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Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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3 hours ago
Media

ABC Reporter Apologizes for Calling Charlie Kirk Assassin’s Messages With Trans Lover ‘Very Touching.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: ABC News reporter Matt Gutman apologized after backlash over his comments on texts between Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin Tyler Robinson and his transgender lover, which were read aloud during a press conference on the charges against him.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Matt Gutman, Tyler Robinson, and his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments aired following a Utah County Attorney press conference on September 16, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[L]et there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime.” – Matt Gutman

🎯IMPACT: Gutman faced significant backlash for describing the texts as “very touching,” prompting public clarification and an apology.

IN FULL

ABC News reporter Matt Gutman has apologized for on-air comments he made about a text message exchange between Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs. During a Tuesday report, Gutman referred to the messages as “very touching” and called them “a very intimate portrait into this relationship.”

On Wednesday, Gutman attempted to walk back his remarks, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “Yesterday I tried to underscore the jarring contrast between this cold blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk—a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue—and the personal, disturbing texts read aloud by the Utah County Attorney at the press conference.”

He continued, “I deeply regret that my words did not make that clear. But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.”

Robinson’s texts, which referred to Twiggs—a biological male—as “my love,” appeared to confess to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and included details about the weapon used. Some observers, including WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon, have voiced skepticism about the texts, which may have been sent to provide an alibi for Twiggs and other associates of Robinson.

The 22-year-old Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. He faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted.

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30 minutes ago
News
War

The European Union Wants to Sanction Israel.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The European Commission proposed sanctions on Israeli ministers and settlers, along with suspending preferential trade access for billions of euros’ worth of Israeli exports.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and European Union (EU) officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium, affecting EU-Israel relations.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We regret having to take this step. However, we believe it is both appropriate and proportionate given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” – Maroš Šefčovič

🎯IMPACT: Proposed sanctions could affect $7.1 billion worth of Israeli exports to the EU, but will face significant opposition from member states like Hungary.

IN FULL

The European Commission, the unelected executive for the European Union (EU), proposed a set of sanctions targeting Israeli ministers and settlers on September 17, along with the suspension of preferential trade access for billions of euros’ worth of Israeli exports. The move marks the EU’s most significant attempt yet to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt its military campaign in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation has sharply deteriorated nearly two years on from the Hamas attacks on the Jewish State on October 7, 2023.

European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič said, “We regret having to take this step. However, we believe it is both appropriate and proportionate given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” A senior Commission official added, “I think it’s important to show Europeans that we are able, willing, ready to react when principles and lines have been crossed.”

The proposed trade measures would suspend benefits granted under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, affecting roughly $7.1 billion in Israeli goods, amounting to around 37 percent of Israel’s total exports to the bloc. However, for the suspension to take effect, it must be approved by a so-called “qualified majority” of EU member states, representing at least 65 percent of the Union’s population.

In addition to trade actions, the Commission recommended sanctions against several nationalist Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. A number of Israeli settlers and organizations operating in the West Bank would also be targeted. The EU is simultaneously proposing sanctions on ten senior Hamas members whose actions helped trigger the Gaza war on October 7, 2023. These sanctions will require unanimous backing from all 27 EU member states.

Despite the proposed measures, EU funds supporting Israeli civil society groups, particularly those combating anti-Semitism, would remain unaffected. Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica confirmed that such funding streams would continue.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sharply criticized the EU’s proposals, calling them “morally and politically distorted” and warning that “steps against Israel will be answered accordingly, and we hope we will not be required to take them.”

The proposals come amid a noticeable shift in Europe’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several EU governments, including France, Ireland, and Spain, have either recognized or announced plans to recognize a State of Palestine.

Image European Union 2023– Source: EP.

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50 minutes ago
Election Integrity

Trump DOJ Sues Democrat States for Withholding Voter Data.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine to obtain sensitive voter registration data, including partial Social Security numbers, after the states refused to comply with federal requests.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The DOJ, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read (D), Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D), and the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuits were announced Tuesday, targeting Democrat-led states Oregon and Maine.

💬KEY QUOTE: “States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with.” — Harmeet Dhillon

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuits highlight ongoing Democrat efforts to resist and undermine President Donald J. Trump’s election integrity initiatives.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced late Tuesday that it filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine after the states refused to comply with requests for voter registration lists. These lawsuits mark the first legal actions against states resisting such requests.

“States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, when announcing the legal action. She added: “American citizens have a right to feel confident in the integrity of our electoral process, and the refusal of certain states to protect their citizens against vote dilution will result in legal consequences.”

The DOJ argues the data is necessary to ensure compliance with federal voter registration maintenance laws. Further, the department alleges that Oregon and Maine election officials have failed to provide adequate answers and sufficient evidence to determine whether they’re acting in accordance with federal election law.

Responding to the lawsuits, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read (D) stated, “If the President wants to use the DOJ to go after his political opponents and undermine our elections, I look forward to seeing them in court.” Similarly, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) claimed her office is concerned about voter data security, calling the DOJ’s actions a “fishing expedition.”

Election officials in other states have also resisted similar requests from the DOJ, citing privacy and security concerns. It remains unclear whether the DOJ will pursue legal action against additional states that have declined to provide voter data.

Image by Steve Fernie.

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1 hour ago
Health
News

Amazon Recalls Vitamins Due to Poisoning Risk.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A recall has been issued for 4,700 bottles of Blueroot Health’s Bariatric Fusion iron multivitamins due to non-compliant packaging.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Blueroot Health.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Products sold between January and June 2024 via Amazon and other retailers, with the recall announced last week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The packaging poses a risk of deadly poisoning if the contents are swallowed by young children,” stated the CPSC.

🎯IMPACT: No injuries have been reported, but consumers are urged to secure the products and contact the company for a replacement cap.

IN FULL

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall for Blueroot Health’s Bariatric Fusion iron multivitamins due to packaging that fails to meet federal child-resistant requirements. Approximately 4,700 bottles sold online, including via Amazon, are affected. CPSC warns that the packaging issue poses a risk of lethal poisoning if children access the multivitamins.

According to the recall notice, the issue stems from the cap design, which lacks the embossed ‘push down and turn’ instructions required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA). Instead, the caps feature smooth tops, making them non-compliant with the federal safety standards designed to protect children under five from accidental ingestion.

The recalled products include Bariatric Fusion High ADEK capsules (90- and 270-count bottles) and One Per Day bariatric multivitamin capsules (90-count), all containing 45 milligrams of iron per serving. These were sold for $23 to $57 between January and June 2024. While no injuries have been reported, the CPSC warns that accidental ingestion of high-potency iron supplements can lead to severe poisoning in children, potentially causing organ failure and death.

The Poison Prevention Packaging Act, implemented in 1970, mandates child-resistant packaging for hazardous substances, including iron supplements. Since its enactment, the legislation has significantly reduced child poisonings, with annual deaths dropping from 216 in 1972 to an average of 31 per year.

Consumers are advised to immediately secure the affected bottles out of children’s reach and contact Blueroot Health for a free replacement cap that complies with federal safety standards.

Image by Stock Catalog.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Politics
UK

Farage Scores First Defection from Governing Labour Party.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Mason Humberstone, a Labour councillor, has defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, marking the first such defection from Britain’s governing Labour Party to Farage’s populists.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mason Humberstone, Nigel Farage, Reform UK, and Labour.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The defection was announced on September 17, involving the Old Town ward in Stevenage, a Labour-run council area.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It isn’t ordinary, hardworking people in Stevenage and across our country who’ve left Labour—Labour has left us. The party I joined is lost, without vision, mired in scandal, and too often speaking for a metropolitan elite rather than the people they’re meant to serve.” – Mason Humberstone

🎯IMPACT: The defection raises concerns for Labour about its appeal to working-class but socially conservative voters, as Reform continues to gain traction with defections from both Labour and the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party.

IN FULL

Mason Humberstone, a Labour Party councillor elected in May 2023 to represent the Old Town ward in Stevenage, England, has become the first Labour politician in England to defect to Nigel Farage‘s Reform Party. His departure marks a significant moment for Farage’s party, which has seen a growing number of defections from both the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party and independent politicians in recent months.

Announcing his decision, Humberstone criticised Labour, which has governed Britain under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer since mid-2024, saying, “It isn’t ordinary, hardworking people in Stevenage and across our country who’ve left Labour, Labour has left us. The party I joined is lost, without vision, mired in scandal, and too often speaking for a metropolitan elite rather than the people they’re meant to serve.”

Reform leader Nigel Farage welcomed the defection, calling it further evidence that his party is attracting support from across the political spectrum. “We are winning the support of young people from across the political landscape,” he said.

Humberstone’s move follows a string of high-profile defections to Reform in recent months. Earlier this month, Danny Kruger, the sitting Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for East Wiltshire, quit the Tory party to join Reform, declaring, “The Conservatives are over.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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2 hours ago
Crime
News

WATCH: Democrat Lawmaker Arrested on DUI Charges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Edgar Flores, a Democrat state senator for Nevada, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) after reportedly falling asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle on September 12.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nevada state Senator Edgar Flores, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: September 12, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I am not suggesting that anybody should be driving that tired. It was 100 percent my fault.” – Edgar Flores

🎯IMPACT: Flores faces a possible DUI charge, though no official charges had been filed as of Monday.

IN FULL

Nevada state Senator Edgar Flores (D) was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) on September 12 after police found him asleep behind the wheel of a stationary vehicle. Bodycam footage released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows officers knocking on the driver’s side window before Flores lifted his head. The footage was posted on the department’s Public Records Unit YouTube channel.

Flores, a Democrat, later admitted fault, stating, “I am not suggesting that anybody should be driving that tired. It was 100 percent my fault. I was just way too tired. Driving tired is dangerous, and I should not have been in that position.” He added that the situation could have been worse had he been actively driving.

According to a statement shared on social media, Flores had a long day of work, community events, exercise, and dinner before the incident. The statement also noted that he cooperated with law enforcement, voluntarily submitted to both a breathalyzer and a blood test, and was released on his own recognizance. The breathalyzer confirmed a 0.00 BAC, and Flores’ team expressed confidence that the blood test would yield the same result.

Despite this, 8 News Now reported that documents indicate Flores declined a preliminary breath test at the scene and performed unsatisfactorily on standard field sobriety tests. Flores’s campaign has stated that they are reviewing whether his rights and privacy were respected during the incident.

The Democrat lawmaker has served for over a decade as a state Assemblyman, state Senator, and immigration attorney in Nevada.

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3 hours ago
William Upton
Economy

BREAKING: Fed FINALLY Cuts Rates.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) moved to cut interest rates on Wednesday by 25 basis points (bps), marking the first rate cut of 2025.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, President Donald J. Trump, and the U.S. economy.

📍WHEN & WHERE: September 17, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

🎯IMPACT: While economists largely forecasted the rate cut, the decision still triggered a degree of market volatility, though this is fairly common in the wake of a reduction in rates.

IN FULL

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) moved to cut interest rates on Wednesday by 25 basis points (bps), marking the first rate cut of 2025. While economists largely forecasted the rate cut, the decision still triggered a degree of market volatility, with stocks initially jumping higher on the news.

In August, during the Federal Reserve’s annual Jackson Hole summit, the central bank’s chairman, Jerome Powell, signalled that the FOMC would likely move to cut rates at its September meeting. At Jackson Hole, Powell indicated data showing a weakening labor market likely necessitated a reduction in interest rates. “[W]ith policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” Powell said.

Notably, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) benchmark revision, released earlier this month, revised downward the total number of jobs created between April 2024 and March 2025 by a shocking 911,000. This revision, accounting mostly for the final year of the former Biden government, means the monthly job growth number for much of 2024 stood at only 71,000 per month, instead of the initially reported average of 147,000 per month.

Additionally, the August jobs report suggests the U.S. economy could be slowing, with only 22,000 jobs added for the month—placing further pressure on the Federal Reserve to finally begin lowering borrowing costs. President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly pushed for Powell to cut rates, warning that the central bank’s hesitation risked putting the U.S. economy into a recession.

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4 hours ago
News

WATCH: Bannon Questions Lone Gunman Narrative in Charlie Kirk Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Utah prosecutors released text messages implicating Tyler Robinson in the murder of Charlie Kirk. WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon raised concerns about the official narrative.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tyler Robinson, Robinson’s transgender lover Lance Twiggs, Charlie Kirk, Stephen K. Bannon, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Kirk’s assassination was carried out last Wednesday at Utah Valley University; Robinson was charged on Tuesday, September 17, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m particularly not buying those text messages, it just seems too stilted, too much like a script—actually, like a bad script. So we got to get to the bottom of it.” – Stephen K. Bannon

🎯IMPACT: Media figures and officials are calling for a broader investigation into potential conspiracies surrounding Kirk’s assassination.

IN FULL

Former Trump chief strategist and WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon is voicing skepticism over the authenticity of the text messages between Charlie Kirk‘s alleged assassin, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs, in which Robinson admits to murdering Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last week. In the text exchange, Robinson claimed his motive was that he “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.”

“I’m particularly not buying those text messages, it just seems too stilted, too much like a script—actually, like a bad script,” Bannon said during WarRoom on Tuesday, adding: “You just murdered the most important young person in the conservative movement… and you’re telling me you’re texting, ‘Dad’s going to be very upset I lost grandpa’s rifle.’ Are you kidding me?”


The WarRoom host called for a deeper investigation into potential connections to groups like Antifa or other conspiracies, referencing the attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump in Pennsylvania in 2024. Notably, a number of conservative commentators have called into question the nature of Robinson’s communications with Twiggs and members of a Discord server, with some suggesting the messages appear to be an attempt by the assassin to provide alibis for Twiggs and the others.

President Trump and other senior officials have blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s assassination. Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) stated that Robinson was motivated by his “leftist ideology.”

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has confirmed the agency is reviewing a Discord group chat where Robinson reportedly admitted to the crime, and all members of the chat are under investigation.

Bannon also revealed that the Trump administration is considering executive actions, including labeling Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. “The biggest thing is to broaden the assassination investigation from a single murder to the broader conspiracy,” he said, adding: “If we are going to go to war, let’s go to war.”

Robinson, who has been charged with Kirk’s murder, faces the death penalty, potentially by firing squad, if he is convicted.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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4 hours ago
Election Integrity
Politics

Anti-Trump Brad Raffensperger Enters Georgia Governor Race.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Anti-Trump Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced his candidacy for governor in a video on Wednesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Brian Kemp, President Donald J. Trump, Brad Raffensperger, and other Republican and Democratic candidates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made on September 17, 2025, in Georgia.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I follow the law and the Constitution, and I’ll always do the right thing for Georgia no matter what.” – Brad Raffensperger

🎯IMPACT: The race for Georgia’s gubernatorial seat is expected to be highly competitive in a state that has become a key battleground.

IN FULL

Anti-Trump Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) announced Wednesday that he is running for governor. “I’m a conservative Republican, and I’m prepared to make the tough decisions,” he claimed in an announcement video, adding: “I follow the law and the Constitution, and I’ll always do the right thing for Georgia no matter what.”

The current governor, Brian Kemp (R), is term-limited, making the race open for new contenders. Raffensperger gained national attention after rejecting President Donald J. Trump‘s request to review voter irregularities in Georgia following the 2020 presidential election. Subsequently, the Georgia Secretary of State positioned himself as a staunch opponent of the America First leader.

Raffensperger insisted he was following the law during an interview on Meet the Press in 2021, saying, “I followed the law, I followed the Constitution. And they believe that’s the honorable thing to do.”

The National Pulse reported in October 2024 that Raffensperger was fundraising for a nonprofit lawfare group that he claimed would target any activists or election officials who raise concerns regarding voter fraud. Election Defense Fund, Inc.—a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization—was founded in 2023 and appeared to be run by Ryan Germany, the former General Counsel for Raffensperger. The group specifically targeted Georgia State Election Board members Dr. Jan Johnson, Janelle King, and Rick Jeffries. The three election officials spearheaded several significant election integrity efforts and changes to the state’s election rules regarding ballot counting.

The Republican primary will include other candidates such as Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) and Attorney General Chris Carr (R). On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (D), who recently switched parties, are in the running, along with State Sen. Jason Esteves (D) and State Rep. Derrick Jackson (D).

Image by Patrick Farrell.

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5 hours ago
Breaking

BREAKING: Bomb Squad Called to HQ of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA Organization.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A bomb squad is investigating a suspicious bag left outside the headquarters of the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA (TPUSA) organization in Phoenix, Arizona.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Local law enforcement, TPUSA staff, and Newsmax reporter John Huddy.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Phoenix, Arizona, at the TPUSA headquarters. Date unspecified in the report.

💬KEY QUOTE: “So that is a bomb tech on scene right now, there was a bomb robot that was doing an initial inspection of the bag.” – John Huddy, reporting from the scene.

🎯IMPACT: The incident has heightened security concerns at TPUSA following the recent assassination of founder Charlie Kirk.

IN FULL

UPDATE: 13:10 EST — The suspicious bag left outside the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, is now confirmed to have been someone’s personal belongings. Mourners for the organization’s assassinated founder, Charlie Kirk, have been arriving at the TPUSA campus to leave floral tributes and say prayers on an ongoing basis, so the discovery of what could have been an explosive device caused a “tense moment” at the scene, according to on-the-ground reporter John Huddy.

Original report continues below:

A bomb robot and at least one bomb technician have been deployed to the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, to inspect a suspicious bag found outside the campus. The scene is cordoned off with police tape as the authorities investigate the situation. Newsmax reporter John Huddy shared a video from the scene,

TPUSA, a prominent conservative youth organization, was co-founded by Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated at Utah Valley University last week, allegedly by Tyler Robinson, a left-leaning 22-year-old with a transgender partner.

The Phoenix incident raises security concerns ahead of a funeral service for Kirk, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals.

On Sunday, two men, including a Pakistani immigrant, were arrested after a bomb was found under a FOX 13 Salt Lake City news vehicle in Magna, Utah, less than 50 miles from the site of Kirk’s assassination.

This story is developing…

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5 hours ago
Immigration

Trump Strengthens Citizenship Test for Foreigners.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is restoring updates to the U.S. citizenship test that were first made during the President’s initial term but later scrapped by the Biden-Harris government.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), immigrants applying for naturalization, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on Wednesday, changes to the 2025 naturalization civics test are being implemented nationwide.

💬KEY QUOTE: “American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser.

🎯IMPACT: The updated test aims to ensure applicants demonstrate a deeper knowledge of U.S. history and civics, aligning with the Trump administration’s focus on immigrants assimilating and contributing to society.

IN FULL

The U.S. citizenship test will undergo significant changes, with several updates restoring changes made during the first Trump administration that were removed by the former Biden-Harris government. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the updated “naturalization civics test better assesses applicants’ knowledge of U.S. history and government.”

During the first Trump administration, USCIS overhauled the 2008 version of the citizenship exam, aimed at ensuring immigrants seeking naturalization have a thorough understanding of U.S. history and civics. However, Joe Biden scrapped the changes in 2021 and reinstituted the weaker 2008 version of the test.

The new version, like the test in use in 2020, includes 128 possible questions, up from 100 in 2008. To pass, immigrants seeking naturalization must answer at least 12 out of 20 questions. The test administrator can halt the exam once an immigrant answers 12 questions correctly or nine questions incorrectly.

“American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation,” USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said. “By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements, including the ability to read, write, and speak English and understand U.S. government and civics are able to naturalize, the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness.”

Questions on the updated test guide include: “Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does,” “Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s,” “Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one,” “Why did the United States enter World War I?” and “Name one example of an American innovation.”

The test remains an oral exam, and immigrants have two opportunities to pass. More than 94 percent of aliens passed the citizenship test in fiscal year 2024, according to USCIS.

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