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Thursday, June 26, 2025

Category: News
5 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
Immigration
NatSec

Trump Is Expanding Military Zones Along the Border to Stop Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Pentagon is expanding two new military zones at the southern border to further enhance border security.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Pentagon, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Border Patrol.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The expansion was reported on June 25, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border,” said U.S. Northern Command chief General Gregory Guillot.

🎯IMPACT: The move further strengthens the border as illegal crossing numbers rapidly decline under President Donald J. Trump.

IN FULL

The Pentagon is designating two new military zones along the southwestern border in Arizona and Texas, intensifying the Trump administration’s efforts to further secure the southern border with Mexico, amid a sharp drop in migrant crossings.

The new zones, officially National Defense Areas, will be patrolled by U.S. troops. One will be added to the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, and the other to Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. Officials say illegal immigrants entering these zones will be treated as trespassers and may be detained by troops until Border Patrol arrives.

“The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border,” said U.S. Northern Command chief General Gregory Guillot.

These additions bring the total to four newly established military zones along the border. Previously in April, a 200-mile, 60-foot-wide strip along New Mexico was added to a military base. A 63-mile zone near Fort Bliss, Texas, was also recently designated.

Nearly 9,000 active-duty troops are now deployed at the border. The buildup includes surveillance aircraft and U.S. Navy ships offshore, under Joint Task Force–Southern Border, led by U.S. Northern Command. Ground forces include combat-seasoned troops from the Army’s Fourth Infantry Division.

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6 hours ago
Corruption
Politics

Who is Biden’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ Refusing to Testify Before Congress?

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser to Jill Biden, is refusing to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and potential misuse of the autopen.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Anthony Bernal, Representative James Comer (R-KY), Neera Tanden, and other Biden government aides.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Bernal declined to testify on June 26, 2025, following the White House Counsel’s Office announcement on June 25, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “With no privilege left to hide behind, Mr. Bernal is now running scared, desperate to bury the truth.” – Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer.

🎯IMPACT: The Oversight Committee plans to subpoena Bernal to compel testimony as part of the investigation into Biden’s fitness for office.

IN FULL

Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser to Jill Biden described as the “Wizard of Oz” who ran the Biden White House, is refusing to testify in the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and potential misuse of the autopen. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced on Wednesday that Bernal declined to appear for a June 26 interview, despite the White House waiving his executive privilege.

Comer criticized Bernal’s decision, stating, “Now that the White House has waived executive privilege, it’s abundantly clear that Anthony Bernal—Jill Biden’s so-called ‘work husband’—never intended to be transparent about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and the ensuing cover-up. With no privilege left to hide behind, Mr. Bernal is now running scared, desperate to bury the truth. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and the Oversight Committee will not tolerate this obstruction. I will promptly issue a subpoena to compel Anthony Bernal’s testimony before the Committee.”

Bernal had initially agreed to participate in a transcribed interview. However, following the White House Counsel’s Office announcement that executive privilege for nine former Biden aides had been waived, Bernal’s legal team informed the committee he would no longer appear.

Comer also referenced testimony from Neera Tanden, the former White House staff secretary, who testified that she had minimal interaction with President Biden despite holding significant authority over the autopen process. Comer noted, “Her testimony raises serious questions about who was really calling the shots in the Biden White House amid the president’s obvious decline. We will continue to pursue the truth for the American people.”

Bernal is one of four Biden government aides, including Neera Tanden, Ashley Williams, and Annie Tomasini, who had previously agreed to transcribed interviews. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s former White House doctor, is scheduled to testify in a closed-door deposition on July 9.

A secret recording of now-former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg and Biden White House staffer Deterrian Jones, covered by The National Pulse in Ma,y shows the pair describing Bernal as wielding “an enormous amount of power” and “scary.”

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7 hours ago
Christopher Tomlinson
1A
Religion

Trump DOJ Takes Democrat State to Court for Trying to Force Priests to Break Seal of Confession.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is launching legal action against Washington State for trying to force Catholic priests to violate the Seal of the Sacrament of Confession.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Washington State, Governor Bob Ferguson (D), the Roman Catholic Church, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The DOJ announced the lawsuit on June 25.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society.” – Harmeet K. Dhillon.

🎯IMPACT: The legal challenge could stop more states from attempting to force priests to violate the sacrament in the future by setting a legal precedent.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched legal action against the State of Washington for trying to force Roman Catholic priests to break the Seal of Confession, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment and religious freedom. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division explained that the bill forces Catholic priests to face criminal consequences for upholding their faith.

“Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society,” Dhillon said.

Washington’s Senate Bill 5375 demands that Catholic priests violate the Seal of Confession if a confession pertains to child abuse or neglect. Importantly, Catholic priests are bound to the Seal of Confession and face excommunication and possible removal from the priesthood for breaking the seal. Nevertheless, those who refuse to violate the seal in Washington State could face prison time.

Democrat Governor Bob Ferguson, supposedly a Catholic himself, claimed he was “very familiar” with the sacrament when he signed the law last month. However, local Spokane Bishop Thomas Daly was defiant, saying no priest will break the Seal of Confession regardless of the law.

Assistant Attorney General Dhillon argued, “Where does it stop? Can we force everyone to report everything? That becomes compelled speech, which is unconstitutional. This country was built on protecting religious expression, not dismantling it.”

Image by Cottonbro Studio.

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8 hours ago
Crime

Former Biden FCC Staffer Free on Bond After Alleged Metro Station Abductions, Assaults.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Fairfax County man was arrested and charged with abduction and sexual assault involving two women at Metro stations in Virginia.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jeffrey Gary, 35, a former Biden government Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assistant division chief, the victims, and law enforcement officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incidents occurred on May 30, 2025, near the Braddock Road and Potomac Yard Metro stations in Alexandria, Virginia.

💬KEY QUOTE: Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter stated, “The Commonwealth disagrees with the bail decision and is appealing the matter to the Court of Appeals.”

🎯IMPACT: Gary was released on bond with conditions as the Commonwealth appeals the bail decision.

IN FULL

A Fairfax County man, Jeffrey Gary, was arrested and charged with assault and battery, sexual battery, and two counts of abduction with force after incidents involving two women near Metro stations in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 30, 2025.

Gary, 35, a Georgetown Law graduate and former assistant division chief at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Biden government, was taken into custody on June 1 following a coordinated investigation involving Alexandria Police and other regional law enforcement agencies. He was identified using public safety cameras and other technology.

One incident occurred near the Braddock Metro Station, where a woman in her mid-thirties was approached from behind, grabbed, and wrestled to the ground. She managed to resist and escape before calling 911. No weapon was used in the assault, according to police reports.

Gary was released on June 13 after posting four bonds totaling $14,000. Alexandria Circuit Court Judge Katie Uston imposed conditions on his release, including house arrest, a GPS ankle monitor, and evaluations for substance abuse and mental health. He is also barred from the Braddock Road and Potomac Yard Metro stations. Before serving at the Biden FCC, Gary worked for Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) as a law clerk and staff assistant, respectively. According to public records, he also worked for Microsoft as a policy analyst from 2021 to 2022.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter stated, “The Commonwealth disagrees with the bail decision and is appealing the matter to the Court of Appeals.” Gary is scheduled to appear in court on July 7, 2025.

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9 hours ago
News
War

Hegseth Initiates Criminal Investigation Into Iran Intel Leaks to Natasha Bertrand.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Pentagon has launched a criminal investigation into a leaked top-secret military intelligence report regarding U.S. strikes in Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reporter Natasha Bertrand, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was announced on Wednesday during a NATO meeting, following a U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday, June 22, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Fake news, CNN and MSDNC, all of these terrible people, you know, they have no credibility,” President Trump said.

🎯IMPACT: The leaked report has raised questions about Deep State actors attempting to undermine the Trump administration and push for greater American military involvement in Iran.

IN FULL

The Pentagon has initiated a criminal investigation into a leaked top-secret report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) stating that U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities only delayed its nuclear ambitions by a few months. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation after CNN published details of the report via Natasha Bertrand, a journalist notorious for laundering stories for partisan actors within the intelligence community.

Speaking at a NATO meeting alongside President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other officials, Hegseth criticized the media’s portrayal of the strikes. “We’re doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now, because this information is for internal purposes, battle damage assessments, and CNN and others are trying to spin it to make the President look bad,” Hegseth stated.

Hegseth defended the operation, describing the Fordow nuclear enrichment site as “obliterated” by 14 bunker buster bombs weighing a total of nearly 420,000 pounds. He emphasized that the leaked report was a “preliminary, low confidence” assessment and suggested that the damage was likely far more severe than indicated in the document.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in, criticizing the motivations of the leakers. “This is what a leaker is telling you the intelligence says. That’s the game these people play. They read it and then they go out and characterize it the way they want it characterized,” Rubio stated, adding that leaking such classified information is “against the law.”

Infamously, Bertrand was previously used to place a discredited letter from “51 intelligence officials” falsely suggesting Hunter Biden’s “Laptop from Hell” was Russian disinformation prior to the 2020 election. Previously, she was a key booster of the Steele Dossier used to initiate the bogus Russiagate investigation into Trump.

President Trump dismissed the media reports as “fake news,” asserting that the strike was “very successful.” He further criticized outlets like CNN and MSNBC, stating, “Fake news, CNN and MSDNC, all of these terrible people, you know, they have no credibility.”

Since the strikes on Iran, President Trump has managed to get both Israel and Iran to agree to an uneasy ceasefire, which has largely held so far.

WATCH HERE:

 

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9 hours ago
News

Police Demand Resignation of Vice Mayor Who Urged ‘Cholo’ Gangsters to Confront ICE.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez encouraged criminal “cholos” to defend their “turf” against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), causing a major police union to demand her resignation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Cynthia Gonzalez, ICE, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), and Los Angeles-based street gangs, including 18th Street and Florencia 13.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The video was posted on social media recently and has since been deleted. Gonzalez is the Vice Mayor of Cudahy, a city in southeast Los Angeles County.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Where’s the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory… And now that your hood’s being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you.” – Cynthia Gonzalez

🎯IMPACT: DHS linked Gonzalez’s rhetoric to a reported 500 percent increase in assaults on ICE officers and warned that federal agents would prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.

IN FULL

The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), representing close to 9,000 members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is demanding the resignation of Cynthia Gonzalez, Vice Mayor of Cudahy, a city in Los Angeles County, California. Gonzalez appeared to call on street gangs to organize violent action against federal immigration agents.

“I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles. 18th Street, Florencia. Where’s the leadership at? Because, you guys are all about territory… and now that your hood’s being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you,” she complained.

“Dude, [federal law enforcement] are running amok all up in yo streets and in yo city… So, whoever’s the leadership over there, just get your f**king members in order.”

The LAPPL, whose members were targeted by pro-illegal immigrant rioters after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began detaining illegals in L.A., including mass shooters and child molesters, condemned her comments. “The 18th Street and Florencia street gangs are notoriously dangerous Los Angeles-based criminal enterprises,” they stressed, noting that the gangs “rule their ‘turfs’ through intimidation, violence, and murder, and finance their operations through the sale of narcotics and illegal firearms, prostitution, and protection rackets.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also condemned Gonzalez’s video, accusing her of encouraging violence against law enforcement. DHS linked her comments to a reported 500 percent increase in assaults on ICE officers and warned that any attacks on federal officers would be met with full prosecution. Gonzalez reportedly deleted the video shortly after posting it, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents visited her home following the incident.

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10 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Crime
Politics

The Democrats’ Muslim Socialist NYC Mayoral Candidate Wants to Defund the Police and ‘Abolish’ Prison.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Democratic Party’s newly minted candidate for New York City Mayor, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, has a history of campaigning to defund the police and “abolish” the prison system.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Democratic Party voters, New York City electorate.

📍WHEN & WHERE: New York City, over the course of Mamdani’s political career.

💬KEY QUOTE: “As socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system that props up the exploitation of the market by surveilling, caging & killing those fighting to survive under capitalism. We can abolish that system.” — Zohran Mamdani.

🎯IMPACT: Mamdani’s victory signals growing momentum within the modern Democratic Party for radical criminal justice policies, including prison abolition and police defunding.

IN FULL

Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the “progressive Muslim immigrant” who won the New York mayoral primary for the Democratic Party overnight, wants to “decarcerate” the city’s prisons and jails, arguing that “our prison system relies on dehumanization and brutality, so the goal must be to abolish this exploitative system entirely” in a 2021 social media post.

The Queens assemblyman has made “decarceration” a key theme of his political career, having also stated the previous year that, “We can’t reform a system working exactly as designed – to control Black, brown & poor New Yorkers. We need to defund the police, get them out of matters they have no business in, free the thousands locked up unjustly & invest the savings in those most impacted by state violence.”

He continued: “As socialists, we believe people should not have to endure the violence & coercion of a criminal-legal system that props up the exploitation of the market by surveilling, caging & killing those fighting to survive under capitalism. We can abolish that system.”

This activism continued into 2022, with Mamdani telling the LGBTQ-oriented Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, “I will… work to dismantle mass incarceration in New York by opposing the construction of new state prisons and jails, divesting from our $3 billion/year carceral system, and investing in jobs, services, and restorative justice approaches… I also support the abolition of felony disenfranchisement, including for incarcerated New Yorkers, as we work toward full decarceration of our state.”

In office, Mamdani has backed policies to end cash bail, release prisoners in their fifties, give prisoners the vote, and decriminalize prostitution.

He also argues that “Defunding the police is a feminist issue” because “Women, especially trans women, are disproportionately impacted by police violence & the violence of incarceration.”

Image by Bingjiefu He.

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11 hours ago
Immigration

ICE Has Detained a Record-Breaking Number of Illegals Under Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Illegal immigration detention numbers under the Trump administration have reached record levels, with over 56,000 migrants currently detained.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Trump administration figures, including United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have spearheaded the expansion of immigration enforcement efforts.

📍WHEN & WHERE: As of June 2025, detention numbers have surpassed prior records, with enforcement operations occurring nationwide.

🎯IMPACT: The detention surge has strained ICE’s budget, with the agency reportedly $1 billion over its annual allocation. However, Congressional Republicans are working to boost immigration enforcement funding through President Donald J. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

IN FULL

Illegal immigration detention numbers in the United States have reached historic levels under President Donald J. Trump, with at least 56,000 migrants currently in custody. However, federal government data suggests the number could be as high as 59,000, significantly exceeding the agency’s capacity and surpassing previous records.

The administration has implemented aggressive enforcement tactics, including declaring an invasion by foreign gang members and invoking emergency powers to expedite deportations. The temporary protected status (TPS) abused by the Biden government to admit over 800,000 immigrants from countries like Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela has been revoked, clearing the way for the deportation of even more illegal immigrants.

Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, has pushed for an increase in daily arrests, aiming for 3,000 per day. Federal resources, including law enforcement agencies like the FBI and DEA, have been redirected to support immigration enforcement. Additionally, partnerships with local police departments have further bolstered these efforts.

However, ICE faces significant budgetary challenges, with reports suggesting the agency is $1 billion over its annual allocation and could run out of funds in the coming months. To meet the costs, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are looking to boost resources for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE through provisions in reconciliation legislation—known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—which will likely be taken up by the U.S. Senate later this week.

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11 hours ago
Economy
News

The Electric Vehicle Market Is Booming — But Not for Musk’s Tesla.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Tesla’s sales in Europe have dropped for five consecutive months, even as overall electric vehicle (EV) sales in the region have increased.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tesla, Elon Musk, European and Chinese EV manufacturers, and AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The sales decline occurred over the past five months in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Musk’s outspokenness is becoming a liability for Tesla shareholders.” – Russ Mould.

🎯IMPACT: Tesla’s European market share has fallen to 1.2 percent, and its stock has experienced significant volatility due to various factors, including Elon Musk’s public statements.

IN FULL

Tesla has experienced a significant decline in sales across Europe, marking five consecutive months of falling numbers. This comes despite an overall increase in electric vehicle (EV) sales in the region, which rose by 27.2 percent during the same period.

The company saw a 27.9 percent year-on-year drop in sales through May, reducing its market share in Europe to just 1.2 percent. Analysts point to an ageing model range and rising competition from European and Chinese manufacturers as key factors. Tesla released a revamped Model Y in March to address these challenges.

Additionally, protests against owner Elon Musk have been held globally, with some Tesla owners selling their vehicles. Footage of Tesla’s driverless vehicles reportedly operating erratically has also drawn scrutiny from a U.S. safety body. Investment director Russ Mould stated, “Musk’s outspokenness is becoming a liability for Tesla shareholders.”

Elon Musk’s public exchanges have contributed to Tesla’s stock volatility. A social media dispute with President Donald J. Trump in June led to a $99 billion loss in Tesla’s market cap in a single day. Musk later expressed regret over some of his comments.

The news is just the latest blow for Musk, who also saw a major failure in his company SpaceX recently, when the company’s Starship spacecraft exploded in Texas.

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12 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
NatSec
News

‘Daddy’ Trump Scores ‘Monumental Win’ Over NATO — But One Member Faces Trade Sanctions.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: NATO leaders agreed to raise annual defense spending to 5% of GDP, following pressure from President Donald J. Trump, who also warned Spain of trade consequences for non-compliance.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, NATO member nations, and the Spanish government

📍WHEN & WHERE: June 26, 2025, NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands

💬KEY QUOTE: “This would not have happened if you would not have been elected in 2016 and re-elected last year… so I want to thank you.” – Mark Rutte

🎯IMPACT: The agreement marks a seismic policy shift within NATO, realigns financial responsibility, and reaffirms Trump’s influence over transatlantic defense policy.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday celebrated a major policy breakthrough as NATO allies agreed to boost their defense spending to five percent of GDP annually—a goal Trump has pushed since his first election in 2016. “It’s a monumental win for the United States, because we were carrying much more than our fair share,” Trump told reporters after the summit concluded in The Hague.

Speaking alongside Trump, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the American First leader’s role in driving the agreement, acknowledging: “This would not have happened if you would not have been elected in 2016 and re-elected last year… so I want to thank you.” Rutte emphasized the need to “equalise with the United States” and keep Europe safe in the face of growing threats.

In a moment that quickly went viral, Rutte also defended Trump’s sharp rhetoric towards Israel and Iran over ceasefire violations, joking, “Daddy has to use tough language.” The President had chastised both nations for continuing to fight while the ceasefire was pending and shortly after it was supposed to come into force, telling reporters that their governments “don’t know what the f**k they’re doing.”

Socialist-led Spain has proved to be a wrinkle in the defense spending pledge, insisting on an opt-out. Trump has warned they will face punishment for this, saying, “They want a little bit of a free ride, but they’ll have to pay it back to us on trade, because I’m not going to let that happen. It’s unfair.”

This could lead to friction with the European Union (EU), as EU members—including Spain—must follow a common policy on external commerce and, potentially dragging the entire bloc into a Spanish-American trade clash.

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