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Category: News
July 10, 2025
News
War

Admiral Responsible for Drag Shows on Navy Carrier Loses Promotion Nomination.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Defense Department has withdrawn the nomination of Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly for promotion to vice admiral following scrutiny over drag performances aboard the USS Ronald Reagan during his command.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The drag events occurred aboard the USS Ronald Reagan from 2016 to 2018. The nomination withdrawal was reported in July 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Every military officer takes command of units large and small with the understanding they are responsible for everything that does and does not happen under their command.” – William Thibeau, The American Military Project

🎯IMPACT: The withdrawal highlights ongoing efforts to drive woke ideology and its enablers out of the U.S. military under the Trump administration.

IN FULL

The Defense Department has withdrawn the nomination of a rear admiral for promotion to vice admiral, following inquiries into drag performances that took place aboard the USS Ronald Reagan during his tenure as commanding officer. Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly led the aircraft carrier from April 2016 to September 2018, during which time Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, under the drag name “Harpy Daniels,” performed at department-sanctioned events.

The nomination, announced on June 18, was for Donnelly to lead the Navy’s 7th Fleet, its most significant overseas force. However, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has since decided to withdraw the nomination and is seeking a new candidate, according to a Defense Department source. The decision followed scrutiny from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who had previously blocked Donnelly’s promotion as part of a broader effort to challenge Pentagon policies, including taxpayer-funded abortions.

Tuberville, in a May 2023 letter, called on Navy leadership to disclose the officers responsible for funding and promoting drag queen performances, arguing such programs were unrelated to the military’s mission of national defense. “This is a fight worth having,” Tuberville remarked on social media, referencing Donnelly’s role in allowing the USS Ronald Reagan drag shows.

William Thibeau, director of The American Military Project at The Claremont Institute, noted that the drag performances were not isolated occurrences but part of official Navy programs. “The USS Ronald Reagan drag shows of 2017 and 2018 were not random acts of entertainment for sailors, but were sanctioned Navy programs,” Thibeau stated.

“Every military officer takes command of units large and small with the understanding they are responsible for everything that does and does not happen under their command,” he added.

Donnelly’s nomination withdrawal is part of a larger effort by Secretary Hegseth to eliminate woke ideology and its enablers in the military and return to a traditional “warrior ethos.” So far, that policy has led to a surge of new recruits, with military branches exceeding recruitment targets months ahead of schedule.

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July 10, 2025
William Upton
Crime
Immigration

Trump Admin Catches MS-13 Leaders Released Into U.S. Under Biden.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal law enforcement arrested two illegal immigrant MS-13 gang leaders during a raid in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday. Both men are wanted by El Salvador’s government for numerous violent crimes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Melvin Alejandro Varela Pérez, a.k.a. Payaso, Rene Escobar-Ochoa, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), other federal law enforcement agencies, MS-13, the government of El Salvador, INTERPOL, and the former Biden government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The two MS-13 gang leaders were arrested on Wednesday, July 9, 2025; both were detained and paroled into the United States by the former Biden government.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Biden Administration allowed two ringleaders of MS-13, one of the most violent gangs in the world, straight into our country. One of these depraved aliens is on El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted Fugitives list and is wanted for five counts of murder. The other has an INTERPOL notice for drug trafficking.” — DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

🎯IMPACT: Both men are now in ICE custody while the agency coordinates for them to be returned to El Salvador.

IN FULL

Two illegal immigrant MS-13 gang kingpins were arrested during a federal raid in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Melvin Alejandro Varela Pérez—also known as Payaso—and Rene Escobar-Ochoa are both wanted by the Salvadoran government and are accused of numerous murders, conspiracy to commit murder, and drug trafficking. Pérez is listed on El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted, and Escobar-Ochoa is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice. Concerningly, DHS states that despite the warrants and Red Notice, both men were paroled by the former Biden government into the United States after being detained while illegally crossing the U.S. southern border.

“The Biden Administration allowed two ringleaders of MS-13, one of the most violent gangs in the world, straight into our country,” said Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’s Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs. “One of these depraved aliens is on El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted Fugitives list and is wanted for five counts of murder. The other has an INTERPOL notice for drug trafficking.”

“These are the kinds of scum-bags sanctuary politicians are protecting and letting walk free on America’s streets,” she added.

Both men are now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being captured in the raid, which was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and included other federal and international law enforcement partners. DHS says that ICE will continue to hold both MS-13 leaders as it coordinates with the Salvadoran government on returning them to the Central American nation to face justice.

The arrests are being highlighted as a shocking example of the lack of adequate vetting of illegal immigrants detained and subsequently released into the interior of the U.S. under former President Joe Biden.

Speaking on the matter on Thursday, President Donald J. Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, blasted the Biden-Harris era, noting that former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had directed U.S. immigration officials to only proceed with immediate deportations when the detainee had prior violent criminal convictions and not merely warrants for violent crimes.

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July 10, 2025
News

WATCH: Bannon Urges Trump to Appoint a Special Prosecutor to Release Epstein Files.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: WarRoom host and former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon has urged President Donald J. Trump to appoint a special prosecutor to release all government files related to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Stephen K. Bannon, Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments were made on Bannon’s WarRoom podcast on Thursday after the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Epstein’s 2019 death in jail was a suicide and no “client list” of people he trafficked victims to exists.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If DOJ can’t move off the dime, and FBI can’t move off the dime, [there] should be a special counsel to go through everything and release it all.” – Stephen K. Bannon

🎯IMPACT: Bannon’s statements have reignited scrutiny of Epstein’s case and raised questions about transparency within the DOJ and FBI.

IN FULL

WarRoom host and former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon has called on President Donald J. Trump to appoint a special prosecutor to release all government files related to deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. This comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo reiterating that Epstein’s 2019 death in a Manhattan jail cell was a suicide, and that there is no “client list” of people he trafficked victims to—despite Attorney General Pam Bondi implying such a list was “sitting on [her] desk right now” in February.

On his WarRoom podcast, Bannon stated, “They have to go to the court and demand and unseal the sealed evidence in Epstein. It starts there.”

“Bundle everything together… release it all. Or, which I called for yesterday, appoint a special prosecutor—he should appoint a special prosecutor, a special counsel now, for the 2020 election and everything after that, and include Russiagate and all this. You have to do that. That should be done immediately, and that should report to the President,” he added.

The Justice Department’s attempt to essentially close the book on the Epstein case comes as Jay Lefkowitz, the lawyer who helped secure his “sweetheart” deal connected to his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, is negotiating with the Trump administration to help Columbia University escape financial consequences for fostering radical politics.

Sources tell The National Pulse that Lefkowitz is outplaying federal negotiators, with the timing of the DOJ’s Epstein memo appearing suspicious to many legal and political insiders.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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July 10, 2025
News
Science

EPA’s Zeldin Releases Info on Contrails and Geoengineering.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of public information on contrails and geoengineering.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the EPA.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Thursday via social media and the EPA website.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Trump EPA is committed to total transparency,” said Lee Zeldin.

🎯IMPACT: The EPA has created online resources to provide Americans with accessible information on contrails and geoengineering.

IN FULL

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Thursday that the agency will make information about contrails and geoengineering publicly accessible.

“The Trump EPA is committed to total transparency,” Zeldin posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). “I tasked my team… to compile everything we know about contrails and geoengineering to release to you now publicly.”

In a video shared with the post, Zeldin addressed the longstanding skepticism surrounding these topics, stating that people who previously questioned them were often “dismissed as conspiracy theorists.” He added that the EPA’s latest initiative is intended to challenge that perception.

Contrails—short for condensation trails—are visible lines of water vapor that form behind high-altitude aircraft or rockets. Geoengineering, meanwhile, encompasses deliberate strategies aimed at altering the climate, typically to counteract alleged climate change.

The EPA has launched new online materials that explain these subjects in detail. According to the agency’s website, “EPA also created a new online resource focused specifically on solar geoengineering activities, which involve cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back to space, usually through injecting gases, like sulfur dioxide, into the upper atmosphere where they form reflective particles.”

In April of last year, it was revealed that scientists kept the details of geoengineering experiments hidden from the public because they feared a public backlash. For instance, the Coastal Atmospheric Aerosol Research and Engagement (CAARE) project, led by researchers at the University of Washington, deployed trillions of salt particles to increase the density and reflectivity of clouds. They did this despite some believing it could adversely affect the weather in unclear ways.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated earlier this year that the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) may be mixing chemicals into jet fuel to create chemtrails.

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July 10, 2025
NatSec
News

A Chinese State-Owned Company Is Selling Supplements on U.S. Military Bases.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) has called for an investigation into General Nutrition Centers (GNC) stores on U.S. military bases, amid claims that products which are supposed to be predominantly U.S.-made use ingredients mostly from China.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary, and GNC representatives.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation request was made in July 2025, targeting GNC stores on U.S. military bases.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A Chinese state-owned company with this level of access to U.S. military bases is a direct threat to national security.” – Rep. Pat Harrigan

🎯IMPACT: Harrigan’s push could lead to investigations into GNC’s operations and potentially the removal of their stores from military bases.

IN FULL

Republican Congressman Pat Harrigan (R-NC) is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate where General Nutrition Centers (GNC) sources its supplement ingredients, raising alarms about potential national security risks tied to Chinese supply chains and ownership.

In a letter addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, Harrigan pointed to a significant gap between GNC’s public marketing and what he claims is the reality behind the scenes. “Our analysis reveals that nearly 90 percent of GNC’s private-label ingredients are sourced from China, despite GNC’s public claims that 96 percent of its products are U.S.-made,” Harrigan wrote.

At the heart of his concern is GNC’s 2020 acquisition by Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, a Chinese state-owned company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Harrigan argues that such ownership could pose a security threat, particularly since GNC operates stores on U.S. military bases. He’s now pushing for legislation—the Military Installation Retail Security Act—that would ban Chinese-owned retailers from operating on those bases.

“A Chinese state-owned company with this level of access to U.S. military bases is a direct threat to national security,” Harrigan said.

Supporting his case, Harrigan cited a risk assessment conducted by third-party firm Exiger. The report categorized GNC’s ownership risk as “medium-high,” and found that since the 2020 acquisition, GNC had received more than 4,300 ingredient shipments from China, worth roughly $500 million. Harrigan also referenced a $2.25 million penalty the company paid in 2016 for selling supplements containing unapproved ingredients.

The clash between Harrigan and GNC comes amid a related effort to scrutinize farmland acquisitions by Chinese nationals and corporations, particularly those near military installations.

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July 10, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Education
Immigration

Trump Terminates Clinton-Era Policy Giving Free Tuition to Illegals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Education has revoked a Bill Clinton-era policy giving taxpayer funds to help pay for the education of illegal aliens.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, and illegal aliens.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on July 10, and the policy will come into force on August 9.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Postsecondary education programs funded by the federal government should benefit American citizens, not illegal aliens.” – Linda McMahon.

🎯IMPACT: The change will save taxpayers from funding the education of illegal aliens.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of Education has announced the rollback of a Bill Clinton-era policy that made certain federal education funds accessible to illegal immigrants enrolled in technical, career, and adult education programs.

The decision reverses a directive from the former Clinton administration, allowing non-citizens without legal status to benefit from federal funding for postsecondary education. According to the Trump administration, that interpretation was at odds with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), a federal law that limits most public benefits to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

“Postsecondary education programs funded by the federal government should benefit American citizens, not illegal aliens,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Under President Trump’s leadership, hardworking American taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for illegal aliens to participate in our career, technical, or adult education programs or activities. The Department will ensure that taxpayer funds are reserved for citizens and individuals who have entered our country through legal means who meet federal eligibility criteria.”

Officials pointed to an executive order signed by President Trump on February 19, which reinforced the administration’s commitment to ending the use of federal funds for illegal immigrants. That order aligns with the PRWORA by emphasizing that federal benefits should be reserved for legal residents.

Beginning August 9, 2025, the Department will enforce the updated interpretation of the PRWORA. Federally funded postsecondary programs will be required to verify participants’ eligibility in accordance with the revised policy.

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July 10, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
Lawfare

EXPLAINED: Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order Despite SCOTUS Ruling.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction blocking President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship, despite a Supreme Court ruling last month barring lower courts from granting such relief beyond their jurisdiction.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Normand Laplante, the United States Supreme Court, President Donald J. Trump, and the children of immigrants born on or after January 20, 2025.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The injunction was issued on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The court hereby finds that Class Petitioners have demonstrated likelihood of success on the merits of their claims; that Class Petitioners are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the order is not granted,” wrote Judge Laplante.

🎯IMPACT: Despite the Supreme Court ruling limiting nationwide injunctions, Judge Laplante utilized the “wiggle room” in the ruling, which allows for nationwide injunctive relief to be granted in class action lawsuits where a viable class is established and certified by the court.

IN FULL

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Normand Laplante has issued a nationwide injunction blocking President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order ending birthright citizenship. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled late last month that lower courts cannot—under most circumstances—grant injunctive relief beyond their jurisdiction, the high court left a degree of what Justice Samuel Alito called “wiggle room” for issuing nationwide injunctions as part of a class action lawsuit. This latter exception is how Judge Laplante, a George W. Bush appointee, made his ruling blocking the birthright citizenship order.

“After careful consideration of the parties’ submissions, the supporting declarations, the applicable law, and the filings and record in this case, the court GRANTS Petitioners’ Motion for a Classwide Preliminary Injunction,” Judge Laplante wrote in his ruling. He continued: “The court hereby finds that Class Petitioners have demonstrated likelihood of success on the merits of their claims; that Class Petitioners are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the order is not granted; that the potential harm to the class petitioners if the order is not granted outweighs the potential harm to Respondents if the order is granted; and that the issuance of this order is in the public interest.”

Notably, the injunction only provides relief from President Trump’s directive ending birthright citizenship for the class established by the court, which Judge Laplante defines as the children of immigrants born after the January 20, 2025, Executive Order went into effect. The federal judge, based in New Hampshire, also issued a seven-day stay on his injunction to allow time for the Trump administration to appeal the decision.

While Judge Laplante appears to have circumvented the constraints placed on nationwide injunctions by the Supreme Court, the expediency with which he recognized a viable class for the purposes of class action could be seen as dubious. Typically, establishing and certifying a viable class can take a relatively long period of time, with most class action lawsuits in the United States taking, on average, two to three years to conclude.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the injunction.

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July 10, 2025
William Upton
Crime

Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Fires Lawyer, Wants to Represent Himself.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ryan Wesley Routh, who attempted to assassinate President Donald J. Trump late last year, informed a federal court that he has fired his attorney and is requesting to represent himself.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ryan Routh, federal prosecutors, a U.S. federal court, and President Donald J. Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The court was informed of Routh’s decision on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

🎯IMPACT: It remains to be seen whether the court will deem Routh competent enough to represent himself. The 59-year-old faces serious consequences should he be found guilty, as attempting to assassinate a president can carry a sentence of life in prison or even the death penalty.

IN FULL

Would-be presidential assassin Ryan Wesley Routh announced in court on Thursday that he has fired his attorney and is requesting that he be allowed to represent himself. Routh is currently facing five federal charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, stemming from a September 2024 attempt on President Donald J. Trump’s life. The federal trial is currently slated to begin on September 8, 2025, with Routh facing state charges as well.

Last year, Routh was discovered by the United States Secret Service (USSS) hiding with a SKS-style rifle amidst shrubbery on the edge of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. At the time, Trump was just several hundred yards away playing a round of golf. After spotting Routh positioned in cover with a rifle, a Secret Service agent performing an advance sweep, several holes ahead of Trump, fired four shots at the would-be assassin, causing him to flee the scene. Subsequently, Routh was pursued by law enforcement in a high-speed chase in which a six-year-old girl was nearly killed. He was apprehended some time later in Marin County, Florida, after causing a multi-car crash on a highway, which nearly resulted in the death of the young girl.

The 59-year-old Routh’s attempt to assassinate Trump appears to have been inspired by the former’s obsession with supporting Ukraine. The would-be assassin appears to have been deeply involved with efforts to send Afghanistan military veterans to Ukraine to assist in the country’s defense against Russia Additionally, federal prosecutors have produced a letter authored by Routh in which he pledges a six-figure cash bounty on President Trump, with the text also suggesting that he was likely inspired by the anti-Trump rhetoric pushed by the Democratic Party.

A separate November 2024 letter authored by Routh and sent to the media indicates that President Trump’s firm stance against Iran’s nuclear weapons program and sponsorship of terrorism was a secondary motivation for the assassination attempt. Notably, Iran has repeatedly threatened the life of Trump and other government officials in retaliation for a January 3, 2020, drone strike, which killed Iranian Quds Forces commander Qasem Soleimani.

It remains to be seen whether the court will deem Routh competent enough to represent himself. The 59-year-old faces serious consequences should he be found guilty of the federal charges. Attempting to assassinate a president can carry a sentence of life in prison or even the death penalty.

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July 10, 2025
Immigration

Hispanic Support for Trump’s Deportations Is Surging.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A new poll shows Hispanic voter support for deportations has surged by 11 percent in just two months.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The poll was conducted by Cygnal, and it surveyed 1,500 people. The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have also been central to recent deportation efforts.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The survey was conducted between July 1 and 2, 2025, as ICE continues nationwide raids and deportations.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.” – Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: Support for deportations among Hispanic voters has risen significantly despite pro-illegal immigrant riots in cities across the U.S.

IN FULL

Support for President Donald J. Trump’s mass deportation policies has surged among Hispanic voters, according to a poll conducted by Cygnal. The survey, which polled 1,500 people between July 1 and 2, 2025, revealed an 11 percent rise in strong support for deportations among Hispanic voters since May.

The findings coincide with a series of nationwide raids and deportations carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These operations have targeted migrants living in the U.S. illegally, many with serious criminal records.

Since May, overall support for deportations among Hispanic voters has increased by seven percent, with an 11 percent rise in those who “strongly support” them.

The poll found that over 60 percent of all voters now support the deportation of illegal immigrants. Among Hispanic voters, 50 percent expressed support, with 48 percent opposed. Support among black voters stood at 53 percent, while support among white voters stood at 65 percent. This is despite pro-illegal immigrant riots and potentially deadly attacks on ICE in cities across the U.S., accompanied by highly inflammatory anti-ICE rhetoric from senior Democrats.

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), stated: “We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

Meanwhile, illegals who decline this offer and take their chances evading ICE will face fines of $1,000 a day, and be deported forcibly—possibly to a country other than their own, such as El Salvador.

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July 10, 2025
War

Zelensky’s D.C. Ambassador, Accused of Pro-Democrat Election Interference, Is OUT.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is set to leave her post in Washington, D.C.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Markarova’s departure was announced on Wednesday during a broadcast on Ukrainian radio.

💬KEY QUOTE: “She is extremely effective and charismatic, but every diplomat has a rotation cycle,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

🎯IMPACT: Markarova’s tenure has been marked by accusations of partisanship by Republican lawmakers. She was present in the Oval Office when Zelensky started a blazing row with Vice President J.D. Vance and President Donald J. Trump.

IN FULL

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry confirmed this week that Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, is set to return to Kiev, supposedly as part of a routine diplomatic rotation. The decision comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly seeks to inject new energy into U.S.–Ukraine relations, which have been strained since President Donald J. Trump returned to office with the goal of securing a compromise peace between Kiev and Moscow.

Deputy Head of Zelensky’s Presidential Office and newly appointed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha addressed the transition in a Ukrainian radio interview on Wednesday. “Ambassador Markarova has served with exceptional dedication and charisma. However, all diplomats follow scheduled rotations,” Sybiha suggested.

Markarova’s departure comes after a series of political controversies. Chief among them was a September 2024 visit to a munitions manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania, where Markarova was joined by Democratic Party leaders. The event drew criticism from Republicans who said they were deliberately excluded. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) accused the ambassador of partisanship, calling the visit “election interference” due to its location in a key battleground state and its association with Democratic figures close to Vice President Kamala Harris. In a letter to President Zelensky, Johnson alleged the visit was “intentionally partisan” and said it undermined trust in Markarova’s ability to serve as an impartial diplomat.

“The absence of any Republican invitees from such a high-profile event raises serious concerns,” Johnson wrote. “It was clearly political, and such actions damage the credibility of Ukraine’s diplomatic representation.”

Following President Trump’s reelection and inauguration, Marakova was present during the infamous Oval Office clash between Zelensky, President Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance in February. She was photographed with her head in her hands as Vance and then Trump admonished Zelensky for his ingratitude and seeming disinterest in making peace, after the Ukrainian leader had made a point of attempting to undermine the Vice President in front of the press.

Image via U.S. Institute of Peace.

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