Monday, December 15, 2025

You Won’t Believe How Few People Actually Bought Olivia Nuzzi’s Book.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Olivia Nuzzi’s new book, “American Canto,” experienced poor sales in its opening week, selling a humiliatingly low 1,165 copies, amid public scrutiny over her alleged affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Olivia Nuzzi, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Vanity Fair representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Nuzzi’s book was released recently, with sales tracked during its first week. Allegations and fallout have unfolded over the past year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I had f—ed up. I did something wrong. Those ethics rules exist for a reason. They’re very good rules, and I had violated that.” – Olivia Nuzzi

🎯IMPACT: Nuzzi has parted ways with Vanity Fair, and her book has faced criticism and low sales, while Kennedy’s team denies a physical relationship occurred.

IN FULL

“American Canto,” the latest book by political journalist Olivia Nuzzi, sold just 1,165 copies in its first week, according to Circana BookScan. The book, while not a memoir, has drawn attention due to its references to her alleged relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is referred to as “the politician” in the text. Nuzzi’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

Nuzzi became embroiled in controversy last year when it was revealed she had engaged in a digital relationship with Kennedy after profiling him in 2023 for New York Magazine. Following the allegations, she left the publication. Her former fiancé, Ryan Lizza, has also accused her of an affair with former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, which she has denied.

During her book tour, Nuzzi addressed her alleged involvement with Kennedy, stating, “I had f—ed up. I did something wrong. Those ethics rules exist for a reason. They’re very good rules, and I had violated that.” She added that she took her actions seriously and recognized the importance of accountability, saying, “It struck me that it’s not like you just wake up one day, and you make a mistake, right? That it had to have been many imperceptible errors that contributed to really just a malformed perspective that led to that type of mistake.”

Last week, Vanity Fair announced that Nuzzi, who joined the magazine as its West Coast editor in September, would be leaving at the end of the year.

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Trump Admin Disqualifies 9,500 Truck Drivers for Failing English Proficiency Tests.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Over 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been disqualified for failing English-language proficiency checks.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, President Donald J. Trump, and federal and state transportation agencies.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Enforcement began in May 2025 across the United States, following directives issued by the Trump administration.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” – Sean Duffy

🎯IMPACT: States face federal funding cuts, and stricter licensing enforcement aims to improve road safety.

IN FULL

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that more than 9,500 commercial truck drivers have been taken off the road this year after failing federally required English-language proficiency checks, reflecting a major enforcement push under the Trump administration. Duffy revealed the number in a December 10 post on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “We’ve now knocked 9,500 truck drivers out of service for failing to speak our national language—ENGLISH!” He added that the Trump administration “will always put you and your family’s safety first.”

The stepped-up checks follow a May 2025 directive reinstating strict English-language requirements for commercial drivers. Under the rule, operators must be able to read signage, communicate with law enforcement, and understand safety instructions during inspections. Federal officials say the renewed standards have already removed thousands of unqualified drivers during roadside assessments.

The policy gained momentum after several deadly crashes involving foreign drivers who reportedly failed English tests or obtained commercial driver’s licenses through improper processes. One widely publicized case involved a truck driver who made an illegal U-turn that resulted in three deaths, intensifying scrutiny on state licensing systems and federal oversight.

Duffy has also warned that states could lose federal highway safety funds if they do not properly enforce English-language and licensing requirements. California has been singled out following federal audits that identified extensive noncompliance in issuing commercial driver’s licenses. Officials have signaled that the state could lose tens of millions of dollars in funding if it does not correct the deficiencies.

The crackdown extends beyond language proficiency. Federal regulators have recently removed nearly 3,000 truck driver training schools from the national registry for failing to meet training, documentation, and compliance standards, while thousands more have been warned that they risk losing certification. Duffy characterized the action as necessary to combat “illegal and reckless practices” that allow inadequately trained drivers onto public roads.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has highlighted the connection between immigration enforcement and trucking safety. In coordinated operations earlier this year, federal authorities arrested 146 illegal immigrants accused of operating commercial trucks without proper documentation or licensing. Officials argued that illegal aliens and improperly trained drivers pose elevated risks, citing a series of crashes involving migrant drivers, including one that killed American newlyweds when an illegal immigrant truck driver failed to control his vehicle.

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Democrat Lawmaker Reveals She Doesn’t ‘Feel Good About Being White’ During DEI Debate.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: State Senator Lindsey Tichenor presented a bill to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in K-12 education in Kentucky, sparking a heated debate during a legislative committee meeting.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: State Senator Lindsey Tichenor, Representative Sarah Stalker, and members of the Kentucky House Interim Joint Committee on Education.

📍WHEN & WHERE: During a recent committee meeting in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

💬KEY QUOTE: “While presenting on my upcoming bill to end DEI in K12, I honestly did not expect to hear this. Her comment is a prime example of how the ideology of DEI warps a person’s brain.” – Lindsey Tichenor

🎯IMPACT: The debate highlighted the growing controversy over DEI initiatives, with critics citing misuse of funds and lack of measurable academic improvement.

IN FULL

A state Representative in Kentucky told fellow lawmakers that she does not “feel good” about being white because she believes it grants her a “point of privilege” over others. The bizarre comments were made by state Representative Sarah Stalker (D-KY) during a recent Kentucky House Interim Joint Committee on Education hearing regarding legislation introduced by state Senator Lindsey Tichenor (R-KY) that would end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) components found in K-12 education curricula in the state.

“I’m going to be honest, I don’t feel good about being white every day for a lot of reasons, because it’s a point of privilege that I get to move through the world in a way that so many of my other colleagues and friends and family members in the community don’t get the privilege to do,” Rep. Stalker said, turning the hearing contentious. “I think we’re missing an opportunity when kids have a moment to reflect about how the color of their skin does and does not allow them to move through the world,” she added.

Sen. Tichenor responded to Stalker’s remarks, calling them an example of how DEI ideology “warps a person’s brain.” She emphasized that no child should feel bad about their skin color and criticized DEI programming for its lack of focus on academic achievement. Tichenor also pointed out significant financial concerns, including credit card statements showing lavish spending on DEI-related travel, such as a $30,000 trip to Australia.

Additionally, Tichenor highlighted that under DEI initiatives, proficiency in math and reading has declined statewide. She criticized the Biden government for funneling over $1 billion into DEI programming, bloating administrative budgets to indoctrinate students.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently notified Jefferson County, Kentucky, that its racial equity funding model violated Title VI by unlawfully considering race and engaging in so-called racial balancing.

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DHS Claims Record 2.5 Million Illegal Immigrants Have Left U.S.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed a record-breaking achievement in immigration enforcement, with over 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving the United States since President Donald J. Trump took office.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, and federal immigration authorities.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Since January 20, during President Trump’s current term, across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They know if they don’t [leave], we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.” – DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: Americans are seeing relief in the housing market, with rents decreasing and housing availability improving due to the significant drop in illegal immigrants.

IN FULL

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Donald J. Trump claims that more than 2.5 million people without legal status have left the United States since Trump returned to office in January. DHS says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out over 605,000 formal removals, most involving individuals with pending criminal charges or convictions, while close to two million others have opted to return home, some through the agency’s CBP Home mobile app, which offers no-cost flights and a $1,000 stipend for voluntary departures.

“The Trump Administration is shattering historic records with more than 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving the U.S. DHS has deported more than 605,000 illegal aliens, and another 1.9 million have self-deported,” spokesman Tricia McLaughlin said. “Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now. They know if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”

The enforcement push comes alongside a sustained drop in migrant releases at the southern border. For six months, DHS has not released a single illegal immigrant into the country, a shift it argues has helped ease pressure on the housing market. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner recently pointed to four consecutive months of rent declines, while Vice President J.D. Vance said, “The connection between illegal immigration and skyrocketing housing costs is as clear as day. We are proud to be moving in the right direction.”

Additional reporting indicates ICE’s operational tempo has increased sharply in 2025. The administration has expanded removals across multiple nationalities, including recent deportation flights carrying Iranian nationals through third-country transit points.

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ICE Crackdown in Dem City Captures Rapists, Smugglers, Child Abusers.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Federal immigration teams in New Orleans, Louisiana, arrested dozens of criminal immigrants accused of violent crimes, including rape, human smuggling, domestic abuse, and child endangerment.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, local law enforcement, and criminal illegal immigrants from countries such as Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Chile.

📍WHEN & WHERE: This week in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of a nationwide operation targeting localities with sanctuary protections.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We will continue going after the worst of the worst across this nation until EVERY criminal illegal alien is arrested.” – DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: The arrests highlight federal efforts to dismantle sanctuary protections and prioritize public safety by removing dangerous criminal aliens from American communities.

IN FULL

Federal immigration enforcement operations in New Orleans, Louisiana, this week saw the arrest of dozens of criminal illegal immigrants suspected of crimes including rape, armed theft, human smuggling, domestic abuse, and child endangerment, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The operations are notable as Democrat-dominated New Orleans considers itself a sanctuary city, despite the Republican state government of Louisiana backing the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

“DHS law enforcement continues to arrest rapists, thieves, human smugglers, domestic abusers, and child endangerers who sought sanctuary in New Orleans. Well, those days are over,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. She added, “President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: criminal illegal aliens are NOT welcome in the U.S., even if liberal activists think they are.”

Among those arrested was Jorge Vierra-Serrano, a convicted rapist from Cuba who had also been arrested for aggravated battery. Others included Hander Bladimar Monrroy-Santiago from Guatemala, arrested for human smuggling, and Anthony Jose Sarria-Gutierrez from Nicaragua, a known 18th Street Gang member.

Additional arrests included Carlos Arturo Padilla-Meza, Willian Orlando Zuniga-Euceda, Andres Vladimir Prieto-Rencoret, and Ingres Estel Hernandez-Murillo, all of whom had histories of violent or predatory crimes such as domestic abuse, theft, and resisting arrest. DHS officials emphasized that these arrests are part of a broader effort to remove dangerous criminal aliens from U.S. communities.

McLaughlin concluded, “We will continue going after the worst of the worst across this nation until EVERY criminal illegal alien is arrested.”

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Trump Admin Will Deny Visas to Foreign Nationals Suspected of Gaming ‘Birthright Citizenship.’

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration on Thursday announced it will begin denying tourist visa applications if the applicant is suspected of wanting to travel to the United States to give birth so that their child is granted American citizenship.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Embassy in India, the Trump administration, and foreign nationals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The U.S. Embassy in India announced the policy change on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “U.S. consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for the child. This is not permitted.” — the U.S. Embassy in India

🎯IMPACT: The visa application policy change aims to crack down on “birth tourism,” which is especially prevalent among Indian nationals who seek to use children born in the U.S. as anchors to bring entire families to the country.

IN FULL

United States consular officers will now deny tourist visa applications to any foreign national suspected of seeking to travel to the country for the purposes of giving birth so that their child will receive U.S. citizenship and act as an immigration anchor for additional family members. The announcement was made by the U.S. Embassy in India on Thursday, with the practice of birth tourism being especially prevalent among Indian nationals.

“U.S. consular officers will deny tourist visa applications if they believe the primary purpose of travel is to give birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for the child,” the U.S. Embassy in India stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “This is not permitted.”

The National Pulse reported in late January this year that Indian women in the United States were requesting dangerous pre-term caesarean sections from doctors so they could give birth before President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order banning birthright citizenship took effect. Most of the women were reportedly in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy, but several were said to be much earlier in their terms.

Currently, a challenge to Trump’s birthright citizenship order is set to be heard before the United States Supreme Court, with oral arguments anticipated to occur in April 2026. Previously, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a ruling in July declaring the Executive Order unconstitutional, allowing automatic birthright citizenship to continue for the time being.

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Far-Left UK Govt Pushing Authoritarian Policies, Canceling Elections Amid Cratering Public Support.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Labour Party government in the United Kingdom is advancing several controversial measures, including digital ID and expanded surveillance, and canceling local elections as its support crashes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Labour Party, its leader, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and academic Matthew Goodwin, honorary president of the student wing of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Since Labour entered office in mid-2024, across the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They preach tolerance but practice censorship.” – Matthew Goodwin

🎯IMPACT: Labour’s measures are significantly undermining civil liberties and democracy in Britain.

IN FULL

Matthew Goodwin, an academic and pollster, has highlighted the mounting authoritarian policies of Britain’s Labour Party government, led by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as its public support craters to just 14 percent. These include the imposition of digital ID, the cancellation of local elections, and the expansion of facial surveillance and so-called “non-crime hate incidents.”

Goodwin, who serves as the honorary president of the student wing of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, Students4Reform, also expressed concern over the government’s plans to scrap many jury trials and introduce an official definition of Islamophobia “that will shut down debate about Islam.”

According to Goodwin, the Labour government, despite retaining the support of only 14 percent of the British public after just over a year in office, is attempting to consolidate power, including by packing the legislature’s House of Lords with compliant appointees to dominate the legislative process more thoroughly.

He described the government’s agenda as “classic Left Progressivism,” stating, “They preach tolerance but practice censorship.” He added: “They don’t want to have the argument – they want to stop it from taking place altogether.”

Notably, Farage’s Reform Party appeared poised to win every one of the local elections that the Labour government has canceled or postponed. Additionally, Labour politicians are also pushing election regulators to investigate Farage’s election to the House of Commons on the grounds of alleged overspending.

The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam, a former senior advisor to Farage, recently warned, “I said it a while back. They’re going to try to do with Nigel Farage what they did with Marine Le Pen… and have some activist lefty judge try to ban him from office.”

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

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NATO Chief Tells People to Get Ready ‘For the Scale of War Our Grandparents and Great-Grandparents Endured.’

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has declared that “We are Russia’s next target” and told citizens to “be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mark Rutte, General Sir Richard Barrons, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Rutte spoke in Berlin, Germany, while Zelensky is set to hold talks with leaders from 30 nations today.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.” – Mark Rutte

🎯IMPACT: NATO nations are being called to increase defense spending and production ahead of a general war with the Russian Federation.

IN FULL

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte has delivered a warning to alliance members’ citizens, telling them to brace for the possibility of a major conflict on the scale of the Second World War. Speaking in Berlin, Germany, he pressed NATO governments to dramatically increase defense spending and industrial output to confront Russia.

“We are Russia’s next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” said Rutte, a 58-year-old former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Unilever human resources manager with no military service record. “[W]e must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured.”

At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is holding intensive talks with leaders from around 30 countries—including Germany, the United Kingdom, and France—on strategies to tackle Russia’s ongoing invasion. Zelensky called for “doable and realistic steps” to end the fighting in a way that delivers outcomes “reliable and dignified for Ukraine.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has been pressing Zelensky to agree to a compromise peace with Russia, saying recently, “I give the people of Ukraine and the military of Ukraine tremendous credit for the, you know, bravery and for the fighting and all of that. But, you know, at some point, size will win, generally.”

Russia is more than three times larger than Ukraine by population, and its industrial capacity is substantially larger.

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Obama Judge Orders Immediate Release of Illegal Immigrant Abrego Garcia.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member, from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis, and Trump Justice Department (DOJ) lawyers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Maryland, with the ruling issued on Thursday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Respondents’ conduct over the past months belie that his detention has been for the basic purpose of effectuating removal, lending further support that Abrego Garcia should be held no longer,” wrote Judge Xinis.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling halts further deportation attempts and releases Garcia after months of legal and procedural disputes.

IN FULL

On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran illegal alien, from immigration detention. Garcia had been mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite a 2019 ruling that prohibited his removal to his home country due to supposed threats of persecution from local gangs.

Judge Xinis, a Barack Obama appointee, stated in her ruling that “respondents have no statutory authority to remove Abrego Garcia to a third country absent a removal order” and criticized the prolonged detention, saying it could not continue. The Trump administration had attempted to deport Garcia to several African nations, including Uganda and Liberia, but faced diplomatic and legal challenges.

Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, argued that deporting him to Liberia or any other third country without guarantees against further deportation to El Salvador was unlawful. Notably, Garcia has also been accused of membership in the violent MS-13 criminal gang and participation in human smuggling.

The Trump administration maintained that Garcia had received due process and cited an immigration judge’s determination that he did not qualify for asylum and that he failed to prove a risk of persecution or torture in Liberia. However, the ruling from Judge Xinis now blocks further deportation attempts and allows Garcia to be released from custody.

Image by Victoria Pickering.

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Over 80% of Somali Refugee Households Are Taking Welfare in Walz’s Minnesota.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: New data from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) reveals that more than eight-in-ten Somali refugee-headed households in Minnesota are on one or more forms of taxpayer-funded welfare.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Somali refugee households in Minnesota and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Based on ten years of data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) in Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Nearly every Somali household with children… receives some form of welfare,” said CIS researcher Jason Richwine.

🎯IMPACT: The data highlights significant disparities in welfare use, poverty rates, education, and English proficiency between Somali refugees and native-born Minnesotans.

IN FULL

Minnesota’s Somali refugee community shows significantly higher reliance on welfare compared to native-born residents, according to a new analysis of a decade of American Community Survey data. The Center for Immigration Studies report finds that 81 percent of Somali refugee–headed households in the state use at least one form of taxpayer-funded welfare. That includes 27 percent receiving cash assistance, 54 percent using food stamps, and 73 percent enrolled in Medicaid. Among native-born Minnesotan households, 21 percent use welfare programs, with six percent on cash aid, seven percent on food stamps, and 18 percent on Medicaid.

The gap is even larger among families with children. The study shows that 89 percent of Somali-headed households with children rely on public assistance, compared to 30 percent of native-born households with children. “Nearly every Somali household with children… receives some form of welfare,” said researcher Jason Richwine.

The report also highlights broader socioeconomic issues, including a finding that more than 66 percent of Somali refugees in Minnesota live in or near poverty. Nearly 60 percent report limited English proficiency, and 40 percent lack a high school diploma, compared with five percent of native-born Minnesotans.

World Bank data show that personal remittances—money sent back to Somalia by migrants—have historically accounted for roughly one-fifth of Somalia’s GDP. The United States is also the largest donor of foreign aid to Somalia, providing over $1 billion to the country in 2023 alone.

The release of the welfare data comes as Minnesota faces increasing federal scrutiny over alleged large-scale fraud involving state social programs. The U.S. Treasury Department has launched an investigation into claims that significant amounts of taxpayer money were improperly obtained through Somali-related Medicaid and welfare schemes involving networks of nonprofits and service providers.

Whistleblowers have also alleged that Governor Tim Walz (D) was informed of potential irregularities tied to the Feeding Our Future nonprofit as early as 2019 but failed to take sufficient action. Nearly 500 Minnesota state employees have accused the administration of disregarding warnings and retaliating against whistleblowers who tried to raise concerns.

Federal Medicaid officials have warned that Minnesota could risk losing funding without more aggressive oversight and corrective action. Throughout the controversy, Governor Walz has defended Minnesota’s Somali community and even said he hopes it becomes larger, stating, “Instead of demonizing our Somali community, we’re going to do more to welcome more in.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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