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Wednesday, February 18, 2026

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3 hours ago
Economy

Trump Economy: U.S. Industrial Output Soars in January.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Industrial Production in the U.S. surged 0.7 percent in January, exceeding expectations and marking the third consecutive monthly increase.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. manufacturers and industrial sectors, along with President Donald J. Trump and American consumers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 2026, across the United States.

🎯IMPACT: Positive trends in industrial production and manufacturing output reflect continued economic resilience.

IN FULL

Industrial Production surged 0.7 percent in January, surpassing the expected 0.4 percent and improving significantly from December’s revised 0.2 percent growth. The production data indicates that the U.S. economy continues to maintain a position of strength despite establishment economists’ claims that a slowdown is imminent.

Notably, this marks the third consecutive month of growth in Industrial Production, bringing annual growth to 2.3 percent, the strongest since September 2022. Manufacturing output also rose 0.6 percent in January, exceeding expectations and representing the best monthly gain since February 2025.

Meanwhile, capacity utilization increased to 76.2 percent, continuing a positive trend that began near the start of President Donald J. Trump‘s second term—though it fell slightly below projections. Additionally, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Index saw a sharp rise in January, diverging from the ‘soft’ data trends observed throughout the year.

When combined with pricing and other economic data, the trends suggest the U.S. economy continues to stabilize and strengthen heading into the 2026 midterm elections, despite counterclaims by some economists who have continually argued the administration’s tariff policies will trigger a downturn.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Wednesday that the Trump White House’s Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, took aim at a research paper published by the New York Federal Reserve Bank that claims tariff costs are predominantly being passed on to American consumers. “The paper is an embarrassment,” Hassett said, adding, “It’s, I think, the worst paper I’ve ever seen in the history of the Federal Reserve System.”

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2 minutes ago
Health
News

NYC Hospital Halts Transgender Youth Program After Trump Funding Threat.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NYU Langone Health announced it will permanently discontinue its transgender “treatment” program for minors.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NYU Langone Health, the Trump administration, and children who faced being transitioned at the hospital.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was announced in Manhattan, New York, following regulatory pressures.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program.” – NYU Langone spokesman

🎯IMPACT: The hospital will redirect minors to other local facilities.

IN FULL

NYU Langone Health will permanently shut down its transgender “treatment” program for minors, citing regulatory pressure and leadership changes after the Trump administration threatened to withdraw federal funding from hospitals transitioning children.

“Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program,” a spokesman for NYU Langone said in a statement. The hospital said it would support affected patients during the transition and emphasized that its pediatric mental health services will remain in place.

The medical center has updated its website, replacing the name “Transgender Youth Health Program” with “Gender & Sexuality Service.” While counseling services will continue, minors seeking hormone treatments will be referred to other providers.

The decision follows policy actions by President Donald J. Trump aimed at restricting gender-affirming care for minors. In January 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to withhold funding from institutions that provide the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children. The policy seeks to block federal support for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and certain surgeries for individuals under 19. The administration has also moved to roll back prior federal guidance expanding gender identity protections in healthcare and to restrict transition-related coverage under federal employee health plans.

NYU Langone is not alone. Baystate Health, the largest healthcare system in western Massachusetts, announced it would stop prescribing hormone therapies to minors, pointing to the evolving regulatory landscape and the need to safeguard Medicaid and Medicare funding, which covers a large share of its patients. “This decision offers patients the specialized expertise and continuity of care they need and deserve,” a spokesman said.

Image via FCDO.

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33 minutes ago
William Upton
1A
Immigration

Citizen Journo Says Billie Eilish Stunt Led to Lengthy Interrogation When Entering U.S.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Australian citizen journalist and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) critic Drew Pavlou is claiming that American music industry star Billie Eilish is responsible for his being denied entry to the United States.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Drew Pavlou, U.S. Customs officials, and music star Billie Eilish.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The denial of entry allegedly occurred last week, February 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I wouldn’t be banned from the United States but I would not be allowed to use an ESTA visa waiver again.” — Drew Pavlou

🎯IMPACT: Pavlou says he was told he was denied entry to the U.S. due to his social media posts about Eilish

IN FULL

Australian citizen journalist and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) critic Drew Pavlou is claiming that American music industry star Billie Eilish is responsible for his being denied entry to the United States. Pavlou, in an essay published Wednesday, states he planned to travel to the U.S. and test Eilish’s “theory of land ownership, which she stated at the Grammys to great applause, and take over her LA mansion with the help of Native Americans.”

“But, sadly, I was turned back at the border last weekend—my sacred and inalienable right to freedom of movement curtailed by border guards who were, I suspect, briefed about my arrival by Eilish’s team,” the Australian national claims. Pavlou says after his arrival at the airport in Los Angeles he was pulled out the customs inspection line and “taken aside to a screening room and made to wait without access to my phone for four hours. Then I was brought to a holding area, a liminal zone that they referred to as the ‘Upstairs’ unit.”

After several hours and a phone call to the Australian consulate, Pavlou says he was “called in for an interrogation at about 4 AM by Officer Martinez,” who “started his interrogation by asking me who Billie Eilish was.” The Australian anti-CCP activist goes on to allege that Martinez—presumably a U.S. customs official—stated he had reviewed “open-source information” detailing Pavlou’s planned stunt to “trespass” on Eilish’s property.

According to Pavlou, he downplayed his intended social media stunt, but the officer then shifted his line of inquiry—pressing him on his anti-CCP activism and commentary on China. “He wanted to know if I had ever attempted to blow up a Chinese government building. Whether I had previously attempted to assassinate Chinese government officials,” Pavlou stated.

Ultimately, Pavlou says he was told he was denied entry to the U.S. due to his social media posts about Eilish, alleging he was informed, “I wouldn’t be banned from the United States but I would not be allowed to use an ESTA visa waiver again.”

Image by crommelincklars.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Media
Politics

FCC Targets ‘The View’ for Enforcement, Dismisses Colbert-Talarico Hoax.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating ABC’s The View for potential violations of the Equal Time Rule after featuring Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Texas State Representative James Talarico (D), ABC’s The View, and CBS’s Stephen Colbert.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was confirmed on Wednesday, February 18, 2026; the events involve ABC, CBS, and FCC guidance issued last month.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re taking a look at it.” — Brendan Carr

🎯IMPACT: The investigation will examine political bias in media, while raising questions about the application of the Equal Time Rule.

IN FULL

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed that the agency is investigating ABC’s The View for a potential violation of the Equal Time Rule after the show featured Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico. “We’re taking a look at it,” Carr said on Wednesday.

The Equal Time Rule requires broadcasters to provide airtime to rival candidates if requested. ABC has not commented. The View has previously hosted Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), one of Talarico’s primary opponents, as a guest. CBS’s Stephen Colbert also faced scrutiny after his show declined to air an interview with Talarico, citing legal guidance that it could trigger the FCC rule.

Carr criticized media coverage of the Colbert situation, calling it a “perfect encapsulation of why the American people have more trust in gas station sushi than they do in the national news media.” He noted that Colbert’s actions appeared to be a deliberate effort to raise money for Talarico and generate attention for his bid as early voting began, with the Texas Democrat’s campaign reporting $2.5 million raised since the Colbert interview was posted on YouTube.

In its guidance last month, the FCC clarified that talk shows cannot assume automatic exemption from the Equal Time Rule when featuring political candidates. Carr suggested that factors like a host’s political donations could be considered in determining whether a show’s coverage is partisan. Colbert and other hosts have been involved in fundraising for Democrat candidates.

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2 hours ago
Economy
World

Trump Considers Ditching International Energy Agency Captured by Green Agenda Ideologues.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States has issued a warning that it may leave the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the organization does not shift its focus back to energy demand forecasting without prioritizing green energy.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the IEA, and Republican lawmakers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ahead of an IEA ministerial meeting this week, with ongoing discussions since July 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If they insist that it’s so dominated and infused with climate stuff—yes, then we’re out,” said Secretary Wright.

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. may either reform the IEA or withdraw, potentially altering the agency’s approach to energy policy and security.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has warned that the United States could leave the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the intergovernmental organization continues to prioritize green agenda policies over objective energy demand forecasting. The IEA was originally established in response to the 1970s Arab oil embargo to focus on global energy security.

Ahead of a key IEA meeting this week, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated, “If it goes back to what it was—it was a fabulous international data recording agency, it was getting into critical minerals, was focused on big energy issues—we’re all in on that.” However, he added, “If they insist that it’s so dominated and infused with climate stuff—yes, then we’re out.”

The tension between the U.S. and the IEA has been growing, particularly after the agency shifted its focus toward promoting net-zero and green agenda policies. Last November, the IEA adjusted its forecasts, suggesting oil demand growth would peak within a few years, a significant change from its earlier projections.

Republican lawmakers have also expressed concerns, with the House Appropriations Committee approving a bill last summer to withdraw U.S. funding from the IEA. They argue that the agency has moved away from its core mission of safeguarding energy security and has instead become an advocate for far-left environmentalist ideologies.

Previously, Secretary Wright emphasized that the U.S. could either reform the IEA or withdraw entirely. “We will do one of two things: we will reform the way the IEA operates, or we will withdraw,” he said in July 2025. “My strong preference is to reform it,” Wright added.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Crime
News

Alleged Epstein Co-Conspirator Les Wexner Tells Congress He Was ‘Naïve, Foolish, and Gullible.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Billionaire Les Wexner testified before the House Oversight Committee, claiming he was “duped by a world-class con man” and had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes despite being implicated as an alleged co-conspirator.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Les Wexner, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Ohio State University, and members of the House Oversight Committee.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wexner’s testimony occurred on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, in Ohio during a closed-door deposition.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I was naïve, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man.” – Les Wexner

🎯IMPACT: The deposition adds to ongoing scrutiny over Epstein’s network and the release of over three million pages of files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

IN FULL

Alleged Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator and billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Wednesday in a special, behind-closed-doors hearing held in Ohio. Wexner, who hired Epstein to manage his wealth in the mid-1980s, stated, “I was naïve, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man.”

Wexner, who founded the clothing retailer The Limited and Bath & Body Works, while also acquiring brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, and La Senza, claimed he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities, despite being implicated in alleged sex trafficking by documents found in the recently released Epstein Files. Wexner, 88, explained he severed ties with Epstein nearly two decades ago following Epstein’s 2006 arrest. He emphasized, “I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.”

An influential figure in both Ohio and national U.S. politics, especially regarding U.S. support for Israel, Wexner has been embroiled in a number of serious controversies and scandals over the decades. Some in Columbus, Ohio, maintain—despite only tenuous evidence—that the retail billionaire was involved in the March 6, 1985, assassination of Arthur L. Shapiro, an attorney with Schwartz Shapiro Kelm & Warren who represented Wexner’s The Limited retail conglomerate. While Shapiros’s mafia-style murder remains unsolved, local police dismissed Wexner as a suspect—instead pointing the finger at the attorney’s business associate Berry Kessler.

Meanwhile, Wexner became a central figure in the Ohio State University wrestler abuse scandal in late 2019. The athletes who alleged abuse at the hands of the team doctor decades prior demanded the school also address its financial ties to Wexner—one of the university’s biggest donors—due to the billionaire’s ties to Epstein.

The House Oversight deposition follows the release of over three million pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with Wexner’s name appearing over 4,000 times in the files. Wexner is alleged to have ignored complaints by his company’s executives in the mid-1990s that Epstein was using his ties to the retail mogul to pose as a Victoria’s Secret recruiter to gain access to young women aspiring to become fashion models.

Actress Alicia Arden alleged in a police report filed in Los Angeles in 1997 that Epstein had sexually assaulted her while posing as a recruiter for the Wexner-owned lingerie company. Meanwhile, another Epstein accuser, Maria Farmer, filed a police report in 1996, which alleges that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sexually assaulted her at Wexner’s Ohio estate, where she worked as an artist-in-residence.

Wexner publicly severed his ties to Epstein over a year after charges were filed against the pedophile financier in 2006. However, a 2019 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) document listed Wexner as one of Epstein’s “10 co-conspirators.”

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
News

Trump Countersignals His Own State Dept AGAIN on ‘Big Mistake’ Diego Garcia Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a statement opposing the decision by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to transfer the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands), which hosts a strategic British-American military base, to Mauritius—contradicting the U.S. State Department, which said on Tuesday that the U.S. supports the transfer.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. President Donald J. Trump, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and the State Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 18, 2026, concerning the Chagos Islands, in particular Diego Garcia.

💬KEY QUOTE: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The statement highlights strain between the White House and State Department officials on foreign policy, as well as the British government.

IN FULL

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has reiterated his strong opposition to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to transfer the British Indian Ocean Territory, or Chagos Islands, to Mauritius, an ally of China. The Chagos Islands include Diego Garcia, which hosts a strategic British-American military base, which Starmer intends to lease back from Mauritius at considerable expense. Notably, Trump’s belief that the security provided by such a lease is too “tenuous” directly contradicts the U.S. State Department, which claimed on Tuesday that “The United States supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago.”

Following reporting by The National Pulse on the State Department statement, President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.”

“Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before… Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally,” Trump continued, adding: “We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”

Subsequently, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump’s post is the official U.S. position on the Chagos deal, implicitly rebuking the State Department.

Even if Mauritius honoured the Diego Garcia lease, it could undermine the base by leasing one of the other Chagos Islands nearby to China or another U.S. adversary. Trump’s reference to “Wokeism” motivating the transfer may be connected to the fact that Starmer’s negotiator, Attorney General Richard Hermer, despises the “racist” British Empire, of which Chagos is a remnant.

An ideological commitment to “anti-imperialism” by Starmer and his officials is one of the only explanations for the lopsided terms of the Chagos deal, which will see Britain transfer sovereignty of the islands to a foreign state and pay for the privilege. Mauritius is over a thousand miles from Chagos, and the islands have no Mauritian population. The Chagossians, displaced when the Diego Garcia base was established, are near-universally opposed to the islands being transferred to Mauritius.

Notably, Attorney General Hermer worked alongside Philippe Sands, a British lawyer helping Mauritius advance its claims to Chagos, for ten years, with Sands also being a personal friend of Starmer, hinting at possible collusion in arranging the islands’ surrender on terms unfavorable to Britain.

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5 hours ago
News

Florida House Approves Bill to Rename Airport After Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Florida House passed a bill to rename Palm Beach County International Airport after President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Florida state lawmakers, state Rep. John Snyder (R), Governor Ron DeSantis (R), and President Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The bill passed Tuesday afternoon in Florida’s state House.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Forty years ago, Donald Trump came to Palm Beach County when it was a sleepy little beach town and he bought a defunct property that today serves as the winter White House as a symbol of the power of the United States, which has made Palm Beach one of the most desirable and important locations in the world,” said state Rep. Snyder.

🎯IMPACT: If both chambers pass the legislation and Governor Ron DeSantis signs it into law, the change would take effect at a projected cost of up to $5.5 million.

IN FULL

The Florida House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a proposal to rename Palm Beach County International Airport in honor of President Donald J. Trump, advancing the measure on an 81–30 vote. A companion bill is now moving through the Florida Senate. If both chambers pass the legislation and Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signs it into law, the change would take effect at a projected cost of up to $5.5 million.

Supporters argue the renaming recognizes Trump’s long-standing ties to Palm Beach, where his Mar-a-Lago resort is located. Republican state Rep. John Snyder defended the measure, saying: “Forty years ago, Donald Trump came to Palm Beach County when it was a sleepy little beach town and he bought a defunct property that today serves as the winter White House as a symbol of the power of the United States, which has made Palm Beach one of the most desirable and important locations in the world.”

The proposal reflects Trump’s continued influence in Florida politics and a broader trend of attaching his name to prominent institutions and initiatives. In December 2025, the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted unanimously to rename the venue the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

Around the same time, Trump unveiled plans for a new “Golden Fleet” of naval vessels, including a proposed line of “Trump-class battleships,” which he said would showcase American strength and revitalize domestic shipbuilding.

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6 hours ago
TECH

Trump Mulls Social Media Ban for Minors.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump is considering whether to impose restrictions on social media for minors, following similar actions taken by other nations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Lara Trump, and bipartisan members of Congress.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Discussions ongoing as of February 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I’m not much of one for regulating things, but I would be very happy with a little bit of regulation in this space, just personally as a parent.” – Lara Trump

🎯IMPACT: The debate over protecting children from social media and its links to mental health problems remains ongoing, with potential regulatory measures under review by the Trump administration.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump may move to restrict social media access for minors under a policy inspired by similar measures enacted in countries like Australia and France, as well as in some U.S. states such as Florida. The Trump administration is believed to be considering a range of measures aimed to shield children from potential harms associated with social media platforms—an issue that has increasingly become tied to a rising global mental health crisis.

Lara Trump, the President’s daughter-in-law, confirmed during an episode of “Pod Force One” that the Trump White House has shown interest in the effects of social media on children. “I’m not much of one for regulating things, but I would be very happy with a little bit of regulation in this space, just personally as a parent,” she said, expressing concerns over how children are affected by screen time and the chemicals triggered in their brains.

In January 2026, it was revealed that Google had emailed children turning 13 with instructions on how to remove parental controls from their Google accounts, effectively allowing them to bypass parental supervision without parental consent. The policy, which allows minors to “graduate” from supervised accounts at age 13, removes safeguards such as SafeSearch filters and limits parents’ ability to monitor online activity.

Notably, First Lady Melania Trump has long been an advocate for online safety for children. Her “Be Best” initiative has focused on combating cyberbullying and the non-consensual distribution of explicit content, including deepfake imagery. However, it remains unclear whether she has directly discussed potential social media restrictions with the President.

The National Pulse reported in March 2024 that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed H.B. 3 into law, giving parents enhanced control over their under-16 children’s use of social media and requiring age verification for several websites. Additionally, the measure mandated that social media platforms block Floridians under 14 from creating new accounts and delete any existing accounts.

Bipartisan efforts in Congress, such as the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), have also sought to limit minors’ access to social media.

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6 hours ago
William Upton
Economy

Trump’s Top Econ Advisor Blasts ‘Embarrassing’ Federal Reserve Tariff Study: ‘Worst Paper Ever Seen.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, is pushing back on a research paper published by the New York Federal Reserve Bank that claims tariff costs are predominantly being passed on to American consumers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kevin Hassett, President Trump, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and American consumers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Hassett’s remarks were made on February 18, 2026, following the release of the New York Fed tariff study.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The paper is an embarrassment. It’s, I think, the worst paper I’ve ever seen in the history of the Federal Reserve System.”  — Kevin Hassett

🎯IMPACT: The New York Fed research has fueled a new round of partisan attacks on President Trump’s tariff polices, despite a plethora of counter evidence.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump‘s Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, is pushing back on a research paper published by the New York Federal Reserve Bank that claims tariff costs are predominantly being passed on to American consumers. “The paper is an embarrassment,” Hassett said on Wednesday. He continued, “It’s, I think, the worst paper I’ve ever seen in the history of the Federal Reserve System.”

The top White House economic advisor went on to insist the methodology behind the research was so flawed that “the people associated with this paper should presumably be disciplined.” Notably, the New York Fed research has fueled the latest round of partisan attacks on President Trump’s tariff polices, a fact highlighted by Hassett. He argued the Fed researchers “put out a conclusion which has created a lot of news that’s highly partisan based on analysis that wouldn’t be accepted in a first semester econ class.”

Despite the New York Fed’s claims, most economic data since the imposition of reciprocal tariffs last April have shown little movement in domestic consumer prices. Contrary to establishment predictions, consumer prices have not risen, leaving opponents scrambling to explain the data. A recent study by the San Francisco Fed—looking at 150 years of economic and trade data from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France—found that tariffs are not inflationary and more often than not, have deflationary effects that push prices downward.

The National Pulse reported last July that data shows U.S. import prices have risen less than expected since tariffs were imposed, indicating that foreign manufacturers have absorbed much of the burden. Additionally, economic data from China suggests that Trump’s tariff policies have had a significant impact on the communist regime’s economy.

Last December, Chinese Premier Li Qiang—the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) second most powerful leader next to President Xi Jinping—implicitly admitted that U.S. tariffs have caused widespread damage to his country’s economy. Data released by Chinese customs officials shows that exports to the United States fell 28.7 percent year on year in November. Notably, Chinese government data is often manipulated to present a more favorable picture than reality, suggesting that Trump tariffs have likely had an even more profound impact on Chinese exports.

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7 hours ago
Immigration

Trump Admin Audit Finds 20% of Commercial Driver’s Licenses Issued to Foreigners Were Unlawful.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S Department of Transportation (USDOT) audit has revealed that nearly 20 percent of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses issued to foreigners in Illinois were unlawful.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), Director of Driver Services Kevin Duesterhaus, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Findings were detailed in a letter sent Tuesday to Illinois officials.

🎯IMPACT: Illinois was given 30 days to revoke the unlawfully issued licenses or risk losing $128 million in federal highway funding.

IN FULL

A new U.S Department of Transportation (USDOT) audit has found that nearly 20 percent of Illinois’ non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) were issued unlawfully. The audit, which reviewed 150 sampled non-domiciled CDLs, found that 29 were unlawful, according to a letter from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent on Tuesday to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) and Driver Services Director Kevin Duesterhaus.

Concerningly, Illinois informed the USDOT that it has issued 10,088 non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) or CDLs which currently remain unexpired—suggesting a sizable portion of the documents issued were to illegal immigrants or individuals otherwise legally barred from holding the license. Further, the USDOT audit found that a number of the unlawfully issued CDLs were given to illegal immigrants or individuals whose legal status had otherwise expired.

Illinois has been given 30 days to comply with federal CDL regulations and must revoke the unlawfully issued licenses. According to the USDOT, failure to bring itself into compliance could result in the state losing $128 million in federal highway funding.

The National Pulse reported in November last year that California was forced to revoke 17,000 CDLs issued to illegal immigrants who the state now acknowledges remained in the U.S. after their legal status expired. Meanwhile, in December 2025, a USDOT audit found that nearly half of CDLs in New York State were unlawfully issued.

Image by Timothy Holdiness.

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