Wednesday, February 11, 2026

The FBI Has Captured a Major Suspect in the 2012 Benghazi Attack.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Zubayr Al-Bakoush, a key suspect in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, on charges including murder, terrorism, and arson.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zubayr Al-Bakoush, FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Al-Bakoush landed at Andrews Air Force Base early Friday morning; the charges date back to the 2012 Benghazi attack.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Hillary Clinton famously once said about Benghazi, ‘What difference, at this point, does it make?’ Well, it makes a difference to Donald Trump. It makes a difference to those families. And 14 years later, it makes a difference to law enforcement, who made the difference in this case.” – Pam Bondi.

🎯IMPACT: The arrest brings a key suspect to face American justice and highlights ongoing efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.

IN FULL

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Zubayr Al-Bakoush, a key suspect in the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Al-Bakoush arrived at Andrews Air Force Base at approximately 3 AM on February 6 and is now in U.S. custody, facing charges including murder, terrorism, arson, and conspiracy.

Bondi said the arrest followed years of coordinated efforts by U.S. officials. “From day one, Kash and Dan would sit in meetings and say, ‘We’re going to get him,’” Bondi said. “And they did.” She added that the suspect “will face American justice on American soil.”

U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro, who will prosecute the case, said Al-Bakoush was first charged in 2015 under a sealed complaint. “[The eight count indictment] charges Bakoush with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens, the murder of State Department employee Sean Smith, the attempted murder of State Department Special Agent Scott Wickland and conspiracy to provide materials for terrorists and support that resulted in the death of four Americans, as well as arson at the special mission,” Pirro said.

The Benghazi attack occurred on September 11, 2012, when Islamist militants overran the U.S. Special Mission and later attacked a nearby CIA annex. Four Americans were killed, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. The incident led to multiple congressional investigations and became a central political controversy, particularly concerning U.S. diplomatic security and the Obama administration’s response.

Bondi referenced former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks during congressional testimony on the attack. “Hillary Clinton famously once said about Benghazi, ‘What difference, at this point, does it make?’ Well, it makes a difference to Donald Trump. It makes a difference to those families. And 14 years later, it makes a difference to law enforcement, who made the difference in this case.”

The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has remained a symbol of unresolved accountability for more than a decade. Federal officials said the prosecution is intended to deliver long-awaited justice for the victims and reaffirm the U.S. government’s commitment to pursuing those responsible for attacks on American personnel abroad.

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Appeals Court Upholds Trump Order Ending Federal DEI Programs.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with plans to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal contracting and grant processes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Chief Circuit Judge Albert Diaz, the City of Baltimore, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP),  the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson, President Donald J. Trump, and federal department heads.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued on Friday, February 6, 2026, after a nearly year-long legal battle.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump has decided that equity isn’t a priority in his administration and so has directed his subordinates to terminate funding that supports equity-related projects to the maximum extent allowed by law. Whether that’s sound policy or not isn’t our call.” — Fourth Circuit panel

🎯IMPACT: President Trump’s plans to end DEI requirements and programs for federal contractors and grant recipients have been in limbo since last February, when Joe Biden-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson issued an injunction against the administration.

IN FULL

A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with plans to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal contracting and grant processes, vacating a district court injunction blocking the changes. In the unanimous ruling issued on Friday, the Fourth Circuit panel determined that the plaintiffs failed to establish their claim that two Executive Orders signed by President Donald J. Trump in January 2025, which ended federal support for DEI programs, violated their First Amendment free speech rights.

U.S. Chief Circuit Judge Albert Diaz, an Obama appointee, authored the court’s opinion, writing, “President Trump has decided that equity isn’t a priority in his administration and so has directed his subordinates to terminate funding that supports equity-related projects to the maximum extent allowed by law. Whether that’s sound policy or not isn’t our call. We ask only whether the policy is unconstitutionally vague for funding recipients.”

Notably, the court found that because President Trump‘s Executive Orders were directives issued to his Cabinet and did not attempt to govern the private conduct of federal grant recipients, the directives had no impact on the free speech rights of the plaintiffs. The Fourth Circuit panel admonished the plaintiffs and the lower court ruling, writing, “What plaintiffs are really asking us to do is read subtext into the Provision’s text. And what they’re really challenging is how the Administration and its agency actors interpret antidiscrimination law in relation to plaintiffs’ DEI programming.”

The Trump administration’s plans to end DEI requirements and programs for federal contractors and grant recipients have been in limbo since last February, when the City of Baltimore—joined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)—filed a lawsuit against the directives in Maryland federal court. Subsequently, U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson, appointed by former President Joe Biden, issued an injunction against the administration, preventing Trump’s Executive Orders from going into effect. In his ruling, Judge Abelson specifically found that President Trump’s detectives likely violated the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.

Image by Katrin Bolovtsova.

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Mamdani, from Islam’s Extreme ‘Twelver’ Sect, Says He Supports Immigration Because It ‘Built’ His Religion.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), a member of the extremist “Twelver” sect of Shia Islam, invoked the Prophet Muhammad and the history of Islam to defend his support for even more expansive sanctuary laws while speaking before 400 faith leaders at the annual Interfaith Breakfast.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, illegal immigrants, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and New York residents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The Interfaith Breakfast occurred on Friday, February 6, 2026, in New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I consider my own faith, Islam, a religion built upon a narrative of migration. The story of the Hijrah reminds us that Prophet Muhammad, was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina.” — Zohran Mamdani

🎯IMPACT: While Mamdani likely intended to relate his protection of criminal illegal immigrants to a seemingly sympathetic story of faith and religious persecution, the Hijrah not only marks Muhammad’s flight from Mecca but also the start of the Early Muslim conquests of the Middle East, when Muhammad returned to Mecca with an army, with his successors going on to take over North Africa, Spain, and other territories by force of arms.

IN FULL

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), a member of the extremist “Twelver” sect of Shia Islam, invoked the Prophet Muhammad and the history of Islam to defend his support for even more expansive sanctuary laws while speaking before 400 faith leaders at the annual Interfaith Breakfast on Friday. Immediately following his address, the Ugandan immigrant socialist signed Executive Order 13, which bans U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from all city property—as well as hospitals, schools, homeless shelters, and municipal parking lots—unless they present a judicial warrant. Additionally, the measure orders city workers to refuse federal government requests for information about New York City residents unless required by law.

“I consider my own faith, Islam, a religion built upon a narrative of migration. The story of the Hijrah reminds us that Prophet Muhammad, was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina,” Mamdani said before quoting the Quran. “Sura An-Nahl 16:42 tells us: ‘As for those who emigrated in the cause of Allah after being persecuted, we will surely bless them with a good home in this world,'” he said.

While Mamdani likely intended to relate his protection of criminal illegal immigrants to a seemingly sympathetic story of faith and religious persecution, the Hijrah, in which Muhammad and his followers fled to Medina after persecution in Mecca, marks the beginning Early Muslim conquests, which saw Muhammad establish the first Islamic state in Medina and initiate a series of violent conquests that captured Mecca and most of modern-day Saudi Arabia.


Over the next 130 years, Muhammad‘s successors, under the successive Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates, would wage war across most of the Middle East and North Africa. By 750 A.D., the conquests had spread Islam through warfare from Persia, which was formerly Zoroastrian, to Spain, and as far north as the Caucasus.

Mamdani’s own “Twelver” sect of Islam, shared by Iran’s ruling mullahs, believes that there is a 1,200-year-old living prophet who is still alive but currently in hiding, and he will emerge to spread Islam worldwide in the future.

Notably, the former Biden government’s open border policies have been criticized by many, including President Donald J. Trump and two-thirds of Americans, as having facilitated a foreign invasion of the United States by millions of illegal immigrants. While most of those who illegally entered the country under Biden originated from countries in Central and South America, the refugee crisis in Europe has seen a flood of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants coming from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Overwhelmingly Muslim men of military age, these so-called refugees have fueled a cultural and religious clash that has seen acts of terrorism, rape, and attacks on churches and synagogues.

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Violent Trans Antifa Radical Jailed for Hammer Attacks on Right-Wingers.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A transgender Antifa radical was sentenced to eight years in prison in Hungary for a series of violent far-left attacks in Budapest.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The German activist, known as “Maja T.,” and other members of the “Hammer Gang” Antifa cell.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks occurred in Budapest in February 2023; sentencing was this week at the Budapest Municipal Court.

🎯IMPACT: The case has sparked political backlash in Europe, with some accusing Hungary of political persecution while others highlight the violent nature of the crimes.

IN FULL

A Hungarian court has handed an eight-year prison sentence to “Maja T.,” a German national linked to a series of far-left assaults carried out in Budapest in February 2023. The attacks were attributed to a radical Antifa cell known as the “Hammer Gang,” which allegedly targeted people it accused of being “neo-Nazis.”

Prosecutors said the group ambushed victims in the street, striking them on the head with clubs and continuing to beat them after they fell. Several victims reportedly suffered skull fractures and other life-threatening injuries. Authorities said those attacked were selected based on suspicion of right-wing views, regardless of whether they were actually involved in any extremist activity.

The convict, who claims to be “non-binary,” was found guilty of life-threatening assault and membership in a criminal organization by the Budapest Municipal Court. The ruling is provisional and may be appealed.

Maja claimed the case was politically driven and aimed at satisfying Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government has classified Antifa as a terrorist organization. “Of course, I see the Hungarian government’s efforts to influence the independence of the court,” Maja complained following the verdict.

Another alleged member of the Hammer Gang, Italian activist Ilaria Salis, was previously held under house arrest in Hungary, but later secured release after being elected to the European Parliament, gaining parliamentary immunity.

Antifa has been linked by authorities in multiple countries to acts of political violence. In recent years, governments and law enforcement agencies have cited Antifa-associated groups in connection with assaults, arson attacks, and major infrastructure sabotage.

Last year, President Trump declared several European Antifa groups as foreign terrorist organisations.

Image by Oompje.

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Canada, France Open Greenland Consulates in Challenge to Trump.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Canada and France have opened consulates in Greenland, marking a significant diplomatic move against U.S. interest in acquiring the Danish territory.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Canadian and French officials, the Trump administration, and the governments of Greenland and Denmark.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The consulates were opened this week in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, following friction between the U.S. and Europe over the island from 2025 into 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Canada stands firmly in support of the people of Greenland who will determine their own future.” – Canadian Governor General Mary Simon.

🎯IMPACT: The consulates highlight attempts by European NATO members to push back against President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland.

IN FULL

Canada and France have formally opened new consulates in Greenland, a move widely seen as a signal of support for Danish sovereignty in the Arctic territory at a time of tension with the Trump administration over its future. President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark to boost national and regional security.

Until now, only the United States and Iceland have maintained permanent diplomatic outposts in Greenland. Officials from both Canada and France traveled to Nuuk for the openings, with Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon saying, “Canada stands firmly in support of the people of Greenland who will determine their own future.”

Notably, a majority of Greenlanders wish to separate from Denmark—few in the Inuit-majority territory are ethnic Danes—but a larger majority do not wish to do so if it means losing the Danish subsidies which currently cover around half the Greenlandic budget. Despite official resistance to joining the United States, it remains likely that the U.S. could make the Greenladers a substantially better offer than Denmark.

The Canadian consulate had originally been scheduled to open in late 2025, but was delayed due to severe weather. Its belated opening comes amid strained relations between Washington and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, was critical of Trump over Greenland and other geopolitical issues at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland.

Trump, in turn, has warned Canada of the possibility of 100 percent tariffs if it moves forward with a trade agreement with China.

Notably, Vice President J.D. Vance has said that quiet negotiations regarding Greenland—involving European governments and the United States over security and possibly access to critical minerals — have been far less hostile, with concessions to the U.S. position being made in private.

Image by NordForsk/Terje Heiestad.

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TrumpRx, Designed to Slash Drug Prices for Americans, Has Launched. Here’s How It Works:

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced the launch of TrumpRx.gov, a platform offering significant discounts on high-cost prescription drugs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, pharmaceutical manufacturers including AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: President Trump officially announced the launch of the TrumpRx website on Thursday evening.

💬KEY QUOTE: “American patients no longer have to pay high prices to subsidize low prices in the rest of the world.” – Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: Millions of Americans will benefit from drastically reduced drug prices, with savings on key medications for diabetes, fertility, and more.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has officially rolled out TrumpRx.gov, a new online platform aimed at helping patients secure significant discounts on some of the priciest and most commonly prescribed medications in the U.S. The site enables Americans to access prices aligned with those in other developed countries, under what’s known as most-favored-nation (MFN) pricing.

The launch involves partnerships with five leading drug companies—AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer—with more agreements anticipated soon. Users can obtain these savings via printable or digital coupons or through integrations directly with the manufacturers’ systems.

Among the standout reductions are drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, prescribed for diabetes and weight management, where monthly costs have fallen from over $1,000 to as little as $199, based on the dosage. Fertility treatments such as Gonal-F and Cetrotide are also seeing steep cuts, with some dropping to $22.50. Additional savings apply to asthma and COPD inhalers, insulin products, and medications for osteoporosis, all available at much lower rates.

This effort stems from an Executive Order President Trump signed in May 2025 to bring U.S. drug prices in line with those in comparable nations. Since then, 16 separate agreements have been secured with pharmaceutical companies, leading to price drops on a range of treatments.

On January 15, 2026, President Trump also called on Congress to approve The Great Healthcare Plan, which would make price reductions permanent, reduce insurance premiums, boost transparency in healthcare costs, and ensure greater accountability from insurance providers.

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House Demands Business Records From Ilhan Omar’s Husband Amid Access-Buying Allegations.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) is demanding business records related to the husband of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), suggesting they may reveal the couple has enriched themselves from individuals “buying access” to the Democrat lawmaker.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. James Comer, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and her husband, Tim Mynett.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comer made the document request on February 6, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “His companies reportedly went from $51K to $30 MILLION in one year—with zero investor information. So we want to know: Who’s funding this? And who’s buying access?” – Rep. Comer

🎯IMPACT: If Mynett and Omar refuse to cooperate with the House Oversight Committee’s inquiry regarding their financial irregularities, it could lead to Comer issuing a subpoena for the documents and a possible referral to the House Ethics Committee.

IN FULL

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) on Thursday issued a formal request demanding business records and financial documents from Tim Mynett, the husband of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), amid concerns over irregularities seen in the Democrat lawmaker’s financial disclosure forms. The most recent disclosure filing shows Omar’s household net worth rising sharply, with estimates ranging from $6 million to as much as $30 million, drawing scrutiny from congressional watchdog groups and allegations that the couple is profiting from selling political influence.

“I’m demanding financial information from companies linked to Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s husband. His companies reportedly went from $51K to $30 MILLION in one year—with zero investor information,” Rep. Comer wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He added, “So we want to know: Who’s funding this? And who’s buying access?”

The National Pulse reported in December last year that Omar’s most recent disclosure filing named a number of new assets held by her husband, including a California winery, eStCru LLC, which is listed with a value of $1 million to $5 million. Another holding, the venture capital firm Rose Lake Capital, is stated to be valued at between $5 million and $25 million. The figures stand in contrast to Omar’s earlier disclosures, which showed relatively modest finances, burdened by student loan and credit card debt, and a net worth below $250,000 in both 2022 and 2023.

Of particular concern is Rose Lake Capital, which Mynett stated in court filings had just $42.44 in its bank account in 2022. However, on her recent disclosure form, Omar states her husband’s firm could be worth as much as $25 million.

Notably, the couple was briefly the subject of a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation during the former Biden government, though no charges against the couple were filed. Both Omar and Mynett have denied any wrongdoing, despite the financial irregularities. Should the couple decline to cooperate with Chairman Comer’s request, the Oversight Committee is likely to pursue the records through a subpoena.

Image by Chad Davis.

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Dem Officials Are Resisting Federal Push to Boost Election Integrity in This State.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Election oversight in Michigan is under scrutiny as President Donald J. Trump and Michigan Republicans advocate for federal oversight, while Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other Democrats resist.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Gov. Whitmer, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D), and Michigan lawmakers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Discussions intensified this week in Michigan, with federal and state officials exchanging statements and letters regarding the 2026 midterm elections.

💬KEY QUOTE: “President Trump is 100% right because Michigan voters cannot trust Jocelyn Benson. She continues to fight against transparency and accountability, refuses to remove dead people from our state’s voter rolls and is happy to let noncitizens vote in our elections. ” – Aric Nesbitt, Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate (R)

🎯IMPACT: The debate highlights growing tensions over election oversight, as the Trump administration seeks to increase integrity and Democrats resist.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump this week floated the idea of federalizing elections to increase their integrity and security, arguing that some states cannot be trusted to administer voting fairly. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has responded forcefully, rejecting any federal takeover despite issues in her state. In a video posted to social media this week, she said, “Let me be very clear: elections will continue to be run at the state level in Michigan. Any attempt by the federal government to take over Michigan elections should be seen for what it is – an attempt to take away your constitutional right to vote. Now, it’s not going to happen on my watch.”

Michigan Republicans countered that Trump’s proposal reflects legitimate concerns about transparency and accountability. Michigan Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt accused controversial Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) of mismanaging elections, saying, “President Trump is 100% right because Michigan voters cannot trust Jocelyn Benson. She continues to fight against transparency and accountability, refuses to remove dead people from our state’s voter rolls and is happy to let noncitizens vote in our elections. She’s the worst secretary of state in America and shouldn’t be running our elections without checks and balances.”

Last November, Nesbitt joined 21 other Republican lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting federal election monitors and “comprehensive oversight” of Michigan’s 2026 elections. The lawmakers cited what they described as an “inherent and unavoidable conflict of interest,” noting that Benson is serving as the state’s chief elections official while running for Governor.

The debate intensified after Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, a Republican candidate for Secretary of State, reported in January that his office identified noncitizens registered to vote.

The Michigan clash mirrors a broader national fight over election integrity. Congressional Republicans have pushed legislation requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, while Democrats have challenged such efforts in court despite overwhelming public support—including among Democrat voters—with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) comparing voter ID to Jim Crow.

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Man Charged Over Alleged Assassination Plot Against Trump’s OMB Director Russ Vought.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Maryland man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection with an alleged plot targeting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Colin Demarco, a 26-year-old Maryland resident, and Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred in August 2025 at Vought’s residence in Northern Virginia. Demarco was arrested last month and is being held in Arlington County.

💬KEY QUOTE: Demarco admitted he wanted to confront Vought about Project 2025, expressing fears of a “fascist takeover,” and stating that President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 election victory was the “lowest point in his life.”

🎯IMPACT: The arrest and subsequent charges are the latest notable instance of political violence tied to Democrat claims that President Trump and Republicans are “fascists.”

IN FULL

A Maryland man was formally charged on Thursday with attempted murder for allegedly plotting to assassinate Russell Vought, the director of the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Project 2025 architect. “Colin Demarco, 26, of Rockville, MD is charged with Attempted Murder, Criminal Solicitation to Commit Murder, Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Wearing a Mask in Public to Conceal Identity,” the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) announced, adding, “He was taken into custody at his residence on January 16 and later extradited to the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

In August last year, Demarco allegedly appeared outside Vought’s Northern Virginia home and was observed by a neighbor exhibiting suspicious behavior. According to the ACPD, “A witness reported observing a male suspect, who was wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves, carrying a backpack and appeared to be concealing a firearm under his shirt, on the victim’s porch. The suspect subsequently approached the witness and inquired about the victim before leaving the scene.”

The ACPD states that officers were dispatched to the residence, but a canvass of the area did not turn up a suspect. However, a home surveillance camera captured an image of Demarco, leading to his eventual identification by law enforcement. Consequently, police executed search warrants for digital records associated with the suspect, including “digital evidence that the suspect had obtained directions to the victim’s residence, had information detailing locations of firearms possessed by a relative, and had a guide detailing tips to prevent criminal detection.”

Notably, court documents state that in the days prior to Demarco traveling to Vought’s home, the 26-year-old made numerous posts online attempting to solicit others to carry out the murder of the OMB director. Demacro eventually decided to carry out the assassination himself, the charging documents allege.

After his arrest, Demarco admitted to being in Arlington last August, but claimed he was job hunting and denied carrying a weapon or intending to harm Vought. He did, however, admit he wanted to confront Vought about Project 2025, expressing fears of a “fascist takeover,” and stating that President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 election victory was the “lowest point in his life.”

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Americans Warned to ‘Leave Iran Now’ as Chance of War Rises.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The State Department issued a warning for American citizens to leave Iran ahead of indirect nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran in Oman.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: US State Department, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Adm. Brad Cooper.

📍WHEN & WHERE: February 6, 2026, in Muscat, Oman.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I would say he should be very worried. Yeah, he should be. As you know, they’re negotiating with us.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Rising tensions between the US and Iran, with the potential for renewed military action if negotiations fail.

IN FULL

The U.S. State Department has put out an urgent advisory urging American citizens to “leave Iran now”, coinciding with indirect discussions in Oman between U.S. and Iranian officials concerning Iran’s nuclear program. The alert, posted late Thursday by the virtual U.S. embassy for Iran, recommended that people there prepare an exit plan “that does not rely on U.S. government help” and, if departure isn’t possible right away, to “keep a low profile”.

This latest warning comes after the Islamic Republic carried out a harsh crackdown on large-scale protests last month, leading to thousands of deaths among demonstrators during a period of deteriorating economic conditions. President Donald J. Trump has previously warned he will intervene to prevent the regime from killing demonstrators en masse.

Oman’s government has acknowledged that an initial session of indirect talks took place, with participants including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Also present was Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), joining alongside Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. This inclusion of a senior military figure represents a change from earlier diplomatic engagements.

“The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming the diplomatic and technical negotiations by ensuring the importance of these negotiations, in light of the parties’ determination to ensure their success in achieving sustainable security and stability,” the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In a Wednesday interview with NBC News, President Trump said of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “I would say he should be very worried.” He went on to state that he had “heard” Iran is working to revive its nuclear program, and that he would not hesitate to direct U.S. bombers to “do their job again” if required, referring to U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year.

Image via Fars Media Corporation.

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