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Friday, April 25, 2025

Category: News
April 15, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Corruption
UK

Far-Left Pol Now Wanted on Corruption Charges Campaigned to Ban Trump.

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❓What Happened: Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, now facing corruption charges in Bangladesh, campaigned to ban President Donald J. Trump from Britain in 2016, and campaigned for Barack Obama in 2008.

👥 Who’s Involved: Tulip Siddiq, President Donald J. Trump, former President Barack Obama, and Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission.

📍 Where & When: British Parliament debate in January 2016; arrest warrant issued in Bangladesh, April 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “The United Kingdom should not be held to ransom by corrosive billionaire politicians,” Siddiq said of Trump in 2016.

⚠️ Impact: Siddiq’s corruption charges undermine her past criticisms of Trump, exposing contradictions in her political stance.

IN FULL:

Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party and, until recently, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Anti-Corruption Minister, is now wanted in Bangladesh on corruption charges. Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, previously covered her efforts to ban President Donald J. Trump from the United Kingdom and her campaign work for Barack Obama in 2008.

In January 2016, Siddiq took a prominent role in a parliamentary push to bar Trump from entering Britain. Speaking to the British press, Siddiq called Trump “corrosive,” dismissing contemporary reports he could pull a proposed £700 million investment in Scotland if he was banned from the country. “The United Kingdom should not be held to ransom by corrosive billionaire politicians,” she stated. “Donald Trump’s threats about withholding investment from the UK is another desperate attempt to get in the headlines, and anyone seeing his comments should reject his bigotry.”

At the time, Trump was under fire for proposing a so-called “Muslim ban” to stem Islamist terror attacks—later manifested as a ban on travel from certain known hotbeds of jihadism with insecure vetting for outbound travelers.

Not coincidentally, Bangladesh—where Siddiq’s now-ousted aunt Sheikh Hasina was Prime Minister—is overwhelmingly Muslim in composition. Siddiq’s corruption charges are linked to allegations she and her family profited from misused public funds in the country during her aunt’s 15-year rule.

In addition to campaigning against Trump traveling to Britain, Siddiq traveled to the U.S. to campaign for Barack Obama during his 2008 U.S. presidential run, according to the ‘British Bangladeshi Who’s Who’ magazine.

She backed the bid by hard-left former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn—expelled by Starmer amid an anti-Semitism scandal—but maintained a high profile following his ouster, being appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, or Anti-Corruption Minister, when Labour regained power last July.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission accuses her of illegally obtaining a 7,200-square-foot plot in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone through abuse of power. The commission alleges she used forged signatures to secure a flat, qualifying her for the land deal, as part of broader investigations into her family’s dealings during Hasina’s government.

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April 15, 2025
Economy
News

Trump Pledges Fast-Track for Nvidia’s $500 Billion Investment.

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❓What Happened: NVIDIA plans a substantial investment in U.S. infrastructure to create AI supercomputers.

👥 Who’s Involved: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, President Donald J. Trump.

📍 Where & When: Arizona and Texas, announcement made on April 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time.” — Jensen Huang.

⚠️ Impact: Potential growth in U.S. chip manufacturing; concerns about the impact of tariffs on demand.

IN FULL:

Tech giant NVIDIA has announced a major push to manufacture artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputers in the United States, committing to a $500 billion investment. This marks the first time the company will build its AI infrastructure domestically. President Donald J. Trump responded to the announcement on Truth Social, emphasizing that necessary permits for NVIDIA and similar businesses will be expedited to support what he described as the “Golden Age of America.”

The initiative involves over a million square feet dedicated to the production and testing of NVIDIA’s specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona, alongside the assembly of AI supercomputers in Texas. This investment is expected to realize up to half a trillion dollars in AI infrastructure over the next four years.

NVIDIA’s CEO, Jensen Huang, highlighted the strategic advantage of U.S.-based manufacturing. Huang stated it allows the company to better meet the demand for AI technology while fortifying supply chains and increasing operational resilience. “The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Huang said.

The announcement comes amid the Trump Administration’s stance that partial tariff waivers for electronics, such as phones and computer parts, are temporary. These waivers will remain until a new, industry-specific tariff strategy is devised. Trump’s economic strategy encourages global manufacturers to relocate production to the U.S.

The move by NVIDIA  comes after President Trump announced a significant investment by South Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai last month. The company will invest $21 billion in the United States. At least $5.8 billion of which will be invested in a new steel plant in Louisiana, providing over 1,400 jobs.

President Trump’s tariff policies have brought nearly all affected countries to the negotiating table except China. The Communist-led government has instead opted for its own retaliatory tariffs.

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April 15, 2025
Immigration
NatSec

Democrats Rushing to El Salvador to Help MS-13 Gangster Back into America.

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❓ What Happened: A group of Democratic lawmakers wants to travel to El Salvador to lobby for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an MS-13 gang member deported by the Justice Department.

👥 Who’s Involved: The key figures are Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Maxwell Frost and Yassamin Ansari.

📍 Where & When: The stunt follows a White House visit involving President Donald J. Trump and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, where the press raised Garcia’s case.

💬 Key Quote: “Of course I’m not going to do it,” said President Bukele regarding returning Garcia, an El Salvadoran citizen, to the U.S.

⚠️ Impact: The situation highlights tensions between leftist legislators and judges and the U.S. and Salvadoran governments.

IN FULL:

Leading Democratic lawmakers, spearheaded by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), are prepared to visit El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an MS-13 gang member deported to the Central American country’s CECOT super-prison by the Trump administration. During a White House visit, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele declared that he would not send Garcia back to the U.S.

Van Hollen has formally contacted El Salvador’s ambassador in Washington, requesting a dialogue with President Bukele. The Maryland Democrat announced his intention to monitor Garcia’s condition and negotiate for his release in El Salvador if he is not returned to the U.S. by midweek. Democratic colleagues, including Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), have expressed readiness to join the potential delegation.

The push to bring Garcia back stems from the Trump administration deporting him contrary to a 2019 immigration judge’s order prohibiting his return to El Salvador, due to rival gang members presenting a threat to him.

Contradicting media reports presenting Garcia as an “innocent” father, the courts also adjudicated that he was an illegal alien who had failed to demonstrate he was not a danger to Americans at an immigration bond hearing. Additionally, the relevant ruling states that “sufficient” was presented proving Garcia was a gang member, which he had failed to rebut.

The Trump White House’s deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, contends that Garcia’s deportation was in accordance with federal law. “Nobody was mistakenly deported anywhere. That’s a big fact that all of you, most of you, have gotten wrong,” Miller told the press outside the White House on Monday. He added: “The only mistake that was made is a lawyer put an incorrect line in a legal filing that’s since been relieved… [Garcia] is El Salvadoran. He is an illegal alien. He was deported to El Salvador.”

While the courts have asked the Trump administration to facilitate Garcia’s return, the fact he is an El Salvadoran citizen in the custody of El Salvador puts him beyond U.S. jurisdiction. During Bukele’s visit, the Salvadoran leader dismissed calls to return Garcia to the U.S., describing such expectations as “preposterous.” He questioned how he could “smuggle” Garcia into America without violating the law, given his status as a “terrorist.”

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April 15, 2025
William Upton
Education
Politics

Trump Withdraws $2 BILLION from Harvard. Here’s Why…

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❓What Happened: The Trump administration is freezing $2 billion in federal funding for Harvard University after the Ivy League institution rejected a set of government policy conditions aimed at addressing anti-Semitic incidents and pro-Hamas protests on its campus.

👥 Who’s Involved: Harvard University, President Donald J. Trump, Harvard President Alan Garber, pro-Hamas demonstrators, and federal officials.

📍 Where & When: Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the White House in Washington, D.C., with the funding freeze announced late on April 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges,” the Trump administration’s Joint Task Force to combat anti-Semitism said in a statement.

⚠️ Impact: The university is being hit with a freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year federal grants, and the Trump administration has canceled a $60 million contract with Harvard.

IN FULL:

Late Monday evening, the Trump administration suspended $2.2 billion in multi-year federal grants for Harvard University after the Ivy League academic institution rejected funding conditions U.S. President Donald J. Trump proposed to address anti-Semitism on campus. Earlier Monday, Harvard issued a statement declaring the Trump White House’s push for policy changes at the university to be “illegal.” The Trump White House had previously announced it would condition funding for Harvard on the school adequately addressing anti-Semitic incidents on campus, ensuring viewpoint diversity in its academic programs, and assisting with the federal screening of foreign students for pro-terrorism and extremist ideologies.

“Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges—that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the Joint Task Force to combat anti-Semitism announced in a statement yesterday evening, continuing: “The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable. It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.”

The statement concluded: “The Joint Task Force to combat anti-Semitism is announcing a freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60M in multi-year contract value to Harvard University.”

Universities across the United States have seen an explosion in anti-Semitic incidents and the harassment of Jewish students by pro-Hamas demonstrators. In several instances, protests escalated to the point where demonstrators would surround and trap Jewish students in university classrooms and libraries. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has moved to revoke student visas for hundreds of foreign students over their participation in the campus demonstrations and for public pro-Hamas statements.

Image by Adam Fagen.

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April 15, 2025
Economy
News

Europe Braces for Influx of Cheap Chinese Imports as Trump Tariffs Protect U.S. Producers.

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❓What Happened: Europe is concerned about an influx of cheap Chinese goods due to tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese exports.

👥 Who’s Involved: Key players include European leaders, Chinese manufacturers, and the U.S. government.

📍 Where & When: The situation is unfolding across Europe, with a focus on countries like France, Germany, and Italy, amid escalating trade tensions.

💬 Key Quote: Liana Fix of the Council on Foreign Relations noted, “The overcapacity challenge has taken a long time, but it has finally arrived in European capitals.”

⚠️ Impact: Potential economic strain on European industries and increased vigilance on imports to prevent dumping.

IN FULL:

Europe faces an expected surge in Chinese products due to the ongoing trade clash between the United States and China. With U.S.-imposed tariffs dampening export opportunities for Chinese goods, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could seek to dump exports on the European market. This situation raises alarm over the potential negative impact on local industries across the European Union (EU).

The situation stems from President Donald J. Trump’s hefty tariffs on China, which have significantly obstructed Chinese exports to American markets. Consequently, there are growing apprehensions that these goods—ranging from electric vehicles to consumer gadgets—might overflow into the European market. Such an influx could undercut European manufacturers, impacting economic stability in major economies like France, Germany, and Italy.

“The overcapacity challenge has taken a long time, but it has finally arrived in European capitals,” remarked Liana Fix of the Council on Foreign Relations.

In response to the mounting concerns, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has emphasized the importance of constructive engagement with China. She acknowledges the indirect effects of the U.S.-imposed tariffs, stressing the need for vigilance in monitoring Chinese imports. A newly constituted task force will track these imports for signs of dumping, aiming to maintain market balance within Europe.

President Trump also enacted significant tariffs on European Union goods—though the trade duties have been reduced to 10 percent for a 90-day grace period while trade negotiations take place. The EU initially announced its own retaliatory tariffs, but it later caved and announced it would suspend the idea to pursue trade negotiations.

Image: European Union 2023– Source: EP.

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April 15, 2025
News
World

Hungary Gets Constitutional in Fight to Protect Kids From LGBT Ideology.

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❓What Happened: Hungary passed a constitutional amendment that permits authorities to prohibit LGBT+ public events like Pride marches.

👥 Who’s Involved: Hungary’s government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban; opposition politicians; protesters; LGBT+ communities.

📍 Where & When: Hungary, April 14.

💬 Key Quote: “We’re protecting children’s development, affirming that a person is born either male or female, and standing firm against drugs and foreign interference.” — Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

⚠️ Impact: The law could increase tensions regarding LGBT+ rights, potentially leading to broader use of surveillance technology and affecting freedom of assembly.

IN FULL:

Hungary’s parliament has approved a constitutional amendment enabling authorities to ban LGBTQ public events to protect children from LGBTQ ideology. The amendment, which passed Monday, explicitly allows the government to halt events such as Budapest‘s annual Pride march.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said of the constitutional changes, “Hungary’s constitutional amendment is now law. We’re protecting children’s development, affirming that a person is born either male or female, and standing firm against drugs and foreign interference.”

Specifically, the amendment allows for the prohibition of events that “promote or display deviation from a person’s gender at birth, gender reassignment, or homosexuality” in settings where children could be exposed to them, such as public streets.

In response to the amendment, opposition politicians and demonstrators blockaded the parliament’s entrances and used air horns to disrupt proceedings inside the legislature.

In addition to the provisions concerning Pride marches, the amendment codifies previously stated definitions regarding gender, explicitly recognizing only two sexes. In a statement, the government said this clarifies that laws around sex and gender are based on biological realities rather than self-identification.

Further provisions in the amendment include a right to cash payments, a right to community self-defense, powers to strip dual nationals working for foreign powers of their Hungarian citizenship, and an explicit ban on the production and promotion of narcotics.

This is the 15th amendment to the constitution penned by an Orban government since 2011. This reflects his party’s strong, sustained mandate from the Hungarian electorate, which is necessary for constitutional amendments to pass.

Image by Annika Haas (EU2017EE).

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April 14, 2025
Crime
NatSec

Teen Accused of Murdering Parents in Plot to Assassinate Trump, FBI Reports.

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❓What Happened: A 17-year-old in Wisconsin is accused of killing his mother and stepfather to obtain resources and freedom in order to execute a plan to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and overthrow the U.S. federal government.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nikita Casap, his stepfather Donald Mayer, his mother Tatiana Casap, Waukesha County, Wisconsin authorities, and federal investigators.

📍 Where & When: The incident occurred in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, with the arrests made in March. A preliminary court hearing on Casap’s state charges was held on April 9, with the 17-year-old set to be formally arraigned on May 7.

💬 Key Quote: “He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government,” investigators said in the affidavit.

⚠️ Impact: The incident prompted federal charges in addition to the state counts.

IN FULL:

Authorities in Wisconsin have charged a teenager with the murder of his mother and stepfather, citing intentions to use their assets to execute plans to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and overthrow the federal government. Nikita Casap, 17, faces multiple state charges, including two counts of first-degree murder following the March incident. Authorities located the bodies of Donald Mayer, 51, and Tatiana Casap, 35, within their Waukesha County residence.

Prosecutors also charged Casap with hiding bodies, theft, and identity theft. In addition to the state prosecution, the 17-year-old will also likely face federal charges, according to affidavits filed by federal investigators. Based on a review of a manifesto allegedly written by the teenager, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes Casap likely communicated with other individuals regarding his plot—suggesting the possibility of a broader conspiracy.

A search warrant on the teenager’s phone uncovered affiliations with “The Order of Nine Angles,” a group associated with extremist and racially charged ideology. In his manifesto, Casap allegedly advocates for violent actions to “save the white race” alongside imagery revering Adolf Hitler.

“He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States. And he paid for, at least in part, a drone and explosives to be used as a weapon of mass destruction to commit an attack,” federal investigators state in the affidavit. They add: “Other parties, with whom Casap was in contact, appear to have been aware of his plan and action and to have provided assistance to Casap in carrying them out.”

During the 2024 election, President Trump was the target of two assassination attempts, with the first would-be assassin striking the America First leader’s ear with a bullet during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The second assassination attempt involved pro-Ukraine activist Ryan Routh, who was discovered with a rifle hiding along the treeline at Trump International Golf Club, only a short distance from the America First leader.

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April 14, 2025
Education

Trump-Backed School Choice Program Texas Is Poised to Adopt Will Be Largest in U.S.

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❓What Happened: The Texas House, during an extended session, passed a $337 billion budget proposal, including a large-scale school choice initiative. The budget bill now heads to a conference committee that will reconcile differences between the versions passed by the Texas House and Senate before receiving a final vote on passage. 

👥 Who’s Involved: Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX), lawmakers in the Texas state legislature, school choice advocates, and Texas Democrats who oppose the budget bill and school choice program.

📍 Where & When: The debate took place in Texas on April 10, 2025, with the House passing the budget bill early Friday morning.

💬 Key Quote: Governor Abbott stated, “The fact is that we are going to pass school choice this session. At the same time, we’ll ensure Texas public schools receive record funding.”

⚠️ Impact: The budget measure seeks to distribute funds for educational savings accounts, affecting 100,000 students, and includes plans for property tax relief and increased border security funds.

IN FULL:

The Texas House engaged in a lengthy session on Thursday to debate the state’s $337 billion budget proposal, which includes a provision establishing the largest school choice program in the United States. After hours of debate and consideration of over 390 amendments —with only 25 being adopted—lawmakers moved to adopt the budget measure early on Friday morning, moving the school choice program one step closer to becoming a reality. The bill now heads to a conference committee that will reconcile differences between the House-passed budget and a version passed earlier this year by the Texas Senate.

If enacted, budget legislation would allocate $1 billion towards educational savings accounts, affecting roughly 100,000 Texas students. Additionally, the measure allows families to utilize public funds for differing educational expenses, such as private school tuition and homeschooling. President Donald J. Trump announced his support for the Texas school choice program in February, writing on Truth Social: “The Texas House must now pass School Choice to deliver a gigantic Victory for Texas students and parents… We need School Choice passed in every State!”

Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) has also backed the school choice provision in the budget, contending that it will simultaneously bolster educational outcomes and empower families in their education decisions. “The fact is that we are going to pass school choice this session,” Abbott wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “School choice creates competition and guarantees a better education for ALL students.”

Additional elements of the proposal include $11.2 billion for property tax relief and a record-setting $6.5 billion for border security. However, Democrat lawmakers in the state legislature have signaled they will oppose the final budget bill—though it appears unlikely they will be able to prevent its passage.

Image by Chmorich.

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April 14, 2025
News
UK

Minority Report: Predictive Algorithms Will Be Used to Identify Potential Criminals.

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❓What Happened: An algorithm is being developed to predict which criminals might later commit murder.

👥 Who’s Involved: Britain’s Ministry of Justice, Greater Manchester Police and other British police forces, and civil liberties group Statewatch.

📍 Where & When: The United Kingdom; the project started in January 2023 and is believed to have been completed in December 2024 but is yet to be deployed.

💬 Key Quote: “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” noted Sofia Lyall from Statewatch.

⚠️ Impact: Concerns about bias and the ethical implications of using such predictive models on vast datasets, including from communities already facing structural discrimination.

IN FULL:

The British Ministry of Justice is advancing in its initiative to create an algorithmic tool aimed at predicting which individuals convicted of crimes might escalate to committing homicide. Known internally as the Homicide Prediction Project, the undertaking emerged through Freedom of Information requests from the civil liberties group Statewatch, which flagged the project as concerning.

Expanding on risk-prediction systems already in place, the project is designed to build upon frameworks such as the Offender Assessment System (OASys), which has been used since 2001 to forecast recidivism and inform legal decisions. However, the broad scope of data in this new model has raised red flags. Data utilized, sourced from various police and government bodies, potentially includes information on up to half a million people, some without any criminal history.

Despite officials’ assertions that the project remains in a research phase, uncovered documents allude to future deployments. Sources claim increased collaboration across government agencies and police forces, such as Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police, to enhance the dataset driving these predictions.

Statewatch has raised ethical concerns about the predictive model’s potential for systemic bias. The British state has already attempted to introduce guidelines that were explicitly two-tier and would have seen ethnic minorities prioritized for bail over white men in the country.

Statewatch’s Sofia Lyall described the algorithm project as “chilling and dystopian,” calling for an immediate cessation of its development. “Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for ‘predicting’ crime are inherently flawed,” he said. She highlighted the risk algorithms pose in creating profiles of potential criminals before any crime is committed.

Image by Rama.

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April 14, 2025
News
War

White House Hits Back After Zelensky Attacks Vice President Vance.

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❓What Happened: The White House responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s accusation that Vice President J.D. Vance is justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions.

👥 Who’s Involved: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. President Donald Trump, and the White House.

📍 Where & When: Comments were made during an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, with updates and responses on Monday, April 14, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Taylor Van Kirk, press secretary to Vice President Vance: “Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion.”

⚠️ Impact: The diplomatic rift appears to widen amidst continued hostilities in Ukraine, with criticisms from both sides regarding efforts to end the conflict.

IN FULL:

The White House rebuffed allegations from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after he criticized Vice President J.D. Vance for supposedly justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on Sunday, Zelensky accused Vance and President Donald J. Trump of promoting an “altered reality” concerning events leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky suggested Vance seemed to approve of Putin’s actions, a claim that prompted a swift reply from Vance’s press team.

Taylor Van Kirk, the Vice President’s press secretary, responded to Zelensky’s allegations, emphasizing that Vance has consistently stated that the war’s origins lie in the Biden government’s “weakness and incompetence.”

“Instead of mischaracterizing Vice President Vance’s rhetoric, President Zelensky should be focused on bringing this conflict to a peaceful conclusion,” Van Kirk said.

This recent escalation follows a previous meeting in the Oval Office, during which Zelensky faced harsh criticism from both Trump and Vance over his ungrateful behavior. Zelensky, who sparked the clash by starting an argument with Vance over the need for diplomacy, was later removed from the White House.

President Trump, placing responsibility for the war on former President Joe Biden, expressed his determination to halt the ongoing violence in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing an urgency to cease hostilities.

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