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Monday, February 16, 2026

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2 hours ago
Politics

Schumer Pushes Bill to Elevate Pride Flag to Same Status as the American Flag.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced plans to introduce legislation to recognize the Pride flag as a congressionally authorized flag, granting it protections similar to the U.S. flag and other federally recognized flags.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Chuck Schumer, the Trump administration, the Department of the Interior, and the National Park Service (NPS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Sen. Schumer announced he would introduce the legislation on February 15, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Stonewall is sacred ground, and Congress must act now to permanently protect the Pride flag and what it stands for.” – Chuck Schumer

🎯IMPACT: Schumer’s introduction of the bill is largely seen as an attempt to shore up support among more radical and progressive factions in the Democratic Party, which have become increasingly critical of his leadership in Congress.

IN FULL

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has announced plans on Sunday to introduce legislation that would recognize the Pride flag as a congressionally authorized flag. This move would grant the flag protections similar to those afforded to the U.S. flag, military flags, and other emblems officially recognized by Congress.

The legislative push by Sen. Schumer follows the removal of a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument earlier this year. President Donald J. Trump, through a directive from the Department of the Interior, ordered the removal of “non-agency” flags at national parks, which included the Pride flag. The directive, signed by National Park Service (NPS) Acting Director Jessica Bowron, allowed exceptions for historical, military, and federally recognized tribal flags.

“Stonewall is sacred ground, and Congress must act now to permanently protect the Pride flag and what it stands for. Trump’s hateful crusade must end,” Schumer said in a statement. Notably, the Pride flag has since been reinstalled outside the Stonewall Inn, the site of the 1969 riots among New York City’s homosexual community after the New York Police Department (NYPD) raided the Greenwich Village bar. In 2016, former President Barack Obama designated the bar’s location as the Stonewall National Monument, which is now overseen by the NPS.

While the legislation is unlikely to see adoption in the Senate, Schumer’s introduction of the bill is largely seen as an attempt to shore up support among more radical and progressive factions in the Democratic Party, which have become increasingly critical of his leadership in Congress. Schumer currently faces a possible primary challenge from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who is well-positioned with the party’s far-left base.

Image by DVSROSS.

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54 minutes ago
Health
Politics

Trump Orders FEMA to Tackle ‘Pootomac’ Sewage Spill Crisis.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A wastewater spill into the Potomac River began on January 19 due to a sewer line breach in Maryland, releasing millions of gallons of raw sewage.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump and local and state officials in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The spill began on January 19 in Maryland, affecting the Potomac River, with President Trump announcing FEMA’s intervention on February 16, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There is a massive Ecological Disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Federal authorities, including FEMA, are being directed to assist in the recovery efforts amidst a government funding dispute.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump is ordering the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to step in to coordinate the ongoing disaster response to the unprecedented sewage spill impacting the Potomac River. The National Pulse reported earlier on Monday that nearly a month after a sewer pipe collapse, an estimated 250 million gallons of raw sewage have been released into the river, which flows through the heart of the nation’s capital, leading to significant environmental and recreational concerns.

“There is a massive Ecological Disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland. A sewer line breach in Maryland has caused millions of gallons of raw sewage to be dumped directly into the Potomac River, a result of incompetent Local and State Management of Essential Waste Management Systems,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social late Monday afternoon.

Trump continued, “Therefore, I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation’s Capital City. While State and Local Authorities have failed to request needed Emergency Help, I cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership’ to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone.”

“The Federal Government has no choice, but to step in. FEMA, which is currently being defunded by the Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response,” he added.

Notably, while FEMA’s disaster relief funding remains available to assist state and local governments, the agency is not currently allowed to pay its employees’ salaries due to the ongoing partial government shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated last Friday by Senate Democrats. The Trump White House is working to negotiate a deal with Democrat lawmakers, who are demanding radical reductions in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) funding and operations, to end the impasse.

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2 hours ago
Education
Politics

Study Finds 88% of College Students Fake Being Leftists to Fit In, Score Better Grades.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A study revealed that a significant majority of college students misrepresent their views to align with progressive ideologies socially or academically.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Researchers Kevin Waldman and Forest Romm from psychFORM conducted the study, interviewing 1,452 undergraduate students.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The research took place between 2023 and 2025 at Northwestern University and the University of Michigan.

🎯IMPACT: The findings highlight concerns about free expression and intellectual growth being stifled on college campuses.

IN FULL

According to new data, most American college students publicly present themselves as holding more progressive political opinions than they actually believe in order to be more advantaged socially or academically. The research, conducted by Kevin Waldman and Forest Romm with psychFORM, included confidential interviews with 1,452 undergraduate students at Northwestern University and the University of Michigan between 2023 and 2025.

The study found that 88 percent of college students surveyed responded yes when asked, “Have you ever pretended to hold more progressive views than you believed to be accepted socially or academically?” Additionally, 82 percent of students stated that they submitted assignments that misrepresented their true beliefs to align with what they perceived as expected ideologies.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of students reported receiving negative feedback on work that challenged these expected views. A substantial 72 percent of participants stated that reasoned disagreement with progressive views is not treated with respect.

Notably, topics like gender identity, political beliefs, and family values were among the most self-censored, with 78 percent, 72 percent, and 68 percent of students, respectively, admitting to avoiding open discussion. Furthermore, when asked about their stance on whether “gender identity should override biological sex in athletics, healthcare, or legal documents,” 77 percent disagreed, but 91 percent of those who disagreed said they would not express this opinion publicly.

The findings also highlighted reputational concerns, with 81 percent of students agreeing that “silence is safest when unsure how views will be received,” and 74 percent acknowledging that expressing moderate views could harm their reputation. Even among close friends, 73 percent said they avoid sharing their values, and nearly half reported concealing beliefs in intimate relationships.

Image by Tony Webster.

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3 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

CBP Officer Arrested for Sheltering Illegal Immigrant ‘Girlfriend’ Who is Also His Niece.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, Andres Wilkinson, was arrested for aiding his illegal immigrant “girlfriend,” who is reportedly also his niece, by failing to report her immigration status.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Andres Wilkinson, a CBP supervisor, and the illegal immigrant.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation lasted several months in Laredo, Texas, culminating in Wilkinson’s arrest in February 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative… to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” – U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei

🎯IMPACT: Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

IN FULL

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervisor Andres Wilkinson of Laredo, Texas, has been arrested for aiding his illegal immigrant “girlfriend” by failing to report her to immigration authorities in order to shield her from deportation. According to a criminal complaint, Wilkinson used his position to unlawfully aid the woman, who officials believe is also his niece, even traveling with her through Border Patrol checkpoints near the southern border.

The CBP Office of Professional Responsibility secretly investigated Wilkinson for months after observing him with the woman and her daughter. The complaint revealed that Wilkinson was aware of her illegal immigrant status but maintained a romantic relationship with her, providing financial support, housing, credit cards, and access to his vehicle.

Further complicating the case, the woman is believed to be Wilkinson’s niece. Investigators determined she was the daughter of a man Wilkinson listed as his brother in a 2023 background check. She had overstayed a temporary visa issued in August 2023 and has been living with Wilkinson since August 2024.

Wilkinson, who joined CBP in 2001 and was promoted to a supervisory role in 2021, now faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. “This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative… to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) noted Wilkinson’s actions violated his oath to enforce immigration laws. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas.

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4 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
News

Bannon Issues Statement on Epstein Chat Logs, Commits to Film Release THIS YEAR.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: WarRoom host and former Trump White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon has addressed his appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files, and the upcoming release of his documentary on the deceased pedophile.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Stephen K. Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2026, the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I am a filmmaker and TV host with decades of experience interviewing controversial figures. That’s the only lens through which these private communications should be viewed.” – Stephen K. Bannon

🎯IMPACT: Bannon intends to release a documentary exposing Epstein this year.

IN FULL

WarRoom host and former Trump White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon has addressed his appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files and confirmed the upcoming release of a documentary on the deceased pedophile. Bannon, an America First stalwart, exchanged many texts with Epstein in the months before his death in federal custody in 2019, as he was preparing a documentary on him.

“I am a filmmaker and TV host with decades of experience interviewing controversial figures,” Bannon said of the exchanges in comments to the press.

“That’s the only lens through which these private communications should be viewed—a documentary filmmaker working, over a period of time, to secure 50 hours of interviews from a reclusive subject,” he continued, adding that his documentary would be released later in 2026 and “destroy the very myths [Epstein] created.”

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Documentarians spending time with subjects they intend to cover critically is not uncommon.

Famously, Martin Bashir was recorded comforting Michael Jackson and telling him he was a “wonderful father” before the release of the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson, which ultimately portrayed the singer in a highly negative light.

A spokesman for Bannon confirmed that his interactions with Epstein were an attempt to ingratiate himself with him for the documentary.

Notably, Bannon argued strongly for the release of the Epstein files when it appeared that Attorney General Pam Bondi was not going to disclose any meaningful new information, saying on his WarRoom show: “If DOJ can’t move off the dime, and FBI can’t move off the dime, [there] should be a special counsel to go through everything and release it all.”

Bannon was one of the earliest and most steadfast supporters of President Donald J. Trump during his first run for the presidency in 2015-16, and spent four months in prison for contempt of Congress in 2024 for refusing to testify before the corrupt January 6 Committee after President Trump invoked executive privilege.

President Trump recently posted a photograph of Bannon on his Truth Social platform, saying he was a “very good [guy]… treated so unfairly by Sleepy Joe Biden.” The Trump Justice Department is currently seeking to have Bannon’s conviction dismissed.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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5 hours ago
Politics

Mamdani’s ‘Rental Ripoff’ Hearings Ban NYC Public Housing Tenants from Criticizing City.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s “rental ripoff” hearings exclude public housing tenants from testifying, despite the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) being labeled the “worst” landlord in the city.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYCHA tenants, private landlords, and Humberto Lopes of Gotham Housing Alliance.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The first hearing is scheduled for February 26 in New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The city’s own tenants—those living in public housing—are demanding a real plan to improve their living conditions… If these hearings were truly about holding bad landlords accountable, the over 500,000 residents in NYCHA would be able to meaningfully participate.” — Humberto Lopes, CEO of Gotham Housing Alliance

🎯IMPACT: Critics claim the hearings are a distraction from the city’s own housing failures, leaving public housing residents without a voice.

IN FULL

Conspicuously absent from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s upcoming “rental ripoff” hearings will be public housing tenants, but not because the city suddenly has a sterling track record in managing government properties. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), often described as the “worst” landlord in the city, will not allow its 500,000 tenants to participate in the discussions as a condition of their rental agreements.

Mamdani’s hearings, which are accused of being a vehicle for demonizing private property owners under the pretense of real concerns like “rental junk fees,” are set to kick off on February 26. However, city officials will only hear from tenants living in privately owned buildings, while city-managed properties will be exempt from scrutiny—despite there being an estimated 500,000 public housing tenants.

“The city’s own tenants—those living in public housing—are demanding a real plan to improve their living conditions… If these hearings were truly about holding bad landlords accountable, the over 500,000 residents in NYCHA would be able to meaningfully participate,” Humberto Lopes, CEO of Gotham Housing Alliance, said of the hearings. He added, “This is clearly the city trying to distract from its own failures while putting on a show, instead of having a real conversation with property owners, renters, NYCHA residents, and everyone else about how to improve housing for all.”

In response to questions about NYCHA’s exclusion, Mamdani’s office stated that while the hearings focus on private-market renters, NYCHA staff will be present to address in-apartment repair requests and other complaints. The administration also promised to release a housing plan in the coming months to improve conditions for all New Yorkers, including those in public housing.

Mamdani defended his approach, claiming that, “So much of the reason that NYCHA residents are living through a system that requires around $80 billion of capital improvements… is a lack of commitment from the federal government.”

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
Health
News

Pootomac: Worst-in-History D.C. Sewage Spill Poisons River.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A sewer pipe collapse has released an estimated 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., impacting a large swath of the waterway.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment, DC Water, capital residents, and environmental advocates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on January 19, near Cabin John, Maryland, with several additional spills in the following weeks, before the ongoing flow of raw sewage was diverted into a nearby canal.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s going to have a profound impact on the river beyond what I think anybody can imagine.” – Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network

🎯IMPACT: The spill affects recreation, wildlife, and the local economy, with high E. coli levels and potential long-term environmental damage.

IN FULL

Nearly a month after a sewer pipe collapse, an estimated 250 million gallons of raw sewage have been released into the Potomac River, leading to significant environmental and recreational concerns. The collapse initially occurred on January 19 near Cabin John, Maryland, about seven miles north of Georgetown, and released approximately 40 million gallons of raw wastewater into the river daily. Some experts believe the spill is now the most significant unintentional release of untreated sewage in U.S. history.

Despite initial efforts to get the spill under control, officials acknowledged setbacks, including subsequent sewage releases into the Potomac River. Even more troubling is that the flow through the broken sewer pipeline, which runs below the river between Virginia and Maryland, is currently being diverted into a segment of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal), creating an open-air sewer channel that itself is quickly becoming an environmental hazard.

The crisis has forced the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment to issue a warning to residents of the capital to avoid contact with the river, advising against fishing, boating, and allowing pets near the water. Despite the spill, officials claim that drinking water remains safe, as tap water is sourced upstream from the spill.

Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network warns that the spill is “going to have a profound impact on the river beyond what I think anybody can imagine.” Notably, spot tests just downstream of the spill have shown E. coli levels near the site to be significantly higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits for swimming. Officials have also detected bacteria linked to staph infections and MRSA.

Concerningly, local government leaders in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia have suggested the spill is unlikely to be resolved before the end of the year. This means a large section of the Potomac River in the heart of the nation’s capital is unlikely to be safe for recreational use, including boating, swimming, or fishing, as the country is set to celebrate its 250th Anniversary later this summer.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
UK

Britain’s Far-Left Govt Tried to CANCEL Elections. Nigel Farage Just Stopped Them.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Government reversed its decision to postpone elections across 30 councils this May following a legal challenge.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Local Government Secretary Steve Reed, Reform UK led by Nigel Farage, and Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Monday, with elections now scheduled for May 2026 across 30 councils in England.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We took this Labour government to court and won. Only Reform UK fights for democracy.” – Nigel Farage.

🎯IMPACT: The Government’s U-turn ensures elections will proceed as planned, with political parties reacting strongly to the reversal.

IN FULL

Britain’s far-left Labour Party government has dropped its controversial plan to delay elections for 30 local councils—municipal governments—this May, largely because a legal challenge by the anti-establishment party Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, threatened to block the postponement in court. Initially, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government claimed that the reorganizations of local government in parts of England justified holding some elections a year later than scheduled, but Reform, which was projected to make significant gains against Labour, went to court, arguing this would deny millions of voters their democratic rights.

Starmer’s justice advisers admitted the postponement plan could be unlawful, prompting the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to say the elections will now go ahead as planned in May 2026 after all. Farage declared victory following the reversal, writing on X:  “We took this Labour government to court and won. In collusion with the Tories, Keir Starmer tried to stop 4.6 million people voting on May 7th. Only Reform UK fights for democracy.”

In late 2025, Labour’s government also postponed several new mayoral elections, pushing them back by two years. That move drew heavy criticism from Reform, which said those contests were in areas where its support was rising sharply and likely to translate into wins.

Reform’s momentum in local contests has been strong, with the populist party taking council seats from both Labour and the formerly governing Conservatives, and even a seat in Parliament following a by-election (special election). In some local areas where elections were cancelled or delayed, polling suggested Reform was significantly ahead of the establishment parties, including as much as a double-digit lead over Labour in parts of Essex, near London.

Against this backdrop, critics of Starmer’s election postponements have argued he was simply attempting to shield Labour from bad results. Reform believes it would likely have won several of the mayoral contests that have been delayed, based on electoral calculations.

Image via European Union / EP.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Health
News

MAHA: States Begin Restricting Food Stamps for High-Sugar, Low-Nutrition Products.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Several states have introduced new restrictions on what can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, a.k.a. food stamps, targeting items like soda, candy, and energy drinks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and various state officials, including Idaho Governor Brad Little (R).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Restrictions begin February 15 in Idaho and Oklahoma, and February 18 in Louisiana. Other states are rolling out changes through 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump has made it clear: We are restoring SNAP to its true purpose—nutrition.” – Brooke Rollins

🎯IMPACT: Over a million SNAP recipients across multiple states will be affected by the new restrictions.

IN FULL

Eighteen states are implementing new rules for receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, limiting purchases of items such as soda, candy, and energy drinks. Idaho and Oklahoma began enforcing restrictions starting February 15, while Louisiana is set to follow on February 18. Meanwhile, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia have already begun enforcing new rules, while the remaining states will begin enforcement between now and the end of the year.

The changes follow a series of federal waivers approved last year, which granted states greater authority to specify what SNAP funds can be used to purchase. Pushed by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins, the waivers are intended to allow state governments to reduce access to high-sugar and low-nutrition products.

“President Trump has made it clear: We are restoring SNAP to its true purpose—nutrition,” Secretary Rollins said of the changes, adding, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.” She added that the waivers “empower states to lead, protect our children from the dangers of highly processed foods, and move one step closer to the President’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.”

The waivers have also received praise from some governments. Idaho Governor Brad Little (R)—one of the states to obtain an approved waiver—stated, “Idaho proudly welcomes the MAHA movement because it is all about looking for new ways to improve nutrition, increase exercise, and take better care of ourselves and one another, especially our children. We are excited to partner with the Trump administration in bringing common sense to the government’s food assistance program with the approval of our SNAP waiver.”

While the SNAP program has been a critical source of aid for many Americans in need, it has also seen its fair share of abuse and fraud. The National Pulse reported in early February that a Minnesota woman was sentenced to one year in prison for defrauding the federal government of more than $325,000 in SNAP benefits. Meanwhile, a duo of Haitian immigrants in Massachusetts was federally charged last December with orchestrating a $7 million fraud scheme targeting SNAP.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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8 hours ago
William Upton
NatSec
World

Rubio Warns Europe: Americans Won’t Be ‘Caretakers’ of ‘Managed Decline.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a landmark speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, reaffirming President Donald J. Trump’s America First foreign policy and calling for a revitalized transatlantic alliance.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and European leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, February 14, 2026. At the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[W]e in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.” — Secretary of State Marco Rubio

🎯IMPACT: The speech was generally well-received, though it highlighted ongoing policy differences between the United States and Europe that must be addressed.

IN FULL

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered the keynote address at the Munich Security Conference in Germany over the weekend, warning that “we in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline,” while stressing the unique relationship between the nations of the Western world, stating, “We want Europe to be strong. We believe that Europe must survive.” The Secretary of State reaffirmed the United States’s commitment to revitalizing the transatlantic alliance, but emphasized the need for Europe—like America—to turn the tide on mass immigration and deindustrialization.

“Deindustrialization was not inevitable. It was a conscious policy choice, a decades-long economic undertaking that stripped our nations of their wealth, of their productive capacity, and of their independence,” Rubio said, noting that “the loss of our supply chain sovereignty was not a function of a prosperous and healthy system of global trade. It was foolish.”

“Mass migration is not, was not, isn’t some fringe concern of little consequence. It was and continues to be a crisis which is transforming and destabilizing societies all across the West,” he continued, adding, “Together we can reindustrialize our economies and rebuild our capacity to defend our people. But the work of this new alliance should not be focused just on military cooperation and reclaiming the industries of the past. It should also be focused on, together, advancing our mutual interests and new frontiers, unshackling our ingenuity, our creativity, and the dynamic spirit to build a new Western century.”

He also condemned the United Nations (UN) for its failure to resolve conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Despite this, Rubio emphasized the enduring connection between the U.S. and Europe, stating, “Our destiny will always be intertwined with yours (in Europe).” He added, “The end of the transatlantic era is neither our goal nor our wish… we will always be a child of Europe.”

The response from European leaders has been largely positive, albeit with some trepidation. ″[Rubio] delivered a speech which still assured us that we stand together in this partnership between Europe and the United States,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in an interview following the speech. He added, “Of course, there are some questions which we will have to discuss, but in the end of the day, his message was clear that we were so successful in the past, and we should do the job once again with new threats, with new tests in the 21st century.”

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8 hours ago
Corruption
Media
UK

Group Behind UK PM Starmer’s Rise Paid U.S. Lobbyists to Smear Journalists as Russian Stooges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Labour Together, led by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, is facing investigation for hiring U.S. lobbyists to do opposition research on journalists behind a critical Sunday Times article.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Labour Together, U.S. lobbying firm APCO, journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke, and leading Labour Party figures including Morgan McSweeney and Keir Starmer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation occurred in late 2023 and early 2024, following a Sunday Times report on undeclared donations by Labour Together.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The freedom of the press and the ability of journalists to work free from harassment and intimidation is a vital foundation of our free society.” – Nick Timothy, Member of Parliament (MP)

🎯IMPACT: The revelations have sparked calls for investigations into APCO and Labour Together, and raise questions about Labour Together’s role in Starmer’s leadership campaign.

IN FULL

Labour Together, which played a key role in helping Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer win the leadership of Britain’s governing Labour Party, brought in the U.S. lobbying firm APCO Worldwide to look into the personal, political, and religious backgrounds of reporters who wrote a critical article about them in The Sunday Times. That article revealed that £730,000 (~$1m) in donations made between 2017 and 2020 had not been properly declared—an issue later found by the Electoral Commission to be in violation of Britain’s campaign finance rules.

APCO’s findings, compiled under the codename “Operation Cannon,” reportedly contained unfounded and highly personal allegations about Sunday Times journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke. The document attempted to undermine their reporting by suggesting that the information on the unlawful donations had been obtained through Russian hacking of the Electoral Commission, and asserting without evidence that the “likeliest culprit is the Russian state, or proxies of the Russian state.”

According to reports, the document was circulated informally among Labour figures, including cabinet ministers and special advisers, and was used to fuel a whispering campaign targeting the journalists. Member of Parliament (MP) Nick Timothy called the report an “appalling” act of “harassment and intimidation” against the press. Notably, similar unfounded claims of Russian collusion have been circulated against Brexit leader Nigel Farage, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, and other anti-establishment figures across the West for many years.

Josh Simons, now serving as a Cabinet Office minister, acknowledged that he had commissioned APCO’s work. He said he asked for that material to be removed before passing the report to the National Cyber Security Centre, which ultimately decided not to pursue a full investigation.

The disclosures have led to calls for an investigation into Labour Together and ACPO’s conduct. Starmer has claimed he has no knowledge of ACPO’s activities and that he would support an investigation. Notably, Starmer’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney was the leader of Labour Together. His resignation was forced over his role in the elevation of Jeffrey Epstein-linked Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., which has caused huge embarrassment for Starmer’s government over recent weeks.

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