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Category: News
February 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News
Politics

Mitch McConnell Throws in the Towel, Will Not Seek Reelection.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. McConnell, 83, has occupied the U.S. Senate for 40 years, including stints as Senate Majority Leader, and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, controlling the Senate GOP for 18 years from 2006 to 2024.

In recent years, McConnell has become a key establishment Republican holdout against President Donald J. Trump and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. A 2024 biography reveals he wanted Biden-Harris prosecutor Jack Smith to make Trump “pay a price” for January 6, and that he “started to sob softly” when addressing his staff on the subject of the protests. Following Trump’s November election win, he complained that the “America First” slogan is “the same” as the rhetoric of Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists in 1930s Germany.

Since President Trump’s inauguration, he has consistently but usually unsuccessfully attempted to block key Cabinet picks, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard. However, he has few supporters among Republican voters, with around three-quarters wanting him gone as long ago as 2023.

His position has been made even less tenable by semi-regular health crises. On more than one occasion, he has frozen while addressing the press, having to be ushered away from podiums by handlers while stricken silent.

McConnell’s retirement opens up a critical Senate seat in Kentucky, which has consistently supported Republican candidates in recent elections. The decision is likely to set off a competitive race among potential successors within the Republican Party, and prompt interest from Democratic challengers aiming to flip the seat.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. McConnell, 83, has occupied the U.S. Senate for 40 years, including stints as Senate Majority Leader, and is the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, controlling the Senate GOP for 18 years from 2006 to 2024. show more
February 20, 2025
Crime
Politics

Trump Urges Federal Takeover of Washington D.C. to Restore Law and Order.

President Donald J. Trump is pushing for federal intervention in Washington, D.C., citing crime and homelessness as major issues. Aboard Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Trump emphasized the need for federal oversight to establish law and order in the capital, claiming local Democratic leadership is insufficient. He mentioned imminent plans to sign an executive order aimed at compelling D.C. officials to tackle crime and dismantle homeless encampments.

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said, responding to a question posed by a member of the press pool. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, D.C.”

“I think the federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly,” Trump reiterated.

Highlighting the Metropolitan Police Department, President Trump expressed a belief that they are not being adequately utilized under current management. Despite expressing personal regard for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Trump criticized the local administration for high crime rates and for allowing public spaces to become overrun with homelessness and vandalism.

The President also voiced concerns about the city’s image, especially with international dignitaries like French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting. Trump stressed his campaign commitment to revitalizing Washington, D.C., promising to rejuvenate the area and address crime rates.

Trump’s prospective executive action may include initiatives to impose stricter penalties for gun-related offenses and minor crimes like public urination, alongside enhanced protection for national sites and parks. This development aligns with recent legislative efforts by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN), who have proposed terminating the district’s self-governance.

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President Donald J. Trump is pushing for federal intervention in Washington, D.C., citing crime and homelessness as major issues. Aboard Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Trump emphasized the need for federal oversight to establish law and order in the capital, claiming local Democratic leadership is insufficient. He mentioned imminent plans to sign an executive order aimed at compelling D.C. officials to tackle crime and dismantle homeless encampments. show more
February 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

Vance Slams Anti-Peace Agitators for Peddling ‘Moralistic Garbage’ on Ukraine.

Vice President J.D. Vance has taken aim at the anti-peace commentators attacking the Trump administration for attempting to end the war in Ukraine, accusing them of peddling “moralistic garbage.” He singled out Scottish historian Sir Niall Ferguson—a naturalized U.S. citizen—for a hectoring post comparing Trump’s pro-peace stance to the late President George H.W. Bush’s reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait 35 years ago.

“This is moralistic garbage, which is unfortunately the rhetorical currency of the globalists because they have nothing else to say,” Vance wrote in his own social media post.

“For three years, President Trump and I have made two simple arguments: first, the war wouldn’t have started if President Trump was in office; second, that neither Europe, nor the Biden administration, nor the Ukrainians had any pathway to victory. This was true three years ago, it was true two years ago, it was true last year, and it is true today,” the Vice President continued.

“[F]or three years, the concerns of people who were obviously right were ignored. What is Niall’s actual plan for Ukraine? Another aid package? Is he aware of the reality on the ground, of the numerical advantage of the Russians, of the depleted stock of the Europeans or their even more depleted industrial base?” he asked. “Instead, he quotes from a book about George H.W. Bush from a different historical period and a different conflict. That’s another currency of these people: reliance on irrelevant history.”

Speaking to Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, on Wednesday, Vance cautioned Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky against attempting to try President Trump’s foreign policy in the court of public opinion. “Zelensky is getting really bad advice, and I don’t know from whom,” Vance said, warning: “He’s not dealing with Joe Biden and the Biden administration anymore.”

READ:

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Vice President J.D. Vance has taken aim at the anti-peace commentators attacking the Trump administration for attempting to end the war in Ukraine, accusing them of peddling "moralistic garbage." He singled out Scottish historian Sir Niall Ferguson—a naturalized U.S. citizen—for a hectoring post comparing Trump's pro-peace stance to the late President George H.W. Bush's reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait 35 years ago. show more
February 20, 2025
News

DOGE Reveals Federal Govt Has 4 Million Credit Cards, Racking Up Over 90 Million Charges.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, revealed the U.S. government manages over 4 million active credit card accounts, facilitating approximately 90 million transactions. According to DOGE, these transactions amounted to $40 billion in expenditures for Fiscal Year 2024.

A detailed report from DOGE outlined that the Department of Defense (D0D) led in transaction volume, recording roughly 27.2 million purchases across 2.4 million accounts. Other notable agencies in terms of credit card spending included the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the General Services Administration (GSA).

President Donald J. Trump continues to back DOGE’s initiatives, urging a reduction in government waste and advocating for a downsized federal bureaucracy. The National Pulse reported earlier this week that DOGE discovered $4.7 trillion in federal transactions lack a Treasury Account Symbol (TAS), a vital tracking code. This suggests tens of thousands of payments over many years are likely untraceable.

On Tuesday, President Trump issued a memorandum to all federal agencies “requiring radical transparency regarding wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.” The document emphasizes the need to halt excessive government spending on programs and projects not aligned with American interests.

“For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest,” the memo states, adding: “The Trump Administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, including canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.”

Image by Ted Eytan.

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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, revealed the U.S. government manages over 4 million active credit card accounts, facilitating approximately 90 million transactions. According to DOGE, these transactions amounted to $40 billion in expenditures for Fiscal Year 2024. show more
February 20, 2025
News

Trump Proposes Returning 20% of DOGE Savings to Americans.

On Wednesday, during an event in Miami Beach, President Donald J. Trump outlined a plan to distribute 20 percent of the savings generated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to American taxpayers. He suggested that another 20 percent of these savings could help reduce the national debt.

This initiative follows suggestions for a “DOGE dividend” from users on the social media platform X, owned by DOGE chief Elon Musk. “I love it,” Trump said. “A 20 percent dividend, so to speak, for the money that we’re saving by going after the waste, fraud and abuse and all of the other things that are happening. I think it’s a great idea.”

DOGE has reportedly identified approximately $55 billion in savings through cuts in federal spending, including reductions in the U.S. Department for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However, some of these reduction efforts are subject to ongoing legal challenges.

There is no clear plan yet from the Trump administration regarding the use of the remaining 60 percent of DOGE’s identified savings. The potential for using DOGE as a tool to both reward citizens and address national financial concerns is still under discussion.

DOGE is set to function until July 4, 2026, when it is scheduled for dissolution.

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On Wednesday, during an event in Miami Beach, President Donald J. Trump outlined a plan to distribute 20 percent of the savings generated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to American taxpayers. He suggested that another 20 percent of these savings could help reduce the national debt. show more
February 20, 2025
Crime
Science

Blue State Bill Proposes Jail Time for ‘Misgendering’ Transgenders on Death Certificates.

A bill that mandates the recording of a deceased individual’s gender identity on their death certificate is under discussion in the Colorado state legislature. The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Representatives Karen McCormick and Kyle Brown, as well as state Senator Mike Weissman, introduces a misdemeanor penalty for non-compliance. Under this proposed legislation, anyone who “knowingly and willfully violates” the requirement could face up to 120 days in jail and/or a $750 fine.

The bill stipulates that if there is documentation of a decedent’s gender identity, it must be used to determine the sex recorded on a death certificate. Moreover, if legal name change documentation is presented, the state registrar must update the certificate to reflect the decedent’s legal name. In cases with no official documentation, the individual responsible for managing the remains, such as a family member, can request a change to the certificate before it is finalized.

Critics argue this measure compels speech, with Dr. Travis Morrell, a Colorado physician affiliated with the conservative coalition Do No Harm, describing it as an unprecedented action against scientific truth. Morrell plans to testify at the bill’s hearing, expressing concerns over the inclusion of a misdemeanor penalty.

Other Democrat-led states, such as California, New York, Washington, and Oregon, have enacted similar laws but without criminal penalties. California, for instance, allows for modifications to the gender on death certificates but lacks specific punitive measures for non-compliance.

The bill’s introduction follows former President Donald J. Trump’s recent executive order affirming there are only two genders, rooted in biological sex.

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A bill that mandates the recording of a deceased individual's gender identity on their death certificate is under discussion in the Colorado state legislature. The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Representatives Karen McCormick and Kyle Brown, as well as state Senator Mike Weissman, introduces a misdemeanor penalty for non-compliance. Under this proposed legislation, anyone who "knowingly and willfully violates" the requirement could face up to 120 days in jail and/or a $750 fine. show more
February 19, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

Zelensky Bites the Hand that Feeds, Indicates He Will Refuse to Pay Back U.S. with Minerals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expressing anger over an apparent thaw in U.S.-Russian relations while indicating he will refuse to award the U.S. rights to Ukrainian minerals as compensation for the aid and military assistance he has received. The idea that Ukraine should be “giving back in minerals” to pay its debt to American taxpayers “is not a serious conversation,” Zelensky insists.

Zelensky, despite his heavy reliance on U.S. aid, says he is only willing to work on a “serious document” that includes “security guarantees” for Ukraine, presumably including a U.S. commitment to go to war with Russia to defend it.

The current draft agreement proposing a Reconstruction Investment Fund for Ukraine, put forward by the United States, stipulates that opportunities to develop Ukraine’s “mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, [and] other infrastructure (as agreed)” should be open to the U.S. rather than its competitors—as the U.S. has gifted Ukraine far more assistance than any other country.

“Look, we all want a victory, and we want Trump to win, and we want Ukraine to win, all of us to succeed… But I am protecting Ukraine. I can’t sell it away. I can’t sell our state,” Zelensky said, apparently believing that the U.S. should continue funding and supplying the Ukrainian military, paying the salaries of Ukrainian government workers, and subsidizing Ukrainian agriculture and businesses in exchange for nothing at all.

“OK, let’s do a deal. Let’s share [it], depending on the investment… but we need security guarantees,” he reiterated, also complaining about the U.S. wanting the Reconstruction Investment Fund agreement to be arbitrated according to New York law rather than “the laws of Ukraine.”

Trump has raised serious questions about the legitimacy of Zelensky’s leadership, considering his presidential term should have expired last May. The Ukrainian leader remains in post due to martial law and has previously banned at least 12 rival political parties, including the main opposition, alleging they were Russia sympathizers.

Image via the Presidential Office of Ukraine.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expressing anger over an apparent thaw in U.S.-Russian relations while indicating he will refuse to award the U.S. rights to Ukrainian minerals as compensation for the aid and military assistance he has received. The idea that Ukraine should be “giving back in minerals” to pay its debt to American taxpayers “is not a serious conversation,” Zelensky insists. show more
February 19, 2025
William Upton
Crime
NatSec

Trump Designates Tren de Aragua and Sinaloa Cartel as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

For the first time in United States history, a number of international drug cartels have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), akin to groups like al-Qaeda, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the Islamic State. The move, announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday, is a significant escalation against the drug cartels—predominantly located in Mexico and South America. Additionally, the designation expands the type of actions the U.S. government has at its disposal to combat them.

Two of the most prominent cartel groups named in the designation are the violent Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel—one of the largest drug trafficking operations in the world. The National Pulse has previously reported that President Donald J. Trump and his administration have made the arrest and deportation of TdA members a priority as part of his mass deportation program. Several hundred TdA members have already been apprehended and either sent to the migrant facility located on the U.S. military installation at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or returned to Venezuela.

Other gangs and cartels listed in the FTO designation include Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, United Cartels—also known as the La Resistencia gang, Cartel of the Northeast—a splinter group of the Zetas, the Gulf Cartel, and The New Michoacan Family.

The designations, issued by the State Department, come just after it was revealed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has begun using MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico to monitor drug cartels and their activities. The presence of drones could portend U.S.-authorized strikes and other military actions against these criminal organizations.

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For the first time in United States history, a number of international drug cartels have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), akin to groups like al-Qaeda, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the Islamic State. The move, announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday, is a significant escalation against the drug cartels—predominantly located in Mexico and South America. Additionally, the designation expands the type of actions the U.S. government has at its disposal to combat them. show more
February 19, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

BREAKING: Trump Blasts Zelensky as ‘Dictator’ Who ‘Better Move Fast.’

President Donald J. Trump has branded Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who recently indicated he will refuse to repay the U.S. for its war support with access to Ukrainian minerals and other resources, as a “dictator” for refusing to hold fresh elections. “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and ‘TRUMP,’ will never be able to settle,” the America First leader wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“The United States has spent $200 Billion Dollars more than Europe, and Europe’s money is guaranteed, while the United States will get nothing back. Why didn’t Sleepy Joe Biden demand Equalization, in that this War is far more important to Europe than it is to us—We have a big, beautiful Ocean as separation,” he continued, warning: “On top of this, Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is ‘MISSING.’ He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden ‘like a fiddle.’ A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”

Zelensky’s term expired in May 2024, but he remains in office under martial law and has banned what was his party’s main opposition, alongside over ten other parties he accuses of having Russian sympathies.

President Trump said that, while Zelensky is deciding on his next moves, the U.S. will continue “successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do.”

“Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going,” he continued. “I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – And so it continues…..”

His intervention comes as Zelensky has signaled he will not consent to a Reconstruction Investment Fund with the U.S. reserving the rights to develop Ukraine’s mineral and energy resources to the U.S. rather than its competitors. This would be a way of repaying American taxpayers for underwriting the Ukrainian military and government from 2022 onwards.

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President Donald J. Trump has branded Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who recently indicated he will refuse to repay the U.S. for its war support with access to Ukrainian minerals and other resources, as a "dictator" for refusing to hold fresh elections. "Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and 'TRUMP,' will never be able to settle," the America First leader wrote on his Truth Social platform. show more
February 19, 2025
Immigration

Mexico Reports 14,470 Migrants Deported by Trump.

President Donald J. Trump has overseen the deportation of 14,470 illegal immigrants to Mexico, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. As of January 20, over 11,000 of these individuals were Mexican nationals, while 3,091 came from other countries, primarily Central American nations such as Honduras or Guatemala.

U.S. Border Patrol is responsible for returning almost 500 migrants daily across the border into Mexico. In addition to Mexicans, other deported illegal immigrants include Chinese and Indian nationals. The U.S. has arranged illegal immigration flights to Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Panama, facilitating further travel for these migrants to their respective home countries. Additionally, the U.S. has organized direct flights to India to repatriate several groups of illegal immigrants from the subcontinent.

This increase in deportations corresponds with a decrease in new illegal immigrants encountered at the U.S. border, a trend influenced by agreements the Trump administration has reached with several Latin American nations to curb northward migration. Additionally, some foreign leaders have been urging their citizens to return home voluntarily.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for Colombian illegals to leave the U.S. and bolster the South American nation’s domestic workforce. Likewise, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness encouraged Jamaicans facing difficulties abroad to return, highlighting efforts to create a homeland they can be proud of.

Meanwhile, GOP leaders are planning to propose a bill to Congress seeking over $100 billion for border security, which would potentially enable the hiring of additional officers to expedite deportations. The current deportation operations remain limited by available resources and meddling from far-left activists who have tipped off areas with pending U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

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President Donald J. Trump has overseen the deportation of 14,470 illegal immigrants to Mexico, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. As of January 20, over 11,000 of these individuals were Mexican nationals, while 3,091 came from other countries, primarily Central American nations such as Honduras or Guatemala. show more