: A 15-year-old boy and girl from Maryland, Judge Kendra D. Biggs, prosecutors, and Coristine.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was made in Washington, D.C. in August 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A family court rehabilitation program of yoga and ice cream socials for hardened repeat offenders just doesn’t cut it.” – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro

🎯IMPACT: The decision has sparked backlash amid rising juvenile crime in D.C.

IN FULL

The two Maryland teens charged with an attempted carjacking and assaulting software engineer and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) saffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine have been released under the orders of Joe Biden-appointed Washington, D.C. Superior Court Judge Kendra D. Biggs. The teens, aged 15, were previously held at D.C.’s Youth Services Center but have now been placed in alternative settings—a youth shelter for the girl and the custody of his mother for the boy.

Judge Biggs ordered a 24-hour curfew for the teens, allowing them to attend school and electronic monitoring. During the hearing, the teens’ parents confirmed their school enrollments, though the judge acknowledged that the girl had “major truancy issues” and had previously been reported missing from home.

The incident comes amid a surge in juvenile crime in Washington, D.C., with 56 percent of carjackings since 2023 attributed to minors, some as young as 12. Following the attack on Coristine, President Donald J. Trump federalized the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and deployed federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to restore order. These measures have led to notable improvements in crime levels, including the first homicide-free week in the District since March.

Critics of the leniency shown to juvenile offenders, such as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, have spoken out. “A family court rehabilitation program of yoga and ice cream socials for hardened repeat offenders just doesn’t cut it,” she said.

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
Crime
Immigration

Rubio Halts Truck Driver Visas After Illegal Kills Three.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause on worker visas for commercial drivers after an illegal immigrant trucker allegedly caused a fatal crash in Florida.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Marco Rubio, Harjinder Singh, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crash occurred in Fort Pierce, Florida. Singh was extradited from California; investigations span multiple states.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.” – Marco Rubio

🎯IMPACT: The move highlights concerns over public safety and the legality of commercial driver licensing for foreign workers.

IN FULL

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday that foreign worker visas for commercial drivers would be paused “effective immediately.” The move follows a deadly incident where an illegal immigrant truck driver engaged in an unlawful U-turn, causing a crash that killed three people in Florida. Rubio cited public safety concerns as the primary reason for the decision.

“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” the Secretary of State wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday.

The fatal crash involved Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant driving a commercial truck with a trailer on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce. Authorities say Singh attempted a U-turn in an unauthorized area, causing the trailer to jackknife and collide with a minivan, killing all three passengers inside. Investigations revealed that Singh had not passed English or road tests before obtaining a commercial driver’s license, answering only two of 12 questions correctly in an English Language Proficiency test, and misidentifying three of four road traffic signs.

Singh was granted a full-term commercial driver’s license in Washington in July 2023, despite not being legally eligible. He also held a limited-term commercial driver’s license in California in 2024.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have since engaged in a dispute over Singh’s licensing, with Newsom’s office falsely claiming Singh obtained a work permit during President Donald J. Trump‘s first term. However, DHS has clarified that Singh was denied in September 2020 under Trump but granted a permit in June 2021 under the Biden government.

“Three innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California Department of Motor Vehicles issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License—this state of governance is asinine,” commented DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, adding: “How many more innocent people must die before Gavin Newsom stops playing games with the safety of the American public?

Singh has been extradited to Florida from California and faces three counts of vehicular homicide.

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
NatSec
News

FBI Raids John Bolton’s Home in Patel-Led National Security Investigation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided the home of former national security adviser John Bolton in Bethesda, Maryland, as part of a national security probe involving classified documents.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Bolton, FBI agents, FBI Director Kash Patel, and senior U.S. officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Friday morning, August 22, 2025, at Bolton’s residence in Bethesda, Maryland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “NO ONE is above the law… [FBI] agents on mission.” – Kash Patel

🎯IMPACT: The Trump administration is stepping up its probes into the misuse of classified documents and the politicization of federal investigations.

IN FULL

Early on Friday, August 22, 2025, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents executed a high-profile raid at the Bethesda, Maryland, residence of former National Security Adviser John Bolton. The operation began around 7 AM, reportedly under the direction of FBI Director Kash Patel.

The FBI head posted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the raid commenced: “NO ONE is above the law… [FBI] agents on mission.” The investigation centers on alleged mishandling or retention of classified documents, a probe initially launched during the first Trump administration but, according to a senior U.S. official, later halted by the Biden administration “for political reasons.” It has been revived since Trump’s return to office in January.

Bolton, a longtime neoconservative, previously faced legal scrutiny for his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The Justice Department initiated an inquiry alleging that the book included classified content, in violation of a nondisclosure agreement signed during his tenure.

Bolton’s pro-war positions on Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Russia, and regime‑change policies often placed him at odds with Trump, whose preference for deal-making and peace clashed with Bolton’s hawkish worldview. When Trump publicly canceled an airstrike on Iran during his first administration, reports indicated that Bolton was “devastated.” Similarly, Trump excluded him from key diplomatic moments, like summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and discussions about Afghanistan peace talks, due to fears that Bolton would leak internal disagreements.

Eventually, the relationship frayed to the point where Trump posted on social media that Bolton’s services were “no longer needed.”

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.

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
News

New Trump White House Art Honors America’s ‘Tariff Men.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new framed meme featuring “Tariff Men” has been placed in the West Wing of the White House.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The image includes Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay, Donald J. Trump, Abraham Lincoln, and William McKinley.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The meme was placed in the West Wing as of Wednesday, August 20th.

💬KEY QUOTE: “….I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so.” – Donald J. Trump, 2018.

🎯IMPACT: The meme underscores the historical and ongoing significance of tariffs in American economic policy.

IN FULL

A new framed meme has been placed in the West Wing of the White House, featuring prominent figures known as “Tariff Men.” This gold-framed image includes historical and modern advocates of tariffs.

Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. Treasury Secretary, is depicted on the far left. He was instrumental in establishing the nation’s financial system and supported protective tariffs to boost American industry.

Next to him is Henry Clay, a Senator and Congressman known as the “Great Compromiser.” Clay was a major supporter of the American System, which heavily relied on tariffs to promote domestic manufacturing.

Donald J. Trump is prominently placed at the center, highlighting his presidency’s focus on tariffs, particularly in trade disputes with China. In 2018, Trump tweeted about his stance, stating, “….I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so.”

Abraham Lincoln, who supported the Morrill Tariff to protect Northern industry and fund the Civil War, and William McKinley, known for the McKinley Tariff, are also featured. The image serves as a reminder of the historical importance of tariffs in U.S. economic policy.

White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Dr. Peter Navarro posted the following video foreshadowing the new West Wing imagery on August 13th, explaining its relevance:

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.

13 hours ago
Breaking

BREAKING: Obama Appointee Uses Environmental Loophole to Try to SHUT DOWN Alligator Alcatraz Migrant Facility.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge appointed 14 years ago by President Barack Obama ordered the Trump administration to halt the transfer of illegal migrants to a Florida detention center and stop construction on the site.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and environmental groups.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Thursday night in Florida, concerning the detention center at the Dade-Collier Training Airport in the Everglades.

💬KEY QUOTE: The judge ordered the removal of “all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project” within 60 days.

🎯IMPACT: The government has appealed the ruling, and the state is expected to request a stay during the appeals process.

IN FULL

An Obama-appointed federal judge in Florida on Thursday night ordered the Trump administration to stop sending illegal migrants to its immigration detention center, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” and ordered a stop to all construction on the site.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency order to repurpose the old Dade-Collier Training Airport into the detention center in the Florida Everglades earlier this year, which is expected to hold up to 5,000 people.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams determined in her preliminary ruling that the administration may not expand the facility, and that no more detainees may be sent there.

“The project creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased mortality to endangered species in the area,” she wrote.

She referred to migrant detainee as “people seeking refuge and opportunities in our nation.”

Williams also ruled that the facility must remove “all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project,” within the next 60 days, along with lights that were installed for the project. Additionally, all temporary fencing must be removed to give Native American tribe members access to the site.

An attorney for environmental groups argued that the site violated the National Environmental Policy Act, while the government contended the act does not apply since the project is under Florida’s jurisdiction. The government has already appealed the ruling, and the state is likely to request a stay during the appeals process.

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.

17 hours ago
News
Sports

LIV Golf Revokes Reporter’s Credentials for Questioning Saudi Links.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A reporter had his credentials revoked by LIV Golf after refusing to remove questions about Saudi funding from an interview.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bill Hobson, host of Michigan Golf Live, golfer Pat Perez, LIV Golf officials, and Saudi Arabia.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred ahead of LIV Golf’s tournament at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Michigan.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I told them, ‘Those were perfectly fine questions and [Perez] answered them fine.’ They said, ‘No, he didn’t answer them fine. He was out of his lane and he shouldn’t have gone there.'” – Bill Hobson

🎯IMPACT: LIV revoked Hobson’s credentials and offered him spectator tickets instead, which Hobson called “largely unprecedented.”

IN FULL

Bill Hobson, host of the radio show Michigan Golf Live, had his media credentials revoked by LIV Golf after refusing to edit an interview in which he asked about the league’s ties to Saudi Arabia. The interview, conducted with LIV golfer Pat Perez, was arranged by LIV to promote its upcoming tournament at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Michigan.

During the podcast, Hobson asked Perez about LIV’s funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns and operates the league. According to Hobson, Perez answered without issue. However, within ten minutes of the interview’s conclusion, Hobson said LIV officials contacted him to request the removal of the Saudi question, as well as another regarding former LIV CEO Greg Norman.

“I told them, ‘Those were perfectly fine questions and he answered them fine,’” Hobson recalled. “They said, ‘No, he didn’t answer them fine. He was out of his lane and he shouldn’t have gone there,'” Hobson continued, relating that he explained to LIV that he had “not agreed to any limitations or, you know, ‘I won’t go there’ categories… And I wouldn’t have done the interview with that.”

Hobson said multiple LIV representatives followed up over the next two days, continuing to pressure him to edit the podcast. He refused. Seemingly in retaliation, Hobson was informed on Tuesday that his media credentials for the Michigan tournament had been revoked and that he was instead being offered general admission spectator tickets. He called the decision “largely unprecedented.”

The situation reflects growing concerns about foreign influence in U.S. sports. LIV Golf is fully funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, a government-controlled entity that has spent billions investing in global sports as part of the Kingdom’s broader “Vision 2030” economic diversification plan. These moves are widely seen as attempts at “sportswashing”—a strategy to improve the nation’s global image despite criticism of its human rights record.

Saudi Arabia is not alone. Other countries have expanded their sports investments in the U.S. and beyond. Chinese firms have held stakes in NBA franchises, and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has taken positions in European soccer and tennis and recently explored opportunities in American sports as well.

Image by MEAphotogallery.

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.

17 hours ago
News
War

Trump Backs Ukrainian Strikes on Russia.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump defended Ukraine’s direct strikes on Russian territory, calling it a necessary move for their defense.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made on August 21 via Truth Social.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s remarks come as discussions with Zelensky and Putin have yet to yield a framework for ending the conflict.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has voiced support for Ukraine’s decision to carry out strikes inside Russian territory, calling it a necessary part of the country’s defense. In a post on Truth Social on August 21, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for placing restrictions on how Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons, suggesting those limitations had undermined Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country,” Trump wrote. “It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning.”

Trump went on to say that the war would never have occurred if he had been in office during the 2022 invasion. “Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? This is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President — ZERO CHANCE,” he added.

Trump’s comments came just days after a high-profile meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, where the two leaders held nearly three hours of private talks. The meeting marked one of the most direct efforts to date by Trump to engage diplomatically on the war.

Following the meeting, both Trump and Putin described the discussion as productive, though no formal agreements were reached. Trump said the two sides had made progress on several issues but acknowledged that key disagreements remain. Putin described the talks as being conducted in a “constructive atmosphere,” and called the meeting a potential starting point for future negotiations. No ceasefire or roadmap for peace was announced.

Meanwhile, the war continues to escalate. Russia launched a major drone and missile attack this week, targeting infrastructure in western Ukraine. A U.S.-owned civilian factory in Mukachevo was destroyed, leaving at least one dead and several injured. Ukraine responded with drone strikes on Russian territory, using both local and foreign equipment.

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.

18 hours ago
News
Politics

Several Trump White House Aides Are Leaving For K Street Lobbying Gigs.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Several senior White House aides are leaving for lobbying jobs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Harrison Fields, Trent Morse, Bo Hines, and May Davis Mailman, among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcements were made in August 2025 in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The demand for these folks is so high that business and folks are looking for a sherpa for this administration,” said Ivan Adler, known as the “Lobbyist Hunter.”

🎯IMPACT: The moves highlight ongoing concerns about the revolving door between government and lobbying.

IN FULL

Several senior Trump administration officials have recently left the White House for roles in Washington’s influence industry, raising fresh concerns about ethics and the revolving door between government and lobbying.

On Wednesday, CGCN Group, a prominent Republican lobbying firm, announced it had hired Harrison Fields, formerly the White House’s principal deputy press secretary. Just a day earlier, Trent Morse, a deputy assistant to the President and deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel, confirmed he is leaving to launch his own lobbying firm, partnering with the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck firm.

The departures come amid growing demand from businesses and organizations seeking help navigating the Trump administration’s policymaking. “The demand for these folks is so high that business and folks are looking for a sherpa for this administration, just because it’s so different,” said Ivan Adler, a veteran D.C. headhunter known as the “Lobbyist Hunter.”

Fields and Morse are not the only ones making the jump. Earlier this month, longtime Trump adviser May Davis Mailman left to start her own government affairs firm. Meanwhile, Bo Hines recently stepped down as executive director of the White House’s crypto council and joined digital asset giant Tether to advise on U.S. crypto policy.

Despite federally mandated one-year cooling-off periods preventing Fields and Morse from lobbying the White House or working for foreign entities directly, they are still permitted to lobby Congress and advise others seeking influence.

Kedric Payne, head of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, called White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’s public praise of Morse “a commercial for him. It’s great for business.”

Wiles, a former lobbyist who worked with Morse at multiple firms before, was blunt in her endorsement of Morse’s value as a lobbyist. “Nobody is better able to [guide clients] than Morse,” she said, citing his knowledge across virtually every department due to his role vetting over 3,000 administration hires.

Fields, in a statement, said he leaves the White House “with a heart full of incredible memories,” and looks forward to continuing to support the “MAGA movement” in a new role.

While such moves are common near midterms, the speed and volume of early exits from Trump’s White House have drawn attention. Adler noted, “Trump staffers can command top dollar.”

Image by AgnosticPreachersKid.

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

show less
show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
If you can’t drain ’em, become ’em, I guess!
for exclusive members-only insights
If you can’t drain ’em, become ’em, I guess! show more
for exclusive members-only insights
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