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Tuesday, October 7, 2025

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3 hours ago
News

Burger Chain Embraces Patriotism with MASSIVE American Flags at All Locations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Steak ‘n Shake has started installing large American flags at its locations nationwide, aiming to display the tallest and largest flags permitted by local governments.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Steak ‘n Shake, President Donald J. Trump, former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) frontman Elon Musk, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on October 5, 2025, with installations ongoing across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Every Steak n Shake is getting the tallest and biggest American flag that local governments will allow! Steak n Shake proudly supports American values and traditions.” – Steak ‘n Shake

🎯IMPACT: The move has ignited widespread support online, with notable figures like Elon Musk praising the effort, while reigniting debates over flag-related legislation.

IN FULL

Fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake has begun installing large American flags at its restaurants across the country, according to a company post on X. They stated, “Every Steak n Shake is getting the tallest and biggest American flag that local governments will allow! Steak n Shake proudly supports American values and traditions.”

The announcement quickly went viral, accumulating 6.4 million views and nearly 200,000 likes. High-profile figures, including billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, responded positively. “I’m ordering from there tomorrow!” Musk wrote.

Steak ‘n Shake, based in Indiana, operates 397 restaurants across 24 states and territories in the U.S., employing over 10,000 people. Notably, the move follows President Donald J. Trump‘s August 25 Executive Order, which directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute individuals caught burning or desecrating the American flag on related charges such as crimes against property and the peace, or incitement.

Trump emphasized the symbolic importance of the flag, calling it “the most sacred and cherished symbol of the United States of America,” and reiterated his administration’s commitment to prosecuting flag desecration, which he described as “the clearest possible expression of opposition to the political union that preserves our rights, liberty, and security.”

In Congress, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Make American Flags in America Act of 2025, aimed at ensuring that all American flags procured by federal agencies are manufactured domestically. Cruz highlighted that loopholes have allowed foreign-made flags to be sold as American-made, urging Congress to pass his legislation to close these gaps.

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4 minutes ago
Corruption
News

Biden Blocked CIA Report on Hunter’s Ukraine Ties in 2016.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Newly declassified memos reveal that Joe Biden’s team intervened in 2016 to prevent the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from disseminating an intelligence report regarding Ukrainian officials’ perceptions of Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Then-Vice President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, the CIA, and senior Ukrainian officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2016, concerning Biden’s December 2015 visit to Kiev, Ukraine.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I just spoke with VP/NSA and he would strongly prefer the report not/not be disseminated.” – Vice President’s Presidential Daily Brief briefer.

🎯IMPACT: The intervention was described as “extremely rare and unusual” and raises concerns about politicization within the intelligence community.

IN FULL

Newly declassified intelligence documents reveal that then–Vice President Joe Biden’s office took extraordinary steps in February 2016 to prevent the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from distributing a report detailing the reactions of senior Ukrainian officials to his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. According to the documents, Biden’s national security advisor made a direct request to the intelligence community to withhold the report from other U.S. policymakers. A senior CIA official described the request as “extremely rare and unusual.” The CIA briefer who handled the Vice President’s Presidential Daily Brief stated, “I just spoke with VP/NSA and he would strongly prefer the report not/not be disseminated.”

The report, compiled after Biden’s December 2015 visit to Kiev, described how Ukrainian government leaders were frustrated by Biden’s lack of substantive discussions with then-President Petro Poroshenko and expressed concerns over U.S. media scrutiny of Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The CIA summary noted, “These officials viewed the alleged ties of the U.S. Vice President’s family to corruption in Ukraine as evidence of a double-standard within the United States Government towards matters of corruption and political power.”

The same trip coincided with Biden pressuring the Ukrainian government to fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma at the time. Biden threatened to withhold a $1 billion U.S. loan guarantee unless Shokin was removed, a move that, according to the documents, ran counter to then-current assessments by the State Department and European Union (EU), which viewed Shokin’s anti-corruption reforms as adequate.

CIA officials asserted that the intelligence report met the threshold for distribution to U.S. officials and that political intervention of this nature was highly atypical. Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe, under the Trump administration, later released the document as part of a broader effort to address politicization within the intelligence community. “The CIA is being restructured at your direction to focus on our core mission and to eliminate the… well-documented politicization that has taken place in the intelligence community from bad actors in the past,” Ratcliffe said in a 2020 statement.

Additional developments have added to questions about the Biden family’s international business ties. Recently unsealed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records show that Hunter Biden received payments from Ukrainian firm Burisma, Chinese energy conglomerate CEFC, and a Romanian businessman between 2014 and 2018.

In early 2024, Burisma also retroactively filed as a foreign agent for its 2016 activities, raising compliance concerns. More recently, newly released FBI files have alleged further instances of bribery involving the Biden family, though no formal charges have yet been filed.

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By Popular Demand.
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36 minutes ago
News

Biggs Urges DOJ to End Obama-Era Surveillance of Maricopa Sheriff’s Office.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has called for an end to a federal court-ordered monitor overseeing the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, citing excessive costs and prolonged oversight.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Andy Biggs, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), monitor Robert Warshaw, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The oversight began in 2013 following a federal ruling and continues to impact Maricopa County, Arizona.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This regime of judicial overreach has cost taxpayers nearly $350 million since 2013 with no end in sight.” – Rep. Andy Biggs

🎯IMPACT: The prolonged oversight has drained taxpayer funds, impacted law enforcement morale, and led to deputies leaving the MCSO.

IN FULL

Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end a federal court-ordered monitor on the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), which has been in place since 2013. The monitor was implemented following a 2012 lawsuit by the Obama administration’s DOJ, alleging racial profiling and discriminatory practices against Latinos by the MCSO under former Sheriff Joseph Arpaio.

Biggs criticized the monitor as costly and unnecessary in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, stating, “MCSO has worked tirelessly to comply with the court-ordered reforms, and it’s clear that the original goals of the oversight have been met.” According to Biggs, the oversight has cost taxpayers nearly $350 million since its inception, with no clear end in sight.

The court-appointed monitor, Robert Warshaw, has faced allegations of prolonging oversight unnecessarily. Biggs noted that the MCSO is now in nearly full compliance with the reforms, reaching 94 percent compliance in 12 of the 13 required areas. However, he argued that new standards and reporting requirements continue to emerge, creating additional burdens for the department.

Thomas Galvin, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, has echoed Biggs’s concerns. Galvin accused Warshaw of “moving the goalposts” and noted that $34 million has been paid to Warshaw and his firm. He also highlighted the negative impact of the oversight on law enforcement recruitment and retention, as deputies leave the MCSO for other opportunities.

Biggs concluded his letter to Bondi by stating, “Because of this and the multiplicity of burdens Warshaw’s continued monitoring of MCSO has placed on Maricopa County, I request that you move to resolve the case and end this more than decades-long overreach of the federal judiciary’s oversight activities.”

Image by Steve Fernie.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Crime
Immigration

Texas National Guard Deploys to Chicago.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Texas National Guard troops have been deployed to the Chicago area, following a federal intervention order by the Trump administration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D), and U.S. District Court Judge April Perry.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Troops were mobilized on Monday and remain in Chicago, Illinois, as of Tuesday, including the suburb of Broadview.

💬KEY QUOTE: “City property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids.” – Brandon Johnson

🎯IMPACT: The deployment has sparked legal challenges and local political resistance, with Illinois Democrats condemning the federal intervention despite violent anti-ICE riots and surging crime.

IN FULL

Texas National Guard troops have officially arrived in the Chicago area as part of an effort by the Trump administration to strengthen federal enforcement of immigration laws and crack down on violent crime in America’s major cities. The move follows weeks of increased immigration enforcement in the city, including violent anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots in Broadview, where law enforcement used tear gas and pepper gas against rioters.

The deployment proceeded after U.S. District Court Judge April Perry declined to block the mobilization late Monday, despite a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D) and the city of Chicago. Raoul sought to prevent the use of Illinois National Guard troops and the involvement of other states’ forces, such as those from Texas. A federal judge blocked a similar deployment in Portland over the weekend.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) signed an executive order on Monday barring ICE agents from operating on city-owned properties. He stated, “City property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids,” emphasizing that the city would resist unchecked federal actions. However, according to legal experts, Johnson’s order is likely illegal.

The Trump administration has defended the move as necessary for immigration enforcement and crime reduction. However, Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) and other Illinois officials have criticized the deployment, with Pritzker stating, “Any kind of troops on the streets of an American city don’t belong unless there is an insurrection, unless there is truly an emergency.”

The National Pulse reported Tuesday morning that a Latin Kings gang member, Juan Espinoza Martinez, has been charged with allegedly placing a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino. Martinez, a Mexican national, was arrested on October 6, 2025, in Burr Ridge, Illinois, after a confidential source informed law enforcement that a “hit” had been placed on Bovino, who is overseeing the “Midway Blitz” immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, Illinois, where the violent criminal gang is based.

Additionally, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is facing mounting scrutiny over a dispatch order telling officers to stand down and not report to the scene of ICE agents who were surrounded by violent rioters after having their vehicles rammed and boxed in. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said he is investigating the matter of the dispatch call and made it clear to rioters that federal, state, and local law enforcement are allowed and will defend themselves if attacked.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Corruption
News

FBI Disbands Corruption Unit, Fires Agents Following Surveillance of GOP Senators.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) terminated employees and disbanded the CR-15 squad following revelations of private communications and phone tracking of Republican lawmakers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Special Counsel Jack Smith, and several GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Actions were announced on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are cleaning up a diseased temple three decades in the making… restoring integrity to the FBI,” said Kash Patel.

🎯IMPACT: The FBI pledged further accountability measures, sparking renewed scrutiny of its practices and political neutrality.

IN FULL

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it has taken swift action, terminating employees and disbanding the CR-15 squad, following revelations that private communications and phone calls of Republican lawmakers were tracked. The firings follow reports on Monday that former Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) Special Counsel Jack Smith surveilled private phone calls—and tracked the private phones—of eight Republican lawmakers.

FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the issue on Tuesday, stating, “We are cleaning up a diseased temple three decades in the making—identifying the rot, removing those who weaponized law enforcement for political purposes and those who do not meet the standards of this mission while restoring integrity to the FBI. I promised reform, and I intend to deliver it.”

Patel also posted on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability, writing, “We terminated employees, we abolished the weaponized CR-15 squad, and we initiated an ongoing investigation with more accountability measures ahead.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino echoed Patel’s sentiments, stating, “We promised you transparency and accountability. We will continue to deliver on those promises. You deserve better.”

The CR-15 squad, which was part of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s public corruption unit, had been involved in investigations led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Notably, the unit played a significant role in Smith’s investigation of President Donald J. Trump. Smith and his team, under the code name “Arctic Frost,” allegedly tracked the phone calls of nearly a dozen GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Josh Hawley (R-MO), as part of their inquiry into the January 6 Capitol riots.

Documents revealed that Smith’s team conducted toll analysis on phone records associated with these lawmakers. An FBI official confirmed that the tracking allowed Smith’s team to identify the phone numbers called, as well as the location of the calls. President Trump responded to the revelations on Truth Social, calling Smith “a real sleazebag” and accusing him of abusing his investigative powers.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Lawfare
News

Grassley Exposes Another FBI Plot Against Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: New documents reveal further evidence of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s “weaponization” against Donald J. Trump and his allies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senator Charles “Chuck” Grassley (R-IA), Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI, and Trump aide Peter Navarro.

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 7, 2025; Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is the kind of conduct that shattered the American people’s faith in our government.” – Pam Bondi

🎯IMPACT: Increased scrutiny on the FBI’s actions and potential legal ramifications.

IN FULL

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has released fresh documents pointing to additional “weaponization” of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) against President Donald J. Trump under indicted former Director James Comey. Among them is a message from then-Supervisory Special Agent Tim Thibault dated March 2, 2017, shortly after President Trump’s first inauguration, where he boasts that the Squad CR-15/Federal Public Corruption & Government Fraud team was “Aggressively seeking out open-source information, HUMINT info that could predicate a case” against the America First leader.

The files also shed light on the FBI’s handling of Peter Navarro, a key Trump advisor convicted on contempt of Congress charges. Grassley, 92, took issue with the bureau’s choice to arrest Navarro in full view at an airport rather than discreetly at his residence, “which was literally right next to FBI Headquarters,” deeming it “unnecessary” and appearing to imply a political motive.

During her testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled the FBI’s conduct a “historic betrayal of public trust.” She highlighted how 92 Republican figures and organizations faced invasive FBI probes.

Grassley further unveiled a 2017 memo about an FBI investigation into payments linked to former President Bill Clinton. He raised doubts about whether the FBI chased this lead with the intensity it applied to its pursuit of Trump, asking, “Did the FBI throw its resources behind this matter just like it did against Trump and his associates? Or did they sweep it all under the rug?”

“Attorney General Bondi, I expect you to provide me with all records relating to these matters for further verification,” he added.

Image by Paul Morigi Photography.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
News

Jaguar Sales Continue to Plummet, Production to Resume Following Shutdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reported a 17.1 percent drop in vehicle sales for the July-September period, citing a cyber attack and higher U.S. tariffs as major challenges.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: JLR, its suppliers, and JLR’s CEO Adrian Mardell, with broader impacts on the automotive supply chain.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Sales figures cover July to September 2025; manufacturing operations are set to restart this Wednesday at various British and global sites.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It has been a challenging quarter for JLR. We know there is much more to do but our recovery is firmly under way.” – Adrian Mardell

🎯IMPACT: A cyber attack and halted production have disrupted JLR’s global operations and affected its suppliers, prompting new financing measures to stabilize the supply chain.

IN FULL

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reported a significant drop in sales, with figures showing a 17.1 percent decline in the July-September quarter compared to the same period last year. United Kingdom sales fell by nearly a third, and global wholesale volumes dropped by 24.2 percent year on year. The British carmaker attributed the downturn to a cyber attack that disrupted production since early September and the impact of higher U.S. tariffs. However, earlier this summer, JLR’s sales saw a catastrophic slump due to both a production shutdown and a woke rebrand, with these issues likely continuing to impact sales.

The National Pulse reported in June that JLR rolled out a rebrand that ditched the iconic “leaper” logo, used a lower-case monogram, and focused on electric vehicles. The rebrand received stiff backlash and mockery, with automobile enthusiasts accusing Jaguar of becoming more of a fashion or luxury brand rather than a car company after its widely-panned inaugural commercial, which featured a series of bizarrely dressed, androgynous models and zero cars.

JLR announced plans to restart production on Wednesday at multiple British sites, including its Wolverhampton engine plant, Coleshill battery assembly center, and stamping operations in Castle Bromwich, Halewood, and Solihull. Key areas of its Solihull vehicle production plant, such as the body shop and paint shop, will also resume operations. Additionally, its Nitra, Slovakia facility and Solihull’s Range Rover production lines are set to follow later in the week.

The company has unveiled a new financing scheme to support struggling suppliers affected by the cyber attack. The initiative aims to fast-track payments, with eligible suppliers receiving cash up to 120 days earlier than usual terms. JLR also committed to reimbursing financing costs for those participating in the scheme during the restart phase.

Adrian Mardell, JLR’s CEO, acknowledged the difficulties faced by the company, stating, “It has been a challenging quarter for JLR. In the first two months our performance was robust and in line with our expectations, against the backdrop of the planned wind down of legacy Jaguar models and the impact of incremental US tariffs. From the start of September, we have been responding to a cyber incident, which shut down our production. This morning we announced the phased restart of JLR’s manufacturing operations following the cyber incident. We know there is much more to do but our recovery is firmly under way.”

The British government recently announced a £1.5 billion loan guarantee to assist JLR in stabilizing its supply chain, which employs around 120,000 people. The company’s supply chain support package will initially prioritize production-critical suppliers before expanding to non-production suppliers also impacted by the disruption.

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5 hours ago
Politics

Police Union Calls on Jay Jones to Exit AG Race for Backing Cop Deaths.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police (VFOP) has condemned Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones for violent text messages—including fantasies about killing children and police—and called for his withdrawal from the race.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jay Jones, Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, and Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Text messages sent in 2022; with the messages resurfacing last week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is time you hold yourself accountable for these actions and withdraw from the Attorney General race immediately.” – Virginia Fraternal Order of Police

🎯IMPACT: Despite the condemnation, major Democrats have not withdrawn their endorsements of Jones.

IN FULL

The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police (VFOP) has publicly condemned Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones after violent text messages sent by him in 2022 came to light. In the texts, Jones called for the death of former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, fantasized about killing Gilbert’s children, and wished death on law enforcement. The VFOP has called for Jones to withdraw from the race.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the VFOP wrote, “The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police is aware of the recent text message scandal involving you, the Democrat candidate for Attorney General. While this incident may have occurred in 2022, this conduct has no place in our society or democracy, especially from an elected official who is running to be the top prosecutor in Virginia. The men and women of the Virginia Fraternal Order unequivocally condemn these violent text messages sent by you about a political opponent and his family.”

The controversy stems from texts sent by Jones to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner in 2022, where he remarked, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, hitler and pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Coyner reportedly responded, “Jay Please stop.” Jones later called Coyner and allegedly expressed a desire for Gilbert’s children to die to influence policy decisions.

In recounting the incident, Coyner detailed a heated discussion with Jones about qualified immunity for police officers: “I said, ‘I believe that people will get killed. Police officers will get killed.’ And he said, ‘Well, maybe if a few of them died, that they would move on, not shooting people, not killing people.’ And I said, ‘that’s insane.’ But he firmly believed that if you removed qualified immunity, that police officers would act differently, and I firmly believe that it would not result in good public policy, and it would put police officers and the public’s lives at risk if they have to second-guess themselves on a decision they’re making in a moment where someone is doing something violent.”

Despite the VFOP’s condemnation, other major Democratic candidates in the state, including gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, have continued to support Jones, with no significant withdrawals of endorsements.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Editorial
World

EU Begs Trump for Trade Duty Relief as It Doubles Steel Tariffs.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The European Commission proposed a 50 percent tariff on steel imports exceeding a reduced annual quota to protect its steel industry.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: European Commissioner for Industry Stéphane Séjourné, European Union (EU) trade chief Maroš Šefčovič, and trade association Eurofer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Proposal announced on Tuesday; measures set to take effect after June 2026 if approved.

💬KEY QUOTE: “To save our steelworks & our European jobs: we halve our quota of steel imported from abroad; we double the customs duties (from 25% to 50%),” wrote Stéphane Séjourné.

🎯IMPACT: Aims to protect the EU’s steel industry from global competition, including low-cost exports from China and India, while addressing job losses and production declines.

IN FULL

The European Commission has proposed a 50 percent tariff on steel imports exceeding a reduced annual quota, aiming to bolster the European Union’s (EU) struggling steel industry. The current quota of nearly 40 million tonnes faces a 25 percent duty on imports above the limit, but this would double under the new proposal.

European Commissioner for Industry Stéphane Séjourné announced the measures on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “To save our steelworks & our European jobs: we halve our quota of steel imported from abroad; we double the customs duties (from 25% to 50%). This is the reindustrialisation of Europe.”

The EU steel industry has faced significant challenges, including high energy costs and competition from low-cost exports from nations like China and India. The bloc’s share of global steel production has fallen from 9 percent to 7 percent since 2014, with 100,000 jobs lost in the sector over the past 15 years, according to Eurofer.

EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič highlighted the decline, stating, “We are the only region in the world where [steel] production is actually decreasing.” The proposal also comes amid concerns over U.S. President Donald J.Trump’s imposition of a 50 percent tariff on U.S. steel imports, which risks redirecting Chinese and Indian steel exports toward Europe.

If approved, the measures would take effect after the bloc’s current steel sector safeguards expire in June 2026. Brussels is also seeking closer cooperation with the Trump White House to counteract overcapacity in Chinese steel exports, which are expected to reach a record 120 million tonnes this year.

Image: CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2023– Source: EP.

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6 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Trump Threatens Insurrection Act to Quell Chaos in Democrat-Run Cities.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump mentioned the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act to restore order in Democrat-run cities, especially if courts or local officials delay his plans.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, anti-ICE rioters in Chicago and Portland, and the National Guard.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The discussion took place on Monday in the Oval Office and during a televised interview.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that.” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: The invocation of the Insurrection Act could circumvent efforts by Democrat lawmakers and federal courts aimed at hampering the protection of federal property and agents targeted by violent far-left rioters.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has indicated he might consider invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, a law that allows the military to engage in civilian law enforcement under specific conditions. The move comes in response to continued and unprecedented interference by federal courts and local officials aimed at hindering his deployment of the National Guard to protect federal property and immigration enforcement agents.

While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office late Monday, Trump stated, “I’d do it if it was necessary. So far it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason.” The America First leader emphasized the need to ensure the safety of cities and prevent loss of life, saying, “If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that. I mean, I want to make sure that people aren’t killed. We have to make sure that our cities are safe.”

Trump’s comments came amid his efforts to address crime in cities run by Democrats, with Portland, Oregon, being a current focal point. A federal judge recently blocked the deployment of federalized National Guard troops in Portland, though the Trump White House is moving to appeal the ruling.

Later on Monday, during a television interview, President Trump doubled down on the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act. “If we don’t have to use it, I wouldn’t use it,” he said, adding, “If you take a look at what’s been going on in Portland, it’s been going on for a long time, and that’s insurrection. I mean, that’s pure insurrection.”

The Insurrection Act was last utilized during the 1992 Los Angeles race riots.

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6 hours ago
News

White House Memo Challenges Back Pay for Furloughed Workers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A draft White House memo argues that federal workers furloughed during the current shutdown are not automatically entitled to back pay, citing a reinterpretation of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The White House, federal workers, Senate Democrats, labor attorney Nekeisha Campbell, and Sam Berger from the Center for Policy and Budget Priorities.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, as described in a memo reported by Axios.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Does this law cover all these furloughed employees automatically? The conventional wisdom is: Yes, it does. Our view is: No, it doesn’t.” – Senior White House official

🎯IMPACT: Up to 750,000 federal workers could be affected by this reinterpretation, with critics asserting the move is legally baseless and designed to pressure Senate Democrats.

IN FULL

A draft memo circulated by the Trump White House contends that federal workers furloughed during the current shutdown may not be automatically entitled to back pay. The administration claims that the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA), amended in January 2019—which seemingly guarantees backpay even without a congressional appropriation—has been “misconstrued” or is “deficient.”

The draft memo challenges the conventional understanding of GEFTA, which has long been interpreted as guaranteeing back pay after shutdowns. According to a senior White House official, “Does this law cover all these furloughed employees automatically? The conventional wisdom is: Yes, it does. Our view is: No, it doesn’t.”

The argument hinges on amended language specifying that workers are compensated “subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.” The administration interprets this as requiring explicit Congressional approval for back pay.

However, some have denounced this interpretation. Labor attorney Nekeisha Campbell stated, “There is no legal authority to support that interpretation of the statute.” Similarly, Sam Berger of the left-wing Center for Policy and Budget Priorities (CPBP) described the amendment as a recognition of the appropriations process, not a restriction on back pay.

With up to 750,000 federal workers affected, one senior official denied that the interpretation was simply a tactic to pressure Senate Democrats. Nearly a week ago, Democrat lawmakers in the Senate, along with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), voted down a clean continuing resolution passed by the House of Representatives, kicking off the government shutdown.

Subsequently, Senate Democrats, along with Sen. Paul, have voted down four other attempts to reopen the government.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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