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Category: News
December 30, 2025
Corruption
News

HUD Uncovers Billions of Dollars in ‘Questionable’ Biden Era Rental Assistance, Including Payments to Noncitizens and Dead People.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) revealed billions in taxpayer funds went to “questionable” rental assistance recipients, including deceased tenants and potential non-citizens.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: HUD, under the Biden government, distributed funds to non-federal entities; dead people and non-citizens were among recipients.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The recently released report covers funds distributed in all 50 states, with a particular focus on New York, California, and Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A massive abuse of taxpayer dollars not only occurred under President Biden’s watch, but was effectively incentivized by his administration’s failure to implement strong financial controls,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner.

🎯IMPACT: HUD is investigating and implementing measures to revoke or pause funding, with potential criminal referrals pending confirmation of fraud.

IN FULL

A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report has revealed that billions of taxpayer funds were allocated to “questionable” rental assistance recipients during the Biden government’s final year. This included payments to around 30,000 deceased tenants and thousands of potential non-citizens, based on HUD’s “Agency Financial Report” for fiscal year 2025.

HUD noted that a significant portion of these payments was concentrated in Democrat-run New York, California, and Washington, D.C., with deceased recipients identified across all 50 states. The agency employed automated cross-checking between a U.S. Treasury database and its own records, identifying 30,054 deceased tenants who continued to receive or were enrolled in rental assistance after death.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner faulted the Biden government’s lack of oversight, saying, “A massive abuse of taxpayer dollars not only occurred under President Biden’s watch, but was effectively incentivized by his administration’s failure to implement strong financial controls resulting in billions worth of potential improper payments.”

In fiscal year 2024, HUD provided about $50 billion in federal rental assistance, with $5.8 billion identified as “questionable.” The report linked these problems to directives under the Biden government pushing for rapid distribution of funds with reduced scrutiny. It also highlighted that rental assistance programs depended largely on outside entities to handle complex compliance requirements.

HUD is currently assessing potential fraud and its scope, while implementing measures to halt or recover funding. “HUD is implementing processes and procedures to revoke or pause funding as part of its efforts to hold bad actors accountable,” an official told the press.

The department is also evaluating possible criminal referrals and other enforcement steps.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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December 29, 2025
Immigration

Trump Admin Plans to Make Asylum Seekers Apply for Refuge in Third Countries.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is directing courts to dismiss asylum claims without hearings, sending migrants to third countries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), President Donald J. Trump, and various third countries, including Uganda, Honduras, and Ecuador.

📍WHEN & WHERE: In recent months, in the United States and third countries.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Asylum was not designed to provide people a backdoor way to get to a country of their choosing.” – Senior administration official

🎯IMPACT: The strategy aims to reduce the asylum claims backlog and increase deportations.

IN FULL

The Trump administration is actively pursuing a new immigration strategy where courts are being asked to dismiss asylum claims without hearings, and instead direct asylum seekers to third countries to pursue relief. This approach is backed by agreements with nations like Uganda, Honduras, and Ecuador, which have been identified as third countries that can host asylum claimants during the processing of their immigration requests.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading these efforts as part of a broader initiative to curb immigration and meet deportation targets. Nearly 900,000 asylum claims were filed in Fiscal Year 2024, a significant increase from previous years, prompting the administration to seek expedited removals. The new process, the administration contends, closes “a huge loophole” in the U.S. immigration system.

A senior administration official, speaking to the media, emphasized that asylum is not meant as a means for migrants supposedly in need of safe harbor to pick out a new homeland of their choice, stating, “Asylum was not designed to provide people a backdoor way to get to a country of their choosing.” The administration’s approach gained momentum when the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Board of Immigration Appeals supported considering third-country removals before U.S. asylum hearings.

Critics, including Democrat lawmakers and professional mass immigration advocates, argue that this undermines the U.S. asylum system. However, the administration is defending its actions as lawful and necessary to address systemic asylum abuse and a daunting claimant backlog.

“They shouldn’t care about what specific location,” a Trump administration official said, adding: “Many [immigration groups] somehow think that it’s bad to be doing this—that everyone should get a hearing, no matter anything else. But the reality from our perspective is, it is the law. And you may disagree with the law, but the way to address that is through Congress.”

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December 29, 2025
News
World

Trump Signals Support for Further Strikes on Iran If Nuclear Threat Persists.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump expressed readiness to back Israeli strikes on Iran if it continues advancing its nuclear and missile programs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iranian officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: December 29, 2025, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we have to knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The meeting highlights ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the challenges in advancing Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump said he is prepared to support Israeli military action against Iran if Tehran continues advancing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we have to knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.” He added, “But hopefully that’s not happening. I heard Iran wants to make a deal. If they want to make a deal, that’s much smarter.”

The meeting marked the fifth face-to-face encounter between Trump and Netanyahu this year and came amid ongoing regional tensions following a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Trump in October. Both Israel and Hamas have since accused each other of violating the agreement, complicating efforts to stabilize Gaza.

Trump also addressed Netanyahu’s legal troubles, suggesting that a pardon related to corruption allegations against the Israeli leader is “on its way” and praising Netanyahu for doing a “phenomenal job.” Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, denied that any discussions about a pardon had taken place, stating there had been no conversation with Trump on the matter.

Talks between the two leaders also covered the next phase of Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, which envisions a technocratic Palestinian administration overseeing reconstruction. Progress has been uneven, with unresolved issues including Hamas’s refusal to fully disarm and uncertainty over who would provide long-term security in Gaza.

Iran remained a central focus of the discussions. Earlier this year, Tehran halted cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), effectively suspending inspections of its nuclear facilities. The move heightened concerns in Washington and Jerusalem about Iran’s nuclear intentions and reduced international oversight of its program.

In August, War Secretary Pete Hegseth removed the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) following the leak of an assessment that questioned the effectiveness of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. More recently, the Trump administration increased deportations of Iranian nationals from the United States, signaling a broader hardening of policy toward Tehran.

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December 29, 2025
News
War

Ukraine Denies Alleged Drone Attack on Putin’s Residence.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Novgorod, a claim denied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The alleged drone attack reportedly occurred overnight in Russia’s Novgorod region, with related statements released on Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Given the final degeneration of the criminal Kiev regime, which has switched to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be revised.” – Sergei Lavrov.

🎯IMPACT: Russia has stated it will revise its peace negotiations position, while the alleged attack has drawn reactions from the U.S. and Ukraine.

IN FULL

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russia’s accusation that Ukraine carried out a large-scale drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, calling the allegation “typical Russian lies.” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles were used in the alleged strike and that Russian air defense systems intercepted all incoming ordnance. Lavrov said there were no casualties or damage, but accused Kiev of engaging in “state terrorism” and announced that Moscow would revise its position in the ongoing peace negotiations.

“Given the final degeneration of the criminal Kiev regime, which has switched to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be revised,” Lavrov said. At the same time, he said Russia did not intend to withdraw from talks with the United States.

Zelensky dismissed the claims as fabricated and warned that Moscow was using them to justify continued aggression. “It is critical that the world doesn’t stay silent now. We cannot allow Russia to undermine the work on achieving a lasting peace,” he stated on X, formerly Twitter.

The accusations came shortly after Zelensky met with U.S. leaders in Florida, where he and President Donald J. Trump discussed a revised peace proposal. Zelensky said the United States had offered security guarantees for Ukraine lasting 15 years, while Trump described progress on the agreement as “close to 95 percent.” Outstanding issues reportedly include territorial disputes and the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The White House confirmed that Trump and Putin held a phone call on Monday. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin expressed anger over the alleged drone attack and claimed that Trump was “shocked” and “angry” about the incident. Ushakov added that Putin promised the “strongest response” to what he described as a “reckless terrorist action.” The White House did not comment on those characterizations.

Drone warfare has become an increasingly prominent feature of the conflict. In May 2023, multiple drones struck parts of Moscow, with Ukrainian officials at the time declining to take responsibility. More recently, Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out strikes beyond the battlefield, including attacks on energy and transport targets far from the front lines.

Ukraine has also reported facing drone threats of its own. In December, reports indicated that several drones were detected near the flight path of Zelensky’s aircraft while it was traveling near Ireland, prompting heightened security measures. Other incidents linked to drones have raised international concern, including damage to sensitive infrastructure sites.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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December 29, 2025
News

DHS Initiates Major Probe Into Alleged Somali Daycare Fraud.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents are conducting a large-scale investigation into alleged childcare and other fraud in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), HSI agents, and Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigations were announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, December 29, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Homeland Security Investigations are on the ground in Minneapolis right now conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud.” – Kristi Noem

🎯IMPACT: The investigation aims to uncover and address fraudulent practices in childcare facilities within the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.

IN FULL

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem revealed Monday afternoon that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, are now on the ground in Minnesota as part of a federal investigation into allegations of rampant social services—including daycare centers—fraud and also immigration fraud involving the state’s Somali community. The federal response comes after independent journalist Nick Shirley and others have documented what appears to be rampant fraudulent activity at a number of Minneapolis and St. Paul Somali-run childcare facilities.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, just after 12:00 PM, Noem revealed video of HSI agents questioning a man appearing to be of Somali extraction outside one of the childcare facilities in question. “Homeland Security Investigations are on the ground in Minneapolis right now conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud. More coming,” Noem wrote.

The childcare fraud is believed to be tied to a broader fraud scandal gripping Minnesota, where the state government, led by Governor Tim Walz (D), is alleged by whistleblowers to have purposefully ignored evidence of social services fraud perpetrated by non-profit groups and individuals in the Somali immigrant community out of fear of losing votes and being portrayed as racist. The National Pulse reported earlier this month that federal investigators currently estimate the fraud schemes—executed through state programs meant to assist children with autism, food for the needy, and daycare centers—could top $9 billion in stolen taxpayer money.

Meanwhile, whistleblowers within the Walz government allege that state officials first uncovered evidence of fraud involving the Feeding Our Future nonprofit organization in July 2019. However, Walz‘s administration backed down from investigating the group after intense pushback from Feeding Our Future’s leaders, who accused state officials of discrimination against Minnesota’s large Somali immigrant community.

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December 29, 2025
War
World

Trump Reveals U.S. Has Struck Venezuelan Mainland.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S. strike targeted a Venezuelan facility involved in drug operations, leading to a major explosion.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. forces.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday afternoon at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, during a joint press availability.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The strike escalates U.S. efforts to combat illegal narcotics shipments from Venezuela.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump appears to have revealed the first U.S. military strike on the Venezuelan mainland after an explosion rocked a dock facility along the South American country’s coast over the weekend. While it was speculated that the blast was the result of a U.S. strike, the attack had not been fully confirmed until President Trump’s comments at Mar-a-Lago during a press event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday afternoon.

“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said in response to a question as to whether the U.S. was the cause of the blast. He added that the facility “is no longer around.”

While Trump appeared to confirm a U.S. strike, the exact location or scale of damage—along with casualties—is not currently known. However, a U.S. military strike on any facility on the Venezuelan mainland would mark a significant escalation in the simmering conflict between Venezuela’s narco-regime dictator Nicolás Maduro and the Trump administration.

Previously, the Trump White House had limited U.S. operations in the region to kinetic strikes on cartel drug boats and the seizure of sanctioned oil tankers.

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December 29, 2025
Corruption
Crime

Hundreds of Public Workers in Dem State Caught in Pandemic Fraud Scheme.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly 400 Illinois state employees improperly obtained federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Illinois state employees across key agencies, including Human Services, Corrections, and Children and Family Services, as well as Cook County and Chicago city employees.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fraud cases reviewed through June 2025, primarily in Illinois, with broader implications nationwide.

🎯IMPACT: Over $2.8 million in fraudulent loans obtained by state workers, contributing to Illinois’ reputation as one of the most corruption-prone states in the U.S.

IN FULL

Nearly 400 Illinois state employees allegedly attained federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through fraudulent means, according to a state government watchdog. The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General reported “reasonable cause” in 378 PPP fraud cases involving state workers through June 2025, with the loans designed to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The alleged fraud cases involving state workers account for approximately three-quarters of those reviewed by the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General. In response to the findings, over 200 state government employees have either been fired or forced to resign, with a number being referred for criminal prosecution.

According to the report, state workers at major agencies, including Human Services, Corrections, and Children and Family Services, collectively received more than $2.8 million in fraudulent loans, often by submitting fabricated business or income claims. Notably, the Illinois Attorney General’s office has secured guilty pleas in multiple cases, typically resulting in probation, restitution, or community service.

Among the fraud schemes exposed was one in which a Human Services employee fraudulently obtained $49,000 for a nonexistent catering business. In another case, an Illinois state worker claimed she misunderstood the loan as debt consolidation, while another admitted to paying someone to create a fake business application for her.

Additionally, Cook County, Illinois watchdogs have found PPP-fraud cases extending beyond state government workers to county officials as well. An estimated 65 PPP-related cases have resulted in resignations and firings. Meanwhile, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office reports that it has reviewed 163 cases, with 62 violations confirmed to have been committed by employees. The city inspector general for Chicago has uncovered upwards of 1,000 potentially fraudulent loans granted to city staff, with nine cases initiated so far.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal inspectors general have recovered over $1.4 billion in stolen pandemic relief funds, resulting in the prosecutions of thousands of suspects. However, it is estimated that tens of billions of taxpayer dollars are yet to be recovered.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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December 29, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Religion
World

Indian Christians Suffer Wave of Attacks Over Christmas.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: India saw a wave of anti-Christian attacks, including arson on homes and churches, over the Christmas period by Hindu extremists.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Indian Christians, Hindu extremists, members of Hindu paramilitaries.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks took place in various Indian states, including Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, religious extremists have become increasingly violent, targeting Christians. Churches have been closed, believers attacked, pastors imprisoned on false charges of coercive conversion and Christian families displaced from their homes, simply because of their faith in Christ.” – Priya Sharma, Open Doors.

🎯IMPACT: The attacks are part of a broader wave of anti-Christian violence globally and come as Indians continue to arrive en masse in Western countries via various visa schemes.

IN FULL

Severe violent attacks against Christians were reported across India during the 2025 Christmas season, with arson attacks in Chhattisgarh emerging as the most serious episodes in a broader pattern of intimidation and disruption linked to the festive period.

In Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, a Christian family said that a mob set fire to their home and attacked local churches following a dispute over the burial of a man. Rajman Salam, a convert to Christianity, wanted to cremate his father according to Hindu custom but was denied. “I was told that I can’t have the rituals because of my Christian faith,” he said. He later tried to bury his father according to Christian ritual, which led to conflict with a Hindu mob.

According to survivor accounts, members of the mob destroyed household belongings, burned religious material, and threatened residents, forcing families to flee. The victims claimed Hindutva groups drove the violence and said police response was delayed, leaving them without immediate protection. The incident added to growing concerns about targeted attacks on Christian communities in the state, which has seen repeated clashes linked to burial rights and allegations of religious conversions.

The arson attack came amid a wider spike in anti-Christian incidents reported around Christmas. The Christian charity Open Doors reports that as many as 2,900 anti-Christian attacks took place in India between January and November of 2025 overall.

“In states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, religious extremists have become increasingly violent, targeting Christians. Churches have been closed, believers attacked, pastors imprisoned on false charges of coercive conversion and Christian families displaced from their homes, simply because of their faith in Christ,” Open Doors partner Priya Sharma said.

On Christmas Day, a mob entered a closed shopping mall in Raipur and vandalised Christmas decorations, including trees and Santa Claus figures.

In Kerala’s Palakkad district, protests erupted after a children’s Christmas carol group was allegedly attacked. Reports stated that the incident triggered public demonstrations and political reactions after the accused was linked to far-right Hindu paramilitaries and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The attack drew widespread condemnation in the state, which has a large Christian population.

While police action was initiated in some cases, Christian leaders and civil society groups said the incidents reflect a broader climate of hostility and inadequate protection for Christians in India.

Image by Paul.

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December 29, 2025
Crime

J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Says He Was Inspired by Pipe Bombs Used by Irish Republican Terrorists.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Brian Cole Jr., a Virginia man, was arrested and charged with placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees on January 5, 2021.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brian Cole, federal investigators, and prosecutors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The pipe bombs were placed on January 5, 2021, outside the RNC and DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. Cole was arrested on December 4, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I really don’t like either party at this point,” Cole reportedly told investigators, explaining his actions.

🎯IMPACT: The devices did not detonate, and no one was harmed. Prosecutors argue the incident demonstrates the dangerous nature of Cole’s alleged actions and are asking that he remain detained before trial.

IN FULL

Brian Cole Jr., the Virginia man charged with placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees on January 5, 2021, has told federal investigators that he was not intending to target the joint session of Congress certifying the 2020 presidential election. Instead, Cole—who was arrested on December 4, 2025—said, according to court filings, that his decision to place pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC was primarily inspired by Irish Republican Army (IRA) attacks during the Troubles period in Northern Ireland.

“When asked why he placed the devices at the RNC and DNC, the defendant responded, ‘I really don’t like either party at this point,'” the court filing by federal prosecutors states, adding: “[Cole] also explained that the idea to use pipe bombs came from his interest in history, specifically the Troubles in Ireland. The defendant denied that his actions were directed toward Congress or related to the proceedings scheduled to take place on January 6.”

“According to the defendant, he was not really thinking about how people would react when the bombs detonated, although he hoped there would be news about it,” prosecutors stated in their filing, noting: “The defendant stated that he had not tested the devices before planting them. He claimed that when he learned that the devices did not detonate, he was ‘pretty relieved,’ and asserted that he placed the devices at night because he did not want to kill people.”

The documents state that Cole Jr. had intended for the pipe bombs to explode after 60 minutes, with timers on each set for that duration. After placing the devices, he told prosecutors that he drove to Virginia, picked up a carry-out meal, and then returned to his parents’ home in Woodbridge.

Prosecutors, in revealing Cole’s confession, are asking a federal judge to order the pipe bomber to remain detained in federal custody ahead of his trial. They contend his choice of the RNC and DNC “demonstrates the extreme and deeply dangerous nature of his conduct,” and that “the defendant did so because he did not ‘like either party,’ but ‘they were in charge’ and thus were, in the defendant’s mind, an appropriate target for extreme acts of violence.”

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December 29, 2025
William Upton
Media

WATCH: Trump Can Make Broadcast Media GREAT Again.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The National Pulse’s Editor-in-Chief, Raheem Kassam, sat down with Daniel Suhr, president of the Center for American Rights, regarding the latter’s “Lift the Cap” campaign—an effort to push the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to dramatically alter limits to ownership in local broadcast media

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam, Daniel Suhr, the FCC, ABC, NBC, CBS, Nexstar, and Sinclair.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The interview occurred on Boxing Day, December 26, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “So many of us rely on local television for things that we care about, local news, local sports—even if we maybe use a streaming service for our national news. The reality is that more Americans tune in to the evening news at 5 or 6 o’clock on their local TV. news than any watch a big cable show like The Five.” — Daniel Suhr

🎯IMPACT: Suhr hopes to see major local broadcasters like Nexstar and Sinclair be able to expand and gain the necessary leverage to not only be able to push back but also influence the parent broadcasters, like NBC, CBS, and ABC.

IN FULL

The National Pulse’s Editor-in-Chief, Raheem Kassam, sat down with Daniel Suhr, president of the Center for American Rights, regarding the latter’s “Lift the Cap” campaign—an effort to push the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to dramatically alter limits to ownership in local broadcast media. Speaking during the annual War Room: Boxing Day Special, Kassam and Suhr examined the implications of the FCC lifting the ownership restrictions, particularly given that television viewers still receive most of their news from local broadcasters.

“So many of us rely on local television for things that we care about, local news, local sports—even if we maybe use a streaming service for our national news. The reality is that more Americans tune in to the evening news at 5 or 6 o’clock on their local TV news than any watch a big cable show like The Five,” Suhr said.

His nonprofit group, the Center for American Rights, is advocating for the FCC to reform its 39 percent ownership cap, which prevents a local broadcast company from reaching more than 39 percent of U.S. households. He also points out that today’s media landscape is vastly different from it was when the cap was instituted, especially with the rise of the streaming giants like Google and YouTube.

Suhr contends lifting the ownership cap would “open up a free market,” and that his group’s campaign seeks to “open up greater room for capitalism to stop these government interventions in the market, and instead allow broadcasters to grow in a natural way, in line with what capitalism dictates.” He goes on to note that the campaign has received backing from several notable figures, including Mike Davis of the Article Three Project and free market economist Stephen Moore.

At its core, Suhr hopes to see major local broadcasters, such as Nexstar and Sinclair, expand and gain the necessary leverage to not only push back but also influence the parent broadcasters, including NBC, CBS, and ABC.


While, on the face of it, the push to abolish ownership caps for local broadcasters may seem like an ideal policy for a conservative media environment, some claim that if the cap is lifted, safeguards must be put in place to prevent a repeat of the post-Citizens United era in politics, where large corporations can dominate.

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