Tuesday, January 13, 2026

BREAKING: Trump Likely Heading to Egypt on Sunday for Gaza Talks.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that he will likely be heading to Egypt either Saturday evening or Sunday morning in anticipation of the peace talks between Israel and Hamas entering their final phase.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The possible Sunday, October 12, trip was announced on Wednesday afternoon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I may go there sometime toward the end of the week. Maybe on Sunday, actually.” —  President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s commitment to a possible trip to Egypt at the end of this week suggests that serious breakthroughs have been made in the Israeli-Hamas peace negotiations.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that he will likely be heading to Egypt either Saturday evening or Sunday morning in anticipation of the peace talks between Israel and Hamas entering the final phase. “I may go there sometime toward the end of the week. Maybe on Sunday, actually,” President Trump said during White House event.

He continued: “And we’ll see, but there’s a very good chance. Negotiations are going along very well. We’re dealing with Hamas, and many of the countries, as you know, all of the Muslim countries are included, all of the Arab countries are included.” President Trump went on to suggest he may actually depart for Egypt on Saturday evening if talks continue to go well.

Trump’s commitment to a possible trip to Egypt at the end of this week suggests that serious breakthroughs have been made in the Israeli-Hamas peace negotiations.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Wednesday that U.S. negotiators, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, joined key participants, including Qatar‘s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, in Egypt for the third day of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi described the involvement of Kushner and Witkoff as “very encouraging,” emphasizing their strong mandate from Trump to bring an end to the conflict. Talks have focused on hostages, prisoner exchanges, and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

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U.S. Foreign-Born Population Drops by 2.2 Million Amid Deportations, Record Low Illegal Immigration.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A historic reduction in the foreign-born population in the U.S. occurred in the first seven months of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, attributed to record-low illegal immigration levels and migrants returning to their home countries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler of the Center for Immigration Studies, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

📍WHEN & WHERE: January through August of this year, across the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We think the evidence is strong that most or all of the decline in the foreign-born population shown in the CPS is real and primarily reflects a reduction in new arrivals and, in particular, a large increase in emigration.” – Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler.

🎯IMPACT: Record-breaking reductions in illegal immigration, with 1.6 million illegal aliens self-deporting and over 400,000 deported by ICE, alongside historic lows in border apprehensions.

IN FULL

The United States has seen a historic decline in its foreign-born population in the first seven months of President Donald J.  Trump’s second term, due mainly to record-low rates of illegal border crossings and a significant number of foreign nationals choosing to return to their country of origin. The data comes from an analysis of the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler of the Center for Immigration Studies.

According to the researchers, the foreign-born population has dropped by 2.2 million across the United States from January through August of this year. Importantly, the analysis sheds light on how effective the Trump administration’s increased interior immigration enforcement operations have been, finding that the illegal immigrant population has declined by 1.6 million over the eight-month period.

The Center for Immigration Studies researchers note that while some might attribute the CPS data analysis to a “a statistical fluke,” the plummeting foreign-born population is likely driven by record-low illegal immigration levels as well as self-deportations  “We think the evidence is strong that most or all of the decline in the foreign-born population shown in the CPS is real and primarily reflects a reduction in new arrivals and, in particular, a large increase in emigration,” Camarota and Zeigler write.

In September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that estimates suggest 1.6 million illegal immigrants have self-deported from the United States. Additionally, government data shows the Trump administration is on track to match or exceed the 300,000 peak annual deportations seen under former President Barack Obama—the most in a year in recent history. Some estimates place the total deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at more than 400,000.

The National Pulse reported on Tuesday that illegal crossings at the U.S.–Mexico border have fallen to their lowest level in over 50 years. U.S. Border Patrol recorded approximately 238,000 apprehensions in fiscal year 2025, a dramatic decline from the 2.2 million reported in fiscal year 2022 during the Biden government.

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Acting CDC Boss Tells Big Pharma to Separate MMR Vax Into Three Shots.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Acting U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Jim O’Neill called for the MMR vaccine to be split into three separate shots, echoing comments made by President Donald J. Trump.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jim O’Neill, Donald Trump, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and vaccine manufacturers Merck and GSK.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on social media and in interviews in October 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Break up the MMR shot into three totally separate shots (not mixed!)” – President Trump

🎯IMPACT: Spreading out measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations could reduce side effects and give children’s bodies more time to adjust to them, but the health establishment is complaining that it could disrupt adherence to immunization schedules and increase the risk of contracting one of the illnesses between shots.

IN FULL

Jim O’Neill, Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is advocating for separating the MMR vaccine, which inoculates against measles, mumps, and rubella, into three separate doses. His stance echoes a social media post by President Donald J. Trump last month, when he wrote, “BREAK UP THE MMR SHOT INTO THREE TOTALLY SEPARATE SHOTS (NOT MIXED!), TAKE CHICKEN P SHOT SEPARATELY, TAKE [HEPATITIS] B SHOT AT 12 YEARS OLD, OR OLDER, AND, IMPORTANTLY, TAKE VACCINE IN 5 SEPARATE MEDICAL VISITS!”

O’Neill has supported this view, stating, “Thank you POTUS for your leadership. I call on vaccine manufacturers to develop safe monovalent vaccines to replace the combined MMR.”

Introduced in 1971, the MMR vaccine, manufactured by Merck and GSK, combined three vaccines previously licensed in the 1960s, and has long been controversial, with skeptics linking it to autism. Andrew Nixon, Communications Director for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), noted, “Standalone vaccinations can potentially reduce the risk of side effects and can maximize parental choice in childhood immunizations.”

Image by Nicola Sap Di Mitri.

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Trump Envoys Join Gaza Peace Talks in Egypt.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas are underway in Egypt, with U.S. envoys and regional leaders joining negotiations on Wednesday, aiming to end the Gaza conflict.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Key figures include Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Talks are taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I think there’s a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East. It’s something even beyond the Gaza situation. We want a release of the hostages immediately.” – President Donald J. Trump

🎯IMPACT: The discussions aim to secure a ceasefire, exchange hostages, and determine Israeli troop withdrawal timelines.

IN FULL

The third day of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas is taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with U.S. envoys and regional leaders working to finalize a peace deal under President Donald J. Trump‘s guidance. U.S. negotiators, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, joined key participants, including Qatar‘s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi described the involvement of Kushner and Witkoff as “very encouraging,” emphasizing their strong mandate from Trump to bring an end to the conflict. Talks have focused on hostages, prisoner exchanges, and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Notably, Hamas has submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released in exchange for hostages held in Gaza. The list includes prominent political figures and militants like Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat. Meanwhile, Israeli officials expressed “cautious optimism,” while Hamas representatives noted “necessary positivity” but acknowledged ongoing differences.

Trump struck a hopeful tone, stating, “I think there’s a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East. It’s something even beyond the Gaza situation. We want a release of the hostages immediately.” Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed his government is pushing Hamas to accept the plan, while also urging pressure on Israel to halt its attacks.

As negotiations continue, the Israeli military appears to have scaled back its ground offensive in Gaza.

Image by WAGA / APAimages.

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Migrant Charged Over Farage Death Threats Refuses to Testify.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan illegal immigrant is accused of making a threat to kill Reform Party leader Nigel Farage in a TikTok post.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fayaz Khan, 26, and Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The threats were allegedly issued between October 12 and 15, 2022; the trial is being held at Southwark Crown Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He says he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me.” – Nigel Farage

🎯IMPACT: The jury has been sent out to consider their verdicts after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defense.

IN FULL

Fayaz Khan, an Afghan illegal immigrant, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of making a threat to kill Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in a TikTok video posted between October 12 and 15, 2022. Khan, who crossed the English Channel on a small boat and livestreamed his illegal journey, was arrested on October 31. He has denied the charge and has chosen not to testify during the proceedings.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told the court that the video was “sinister and menacing” and should be taken as a serious threat rather than a joke or casual remark. He pointed to Khan’s refusal to give evidence, saying, “The prosecution suggest this is because there is no sensible defense he could give to that video.” Ratliff also highlighted Khan’s apparent fascination with guns, including tattoos of AK-47 rifles on his body.

Farage gave evidence, describing the video as “pretty chilling.” He told the jury, “He says he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me,” and voiced concern over Khan’s apparent obsession with firearms. Jurors were shown the TikTok video in question, which included the caption “I mean what I say,” along with other similar videos featuring gestures and sounds interpreted as threatening.

In a police interview, Khan said the video was never meant as a threat, explaining, “It was just a video, it was never an intention to threaten him.” He claimed his behavior reflected his online persona and was not serious.

Defending Khan, barrister Charles Royle argued the video was not a genuine threat but part of Khan’s bizarre and exaggerated online behavior. He described Khan’s actions as “remonstrating in his own idiosyncratic, moronic, comedic, eye-catching, attention-seeking way,” and urged jurors not to judge his client based on his immigration status or AK-47 tattoos. Royle also reminded the jury that Khan’s decision not to testify should not be taken as an admission of guilt.

The case comes amid growing concern over political violence. Farage has faced a string of attacks in recent years. In June 2024, he was assaulted with what appeared to be cement during a campaign event in Barnsley. Earlier, a drink was thrown at him as he left a pub in Clacton, after a spate of similar incidents.

Despite the rise in threats, the Labour Party-led British government reportedly slashed Farage’s security funding by 75 percent in October 2025, shortly after U.S. conservative organizer Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Suspect Nabbed for Devastating Palisades Fires in Los Angeles.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An arrest has been made in connection with the devastating Palisades Fires that destroyed homes and claimed lives in Los Angeles, California, earlier this year.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli, Jonathan Rinderknecht, first responders, and fire victims.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fires broke out on January 7, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Details on the arrest were revealed on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January.” — Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli

🎯IMPACT: The fires claimed 30 lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and exposed critical failures in California’s emergency responses.

IN FULL

California law enforcement has made an arrest in the case of the Palisades Fires that ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year, destroying homes and claiming lives. At a press conference on Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for Los Angeles named 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht the suspect, noting that the evidence points to Rinderknecht having intentionally set the fire.

“Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January,” Essayli wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding:  “Among the evidence that was collected from his digital devices was an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city.”

The fires, which erupted on January 7, 2025, killed 12 people in Pacific Palisades and another 18 in Altadena. Over 6,000 homes and buildings were destroyed, including properties owned by high-profile figures such as Paris Hilton, Tom Hanks, and Mandy Moore. The fires burned for days, reducing neighborhoods to ash and rubble.

An outside review released in September pointed to a series of failures in Los Angeles County’s emergency response. The report highlighted outdated policies, inconsistent practices, and communication vulnerabilities that delayed evacuation orders, leaving residents to flee on their own as flames rapidly spread.

The first evacuation order for the Pacific Palisades fire came 40 minutes after some homes were already burning. Severe winds hindered aerial firefighting efforts, while water hydrants ran dry due to unprecedented demand. A nearby reservoir was empty because it was under repair, and fire commanders had not pre-deployed additional resources despite the forecasted conditions.

Despite these challenges, nearly all residents of Pacific Palisades managed to escape, thanks to their awareness of fire risks and the efforts of first responders. The fires were the most destructive in California’s history.

Image by FireEditorHomiee.

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Inside the Alleged Manipulation of Crime Statistics by DC Police:

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The House Oversight Committee is investigating claims that Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) leadership is manipulating crime data to downplay violent crime in the city.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: MPD leadership, D.C. government officials, responding officers, and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ongoing investigation with allegations spanning recent years, primarily in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They make you call an official, like a sergeant and the lieutenant on the scene to make that decision. Basically, to put people who have skin in the game with the crime stats in the business of deciding whether we should record the stat or not,” said a reserve officer with MPD.

🎯IMPACT: The alleged manipulation of crime data may mislead the public, create a false sense of security, and hinder accurate assessments of public safety in D.C.

IN FULL

The House Oversight Committee is conducting an inquiry into allegations that Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) leadership is deliberately manipulating crime statistics. Sources familiar with the process claim that city officials routinely minimize violent crime by downgrading charges, a practice they allege starts at the crime scene and continues through the court system.

A reserve officer with MPD disclosed that responding officers are not allowed to classify violent crimes independently, leaving those decisions to higher-ranking officials like sergeants or lieutenants. “They make you call an official, like a sergeant and the lieutenant on the scene to make that decision. Basically, to put people who have skin in the game with the crime stats in the business of deciding whether we should record the stat or not,” the officer explained. This process, the officer noted, disincentivizes officers from reporting violent crimes accurately.

The National Pulse reported in July that Michael Pulliam, a Washington, D.C. police commander, is under investigation for allegedly doctoring crime statistics. The investigation began after the Fraternal Order of Police complained that the department was deliberately falsifying crime data.

Further, the officer noted that a legal change in September 2023, driven by D.C. Council Democrats, introduced a new charge of “endangerment with a firearm” as a substitute for assault with a dangerous weapon. While both are felonies, only the latter is classified as a violent crime in MPD’s data. The officer claimed this distinction is often abused to artificially lower violent crime statistics.

A review of the data found 25 instances of “endangerment with a firearm” being used in arrests between September 2023 and late 2024, though the true number may be higher. This reclassification, alongside MPD’s selective use of crime categories, has raised questions about the city’s reported 35 percent decrease in violent crime from 2023 to 2024.

Additionally, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves, has faced criticism for declining to prosecute a significant number of cases, including assaults against police officers. In 2023, Graves’ office reportedly did not prosecute 42 percent of cases. After President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated for his second term in January 2025, Graves was removed from office and eventually replaced by Jeanine Pirro as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Image by Elvert Barnes.

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Far-Left Streamer Hasan Piker Accused of Electrocuting Dog.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Far-left political streamer Hasan Piker faced backlash after a Twitch broadcast on October 7, 2025, where his dog Kaya yelped during a scolding, leading to allegations of animal cruelty involving a shock collar.

WHO WAS INVOLVED: Hasan Piker, his dog Kaya, and critics, including liberal streamer Ethan Klein of h3h3 Productions, who accused Piker of cruelty.

WHEN & WHERE: October 7, 2025, during a Twitch livestream, with clips shared across X and Reddit.

KEY QUOTE: “Horrifying animal cruelty caught on camera … as he activates her shock collar for one tiny step off her bed. She cries in pain … this had to be the result of some brutally strict training.” – Ethan Klein

IMPACT: The incident has sparked widespread demands for action against Piker by the Amazon-owned Twitch platform, and potentially an official investigation if a complaint is filed against him.

IN FULL

Turkish-American streamer Hasan Piker, known online as “HasanAbi,” is facing growing backlash following an October 7, 2025, livestream on Amazon-owned Twitch where his dog Kaya let out a sharp yelp after being scolded. In clips circulating widely on social media, Piker interrupts a rant that begins, “I hate this f**king country so much,” to shout at Kaya, who serves as a prop in the background of his streams, as she attempts to move from her bed. The far-leftist yells, “Kaya, please, just f**cking go—” as he appears to reach for something, before the dog suddenly yelps in pain and returns to her position. Observers believe that a shock collar or similar device may have been used to keep her in place.

Piker’s complaint that his mother had allowed Kaya to “roam the house” while dogsitting, in contrast to her seemingly restricted movements during many of his streams, further raised suspicions. Online sleuths quickly turned up a video clip in which Piker confesses to owning a shock collar and calls them “incredibly effective.” In another clip, he expresses indifference towards animals suffering, saying of the difficulties French bulldogs have with breathing: “I know they have breathing problems, I know they’re incredibly f**king inbred, I don’t give a s**t, I know, I know, I don’t care… Like, I don’t give a s**t, this is a dog.”

Critics, including h3h3 Productions’ podcaster Ethan Klein, openly accused Piker of shocking Kaya: “Horrifying animal cruelty caught on camera … as he activates her shock collar for one tiny step off her bed. She cries in pain … this had to be the result of some brutally strict training,” Klein said.

Piker denied the allegations during a follow-up stream, claiming Kaya hurt herself by clipping her bed frame, insisting, “She is the best-behaved and most spoiled dog on the planet.” He dismissed the accusations as misinterpretations. However, skepticism persists due to the timing of his hand movements just before Kaya’s pained yelp and return to her bed.

This is not Piker’s first controversy. A well-known far-left commentator with a massive online following, he has infamously said that “America deserved 9/11,” and has previously been suspended from Twitch—albeit only briefly—for telling viewers to “shoot” GOP Senator Tom Cotton in 2024, and suggesting Rick Scott should be “killed” earlier in 2025.

WATCH:

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Trump Floats Arresting Gov. Pritzker, Mayor Johnson Amid Anti-ICE Attacks.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump called for the jailing of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), following the deployment of 500 National Guard troops to Chicago.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson, and National Guard troops.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The comments were made Wednesday morning on Truth Social, as National Guard troops were deployed to Chicago over the weekend and on Monday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The deployment of federalized National Guard troops has sparked significant political tension, with Illinois Democrat officials opposing the move and filing lawsuits to block it.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump called for the jailing of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) on Wednesday, taking to Truth Social to criticize their handling of public safety and failure to protect federal immigration enforcement agents from violent leftist attacks. The post comes as 500 National Guard troops have been deployed to Chicago at President Trump’s direction.

“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” the America First leader wrote on Truth Social, directly targeting Johnson and Pritzker.

Gov. Pritzker, 60, responded by saying, “This is a man who’s suffering dementia,” adding: “This is a man who has something stuck in his head. He can’t get it out of his head.”

Over the weekend, the Pentagon federalized approximately 300 Illinois National Guard members, despite objections from Pritzker and the Illinois government. Additionally, Texas has sent some of its National Guard units to Illinois to assist federal agents. The state and city had previously filed lawsuits to block the deployment of armed National Guard troops to Chicago; it is expected that a federal judge will rule on the matter on Thursday morning.

President Trump’s remarks follow Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, the two suspects arrested for a vehicle ramming attack on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in Chicago, Illinois, over the weekend, being released from custody on Monday by a federal judge pending trial.

According to DHS, Martinez—who was shot five times by agents responding to the vehicular attack—was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and had previously doxxed federal agents.

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Comey Arraigned on Obstruction, False Statement Charges.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has been indicted on charges of alleged false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding and is set to appear in federal court on Wednesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: James Comey, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and District Court Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comey’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 10 AM Eastern Time in the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in the Eastern District of Virginia.

💬KEY QUOTE: “No one is above the law,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

🎯IMPACT: The case underscores the ongoing scrutiny of past FBI leadership and its handling of key investigations, with significant implications for public trust in federal law enforcement.

IN FULL

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey is set to appear in federal court following his indictment on charges of alleged false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern Time in the Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in the Eastern District of Virginia. District Court Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff will preside over the hearing.

Comey was indicted in September by a federal grand jury on two counts: making alleged false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The indictment alleges Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information and falsely claimed he did not authorize an FBI official to act as an anonymous source.

Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on the case, stating, “No one is above the law.” FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in, criticizing “previous corrupt leadership” for politicizing federal law enforcement, particularly during the Trump-Russia probe, known as “Crossfire Hurricane.”

Comey denied the allegations in a video posted to Instagram, stating, “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way… I am innocent, so let’s have a trial and keep the faith.”

The investigation into Comey follows years of scrutiny over the FBI’s handling of the Russia hoax, which began in July 2016 and later became the focus of Special Counsel John Durham‘s investigation.

Durham’s report concluded that the FBI failed to act on clear warnings that the bureau was potentially being manipulated for political purposes to undermine President Donald J. Trump during the 2016 election. He noted that the FBI’s actions during the “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation displayed a “startling and inexplicable failure” to critically assess intelligence related to the Clinton campaign’s efforts to influence the law enforcement process.

Update: Just after 10 AM, former FBI Director James Comey entered a plea of not guilty. 

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