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Tuesday, December 2, 2025

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News

TSA Implements Fee for Travelers Without Real ID.

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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a $45 fee for travelers without Real IDs starting February 1, 2026, requiring them to use a new verification system called TSA Confirm.ID.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The TSA, air travelers, and private vendors facilitating the Confirm.ID process.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The new fee begins February 1, 2026, at U.S. airports nationwide.

🎯IMPACT: Passengers without Real IDs may face longer wait times and must pay the fee if they opt to use the Confirm.ID process to verify their identity.

IN FULL

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced plans to charge U.S. air travelers who do not possess a Real ID, passport, or other form of approved identification a $45 fee beginning on February 1, 2026. While travelers who lack a Real ID or passport can still fly, they will be required to use the agency’s Confirm.ID system for identity verification, the cost of which will be covered by the fee.

According to TSA Chief of Staff Adam Stahl, the fee is intended as a mechanism to ensure that air travelers, and not U.S. taxpayers at large, provide the funding for Confirm.ID verification. After paying the $45 fee and undergoing verification, a passenger’s identity will be confirmed for a period of 10 days.

Implemented as a TSA travel requirement in May of 2025, Real ID is a federally compliant state driver’s license, learner’s permit, or non-driver ID card that displays a black or gold star in the upper right corner. Passengers without these IDs will be directed to the Confirm.ID process during check-in at TSA security checkpoints. This process involves answering a series of questions to verify identity, after which a receipt is issued to present to screening agents.

Air travelers who possess a Real ID, U.S. passport, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Trusted Traveler card, or Enhanced Driver’s License, U.S. Department of War ID, permanent resident card, or border crossing card will not need to pay the fee. Notably, the TSA warns that passengers without federally compliant IDs will likely face increased wait times at airports while their identity is confirmed.

Currently, the TSA estimates over 94 percent of passengers at U.S. airports use a Real ID or other forms of acceptable identification.

Image by Michael Ball.

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50 minutes ago
Economy

Gas Prices Hit Two-Year Low, Fall Below $3 Per Gallon.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Gas prices have dropped to their lowest levels in over four years, averaging $2.95 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: GasBuddy, AAA, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Data as of December 1, 2025, with declines reported nationwide, including in Ohio, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is an exceptionally rare and broad-based retreat,” said GasBuddy, citing lower crude oil prices and strong refinery output.

🎯IMPACT: Drivers are seeing significant savings, with gas prices dropping across all 50 states and some areas reporting prices as low as $1.99 per gallon.

IN FULL

U.S. gas prices paid by American drivers have fallen to their lowest levels since May 2021, according to data from GasBuddy. The average cost of gasoline is now $2.95 per gallon, reflecting an 8.5-cent drop over the past week and a 5.4-cent decrease compared to last year.

AAA reports a slightly higher national average of $3 per gallon as of December 1, representing a seven-cent decline from the previous week. GasBuddy noted that prices have decreased in all 50 states, attributing the drop to strong refinery output, lower crude oil prices, and softer seasonal demand. “This is an exceptionally rare and broad-based retreat,” they stated.

States including Ohio, Michigan, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas recorded the most significant weekly declines, where prices fell by at least 11 cents. In Michigan, for example, drivers are now paying an average of $2.96 per gallon, five cents less than last month. In some states, including Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas, prices have dropped to $1.99 per gallon or lower.

Diesel prices remain higher than gasoline, averaging $3.72 per gallon, but also saw a decrease of 5.5 cents over the past week. GasBuddy’s findings are based on over 12 million price reports from more than 150,000 gas stations across the United States.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that domestic crude oil production remains strong, nearing an all-time high of nearly 14,000 barrels per day as of September.

Image by Mike Mozart.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Health
News

Vax Stocks Fall After FDA Memo Ties COVID Vaccines to Child Deaths.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Vaccine stocks dropped sharply after a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) memo revealed a connection between COVID-19 vaccines and child fatalities.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: FDA vaccine chief Vinay Prasad, vaccine manufacturers, and Wall Street analysts.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Memo surfaced on November 28; stock impacts observed on December 1 on Wall Street.

💬KEY QUOTE: “For the first time, the U.S. FDA will acknowledge that COVID-19 vaccines have killed American children.” – Vinay Prasad

🎯IMPACT: Vaccine stocks saw significant declines, with Moderna down six percent, BioNTech down 4.3 percent, Novavax down four percent, and Vaxcyte down 6.6 percent.

IN FULL

Vaccine manufacturers saw notable losses on Monday after a memo attributed to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vaccine chief Vinay Prasad surfaced late Friday, triggering intense market and regulatory debate. The document described what Prasad called a “profound revelation” linking COVID-19 vaccines to “at least ten deaths in children.” In the memo, he wrote, “For the first time, the U.S. FDA will acknowledge that COVID-19 vaccines have killed American children.”

Prasad also included unusually stark language about the agency’s past oversight. “It is horrifying to consider that the U.S. vaccine regulation, including our actions, may have harmed more children than we saved. This requires humility and introspection,” he stated. The remarks quickly rippled through Wall Street, where analysts warned of the potential for sweeping regulatory shifts that could affect future vaccine development and approvals.

By late morning Monday, major vaccine makers were broadly down. Moderna fell around six percent, BioNTech dropped 4.3 percent, Novavax declined about four percent, and Vaxcyte slid roughly 6.6 percent. Analysts have said the memo could prompt the FDA to adopt a more cautious approach, including requirements for larger pre-market trials that measure clinical outcomes.

The controversy comes amid a broader national debate about COVID-19 vaccine policy. In recent months, several reports and advocacy groups have highlighted a range of allegations about vaccine safety, including claims that eye-related adverse events had been linked to the Pfizer shot, and that heart-risk information was being expanded on existing vaccine labels.

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2 hours ago
News
War

NATO Military Chairman Suggests Pre-emptive Strikes on Russia.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NATO is considering a more aggressive approach to counter Russian cyber attacks, sabotage, and drone intrusions, including the possibility of preemptive strikes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NATO’s Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, and other NATO and Russian officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements and incidents occurred throughout November 2025, with impacts across NATO territories, including Poland, Romania, and the Baltic region.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about.” – Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone

🎯IMPACT: NATO faces mounting pressure to address ongoing Russian actions, while balancing legal and ethical constraints that complicate responses.

IN FULL

NATO is signaling a potential shift toward a more proactive stance against Russia‘s “hybrid warfare” efforts. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, indicated that preemptive measures might be considered to counter cyber attacks, sabotage, and drone incursions. “Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about,” the Italian said.

Traditionally, NATO has officially refrained from offensive cyber operations or direct confrontation with Russia. However, a series of recent incidents, including cable sabotage in the Baltics and breaches of NATO airspace, have intensified calls for stronger responses. Dragone noted, “We have much more limits than [Russia] because of ethics, because of law, because of jurisdiction.”

Russia strongly condemned the admiral’s remarks. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the prospect of preemptive strikes as “extremely irresponsible” and accused NATO of heightening tensions. She added, “People making such statements must be aware of the ensuing risks and possible consequences, including for the alliance members themselves.”

Central European NATO members, which are most exposed to Russian interference, have long urged a more assertive posture. Recent events, including drone violations into Polish and Romanian airspace and sabotage targeting Polish infrastructure, underscore the pressure on NATO to respond decisively. However, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen cautioned against hasty action, emphasizing the need to understand the aggressor’s motives. “We shouldn’t be hysterical,” she said.

Image via the Ukrainian Presidency.

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2 hours ago
William Upton
Corruption

Trump’s Treasury Department Is Investigating Tim Walz, Biden Govt Over Somali Medicaid Fraud.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Treasury is investigating allegations of tax dollars being diverted to al-Shabaab and other Somali Islamist terrorist groups due to mismanagement of public funds by Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and the former Biden government.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, President Donald J. Trump, Gov. Walz, and the former Biden government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statement issued by Bessent on December 1, 2025, via X (formerly Twitter).

💬KEY QUOTE: “At my direction, [the U.S. Treasury] is investigating allegations that under the feckless mismanagement of the Biden Administration and Governor Tim Walz, hardworking Minnesotans’ tax dollars may have been diverted to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.” – Scott Bessent

🎯IMPACT: The investigation aims to ensure American taxpayers are not unwittingly funding terrorism and uncover alleged malfeasance and corruption by Walz and the former Biden White House.

IN FULL

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced late Monday that the Treasury Department has launched an investigation into allegations of mismanagement by Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and the former Biden government, which allowed over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to be funneled by members of Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community to Islamist terrorist groups in their home country, including al-Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab. The National Pulse reported earlier on Monday that Gov. Walz is facing allegations leveled by members of his own administration that he ignored evidence of the Medicaid fraud scheme and instead retaliated against the whistleblowers, apparently in an attempt to cover up the corruption.

“At my direction, [the U.S. Treasury] is investigating allegations that under the feckless mismanagement of the Biden Administration and Governor Tim Walz, hardworking Minnesotans’ tax dollars may have been diverted to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab,” Sec. Bessent wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He continued: “Thanks to the leadership of [President Donald J. Trump], we are acting fast to ensure Americans’ taxes are not funding acts of global terror.”

“We will share our findings as our investigation continues,” the Treasury Secretary added.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, around 400 Minnesota Department of Human Services employees accused Gov. Walz of enabling and then attempting to cover up a massive Medicaid fraud scheme enacted by members of the state’s Somali immigrant community. “Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota. We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response,” the workers wrote.

The Minnesota state government workers continued: “Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports. Instead of partnership, we got the full weight of retaliation by Tim Walz, certain DFL members and an indifferent mainstream media.”

Around 100 autism clinics in Minnesota are currently being investigated for Medicaid billing fraud involving autism treatments, with the scheme being linked to a number of members of the Somali immigrant community in Minneapolis. It is estimated that over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars was stolen through the scheme, with some of the ill-gotten funds then funneled to Somalia in support of Islamist terrorist organizations, such as al-Shabaab.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Immigration
News

Trump Admin Reexamining Biden’s Afghan Migrants After DC Shooting.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is “actively re-examining” Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. during Joe Biden’s presidency after one of them allegedly shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, President Donald J. Trump, and Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on December 1 during a White House press briefing, following the shootings in Washington, D.C., last week.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Any individual who threatens our national security or our citizenry will be subject to removal,” said Leavitt.

🎯IMPACT: The review could see thousands of Afghans lose their current status or even face deportation if they are found to be inadequately vetted or a threat to the public.

IN FULL

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday that the Trump administration is “actively re-examining” all Afghan nationals who entered the United States under former President Joe Biden, a decision prompted by a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., involving a recently arrived Afghan national.

Leavitt pointed to the case of 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, accused of shooting two National Guardsmen, one of whom has died, as the immediate reason for the renewed scrutiny. “Any individual who threatens our national security or our citizenry will be subject to removal,” she said during the press briefing.

Leavitt also reiterated that President Donald J. Trump has “permanently paused the migration of foreign nationals from Third World countries that pose a very high risk to the United States.” Leavitt went on to fault previous administrations for what she described as “self-destructive immigration policies,” saying they admitted migrants who “outright hate our country and have no interest in assimilating into our culture.”

The D.C. shooting has revived political debate over the large influx of Afghan asylum seekers who arrived in the United States after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thousands were brought in under expedited resettlement programs, with many temporarily placed in facilities across the country, including a Virginia conference center situated in a residential neighborhood near two public schools. The scale and speed of the relocation efforts sparked criticism from opponents who questioned the adequacy of vetting procedures and raised concerns about the Afghans’ long-term integration.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Crime

Soros-Backed Prosecutor Drops Death Penalty in Illegal Immigrant Machete Beheading Case.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Dallas County District Attorney’s office announced it would not seek the death penalty against an illegal immigrant charged with beheading a motel manager.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Yordanas Cobos-Martinez, an illegal immigrant; Chandra Nagamallaiah, the victim; and Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot’s office.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The DA’s announcement came in a November court hearing. The murder occurred in Dallas, Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on our investigation and my conversations, the state of Texas is not seeking the death penalty. But we reserve the right to change our mind should anything come up.” — Dallas County prosecutor Julie Johnson

🎯IMPACT: The decision not to pursue the death penalty has drawn criticism, with many pointing to the suspect’s criminal history and prior release under former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

IN FULL

John Cruezot (D), the George Soros-backed District Attorney (DA) for Dallas County, Texas, says he will not pursue the death penalty in his prosecution of Yordanas Cobos-Martinez, an illegal immigrant charged with beheading motel manager Chandra Nagamallaiah. Dallas prosecutors announced the decision during a court hearing in November.

Cobos-Martinez allegedly attacked and murdered Nagamallaiah on September 10, 2025, following a dispute over a broken washing machine. The illegal immigrant is accused of using a machete to behead Nagamallaiah in front of the latter’s wife and son, subsequently kicking the victim’s head into the motel’s parking lot before picking it up and depositing it in a dumpster.

Prosecutor Julie Johnson stated, “Based on our investigation and my conversations, the state of Texas is not seeking the death penalty. But we reserve the right to change our mind should anything come up.” The DA’s office cited Cobos-Martinez’s immigration status as a complicating factor in securing a prosecution.

President Donald J. Trump commented on the case, saying, “I am aware of the terrible reports regarding the murder of Chandra Nagamallaiah, a well-respected person in Dallas, Texas, who was brutally beheaded, in front of his wife and son, by an ILLEGAL ALIEN from Cuba who should have never been in our Country.” Trump criticized the former Biden government for releasing Cobos-Martinez despite his criminal record, which included child sex abuse and carjacking.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Cobos-Martinez had a prior final order of removal to Cuba but was released under an Order of Supervision in January 2025 due to Cuba’s refusal to accept him.

Image by IMF Staff Photographer/Michael Spilotro.

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4 hours ago
Corruption

Tim Walz Accused of Enabling, Covering Up Somali Medicaid Fraud by His Own Govt Workers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hundreds of Minnesota government workers have accused Governor Tim Walz (D) of enabling a massive fraud case involving the state’s massive Somali immigrant community and retaliating against whistleblowers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Over 400 Minnesota Department of Human Services employees, Gov. Walz, and Somalis in the state.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The allegations were shared on Saturday by an X (formerly Twitter) account representing the group of Minnesota Department of Human Services employees.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota… Instead of partnership, we got the full weight of retaliation by Tim Walz, certain DFL members and an indifferent mainstream media.” – Minnesota DHS Employees

🎯IMPACT: Millions of taxpayer dollars were allegedly funneled to terrorist organizations, with Gov. Walz accused of using retaliation and political pressure to cover up the fraud.

IN FULL

A group of around 400 Minnesota Department of Human Services employees is accusing Governor Tim Walz (D) of enabling and then attempting to cover up a massive Medicaid fraud scheme enacted by members of the state’s Somali immigrant community. The claims, shared on social media through an X (formerly Twitter) account representing the government workers, allege that Gov. Walz retaliated against whistleblowers who attempted to expose the fraud.

“Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota. We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response,” the workers wrote. “Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports. Instead of partnership, we got the full weight of retaliation by Tim Walz, certain DFL members and an indifferent mainstream media.”

“In addition to retaliating against whistleblowers, Tim Walz disempowered the Office of the Legislative Auditor, allowing agencies to disregard their audit findings and guidance. Media and politicians supporting Tim Walz or the DFL-agenda attacked whistleblowers who were trying to raise red flags on fraudulent activities,” they added.

Around 100 autism clinics in Minnesota are currently being investigated for Medicaid billing fraud involving autism treatments, with the scheme being linked to a number of members of the Somali immigrant community in Minneapolis. It is estimated that over $1 billion in taxpayer dollars was stolen through the scheme, with some of the ill-gotten funds then funneled to Somalia in support of Islamist terrorist organizations, such as al-Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab.

The National Pulse reported in April of 2024 that 70 suspects connected to Somali-linked nonprofits, like Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition, were charged with defrauding taxpayers of a quarter of a billion dollars in pandemic food aid, subsequently facing trial for their crimes. In August of this year, Guhaad Hashi Said, a former associate and campaign “enforcer” for Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in connection with a pandemic-era food fraud scheme.

In a separate case from November 2024, two Somali men in Minnesota received 30-year prison terms for their involvement in the 2012 kidnapping of American journalist Michael Scott Moore off the Somali coast.

Gov. Walz—who served as former Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election—has sought to forge strong ties to the Somali community, boasting in 2021 that Somalis have made “vast contributions” to Minnesota and that “the Somali community’s footprint on the cultural and demographic landscape of our state is invaluable.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
War

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

PULSE POINTS

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

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

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

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

IN FULL

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

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

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

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

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

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5 hours ago
Health
News

White House Discloses Details of Trump’s MRI.

PULSE POINTS

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

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

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

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

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

IN FULL

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

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

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

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

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6 hours ago
Crime

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

PULSE POINTS

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

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

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

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

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

IN FULL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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