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Monday, February 23, 2026
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Crime
World

Violence Erupts Across Mexico Following Drug Lord El Mencho’s Death, Tourists Stranded.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) unleashed violent attacks across 20 Mexican states after the death of their leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The CJNG, Mexican military forces, and local authorities, with support from the U.S. government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Violence erupted on Sunday across Jalisco, Baja California, Quintana Roo, and other states, following El Mencho’s capture and death during his transport to Mexico City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “El Mencho was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland.” — Trump White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

🎯IMPACT: The violence disrupted daily life, halted public transport, and left tourists stranded, while authorities arrested 25 individuals and worked to restore order.

IN FULL

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most notorious criminal cartels, responded with widespread violence after its leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” died in Mexican government custody. El Mencho, Mexico’s most wanted man, was captured by military forces in Jalisco state on Sunday and died from injuries sustained during the operation.

In retaliation, CJNG members set up burning blockades, torched businesses, and attacked towns across 20 states. Reports indicate that dozens of banks, pharmacies, and vehicles were set ablaze, with significant disruptions in high tourist areas like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Authorities reported 250 incidents of road blockades, with 90 percent cleared by Monday.

The violence mirrored past cartel responses to high-profile arrests, such as the 2019 capture of Ovidio Guzmán López—the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. In Guadalajara, panic erupted at the airport when rumors of gunfire spread, though authorities later clarified no shots were fired inside the terminal. Tourists in Puerto Vallarta were advised to shelter in place, and flights were canceled, leaving hundreds stranded. However, by early Monday morning, it appears the Mexican military has largely retaken both cities, using helicopters and armored vehicles.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the military’s efforts, stating, “In most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally.” The operation to capture El Mencho involved the Mexican Army, National Guard, and Air Force, with intelligence support from the United States, which had offered a $15 million reward for his capture. “El Mencho was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said late Sunday on the capture and death of the cartel leader.

The National Pulse previously reported that U.S. President Donald J. Trump has weighed potential ground strikes against Central and South American drug cartels. While action was taken in Venezuela to topple the far-left narco-dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration has been more hesitant to clear strikes in Mexico.

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39 minutes ago
News
SCOTUS

EU Exploits Supreme Court Ruling Against Trump Tariffs to Pause Pro-U.S. Trade Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: European Union (EU) politicians have decided to pause a new trade deal favorable to the U.S. now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned part of President Donald J. Trump’s tariff agenda.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: European Parliament negotiators, President Trump, Supreme Court justices, and various EU politicians.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 2026, in the European Parliament.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The United States must get its trade policy in order, this level of chaos is not serious.” – Karin Karlsbro, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Swedish Liberals

🎯IMPACT: The approval of the trade deal is delayed as EU seeks clarity on the Supreme Court tariff ruling’s implications.

IN FULL

On Monday, European Union (EU) politicians decided to pause progress on a major trade agreement favorable to the United States after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated many of the tariffs previously imposed by President Donald J. Trump. The European Parliament’s trade committee had previously been preparing to approve the elimination of tariffs on American industrial products under the “Turnberry agreement,” named after President Trump’s Scottish golf course.

Parliament negotiators are set to convene Monday afternoon to officially confirm the pause on the agreement, which was reached last year. The chairman of the trade committee, Bernd Lange, requested an urgent meeting and suggested halting legislative efforts on the deal—a proposal that gained support from the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest grouping in the assembly, and others.

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Zeljana Zovko wants the European Commission, which acts as the EU’s unelected executive, to consider “better option for us to continue with” now following the Supreme Court ruling.

The situation has been complicated further by President Trump’s recent decision to temporarily raise the global import duty to the United States to 15 percent using tariff powers separate to those the Supeme Court ruled against, signaling he has no intention of ceasing to use the import levies to level the playing field for American producers and workers in international trade.

Karin Karlsbro, an EU lawmaker from the liberal Renew group, stated: “We will not be able to vote on the Turnberry agreement until we have full clarity on how the Supreme Court’s ruling affects the tariff arrangement,” adding, “The United States must get its trade policy in order, this level of chaos is not serious.”

Image © European Union 2017 – European Parliament.

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21 hours ago
News

Mar a Lago’s Midnight Gunman Named.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A man was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a deputy after entering a secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secret Service agents, a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and an unidentified male.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 22, around 1:30 a.m., at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The incident is under investigation by the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.”

🎯IMPACT: The involved Secret Service agents are on administrative leave, and no personnel were injured.

IN FULL

On February 22, a male in his early 20s was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office after he entered the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago without authorization.

U.S. media identified the alleged gunman as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.

Authorities said he was shot dead by Secret Service agents after raising his weapon into a “shooting position.”

A photograph circulating online originated from a missing person poster shared days earlier by the family of “Tucker Austin Martin” from Moore County, North Carolina.

He was observed near the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.

The confrontation with law enforcement resulted in shots being fired by the agents and the deputy. Fortunately, no Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured during the encounter.

At the time of the incident, there were no Secret Service protectees present at Mar-a-Lago. The situation, including the man’s background, motives, and the use of force, is under investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

In line with agency policy, the Secret Service agents involved have been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

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February 20, 2026
Crime
Immigration

Illegals Arrested for Brutal Sodomy, Torture During Home Invasion.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two illegal immigrants were arrested in connection with a violent home invasion in North Carolina that involved kidnapping, sexual assault, and brutal physical attacks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zaid Mayen, Jonathan David Garcia-Larios, John Carlos Calderon, and an unnamed male victim.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred last Wednesday in a Greenville, North Carolina, suburb.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a real-life nightmare. Burglarizing, kidnapping, assaulting, and sodomizing, and ripping off the fingernails of an innocent victim are extremely wicked and heinous.” – Outgoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: The suspects face multiple felony charges, and federal authorities have issued detainers against their release.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Thursday that two illegal immigrants from Mexico, Zaid Mayen and Jonathan David Garcia-Larios, were arrested in connection with a violent home invasion in North Carolina. The attack, which occurred last Wednesday in a quiet Greenville suburb, involved the suspects breaking into a male victim’s home, restraining him, and subjecting him to brutal assaults, including sodomy and the removal of his fingernails.

DHS officials described the incident as “a real-life nightmare,” with outgoing Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating, “Burglarizing, kidnapping, assaulting, and sodomizing, and ripping off the fingernails of an innocent victim are extremely wicked and heinous.” The suspects, aged 21 and 20, were arrested last Friday with assistance from U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement.

The two men, identified as a Chapel Hill resident and a previously deported homeless individual, entered the U.S. at an unknown time and date. DHS emphasized that these individuals had no prior criminal record in the U.S. but committed what the agency described as “horrific attacks.” A third suspect, John Carlos Calderon, was also arrested, though his immigration status remains under investigation.

All three suspects face first-degree felony charges, including forcible sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, and the use of a deadly weapon with intent to kill causing serious injury. Garcia-Larios and Calderon are held without bond at the Pitt County Detention Center, while Mayen is held without bond at the Orange County Detention Center. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued detainers to ensure federal custody of the suspects.

The unnamed victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is recovering.

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February 20, 2026
Immigration
Lawfare

Trump Admin Wins Major Legal Battle Against California’s Anti-ICE Mask Law.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A California law banning federal agents from wearing masks has been blocked by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Thursday by the 9th Circuit Court, following a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against California’s ‘No Secret Police Act.’

💬KEY QUOTE: “Law enforcement officers risk their lives for us, only to be doxxed by radical anti-police activists. Unacceptable.” – Pam Bondi

🎯IMPACT: The ruling protects federal agents from the mask ban, ensuring their safety while the court continues to deliberate on the law.

IN FULL

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Trump administration a significant win against California‘s anti-mask law targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Late Thursday, the appellate court handed down a ruling staying the anti-ICE law, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), from taking effect as litigation moves forward.

“This crucial ruling protects our brave men and women in the field. We will not stop fighting bad laws like these in California and across the country,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated following the ruling, noting the federal appeals court issued “a full stay blocking California’s ban on masks for federal law enforcement agents.”

Notably, the stay order upholds a lower court’s earlier ruling. It effectively imposes a temporary administrative injunction that prevents California’s anti-ICE law from being enforced until “the court rules on the government’s motion for an injunction pending appeal.”

The ‘No Secret Police Act,’ signed into law by Gov. Newsom on September 20, 2025, sought to ban federal agents, including ICE officers, from wearing masks except in limited circumstances. Newsom claimed the measure was necessary to push back against “Trump and Stephen Miller’s ‘secret police’ tactics,” adding that it would make California the first state to prohibit such practices.

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit arguing that the mask ban threatened officer safety and unconstitutionally allowed states to regulate federal operations. Earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder ruled the mask ban was discriminatory as it exempted state law enforcement while targeting federal agents. She issued an injunction against the law, which the 9th Circuit Court has now upheld.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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February 20, 2026
Economy
Lawfare

Wall Street Celebrates as SCOTUS Overturns Tariff Protections for American Workers.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Wall Street celebrated on Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a number of tariffs imposed by President Donald J. Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Supreme Court, President Trump, and markets such as the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Supreme Court ruling was announced on February 20, 2026, with global markets largely closing in the green late Friday afternoon.

🎯IMPACT: Major indexes like the Dow Jones and S&P 500 surged as companies began suing for tariff refunds.

IN FULL

Wall Street and globalist corporations celebrated on Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful. Major market indexes like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite surged throughout the day, with all three closing with significant gains. However, despite corporate investors cheering the high court’s ruling, President Trump announced Friday afternoon he intends to use alternative federal statutes to reimpose the trade levies—including the restoration of a ten percent global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act.

At market close, the Dow Jones rose 0.4 percent, gaining 196 points. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.7 percent. While investors welcomed the Supreme Court’s reversal of some tariff measures, the Trump administration was quick to emphasize that the ruling is a significant blow to American workers.

Importantly, while the tariffs authorized under the IEEPA were struck down, other trade levies imposed through Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 are in effect. The National Pulse reported earlier on Friday that President Trump, while addressing the ruling at the White House, warned that while some foreign countries are celebrating the court’s ruling, “They won’t be dancing for long.”

“It is my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests,” the America First leader declared, while noting that the majority did concede that the President has the power to embargo and cut off foreign trade entirely under IEEPA. President Trump went on to cite several other federal laws, as outlined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, that allow him to impose tariffs.

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February 20, 2026
News

Trump Warns Europe Has ‘Become Soft and Unrecognizable,’ Must Solve Immigration, Energy Crises.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. President Donald J. Trump warned that Europe must resolve its energy and immigration crises or be changed irrevocably.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, European governments.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 20, 2026, at a press conference in the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Europe has to get smart. Europe’s getting killed on two things: energy and immigration, and if they don’t solve both of them fast, Europe is not the same place.” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: President Trump warned Europe will no longer be “the same place” if it does not move to solve its problems “fast.”

IN FULL

U.S. President Donald J. Trump expressed concerns about Europe’s future while addressing a Supreme Court ruling on tariffs on Friday, saying the continent has “gone woke” and that he wants it to “straighten up.” Speaking to the press, he said, “Europe is not recognizable when you go into so many places,” although he praised countries that have been more resistant to mass migration, specifically Hungary, Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, as exceptions.

“Europe has to be strong, and they’ve become soft and not recognizable. You go into some of the countries, I don’t want to be specific, but I think everyone knows what I’m talking about,” Trump continued. Previously, he has suggested that Britain and France, in particular, have changed for the worse, in the latter case going so far as to say, “France is no longer France.”

“The environmentalists have taken over; they’ve got windmills destroying their fields, their beautiful meadows, and their oceans, and they’re paying a fortune,” he added, warning: “Europe has to get smart. Europe’s getting killed on two things: energy and immigration, and if they don’t solve both of them fast, Europe is not the same place.”

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February 20, 2026
Economy
World

U.S. Imports from Taiwan Surpass China for First Time in Decades.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Taiwan’s exports to the United States surpassed those to China for the first time in decades, according to new U.S. Department of Commerce data.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The United States, China, Taiwan, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Taiwanese chipmakers, and Taiwan’s Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics.

📍WHEN & WHERE: December 2025 trade data reflects U.S.-Taiwan commerce and broader global trends and was released in February 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Investment to the U.S. has increased dramatically, and also because of the rise of AI you have seen dramatic and significant changes.” – Taiwan’s minister of economic affairs Kung Ming-hsin

🎯IMPACT: Taiwan’s economic growth surged, bolstered by its semiconductor industry and increased U.S. investment.

IN FULL

Taiwanese exports to the United States have surpassed those from China in December, marking the first time in several decades that China has fallen behind the island nation just off its coast. Data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce this week shows that imports from Taiwan reached nearly $24.7 billion in December, a 22 percent increase from November, while imports from China edged up to $21.1 billion during the same period.

In recent years, Taiwan has become a key trade partner with the United States, driven by demand for its semiconductor industry, which produces 90 percent of the world’s advanced chips—but many of which are designed by American companies. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Taiwan widened to $146.8 billion in 2025, while the deficit with China expanded to $202.1 billion, despite tariffs imposed during the ongoing trade dispute.

Notably, President Donald J. Trump recently entered the United States into a new trade agreement with Taiwan, capping tariffs on the latter’s goods at 15 percent. Conversely, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and other chipmakers pledged to invest over a quarter trillion dollars to expand U.S. capacity for advanced semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Taiwan’s economic growth reached 8.63 percent in 2025, nearly doubling from prior years, according to its Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics. The country has also surpassed Japan and South Korea in GDP per capita. Kung Ming-hsin, Taiwan’s minister of economic affairs, noted, “Investment to the U.S. has increased dramatically, and also because of the rise of AI you have seen dramatic and significant changes.”

Importantly, President Donald J. Trump will travel to Beijing in March as part of an official visit. It is expected that he and Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping will meet, with trade a key topic of discussion.

Image by Makoto Lin / Office of the President.

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February 20, 2026
William Upton
Economy
World

Trump Blasts Anti-Tariff Justices: ‘Fools and Lapdogs for the RINOs,’ ‘Swayed by Foreign Interests.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Speaking at the White House just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down most of his trade levies, President Donald J. Trump alleged the high court’s majority was “swayed by foreign interests.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the Supreme Court, and foreign powers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 20, 2026, at the White House.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests.” — President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Citing Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Trump said he is ordering the sectoral and national security tariffs to remain in effect—while reimposing the 10 percent universal tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 law.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump blasted the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that his imposition of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was unlawful. Speaking at the White House just hours after the high court struck down most of his trade levies, President Trump alleged the Supreme Court’s majority was “swayed by foreign interests.” 

“The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” the President said, continuing, “I’d like to thank and congratulate [dissenting] Justices [Clarence] Thomas, [Samuel] Alito and [Brett] Kavanaugh for their strength and wisdom and love of our country, which is, right now, very proud of those justices.”

Trump said that while some foreign countries—notably the United Kingdom—are celebrating, “They won’t be dancing for long.” He went on to state, “Others think being politically correct which has happened before far too often with members of this court. They are just being fools and lapdogs for the RINOS and radical left Democrats. They are very unpatriotic and disloyal to our constitution.”

“It is my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests,” the America First leader declared, while noting that the majority did concede that the President has the power to embargo and cut off foreign trade entirely under IEEPA. President Trump went on to cite several other federal laws, as outlined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, that allow him to impose tariffs.

Citing Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Trump said he is ordering the sectoral and national security tariffs—which comprise around a third of those he imposed—to remain in effect. Importantly, these tariffs were not addressed by the Supreme Court’s ruling. Further, the President reimposed the 10 percent universal tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act and will direct a new round of Section 301 investigations, which will likely result in additional trade levies in the coming weeks and months.

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February 20, 2026
Immigration

Trump Has Shut Down Nearly 8,000 Sham Truck Driving Schools.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hundreds of commercial driver’s license (CDL) truck driving schools and training facilities were found in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards and are to be removed from the registry recently, lifting the number of closures to around 8,000.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, FMCSA investigators, illegal immigrant truck drivers, and the American Trucking Association.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigations took place over the past five days across 50 states.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We commend the Trump Administration for taking decisive action to strengthen the integrity of our commercial driver training system and reinforce its commitment to safer roads.” – American Trucking Association

🎯IMPACT: The removal of noncompliant training providers aims to improve the quality of CDL driver training and ensure safer roads amid a spate of deadly crashes involving poorly qualified illegal immigrants.

IN FULL

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has found 550 commercial driver’s license (CDL) truck driving schools and training facilities in violation of its standards. These institutions received notices of removal from the registry of federally authorized truck driver training providers, part of a larger effort that has resulted in almost 8,000 more schools being removed in recent months.

President Donald J. Trump‘s Transportation Sean P. Duffy has spearheaded this nationwide crackdown on CDL training schools in violation of federal regulations and other noncompliant programs. Over the last five days, more than 300 investigators have been dispatched across all 50 states to conduct 1,426 on-site investigations of driver training providers.

As a result, 448 schools were removed for failing to meet basic safety standards, while 109 providers voluntarily closed their operations following the investigations. Despite the removal of nearly 3,000 training providers from the Training Provider Registry (TPR) two months ago, many of these were inactive, minimizing the immediate impact on road safety.

The American Trucking Association praised the initiative, stating, “We commend the Trump Administration for taking decisive action to strengthen the integrity of our commercial driver training system and reinforce its commitment to safer roads.” The Association says it supports strong oversight and random audits to ensure compliance with federal curriculum and qualification standards.

Over the last year, a number of American citizens have died in roadway accidents where the other driver was an illegal immigrant who had been issued a CDL. Two of the top states found to be authorizing commercial licenses for foreign nationals unlawfully present in the U.S. are California and New York.

Image by Tim Holdiness.

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