GET THE APP
Monday, November 10, 2025

Category: News
April 7, 2025
Economy
News

Trump Vows to Maintain Tariffs Until Trade Deficit Eliminated.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump stated that tariffs on other nations will remain until trade deficits with China, the European Union, and others are eliminated.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, his economic advisers.

📍 Where & When: Remarks were made on Air Force One on Sunday; Trump was headed to his club in Jupiter, Florida.

💬 Key Quote: “Hundreds of billions of dollars a year we lose with China,” Trump said. “And unless we solve that problem, I’m not going to make a deal.”

⚠️ Impact: Global businesses, investors, and markets have been affected; American manufacturing will likely build strength over time with less competition from low-wage economies.

IN FULL:

On Sunday, President Donald J. Trump announced he would maintain tariffs on other nations until the United States’ trade imbalances with the likes of China and the European Union (EU) are addressed. Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump emphasized the financial losses stemming from trade with China, stating, “Hundreds of billions of dollars a year we lose with China. And unless we solve that problem, I’m not going to make a deal.”

The America First leader’s remarks followed efforts by his senior advisers to bolster his broad-reaching tariff policy. As Trump traveled from his Mar-a-Lago property for a golfing day at his Jupiter, Florida club, key economic advisers dismissed the short-term market shock, asserting that the President’s approach to tariffs would yield benefits for American industry and workers.

Trump’s aides noted Sunday that more than 50 countries have already expressed interest in finding ways to avert U.S. tariffs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the tariffs would indeed proceed, saying, “The tariffs are coming. Of course they are.”

Some countries have already retaliated against Trump’s tariffs, including China, which announced a 34 percent tariff on all U.S. imports last week. President Trump reacted to the retaliatory tariffs, saying, “China played it wrong, they panicked—the one thing they cannot afford to do!” He later announced China will be subjected to an increased 50 percent tariff if it does not back down.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 7, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Economy
News

Trump Admin Defends Pro-Worker, Anti-Cheating Tariff Policy.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Officials from the Trump Administration discussed the President’s reciprocal trade plan to counter global economic policies perceived as harmful to American workers.

👥 Who’s Involved: Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, National Economic Director Kevin Hassett, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Senior Counselor Peter Navarro.

📍 Where & When: Various news shows aired discussions on Sunday, including Meet the Press, Face the Nation, This Week, State of the Union, Fox News Sunday, and Sunday Morning Futures.

💬 Key Quote: Scott Bessent remarked on tariffs, “A 20 percent tariff on China led to a 0.7 percent price level increase over four years. I think that’s pretty good.”

⚠️ Impact: The administration aims to reduce reliance on foreign goods and protect American industries, citing national security and economic stability concerns.

IN FULL:

Several Trump Administration officials appeared on major news programs Sunday to outline its tariff strategy, intended to change the economic landscape to favor American workers and industries and mitigate distorted trade imbalances.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent recalled the tariffs imposed during President Donald J. Trump’s first term, noting that a 20 percent tariff on Chinese goods resulted in only marginal price increases and net real wage growth for American households. He added that the COVID-10 pandemic exposed the fact that “[America’s] supply chains are not resilient,” explaining that “President Trump has decided that we cannot be at risk like that for our crucial medicines, for our semiconductors, for shipping.”

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick also emphasized the national security risks involved in outsourcing critical manufacturing: “We don’t make medicine in this country anymore. We don’t make ships. We don’t have enough steel and aluminum to fight a battle,” he warned.

Kevin Hassett, National Economic Director, explained that cheap foreign imports come at a cost, recalling how, in the years since China was admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), “real incomes declined about $1,200 cumulatively… We got the cheap goods at the grocery store, but then we had fewer jobs.”

Peter Navarro, Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, emphasized that many of America’s so-called trade partners have adopted practices beyond tariffs “that are designed, explicitly, to cheat us”—such as currency manipulation, to strengthen their export potential, and regulatory barriers against American produce —and that President Trump has determined to draw a line against this.

“We’re headed towards a strong America that makes things again,” he added.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 6, 2025
News

Minivan Plows into Los Angeles Crowd, Multiple Injuries Including Children.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A minivan drove into a group of bystanders in Los Angeles.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nine individuals were assessed for injuries, including two children and a teenager. The incident involved four adults who were hospitalized, two adults who refused treatment, and three minors, aged 8, 11, and 17, who were also treated.

📍 Where & When: The crash occurred in the downtown area of Los Angeles, shortly after 3 p.m. local time on Sunday.

💬 Key Quote: “A total of 9 patients were assessed for injury on scene,” said the Los Angeles Fire Department.

⚠️ Impact: Although there were injuries, no fatalities or critical patients were reported. An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing, with preliminary findings indicating no intentional harm or substance impairment.

IN FULL:

A minivan collided with a group of pedestrians in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, leading to the assessment of nine individuals for injuries, as reported by the city’s fire department. The crash, occurring shortly after 3 p.m. local time, resulted in four adults being taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while two others declined medical attention. Additionally, three minors, ages 8, 11, and 17, were transported for care.

According to authorities, there were no reports of fatalities or critically injured individuals at the time of transport. Rescue units found the minivan lodged against a collapsed patio structure upon arrival. Los Angeles traffic officers have started an investigation to determine why the vehicle veered into the area.

Preliminary reports from the Los Angeles Police Department indicated no evidence of deliberate action or criminal behavior surrounding the crash. Further statements revealed the driver attempted to avoid a stationary vehicle, leading to the collision with a nearby barrier. The absence of alcohol or drugs was confirmed in the initial investigation stages.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 6, 2025
News

‘Forensic Review’ Reveals How The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg Ended Up in Mike Waltz’s Houthi Signal Chat.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, mistakenly added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat discussing U.S. military operations in Yemen due to an iPhone mechanism that prompts contact updates automatically, per new, exclusive reporting from Hugo Lowell at The Guardian.

👥 Who’s Involved: Mike Waltz, Jeffrey Goldberg, Donald Trump, White House staff, Trump campaign members, and National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes.

📍 Where & When: The incident was discovered in March 2024, stemming from a mistake during the 2024 campaign communicated via Signal, a messaging app.

💬 Key Quote: Jeffrey Goldberg stated, “I’m not going to comment on my relationship with Mike Waltz beyond saying I do know him and have spoken to him.”

⚠️ Impact: The episode led to a forensic review by the White House IT office to uncover how Goldberg’s number was added mistakenly. It also prompted discussions about secure communication methods in the administration.

IN FULL:

The now infamous mix-up involving White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, resulted from an automated contact update prompt in Waltz’s iPhone, according to The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell. The illustration, provided below, is indicative of the type of function that Waltz apparently used when receiving a message from his colleague Brian Hughes.

According to several people briefed on an internal review, the error emerged from a series of missteps dating back to the 2024 campaign. Efforts to counter a critical story led a Trump campaign staffer to forward Goldberg’s contact details to Waltz, which prompted Waltz to inadvertently save “Goldberg’s number in his iPhone—under the contact card for Hughes, now the spokesperson for the National Security Council.”

President Trump deliberated on firing Waltz, expressing discontent not only over the accidental inclusion of Goldberg, a frequent critic but also due to the discussion of sensitive topics on an unclassified platform like Signal. Nonetheless, Trump retained Waltz, avoiding the media fallout that might ensue from a high-profile dismissal.

The White House ordered an internal investigation, which attributed the contact mishap to an algorithmic error in Waltz’s iPhone.

Waltz maintained that he never interacted with Goldberg and suggested the integration of Goldberg’s number was due to a technical anomaly with the phone’s contact settings. Goldberg declined to elaborate on any existing ties with Waltz, simply acknowledging past communication.

“I’m not going to comment on my relationship with Mike Waltz beyond saying I do know him and have spoken to him,” Goldberg said.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 6, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Corruption
Crime
UK

Anti-Trump Politician Arrested for Rape, Child Abduction, Misconduct in Public Office.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Dan Norris, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Labour Party, West of England Mayor, and Donald J. Trump critic, has been arrested for misconduct in public office and a range of child sex offenses.

👥 Who’s Involved: Dan Norris, Labour Party, Avon and Somerset Police.

📍 Where & When: The arrest took place in Somerset, England, on April 4, 2024.

💬 Key Quote: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest,” said a party spokesman.

⚠️ Impact: Norris has been released on conditional bail, suspended from his political roles, and has stepped down as chairman of the League Against Cruel Sports.

IN FULL:

Labour MP and West of England Mayor Dan Norris has been suspended from the Labour Party following his arrest “on suspicion of sexual offenses against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction, and misconduct in a public office,” per Avon and Somerset Police. The police force says most of the alleged offenses took place in the 2000s, but the rape allegations date from the 2020s.

Norris, a 65-year-old former teacher and Child Protection Officer, served as a government minister and party whip under ex-prime ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. He has been released on conditional bail after being taken into custody on Friday. The investigation into him is being conducted by officers from Operation Bluestone, who handle serious sexual assault cases.

A Labour spokesman stated that Norris was suspended immediately after his arrest was reported and declined to comment further. Additionally, Norris has stepped down from his position as chairman of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Norris was re-elected last year to represent the North East Somerset and Hanham constituency (electoral district) in the House of Commons, having previously served from 1997 to 2010 as the MP for Wansdyke. He became West of England Mayor in 2021 but was scheduled to step down ahead of the upcoming local elections in May.

Norris is a strong critic of President Donald J. Trump, comparing him to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in unfavorable terms.

“He broke the law. He diminished Britain’s influence and credibility. He lied. Even as he exits, he continues to show no contrition,” the alleged pedophile said of Johnson in 2023, adding: “The similarities with Trump are stark.”

Image via Keir Starmer.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 5, 2025
Health
News
Religion

Trump Admin Raises Concerns After Pro-Life Activist Fined Tens of Thousands for Violating Clinic ‘Buffer Zone.’

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A pro-life activist was found guilty of violating a “buffer zone” outside an abortion clinic in Britain and received a two-year conditional discharge, along with the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars in fines.

👥 Who’s Involved: Livia Tossici-Bolt, a retired medical scientist, Poole Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Orla Austin, the U.S. Department of State, and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS).

📍 Where & When: Poole Magistrates’ Court in Bournemouth, England. The decision was announced on April 4 after incidents in March 2023.

💬 Key Quote: Livia Tossici-Bolt stated, “This is a dark day for Great Britain. I was not protesting and did not harass or obstruct anyone.”

⚠️ Impact: The case has raised concerns regarding freedom of expression, as highlighted by U.S. officials.

IN FULL:

A British judge has convicted a pro-life campaigner, Livia Tossici-Bolt, for breaching a “buffer zone” around an abortion clinic. The 64-year-old woman was handed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay the equivalent of $25,700 toward court costs, alongside a $33,400 victim surcharge, for her actions outside the abortionist facility in March 2023. The so-called buffer zone, established by the municipal government, spans 10 streets.

District Judge Orla Austin emphasized the need to “balance” freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights with the rights of women visiting abortionists. The court found Tossici-Bolt guilty of displaying a sign simply saying, “Here to talk, if you want.”

Tossici-Bolt expressed dismay over the ruling, saying, “This is a dark day for Great Britain. I was not protesting and did not harass or obstruct anyone.”

Her case caught the attention of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, & Labour (DRL). “We are monitoring her case. It is important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression,” the bureau said.

The United Kingdom has some of the strictest laws in the Western world regarding abortion clinics. People have even been arrested and convicted for as little as silently praying in their heads near abortionists.

Last year, a poll of members of the British parliament revealed a majority wanted to decriminalize abortion all the way up to birth.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 4, 2025
NatSec
News

Trump Dismisses NSA Director After Vetting by Laura Loomer.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: General Timothy Haugh, head of the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, was dismissed from his position.

👥 Who’s Involved: General Timothy Haugh, Laura Loomer (activist), President Donald Trump, Wendy Noble (fired NSA deputy director), Lieutenant General William J. Hartman (new acting director), and Sheila Thomas (new acting deputy director).

📍 Where & When: The firings were reported on Thursday, as noted by The Washington Post.

💬 Key Quote: “NSA Director Tim Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble have been disloyal to President Trump,” said Laura Loomer in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

⚠️ Impact: The incident has prompted bipartisan criticism, with members of the Intelligence Committee voicing their concern about the firing’s implications for agency leadership and decision-making processes.

IN FULL:

General Timothy Haugh, who led both the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, has been dismissed from his post, as reported on Thursday. This decision follows closely after right-wing activist Laura Loomer advocated for his removal during a conversation with President Donald Trump.

Wendy Noble, who held the position of Deputy Director and was a senior official at the NSA, was also removed from her role. The New York Times has indicated that Noble might have been reassigned within the Pentagon.

In a statement on X, Loomer criticized Haugh for his lack of loyalty to Trump, noting that he was “hand-picked” by General Mark Milley, a longtime opponent of the America First leader. Loomer voiced concerns about Haugh’s selection, questioning why someone recommended by Milley would be retained under Trump’s leadership. General Haugh was appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2023.

The dismissal has elicited complaints from Democrats serving on the Intelligence Committee. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) expressed disbelief over Trump’s removal of a supposedly nonpartisan NSA leader. Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) similarly voiced his concern over the sudden leadership change. However, Loomer argues that Democrats and anchors on networks such as CNN and MSNBC rushing to defend Haugh prove President Trump was right to dismiss him.

For the time being, Lieutenant General William J. Hartman will act as the director of the NSA, while Sheila Thomas has assumed the role of acting deputy.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 4, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
Lawfare

Federal Judge Bizarrely Orders Trump to Return a Deported MS-13 Gang Member to U.S.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A federal judge is ordering the Trump administration to return an illegal immigrant gang member who was deported to El Salvador to the United States.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, President Donald J. Trump, El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, and federal immigration officials.

📍 Where & When: U.S. federal court on Friday, April 4.

💬 Key Quote: “You have an agreement with this facility where you’re paying the money to perform a certain service. It stands to reason that you can go to the payee and say, ‘We want the person back.’” — Judge Paula Xinis

⚠️ Impact: The ruling represents a significant usurpation of executive branch authority in the United States and potentially infringes upon El Salvador’s sovereignty over its own citizens.

IN FULL:

U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis is ordering the Trump administration to arrange for an illegal immigrant MS-13 gang member who was deported to El Salvador to be returned to the United States by midnight on Monday. The bizarre and unprecedented ruling represents a significant usurpation of executive branch power by a federal court and appears to imply United States law takes precedence over El Salvador’s own sovereignty.

“You have an agreement with this facility where you’re paying the money to perform a certain service,” Judge Xinis said when issuing her ruling on Friday, adding: “It stands to reason that you can go to the payee and say, ‘We want the person back.’”

The case involves the recent deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran national and illegal immigrant who was ordered to be detained by a U.S. immigration judge due to his affiliation with the violent MS-13 gang, which made him a danger to the community. While the judge ordered Abrego Garcia to be removed from the United States in 2019, the gang member and illegal immigrant was able to secure a grant of withholding preventing his deportation to El Salvador after convincing the court that a rival gang in the country had threatened his life should he return.

However, as part of President Trump’s deportation agreement with the El Salvadoran government, Abrego Garcia—still under the protective order—was included among other dangerous illegal immigrants and flown to El Salvador to be held in the country’s CECOT facility. Consequently, Abrego Garcia filed a lawsuit arguing his removal was unlawful, asking that the U.S. courts intervene and order his return to the United States.

Federal officials have been forward in admitting that Abrego Garcia’s removal and deportation to his home country was in error and that the court-issued protective order had been accidentally violated. However, since he is an El Salvadoran national and currently in the custody of the El Salvadoran government, the Trump administration contends that U.S. courts lack jurisdiction, noting that issues of diplomacy are a constitutionally reserved power of the executive branch.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, in response to the U.S. court’s order, posted on X (formerly Twitter) a gif of an animated rabbit making an exaggerated face expressing confusion.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 4, 2025
Immigration
News

Chinese Detainee Commits Suicide at Arizona Border Station.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A Chinese national detained by U.S. border officers died by suicide while in custody at a border patrol station.

👥 Who’s Involved: The 52-year-old Chinese woman, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).

📍 Where & When: The woman was initially detained in California and transferred to a Yuma, Arizona patrol station following her arrest on March 26.

💬 Key Quote: “There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred” – Rep. Jayapal.

⚠️ Impact: Questions raised about the welfare check procedures, and concerns over detainee conditions.

IN FULL:

A Chinese national detained by U.S. border officers has died by suicide while in custody, according to Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). The woman, 52, who was being held at a border patrol station in Yuma, Arizona, had been apprehended in California after it was determined she had overstayed her visitor visa.

Concerns have arisen regarding the welfare checks conducted during her detention. Representative Jayapal, an Indian immigrant who oversees immigration issues within a House subcommittee, noted discrepancies in the reported welfare checks on the detainee. “There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred—or why some of the documented welfare checks were incorrectly reported,” she claimed.

The deceased initially entered the U.S. on a B-1/B-2 visa, utilized for short-term business or tourism purposes. A CBP spokesman stated that the woman became unresponsive in her cell at the Yuma facility. Despite receiving medical attention and being transported to a nearby hospital, she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

The case has prompted an investigation by the office charged with monitoring agency conduct, and the death has been reported to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General.

The specific details surrounding the woman’s initial detainment remain partially unclear. However, social media updates from the Yuma sector of the Border Patrol detailed that two Chinese nationals were apprehended on March 26 in Needles, California. This led to the discovery of more than $220,000 in cash, suspected of being connected to illegal activities. However, it has not been confirmed whether the money is linked directly to the deceased woman.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more
April 4, 2025
Education
News

Trump Admin Halts $500M to Brown University Amid Antisemitism Concerns.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The federal government has stopped over $500 million in funding to Brown University, citing the school’s handling of antisemitism incidents following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

👥 Who’s Involved: Brown University, the Trump administration, and a White House official.

📍 Where & When: The funding cut affects Brown University in the United States.

💬 Key Quote: Brown Provost Frank Doyle claims in an email that while there are rumors about program cuts, there isn’t enough “information to substantiate” these claims.

⚠️ Impact: The funding cut could significantly impact programs at Brown University and highlights a broader trend affecting several Ivy League institutions.

IN FULL:

The Trump administration has decided to halt over $500 million in federal funding to Brown University, citing dissatisfaction with the university’s response to instances of antisemitism on campus. This decision may put millions allocated for Brown programs at risk, with funds previously awarded through grants and contracts now in jeopardy.

As Brown University grapples with these developments, Provost Frank Doyle addressed the campus community on April 3. He acknowledged that rumors are circulating about potential implications for the university’s research funding. However, he emphasized that there is currently insufficient “information to substantiate” these claims, urging patience as the situation unfolds.

This funding freeze at Brown coincides with a broader trend among Ivy League institutions, which have faced similar measures in response to their handling of antisemitism-related incidents following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Columbia University, another Ivy League institution, recently experienced a significant funding cut, with over $400 million revoked due to concerns it was not adequately ensuring the safety of Jewish students. This broader pattern indicates a heightened level of federal scrutiny regarding how such universities address antisemitism on their campuses.

show less

PULSE POINTS:

show more