GET THE APP
Friday, February 13, 2026

Category: News
January 20, 2026
William Upton
Crime
Politics

Anti-ICE Groups Could Be Stripped of Non-Profit Status. Here’s How.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A nonprofit watchdog group, the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), and Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee are urging the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to begin investigating the tax-exempt status of leftist nonprofits, especially those behind violent anti-ICE protests in Minnesota.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), the House Ways and Means Committee, the U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS, and various leftist nonprofit organizations.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The letters were sent to the U.S. Treasury Department and IRS on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on CCR’s fiscal sponsorship of an organization called, ‘Defend 612,’ we believe they may be in violation of one or more requirements for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), including, but not limited to, advocating for interference with federal immigration enforcement operations and advocating for ‘community defense’ against federal immigration authorities, insinuating the use of violence as a tactic.” — Center to Advance Security in America (CASA)

🎯IMPACT: Both the CASA and the House Ways and Means letters urge a broader federal approach that could result in a new framework for granting tax-exempt status and for how nonprofits operate in the United States.

IN FULL

A nonprofit watchdog group, the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), is pushing U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to launch an investigation into the tax-exempt status of a Minnesota group they allege has been integral to funding violent anti-ICE demonstrations in the state. At the same time, Bessent is also being urged by the House Ways and Means Committee’s Republican members to launch a similar investigation into leftist nonprofits and efforts to interfere with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

“We are writing to formally request that the Internal Revenue Service begin an investigation to review the tax-exempt status of the above-referenced organization, Cooperation Cannon River [CCR],” the CASA letter reads, continuing, “Based on CCR’s fiscal sponsorship of an organization called, ‘Defend 612,’ we believe they may be in violation of one or more requirements for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), including, but not limited to, advocating for interference with federal immigration enforcement operations and advocating for ‘community defense’ against federal immigration authorities, insinuating the use of violence as a tactic.”

“We believe that after a proper investigation, the facts will show that CCR’s support for ‘Defend 612’ and funding of its potentially illegal activity will be sufficient evidence to revoke its tax-exempt status,” the watchdog group’s letter contends.

Likewise, the House Ways and Means letter is asking Bessent and the IRS to investigate a broader swath of nonprofits, which they say exploit tax-exempt status to promote “anti-American and/or pro-terrorist ideals” and engage in fraudulent activities that misuse taxpayer funds. “As the Ways and Means Committee continues to investigate every corner of the tax-exempt sector to root out this waste, fraud, abuse, and illegal activity, it is now abundantly clear the system is in desperate need of an overhaul,” Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) wrote.

The National Pulse reported earlier this month that Secretary Bessent announced the IRS would soon form a task force charged with investigating instances of COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud and violations of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by nonprofits tied to the numerous Somali community-linked social services fraud schemes. However, both the CASA and the House Ways and Means letters urge a broader federal approach that could result in a new framework for granting tax-exempt status and for how nonprofits operate in the United States.

Already, the Ways and Means Committee has referred 11 nonprofits to the Treasury Department for investigation, citing allegations of antisemitism, terrorism ties, and illegal activities. Among those under scrutiny are The People’s Forum, accused of ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and other groups allegedly involved in anti-Israel protests and activities deemed unlawful.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Bonkers Britain
News

Imam Who ‘Married’ Kids Spared Jail After Pleading Ignorance.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Muslim cleric in England admitted to forcing two minors into marriage, violating a law banning child marriages that had come into effect months earlier.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ashraf Osmani, 52, two minors, judge Akhlaq Choudhury, and prosecutor Jennifer Newcomb.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Marriage took place in November 2023 at Northampton’s Central Mosque, sentence handed down recently.

💬KEY QUOTE: “You were entirely in charge of the marriage process at the mosque, and ignorance of the law is no defence,” said Mr Justice Akhlaq Choudhury, but handed him a derisory sentence.

🎯IMPACT: Osmani received a 15-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, meaning he will spend no time in custody unless he commits further crimes in that 12-month period.

IN FULL

A Muslim cleric in Britain has admitted to carrying out illegal religious marriages involving two children. Ashraf Osmani, 52, conducted an Islamic Nikah ceremony at Northampton’s Central Mosque in November 2023, despite the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act having taken effect nine months earlier. The legislation makes it a criminal offence to arrange or facilitate a marriage involving anyone under 18, even with parental consent.

Osmani pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a child to enter into a marriage. In mitigation, he claimed he was unaware of the change in the law. That explanation was rejected by the trial judge, Mr Justice Akhlaq Choudhury, who told him: “You were entirely in charge of the marriage process at the mosque and ignorance of the law is no defence.” The judge described Osmani’s conduct as negligent and said he should have been fully aware of his legal responsibilities.

Prosecutor Jennifer Newcomb told the court that the marriage came to light after the girl’s foster parents discovered a marriage certificate in her bedroom. Osmani later admitted in a voluntary police interview that he knew the girl was in foster care and that her foster parents did not approve of the relationship. Newcomb said Osmani believed he was preventing the teenagers from committing sin by carrying out the ceremony, but stressed that child marriage is illegal and undermines protections designed to safeguard minors.

Defense lawyer James Gray argued that the children had not been harmed and described Osmani as someone committed to encouraging moral behaviour in others. The judge imposed a 15-week prison sentence, saying the punishment was intended to deter others from ignoring the law. However, he suspended it, meaning the imam will not actually serve any time in custody.

The case has drawn attention to broader debates in Britain around marriage practices linked to culture and religion. While under-18 marriage is now illegal, first cousin marriage remains lawful and is common in some communities, particularly among Pakistani Muslims.

The issue has become controversial amid concerns about genetic risks to children, despite the socialized National Health Service (NHS) downplaying those risks. The debate has reached the political level, with some Members of Parliament (MPs) calling for a ban, and, more recently, there has been international criticism of the British government for resisting such proposals by the Trump administration.

Image by Continentaleurope.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Christopher Tomlinson
NatSec
War

Canada Simulates ‘Hit & Run’ War With U.S. – Still Loses BADLY.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Canadian military has reportedly determined it would last as little as two days if the United States launched an invasion of the country.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Canadian military officials, President Donald J. Trump, and the Canadian armed forces.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged plan was published in Canadian media on January 20.

💬KEY QUOTE: “After his 2024 election and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to the United States’ northern neighbor as the 51st state and said a merger would benefit Canada.” – Canadian military report.

🎯IMPACT: The report shows Canada has little defense against a U.S. invasion, but hopes to engage in guerrilla-style warfare if it is conquered.

IN FULL

Canada’s military has developed a theoretical response model in the unlikely event of a U.S. invasion. Realizing that the country would last a mere two days against American military might, it hopes to adapt to Taliban-like tactics. Two unnamed senior government officials told Canadian media that the framework focuses on tactics similar to those of insurgencies. The officials conceded that U.S. forces could swiftly overcome Canadian positions on land and at sea, and that any resistance would likely shift to ambushes and “hit-and-run tactics.”

“After his 2024 election and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to the United States’ northern neighbor as the 51st state and said a merger would benefit Canada,” the reports said.

Canadian officials emphasized that the insurgency model is “a conceptual and theoretical framework, not a military plan, which is an actionable and step-by-step directive for executing operations.” They also said that clear signs, such as a halt to bilateral cooperation in NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, would likely precede any U.S. military preparations. Canada would likely seek support from allies like Britain and France in such a scenario, though both are geographically distant.

The military planning comes amid broader tensions between Ottawa and Washington. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently pledged support for Greenland, stating that he would put “boots on the ice.” His remarks came in the wake of a new strategic partnership between Canada and China on energy and trade in which Carney agreed to allow the Chinese Communist Party to flood the Canadian market with cheap electric vehicles.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Immigration
Politics

Trump DOJ Subpoenas Former VP Candidate.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued subpoenas to several Democrat politicians as part of a federal investigation into alleged attempts to obstruct federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Minnesota government offices, including the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Minneapolis Mayor’s Office.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Subpoenas were served on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Minnesota.

🎯IMPACT: The investigation could reveal potential misconduct or interference with federal law enforcement operations.

IN FULL

The Department of Justice (DOJ) served grand jury subpoenas to five Minnesota government offices, including the offices of Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) and Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-MN), as well as Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s (D) office. This is part of a federal investigation into an alleged conspiracy to obstruct or coerce federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.

Delivered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the federal subpoenas seek records and communications from these offices, especially those pertaining to the ongoing violent anti-ICE protests in the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul area. While the subpoenas were delivered on Tuesday, the scope of the federal investigation remains unclear.

Both Frey and Walz have been accused of fanning hostilities in the state, especially after anti-ICE activist Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot while attempting to run over a federal agent. At the time, Mayor Frey called the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) assertion that Good was shot in self-defense “bulls**t” and “garbage.” He went on to demand that “ICE get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”

Similarly, Walz, in the immediate aftermath of Good’s death, declared, “I feel your anger, I’m angry.” However, in recent days, the Minnesota Governor and former vice presidential nominee has attempted to distance himself from the political violence perpetrated by leftists in his state. The National Pulse reported on Monday that, following left-wing protestors storming a St. Paul church, Walz is now claiming that he has “repeatedly” urged residents to protest “peacefully.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Crime
News

Overdose Deaths Down by a Fifth Amid Trump’s Cartel Crackdown.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. fell by more than 20 percent last year, according to provisional data.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), President Donald J. Trump, former President Joe Biden, and law enforcement officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Data covering deaths through August 2025; significant drops occurred in states like Louisiana, Florida, and Vermont.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Securing the borders has a lot to do with the drop.” – Joseph Giacalone, retired police sergeant and criminal justice professor.

🎯IMPACT: Stronger border enforcement, military strikes on drug boats, and other measures have coincided with a significant decline in overdose deaths.

IN FULL

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that drug overdose deaths in the United States fell by more than 20 percent last year, according to provisional data covering fatalities through August 2025. The decline marks a sharp reversal after years of rising or stagnant overdose numbers nationwide. The data shows overdose deaths were increasing before President Donald J. Trump’s first term, leveled off during that administration, and then surged during former President Joe Biden’s tenure before beginning to fall late in his term, as President Trump was preparing to reclaim the White House.

Joseph Giacalone, a retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) sergeant and adjunct professor at Penn State Lehigh Valley, said the timing of the decline raises questions about policy expectations. “The fall begins at the end of the Biden administration, but the question is, was it in anticipation of a tough-on-crime president coming in?” he said.

Giacalone argued that border security has played a decisive role in reducing the flow of lethal drugs into the country. “Securing the borders has a lot to do with the drop. Less chance for drug dealers and their mules to bring drugs into the country,” he said. “Nothing made a bigger impact than shutting down the floodgates at the border.” He added that aggressive enforcement actions can discourage traffickers, saying, “Deterrence matters in criminal justice policy.”

Federal enforcement agencies have continued to report major drug interdictions. In one recent case, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized a massive shipment of methamphetamine hidden in a commercial load at the southern border. Other federal operations have dismantled open-air drug markets and led to criminal charges against dealers linked to fatal overdoses. The U.S. military has also begun conducting deadly strikes against drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the East Pacific.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
News

Canada Threatens ‘Boots on the Ice’ In Greenland Days After Inking Shock China Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to put “boots on the ice” in Greenland in defense of Danish sovereignty in the territory in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, where he also urged the world’s “middle powers” to combine against the U.S.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mark Carney, WEF summit attendees.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 20, 2026, at the WEF summit in Davos, Switzerland.

💬KEY QUOTE: “On Arctic sovereignty, we stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future.” – Mark Carney

🎯IMPACT: Carney’s remarks, coming just days after Canada signed a strategic partnership with Communist China, signal its growing hostility towards the United States under Carney’s Liberal Party, formerly led by Justin Trudeau.

IN FULL

At the globalist World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the formation of new strategic partnerships with China and Qatar in a speech targeting the United States as a “great power” using “tariffs as leverage” to pursue its own interests at the expense of the “rules-based international order.” Specifically, he declared his full support for Denmark in resisting President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to purchase Greenland, going so far as to pledge “boots on the ice.”

“On Arctic sovereignty, we stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland’s future,” he said. “Our commitment to NATO’s Article 5 is unwavering, so we’re working with our NATO allies, including the Nordic-Baltic Eight, to further secure the alliance’s northern and western flanks, including through Canada’s unprecedented investments in over-the-horizon radar, in submarines, in aircraft, and boots on the ground—boots on the ice,” he continued, adding that “Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland” and wants “focused talks” on securing the Arctic.

Carney also urged fellow “middle powers” to combine, by implication, against the United States, so they do not have to be too accommodating to greater powers in bilateral negotiations. “In a world of great power rivalry, the countries in-between have a choice: compete with each other for favour, or combine to create a third path with impact. We shouldn’t allow the rise of hard power to blind us to the fact that the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules will remain strong if we choose to wield it together,” he argued.

He argued that “great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone,” but middle powers need to unite to avoid negotiating from a position of weakness. This statement comes amidst the backdrop of the U.S. expressing interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark.

Carney’s comments follow a recent deal with China, focusing on sectors such as energy and trade, which may further complicate relations with the U.S. and highlight Canada’s evolving strategic priorities.

However, this comes just days after Carney agreed a lopsided partnership with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), allowing China to flood the Canadian auto market with tens of thousands of electric vehicles in exchange for a deal on agri-products, energy, and tariffs.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Corruption
News

Trump HUD Sec Declares Minnesota ‘Ground Zero for ‘Fraud’ Which ‘Undermines American Values.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched an investigation into housing policies in Minneapolis, Minnesota, citing concerns over potential violations of federal civil rights law.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Assistant Secretary Craig Trainor, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was announced this week and focuses on alleged unlawful prioritization of ethnic minorities and foreigners over white people in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda.” – Scott Turner

🎯IMPACT: The investigation could lead to corrective action or enforcement measures if violations of federal law are found.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified the City of Minneapolis that its Office for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) has opened an investigation into the city’s housing policies, citing potential conflicts with federal civil rights laws. According to HUD, the review will examine whether elements of Minneapolis’ long-term housing strategies and equity initiatives violate the Fair Housing Act or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner criticized Minnesota’s political leadership in announcing the investigation, stating, “Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda. This undermines our American values, united by a common heritage, language, and commitment to equal treatment under law.” Turner said HUD will not permit housing programs that rely on racial or ethnic preferences and added, “As HUD Secretary, I will continue to deliver on President Trump’s promise to provide affordable housing for American families.”

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor said the agency is examining whether Minneapolis housing assistance improperly prioritizes race or national origin over financial need. He alleged that policies advanced under state Governor Tim Walz (D) and city Mayor Jacob Frey (D) raise serious legal concerns.

Trainor remarked, “Under the feckless leadership of Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota has become a Third World failed state, where criminals engage in massive, unchecked fraud and decent Minnesotans are held captive to the riotous impulses of left-wing cultural arsonists.”

HUD’s notice references several city planning documents, including the “Minneapolis 2040” comprehensive plan. That plan includes commitments to prioritize housing investments in designated “cultural districts” and to advance so-called racial equity goals by focusing resources on black, indigenous, people of color, and immigrant communities. Federal officials said the investigation will determine whether these provisions amount to unlawful racial or ethnic preferences.

The investigation marks the start of a formal review and does not represent a final determination. HUD said enforcement actions or corrective measures could follow if violations are found.

The inquiry comes amid broader federal scrutiny of Minnesota. Recent federal reviews have identified extensive fraud concerns, including improper distribution of housing and welfare funds, payments made to deceased recipients, and large-scale financial crimes investigations. The Trump administration has also halted federal loans to thousands of Minnesota borrowers over suspected fraud and expanded financial crimes enforcement targeting the state.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
News
UK

UK PM Snubs White House, Green Lights Chinese Spy Base.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British government has approved China’s plans for a massive new embassy in central London, despite concerns about potential spying and security risks, including from the White House.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The decision was confirmed by Housing Secretary Steve Reed, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, with input from intelligence agencies including MI5 and GCHQ.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The embassy will be located at Royal Mint Court near the City of London, close to sensitive fiber-optic cable infrastructure.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk.” – Britain’s domestic spy chiefs Sir Ken McCallum, of MI5, and Anne Keast-Butler, of GCHQ.

🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the decision risks facilitating China’s surveillance efforts and compromising Britain’s national security, and by extension that of America and other Five Eyes partners.

IN FULL

The British government has approved China’s plans to build a new mega-embassy at Royal Mint Court in London, close to the City of London and near sensitive fibre-optic infrastructure, which could serve as an espionage facility, despite objections from the White House. Housing Secretary Steve Reed, of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s left-wing Labour Party, signed off on the development, claiming that bringing China’s diplomatic operations together in one location would provide “clear security advantages.”

The proposal had been delayed several times as the government sought to balance closer engagement with Beijing against warnings about potential national security risks. Government ministers said the decision was taken with the full involvement of the intelligence services. In a joint letter, the director general of the British domestic spy agency MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, and the director of GCHQ, Anne Keast-Butler, appeared to tacitly acknowledge the danger but claimed that eliminating every possible risk was “not realistic.”

The Trump administration has previously expressed concern that the embassy, and in particular its hundreds of previously undisclosed secret underground rooms, which will be sited close to the aforementioned cables, could be used to surveil communications—a direct threat to U.S. national security, as Britain is a partner in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. “In a world where leverage with China matters, the UK is giving up all its leverage in the hope of a trade deal,” a U.S. official warned in comments to the British press.

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has also criticised the embassy decision, arguing that Labour is allowing a “serious threat to national security” in “a desperate attempt by the Labour government to cosy up to the Chinese Communist Party.” Notably, Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasury Secretary) Rachel Reeves and other senior officials have visited China in recent months as part of efforts to improve Sino-British relations.

China purchased the Royal Mint Court site in 2018 for $324 million. Once completed, the 20,000-square-metre complex will be the largest Chinese embassy in Europe.

Image by Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Immigration
News

Trump Demands Jail Time for Walz, Omar in Scathing New Truth Social Post.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Pro-illegal immigrant agitators disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, over claims the pastor had ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); President Donald J. Trump has branded them “profressionals.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D), Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and protesters at Cities Church.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The protest occurred on Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These people are professionals! No person acts the way they act. They are highly trained to scream, rant, and rave, like lunatics, in a certain manner, just like they are doing.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Federal authorities are investigating potential violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act to prosecute the protesters.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday described protesters who disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, over the weekend as “agitators and insurrectionists,” adding: “They are highly trained to scream, rant, and rave, like lunatics, in a certain manner… They are troublemakers who should be thrown in jail, or thrown out of the Country.”

Writing on Truth Social, the America First leader went on to say that the “first to go” should be Minnesota Governor and failed Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, a “Fake Sleazebag,” and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), “who is supposedly worth over $30 Million Dollars, even though she’s never had anything but a Government job. Investigate these Corrupt Politicians, and do it now!”

The church invasion occurred on Sunday at Cities Church, where demonstrators, accompanied by ex-CNN host Don Lemon, interrupted the worship service, chanting slogans. Protesters accused a pastor there of also serving as the acting field office director for ICE in Minnesota.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has announced that the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is investigating possible violations of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), which also protects religious worship from interference.

The disruption follows heightened tensions in Minnesota related to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the state, which is riven with Somali fraudsters. Earlier this month, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a trained activist who was obstructing immigration operations in her car, after she drove towards and struck him while attempting to evade detention.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more
January 20, 2026
Jack Montgomery
Bonkers Britain
News

Finally, Trump Lashes Out at ‘Shocking, Stupid’ UK-Chagos Deal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the UK government’s decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it an act of “great stupidity.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, and the British government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The controversy centers on the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), with key comments made on Tuesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of great stupidity.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The decision has raised concerns over national security, U.S.-UK relations, and China’s growing influence.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has sharply criticized the United Kingdom’s much-derided decision to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, officially the British Indian Ocean Territory, to Mauritius, describing it as “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY.” The archipelago includes Diego Garcia, home to a strategically vital joint British-American military base used for air, naval, and intelligence operations in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific region.

In a post on Truth Social early Tuesday, Trump condemned the move by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his left-wing Labour Party, writing: “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”

He added: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.” Trump noted that there is “no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH,” linking the handover to his broader push for U.S. control over Greenland.

Under its agreement with Mauritius, the British government will cede sovereignty to Mauritius—despite worries about the latter’s growing ties to China—and then lease back the Diego Garcia base for 100 years at exorbitant cost to ensure continued operations. This is despite the fact that Mauritius is thousands of miles from Chagos and has never been sovereign over the archipelago.

While Trump’s comments mark a reversal of his earlier support for the deal, it is widely understood that his administration was highly skeptical of it, and conditional on Britain paying to retain Diego Garcia. Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, a longtime ally of Trump who had previously lobbied him to block the deal, welcomed the belated intervention, stating: “Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands.”

A British government spokesman defended the arrangement, claiming, “We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in the future… This deal secures the operations of the joint U.S.-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out.”

In fact, International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings that the islands should be ceded to Mauritius were not legally binding, and even with the expensive lease, Mauritius could render Diego Garcia largely useless by leasing another Chagos island nearby to China or another Western adversary. The decision is likely less to do with the national interest than Labour’s “anti-colonial” ideology, with the British attorney general responsible for negotiating the deal openly despising the “racist” British Empire.

Notably, the Labour government has not addressed the fact that it is transferring Chagos against the wishes of the Chagossians, despite claiming any sale of Greenland would be impossible without the Greenlanders’ consent.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
show more