The far-left Guardian newspaper’s opinion section this morning leads with an admission that securing a criminal prosecution in Alvin Bragg’s case against Donald Trump is “a big stretch” thanks to the key witness being serial perjurer Michael Cohen.
After first blasting Cohen as someone she “wouldn’t hold up… as an example of a great American,” columnist Margaret Sullivan explains that the charges against Trump fail to represent “an airtight case.”
“Can jurors find [Cohen] credible, given his checkered past? Even if they do, is it possible to make the leap to criminal violations of campaign-finance law? And could every one of them then agree to convict?
“That’s an Everest-high mountain to climb. Trump’s lawyers are sure to bombard Cohen with his foibles during cross-examination later this week.”
She concludes: “As for a jury then connecting that credibility to criminal election-law interference? And then, unanimously, deciding to convict the former president? That’s a big stretch.”
Her concerns differ wildly from those of POLITICO author and former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori, whoclaims Stormy Daniels’s testimony was compelling enough for the jury to find President Trump guilty, even though what she alleged was scarcely criminal, let alone felonious.
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The far-left Guardian newspaper's opinion section this morning leads with an admission that securing a criminal prosecution in Alvin Bragg's case against Donald Trump is "a big stretch" thanks to the key witness being serial perjurer Michael Cohen.show more
Despite the Biden government’s claims to the contrary, corporate price-gouging has not been driving rises in U.S. inflation, according to research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco on Monday. The Biden regime has attempted to blame inflation on corporate America by deploying terms like ‘greedflation’ and ‘shrinkflation.’
Although markups were observed in 2021-2022 for vehicles and petroleum products, markups across all U.S. goods and services have been relatively flat post-pandemic. “As such, rising markups have not been a main driver of the recent surge and subsequent decline in inflation during the current recovery,” wrote bank researchers.
“Data for the current recovery show that the increase in corporate profits is not particularly pronounced compared with previous recoveries,” they wrote. “Markups also have not played much of a role in the slowing of inflation since the summer of 2022.”
The research is a direct rebuttal to the Biden regime’s efforts to blame corporate America for inflation. In a video released around the Super Bowl, Biden slammed snack manufacturers for selling smaller bags of food for the same price. In his most recent State of the Union address, Biden leveled similar accusations against large corporations, accusing Snickers by name of engaging in “shrinkflation” practices.
Inflation continues to be an issue for the incumbent Democrat, and more Americans have faith in former President Donald Trump’s ability to bring it under control versus Biden’s.
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Despite the Biden government's claims to the contrary, corporate price-gouging has not been driving rises in U.S. inflation, according to research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco on Monday. The Biden regime has attempted to blame inflation on corporate America by deploying terms like 'greedflation' and 'shrinkflation.'
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The U.S. foreign-born population, comprising both legal and illegal immigrants, has reportedly reached an unprecedented high of 51.6 million, or 15.6 percent of the total US population, according to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). A record-setting, two-year increase in the foreign-born population has occurred since March 2022, with an addition of 5.1 million immigrants, over 2.5 million each year.
The report reveals that during Joe Biden‘s 39 months in office, the foreign-born population grew by 6.6 million, averaging almost 170,000 immigrants monthly. Moreover, the CIS has estimated that roughly 58 percent of this immigration increase is attributable to illegal immigration under President Biden’s existing policies. It is crucial to note that only 46 percent of those arriving after March 2022 are currently employed.
According to the same report, if this upward immigration trend perpetuates, the U.S.’s foreign-born population may rise to 62.5 million and reach 82.2 million by 2040.
Simultaneously, as immigration concerns persist, President Biden appears to be faltering in recent polls in comparison to former President Trump, who leads by a significant 35 percent on this issue. Additionally, Trump is ahead in five of the six key swing states, as per a Monday report from the New York Times. The border crisis has gotten so out of control under Biden’s watch that earlier this year, two-thirds of Americans said “invasion” is an accurate term to describe the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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The U.S. foreign-born population, comprising both legal and illegal immigrants, has reportedly reached an unprecedented high of 51.6 million, or 15.6 percent of the total US population, according to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). A record-setting, two-year increase in the foreign-born population has occurred since March 2022, with an addition of 5.1 million immigrants, over 2.5 million each year.
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One of Washington D.C.’s most iconic buildings, located just blocks from the White House, is set to be sold at a foreclosure auction next month. The Waldorf Astoria, formerly the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office, is at the center of financial turmoil with its new owners struggling to turn a profit like Trump did.
The owner, Miami-based CGI Merchant Group, has defaulted on the mortgage tied to the leasehold of the property, according to an affidavit filed with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.
The Trump Organization originally leased the historic building from the federal government in 2012, spending $200 million to convert it into a luxury hotel. The Trump International Hotel opened in September 2016, months before Donald Trump took office. In 2022, CGI Merchant Group acquired the lease from The Trump Organization for $375 million, significantly more than the next highest bid, allowing Trump to profit substantially from the sale.
To finance the acquisition, CGI took on a $285 million loan from Michael Dell’s MSD Partners, but defaulted on this loan in February, with $252.7 million still outstanding. MSD Partners, now part of BDT & MSD Partners following a merger, is moving to foreclose on the loan. The foreclosure auction is scheduled for June 20 at Alex Cooper Auctioneers, as reported by the Washington Business Journal.
The potential foreclosure sale could allow MSD Partners to take control of the property, wiping clean any financial issues. The auction could be canceled or postponed if an agreement is reached. Notified parties include CGI, the General Services Administration, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office, and Hilton Worldwide Holdings.
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One of Washington D.C.'s most iconic buildings, located just blocks from the White House, is set to be sold at a foreclosure auction next month. The Waldorf Astoria, formerly the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office, is at the center of financial turmoil with its new owners struggling to turn a profit like Trump did.
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Former President Donald Trump has officially endorsed Christine Serrano Glassner in her campaign to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate. Emphasizing her qualities during a rally in New Jersey, Trump described Serrano Glassner as “fantastic,” leading into his full endorsement as the state heads towards its Republican Senate primary.
“She’s a fantastic woman,” Trump said. “I’m giving her my complete and total endorsement.”
Trump revealed his opposition to Serrano Glassner’s GOP contender, Curtis Bashaw, highlighting his support for NJ Republican Governor Chris Christie, with whom Trump has had several public disagreements.
Responding to Trump’s endorsement, Serrano Glassner shared her ambition to be a “steadfast ally” and welcomed the chance to work with him in Washington, D.C.
“I gratefully accept President Trump’s endorsement, and I look forward to serving as his steadfast ally in Washington and working hand-in-hand with him to Drain the Swamp and Make America Great Again,” Serrano Glassner said. “New Jersey deserves better than the corrupt political establishment that gave us ‘Gold Bar Bob’ Menendez, and America deserves better than the unmitigated disaster of the Biden regime.”
The seat Serrano Glassner is contesting is currently occupied by Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who declined to seek reelection following multiple bribery charges. While the door is left open for an independent run, Menendez has pulled back from the Democratic nomination.
A CLOSE RACE.
Serrano Glassner, the mayor of Mendham Borough, which has a population of under 5,000, will likely face a challenging race against the expected Democratic nominee, NJ U.S. Rep. Andy Kim. In a pre-endorsement poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kim led Serrano Glassner by 9 points.
However, the same poll found that if Menendez runs as an independent candidate, which is highly likely, Kim’s lead over Serrano Glassner decreases to just 5 points. The 80,000-strong Saturday rally for Trump also proves that the MAGA movement is popular in the Garden State and that a race between Serrano Glassner and the Democrat nominee may be far closer than polls suggest.
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Former President Donald Trump has officially endorsed Christine Serrano Glassner in her campaign to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate. Emphasizing her qualities during a rally in New Jersey, Trump described Serrano Glassner as "fantastic," leading into his full endorsement as the state heads towards its Republican Senate primary.
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On the twelfth day of the Manhattan-based hush money trial of former PresidentDonald J. Trump, prosecutors under District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought their star witness, disbarred lawyer and serial perjurer Michael Cohen. For lack of a better description, Cohen’s testimony was underwhelming.
Billed as the man who would pin the still yet-to-be-defined crime on former President Trump — Cohen incriminated himself more than anything.
As he took the stand, Cohen appeared nervous and uneasy — a stark difference from the free-wheeling and, at times, angry StormyDaniels who testified last week. Throughout the day, it became readily apparent that Cohen was even more of an unreliable witness than previously thought. The disgraced former lawyer — and self-described ‘fixer’ — was unable to produce any convincing connection between Trump and the hush money payments, let alone a federal campaign finance violation.
SERIAL PERJURER TAKES THE STAND.
Susan Hoffinger, one of the prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, handled Michael Cohen’s questing throughout the day. After dispensing with standard procedural questions, Hoffinger and Cohen dove into the start of Cohen’s relationship with Donald Trump. According to Cohen, the two became acquainted after he helped facilitate a co-op board takeover of Trump World Tower. The disbarred lawyer told Hoffinger that he was not paid for his early legal work on behalf of Trump.
Cohen recalled being hired by Trump after doing legal work for Trump Entertainment Resorts. According to Cohen, he was never actually paid the $100,000 in fees for his legal work on the resort project but was instead given a job as an executive vice president with the Trump Organization. “He asked me if I wanted to get fired on the first day if I asked about the bill,” Cohen recalled Trump saying at the end of their meeting. Hoffinger’s line of questioning was meant to specifically direct Cohen to recall this memory, as it served to underscore the terms — or lack thereof — of the repayment agreement regarding the Stormy Daniels money.
COHEN THE FIXER.
As the morning wore on, Cohen began to lean into the ‘fixer’ persona he projected to those on the 2016 presidential campaign and others outside the Trump Organization. He described how he could renegotiate unpaid bills with Trump University vendors. When Trump praised him for his work, Cohen said it felt “like I was on top of the world.”
“With press as an example, they said something that angered him, I would reach out to the press, and I would express to them their need to either redact or take the article down or we would file an action against them,” Cohen testified. He added that he was often aggressive when addressing the problems he believed could impact the former President.
It is important to note that Hope Hicks testified that Cohen’s ‘fixer’ persona was all in his head. The former Trump campaign aide said that Cohen “used to like to call himself Mr. Fix It, but it was only because he first broke it.” Hicks went on to note that Cohen was not supposed to be involved in 2016 campaign issues, but he was prone to going rogue.
When Hoffinger asked if it was fair to call him a “fixer,” Cohen replied: “Yes, some have described me as that.”
A USELESS RECORDING.
Just before the court broke for lunch, the jury listened to a secret recording made by Cohen of himself and allegedly DonaldTrump discussing a supposed payment related to the Karen McDougal story. However, as noted in previous witness testimony by David Pecker, the payment was never actually made to McDougal. She had agreed to appear on the cover of Men’s Health instead, which netted Pecker‘s American Media, Inc (AMI) a far better financial windfall. In short, no conceivable crime was committed involving a non-payment to McDougal.
It appears that Bragg‘s prosecutors hope to conflate the handling of Karen McDougal’s accusations with those of Stormy Daniels despite having no recordings of payment details or anything beyond Michael Cohen’s word on the latter. Even then, the recording of the McDougal meeting doesn’t shed much light on what Trump knew regarding the payments.
Cohen can be heard describing the need to set up a shell company while informing Trump he’s spoken with Weisselberg. Trump asked Cohen if they actually had to pay for all of this “stuff.” At no point did Trump say what he was paying for, and when Cohen mentioned “financing,” the former President can be heard asking, with a degree of confusion, what Cohen was talking about.
COHEN’S CREDIBILITY ISSUES.
The disbarred and disgraced lawyer’s credibility has been a top concern heading into his Monday testimony. While on the stand, Cohen contradicted the testimony of David Pecker and other fellow prosecution witnesses on several occasions.
One of the most damning incidents occurred when Cohen described to Trump that the AMI negations with the McDougal payment were going fine. Yet, at the start of the hush money trial, David Pecker testified that when he initially objected to not being reimbursed for a $150,000 payment on a call with Cohen, the attorney became irate and told Pecker that Trump was very angry with him—something directly contradicted by the evidence provided by Cohen himself.
Cohen has been convicted of lying to Congress — for which he served a two-month prison sentence. In addition, the disgraced lawyer was labeled as “perverse” and a “serial perjurer” by a federal judge in March this year.
THE TIMELINE MAKES NO SENSE.
Cohen’s and, subsequently, District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s prosecution team’s timeline of events and payments is plagued with internal contradictions. The disgraced lawyer appeared to insinuate that Trump was aware of the Stormy Daniels story much earlier in the election process than any evidence indicates. Cohen testified that Trump only cared about the story’s impact on the campaign and didn’t give much worry about it being embarrassing for him or his family. This directly contradicts several sworn witness testimonies where it was attested that Trump was not preoccupied with the campaign but rather more concerned about the impact the Access Hollywood tape and the Stormy Daniels story would have on his wife and children.
Additionally, Cohen’s timeline of events causes a problem for prosecutors as they need to prove an underlying campaign finance crime. However, per Cohen, the reimbursement payments were not made until well after the 2016 election and were not made from campaign accounts. Cohen testified that Trump had suggested that if the story came out, he’d lose the election, yet Cohen’s alleged financial reimbursements all date to 2017.
COHEN TRIES TO FINGER TRUMP.
Continuing on Stormy Daniels, prosecutor Susan Hoffinger pressed Cohen on details about his conversations with Trump regarding the allegations. After the Daniels story became public just days before the 2016 election, Cohen claims he spoke with Trump, who he says was irate.
“I thought you had this under control. I thought you took care of this,” Cohen alleges Trump said to him. The disgraced lawyer continued, stating Trump told him, “Just take care of it.”
According to Cohen, Trump continued: “Women are going to hate me… Guys may think it’s cool, but this is going to be a disaster for the campaign.” Again, prior witnesses brought by the prosecution, including Hope Hicks and Madeleine Westerhout, have directly contradicted this claim. They contend the former President was far more concerned about the impact the Daniels story — like the Access Hollywood tape — would have on his family.
Cohen says Trump told him, “I want you to just push it out as long as you can just get past the election. Because if I win, it will have no relevance because I’m President. And if I lose, I don’t even care.” While Cohen certainly seemed preoccupied with the election, not a single recording, text message, or email presented by the prosecution — outside Cohen’s testimony — mentioned Trump’s concerns about the 2016 race.
NONE OF THIS IS ILLEGAL.
The timeline of events and payments and the 34 charges found in the indictment continue to be an overarching problem for the prosecution. The falsifying business records charges are only enhanced from minor misdemeanors to felonies by an underlying crime.
We’re now on the second-to-last prosecution witness, and District Attorney Avlin Bragg’s team has yet to concretely show what that underlying crime even is. In theory, and from the course of Cohen‘s testimony, it appears the prosecution believes the underlying crime is a conspiracy to violate Federal campaign finance laws. It is important to note that the nondisclosure agreements, the alleged “catch-and-kill” scheme hatched between Cohen and Keith Davidson, and even the alleged hush money payments are all legal — meaning none constitute an underlying crime for the prosecution.
BEING DONALD TRUMP.
Cohen’s testimony is reminiscent of the 1999 filmBeing John Malkovich, in which the actor’s life is told through the perspective of others who are literally inside his head. Much of Cohen’s testimony is a stand-in for what DonaldTrump may or may not have been thinking at various moments in the lead-up to, during, and just after the 2016 presidential campaign.
When the Access Hollywood tape broke, Cohen emailed campaign adviser Stephen K. Bannon, “It’s all over the place. Whose doing damage control here?” According to Cohen, he wanted to “ensure” that Trump was protected. However, at no point does Cohen offer evidence that he was directed by Trump to “ensure” his protection or oversee “damage control” efforts. Again, Hope Hicks testified that Cohen is an individual prone to going rogue and was told that he was not to have a role in the campaign.
A tremendous amount of the prosecution’s case rests on what Micahel Cohen believes, in his mind, he was directed to do by Donald Trump — even though he may not have ever been told directly to do it. In essence, we now know what this case boils down to: the word of a serial and perverse perjurer versus DonaldTrump.
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On the twelfth day of the Manhattan-based hush money trial of former PresidentDonald J. Trump, prosecutors under District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought their star witness, disbarred lawyer and serial perjurer Michael Cohen. For lack of a better description, Cohen's testimony was underwhelming.
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Editor’s Notes
Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.
Aren’t these trial round-ups great? Make sure you share them with your friends, family, and colleagues who otherwise may be tempted to get their information from less reliable sources
Aren’t these trial round-ups great? Make sure you share them with your friends, family, and colleagues who otherwise may be tempted to get their information from less reliable sources show more
Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, caused controversy at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 2024 legislative leadership summit on Monday when she used vulgar language and appeared to tell young audience members to employ violence in pursuit of certain opportunities.
“We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open,” Harris said. “Sometimes they won’t, and then you need to kick that fucking door down.”
“Here’s the thing about breaking down barriers. It does not mean that you start on one side of the barrier and end up on another,” she said. “There’s breaking involved. And when you break things, you get cut, and you may bleed. And it is worth it every time.”
Harris‘s comments that “breaking” things is “worth it” even though “you get cut and you may bleed” may be seen by some observers as ill-timed. They come amidst mass protests, some of which have turned violent, against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
The vice president’s decision to use inappropriate language at an official event comes as the Biden campaign is struggling to attract young voters, many of whom are frustrated with his handling of the economy and formerly strong support for Israel.
Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, caused controversy at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 2024 legislative leadership summit on Monday when she used vulgar language and appeared to tell young audience members to employ violence in pursuit of certain opportunities.
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New data from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) reveals that less than half of both legal and illegalimmigrants who’ve arrived in the United States over the past two years are actually holding down a job. According to CIS, just 46 percent of the new immigrant population under Joe Biden are employed.
The CIS immigrant employment numbers, calculated with data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, undercuts the argument used by many mass immigration proponents that the unchecked flow of immigrants is necessary to fill jobs that Americans won’t work. While immigrant labor did fuel much of the Biden government’s job growth since the octogenarian Democrat took office in 2021, it appears a cooling job market and stagnant economy has resulted in even immigrants increasingly being unable to find work.
Illegal and legal immigrant labor has distorted U.S. job numbers for several years now. The National Pulse has reported extensively on the economic and socialimpact the border and illegalimmigrationcrisis have had on the average American. While cheap immigrant labor has undoubtedly had a deflationary impact, that has come chiefly through suppressing the wages of native American workers. In addition, overreliance on cheap immigrant labor can lead to industries stagnating in terms of innovation, resulting in long-term negative externalities for businesses.
Those immigrants who have been able to find work often do so through Biden — and Democrat-backed non-government organizations (NGOs) like the Tent Partnership for Refugees. Companies supplied with labor by the Ten Partnership for Refugees include RedRoof Inn, Royal Farms, Shopify, Delta Airlines, DoorDash, Etsy, and Bloomberg.
U.S. companies that employ illegalimmigrants, and even more troubling, illegal child immigrants as laborers, have faced little in the way of fines under the Biden government. The National Pulse reported last week that several janitorial service companies and a vendor for TysonFoods all faced little in terms of pushback from Biden government regulators.
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New data from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) reveals that less than half of both legal and illegalimmigrants who've arrived in the United States over the past two years are actually holding down a job. According to CIS, just 46 percent of the new immigrant population under Joe Biden are employed.
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A letter signed by Ashley Biden to U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain further confirms the validity of the Biden daughter’s diary. In the diary, Ashley Biden recalls showering naked with her father as a young girl. She goes on to grapple with the thought that she was likely molested. The admission was made as part of the sentencing of Aimee Harris, the woman accused of stealing and selling Ashley Biden’s diary.
“Was I molested? I think so — I can’t remember specifics but I do remember trauma. Hyper-sexualized @ a young age . . . I remember being somewhat sexualized with Caroline; I remember having sex with friends @ a young age; showers w/my dad (probably not appropriate),” the diary reads. While the First Daughter’s writings have not been made public in their entirety, some excerpts of the diary have leaked to the media.
In the letter to Judge Swain, Ashley Biden states that Harris’s theft and sale of her diary “constitute one of the most heinous forms of bullying, not to mention a complete violation of my privacy and personal dignity.” Biden claims that even though the diary’s theft and public propagation occurred more than three years ago, she is “constantly re-traumatized by it.” While acknowledging the diary is hers, the First Daughter claims individuals have used its contents to “misinterpret my once-private writings and lob false accusations that defame my character and those of the people I love.”
JoeBiden‘s Department of Justice (DOJ) has also corroborated the veracity of the Ashley Biden diary. According to the DOJ, the stolen diary was part of a haul that included tax records, private family photographs, and a personal cellphone. Aimee Harris has been sentenced to one month in prison and three months home detention for the diary theft.
READ:
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A letter signed by Ashley Biden to U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain further confirms the validity of the Biden daughter's diary. In the diary, Ashley Biden recalls showering naked with her father as a young girl. She goes on to grapple with the thought that she was likely molested. The admission was made as part of the sentencing of Aimee Harris, the woman accused of stealing and selling Ashley Biden's diary.
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During a speech on Monday widely seen as an official reelection pitch, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he feels a “profound sense of urgency” because “more will change in the next five years than in the last thirty.” Sunak cited global war, new technologies, migration, and pandemics as agents of this change.
“I’m convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous yet the most transformational our country has ever known,” Sunak continued. “So the question we face today is this: Who has the clear plan and bold ideas to deliver a secure future for you and your family?”
The Prime Minister proceeded to paint a grim picture of a dangerous world at war. “The dangers that threaten our country are real. They are increasing in number. An axis of authoritarian states like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China is working together to undermine us and our values,” Sunak claimed.
“War has returned to Europe, with our NATO allies warning that if Putin succeeds in Ukraine, they might be next. War rages, too, in the Middle East,” he continued. “Right now in Africa, conflicts are being fought in 18 different countries. And Putin’s recklessness has taken us closer to a dangerous nuclear escalation than at any point since the Cuban missile crisis.”
In addition the the threat of global war, Sunak also predicted that “AI will do for the 21st century what the steam engine and electricity did for the 19th” and “accelerate human progress by complementing what we do, by speeding up the discovery of new ideas, and by assisting almost every aspect of human life.”
“[W]hile this is one of the most dangerous periods we’ve ever known, it will also be one of the most transformational,” Sunak claimed.
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During a speech on Monday widely seen as an official reelection pitch, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he feels a "profound sense of urgency" because "more will change in the next five years than in the last thirty." Sunak cited global war, new technologies, migration, and pandemics as agents of this change.
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