Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny wrote that the prospect of a second Donald Trump administration was “really scary” shortly before he was transferred to the Arctic penal colony, where he died.
Navalny made the comments in a letter, quoted in part by The New York Times, to photographer Evgeny Feldman. The Russian also suggested “Trump will become President” if Joe Biden’s health deteriorates, fretting: “Doesn’t this obvious thing concern the Democrats?”
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It is unclear whether Navalny was under the impression the presidency would fall to Trump if Biden is incapacitated — the role would actually fall to Vice President Kamala Harris — or if he were implying another Democrat would perform better against Trump in the upcoming U.S. elections.
In fact, polling suggests Trump would beat Harris by a wider margin than Biden and other Democrat contenders such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer by a wider margin than Harris.
Navalny posed as a gay marriage advocate and opponent of the Ukraine war after the Russian government began opening criminal charges against him, but operated well to the right of Biden, Trump, and even Putin earlier in his career.
He advocated Russian ethno-nationalism and backed Putin’s intervention in Georgia in 2008, describing the Georgian people as “rodents,” and once dressed up as a dentist for a video in which he compared immigrants to rotten teeth.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cracker Barrel has removed its Pride page from its website following backlash over woke rebranding efforts.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cracker Barrel, conservative activists, and anti-DEI advocate Robby Starbuck.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent updates on Cracker Barrel’s website and statements on social media.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Cracker Barrel worked with the far-left HRC [Human Rights Campaign] organization and reportedly sponsored HRC events for 10 years.” – Robby Starbuck
🎯IMPACT: The company faces ongoing scrutiny and has already reversed some unpopular branding decisions to mitigate public backlash.
IN FULL
Cracker Barrel has removed its Pride-themed page from its website following growing criticism of its recent rebranding efforts. The page, which previously featured the slogan “bringing the porch to Pride,” now redirects users to a general “Culture and Belonging” section.
The updated page states, “At Cracker Barrel, welcoming people has always been at the heart of who we are. When we take care of one another, we are able to take even better care of the people who walk through our doors.”
The move comes as the company faces pushback over its branding strategy, including a short-lived attempt to introduce a modernist logo in place of its traditional imagery. The redesign faced swift backlash from both sides of the political aisle, prompting the company to reverse course.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” the company posted on X, referring to the white man leaning on a barrel that the new logo had erased. “At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been—and always will be—about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family.”
Conservative voices online have criticized Cracker Barrel’s promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activism, highlighting its past support of LGBT causes. Activist Robby Starbuck accused the company of aligning with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and hosting transgender and pronoun training at its Tennessee headquarters.
“Cracker Barrel worked with the far-left HRC organization and reportedly sponsored HRC events for 10 years,” Starbuck wrote on X. “They even brought an HRC representative to their Tennessee HQ to do a pronoun and transgenderism training.”
Cracker Barrel denied ongoing involvement with the HRC, saying it “has not participated in the Human Rights Campaign Index or had any affiliation with HRC in several years.”
The backlash mirrors similar responses to other brands that have adopted woke messaging. For instance, Jaguar saw a dramatic drop in sales after a rebrand featuring non-binary models and a shift away from showcasing newly designed vehicles. In April, the company sold just 49 cars across the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom.
Bud Light also suffered lasting fallout after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in 2023. The campaign led to a 27 percent drop in sales and significant damage to the brand’s image.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Seven illegal immigrants were transferred from the United States to Rwanda in August under a third-country deportation agreement, according to Rwandan authorities.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, the Rwandan government, and seven unidentified deportees.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The deportees arrived in Rwanda in mid-August 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda.” – Yolande Makolo, Rwandan government spokeswoman.
🎯IMPACT: The deportation agreement highlights ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to facilitate mass deportations by sending migrants who cannot be sent hom directly to third countries, including Rwanda.
IN FULL
The African nation of Rwanda has begun accepting illegal immigrants removed from the United States as part of a third-country deportation agreement. According to Rwandan government officials, the country received seven illegal immigrants deported from the United States in August, with the agreement currently allowing the transfer of up to 250 deportees.
Yolande Makolo, spokeswoman for the Rwandan government, confirmed that the first group of seven vetted illegal immigrant deportees arrived in mid-August. She added that the migrants have been accommodated by an international organization, with visits from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Rwandan social service representatives.
Makolo stated, “Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda.” Those approved for settlement in Rwanda will receive workforce training and access to healthcare, she said.
Rwanda is one of four African countries that have reached deportation agreements with the U.S., alongside Uganda, Swaziland (Eswatini), and South Sudan.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez disputes her firing, claiming only President Donald J. Trump has the authority to remove her from the position.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Susan Monarez, President Donald Trump, attorney Mark Zaid, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Monarez was removed from her position by the White House personnel office on August 27, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “[W]e reject notification Dr. Monarez has received as legally deficient and she remains as CDC Director.” – Mark Zaid, attorney for Susan Monarez
🎯IMPACT: The CDC faces significant turmoil amid leadership reforms and debates over vaccine policy.
IN FULL
Susan Monarez, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is pushing back against reports that she has been fired, asserting that only the President has the authority to remove her. Monarez’s lawyers stated that White House staff informed her of her termination, but they argue the notification is legally invalid.
“Contrary to govt statements, Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor yet been fired,” Monarez’s attorney Mark Zaidclaimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Our client was notified tonight by White House staff in the personnel office that she was fired. As a presidential appointee, senate confirmed officer, only the president himself can fire her.”
“For this reason, we reject notification Dr. Monarez has received as legally deficient and she remains as CDC Director,” Zaid insisted. The statement came after the White House announced Monarez’s firing, citing her refusal to resign.
Zaid also noted Monarez’s resistance to what he described as “unscientific, reckless directives” and her refusal to dismiss certain health officials. He claimed this stance made her a target. Monarez has been at odds with her boss, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over vaccine policies.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has called for significant changes to U.S. immunization policy. In an interview, he stated that the CDC “has problems” and requires strong leadership to align with President Trump’s vision of restoring the agency’s credibility. He remarked, “We need to fix it, and we are fixing it, and it may be that some people should not be working there anymore.”
The National Pulse reported on Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, but with significant limitations for younger populations. The updated shots, targeting the LP. 8.1 variant, are approved for seniors and those with at least one high-risk health condition, such as asthma or obesity. However, access for healthy adults and children has been curtailed, with Pfizer’s vaccine no longer authorized for children under five.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Advance UK, an Elon Musk-backed British political party formed by disaffected former members of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, has an “effectively 0 out of 100” chance of winning Britain’s next general election, according to Musk’s Grok AI.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Advance UK, Elon Musk.
📍WHEN & WHERE: August 28, 2025, on Musk’s X platform (formerly Twitter).
💬KEY QUOTE: “Their odds of winning the next election are effectively 0 out of 100.” – Grok
🎯IMPACT: Advance UK is unlikely to influence the British political landscape.
IN FULL
Advance UK, a British political party launched in June 2025 by disaffected former members of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party embraced by Elon Musk, has “zero” chance of winning Britain’s next general election, according to the tech mogul’s Grok AI.
Asked by a user on Musk’s X platform (formerly Twitter), “[What are] the odds of Advance UK winning the next general election,” Grok was blunt: “Based on current polls and analysis, Advance UK, a new party launched in June 2025, isn’t registering in major surveys (e.g., YouGov, Ipsos). With no seats or established support, their odds of winning the next election (by 2029) are effectively 0 out of 100.”
Musk was initially friendly with Farage, whose Reform Party is currently polling far ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party. However, following a seemingly productive meeting between the tech mogul and the Brexit champion at President Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate at the end of 2024, Musk picked the side of now-former Reform politician Rupert Lowe in an internal party feud.
Lowe has formed the breakaway Restore Britain party, but Musk has instead backed Advance UK, founded by Ben Habib—who left Reform after he failed to win a seat in Parliament at the last British election and was replaced as deputy leader—as his preferred alternative to Reform.
Neither minor party has any traction with the British public compared to Reform, however, with commentator and political scientist Matthew Goodwin noting on Wednesday, “No disrespect to the people involved but if you think Ben Habib, a person 99 percent of Britain have never heard of, and his party, which 99 percent of the country have never heard of, is the way forward then you really don’t know all that much about British politics.”
Notably, Musk appears to have given up his ambition to establish a third party in the United States, instead attempting to reconcile with President Trump and position himself as an ally of Vice President J.D. Vance ahead of a possible Vance presidency after 2028.
Based on current polls and analysis, Advance UK, a new party launched in June 2025, isn’t registering in major surveys (e.g., YouGov, Ipsos). With no seats or established support, their odds of winning the next election (by 2029) are effectively 0 out of 100.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Lisa Cook has filed a lawsuit challenging her removal from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lisa Cook, President Donald J. Trump, and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump’s conception of ‘cause’ has no limiting principle. It would allow him to remove any Federal Reserve Board member with whom he disagrees about policy based on chalked up allegations.” — Lisa Cook’s lawsuit
🎯IMPACT: Cook is seeking an emergency injunction that would prevent her removal from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
IN FULL
Lisa Cook has filed a lawsuit in federal court against President Donald J. Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over her removal from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The lawsuit, filed in the District of Columbia, challenges the legality of her firing and asks the District Court for emergency injunctive relief to prevent her removal.
“President Trump’s conception of ‘cause’ has no limiting principle,” the lawsuit contends, adding: “It would allow him to remove any Federal Reserve Board member with whom he disagrees about policy based on chalked up allegations.”
Cook’s lawsuit describes her removal as “unprecedented and illegal” and disputes the allegations of mortgage fraud that were cited as justification for her firing. Her legal team argues that the removal violated the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and court precedent set in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which requires “cause” for such actions. The filing argues that because Cook has not yet been criminally charged, there is no “cause” for her firing.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Trump’s actions infringed upon Cook’s Fifth Amendment due process rights and her statutory right to notice and a hearing under the Federal Reserve Act. Cook is seeking an immediate injunction against the firing and her reinstatement to the Board of Governors.
While Cook may initially prevail at the District Court level, many legal scholars argue her case is unlikely to survive appeal as higher courts may be more hesitant to intervene in the executive branch’s determination of what constitutes “cause.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The transgender mass shooter who targeted the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, regretted his gender transition, reports reveal.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robin Westman, a 23-year-old male-to-female transgender originally named Robert, carried out the attack. Victims included students and staff at the school.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The shooting took place on Wednesday morning, August 27, at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brainwashed myself,” Westman wrote in a manifesto-like document.
🎯IMPACT: The attack, which left multiple victims dead or injured, raises concerns about a growing number of disturbed transgenders engaging in extreme violence.
IN FULL
Robin Westman, responsible for yesterday’s mass shooting targeting Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a morning prayer service, regretted his transgender transition. “I only keep [the long hair] because it is pretty much my last shred of being trans. I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brainwashed myself,” he wrote in a manifesto-like document uploaded to YouTube.
“I can’t cut my hair now as it would be an embarrassing defeat, and it might be a concerning change of character that could get me reported,” he continued, complaining that “It just always gets in my way” and that he would “probably chop it on the day of the attack.”
Elsewhere, he wrote, “‘I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man.”
Westman, who changed his name from Robert in 2019 to align with his transgender identity, inscribed phrases like “Kill Donald Trump” and “Where is your God?” on the firearms and firearm accessories he used to carry out his attack.
Hundreds gathered for a vigil led by community leaders and clergy, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) and Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Hebda highlighted the resilience shown during the tragedy, saying, “In the midst of that there was courage, there was bravery, but most especially there was love.”
Principal Matthew DeBoer and Pastor Dennis Zehren grieved the loss of two students aged eight and ten, saying, “No words can capture what we have gone through, what we are going through, and what we will go through in the coming days and weeks.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll shows 54 percent of voters support President Donald J. Trump’s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C., including the deployment of the National Guard.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the National Guard, federal officers, and the federalized Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The poll was conducted online in August 2025, among 2,025 registered voters in the U.S.
🎯IMPACT: The poll shows public support for addressing crime in major cities.
IN FULL
New survey data reveals that 54 percent of voters believe President Donald J. Trump‘s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C., is justified and necessary. The poll, conducted last week by Harvard CAPS/Harris, found that 85 percent of Republicans and 47 percent of Independents supported Trump’s actions, along with 28 percent of Democrats.
Earlier this month, citing unique provisions in the District of Columbia’s Home Rule Act, President Trump federalized—for 30 days—the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and deployed federal law enforcement officers from various agencies to support them, along with the National Guard. Seventy-three percent of respondents believe that the National Guard deployment signals that Trump may take similar action in other cities.
The survey highlighted broader concerns over crime in American cities, with 56 percent of voters agreeing that, in general, large cities are unsafe. Specifically, 63 percent of respondents pointed to New York City and 62 percent to Los Angeles as examples of unsafe urban centers. A plurality of voters, 40 percent, said crime in the U.S. is on the rise.
The poll was conducted online on August 20-21, 2025, surveying 2,025 registered voters nationwide.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russian air strikes on Kiev, Ukraine, have hit the British Council building and the European Union (EU) delegation headquarters, killing at least 17 people and causing significant damage.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russian forces, Ukrainian residents and emergency workers, EU officials, and British Council personnel. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have issued statements.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred early on Thursday morning in Kiev, Ukraine, targeting civilian and diplomatic sites.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end.” – Keir Starmer
🎯IMPACT: The attack has escalated tensions between Russia and the West and led to calls for stronger sanctions on Russia. The EU summoned Moscow’s envoy in Brussels.
IN FULL
Russia has carried out an allegedly “deliberate” missile attack on the British Council building and the European Union (EU) delegation headquarters in Kiev during a massive assault on the city. The strikes reportedly killed at least 17 people, including a 14-year-old girl, and caused extensive damage.
The British Council, partly funded by Britain’s Foreign Office, suffered severe damage from two missiles that struck within 20 seconds of each other. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced the attack, accusing Moscow of “targeting the EU” and labeling it deliberate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attacks “horrific and deliberate killings of civilians,” pressing allies for tougher sanctions and a stronger stance against Russia. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the strikes as “senseless,” accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of undermining peace efforts.
Starmer declared, “Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end.” Britain’s Foreign Office—roughly equivalent to the U.S. State Department—also summoned the Russian ambassador in response.
The assault also hit residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, with Kiev’s military administration reporting the use of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as Iranian-designed Shahed drones. In one neighborhood, a five-story apartment building was split in half, and residents searched for loved ones as emergency services cleared debris.
The Kremlin says it remains open to talks but that military operations will continue for the time being. Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said, “The Russian armed forces are fulfilling their tasks. At the same time, Russia remains interested in continuing the negotiation process.”
Zelensky rejected these claims, stating, “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump highlighted that his America First economic policies have resulted in a $500 wage increase for the average American worker this year, and the fastest blue-collar wage growth in 60 years.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Treasury officials.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Across the United States since Trump’s inauguration in January.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The wages for blue-collar workers are now rising at the fastest rate in 60 years, which is so important to all of us around this table. The average American worker has already seen a $500 wage increase this year.” — President Trump
🎯IMPACT: Workers’ incomes are outpacing inflation, increasing purchasing power and signaling continued economic growth.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump has announced to the Cabinet that blue-collar wages are rising at the fastest rate in six decades, with the average American worker seeing a $500 wage increase this year. Trump emphasized the importance of this growth, noting its positive impact on American families and the broader economy.
“The wages for blue-collar workers are now rising at the fastest rate in 60 years, which is so important to all of us around this table. The average American worker has already seen a $500 wage increase this year,” Trump stated. He also highlighted that wages are outpacing inflation, providing workers with increased purchasing power.
.@POTUS: “Wages for blue-collar workers are now rising at the fastest rate in 60 years… The average American worker has already seen a $500 wage increase this year.” pic.twitter.com/ClE0oYCIfi
Trump credited the stabilization of inflation to American energy production, thanking Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright for their efforts. “There’s no inflation because there’s been decreases, tremendous decreases, thanks to Doug and Chris, some of the people, the great job they’ve done with energy. Thank you very much,” Trump said. He also pointed to declining grocery prices, praising Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for her contributions.
Joe Lavorgna, senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, echoed Trump’s optimism. He noted that the current 1.4 percent annualized wage growth for blue-collar workers is the second-fastest start for any administration in six decades, surpassed only by Trump’s first term. Lavorgna added that the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill, which includes incentives for factory and plant construction, will further boost blue-collar wages and job opportunities.
“Those are carpenters, electricians, plumbers, laborers,” Lavorgna explained, adding: “It also includes things like nursing assistants, people that work in retail and wholesale trade, basically the backbone of the economy. Those workers are going to benefit from the increased capital that companies are incentivized now to make those commitments, in addition to the building of factories.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ten Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whistleblowers will have their security clearances reinstated and receive back pay following a settlement addressing retaliation they faced for their political beliefs and disclosing misconduct.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The former Biden regime, FBI whistleblowers, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and the legal nonprofit Empower Oversight.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Settlement announced Tuesday; incidents occurred during the Biden government.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They were punished [because] of their disclosures/political beliefs. In other words, they were treated like skunks at a picnic. Now they receive justice.” – Sen. Grassley
🎯IMPACT: Whistleblowers will receive back pay, have their security clearances reinstated, and see justice for improper retaliation.
IN FULL
Ten Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whistleblowers who faced retaliation after reporting misconduct under the former Biden regime will have their security clearances reinstated and receive back pay, according to a settlement announced August 26. Collectively, they endured 12 years of suspension time. The whistleblowers were represented by the legal nonprofit Empower Oversight, which said the agents were targeted for protected disclosures and, in some cases, their political beliefs.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a longtime advocate for whistleblower protections, was closely involved in navigating the settlement and welcomed the outcome. “They were punished [because] of their disclosures/political beliefs. In other words, they were treated like skunks at a picnic. Now they receive justice,” Grassley wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
In a March 5 letter to the FBI’s general counsel, Empower Oversight detailed alleged retaliation, including demotions, revoked clearances, and loss of pay. The whistleblowers had objected to a range of actions inside the bureau, including the use of a SWAT team for a misdemeanor arrest, prosecutorial misconduct, and financial mismanagement.
Empower Oversight emphasized that the reprisals violated protections afforded to whistleblowers. “The actions taken against our clients were in reprisal for protected whistleblowing and/or improper targeting because of their political beliefs,” the group stated in its letter. Empower Oversight Founder Jason Foster and President Tristan Leavitt credited Grassley’s involvement in securing the resolution but warned that many similar cases remain unresolved.
“For each of these cases where whistleblowers finally received at least some measure of justice for the retaliation they faced just for telling the truth about wrongdoing, there are many more who still need a remedy,” they wrote.
The settlement is one of several recent cases in which federal employees faced political or administrative retaliation under former President Joe Biden and later received relief under President Donald J. Trump.
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