Former President Donald J. Trump has made a stunning return to X (formerly Twitter), posting a link to his own website alongside the already notorious mugshot of himself taken at Fulton County jail late on Thursday.
Trump’s campaign also lists a new “NEVER SURRENDER” shirt, riffing off Sir Winston Churchill’s infamous “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech.
This story is developing.
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves has suggested that Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms, according to Governor Tate Reeves (R). 📺 DETAIL: In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Governor Reeves announced that he expected Mississippi lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional, legislative, and Supreme Court districts before the 2027 elections, rather than before the 2026 midterms in November. At present, Mississippi’s congressional map includes four districts, one of which is represented by Bennie Thompson, a Democrat. This announcement followed reports on Wednesday that Gov. Reeves canceled a special session centered around the possibility of redistricting the state. The session was scheduled for Wednesday next week. “Just to clarify, I said I expect lawmakers to redraw congressional lines BETWEEN NOW and 2027 elections! I also expect them to redraw legislative and Supreme Court lines between now and 2027 elections,” Reeves said. While it initially appeared Reeves was leaving the door open to redistricting before November, a follow-up announcement clarified that Mississippi will not be pursuing a redraw of its maps, which the governor suggested are now unnecessary, citing the dissolution of a District Court’s injunction preventing the use of the state’s current Supreme Court map. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “[T]here is no need for the Legislature to draw a new map. I am recalling and dissolving my April 23, 2026, Proclamation which called for a special session to redraw Mississippi’s Supreme Court map next Wednesday.” – Governor Reeves 🎯 IMPACT: Mississippi’s map is very unlikely to change ahead of the 2026 midterms, although Reeves claims he is open to doing so in the future. “Today is not the end of the redistricting process—it is just the beginning!” he said on X. However, assuming any potential redistricting proposal for Mississippi will not take place until after the November midterms, Republicans will have to look to other states to shore up additional potential representation. Reeves called for a special session prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana’s redistricting case, one of several battles to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms. States like California and Virginia have pushed proposals favoring Democrats while states like Texas and Florida seek to boost Republican representation in Congress. This week, it was reported that South Carolina and Missouri are making their own pushes to redistrict. |
On Monday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the opinion finding that Mississippi’s current Supreme Court map violated the Voting Rights Act and must be redrawn.
As a result, the injunction preventing Mississippi from using the current Supreme Court map was dissolved.… pic.twitter.com/wy7cmPpIVy
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) May 13, 2026
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show lessRepublican Governor Tate Reeves has suggested that Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.
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Grocery store owner Abdidwahid Mohamed has been charged with defrauding taxpayers of over $1 million in the latest case of mass welfare fraud in Minnesota.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesotan grocer Abdidwahid Mohamed has been charged with defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) out of over $1.1 million. 📺 DETAIL: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called food stamps, provides monthly benefits to low-income individuals and households to supplement their grocery budget. It is the largest federal anti-hunger program in the United States. However, SNAP is regularly abused through fraudulent schemes that redirect public funds into private pockets. This week, Abdidwahid Mohamed, owner of Minnesota Food Grocery LLC, was charged with using stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to purchase goods for resale at his grocery store. Mohamed allegedly used the EBT cards of people who were either out of the country or claimed to have never shopped at the stores where the cards were eventually used. Mohamed made purchases at Costco and Sam’s Club, according to surveillance and GPS data collected by the authorities. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Minneapolis didn’t become America’s fraud capital by accident. It was earned. This week, it’s a grocer charged with running up $1.1 million in charges on other people’s EBT cards. Next week, it will be something else, but the bill always lands on the Minnesotans who actually pay taxes,” commented Dalia al-Aqidi, Republican candidate for Minnesota’s 5th District, currently represented by Ilhan Omar (D). 🎯 IMPACT: If found guilty, Mohamed faces up to 20 years in prison or a $100,000 fine. Notably, this is not the first time that Minnesota has been hit by a major welfare fraud scandal. Last week, it was reported that a co-defendant in Minnesota’s largest Medicaid fraud case had pleaded guilty as part of no-jail plea deal with the office of Minnesota’s Attorney General. The charges involved stealing millions in taxpayer funds. In a similar case in December last year, another prominent member of the state’s Somalian community pleaded guilty to profiting from a fraudulent child food scheme, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from taxpayers. Somali-run daycares are also under investigation in the state. |
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show lessGrocery store owner Abdidwahid Mohamed has been charged with defrauding taxpayers of over $1 million in the latest case of mass welfare fraud in Minnesota.
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Stephen Cloobeck, a former Democrat mega-donor, gubernatorial candidate, and Eric Swalwell supporter, has been arrested and faces potential charges of attempting to impede victim or witness testimony.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Stephen Cloobeck, a former Democrat mega-donor and California gubernatorial candidate, has been arrested pending possible charges of attempting to impede victim or witness testimony. 📰 DETAIL: Cloobeck was arrested on Tuesday in the Los Angeles, California area and booked into custody in West Hollywood. Cloobeck initially launched a gubernatorial campaign before withdrawing and supporting former Democrat Representative Eric Swalwell. However, following a slew of sexual assault allegations against Swalwell, Cloobeck distanced himself from Swalwell and the Democrats entirely. “I am no longer associated with a man that takes advantage of women… I support women’s rights,” Cloobeck said at the time. Records from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department suggest the possible charges against Cloobeck relate to attempting to impede victim or witness testimony. Specifically, Cloobeck is alleged to have threatened three male victims in an attempt to stop them from giving a testimony in a case concerning his fiancée, Adva Lavie, a 29-year-old influencer and model currently facing charges of burglary. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “These charges are false and we look forward to our day in court.” – Elias Dabaie, Cloobeck’s attorney 🎯 IMPACT: Cloobeck has been released on $300,000 bail. While Cloobeck’s attorney insists the charges are false, the news of his arrest only worsens the reputation of Swalwell’s now-suspended gubernatorial bid. Earlier in the year, when Cloobeck publicly ended his support for Swalwell and the Democrats, it was revealed that Cloobeck had given over $1 million in donations to Swalwell and allowed him to stay at his mansion. Moreover, Cloobeck has historically been a powerful and reliable Democrat donor, donating more than $4 million in federal contributions since 2000. As such, these charges not only harm the now-dispersed Swalwell camp, but the Democrats’ campaign machine as a whole. |
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show lessStephen Cloobeck, a former Democrat mega-donor, gubernatorial candidate, and Eric Swalwell supporter, has been arrested and faces potential charges of attempting to impede victim or witness testimony.
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Joe Ceballos, a former Kansas mayor and green card immigrant, faces deportation after being detained by ICE for voting and holding local office as the mayor of a town illegally.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Joe Ceballos, a former mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for both voting illegally as a green card holder and holding political office. After pleading guilty to misdemeanors related to election conduct, Ceballos was taken into custody and now faces potential deportation. 📰 DETAIL: Ceballos claims he was unaware that his status as a green card holder made him ineligible to vote or hold office. His lawyer said ICE detained him on Wednesday in Wichita and is expected to begin deportation proceedings, though Ceballos plans to fight removal in immigration court. The case has gained national attention amid the Trump administration’s focus on voter fraud and immigration enforcement, with federal officials publicly pledging to seek his deportation if convicted. Ceballos had twice been elected mayor and said he did not know it was illegal for noncitizens to vote. After he pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly election conduct and avoided jail time, many supporters believed the matter was resolved. However, federal officials later cited both his recent conviction and a 1995 battery conviction while emphasizing that U.S. elections are reserved for citizens. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “This alien has now been convicted… our elections belong to American citizens, not foreign citizens.” – Lauren Bis, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman 🎯 IMPACT: The detention of Ceballos underscores the federal government’s stance against voter fraud and the legal consequences for non-citizens who violate election laws. The case calls into question how many other non-citizens may be either voting illegally in elections or even holding office, as Ceballos did. |
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show lessJoe Ceballos, a former Kansas mayor and green card immigrant, faces deportation after being detained by ICE for voting and holding local office as the mayor of a town illegally.
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Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as Federal Reserve Chairman signals potential monetary policy shifts, with inflation rising amid the Iran war and disruption to global energy supplies.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve Chairman on Wednesday, succeeding Jerome Powell. Warsh, a former Fed governor from 2006 to 2011, assumes the role amid spiking inflation related to the Iran war, and clashes between the central bank and the Trump administration over interest rates. 📺 DETAIL: Warsh has indicated that he wants “regime change” at the Federal Reserve, including closer alignment with the Department of Treeasury. His confirmation comes as inflation pressures mount, driven in large part by rising oil prices linked to Iran’s disruption of trade through the Strait of Hormuz. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best. On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.” – President Donald J. Trump, announcing Warsh’s nomination in January 🎯 IMPACT: Warsh’s leadership could mark a shift toward a more inflation-conscious and less interventionist Federal Reserve. The National Pulse previously reported in August 2025 that Warsh had publicly aligned with President Trump on cutting interest rates, stating, “The President’s right to be frustrated with [Jerome] Powell and the Federal Reserve.” Notably, Powell—who has clashed publicly with Trump on numerous occasions—has said he intends to remain on the Fed’s board, so he may retain influence over U.S. monetary policy in spite of Warsh. |
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show lessKevin Warsh's confirmation as Federal Reserve Chairman signals potential monetary policy shifts, with inflation rising amid the Iran war and disruption to global energy supplies.
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The Trump administration has announced a six-month freeze on new Medicare hospice and home health providers to combat fraud.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration announced a six-month nationwide freeze on new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health providers as part of a broader crackdown on healthcare fraud, with officials saying scammers have exploited vulnerable patients and billed the government for unnecessary services. 👤 WHO WAS INVOLVED: The initiative is being coordinated with Vice President J.D. Vance and his anti-fraud task force, which is spearheading efforts to root out fraudulent activity in high-risk sectors. 📺 DETAIL: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said existing providers will not be affected, but the pause will allow regulators to strengthen oversight and investigate suspicious billing practices. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the move is intended to protect patients and taxpayer dollars. Vice President Vance is leading a federal anti-fraud task force focused on abuses in hospice and home healthcare programs. Federal officials estimate tens of billions of dollars are lost annually to healthcare fraud, with California receiving particular scrutiny over allegations of widespread hospice abuse and fraudulent claims. Medicare spent roughly $28.3 billion on hospice care and $16 billion on home healthcare in 2024, according to federal data.  KEY QUOTE: “A third of all hospices… in the entire country are in Los Angeles. Ask yourself, ‘How is that possible?’ It’s not. There are not that many people dying in Los Angeles… We believe that at least half of the hospices in the entire area around Los Angeles are fraudulent.” – Dr. Mehmet Oz🎯 IMPACT: While current providers remain unaffected and can continue serving patients, the freeze could greatly reduce the fraud in hospice care for anyone trying to acquire federal funds going forward. |
“We are going to turn off the money”
🚨 BREAKING: @VP announces that @WHFraudTF is requiring all state Medicaid programs to show they are aggressively prosecuting fraud. pic.twitter.com/WprFmqiO9V
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) May 13, 2026
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show lessThe Trump administration has announced a six-month freeze on new Medicare hospice and home health providers to combat fraud.
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Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a 14 percent drop in overdose deaths in 2025.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Preliminary government data shows that approximately 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2025, marking a 14 percent decline compared to the previous year. This is the third consecutive annual drop, bringing the total back to pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019. 📺 DETAIL: Health officials said deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids saw some of the steepest drops, but fatalities tied to cocaine and methamphetamine also declined. Experts credited expanded access to naloxone, increased addiction treatment, opioid settlement funding, and shifts in the illegal drug supply for the improvement. The fall also comes amid an ongoing crackdown on cartels and cross-border and seaborne drug trafficking by the Trump administration, including military strikes on drug smuggling vessels. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’m cautiously optimistic that this represents really a fundamental change in the arc of the overdose crisis.” – Brandon Marshall, Brown University researcher 🎯 IMPACT: While the decline offers hope, experts warn that shifts in the drug supply could reverse progress. Several states, including Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, still experienced increases in overdose deaths despite the broader national decline. 📺 FLASHBACK: Overdose deaths surged during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, peaking at nearly 110,000 in 2022. Regulatory changes in China, where many fentanyl precursors are produced, and improvements in border security have helped bring the crisis under greater control. |
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show lessPreliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a 14 percent drop in overdose deaths in 2025.
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The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted President Donald J. Trump a delay in paying an $83 million defamation award to E. Jean Carroll, pending a potential Supreme Court review.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed President Donald J. Trump to delay paying an $83 million defamation award to E. Jean Carroll. This decision will hold until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to review the case or reject an appeal. 📰 DETAIL: The appeals court’s Tuesday decision requires Trump to post a $7.4 million bond to cover potential interest costs, a condition requested by Carroll’s legal team. The court had previously denied Trump’s request for a hearing before the full 2nd Circuit on the appeal of a three-judge panel’s decision upholding Carroll’s defamation award. The advice columnist sued the President for an alleged rape and sexual assault in a New York City department store decades ago, and for defamation related to his public denial of any wrongdoing. A civil jury found him not liable for rape but liable for sexual assault and defamation. 🎯 IMPACT: The delay in payment allows Trump to avoid paying Carroll immediately while the legal process continues. Trump lawyer Justin D. Smith has said he believes there is a “fair prospect” that the Supreme Court will rule in the President’s favor should it take up an appeal. 👀 FLASHBACK: Carroll alleges that Trump attacked on a deserted floor of the Bergdorf Goodman department store, in changing rooms that are usually locked and attended by staff, sometime in the mid-1990s. No forensic evidence or surveillance footage was presented during the civil case, which was funded in part by Democrat megadonor and Epstein island visitor Reid Hoffman. Carroll claims she has been attacked by at least seven other boys and men over the course of her life. |
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show lessThe 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted President Donald J. Trump a delay in paying an $83 million defamation award to E. Jean Carroll, pending a potential Supreme Court review.
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A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whistleblower has testified that Dr. Anthony Fauci used his position to get the intelligence community to drop its initial conclusion that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whistleblower has testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed to cover up the lab leak origins of COVID-19. 📺 DETAIL: James Erdman, an active CIA officer, testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, alleging that Fauci pressured intelligence officials to accept the “natural origins” hypothesis of COVID-19. In August 2021, the intelligence community (IC) was prepared to accept the Wuhan lab leak theory of COVID’s origins. However, just days before the IC was set to announce its position, Fauci, in his capacity as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), intervened and “significantly influenced” officials to abandon their initial position. He allegedly “injected himself” into the process by consulting a “curated” group of experts. The announcement was scheduled for August 12, 2021, but on August 17, the IC’s position had changed. “Dr. Fauci’s role in the cover-up was intentional,” Erdman told Senators on Capitol Hill. It was also heard that the agency continues to block the release of documents containing information about COVID-19’s origins. Fauci has not yet responded to Erdman’s allegations. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Dr. Fauci influenced the analytical process and findings by leveraging his position to ensure the IC [Intelligence Community] consulted with a conflicted list of curated subject matter experts, public health officials, and scientists.” – James Erdman 🎯 IMPACT: Erdman’s testimony is likely to reignite concerns about transparency and oversight in public health institutions. In 2024, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who chaired the hearing of Erdman’s testimony on Wednesday, flagged a 2018 funding grant proposal linking Fauci and the National Institutes of Health to the Wuhan Institute. This testimony ties into concerns about U.S.-funded gain-of-function research. In May 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order targeting gain-of-function research in multiple adversarial nations. Earlier this week, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced an investigation into more than 120 overseas biolabs funded by U.S. taxpayers. |
.@SenRandPaul: "CIA scientists from an early time…were concluding that a lab leak was the most likely hypothesis?"
CIA whistleblower James Erdman III: "There were agencies within the IC circulating papers…that said that all the conditions were present for a lab leak." pic.twitter.com/ozjQ59PORJ
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 13, 2026
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show lessA Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whistleblower has testified that Dr. Anthony Fauci used his position to get the intelligence community to drop its initial conclusion that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab.
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Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is under investigation for a £5 million donation he received for personal security, in a similar manner to how political opposition attempted to ban President Trump and Marine Le Pen from office.
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❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over a £5 million donation he received for personal security, which he did not declare. The donation was made by Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based billionaire and crypto investor. The investigation was triggered by political opponents in Britain’s centrist “Conservative” party, and is a similar tactic to the ones used against President Donald J. Trump, as well as French leader Marine Le Pen. 📰 DETAIL: Farage says the donation was a personal gift and not a political contribution, asserting that no rules were broken. However, rival parties have accused him of violating rules that require MPs to declare donations. The investigation could lead to his suspension from the House of Commons if a serious breach is found. 🎯 IMPACT: If Farage is found to have committed a serious breach, he could face suspension from Parliament, which might trigger a recall petition and potentially force him to contest a special election for his seat. This investigation comes as Reform UK recently achieved significant success in local elections. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “He (Farage) has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken.” – Reform UK spokesperson |
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show lessNigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, is under investigation for a £5 million donation he received for personal security, in a similar manner to how political opposition attempted to ban President Trump and Marine Le Pen from office.
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