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Tuesday, June 17, 2025
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Crime
News

Antifa Sharpshooter Charged Over Trump Assassination Threat.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former Coast Guard officer and self-described Antifa member, Peter Stinson, was arrested for allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Peter Stinson, President Trump, and investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) counter-terrorism task force.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Stinson was arrested on Monday, June 16, 2025, in Virginia following an FBI investigation.

💬KEY QUOTE: Stinson “self-identified as a member of Antifa”, investigators said.

🎯IMPACT: If convicted, Stinson could face up to five years in prison, adding to a series of recent threats against the president and other officials.

IN FULL

Peter Stinson, a former Coast Guard officer and self-identified Antifa member, has been arrested for allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald J. Trump. According to a 19-page Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) affidavit, Stinson made multiple threats online involving firearms, knives, and poisoning.

Stinson, who served in the Coast Guard for 33 years until 2021, was trained as a sharpshooter and worked as an instructor at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He is also listed as a coordinator for the MayDay Movement, a group advocating for the impeachment and removal of President Trump as the 47th president. Investigators noted that Stinson posted graphic threats on social media and referenced “8647,” a phrase shared online by former FBI Director James Comey, which was interpreted as a threat against Trump.

The affidavit also highlighted Stinson’s online comments following the July 2024 attempted assassination of Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks. Stinson allegedly described the failed attempt as “a missed opportunity.” He also wrote that he lacked the “necessary skills” for such an act, but later contradicted himself, implying he did have the ability.

Convictions for threatening a president can carry up to five years in prison, though some sentences have been lighter. Stinson’s case is the latest in a string of incidents involving threats against President Trump, including the foiled assassination attempt by Crooks and another attempt by pro-Ukraine activist Ryan Routh.

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Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

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31 minutes ago
Election Integrity
Lawfare

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Declares ‘Big Win’ Despite Jury Finding He Defamed Coomer.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal jury found MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell personally guilty of defaming Eric Coomer, a former Dominion Voting Systems employee, and ordered him to pay $2.3 million in damages. However, MyPillow was found not liable.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mike Lindell, Eric Coomer, MyPillow, FrankSpeech, and Dominion Voting Systems.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The verdict was delivered on Monday, June 16, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a huge victory for our country,” said Lindell, referring to the jury not holding MyPillow liable. He added: “The big win is, you cannot attack USA companies and expect it’s going to work.”

🎯IMPACT: Lindell says he plans to appeal the verdict and damages awarded, which fell well short of the $62.7 million that Coomer had sought.

IN FULL

A federal jury has ordered Mike Lindell to pay $2.3 million in damages for defaming Eric Coomer, a former Dominion Voting Systems employee. The amount is significantly less than the $62.7 million Coomer sought, as the jury did not find Lindell’s companies, MyPillow and FrankSpeech, liable for the claims made by others online.

“This is a huge victory for our country,” Lindell said after the verdict was issued on Monday. Emphasizing that his companies were not held liable, he added: “The big win is, you cannot attack USA companies and expect it’s going to work.” Still, the MyPillow CEO said he plans to appeal the verdict and the damages awarded, insisting he will continue to discuss allegations of election irregularities publicly.

According to the verdict, the jury found three statements, two made by Lindell and one broadcast on FrankSpeech, to be defamatory. In one instance, Lindell called Coomer “disgusting, treasonous, and a traitor.” Another statement accused Coomer of being part of “the biggest crime this world has ever seen.”

Coomer’s legal team argued Lindell ignored opportunities to reconsider his claims. Meanwhile, Lindell maintained his belief in Coomer’s alleged wrongdoing and criticized the trial as an attack on free speech. Notably, the sincere belief that a claim is valid can be a legal defense in a defamation case, meaning Lindell may have at least one viable legal avenue for appeal.

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Image by Gage Skidmore.

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1 hour ago
Health
News

Britain Just Voted to Decriminalize Abortion Up to Birth.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Members of Parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom voted in favor of decriminalizing abortion for the full term of a pregnancy.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Labour MPs Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy, along with 176 MPs backing Antoniazzi’s amendment and 108 MPs supporting Creasy’s proposal.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The debate and vote took place in the UK Parliament on June 17.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Removing the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment of any woman who ends their own pregnancy.” – Tonia Antoniazzi

🎯IMPACT: The amendments significantly alter the legal framework surrounding abortion in England and Wales, impacting women, healthcare providers, and the justice system.

IN FULL

Members of Parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom voted 379 to 137 to decriminalize abortion up to birth. Leftist Labour MPs Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy each proposed amendments with differing approaches to the issue.

Antoniazzi’s amendment, which passed, seeks to remove the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment for women who kill their unborn babies after 24 weeks, which is the current effective limit. She stated that her proposal would not technically alter the time limit for abortion, but with mothers no longer liable for prosecution if they break it, it will be largely meaningless.

“The 24 limit remains. Abortions still require the approval of signatures of two doctors, and women would still have to meet the grounds laid out in the Act,” Antoniazzi claimed, but noted that women who do get an abortion after 24 weeks will face no criminal prosecution. Medical professionals or abusive partners who terminate a pregnancy could still face criminal charges.

Creasy’s amendment, which was not voted on, went further by aiming to enshrine abortion access as a human right.

Under current law in England and Wales, abortion is technically illegal, but permitted up to 24 weeks of pregnancy for effectively any reason provided two doctors approve it, in a process that has become essentially a formality. Beyond this period, abortions are allowed only in exceptional circumstances, such as when the woman’s life is in danger or there are severe fetal abnormalities. The most recent data shows that 252,122 abortions were reported in 2022, the highest number recorded.

If Creasy’s amendment had passed, it could have essentially legalised abortion for all nine months of a pregnancy. Canada, a fellow Commonwealth country, has similar rules around abortion, where there is no criminal law against it during any period of a pregnancy, though there are rules within the medical profession itself.

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1 hour ago
Economy

Fed Chief Powell Likely Making ANOTHER Terrible Decision…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee is expected to keep interest rates at their current levels when the central bank’s leadership meets on Wednesday, despite continued indicators that inflation has subsided.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Reserve, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, the Federal Open Market Committee, President Donald J. Trump, and American borrowers and consumers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Chairman Powell will announce the central bank’s policy on the federal funds rate on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Some members have been expressing concerns about slowing growth, although very slightly, and that should be debated heavily as a driver to cut rates sooner rather than continuing to pause,” contends financial analyst Brian Mulberry, a client portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management.

🎯IMPACT: President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly called on Powell and the Fed to begin reducing interest rates to energize the United States economy. However, since December of last year, the central bank has opted to hold rates at their current range of 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent.

IN FULL

The Federal Reserve Bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is widely expected to hold the federal funds rate steady, currently between 4.25 and 4.5 percent, following its June meeting, which ends on Wednesday. Currently, the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool indicates a 99.9 percent likelihood that the central bank will maintain current interest rates, despite mounting pressure from President Donald J. Trump to begin enacting cuts to borrowing costs.

Interest rates have remained unchanged since December last year, with the central bank claiming economic uncertainty related to the impact of President Trump’s tariff policies has forced them to hold off on a rate cut. However, thus far, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s concern that the tariffs could restart inflation has been largely unfounded. In fact, recent economic data has shown inflation significantly cooling, with the current rate hovering very close to the central bank’s two percent target. Additionally, some recent economic data suggests the American economy could even be facing deflationary pressures, which would generally push the Federal Reserve to cut rates.

In recent months, President Trump has blasted Chairman Powell, calling him a “loser” and arguing that the central bank chief “has always been ‘Too Late'” on adjusting rates to changing economic conditions. Notably, in April, Trump indicated he may soon move to dismiss Powell as Federal Reserve chairman, though that will likely be contingent on a pending court case.

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2 hours ago
News
War

Here’s What VP Vance Had to Say About Trump and Iran…

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance defended President Donald J. Trump’s position on Iran, emphasizing Trump’s consistent stance against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Vice President Vance, President Trump, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Iranian leadership.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Monday and Tuesday, with Trump addressing the issue on Truth Social and during a Situation Room meeting in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The President has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military’s focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens.” – J.D. Vance

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. and Israel have aerial superiority over Iran, with the Trump administration underscoring its commitment to thwarting Iranian nuclear ambitions

IN FULL

Vice President J.D. Vance on Monday defended President Donald J. Trump’s position on Iran in response to “crazy” accusations circulating on social media. Writing on X, Vance stated, “Look, I’m seeing this from the inside, and am admittedly biased towards our president (and my friend), but there’s a lot of crazy stuff on social media, so I wanted to address some things directly on the Iran issue.”

Vance noted Trump “has been amazingly consistent, over 10 years, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding that Trump has encouraged his foreign policy team to reach a deal with Iran to achieve this goal, emphasizing that “Iran cannot have uranium enrichment” and that the America First leader has made it clear this would happen “one of two ways—the easy way or the ‘other’ way.”

Addressing confusion over “civilian nuclear power” and “uranium enrichment,” Vance explained that these are distinct issues. He noted that Iran could pursue civilian nuclear power without enrichment, but has rejected this option. “Meanwhile, they’ve enriched uranium far above the level necessary for any civilian purpose,” he stressed, pointing to violations of non-proliferation obligations as identified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Trump, on Tuesday, called for an “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” from Iran on Truth Social, following Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote, referring to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”

The United States has been deploying assets to the Middle East and reportedly assisted Israel in shooting down incoming Iranian missiles. Trump has emphasized that the U.S. and Israel maintain “complete and total control of the skies over Iran.”

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3 hours ago
Economy

Working Class Hero: Blue-Collar Wages Surging Under Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Blue-collar workers have experienced a 1.7 percent real wage increase in the first five months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, the largest increase for any presidential administration in nearly 60 years.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, blue-collar workers, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The wage growth occurred across the United States from December 2024 to May 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost 2 percent in the first five months. … No president has done that before.” – Scott Bessent.

🎯IMPACT: Blue-collar workers are seeing significant wage growth, reversing decades of stagnation and decline under previous administrations.

IN FULL

Blue-collar workers saw real wage growth of 1.7 percent in the first five months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, marking the largest increase for any administration in nearly 60 years. The wage growth sharply contrasts with the negative growth experienced under former President Joe Biden, according to the latest U.S. Department of the Treasury data.

Since Richard Nixon in 1969, Trump is the only president to record positive growth for blue-collar workers in the first five months of his term. During his first term, Trump also achieved a 1.3 percent increase. The current wage growth recovery follows a 1.7 percent decline during Biden’s initial months in office, when inflation outpaced earnings.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the achievement, stating, “We’ve seen real wages for hourly workers, non-supervisory workers, rise almost two percent in the first five months. … No President has done that before.” He attributed the improvement to falling inflation, which has increased take-home pay, as well as Trump’s focus on manufacturing and efforts to remove illegal immigrants from the workforce. “Biden opened the border, and it was flooded,” Bessent said, adding: “And for working Americans, that’s a disaster because it’s pressure on their wages.”

Trump’s tariff policy has also been designed to make American workers more competitive relative to cheap labor overseas, causing several major companies to reshore production to the U.S.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines blue-collar workers as non-supervisory and production workers. Year-to-date wage growth for this group from December 2024 to May 2025 is more than double the 0.8 percent growth seen during Nixon’s administration. Comparatively, Barack Obama’s first term saw a 0.3 percent decline, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush each recorded a 0.6 percent decline, and Ronald Reagan saw a 0.9 percent decline. George H.W. Bush oversaw a 3.0 percent decline, while Jimmy Carter’s administration recorded zero growth.

Trump’s administration is also pushing for the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which it argues will further boost blue-collar wage growth. The bill includes measures such as eliminating federal income taxes not only on tips, but on overtime pay for over 80 million hourly workers, while providing tax incentives for manufacturers to build factories in the United States.

These initiatives are expected to create up to six million jobs in construction and manufacturing, reversing decades of offshoring.

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3 hours ago
War

Snap Poll Shows Surprising Support for ‘Ground Troops’ Against Iran.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new Democracy Institute poll shows a majority of 2024 U.S. voters—especially working-class and Trump-aligned—oppose going to war with Iran, including deploying ground troops. Still, the number of people who support the idea of ground troops is surprisingly high.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: 1,500 U.S. voters were polled between June 14–16, 2025, including 1,250 working class voters and 1,150 Trump 2024 voters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: National survey conducted in the U.S., June 14–16, 2025.

🎯IMPACT: The results signal potential political danger for any administration or candidate pushing military escalation against Iran.

IN FULL

A national Democracy Institute poll has revealed that most American voters, especially those who support Donald Trump, are staunchly opposed to a war with Iran involving ground troops. Just over one in three Americans, however, appear to support the move.

The survey, conducted June 14–16, 2025, asked whether the U.S. should go to war—including committing boots on the ground—against Iran. Only 35 percent of all 2024 voters said “yes,” while a majority—53 percent—said “no.”

Among working-class voters, resistance to war is higher. Just 29 percent support the idea of war with Iran, while 60 percent are opposed.

The opposition peaks among Trump 2024 voters, where only 26 percent favor a war, and a commanding 64 percent are against it. These figures underscore a continued America-First philosophy within Trump’s base, echoing themes from his 2016 and 2024 campaigns: putting America first, avoiding endless wars, and focusing on domestic renewal.

The poll’s margin of error sits at ±3 percent across the groups surveyed, which included 1,500 national voters, 1,250 working-class voters, and 1,150 Trump 2024 voters. It reflects a growing skepticism not only about regime change abroad, but also about Washington’s handling of foreign entanglements more broadly.

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4 hours ago
Immigration
Politics

ICE Just Arrested a Top NYC Official and Mayoral Candidate for Obstruction.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was detained by federal agents after grabbing onto a group of alleged illegal immigrants being taken into ICE custody and demanding to see a warrant following an immigration hearing.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brad Lander, ICE agents, and individuals attending an immigration hearing.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday morning, June 17, 2025, at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad Lander was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” the Lander campaign confirmed in a statement.

🎯IMPACT: Lander is accused of interfering in a federal immigration enforcement action. However, his actions could help boost his political profile in a crowded Democratic primary field for New York City Mayor.

IN FULL

Brad Lander, the New York City Comptroller and a Democratic candidate for mayor, was detained by federal agents on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred after Lander demanded to see a warrant for individuals who had been detained following an immigration hearing and grabbed onto them.

Video of the incident, shared by Lander’s press secretary Chloe Bristow, shows the comptroller being handcuffed and taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Bristow confirmed that Lander remains held at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.

According to Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, the Democratic mayoral candidate was “escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza” when he was approached by federal immigration agents. Subsequently, Lander demands that the officers present a judicial warrant, appearing to hold onto the migrants to hinder their arrest.

Barnette noted that this is her husband’s third time this month escorting alleged illegal immigrants after immigration court hearings in Lower Manhattan.

“You have no authority to arrest U.S. citizens,” the Democrat can be heard shouting in one video of the incident, demanding: “Where are you taking me and with what authority?”

“I’m not obstructing, I’m standing right here in the hallway,” Lander claims in another video as he’s being handcuffed and led to an elevator, adding: “I asked to see the judicial warrant. You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”

Last month, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and several Democratic members of Congress were detained after allegedly assaulting ICE officials at the Delaney Hall detention facility in New Jersey. The incident resulted in a federal grand jury indicting Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) on three federal charges for interfering with ICE agents.

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4 hours ago
War

ICYMI: Israel Eliminated Iran’s Top Military Leader, Again.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Israel claims to have killed Irian’s top military commander, Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, after eliminating his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, just days ago.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Iranian military, and Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Shadmani was reportedly killed in a strike on an Iranian military command center in Tehran late Monday night.

💬KEY QUOTE: Shadmani’s death “adds to a series of eliminations of Iran’s most senior military leadership and degrades the chain of command of the Iranian armed forces,” the IDF said in a statement.

🎯IMPACT: Maj. Gen. Shadmani is believed to have been a close military advisor to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, commanding both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army.

IN FULL

The Israel-Iran conflict, now in its fifth day, has seen extensive military operations by both sides. Overnight, Israeli forces conducted targeted strikes on key Iranian military sites, including a command center in Tehran, where Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, Iran’s wartime chief of staff, was killed. Shadmani had been appointed just days earlier, following the death of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, in another Israeli strike on Friday.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strike that killed Shadmani occurred “in the heart of Tehran” late Monday, with the target presenting a “sudden opportunity.” In a statement, the IDF declared that Maj. Gen. Shadmani’s death “adds to a series of eliminations of Iran’s most senior military leadership and degrades the chain of command of the Iranian armed forces.”

Shadmani was believed to be one of the closest military advisors to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, commanding both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army. Since the start of the conflict at the end of last week, the IDF has moved to systematically eliminate Iran’s top military leaders, along with a number of scientists believed to be integral to the country’s nuclear weapons program.

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4 hours ago
News
War

Trump: ‘We’ Control Iran’s Skies, ‘Easy Target’ Ayatollah Must Surrender.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump issued a warning to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying “we” control the Islamic Republic’s skies, describing the theocrat as an “easy target,” and demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Trump made the statements on June 17, 2025, aboard Air Force One and on Truth Social, following his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.” – President Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The comments raise tensions in the already volatile conflict and signal that the Trump administration is increasingly considering direct intervention.

IN FULL

President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving the G7 summit early to return to Washington on June 17, 2025. During the flight, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling him an “easy target” and demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” in its conflict with Israel.

Trump elaborated on his stance via Truth Social, stating, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”

In a subsequent post, Trump added, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Previously, the President had published a post stating that “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” signalling he is ready to intervene directly in the conflict, rather than only supporting Israel defensively and logistically.

The strong language on Khamenei follows reports that Trump recently vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate the 86-year-old mullah. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the reports of disagreement with Trump over the Ayatollah, stated on Monday, “I wouldn’t rush to conclusions.”

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Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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