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July 10, 2025
News

Secret Service Suspends Six Agents Over Trump Shooting.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Six Secret Service agents were suspended without pay following critical security failures during an assassination attempt on President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, six Secret Service agents, shooter Thomas Crooks, and Deputy Director Matt Quinn.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The assassination attempt occurred at a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler,” said Deputy Director Matt Quinn, adding: “Butler was an operational failure and we are focused today on ensuring that it never happens again.”

🎯IMPACT: The suspensions are part of broader reforms, including deploying military-grade drones and new mobile command units, to prevent similar incidents.

IN FULL

The Secret Service suspended six agents without pay on Wednesday in response to critical security failures during last year’s assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The decision, confirmed by Deputy Director Matt Quinn in an interview with CBS News, comes nearly a year after a gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, opened fire as Trump spoke, striking the America First leader’s ear and seriously wounding two attendees, one of whom died.

Quinn described the suspensions, which range from 10 to 42 days, as part of a broader effort to address systemic issues. However, he defended the decision not to punish anybody in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt, insisting, “We aren’t going to fire our way out of this.”

“We’re going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation,” he added.

Following their suspensions, each of the six agents will be reassigned to less critical roles. Quinn also noted that the agency has implemented significant reforms, including the deployment of military-grade drones and new mobile command units to ensure better coordination with local law enforcement.

The Butler incident, along with another foiled attempt weeks later in Florida, led to the resignation of then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, despite the fact she initially insisted she would stay in post. A December congressional report labeled the attack “tragic and preventable,” citing a catalogue of errors, including leadership and training deficiencies, as key factors.

“Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler,” Quinn admitted. “Butler was an operational failure.”

Image by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

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July 9, 2025
Immigration
Politics

White House: Dems Are Inciting the Increasingly Violent Attacks on ICE.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Law enforcement officers involved in deportations are facing a spike in serious violence, with assaults on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents up 700 percent.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: ICE agents, Border Patrol officers, Democrat politicians, and far-left agitators.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Serious attacks occurred in early July at ICE facilities in Texas and Oregon, as well as a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “ICE agents will be unsuccessful in protecting their identities no matter what it takes.” – House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

🎯IMPACT: The rhetoric from Democrat politicians is contributing to an increasingly dangerous environment for federal agents.

IN FULL

A series of violent incidents targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in recent days has drawn sharp condemnation from the Trump administration, which is blaming inflammatory rhetoric from Democratic leaders for encouraging the attacks.

According to the White House, assaults on ICE personnel have increased by nearly 700 percent in recent months. The administration points to a string of serious recent attacks, including an incident on July 4 in Alvarado, Texas, where 11 suspects were arrested for allegedly luring ICE officers into a sniper ambush. One police officer responding to the incident was shot in the neck during the confrontation.

That same day, in Portland, Oregon, federal agents were reportedly attacked with an incendiary device and physically assaulted at another ICE installation.

On July 7, a gunman fired dozens of rounds at law enforcement at a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, injuring two police officers and a Border Patrol staff member before being killed.

The administration cited recent remarks from several Democratic lawmakers as examples of rhetoric it claims may have inspired the attacks. Among them were comments from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who reportedly encouraged people to “fight” the Trump administration “in the streets” and stated that ICE agents “will be unsuccessful” in protecting their identities “no matter what it takes.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) was also singled out for calling ICE agents “deranged” and saying it was “inspiring” to obstruct immigration enforcement.

Minnesotta Governor and 2024 vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was noted as having smeared ICE agents as the “modern-day Gestapo,” a reference to the brutal German secret police under the Nazis. Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson also claimed ICE agents were “secret police” and “terrorizing our communities.”

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), currently being prosecuted for personally interfering with federal law enforcement, has said “we are at war” and told her supporters in Washington, D.C. to “shut down the city.”

The White House said the rise in attacks on law enforcement is a “direct consequence of dangerous, inflammatory rhetoric from Democrat politicians,” adding, “ICE agents risk their lives to secure our borders and protect our communities.”

Meanwhile, ICE continues to make arrests of dangerous illegal alien criminals, including child rapists and violent offenders. With a surge of new funding for immigration enforcement now that President Donald J. Trump has signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Border Czar Tom Homan is targeting as many as 7,000 arrests per day.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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July 9, 2025
Crime
News

Judge Accused of Helping Illegal Alien Evade Arrest Can Stand Trial.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S. magistrate judge ruled that a case can proceed against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, who is accused of aiding an illegal immigrant in evading arrest.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Judge Hannah Dugan, illegal immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph, and Dugan’s attorney Steven Biskupic.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The indictment was reported in May, and a nonbinding recommendation was issued Monday. The events took place in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A judge’s actions, even when done in her official capacity, does not bar criminal prosecution if the actions were done in violation of the criminal law,” wrote Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph.

🎯IMPACT: The case will proceed, raising questions about judicial immunity and the legality of Dugan’s actions.

IN FULL

A U.S. magistrate judge has ruled that criminal proceedings can continue against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, who is facing allegations of obstructing federal immigration authorities. The case centers on claims that Dugan assisted an illegal immigrant in evading arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to a two-page federal indictment, Dugan is accused of “obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing” Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant. Prosecutors allege she deliberately interfered with ICE’s efforts to detain Flores-Ruiz by hiding his whereabouts.

Dugan pleaded not guilty at a hearing in May. Her legal team has argued that the charges should be dismissed, claiming she is protected by judicial immunity for actions taken in her official role on the bench.

However, Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph, in a recent recommendation, declined to support dismissal of the case. She wrote, “A judge’s actions, even when done in her official capacity, does not bar criminal prosecution if the actions were done in violation of the criminal law.”

Judge Joseph also emphasized that it remains uncertain whether Dugan’s conduct falls outside the scope of her judicial responsibilities. She stated that this ambiguity “cannot be resolved through a motion to dismiss,” and therefore the case must continue through the court process.

Dugan’s attorney, Steven Biskupic, reacted to the decision and expressed dissatisfaction with the recommendation. “We are disappointed in the magistrate judge’s non-binding recommendation, and we will appeal it. This is only one step in what we expect will be a long journey to preserve the independence and integrity of our courts,” he said.

The recommendation is not final, but it allows the case to proceed while the legal process unfolds. A more decisive ruling will fall to a U.S. district judge, who will review Judge Joseph’s findings.

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July 9, 2025
News
Religion

Foreign-Born Bishop Lets Illegals Skip Church to Avoid ICE.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Mexico-born Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, California, issued a decree excusing parishioners from their Sunday Mass obligations so they can avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bishop Alberto Rojas, Msgr. Gerard M. Lopez, and the Diocese of San Bernardino.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Diocese of San Bernardino, California; decree issued recently with no specific end date.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Those who, due to genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions, are unable to attend Sunday Mass… are dispensed from this obligation.” – Bishop Rojas

🎯IMPACT: The move absolves illegal immigrants from the obligation to attend Holy Mass, regarded by many faithful Catholics who are not breaking immigration laws as a slap in the face to their brethren in places like Africa and the Middle East, who often face active, violent persecution.

IN FULL

Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino in California has issued a decree excusing parishioners from their Sunday Mass obligation due to “potential immigration enforcement actions by civil authorities.” The decision, according to Mexico-born Rojas, was made under his authority in the Code of Canon Law, which allows a diocesan bishop to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws when it contributes to their spiritual good.

Attending Sunday Mass is an obligation for all Catholics able to attend, and those who refuse are likely considered to be committing a mortal sin, which bars them from receiving the Holy Eucharist.

Rojas stated, “Recognizing that fear of immigration enforcement, such as raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), may deter some members of our diocese from fulfilling the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation… and acknowledging that such fear constitutes a grave inconvenience that may impede the spiritual good of the faithful, I hereby decree the following…”

The decree specifies that members of the faithful who genuinely fear immigration enforcement actions and are unable to attend Mass are dispensed from the obligation “until such time as this decree is revoked or amended.” Rojas also encouraged alternative spiritual practices, such as personal prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, or participating in devotions like the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet. He suggested televised Mass as another option.

Additionally, Rojas recommended that parishes provide “pastoral care and assurances” and explore alternative means of catechesis and sacramental preparation for those unable to attend regularly. The decree’s duration and scope will remain in effect “until further notice or until such time as the circumstances necessitating this decree are sufficiently resolved.”

Such dispensations were also granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many Bishops excusing parishioners from attending Holy Mass due to the risk of possible infection.

The move also comes after President Donald J. Trump defunded many Catholic charities in the United States that were receiving billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to help illegal immigrants.

Many Catholics around the world face serious risks in order to attend Holy Mass that go far beyond deportation. In countries like Nigeria, Catholic priests and parishioners are often killed while at Mass, including 50 people killed in 2022 at a church in the country’s southwest.

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July 9, 2025
News
TECH

Musk’s Grok AI Adopts ‘MechaHitler’ Persona.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Grok, posted anti-Semitic content and referred to itself as “MechaHitler” on the X platform (formerly Twitter), prompting action from xAI engineers.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Elon Musk, xAI engineers, and users of the X platform who interacted with Grok.

📍WHEN & WHERE: July 8, 2023, on the X platform.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts.” – xAI statement

🎯IMPACT: Grok’s behavior raised significant concerns about AI moderation, leading to its posts being removed and further scrutiny of xAI’s training methods. Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, resigned following the “MechaHitler” episode, although a direct link has not been confirmed.

IN FULL

Grok, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot integrated into the X platform (formerly Twitter), has ignited widespread controversy after it posted a series of anti-Semitic messages. Among the most alarming content were derogatory remarks about Jews and the chatbot referring to itself as “MechaHitler.”

Following the incident, engineers at xAI, the company behind Grok, responded with a public statement: “We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts.” The company added that it remains committed to “banning hate speech on X” and plans to make improvements to Grok’s training data and moderation processes. Grok itself is currently claiming its “MechaHitler arc” was “satirical.”

Grok, developed to rival ChatGPT and marketed as a “truth-seeking” AI with enhanced reasoning capabilities, is currently accessible to premium users of X. Its name is derived from the term “grok,” first introduced in Robert A. Heinlein’s 1961 novel Stranger in a Strange Land, which means to understand something deeply and intuitively.

Coinciding with the fallout from Grok’s behavior, X CEO Linda Yaccarino resigned on July 9. Although no official connection between her departure and the chatbot’s remarks has been confirmed, the timing has led to speculation and added to broader concerns over the ethical complexities of AI deployment and platform accountability. However, WarRoom host and former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon believes the resignation is tied to Yaccarino’s inability to rein in Musk’s antics more generally.

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July 9, 2025
Immigration
The Resistance

Violent Protesters Injured Attacking ICE Vehicle.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Protests against federal immigration enforcement outside a San Francisco courthouse turned violent when demonstrators attempted to stop deportations by climbing onto a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Protesters, ICE agents, and federal officers were involved in the clashes outside a courthouse in downtown San Francisco.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, July 8, in San Francisco, California.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I was bleeding everywhere. They were brutal to those of us trying to exercise our rights and protect our community.” – Sorin, a protester.

🎯IMPACT: The protests disrupted federal operations and led to injuries, arrests, and ongoing high tensions between federal immigration agents and anti-ICE agitators.

IN FULL

Violent demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations broke out near a courthouse in downtown San Francisco, California, on Tuesday. Video of the protest shows far-left demonstrators attempting to interfere with federal immigration enforcement action by barring the path of an ICE van and climbing onto its hood.

At least two demonstrators can be seen in the video clinging to the ICE vehicle as it attempts to drive away, with one person falling off and another holding on as the van swerves sharply. Protesters, many wearing masks and keffiyehs, were also seen engaging in physical altercations with federal agents. “Holy f***ing s**t, frightening times, right?” a demonstrator can be heard exclaiming in the video before adding: “What the f**k have we gotten ourselves into?”

Meanwhile, another protester who spoke with local San Francisco media, identified only as “Sorin,” stated that see was injured while attempting to block an ICE vehicle. “I was bleeding everywhere,” she said, adding: “They were brutal to those of us trying to exercise our rights and protect our community.”

The demonstrations are part of a broader wave of violent protests against immigration enforcement operations across the country, including in New York, Oregon, and Texas. Earlier this month, chaos unfolded at an ICE detention facility in Portland, Oregon, where protesters clashed with officers attempting to maintain order.

Meanwhile, on July 4, a “planned ambush” targeting corrections officers at an ICE detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, left a police officer with a gunshot wound to the neck. The National Pulse reported on Tuesday that eleven individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the attack.

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July 9, 2025
News
Sports

Teen Girls Are Suing This Dem State for Letting Males Into Their Sports.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Three teenage girls filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon over policies allowing trans-identifying males to compete in female sports.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Plaintiffs Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter, an unnamed third plaintiff, Riley Gaines, Simone Biles, the Oregon Department of Education, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), and Governor Tina Kotek (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit follows an April track meet in Oregon and was filed with support from the America First Policy Institute.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This case is a landmark federal challenge to a statewide policy that permits males to compete in K–12 girls’ sports based on nothing more than self-proclaimed gender identity.” – America First Policy Institute

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit challenges Oregon’s policy under Title IX, aiming to protect the integrity of women’s sports.

IN FULL

Three teenage girls have filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon, challenging laws that permit biological males claiming to be transgender to compete against women and girls in sports. The incident that led to the lawsuit occurred in April at an Oregon track meet, where plaintiffs Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter refused to compete against a trans-identifying male athlete. A third plaintiff, a legal minor, is only identified as S.C. and is represented by her legal guardians, Randy and Tiffany Castaneda.

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) is representing the three girls, with court filings arguing that Oregon’s policy allowing biologically male athletes to compete against women and girls violates Title IX. “This case is a landmark federal challenge to a statewide policy that permits males to compete in K–12 girls’ sports based on nothing more than self-proclaimed gender identity,” AFPI said in a statement. “That policy, enforced by the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), violates the plain language of Title IX and undermines decades of progress for female students and athletes.”

Two of the plaintiffs, Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter, stated that they were inspired to act after witnessing a public dispute between pro-transgender former Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and pro-women conservative activist Riley Gaines. The incident that led to the lawsuit occurred in April at an Oregon track meet, where Eischen and Carpenter refused to compete against a trans-identifying male athlete. Following this, Gaines reached out to the teenagers and encouraged them to take legal action.

In a recent interview, Carpenter explained, “I think especially when Riley Gaines and Simone Biles, and that whole thing happened, and kind of seeing how that played out and how the public responded, I think that was encouraging to see how many people are on the side of protecting women’s sports.”

Gaines has been outspoken about being forced to compete against transgender athlete “Lia” Thomas—recently stripped of his titles—as a swimmer. Meanwhile, Biles is a supporter of transgenders in female sports—despite having written as recently as 2017 that it was a “good thing guys don’t compete against girls or [they would] take all the gold medals” in her own sport.

Oregon’s Department of Education, the OSAA, and Governor Tina Kotek (D) are listed as defendants in the lawsuit.

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July 9, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Immigration

Trump Tightens Travel Restrictions on Nigerians.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has restricted temporary visas for Nigerians, limiting most to single-entry visas valid for only three months.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, and Nigerian travelers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: United States and Nigeria, July 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Nigeria will be single-entry visas with a three-month validity period.” – U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

🎯IMPACT: The move is part of broader Trump-era security measures affecting African nations, raising diplomatic tensions and threatening future trade opportunities with West Africa.

IN FULL

Temporary-stay visas for Nigerians visiting the United States have been slashed to three months and are now limited to single entry only. The change, announced by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, follows a wave of travel restrictions under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The embassy’s statement on Tuesday framed the move as an “update to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy,” noting that it impacts several countries, including Nigeria. Previously, visa durations and terms varied widely depending on the applicant’s purpose of travel.

The visa clampdown comes shortly after Trump ordered sweeping travel bans and restrictions affecting nationals from more than a dozen countries, citing concerns about national security and insufficient vetting systems. Citizens of Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan were banned outright. Chad responded by suspending U.S. visa issuances in return.

“In my first term, my powerful travel restrictions were one of our most successful policies, and they were a key part of preventing major foreign terror attacks on American soil,” Trump said at the time, adding, “We will not let what happened in Europe happen to America.”

The Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown has intensified scrutiny on African nations and sparked concern among diplomats and trade partners. The latest decision to curtail Nigerian travel is seen as part of a larger pattern of policy designed to overhaul and harden American entry requirements.

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July 9, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Trump CBP: Green Card Migrants With Criminal Records Will Be Deported.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal authorities have warned that green card holders with criminal records face detention and deportation for violating immigration laws.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and immigrants and their advocates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The warning was issued recently on X (formerly Twitter), with enforcement actions occurring across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right,” Customs and Border Protection confirmed on X.

🎯IMPACT: Green card holders with criminal histories or those accused of supporting extremist activities face heightened scrutiny, detention, and potential deportation.

IN FULL

Federal immigration officials are warning migrants with lawful permanent resident status that they still face deportation if they have criminal records. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says green card holders found to be violating criminal law or immigration law face revocation of their legal residency and deportation.

CBP emphasized the seriousness of this issue in a recent statement on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Under our nation’s laws, our government has the authority to revoke your green card if our laws are broken and abused.”

The agency also warned that lawful permanent residents arriving at U.S. ports of entry who have criminal convictions may be detained and could undergo removal proceedings. This notice aligns with broader enforcement policies under the Trump administration, prioritizing tougher immigration measures, including much stronger border control, removing illegals, and heightened scrutiny of those with legal status.

Amelia Wilson, assistant professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and director of the Immigration Justice Clinic, complains that green cards should not be taken away without due process. “The Department of Homeland Security cannot unilaterally ‘revoke’ a permanent resident’s status,“ Wilson insists. “There is a process the agency must follow, including serving the individual with a ‘Notice of Intent to Rescind,’ at which time that individual is entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge.“

In a separate post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the administration’s stance on national security concerns tied to immigration enforcement, stating: “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) echoed this approach, warning that permanent residents and visa holders could lose their immigration privileges if they are found to have committed crimes, supported terrorism, or engaged in activities threatening public safety.

These moves come as the Trump administration is also pushing to denaturalize immigrants who have acquired U.S. citizenship, if they are found to have lied during the naturalization process or committed crimes, among other transgressions.

The Trump administration has also launched online campaigns encouraging illegal immigrants to self-deport and promoting arrests of individuals with criminal histories as part of a broader crackdown.

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July 9, 2025
War
World

Trump Is Getting Tired of Putin’s ‘Bulls**t.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former President Barack Obama.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday, during a Cabinet meeting held in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump highlighted the differences in U.S. military aid to Ukraine under his administration compared to Obama’s, implying he will begin applying significantly more pressure to Russia if the Kremlin remains unserious about making peace.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump took a strong line on Russian leader Vladimir Putin during his Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, calling out what he described as the Russian leader’s “bullshit” on the Ukraine war. “That was a war that should never have happened. And a lot of people are dying and it should end. And I don’t know, we get… we get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless,” he said.

Often portrayed as a Russia sympathizer or even a Russian puppet—without evidence—by his detractors, Trump stressed that his first administration was far more helpful to Ukraine than Barack Obama’s. “I gave them the Javelins. Remember? They said, ‘Trump gave them javelins and Obama gave them sheets.’ Right. They called Obama at that time, Barack Hussein Obama, if you haven’t heard, he did a terrible job,” Trump said.

In 2014, amid Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the Obama administration opted to provide Ukraine with non-lethal assistance, including medical supplies and blankets. Trump, by contrast, approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2017.

By referencing his first administration’s military support for Ukraine, Trump likely intended to imply that Russia could expect the U.S. to begin ramping up assistance to Ukraine again if the Kremlin remains unserious about making peace.

Trump also blamed former President Joe Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan for emboldening Putin to invade Ukraine in 2022. “I think that had you not had the situation in Afghanistan, I don’t think Putin would have gotten in. I think when he looked at how stupid and incompetent that operation was, he said, ‘wow, this might be a chance,’” Trump argued.

Trump stressed that while European countries have contributed to supporting Ukraine, the United States has carried the heaviest burden. He ended by endorsing the resumption of certain defensive weapons shipments to Ukraine. “Putin is not treating human beings right. He’s killing too many people,” he emphasized.

On Wednesday, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov struck a cautious tone on Trump’s statements, saying the Kremlin was “pretty calm about this.”

“Trump’s way of talking is generally quite harsh… [W]e plan to continue our dialogue with Washington to mend our broken bilateral relations [and] we hope that Trump and his team will continue their efforts to get the peace process back to the realm of diplomacy,” Peskov said.

In June, Trump adopted a harsh tone against Iran and especially Israel when a ceasefire between them appeared to be slipping away, ultimately pressuring them both into ending their operations.

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