The number of American households classed as “food insecure” – that is, unable to meet the cost of feeding themselves on a reliable basis – is soaring at its sharpest rate since the financial crash under Joe Biden, having reached its lowest level in decades under Donald Trump.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economics Research Service has reported the number of food insecure households in 2022 at 12.8 percent – “significantly higher than the 10.2 percent in 2021 and the 10.5 percent in 2020” – including 5.1 percent with “very low food security.”
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The figures are even worse for households with children under 18, with their food insecurity rate rising to 17.3 percent – around 6.4 million American families.
High inflation under Joe Biden is obviously playing a major role in the crisis, with Lisa Davis of poverty-focused nonprofit Share Our Strength observing: “If you don’t pay the rent or your mortgage, you don’t have a place to live. If you don’t put gas in the car, you can’t get to work. Food is the place that folks turn when they have to tighten the belt even more.”
❓What Happened: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating former President Joe Biden’s pardons and use of autopen signatures.
👥 Who’s Involved: Former President Biden, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, the Oversight Project (Heritage Foundation), and President Donald J. Trump.
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📍 Where & When: Investigation revealed Monday email; events tied to Biden’s presidency and final day in office.
💬 Key Quote: “The investigation involves whether Biden was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means,” wrote Ed Martin.
⚠️ Impact: Focus includes pardons granted to Biden’s family members, high-profile Democrats and neoconservatives, and 37 federal inmates. Questions arise over the validity of the pardons and the potential misuse of the autopen.
IN FULL:
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an inquiry into former President Joe Biden’s use of autopen signatures and the validity of pardons issued during his presidency, according to an email reviewed by Reuters. U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin’s correspondence highlights concerns about Biden’s competence and whether others may have exploited his position through autopen or other mechanisms.
The investigation reportedly centers on preemptive pardons Biden granted to several family members and clemency decisions for 37 federal inmates, changing their sentences from death penalties to life imprisonment. Among those pardoned on Biden’s final day in office were his brother Jim, sister-in-law Sara, sister Valerie and her husband John Owens, brother Francis, Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the House January 6 committee, such as Liz Cheney.
The Oversight Project, a division of the conservative Heritage Foundation, has previously raised concerns about Biden’s frequent use of an autopen for his official signature. The group stated in March, “We gathered every document we could find with Biden’s signature over the course of his presidency. All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year.” They questioned who controlled the autopen.
President Donald J. Trump has also claimed Biden used an autopen for pardons, alleging Biden was unaware of the actions. Martin has remarked, “I do think that the Biden pardons need some scrutiny. And they need scrutiny because we want pardons to matter and to be accepted and to be something that’s used correctly.”
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❓What Happened: The Washington, D.C. city government is giving up on the H Street streetcar and will replace the 2.2-mile-long above-ground light rail system with an electric bus powered by the existing overhead cables.
👥 Who’s Involved: The Washington D.C. city government, the Democrat-controlled city council, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), and City Administrator Kevin Donahue.
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📍 Where & When: City officials in the nation’s capital announced the decision last week.
💬 Key Quote: City Administrator Kevin Donahue has indicated the overhead cable-powered electric bus line will allow officials “to more nimbly and quickly expand the streetcar line out beyond where we currently are.”
⚠️ Impact: The over $200 million streetcar boondoggle has been an embarrassment for the D.C. city government for over a decade. Only 2.2 miles of the streetcar system were ever opened for use; it lacks a dedicated lane or a mechanism to collect fares, and travels at only 12 to 15 miles per hour.
IN FULL:
Washington, D.C.’s sole, 2.2-mile-long streetcar line will soon be no more, with the city government deciding to replace the over $200 million boondoggle just 15 years after track for the project was first laid on H Street NE and a decade after actual operations commenced. Initially billed as an environmentally friendly, more accessible, and aesthetically pleasing alternative to city buses, the streetcar line will be replaced by a bus once again. Still, in an apparent attempt to save face, Mayor Muriel Bowser insists the electric bus is actually a “next generation streetcar.”
The electric bus that will replace the H Street streetcar will utilize the existing overhead power cables, meaning it will still suffer from some of the existing drawbacks that the failed street-level rail system did. Notably, the existing rail line lacks a barrier separating it from the street, which has resulted in the streetcar being unable to proceed forward when a car is double-parked and blocking its track. While the electric bus will not be confined to a track in the same manner as the streetcar, the overhead cables will still limit its maneuverability.
In over one decade of operation, the D.C. streetcar has never once generated a single dollar of revenue. It operates on a $10 million taxpayer subsidy per year. After years of delays and cost overruns, an eventual rushed rollout of the streetcar caused city officials to neglect installing a fare collection system on the streetcar. Eventually, the city government gave up on any plans to charge streetcar riders as the single 2.2-mile line struggled to match the capacity of buses running along the same route.
Despite the city’s budget constraints playing a significant role in the decision to shutter the sole operating streetcar line, the Democrat-dominated D.C. government still intends to push forward with a costly “green” public transit system. City Administrator Kevin Donahue has indicated that the overhead cable-powered electric bus line will allow officials “to more nimbly and quickly expand the streetcar line out beyond where we currently are.”
❓What Happened: Geert Wilders, leader of the populist Freedom Party (PVV), withdrew his party from the governing coalition in the Netherlands, collapsing the government.
👥 Who’s Involved: Geert Wilders (PVV), Prime Minister Dick Schoof, center-right VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz, Deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer of the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB).
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📍 Where & When: Netherlands, coalition collapsed after less than a year in office, starting July 2024.
💬 Key Quote: “No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition,” said Geert Wilders on X.
⚠️ Impact: Snap elections are expected, with asylum and immigration likely to dominate campaigns.
IN FULL:
The Dutch governing coalition has collapsed after populist leader Geert Wilders withdrew his Freedom Party (PVV) over disagreements on immigration policy. The coalition, which had been in power for less than a year, fell apart following Wilders’ demand for stricter asylum measures, including freezing applications and limiting chain migration, a.k.a “family reunification.”
Prime Minister Dick Schoof reportedly made a last-minute appeal to coalition leaders on Tuesday morning, but the meeting ended after just one minute when Wilders walked out. Wilders later posted on X, “No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition.”
The coalition, formed in July 2024 after lengthy negotiations, included Wilders’ PVV, the notionally conservative but largely liberal VVD, the upstart Farmers‘ Citizen Movement (BBB), and the marginally center-right New Social Contract.
VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz called Wilders’s decision “super irresponsible,” while Deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer of the BBB accused Wilders of “betraying the Netherlands.” However, with PVV being the most successful party in the last Dutch election, many will argue it was incumbent on Wilders’s coalition partners to defer to him on his key issues of asylum and immigration.
The fallout has sparked speculation about snap elections, which could occur this autumn. Analysts suggest that Wilders will likely center his campaign on immigration issues. Wilders and the PVV came first in last year’s national elections, and polling suggests that the PVV remains ahead.
Prime Minister Schoof is expected to offer the cabinet’s resignation to King Willem-Alexander. While Schoof could attempt to lead a minority government, forming alliances with left-wing opposition parties is seen as unlikely. Leftist Labour-Green alliance leader Frans Timmermans, a former top European Union (EU) official, has already called for fresh elections.
❓What Happened: Video footage captured an explosion that destroyed a section of the Crimean Bridge, linking Russian-annexed Crimea to Russia proper.
👥 Who’s Involved: Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed responsibility for the attack.
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💬 Key Quote: “The Crimean Bridge is an absolutely legitimate target, especially considering that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to supply its troops,” the SBU insisted.
⚠️ Impact: Damage to the bridge may disrupt Russian military supply lines, and highlights Ukraine’s capacity to strike targets behind enemy lines.
IN FULL:
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has claimed responsibility for a significant explosion targeting the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge. The bridge, a 12-mile-long structure linking Russia to the Crimean peninsula, was partially destroyed in the operation.
Footage of the incident shows an underwater detonation damaging one of the bridge’s pillars. The SBU disclosed that 1,100 kilograms (~2,245 pounds) of explosives were used to carry out the strike. This bridge was a key supply route for Russian military operations since Crimea’s annexation by Russian forces in 2014. However, it is less significant now that Russian forces have occupied a “land bridge” from Russia proper to Crimea along the Black Sea coast.
In a statement, the SBU declared, “The Crimean Bridge is an absolutely legitimate target, especially considering that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to supply its troops.” The agency underscored its stance that no Russian infrastructure should remain on what it regards as Ukrainian territory.
The operation follows an even more daring Ukrainian operation behind enemy lines, with drones smuggled into Russia via truck targeting strategic nuclear bombers at bases as distant as the Mongolian border.
This incident also highlights Ukraine’s strategic use of targeted strikes to challenge Russian control over occupied territories. The bridge, a symbol of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, has been a focal point in the broader conflict.
However, many observers believe Ukrainian recognition of Russian control over Crimea, a majority-Russian territory which was only transferred to Ukraine for administrative purposes by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, will be a minimum precondition for a lasting peace deal.
WATCH:
The Security Service of Ukraine has carried out a new, unique special operation and struck the Crimean Bridge for the third time — this time underwater! The operation lasted several months. @ServiceSsu agents planted explosives on the supports of this illegal structure. And… pic.twitter.com/lgu6ANR3K1
❓What Happened: Over 1,000 illegal immigrants crossed the English Channel in a single day, highlighting escalating issues with illegal crossings from the European Union (EU) into the United Kingdom.
👥 Who’s Involved: Illegal immigrants, people smugglers, British taxpayers, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the French government.
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📍 Where & When: The English Channel; crossings peaked on Saturday, May 31, with 1,194 arrivals.
💬 Key Quote: Centre for Migration and Economic Prosperity (CMEP) Director Steven Woolfe said, “Today, people smugglers are laughing in the face of the British people.”
⚠️ Impact: British taxpayers have spent £732 million (~$991.4 million) on Channel migrants this year, with people smugglers profiting £96 million (~$130 million) since January.
IN FULL:
Close to 1,200 illegal immigrants crossed the English Channel in a single day over the weekend, sparking criticism of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of border security. Figures from the Centre for Migration and Economic Prosperity (CMEP) reveal the crossings have cost British taxpayers £732 million so far this year, with people smugglers profiting £96 million since January.
Saturday’s surge saw 1,194 illegal immigrants arrive on British shores, bringing the total for 2023 to 14,652. CMEP data shows that since 2018, taxpayers have spent over £8 billion (~$10.8 billion) on the 165,427 illegal immigrants known to have crossed the Channel. Meanwhile, smugglers have amassed more than £1 billion (~$1.34 billion) in profits since 2018.
The crossings come as France’s efforts to prevent boats from leaving its shores appear to be declining. French authorities intercepted just 38 percent of small boats this year, down from 45 percent in 2022 and 46.9 percent in 2021, despite Britain having paid £800 million to France since 2015 to address the issue.
Images from the northern French coast show illegal aliens wading into shallow waters to board small boats, often launched from rivers farther inland. Defence Secretary John Healey attributed the record crossings to French police failing to intervene in these areas, admitting, “Britain lost control of its borders five or six years ago.”
CMEP Director Steven Woolfe criticized the ongoing crisis, saying, “Today, people smugglers are laughing in the face of the British people. Whilst they make [a billion pounds], the British are paying £8 billion a year to house, feed, and look after their clients.”
Projections suggest 2025 could see record Channel crossings, with estimates of up to 52,263 boat migrants, potentially costing Britain nearly £3 billion in the first year alone.
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❓What Happened: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced he will call a parliamentary vote of confidence in his government, after his preferred candidate for the Polish presidency lost to the conservative opposition’s candidate.
👤Who’s Involved: Prime Minister Donald Tusk, President-elect Karol Nawrocki, and failed presidential candidate Rafał Trzaskowski.
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🧾Key Quote: “The presidential election has not changed anything here and will not change anything,” Tusk insisted in a televised address.
⚠️Fallout: Nawrocki’s victory is fueling pressure on Tusk’s globalist coalition government, already struggling with internal divisions, prompting speculation of early parliamentary elections.
IN FULL:
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday he would seek a vote of confidence in parliament following the upset election victory of conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki over liberal incumbent Rafal Trzaskowski. Tusk’s move comes as questions swirl over whether his globalist, pro-European Union coalition can govern, facing internal tensions and a presidency that will be inclined to veto any contentious legislation he puts forward.
In a televised address, Tusk framed the confidence vote as a formality, insisting that Sunday’s election “has not changed anything” and would not impact his government’s mission. “As Prime Minister, I will not stop for a moment my work and our common struggle for the Poland of our dreams,” he claimed.
In Poland, the Prime Minister leads the government from the legislature, as in the United Kingdom, with the President having less power than in some other countries with both offices, such as France and Russia. However, the presidency is not merely ceremonial, with the head of state able to veto legislation, issue pardons, and approve judicial appointments, among other powers.
Tusk’s unwieldy coalition of globalist and leftist parties supplanted the former Law and Justice (PiS) government in December 2023. However, the PiS-aligned incumbent President, Andrzej Duda, had limited Tusk’s freedom of action. Now, with another PiS-aligned candidate winning the presidency, Tusk’s government will remain constrained throughout its term.
The victory of Nawrocki, an anti-communist historian, in Sunday’s election is widely seen as a public rebuke of Tusk, a former European Union president, and his EU-backed agenda, which has included arresting his political opponents.
❓What Happened: Polling by CNN revealed the Republican and Democratic parties are now nearly tied in being seen as the “party of the middle class.”
👥 Who’s Involved: The poll surveyed 2,028 American adults and was conducted by SSRS for CNN.
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📍 Where & When: Conducted between May 5 and May 26, 2023, across the United States.
💬 Key Quote: CNN’s Harry Enten stated, “This, I think, speaks to Democratic ills more than anything else. They have traditionally been the party of the middle class. No more.”
⚠️ Impact: The Democratic Party’s historic lead in this area has narrowed significantly, with more Americans now associating the Republican Party with leadership, change, and effectiveness under President Donald J. Trump.
IN FULL:
A new poll shows that Americans increasingly see the Republicans under President Donald J. Trump as best representing the middle class. The survey, conducted between May 5 and May 26, found that 34 percent of respondents identified the Democratic Party as the “party of the middle class,” while 32 percent said the same of the Republican Party. The poll surveyed 2,028 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 2.7 percent.
The findings reveal a dramatic shift from past decades. In 1989, the Democratic Party held a 23-point lead over Republicans in being seen as the party of the middle class. CNN Analyst Harry Enten commented on the results, saying, “This, I think, speaks to Democratic ills more than anything else. They have traditionally been the party of the middle class. No more. Donald Trump and the Republican Party have taken that mantle away.”
The poll also highlighted Americans’ broader perceptions of the two major parties. Forty percent of respondents said the Republican Party is the party of “strong leaders,” compared to just 16 percent who said the same for the Democrats. When asked which party represents “change,” 32 percent pointed to the GOP, while 25 percent chose the Democrats. On the question of which party “can get things done,” 36 percent favored the Republicans, compared to 19 percent for the Democrats.
President Trump and the MAGA movement have shifted U.S. politics significantly, with traditional Democrat groups like Latinos voting more and more for Trump and Trump-backed candidates. Florida’s Miami-Dade, once a bastion of Democratic support, is now majority Republican, largely thanks to shifting voting patterns among Latinos.
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❓What Happened: A Chinese student at the University of Michigan fled to China after being charged with illegally voting in the 2024 U.S. election.
👥 Who’s Involved: Haoxiang Gao, a foreign national student, and U.S. federal prosecutors.
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📍 Where & When: The incident occurred in Michigan in October 2024, with Gao fleeing the U.S. in January 2025 and the criminal complaint against him unsealed on May 30, 2025.
⚠️ Impact: Gao faces federal charges for fleeing prosecution, but his return is unlikely due to the lack of a U.S.-China extradition treaty.
IN FULL:
A Chinese student at the University of Michigan has fled to China after being charged with illegal voting in the 2024 election, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Haoxiang Gao, a foreign national attending the university, reportedly turned himself in last October after allegedly registering to vote and casting a ballot in Michigan’s general election. Gao was charged with two felonies: false swearing to register to vote and attempting to vote as an unqualified elector.
Court records reveal that during his arraignment, Gao was ordered to surrender his Chinese passport and remain within the state. The passport he turned over had a serial number ending in “1332.” Gao later failed to appear for scheduled court hearings on March 6 and April 24. Last Friday, federal prosecutors disclosed that Gao boarded a Delta flight from Detroit International Airport to Shanghai, China, on January 19, using a different Chinese passport with a serial number ending in “7137.”
The FBI has since charged Gao federally with flight to avoid prosecution. However, the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with China, complicating efforts to bring him back to face justice.
The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding election integrity and the challenges of prosecuting foreign nationals who violate U.S. election laws. The National Pulse has reportedextensively on incidents of noncitizens illegally casting ballots in U.S. elections, with data suggesting the number of noncitizen voters is statistically significant.
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❓What Happened: U.S. Senator John Fetterman has broken ranks with fellow Democrats, praising President Donald J. Trump for scrapping the old Iran nuclear deal.
👤Who’s Involved: Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), President Donald J. Trump, Democrats, Iran.
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🧾Key Quote: “I really do think, now, Trump did the right thing to break that agreement,” said Senator Fetterman.
📌Significance: Fetterman continues to rebuff Democrats on Middle East issues, particularly emphasising his pro-Israel stance amid a massive wave of pro-Palestine activism among the left.
IN FULL:
Democrat Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has praised President Donald J. Trump’s Middle East policies, saying the Republican president was right to scrap the Obama-Biden Iran deal and push for a new agreement placing greater restrictions on the Islamist nation’s ability to enrich uranium. Notably, Fetterman’s comments put him at odds with most of his fellow Democrats, a fact he openly admits.
“I wasn’t really allowed to disagree, politically, with the original agreement on Iran,” Fetterman said during a panel discussion alongside Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) on June 2. “I really do think, now, Trump did the right thing to break that agreement,” he added.
President Trump scrapped the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic during his first term in office. Known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran deal was seen by critics as overly weak on enforcement and would likely do little to prevent the country from developing a nuclear weapons program. While former President Joe Biden did not entirely reinstate he agreement, his government lifted sanctions on Iran and essentially allowed its nuclear program to continue unabated.
After retaking the White House in 2024, President Trump announced he would be reinstating maximum pressure on Iran with aggressive sanctions aimed at the country’s oil industry. However, Trump has also been clear that he would seek a new agreement with Iran to end its nuclear weapons development and subject the country to stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight. In March, President Trump told the Iranians they must negotiate a new nuclear deal with the United States or face consequences. “The other alternative [to negotiations] is we have to do something,” he said, suggesting the possibility of U.S.-backed strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Senator Fetterman’s comments are not unusual for him, as he has taken a pro-Israel stance since the October 7 massacres by the terrorist group Hamas, which provoked the current conflict in Gaza. Fetterman has also backed, at least in part, Trump’s efforts to reshore American jobs and was the first Democrat to meet with the America First leader following the 2024 election.
Following the January meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump called Fetterman “fascinating” and said, “He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful.”
Fetterman is not the only figure on the left to praise Trump’s policies. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the former far-left presidential candidate, surprisingly praised the Trump administration’s border policies.
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❓What Happened: Representative Maxine Waters’ 2020 congressional campaign was fined $68,000 for multiple violations of federal campaign finance laws.
👥 Who’s Involved: Maxine Waters (D-CA), Citizens for Waters campaign committee, the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and attorney Leilani Beaver.
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📍 Where & When: Violations occurred during the Democrat’s 2020 reelection bid; FEC investigation findings were published as part of the Conciliation and Settlement Agreements released on May 30, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: Waters’ attorney claimed, “The errors were primarily a result of limited staff availability and resources during the pandemic.”
⚠️ Impact: Waters’ campaign admitted errors, agreed to pay the fine, and will send its treasurer to FEC training.
IN FULL:
California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters’ 2020 congressional campaign has been fined $68,000 by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for violating federal campaign finance laws. The Conciliation and Settlement Agreements, released by the FEC on May 30, reveal that Waters’ campaign committee, Citizens for Waters, understated its contributions and expenditures by several hundred thousand dollars during the 2020 election cycle.
The FEC investigation found that Citizens for Waters, among other violations, accepted $19,000 in excessive contributions in 2019 and 2020 and improperly disbursed $7,000 in cash from a petty cash fund. The campaign has since agreed to pay the fine and committed to sending its treasurer to an FEC-sponsored training program for political committees.
Leilani Beaver, an attorney for the Waters campaign, stated in correspondence with the FEC that the errors were not “willful or purposeful,” attributing the missteps to limited staff and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beaver also noted that the campaign amended its financial reports and returned the excess contributions identified by FEC auditors.
This is not the first time Waters, who has served in Congress since 1991, has faced scrutiny over campaign finance and ethics issues. In 2004, she was criticized for employing her daughter in her campaign as a slate mailer, a practice that has resulted in over $1.2 million in payments to her daughter. Additionally, in 2010, Waters faced accusations of violating conflict of interest rules for allegedly assisting a bank tied to her husband, though the House Ethics Committee later dismissed the case.
Waters has also made headlines for her outspokenopposition to President Donald J. Trump. In 2018, she urged her supporters to confront Trump administration officials in public spaces, suggesting they were “not welcome” in restaurants, stores, or gas stations.
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